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The following letter was written by a sponsored†youth in Liberia.†He writes about the challenges he has overcome after 14 years of civil unrest in his country and about how CFCA has been a constant†source of hope in his life. We hope you'll read his letter to you.
My name is Nyankoi. I was born on Sept. 9, 1986. I am a Liberian. As most Liberians, I have had my share of trauma, challenges and difficulties in life.
After 14 years of civil unrest, I am happy to be among the living. During the years of civil war, my mother and I went to the hinterland along with my brothers. We went to our village from Monrovia where we lived prior to the war. We returned to Monrovia in 1991 and I started pre-school, which was at first free. I attended for a year and could not continue because of financial reasons. My late father was not working then and hence things were very difficult.
It was there and then that CFCA came in with HOPE. It is often said that a man can live without food for seven days, without water for three days, but no man can live without HOPE for a second. It is in this light that I can never forget the pit of sorrow CFCA took me from.
I became a part of the CFCA program in 1994 when I was 8 years old and in the second grade. I was accepted into the program when my father asked the priest at our parish for assistance in getting me to school. It was then that Father Jackson decided that I should get on the program because of my financial status. Since then there has never been a turning back because I took it as a challenge and never repeated a single class throughout my entire school year.
Today, I am proud to say that because of CFCA, I am who I am. My entire high school and even to some extent my college fees have been paid through the service-scholarship by CFCA. Throughout my high school years, I had many tough times but I believe that tough times donít last but tough people do. This has moved me to persevere in all I do. …
My first sponsor friend was Mrs. Ann C. Raffetto, who helped me with encouragement and motivation and this greatly helped me to continue. I was happy that I was again benefiting from the program. My father was now relieved a bit because he had my brothers and cousins to attend to because CFCA had already offered HOPE to the family again.
Then I had the greatest challenge so far in my life, the death of my father on Jan. 10, 2005. It took me a long period to get over it. After my graduation from the 12th grade Aug. 1, 2005, not having the slightest thought of going to college because of financial problems, CFCA stepped in again with sponsorship and service-scholarship programs.
At this point in time I had a change of sponsor which made me very sad at first. I had already established a closer relationship with my first sponsor and I felt a part of her family, too. After some time I got a new sponsor, Joseph and Pat. It was just the matter of time and I was not sad anymore because my new sponsors made me to feel a part of their family as well. They encourage me like my previous sponsor, and today I have an extended family far away from home.
I had the chance to tell my new sponsor friend about college life in Liberia and how it differs from that of the Western world. I made them understand that unlike Western countries that charge so much for universities and colleges, in Liberia, colleges are not very expensive. They got to understand that the same amount they contribute to grade school students could also do something significant in Liberian universities. Many teens can do a lot with sponsorship funds in universities if they decide to only use it for that purpose and forget about other benefits. Education is paramount among the youth of postwar Liberia, and I am certain that every child wants to get a career and be independent one day.
My sponsors got to know that I am studying electronics engineering in a Catholic university and they continue to encourage me. They are always happy with me and they feel proud of me because for five semesters I had scored three points and continue to do my best. I admire my sponsors so much because of their pieces of advice.
I am now a senior student at the university and will hopefully be graduating with a bachelor of science degree in electronics engineering in two semesters. I am proud to be a CFCA beneficiary in Liberia with the greatest CFCA experience. Also, I hope my academic achievements will serve as an encouragement to the younger beneficiaries with very poor beginnings to forge ahead. What the sponsors are giving us (no matter how small or big) is our inheritance for the future. That assistance is purely silver and gold in my heart.
I can now say that I am part of a big familyóCFCA. There is no way I can divorce my achievement and where I am in life from the help of CFCA. No way! I am grateful.


text: The SmartSilk™ 5 Sided Mattress Pad combines a cozy all-natural silk fill liner along with the all-natural soft cotton finish. Enjoy a cleaner night's sleep with The SmartSilk™ Shield Advantage that provides you with a proven barrier against allergens, dust mites and pet dander that has been certified asthma & allergy friendly™. Enjoy the convenience of the Mattress Pads' fitted materials enabling you to quickly place and remove onto any mattress depth from 7″-17″. The exclusive and easy to use adjuster ensures that once secured, the pad won't shift while on your mattress. You will also benefit from our Smart Temperature Advantage that further ensures a high level of comfort. The breathable material naturally, smoothly and continuously adjusts with your body temperature while also wicking away moisture. Quick Fact: A memory foam mattress produces a lot of heat. The SmartSilk™ Mattress Pad will allow air to smoothly circulate beneath you when placed onto the memory foam mattress. Our All Natural Silk Filled Luxury Bedding will enhance your sleep and quality of life.

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In this book, Jane Jacobs brings her creative mind and sharp wit to bear on the question of how cities grow economically. While there's a lot of wisdom here, it demands an unusual style of reading ... Read full review
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This book is another example of Jane Jacobs' clear and frequently different thinking. It provides some insights into the growth of cities that usually overlooked. As an example, one new idea here is ... Read full review
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Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Reader DC and Adobe Acrobat DC for Windows and Macintosh. These updates are rated as six (6) critical and five (5) rated important, addressing Arbitrary Code Execution, Information Disclosure and Security Bypass. Also see this KB article for more information on mitigating CVE-2018-4993.
Release date: May 14, 2018
Vulnerability identifier: APSB18-09
Platform: Windows and Macintosh
Update checks can be manually activated by choosing Help > Check for Updates. Reader DC and Acrobat DC were updated to 2018.011.20040.
Reader DC and other versions are available here: https://www.adobe.co...latform=Windows
Acrobat DC for Windows is available here: http://www.adobe.com...orm=Windows
Note: UNcheck any pre-checked additional options presented with the update. They are not part of the software update and are completely optional.
Security Bulletin
Adobe Reader DC and Acrobat DC Critical Security Updates Released
Started by Corrine , May 14 2018 11:20 AM
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Posted 14 May 2018 - 11:20 AM
Take a walk through the "Security Garden" -- Where Everything is Coming up Roses!
Remember - A day without laughter is a day wasted.
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart.
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Police Department
Teen Arrested for Series of Break-ins
Lincoln Police were able to make an arrest on a disturbing series of cases that have occurring since August 2008. In each case, a young woman awoke in the early morning hours to find an unknown male in her bedroom. On Sunday, January 25, 2009, Lincoln Police received the most recent report. A twenty year old woman, living in the 2200 block of Holdrege, awoke at 5:15am and observed a male lying on the floor at the foot of her bed. She startled him and he ran from her residence. When officers arrived, they found footprints in the freshly fallen snow that led directly from the front door of the victim's residence to the rear door of 1833 Whittier. A sixteen year old male, Ruach Tang, was contacted at that residence. He was interviewed and later lodged at the Youth Detention Center. Ruach has been arrested on four counts of Trespassing, two counts of 3rd degree Sexual Assault, one incident of Child Abuse and one count of Burglary. In each case, he entered the home through an unsecured door or window.
We believe that Ruach Tang is also responsible for the following incidents:


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Natalie (Kulp) Hand '78 named the College's new Director of Alumni Relations.Natalie (Kulp) Hand '78, P'07, previously a leadership gift officer at Muhlenberg College, has been named the College's new Director of Alumni Relations.
Friday, March 29, 2013 08:39 AM
Natalie (Kulp) Hand '78, P'07, formerly a leadership gift officer at Muhlenberg College, has been named the College's new director of alumni relations. She became active in her new role April 1.
"I am delighted to have Natalie join the alumni relations team in this capacity," said Rebekkah Brown, vice president for development and alumni relations. "During her tenure at the College, she has demonstrated outstanding leadership, work ethic and passion for Muhlenberg as she built relationships throughout the community. Natalie distinguished herself among a highly qualified group of applicants throughout the search process and joins a team of exceptional alumni relations professionals within the department. I am confident that together they will further enhance the opportunities for alumni to connect with their alma mater."
Hand, a resident of Macungie, Pa., graduated from Muhlenberg College in 1978 and joined the College's development staff last year. She has an extensive professional portfolio, with 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and philanthropic field in national, regional, and local levels.
Prior to coming to Muhlenberg, Hand served as the director of grants for The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia for 14 years, where she was responsible for securing grants from private foundations, corporations and government funders. She also worked for 10 years at Meridian Bancorp as vice president of corporate community relations and corporate philanthropy in Berks and Schuykill counties.
Hand was also employed by the City of Philadelphia, as the director of Art in City Hall; the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, as the director of development and public relations; and the National Endowment for the Arts as a program specialist for the museum program and the theatre program.
In 1991, she earned certification from the professional development program at the Center for Corporate Community Relations at Boston College.
In her new role as director of alumni relations, Hand will be responsible for planning and implementing programs and activities that engage the College's 20,000+ alumni with their alma mater in ways that strengthen Muhlenberg and enhance the lives of its students, faculty, staff and graduates.
Muhlenberg College is a highly selective, private liberal arts college in Allentown, Pa. Founded in 1848, it is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.


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'Gear that's Tacti–cool'
Gear that is comfortable, strong and functional is important during tactical training and tactical operations. In the process if you look tacti-cool,(a term derived from the word Tactical it's a descriptive word for equipment and clothing that does not have any tactical purpose, but makes one look cool), it's an added bonus, looking and feeling good implants much confidence in the operator.
So, if you looking for the coolest and most durable and effective tactical gear try Legion Tactical Gear. They stock the latest tactical gear and guns to keep you ready for any scenario.
For the best protection, you must choose your gear wisely.Shopping for Tactical gear has been made so easy, thanks to online shopping.
Visit legion tactical on their website to view all their tactical gear (http://ift.tt/2kEMMHi)
How to Choose the Perfect Tactical Gear Set
Apart from being ever ready and prepared when on the tactical field, take note of the fact that tactical gear also shields individuals who enjoy target shooting as a sport or even those individuals who love some outdoor fun with extreme toys. For the very best defence, make sure to choose your gear astutely.
When you shop online you are able to get the correct specifications of the tactical equipment and gear you require, furthermore you are able to choose the right colour that best suits your taste. So here is a simple guide to help you choose your perfect tactical gear, lets starts with:
Gear for your head
A bump helmet will provide protection against impact from falling.
Gear for your ears
Frequent exposure to noise at the firing range can be damaging to your hearing, protecting your ears is vital.
Gear for your eyes
Gear for your body
Good eyewear is needed to protect your eyes from gun powder or just impact protection
Tactical clothing not only looks good but is also very comfortable and breathable. A bonus is the extra pockets for carrying that smaller tactical equipment's. Some have very good camouflage
Gear for your feet
Your tacti-cool look will not be complete without a good pair of tactical boots. Any brand of tactical shoes will do as long as there is traction that will prevent you from slipping and it has good waterproof lining to prevent your feet from getting wet. Also, good padding inside the shoe as the shoes must be comfortable for you to give the best outcome when on the tactical field.
So, you need to have all the added accessories as well to complete your tacti-cool look, Legion Tactical gear as it all well equipped to meet your needs here is a few of the items to peek your interest
They stock the very best tactical gear
- Back packs
- Rifle bags
- Range bags
- Weapon mounted flashlights
- Hand held flashlights
- Plate carriers
- Chest rigs
- Pouches
- Foregrips
- Rifle stocks
- Duty holsters
- Concealed holsters
- Paintball markers
- Paintballs
- Rifle scopes
- Red dot sights
- Mounts
- Pistol magazines
- Rifle magazines
- Hearing protection
- Eye protection
Here are the advantages of buying online
Better Prices
When you by online you get discounted priced than buying at the actual store
You can browse different websites to find the price that best suits your pocket
Yes you can shop at the mall but it will take more of time and effort
You also may not be taxed because most ecommerce stores won't tax you
Convenience of online shopping
Online shopping is very convenient
Avoid that unnecessary driving to your favourite store
All you need to do is to visit the website, find the product you want and buy it without leaving the comforts of your home
It is so convenient because you don't need to wait for store to open or stand in long ques
If you work long hours, then you won't be able to go to the store then shopping online benefits you and products are delivered right to your doorstep
Most stores at your local mall have a limited collection of products
Shopping online allows you to find many products that you wouldn't be able to find in your local stores
Shopping online is very discreet
Physical stores often make it difficult to buy certain items
You get the privacy you need when shopping online
The post Tactical Gear That Can Be Bought Online appeared first on Dev Home.


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22 communities honored for local, innovative, nature-based climate solutions.
Award Ceremony
Equator Prize 2017 Award Ceremony
Recognizing outstanding community and indigenous initiatives that are advancing nature-based solutions for local sustainable development.Read more.
Solutions Database
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Learn how outstanding local communities and indigenous peoples make possible the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals through nature-based actions.Read more.
The Equator Initiative provides opportunities for indigenous peoples and local communities around the world to address the challenges of land degradation, biodiversity conservation and livelihood improvement in a socially equitable manner
Advocating for Global Change
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The Kuruwitu Conservation & Welfare Association
The Kuruwitu Conservation and Welfare Association is the first locally managed marine area in Kenya, a 'small but beautiful' initiativeRead more.
We believe in the power of knowledge sharing, Equator Initiative's E-Library provides a series of publications, case studies and other resources specifically created to be shared among the communities, partners and government.
Explore our media library, discover hundreds of pictures and videos from the local communities and indigenous peoples .
The Equator Initiative is a multi-sector partnership that brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, and grassroots organizations.
Since 2002 Equator Initiative has been supporting 208 local communities and indigenous peoples from 70 countries that are advancing nature-based solutions for local sustainable development.
Help us do even more,
Feel like getting updated? Join our community
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Electronic Waste
Data Security
IT Asset Disposition & Asset Management
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Indiana E-Cycle Laws
Schedule A Pickup
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Click Here to review all our certifications.
Ready to sign up for e-waste recycling services, or have some questions?
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Stay up to date with all the latest industry news here.
OmniSource Electronics Recycling
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Tel: 260-456-0512


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Many of today's automation components — including motor controllers — are now available with their own protective enclosures. Given this trend, many OEMs and manufacturers are adding cable receptacles to such enclosures to allow installers to connect to them with factory-molded connectors during field installations of distributed hardware. By connecting enclosures in a "wirewayless" way, you can simplify installation and significantly reduce wiring requirements over the traditional method involving wireway (or raceway), wire, and field terminations.
You instantly reduce costs in such areas as engineering, documentation, verification, and troubleshooting. You can enjoy further savings by reducing the time involved to install wires, terminate and label each connection, and route wires to the control panel. Plus you eliminate the need to design and document motor controller panels. As a result, you significantly reduce the task of verifying that the sensor(s) and associated wiring are correct for a given motor controller, verifying correct motor rotation, and troubleshooting miswired connections.
For the end user, the benefits include floor-space savings, improved Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), enhanced control system reliability, increased productivity, and greater flexibility. Flexibility can be important where the physical arrangement and orientation of physical assets change frequently.
Sounds good, doesn't it? Yet, some people are concerned that this new approach may sacrifice safety and reliability. To address this concern, we must first look more closely at what we achieve with traditional methods.
Absolute really isn't. Traditional wiring methods and standards are not foolproof. What we've accepted as the "absolute" in achieving safe, effective, and consistent distribution of power and control signals has inherent weaknesses.
For example, wireways and raceways may fill with contaminants or separate at the joints. Based on experience, you can probably make a decent-sized list of failures you've noted in these systems. You'd probably also agree that any wiring system requires maintenance, as no wiring system or method inherently guarantees safety and reliability.
It's also important to remember that requirements vary by situation and application. Just compare the requirements of a general-purpose product distribution warehouse to those of a heavy industrial manufacturing plant. Before applying any type of electromechanical control design approach, you need to look at the application and understand the specific regulatory, ergonomic, and operational requirements. In doing so, you may be able to save considerable time and money.
Safe exposure. With wirewayless wiring, the most notable change is that wires previously running into the control panel via wireways are now visible as cables running on equipment surfaces. A common concern is the potential shock hazard this design might present. Is the tradeoff in reduced wiring and installation costs via exposed cables too high of a safety risk?
To answer that question, we need look no further than the NEC. You can use exposed cable in industrial environments to extend from a cable tray to a piece of equipment without wireway, if the tray cable meets the crush and impact test requirements of Type MC metal-clad cable [336.10 (7)].
The FPN in 670.1 refers to NFPA 79, "Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery". This standard allows you to install exposed cables along the structures of equipment. Those cables can follow the surface and structural members of the machinery, provided they fit the requirements for the operating conditions and external influences of that application [336.10 (7) and NFPA 79 18.104.22.168].
What if someone inadvertently pulls a plug apart — does this elevate the risk of electric shock? No. The design philosophy for plugs for exposed wiring is similar to that used for home electrical appliances. For example, if you unplug a lamp from an electrical socket, you can touch the prongs of the removed plug. The female connector is also hidden behind the electrical socket so your fingers can't touch it. This is equivalent to the IP20 enclosure standard. Similarly, all components ideally suited for distributed hardware solutions are designed so an exposed male pin is not live, and the female connector is always IP20-protected.
To provide additional shock protection, the NEC and NFPA 79 require the grounding pin to be the longest pin. This way, it mates first during plugging and separates last during unplugging. That means the power pin mates or unmates only when a ground connection is present.
To avoid electrical shock and provide safe operation of equipment, devices must be marked with their interrupting rating [240.86(B)]. Since cabling connectors used in distributed hardware solutions are not designed to interrupt current, qualified electrical testing organizations require the connectors be labeled "not for interrupting current." This means you must shut off power to the device and implement lockout tag-out procedures when you want to disconnect a device by unplugging the connector and receptacle.
Locks on the connectors provide another safeguard for exposed run wiring. These allow you to latch and lock the cable into place when you plug the cable into the wall. With these locks, you can't inadvertently pull the connector apart and accidentally create a hazard. One method of locking involves provision of a snap-fit locking enclosure over the connector.
A third safety measure is to use connectors that have shorter pins for the control circuit power to the contactor. With this arrangement, pulling the connector apart will cause the contactor power to drop out before the pins carrying the power current separate.
Corrosion conquered. Wash-downs raise concerns that cutting fluids or washing materials might seep into a connector — causing rust, chemical corrosion, or electrical shock. But manufacturers and standards making bodies have already thought of this. For example, an enclosure or system rated IP67 (per IEC 60529, "Degrees of Protection Provided by Enclosures") is "dust tight" and provides "temporary protection during water emersion for 30 minutes."
Controls and cable connectors rated IP67 have a level of environmental protection that provides complete protection against dust ingress and temporary immersion in liquids. The plating or paint on the exposed parts protects the controls and connectors from corrosion. Furthermore, the metal parts of connectors are anodized aluminum (or e-coated zinc die cast) — the exposed parts must pass extreme wash-down and salt spray-type tests.
Motor branch-circuit requirements. The cables and connectors of distributed hardware systems are part of a motor branch circuit and must be able to withstand short-circuit currents per UL 1682. You must protect these with short-circuit and overload protection devices per Art. 430. If you're designing the system, you need to know the available fault current and determine if the controllers and cabling are adequately rated.
The substation transformers of manufacturing facilities are typically anywhere from 1,000 to 2,500 kVA in size and have a short-circuit current capability of 38,000A to 65,000A, respectively. Unless another transformer is between the facility's substation transformer and the wirewayless wire system, this is the available fault current the distributed hardware system may encounter if a short circuit occurs.
Wirewayless wiring and its components must pass testing by a qualified electrical testing organization and be listed to withstand these high short-circuit currents for the time it takes their supply circuit breaker to interrupt the power. Therefore, it's important for the system of cables, connectors, and controllers to be listed for use on motor branch circuits when protected by the largest circuit breaker allowed by Code.
Electrical inspections. Some people are concerned that their installation may not pass an electrical inspection if they use a wirewayless wiring approach. In an industrial facility, you can install tray cables between the cable tray and the connected equipment [336.10]. You must install this cable with good workmanship and support it properly every six feet or less (Sidebar on page 46).
Unfortunately, not all municipal electrical inspectors are sufficiently knowledgeable to approve electrical equipment that uses exposed wiring. The installer or end user may need to have:
A third party (e.g., a field engineer from a qualified electrical testing laboratory) certify the installation and equipment to their standards.
A registered professional engineer evaluate the installation for compliance with applicable NEC and NFPA 79 requirements.
The manufacturer document or demonstrate the equipment uses listed components and conforms to NEC and NFPA 79 requirements.
Or the inspector may elect to carry out an evaluation on the equipment before approving the installation as compliant with the appropriate codes. This latter method is likely in states and municipalities that have made NFPA 79 mandatory and enforceable.
You've now seen that the wirewayless wiring approach doesn't sacrifice safety or reliability. You've also seen a basic outline of the requirements for implementing it. The question that remains is this. Are you ready to reap the benefits?
Wielebski is a principal engineer with Rockwell Automation in Milwaukee.
Sidebar: Inspector's Tips
Following the NEC guidelines, install electrical wiring and equipment in a neat and workmanship-like manner.
Use control gear listed to UL 508, as they meet the regulations spelled out in NFPA 70 and NFPA 79, respectively.
Have documentation to show your machine was built and tested for its particular environment.
Ensure the conductors and cords are electrically protected within their limitations, voltage, and currents.
If using transient voltage surge suppressors, install them downstream from the circuit breakers or fuses so they don't become a fire hazard.
Do not use supplemental protectors as a substitute for a branch-circuit-rated overcurrent protective device.


text:
ECS-H Charger with Weighted Base
(CRA-A81)Discontinued Products
How to Buy
You have no items in your quote.
ECS-H Charger with Weighted Base
The ECS-H is designed to firmly and reliably hold and charge Code battery handles.
Features & Benefits:
- Slim design with small footprint for mobile carts and small countertops
- LED charging status indicator
- Hands-free reading functionality while in charging mode
- Weighted base
- ECS-H Dimensions: 2.6"H x 2.5"W x 3.4"L
- ECS-H Weight: 2.4 oz (68 g)


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The Philadelphia Eagles make a change in the Nick of a time, the clock is ticking on Big Ben's return, and the Dez dispenser is dishing out touchdowns and fantasy points for Big D.
Yup, bad puns are alive and well as we head into Week 14, and so is bad football. The NFC North comes to mind, as both the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears couldn't make a tackle (or even attempt one, in the former team's case) around their own goal line at crunch time. While the Bears are 8-4, they better get their act together if they're to stay with the Green Bay Packers in the division race. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings have gone from 5-1 & cruising to 6-6 & handily losing.
As for the Super Bowl race ...
@harrison_nfl Your power rankings are bogus' It will be Manning v Manning in the Super Bowl. Picks from day 1. Who pays you guys?â M.J. Rico (@MichaelJRiccio) December 4, 2012
Who pays you? Tom Coughlin and Ramses Barden? For the record, I think ADP pays ours, although I have a facsimile Roger Goodell autograph on my check. I also had a facsimile "autographed" baseball from the 1985 Texas Rangers. They went 62-99. It's worth about 35 cents. But I digress.
This just in: Eli Manning's New York Giants no longer reside in the top 10. The rationalization for the fall to 12th is below. With three quarters of the regular season in the books, we provided the reasoning for each team's specific ranking in this week's blurbs. And as always, the dropbox for your thoughts on such reasoning is @Harrison_NFL.
Until then, let the dissension commence ...
(Note: Arrows reflect change in standings from last week's Power Rankings.)
PREVIOUS RANKINGS: Week 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1
Nothing transpired during Week 13 that suggested the Houston Texans are not the best team in pro football. Of particular note were the limited carries for Arian Foster (14), and the strong play of Matt Schaub. Many of Schaub's throws were dinks, dunks and none-yard outs, but the key to his performance was the 2:1 TD-to-INT ratio. In fact, Houston had a plus-six turnover differential in Tennessee.
The Atlanta Falcons are No. 2 -- same as last week -- as they were the recipient of five giveaways (much like the top-seeded Texans). Atlanta gives teams no free passes. Mike Smith's club had one turnover and only 25 penalty yards. If you want to beat the Falcons, you have to block, tackle and not make mistakes. Other than Matt Ryan's five-pick mulligan versus the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta doesn't do your team's heavy lifting.
The New England Patriots move up to No. 3 by virtue of losses from the Ravens and 49ers. In other news, A Few Good Men was on AMC the other night, and it made me think about these Patriots. There's an underrated scene where Lt. Weinberg lays it out for Demi Moore's character after she screws up in objecting too many times over an expert witness: "Don't worry about the doctor. This trial starts Monday." Well don't worry about the Dolphins game -- particularly the fact that the Pats didn't dominate -- New England's season starts Monday ... versus Houston. And then the following Sunday, versus San Francisco. That little two-week home stand will say a lot about this football team.
The Denver Broncos are fourth and climbing. They just handled Tampa in a game many thought would be more competitive. But before Broncos fans start hollerin' and fiddle-farting with their computer because they're not happy about their team's spot in the Power Rankings, take a look above. The Broncos lost to all three of those clubs.
The San Francisco 49ers sit at fifth, a potentially generous ranking considering they've lost to lesser teams in the Rams and Vikings. Amazing that Jim Harbaugh's group has essentially played two and a half games versus the Rams this season -- not to mention the fact that St. Louis is clearly an inferior team yet nearly swept the Niners. Part of the Rams' success against San Francisco involves what the latter simply can't do: Make stupid turnovers of the Kaepernick-Ginn variety. Weird play call there, and the biggest turn of the events in St. Louis on Sunday. San Francisco is built to run the football, play suffocating defense and win 20-10. Giving the ball away inside your own red zone doesn't fit into that equation.
Bad loss for the Baltimore Ravens, and some serious thought went into dropping them further. The Ravens lost at home to Charlie Batch with a chance to almost sew up the division. Given how easy a remaining schedule the Broncos have, the Ravens must beat Denver in Baltimore in Week 15, or any hope for a playoff bye is gone.
The Green Bay Packers are seventh, moving up slightly due to the Bears' home loss to Seattle. Kudos to Mike McCarthy for running the football 36 times for 152 yards. That lent a big assist to a passing attack devoid of Jordy Nelson and leaning on the services of Greg Jennings, who just returned from a groin injury. It was a pleasant surprise that the Packers suddenly developed a ground game -- not as amazeballs that Adrian Peterson is probably still running wild at Lambeau.
The Chicago Bears fall where many of the backseat power rankers wanted them to be all along: at the back end of the top 10. The Bears' offensive line is still bad, running game still inconsistent, but at least the defense made up for it by missing three tackles on Golden Tate's go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. #brutal
The Cincinnati Bengals creeped into the top 10 last week, but they aren't able to climb any higher than ninth. They're just not quite there yet. The Bengals fumbled three times (losing one), Andy Dalton threw a bad pick and the team suffered through eight penalties. At 7-5, and trailing in the wild-card race, Cincy can't do that against the good teams. Next up: Dallas at Paul Brown Stadium. Fun game.
The Seattle Seahawks nip at Cincinnati's heels in the rankings this week. Drive of the week: Seattle's 13-play, 97-yard drive to take the lead in the waning moments at Soldier Field on Sunday. Then Russell Wilson led them on a 12-play, 80-yard march to win the game on the overtime's opening possession. Alas, the Seahawks only move up one spot with the suspensions to Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner hanging over the organization's head.
Mazel tov, Charlie Batch. The Pittsburgh Steelers reside in the 11-hole, behind the Seahawks, because of Ben Roethlisberger's health status. (And below the Bengals, too, given Cincy's four-game winning streak.) An argument certainly can be made for the Steelers over the Seahawks. Here's the deal: We don't know when Roethlisberger will be back, and whether Batch can exploit secondaries on a weekly basis.
Big Blue has been, if anything, true to form -- and for now, the 12th-best team in pro football. The New York Giants are up and down, and mostly down of late, losing three of four. And if you go back a week further, they almost blew a 23-point lead to the Cowboys in Week 8. Man, that Lawrence Tynes miss from 43 yards loomed large as Monday night wore on. Bad snap, but Steve Weatherford got the ball spotted. Tynes just missed it.
The Indianapolis Colts are 13th because they keep winning. They've been outscored this year 306-265 -- unheard of for an 8-4 team. But it doesn't matter to the allegedly under-talented group from Indy. "We've got a bunch of guys in the locker room ... maybe we don't know any better, we just keep playing," Andrew Luck said after the comeback win over Detroit. Love that quote. Keep on keepin' on, and to hell with the skeptics.
The Washington Redskins ascend two rungs from last week and deservedly reside in the 14th slot. The Redskins beat the 15th-ranked Bucs in Tampa back in September, offensively destroyed the 16th-ranked Cowboys on Turkey Day and put up 38 points on the 18th-ranked Vikings back in Week 6. All those teams are 6-6, but Washington is the leader of the pack.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain above Dallas, settling in at 15. Now, that's despite having the same record and despite the fact they lost at Jerryworld earlier this season. Why? Well, for starters, the Bucs have outscored opponents by 48 points and have been more consistent this season. (For more reasons, see the Cowboys, all the way down at 16th.) The Bucs are gonna need as many points as possible going forward, considering they have road games against the explosive Saints and Falcons on the horizon.
At 6-6, the Dallas Cowboys sit behind the equally .500 Bucs because of injuries on defense. Dallas' depleted unit is getting out-schemed, outperformed, and frankly, dismantled with Ernie Sims and Dan Connor starting at inside linebacker. Sims was probably hanging out at Medieval Times when the Cowboys signed him off the street. Connor, a former Panther, can't get off a block, but makes up for it by constantly being slow to the ball carrier. All this means Tony Romo must offer up more second-half performances like Sunday night's dandy: 10-for-10, 169 yards and three touchdown.
At 5-6-1 and coming off two straight wins, the St. Louis Rams deserve to be the best of the bottom half of the league. Last week in this space, we mentioned the Rams' prospects if they could get past San Francisco. They managed that. Now, with the Bills and Vikings up next, it's conceivable this ballclub could be 7-6-1 come Week 16 ... when they play in Tampa Bay in what could be a playoff elimination game. #justsayin'
At 18 lies the slumping Minnesota Vikings, who do have some positives in tow. They have Adrian Peterson.
The New Orleans Saints, who seem to be a better football team than the accounting here would indicate, come in at 20, sandwiched between the Vikings and Bills. They still can't decide on a running back, and the run defense is nothing short of awful (153.8 yards per game). Drew Brees can't mask all deficiencies, and when he tries ... five picks versus the Falcons.
The Buffalo Bills are 20th, and at 5-7, hanging on to slim wild-card hopes. The Bills would make the playoffs if only they could host the Jags every week.
The Detroit Lions are the 21st-best team in football, at least according to this list. Have they been in more games than Buffalo? Yes. Have they blown more games than almost any team in the league? Si. On that last note, I'd love to hear the conversation between those three Lions defensive backs as they stared at each other while Indy's Donnie Avery walked into the end zone ... with no time left. "Wait, Donnie Avery is still in the league?"
Despite having one more win than the Lions, the Miami Dolphins sit back mostly based on quarterback play. Ryan Tannehill has generally acquitted himself well, considering he's a rookie. But with seven touchdown passes, Tannehill easily trails fellow rooks Russell Wilson (19), Andrew Luck (17), Robert Griffin III (16) and Brandon Weeden (13). Meanwhile, his 12 interceptions have led to a scant 72.3 passer rating. Look, the Dolphins' passing game has plenty of problems -- starting with the lack of talent outside -- but until the team's investment in Tannehill matures, 22nd is where Miami sits.
Two wins in a row, and the 23rd spot in the Power Rankings for the Cleveland Browns. This team can't climb any higher, as it isn't getting enough plays in the passing game to keep up with Detroit, while Miami has managed to pull out one more win.
The San Diego Chargers remain at No. 24 because Arizona, Carolina, Tennessee, Philadelphia and Jacksonville all lost. The Bolts are staying in games long enough to stay one-dimensional, put the entire game on Philip Rivers, verify that Ryan Mathews and the run game suck this year and lose by one score. San Diego Chargers football: Just good enough to get ya beat.
Twenty-fifth and climbing? Yes, on the heels of a quarterback change that might have come weeks -- not a week -- too late. Namath-Maynard, Todd-Walker, Testaverde-Chrebet ... McElroy-Cumberland. The connections are legendary. J-E-T-S ... Jets, Jets, Jets!
At this point, 26th might be generous for the club with the worst offensive line in football, the second-worst starting quarterback situation and the best wide receiver that no one can get the ball to. #8milelosingstreak.
The Carolina Panthers organization was obviously mired in a difficult situation after what transpired in Kansas City on Saturday. It's hard to play a game as the visitor under a cloud of tragedy for the home team. The defense struggled, while the emotionally charged Arrowhead crowd was a big boost to a Chiefs team that had the will to win no matter what.
The Tennessee Titans can call 28 home as long as their wideouts get zero separation, putting any comeback attempt behind the eight-ball while simultaneously legislating Chris Johnson and the ground attack out of the game. Forget their six giveaways for a moment. Jake Locker simply is not an accurate enough quarterback to complete passes to covered receivers. Hate to go all Mark Twain here, but that 55.4 career completion percentage does not fall into the "damned lies and statistics" category.
Does 29th seem harsh? Would the Philadelphia Eagles complain? Probably not. This group does enough to hang around, stay tied, get a small lead ... before seemingly always having a breakdown in coverage at the worst possible time or a turnover that changes the course of a contest. What can Brown do for you? Sunday night, Bryce Brown fumbled -- again. Down four, with plenty of time to go, the Eagles were moving on the Dallas defense again before Brown delivered ... for the other team. Just like the previous Monday night.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have season tickets to the 30-hole, or at least the general vicinity. A road game in Buffalo would seem like a contest in which Jacksonville could at least hold its own. Not when Chad Henne averages five yards per throw, the running game averages less than three yards per carry and the defense gets zero sacks. Hey, what a surprise! The Jags had no pass rush! Cookies!
The Kansas City Chiefs deserve a reprieve from the cellar in the NFL rankings, that's for sure. After what this team went through over the weekend, what a performance. Especially by the much-maligned Brady Quinn, who went 19-for-23 with two touchdown passes and zero turnovers. He was only sacked once.
Let's face it: The Oakland Raiders deserve to be last. Yes, it was a one-score game, but that's because the Raiders got the definition of a "garbage-time touchdown" with one tick left. Honestly, it's all garbage there in the East Bay, though. On the bright side, Brandon Myers scored about 100 fantasy points for people in PPR leagues (14 catches, 130 yards, TD). #thinkingpositive
Elliot Harrison is an analyst on NFL Network's NFL Fantasy Live show, weekdays at 1 p.m. ET and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. ET. Follow him on Twitter @Harrison_NFL.


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While many of his Lord of the Rings cast mates have been eagerly returning to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien for Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, Viggo Mortensen has ventured away from Middle Earth and into a string of darker adaptations. From David Cronenberg's A History of Violence to John Hillcoat's The Road to the upcoming adaptation of Jack Kerouac's On the Road, Mortensen has been delivering one powerful performance after another while staying away from the kind of fantastical tales that made him a star. Now we have a first look at his latest adaptation, The Two Faces of January.
The film marks the directorial debut of Drive screenwriter Hossein Amini. Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name The Two Faces of January centers on a strange trio made up of three Americans who become entangled in covering up the murder of a police officer in Greece. This image tweeted by Blog Du Cinema (via The Playlist) shows the feature's three stars, Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Drive's Oscar Isaac.
The novel came out in 1964, and the costumes seen above suggest Amini has stayed true to this time. In the film Mortensen will play fortysomething con artist Chester MacFarland, who kills the aforementioned cop. Dunst will portray his wife Colette, and Isaac is tackling the role of Rydal Keener, a Greek-speaking American student who helps the two flee from Greece to Istanbul.
The Two Faces of January is now in production. The film will shoot on location in Greece and Turkey, before wrapping up with studio shoots in London. It's expected to hit theaters in 2013.


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Its cool you guys give these Dev blogs which give us a insight into what you have been upto and what your planning to do etc, its useful to see the devs are caring or atleast have the idea of the community in mind.
I gotta be alittle nitpicky however, in the blog:
"That being said. We are fully aware that some of the NA voices aren't to the likings of every player, and we were fully aware of this going into the venture of recording English voices. Making sure that our players have the option to choose between the all new EN voices and original KR voice talent was not only an option, but it was just the right thing to do. We realize that we have some very dedicated, old-school Elsword and anime fans that love original dialogue. At KOG, we love them all. So, it's a win-win as far as we're concerned."
Beside the Eve fanboi's screaming bloody murder, the other comments made, including myself, were related to sound quality e.g. tones, emotion accents, volume levels not being correct or not syncing with ingame animation and skill usage.
In the other paragraph from the blog it seems to come across that people are just simple unhappy with the voice choices and in a polite way, shut up and use Korean voice overs if you have issues. The blog doesn't really seem to acknowledge the issues which I just mentioned prior or bugs/refinement being done to the sounds to make sure they fall into the professional standard of the rest of the game.
In the previous revamp feedback thread I mentioned personally about Elesis's melee grunts being really loud and on to many abilities, which was not a singular opinion but shared by quite alot of people and video evidence also shown just how abrupt and grating it can be. I noticed with this new revamp of Add and Luciel the sounds hadn't been adjusted to be more subtle in volume and reduced on amount of times it triggers on abilities.
Maybe I've just read the devblog in the wrong context but it ends up coming across to the player that KoG decision is final, you got Korean voices, you don't like NA, tough use KR, were not doing anything else to them (contray to the Hanna voice change due to it be really out of context vocally with animation and character establishment).
I think really the blog post, especially with it being a wrapup for season 2 in regards to revamps should have had some part of it addressing that yes, as you noted people maybe unhappy with the dubbed voiced, however we are going to do some refinement sweeps and make sure the sounds could be less annoying/sync up with abilities/balanced volume wise with abilities and other characters so everyone is happy in the end run.
Maybe the acknowledge and process will be highlighted in a new dev blog, but either way it would have been nice to know you were working on it in the last revamp dev blog, rather than a rather PR-ish type post of "Some ain't happy, go use KR then" in a polite way.
As noted, I enjoy the dubbed voices, I just think refinement on volume and ability sync with what is heard with what you see needs tightening up and some sounds need to be less prominant. e.g. Melee grunts shouldn't really be louder vocally than the vocalisation of the ability name by characters who shout them out. You already acknowledged Add's voice is to low in volume and your doing something about it, just be nice to know if your going to be doing some refinement passes to the rest so everyone can enjoy it without having to swap back to KR to have balanced sound or play lower audio because a few vocal parts of characters are louder than they should be.
Maybe this post come across nitpicky or negative, but I feel as a player and a customer(yeah I've used the item mall so technically classified under customer to) that feedback like this needs to land in the developers laps and taken note of so the professional quality remains at a standard which is equal to the rest of the content been made available.
Sounds a big immersion factor, its why people are pretty passionate about it to be honest and can get heated, it brings to life characters etc, but if its not done right it can spoil alot of what the player is experiencing and put them off in the long run.
Edit: Also before anyone jumps on my throat saying "you don't know how its done or how differcult it is to do!", actually I do know how its done and how differcult it is as I test and help with develop of sound pack creation/refinement for simulator games which covers Aircraft, steam locomotives/diesel/cars/ships and ambient sounds for environment stuff, compared to voiceover stuff its alot more differcult to do since you have noise polution to deal with and bleed which is a pain in the ♥♥♥ to refine into good audio and cannot simple ask a vehicle to redo its audio as it will sound different every time.
Please get rid of the >>XXX noise BH makes.
my ears bleed.
Make Eve sound more robotic, to fit her better.
Add needs more of the long-lasting lines like Bryce's Komaeda role. please. My Komaeda-loving こころ needs it ;-;
my guesses for Aisha and Chung: usami and tails.
everyone else is either nitpicking or just fine.
Its nice to see Dev Diary getting a speck of light after all this time... but still... when's Grand Chase costumes?


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The Brains of the Animal Kingdom
New research shows that we have grossly underestimated both the scope and the scale of animal intelligence. Primatologist Frans de Waal on memory-champ chimps, tool-using elephants and rats capable of empathy.
Who is smarter: a person or an ape? Well, it depends on the task. Consider Ayumu, a young male chimpanzee at Kyoto University who, in a 2007 study, put human memory to shame. Trained on a touch screen, Ayumu could recall a random series of nine numbers, from 1 to 9, and tap them in the right order, even though the numbers had been displayed for just a fraction of a second and then replaced with white squares.
I tried the task myself and could not keep track of more than five numbers—and I was given much more time than the...


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Didn't it just become Spring? Oh well...the life a soap maker! Must look forward a season or two ahead.
Almost everyone looks forward to summer anyway, right? There's a lot to look forward to; such as warm days, soaking in the sun, swimming, gardening, hiking, boating, camping and just generally getting out of doors. I love summer. Everyone and everything gets out and gets productive in one sense or another. EVERYONE...including BUGS.
They are a part of the summer season, whether we like it or not. We have to put up with them.
Or, do we?
I'm bringing back, by popular demand a soap that I made last year with just a little change in its looks just for those who aren't fond of little creatures landing on your body and biting you.
Bug Be Gone Soap; a soap that contains essential oils found in many plants known to repel buggy little critters. I'm not the only soap maker that has this, but I think mine is the prettiest and most fashionable looking.
Only natural plant oils are used in this soap that are known to repel bugs, including catnip oil. Catnip oil is known to be one of the most effective natural ways to repel bugs. These oils combined also have a fresh, minty fragrance...an added bonus and change to the commercial bug repellent crowd.
Most of the commercial bug repellents out there are chemically enhanced to keep bugs away. Most of them work quite well, but there are some drawbacks...the spray-ons getting into your eyes and down your lungs, the less than attractive smells, and all the strange-sounding, unpronounceable chemical words that you're are slathering on your body. All the while you are trusting they won't make you grow a third eye!
Bug Be Gone soap certainly smells much nicer than any of those chemically enhanced bug repellent products out there and you are getting a natural product that doesn't make you grow a third eye either.
What a concept!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Looking Forward to Summer Already?
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 12:58 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Featuring... Bead n Chain Jewelry
I've picked a few of my favorite items from Jeannine's shop at http://beadnchainjewelry.etsy.com and have pictured them here. She is very talented in her jewelry making and I just love some of her designs. I've pictured a few of my favs here, but it was hard to decide which pictures to choose, she has so many great designs.
Recently, I asked if I could feature her here on my blog and she was happy to do so. I am pleased to feature such a talented artist on my blog site.
Here is Jeannine in her own words:
I was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada and spent most of my youth dancing Ballet in Canada and England. Married at twenty, have four children, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Widowed at the young age of 40 in 1976. I take one day at a time with God's help, and He has seen me through the good and bad times.
Designing my jewelry is an art that the Lord blessed me with. I am not inspired every day but when I am then I'm on a roll.
When my husband took ill in 1975, our friend taught me and my children to mass produce necklaces and that is what kept us afloat. We did "Flea Markets" back ion N.Y. and somehow managed to earn enough money for food and necessities.
I started working at my craft 34 yrs ago and although not continually, it has always been there for us when the finances were low.
I do not sell locally on a regular basis. Sometimes there is a craft fair but not often. When I go to San Diego next month I have a few sales planned at my home and one at the Spring Fest just before Mother's Day
I keep plugging and never give up. Everyone is very supportive and just when I think the well runs dry, my creative juices start to flow again. Praise the Lord.
Jeannine is such an amazing person, don't you think? Please stop by and visit her amazing shop on etsy. You will love it!
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 12:28 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Coming up in April...the Next Jantzen Beach Artwalk
What can I say! this posting says all the important stuff.
The other important thing is...will YOU be there too?
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 8:17 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Warm Vanilla Spice
Mmmmmmm....doesn't that sound good? Yummy! Delicious! Comforting! Those are probably the first three words that come to my mind when I hear Warm Vanilla Spice.
The fragrance of vanilla, comforting and warm combined with a touch of oriental spices...throws in just a bit of sensuous to the mix.
That is what this soap is made of...vanilla fragrance oil, which has the side effect of turning the oils mixed with lye into a warm brown. Mixed with touches of sandlewood, ginger, amber, Italian bergamot, apple wood, tonka bean, patchouli, cedarwood, oakmoss, a touch of cardamom, bourbon and allspice.
The mix gives you the final result of Wow!
Warm Vanilla Spice handmade soap is a cold-processed soap that will take several weeks to cure before I will list it online.
About half of the oils were mixed with the vanilla oil, while the other half included the rest of the oils, giving the soap an interesting contrast of color without using artificial color.
Fun, sensuous, warm and delightful. Full of lather, enough lather to use as a shampoo!
My workroom is filled with the luscious fragrance of this soap.
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 5:53 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Not More Beer Soap!!!!!!
It seems that every soap maker has at least one vice! Lots of folk that make soap really dive into the "beer soap" thing.
I decided to dive in also and make my own beer soap, but I didn't want it looking like, or smelling like everyone else's beer soap.
I made a few changes to the usual beer soap routine. Still macho manly and all that stuff, but the gals will appreciate this also, so read on.
The beer soap you see pictured is my version of beer soap. You will notice that most beer soaps look, well...rather plain...the color of well, BEER! After all, that is what it is made from. The color of beer isn't necessarily the most bright and beautiful color and when you make soap from it, the drab, dull yellow/brown remains intact. I guess that color might be called "amber".
If you are a beer drinker, you notice that when you pour your beer into a glass, it forms a "foam" or "suds". Now, I like the look of the foam, so I decided to incorporate that look into my beer soap. You will notice that my beer soap has "suds" on top. That is an extra process of making whipped soap at the same time I am making the regular beer soap formula, so it is two soap processes combined into one soap.
The next thing that is different is that I've decided to add a bit of a twist to the usual beer soap and give it a "south of the border" feel. In countries south of the U.S. it is common to add lime or lemon and salt to the beer. Honoring that tradition, I've included a lemon/lime fragrance along with the beer soap and added some sea salt to the top layer of soap.
OK, now that I've added some twists and turns to the typical beer soap regimen, I could call it a "gimmick" for more sales, but there is more to it than that. First of all, beer is actually good for hair (or beard!) and this soap contains lots of sudsy lather that make it great for shampooing! Next, sea salt gives the soap a "spa" quality to it. As for the citrus addition, well, that just smells great and gives you the "south of the border" feel when showering. The citrus fragrance is not a true lemon/lime but I added the essential oil of litsea cubeba, which tends to hold its fragrance well in cold process soaps and has a citrusy fragrance to it.
Because I wanted this soap to stand out among the beer soap crowd, I had a tough time coming up with a name for it. I asked some of my dear friends who belong to giftsofglory.ning.com for some suggestions. There were some delightful responses, but I finally settled for something as simplistic as I could get and still give it the "south of the border" feel. The name is called "SALUD!" That is the English equivalent to "Cheers!" only in Spanish.
This soap will be available in my shops next month as this is a cold process soap which takes several weeks of curing before it is ready.
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 11:00 AM 2 comments Links to this post
Monday, March 16, 2009
Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty of Finances
On the days that I make soap, I admit that I get very excited in anticipation of the day. Because I work full time at a secular job, I don't devote my time entirely to soaping, but have to set aside a time in the week for it. The time I set aside is a real treat for me and I look forward to that day that I have set aside immensely.
So, at this point at least, making soap is not my method of making ends meet, not even close. It IS a desire of mine to make that a goal, however. With that thought in mind, I chose to review what my costs are to make my soap, and how much I am making as profit on my soap...or am I making a profit?
As with most new little start up businesses, and this is a business for me, they don't always make money intitially. In the first few years of opening my little soap business, I showed a loss because of buying equipment and getting enough supply to make it viable. Then, it was drawing customers to my soaps and building a customer base. It all takes time. Now, I am at a point where I am breaking even (whoo hooo!) I am learning to make the most of my soaping methods. Still, I would certainly like to do much better than "break even".
It was time for me to review how much it is costing me to make my soap. Am I charging enough for this amazing stuff? Am I counting in all my cost factors? So, I began to break it all down...the results were just a bit eye-opening for me. I already know basically how much soap I will make this year based on customer purchases and trends from the previous year, so base my cost per estimated bars I will make.
Here is how I broke it down:
I added up the cost of the supplies I use most often in my soap per batch, such as oils, sodium hydroxide; the basic stuff.
I added up the cost of the "extra" supplies that I most often use per batch, accessory stuff like, calendula blossoms, rose petals, fragrance or essential oils, oxides, micas and other fun little additions to the basic soap formula.
I added my basic cost of packaging each bar of soap.
I averaged the yearly cost of supplies that I use regularly, such as soap molds, wax paper, bowls, scales etc and broke it down per bar.
I added basic prep and production time per bar of soap (like paying myself wages for making them)...about 1/2 the amount per hour that I make on my "usual" secular job.
I added Paypal fees, etsy fees, and average per year craft showings fees per bar of soap.
I did not add cost of electricity, sewer, water, phone, internet access, although I should if I were to be more accurate.
The end result?
At my current charges per bar of soap, I only make about $1.62 per average size (4 to 4.5 oz) bar over and above what it takes to make it!
At that rate, it will be years before I get a vacation! The good thing is that I'm not totally losing out this year if I sell what I make...which is better than last year and better than the few years before.
Could I cut more corners and make more? Absolutely! It would take some additional sacrifices of freshness of the oils I purchase and quality of my product to do it though. If I bought more bulk product, it would certainly be much less expensive. The down side is that I don't make enough product right now to ensure freshness of my oils if I bought bulk, so resort to making smaller batches at this time. There are a lot of other small ways I could cut costs and am still in the process of streamlining and revamping some of the things I do.
If you run a shop of your own and have never broken things down this way, it may open your eyes a bit too. I have come to realize that many soapers and other shop owners on etsy may not be making money on their product that they think they are...in fact may be LOSING money. (The big giveaway.com thing) They may be doing this to establish a customer base too. Perhaps. Perhaps they just don't know they are on a losing end either.
Doing this was a great reality check for me even though I already knew based on keeping decent records that I wasn't making the thousands that I always envision.
It won't keep me from continuing to make soap. This is wayy too much fun!
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 7:34 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Sunday, March 15, 2009
More than One Etsy Shop?
This is our two chihuahuas, Rocko and Pancho!
Here is Kobe, our Sheltie mix who THINKS she is a chihuahua!
Yes, I have more than one Etsy shop. As much work as running one shop is, it has been a choice that I really wanted to do because I really do more than just make soap.
Not wanting to mix things up with the "Soapy Blessings" theme, I chose to add an additional shop instead. It has been on etsy for awhile, but I've sorely neglected it.
However, it is time for a change. With that thought in mind, I've added a new look to my new shop, a new banner, a new avatar and I think it looks rather cute! It sells supplies instead of handcrafted items though. Most of the supplies are bath and body related, but occasionally I add other items that are not.
I've even added my shop here on my Soapy Blessings blog now too!
Oh, the name, you ask? Here is it
Why such a name as that? No, I don't sell chihuahuas. I just happen to have two of them. They came from a previous home that could no longer care for them, so we took them in. We have since added an additional dog in the group, much larger, a sheltie/australian shepherd mix. She thinks she is a chihuahua though. No, I am not going to name a shop after her too, but she is very sweet and loving.
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 3:47 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Rosemary Basil Mint Soap
This cold process handmade soap was just made about three weeks ago and is still in the process of curing. I love minty soaps and also love the herbal scents of rosemary and basil, so put it altogether in a lovely soap. The soap has added Tea Tree oil too. I infused some basil and rosemary into olive oil and then added it to the soap for a delightful, fresh, earthy fragranced soap. It is a great unisex soap, not really girly, but the ladies love this one too.
Available toward the end of March '09.
I'm thinking this might be a great gift idea for Father's Day, Graduation or just about any occasion.
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 6:08 AM 3 comments Links to this post
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Comin' Up Roses!
One of my latest soapy creations, Heavenly Rose Soap.
Bright, beautiful fuschia pink constrasted with white, a lovely rose fragrance and topped with dried rose petals.
Elegant, beautiful!
This soap will be available on my online sites in the next few weeks.
If you are interested in reserving a few for yourself, let me know on one of my sites at www.SoapyBlessings.com
Posted by Trish's Soapy Blessings at 7:07 AM 1 comments Links to this post


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IUCN and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), along with input from key stakeholders (Earthwatch Institute, World Resources Institute, Katoomba Group/Forest Trends, the US Business Council for Sustainable Development and Fundacion Entorno) have developed a free, interactive and fun game about how ecosystem markets work.
The final test run of the game took place at the World Conservation Forum and Congress in Barcelona in October 2008, and the final version is now available online to download.
The "Buy, Sell, Trade!" game is a role-playing exercise that demonstrates the multiple benefits of preserving ecosystems for the services that they provide. Anyone can play the game, from all parts of society, from different positions, etc.
The game helps people try to make ecosystem services 'deals'," says Björn Stigson, President of the WBCSD. "We hope it will provide insights into the many practical, political, economic, moral and accountability issues involved such 'deals'… and where trade-offs exist."
The game is best played over at least three hours, and that's already enough for participants to see the importance of internalizing ecosystem values that are commonly left out of the marketplace.
Every part of society, including business, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other local stakeholders, depends directly or indirectly on the sustainable management of ecosystems and the services they provide. For example, wetland ecosystems help purify water, provide recreation and a buffer against natural disasters.
"Everyone would benefit in the long-term if there was a common understanding of both the value of these services, and the larger role that market mechanisms play as a complement to existing strategies for conserving ecosystems," says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General of IUCN.
In fact, market mechanisms can be more cost-effective than regulatory approaches. In some instances, market mechanisms are incorporated into laws and/or regulations.
Please Note Copyrights of this game: World Business Council for Sustainable Development/International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.


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She did what to him? Even if you know nothing else about "The Paperboy," you may have heard about the film's most gee-whiz scene — the one in which Nicole Kidman pees on Zac Efron.
The polarizing movie from Oscar nominee Lee Daniels, director of "Precious," inspired loads of chatter after its Cannes premiere earlier this year, where it was both applauded and booed.
"I'm always attracted to provocative characters and situations that we don't get to see on-screen often," Daniels says. "Sometimes, people can't deal with it."
"The Paperboy" is set in the Florida swamplands during 1969. A newspaper reporter (Matthew McConaughey) and his younger brother (Efron) attempt to exonerate a slimy death-row killer (John Cusack) at the behest of the town hussy (Kidman), who has struck up a pen-pal relationship with the convict. The story is based on a 1995 Pete Dexter novel.
Daniels explains some of the more shocking moments in the film that have had people talking for months.
Cusack pleasures himself while Nicole Kidman spreads her legs across the room during a prison visit.
"That was shot on the second day. The first day was a sex scene with Cusack. The second day was the prison scene. The third day was the famous pee scene. Nicole was game. I was nervous at first because it was Nicole Kidman. I didn't know the girl. She said, 'You gotta get over this stuff. I'm just a working girl. You gotta direct me.'
"Her character was supposed to say the N-word, and she wouldn't say it. I was angry. My producer tells me, 'Are you serious? She bends over a washing machine and takes it from John Cusack in the first day, she has telepathic sex with Cusack in prison on the second day, she urinates on Zac Efron on the third day, and you're angry because she won't say the N-word? Give the girl I break.' I said, 'All right.' "
Efron appears often in nothing but tighty whities, leading one Cannes questioner to ask if Daniels "eroticized" the actor.
"Maybe subliminally, somewhere deep in the back of my head, I did that, but I wasn't conscious of it. From the time that I was 5 to the time that I was 16, I walked around in underwear. And I didn't look like him. You can't help but look at Zac. I tried to make him ugly. I tried every trick in the book, 'Shoot him from here, shoot him from here.' I didn't [eroticize him] intentionally, but, yeah, I'm a gay man — look at him."
Kidman dons a white-trashy wardrobe of tight pants, bright lipstick and teased hair.
"I told Nicole, 'Look, I can't get some Hollywood makeup artist to do their Hollywood take on it. You have to do this yourself.' I thought she was gonna quit after that because she was so shocked. I said, 'You can't be this girl if you don't understand her. You have to figure out who this tramp is.' I put her in a room with actual women who wrote [to] men in prison, and she's a really good student. She sat and studied. She sent me a photo of what her interpretation was. It was important that she put on some weight. I said, 'I want you fat. I want your butt jiggling, I want your thighs moving.' She put on 15 pounds. We went to some thrift stores and got some stuff. The look was very unique."
Efron's character has a brief fling with the much-older Kidman.
"You could see that Zac was nervous about working with Nicole. During the sex scene, was that awkward? Yes. It was the most awkward scene for me to shoot. I had forgotten about that scene, because it was mild compared to some of the other scenes. I wasn't psychologically ready to deal with them making love and the awkwardness of it all. I cut the scene short. I said, 'You guys don't have to do this. Let's just begin it and then cut.' So the narrator, Macy Gray, speaks for me, 'I guess y'all seen enough about this.' "
Kidman pees on Efron after he's stung by a jellyfish.
"I've talked about this so much. Bottom line is: It was in the book. It's what the character would do. But then I got a little nervous and I told Nicole, 'I don't know. People are gonna make a big deal about this as opposed to looking at the movie.' She said, 'Lee, if you wrote it and you made me pee on him, you better put this in the movie.' I said, 'OK.' In hindsight, I don't regret it. I'm just trying to tell a story. People are thinking that it's over the top and shocking, but we're just having fun doing it. [What subbed for actual urine] is a Hollywood secret that I promised Zac and Nicole I'd keep quiet about."


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Functional Mapping
The purpose of mapping is to outline areas of vital function such as language and the senses before a resection. This may be done in the operating room (intraoperatively) or prior to surgery (extraoperatively), in the Epilepsy Monitoring unit.
Once the area of seizure origin has been determined it is necessary to ensure that the surgical resection can be performed without compromising vital areas of language and motor. Mapping of language areas is conducted by stimulating parts of the brain with a low-voltage stimulator that does not damage brain tissue. If performed during surgery just before the resection, electrocorticography (ECOG) is used during the cortical stimulations. ECOG is the recording of the electroencephalogram (EEG) directly from the brain during surgery.
The ECOG identifies areas of damaged cortex or brain tissue that show increased abnormal activity associated with seizures. This abnormal activity is mapped before the resection. At Cedars-Sinai, a team which includes a surgeon, neurophysiologist, neuropsychologist and EEG technologists participate in this type of testing.
Because patients are awakened during the surgery for testing purposes, education is necessary and is provided for the patient. It is crucial that a patient be thoroughly informed as to exactly what he/she may expect during this process. The more the patient knows about the process the better. It is not easy for patients to wake during the surgery. It can be disorienting, frightening and daunting. It is crucial that a patient understand the entire process clearly for effective testing and a favorable outcome.
A pre-test examination is required before surgery for comparison. During the testing process, the patient is asked to speak or name objects during the stimulation. Speech arrest occurs when the speech area is stimulated. It is common for patients to experience seizures if stimulation is performed in areas that are near the seizure origin or in the proximity of the area of seizure involvement.
In epilepsy surgery, when the seizures originate from the frontal or parietal areas, it is important to know the location of the motor areas. This limits the resection as the motor areas must be spared. Motor-strip mapping can guide the surgical procedure to spare these vital areas. This is done by stimulating a nerve at the wrist. The use of somatosensory evoked potentials or stimulations of the median nerve typically produce a response in the motor/sensory areas that identifies and localizes the motor area of the hand as in the image to the right. This technique is fairly straightforward and takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
For additional information, a second opinion, to make an appointment or refer a patient, please call 310-423-6472 or email us at email@example.com.


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fix random bugs in eclass documentation, and convert to new @AUTHOR tag
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add documentation to the mono.eclass for manpage generation (bug #210347)
mono.eclass: now exporting LC_ALL=C, added some descriptions
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update the copyright info
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Bloomberg Points Out That White House's Near Total Lack Of Transparency May Doom TPP
from the indeed-it-will deptWhile the NY Times apparently has no problem endorsing the TPP agreement despite not having read it (because it's still totally secret), it appears that other news organizations are feeling differently. Bloomberg's editorial folks have written a pretty strong editorial slamming the Obama administration for the unnecessary and counterproductive secrecy around the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. And this isn't from people who are against the overall agreement. To the contrary, they argue that a good free trade agreement between pacific rim countries would be very helpful for economic and job growth. But the near total lack of transparency by the US may doom the entire project.
The Bloomberg editorial notes that, contrary to USTR Michael Froman's laughable claims of transparency, last week's leak of the IP chapter showed how little transparency there had been, since the US was asking for lots of very controversial things, without any willingness to discuss this with the public. As they note, just because items are controversial, it doesn't mean that the federal government should hide them from both Congress and the public -- in fact, quite the opposite.
The administration may cite the controversies such provisions would provoke as a reason for keeping them secret. Yet just because a deal creates tension among competing interests isn't a license to keep them uninformed. And the U.S. has invited more than 500 corporate advisers to help it negotiate a deal.Basically, the argument here is similar to what I said last week: there wouldn't be this kind of controversy if the USTR had sucked it up and actually been transparent. That means discussing publicly what they're negotiating in our name, releasing draft texts of what they're proposing, and then being open for discussion about it all. The USTR points to that last one -- the fact that they'll "talk to anyone" as evidence of transparency. But without the first two things, that last one isn't transparency at all.
Corporations and trade groups, however, don't represent the broader interests of consumers, workers, environmentalists and … oh, yes, taxpayers. Theoretically at least, representing them is Congress's rightful role. Keeping it in the dark feeds the perception that the TPP is a special-interest free-for-all.
While Bloomberg has its own credibility problems these days, I'm somewhat surprised that it has come out so strongly against the way the administration and the USTR in particular, has handled the TPP negotiations. Many large media organizations, and especially a corporate appeasing one like Bloomberg, were mostly expected to do what the NYT did -- repeat the topline claims about what the TPP is supposed to accomplish, and assume that the details don't matter.
The details do matter quite a lot, and the USTR still doesn't think we should be able to see them.
Filed Under: congress, michael froman, secrecy, tpp, transparency, ustr, white house


text:
Two Teens Assaulted at Memphis Store, Federal Agency Charged
MEMPHIS – Taco Bell Corporation will pay a total of $350,000 in monetary damages to two young women to resolve a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC had charged that two teenaged workers were assaulted at a Memphis Taco Bell.
The EEOC's suit (Civil Action No. 2:07-cv-02579, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee at Memphis) charged that Terence E. Davis, a former manager at Taco Bell's restaurant No. 613 on Frayser Boulevard in Memphis, sexually assaulted a 16-year-old female employee on her first day of work. The EEOC said Davis sexually assaulted the young woman on the work premises and then tried to follow her as she fled home. The EEOC also uncovered evidence during discovery that Davis had forcibly raped another 16-year-old female employee just five months earlier. The EEOC moved to amend its complaint to add the second female and asserted that it had sought her identity during the investigation of the charge. The court granted the motion and allowed the EEOC to add her as a claimant.
This type of workplace misconduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual assaults as the most egregious forms of sexual harassment. The EEOC filed suit against Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell Corporation after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.
Davis pled guilty in 2009 to raping both women and is currently serving two concurrent eight-year prison terms. Upon his release, Davis will be required to register permanently as a sex offender under the Sex Tennessee Sexual Offender and Violent Sexual Offender Registration, Verification, and Tracking Act of 2004. In addition, as a convicted rapist, Davis will never again be permitted to work in any job employing minors under the age of 18. EEOC had no involvement in the criminal proceedings.
"Sexual harassment is always unconscionable, but this situation was especially so, given the extreme nature of the assaults and the youth and vulnerability of the victims," said EEOC Acting Chairman Stuart J. Ishimaru. "The EEOC is here to fight such abuse."
The consent decree effects eight stores in the Memphis metropolitan area referred to by Taco Bell as Area 3082.
Taco Bell will pay a total of $350,000 under the terms of the two-year consent decree entered by Judge Bernice Donald to resolve the claims of the two harassment victims. Taco Bell will maintain a written policy against sexual harassment and will widely distribute it to all employees in Area 3082 within 30 days of the entry of the decree. The company will also conduct anti-discrimination training and posting of anti-discrimination notices.
"These are particularly egregious allegations both because of the nature of the conduct and the age of the victims," said Faye Williams, regional attorney of the EEOC's Memphis District Office. "It is tragic when young employees, especially in their first jobs, are subjected to this level of sexual abuse by a manager," Williams observed.
"Protecting the rights of teenaged employees to be free from sexual harassment is a crucial part of the EEOC's mission," said William A. Cash, Jr., the supervisory trial attorney assigned to the case.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.
This page was last modified on August 28, 2009.
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text:
An image from a short trip to Lanzarote. The small village of Famara.
All of our prints are made to order in Scotland, printed professionally on photographic paper, aluminium, or canvas.
I donate 5% of the proceeds from each sale to Surfers Against Sewage, an environmental charity working to protect our local waves, oceans and beaches.
|Famara Sizing & Pricing
|30x24", 24x18"
|£200, £145
|30x20", 24x16", 18x12"
|£145, £120, £90
|30x20", 24x16", 18x12"
|£260, £200, £130
|Print Only (Rolled)
|Print Only (Matted)
Framed prints are delivered ready to hang in a deep wooden frame on a clean white mat, and are offered in either beech or satin white.
Our simple frames do not distract from the image, offering a classic appeal and adding a decorative accent to your home or office.
The size chosen indicates the size of the overall print (including the frame and mat), the image itself will be slightly smaller.
Canvas is a more economical choice in the larger print sizes, while still offering a unique and textured finish.
The images are printed on cotton canvas with a satin laminate, which gives an extra pop to your print's colour and does not show reflection. Each canvas is delivered ready to hang.
Images printed in high definition on aluminium really pop, highlighting the vibrant colours of the sea and creating an eye-catching wall feature in any space.
Our aluminium prints are gloss finished and come ready to hang on your wall.
PRINT ONLY (Matted / Rolled)
You can of course order your print in your chosen size and display or frame it however you like!
All unframed prints are professionally printed on photographic paper. Matted prints are mounted on a card back with a clean white mat, and rolled prints are printed with a one-inch white border.
The size chosen indicates the size of the overall print (including the mat or border), the image itself will be slightly smaller.
If the specific size or format you are looking for is not available in the shop, contact me and I'll be happy to create a custom order for you.


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Oh how I love that suit – cotton corduroy if I remember correctly.
Great fit and color combination and notice the ever so slight break in the pants.
He mentioned that he had the jacket taken in at the waist and had the pants narrowed in the leg. This is how a suit should fit and if it needs a bit of work, well, you can see it is worth it.
ps If you think the Bergdorf catalogs have looked great lately (like i do) then this is one of the guys to thank
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
On The Street……Cantarelli Suit, Manhattan
Oh how I love that suit – cotton corduroy if I remember correctly.
CommentsClose comment
43 comments
This is why I read your blog everyday. Well done.
Wow, this suit is impeccable and he is hot!
Like it, like it, especially the color, fabric and (relatively) shorter pants WITH cuffs. This is clearly a la T. Browne–a safe 'n' sane modification thereof.
But I'm not a fan of seeing belt buckles when suit jackets are buttoned; the guy's hands are in his pockets here, which results in some jacket spreading, but the cut still seems a bit…skimpy, or too sharply flared at the bottom….Maybe his tailor was a bit too enthusiastic when nipping and tucking.
Magnificently cut suit. And the choice of shirt and tie was an inspired move. Very nice.
Excellent. Beautiful and beautifully-fitted suit. You're right – just the right break. Is there a tiny bit of lavender in the blue shirt or is that the light? Good call, great shot.
Sart… do you know which label that suit is? Can it be had outside NYC?
I Like! Great Sucess!
This is sickingly sexy. Love the pants and the cuffs.
My oh my – whata guy. I'd love to be able to thank him in the morning . . . .
Great looking suit, everything from the fit to color to shirt/tie goes together very well. One of your better recent pics
I want one and I hope I would look as good wearing it.
That is a perfect suit!
I love the look this hot and handsome guy is showing off. :)
narrowing the pants does create a lot of folds though, especially with the cuffs. in short, the top half of the picture looks better than the bottom.
don't be hatin'
lovelovelove your blog,,
when will you be flying of to amsterdam??
I'd LOVE a suit like that!
Comfort, style and timelessness all in one!
looks like an Etro suit based on the coat — length and shoulders
Only to be in NYC – here in Syd (Australia) men in general have NFI..
Eg. The amount of times someone makes a comment about my knit ties or brown shoes with navy or grey suits..
But then we do have great beaches & beautiful like NYC (though less covered – it's the heat)
You are my slice of sartorial daily fix..
I second 8:35am. You're blog is like coffee to me in the mornings.
Does this guy work for Bergdorf? What's his name?
Where do you find these guys???
it's worth saying that h&m carried an almost identical suit (and i've tried them both on – it really is identical) for about $250. i bought the h&m and it's hands down the best item of clothing i own. better than suits 3x the price…
Excellent! I love the high button stance Cantarelli jackets. This chap obviously knows what he is doing……no suprise he works for BG!!!
I have 2 corduroy suits and love them, one is camel coloured and the other chocolate. Often commented upon in conservative Denmark.
Great shot
Read the title peoples. It tells you the suit is by Cantarelli!
Perfection! I love cotton corduroy, I have a shirt and a jacket in this fabric. The color is amazing. And he did right to do the alterations you describe, the fit is amazing.
Just discovered that Cantarelli is sold in Greece too!
Excellent photograph too! Love the lines, the energy, you can almost feel the city moving behind him!
High-quality RTW, but still RTW. The shoulders are too wide, and the collar and chest are too big, especially in proportion to the narrowness of the waist.
An exemplary alterations tailor might be able to do something about the collar and chest, but the shoulders aren't really fixable unless at great expense, and even then they won't look as good as bespoke.
In short, the gentlemen would be better served by sizing down (i.e. 40 to 39) or going the bespoke route.
for Anon 9:27 pm
sorry but your comments about the fit are just wrong
and telling someone that they are better off with bespoke is like saying the would be better off taking a plane to work instead of a car. it is complete overkill
The unwarranted snobbery is what turns me off about watches and bespoke.
Anon 9:27. I am strugling to comprehend your comments about the fit of this suit. The shoulders are certainly not 'too big'! Also bearing in mind that there are so many different silhouette's out there, your comment about the 'narrowness of the waist' is far too subjective. Furthermore, it is rather obvious that no RTW suit will fit or look as good as a bespoke!
It is relatively difficult to assess the size of this man's shoulders from a picture (could be anything from 39 to 42), therefore I find it difficult to understand your suggestion with regards to size.
Given that most items of clothing you encounter in the public domain are RTW, it is a little erroneous to judge them the same way one would assess bespoke items.
Sartorialist, rather than simply saying "you are wrong," perhaps you might care to explain, specifically, why you are right?
The suit's shoulders overhang the man's, making the top of the sleeve un-smooth. And there is gaping between the collar and the shirt – this is a BASIC aspect of fit, I am not nit-picking here.
I fail to see how recommending bespoke is snobbery when there are a number of bespoke options available that cost LESS than this gentleman's suit.
I do love your blog very much but it is worrisome that you react so sensitively to what is, especially by the standards of the internet, very constructive criticism.
what a wonderful 'poser'…..a sheer delight to look at!!
Regarding shoulder fit, I think even "fitters" have personal preferences as to whether the shoulder/sleeve seam should fall . . . anatomically, at at the edge of the acriomion (the outer edge of the bone felt through the deltoid muscle) . . . or a little wider such that the sleeve line is straight down rather than showing the "deltoid" bulge . . .
This from a recent fitting by a fitter considered by many bespoke fans the best fitter in the US, Jon Green . . .
I would say that if the wearer likes in his mind how the suit fits, who cares about what the bespoke afficionados say . . . Not to say that this hobby of clothing is an ever evolving one, hopefully evolving closer to what each individual considers his or her own "clothing identity . . ."
his face is so devilish, and his attitude seems so clean and modern.
what a fantastic man…its like he knows all the men/women want him
Please. Let's not get into whether the suit should be 'bespoke' or not.
The guy looks great. Period.
I am also thrown by the comments of an ill-fit…doth mine eyes deceive me? Strikes me as smashing. I love the slim, circa 1960′s silhouette.
You should have seen him in the summer! We're talking italian vacation head to toes! This guy used to live across the street from me on 9th st. and Fifth. When I first saw him on the vintage bicycle with his clean navy blue sweater +kakhi pants and old cream converses ..I almost fainted.
A dream man indeed.
That suit is pretty darn beautiful… and so is he!
This is why I live in NYC.
Guess I'll have to shop at Bergdorf more in the hope of a one-on-one encounter.
Hey Anon 10:59 PM. I thought he still lived there. Did he move? I've met him a few times. A very sweet guy and always adds a visual treat to the 'hood.
The pants are great, but the jacket with its natural shoulders and narrowness says Mr. Bean to me.
Is this an old pic of Michael Bastian?
lovely and wonderfully anonymous . . . it calls you, but only if you know what you are looking at . . . it doesn't scream.