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Ciao Bella!
To celebrate our love for each other, my husband and I typically cook each others favorite food. The foods we eat not only nourish our bodies but our souls and cooking is a loving way to express our gratitude for one another. Food is ubiquitous during momentous occasions. Both the big and small celebrations in life involve some sort of devouring of culinary goodies. Food acts like a catalyst for togetherness, where memories are shared and laughter lingers.
Below is a collection of thoughtful gifts for the cooking enthusiast in your life. Whether it is Valentine's Day, Christmas or the birthday of your life partner, there is something below for all of the special people in your life that love to cook.
My Top Picks
I am secretly hoping my hubby is reading this because below are my top picks (subtle hint):
My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories : This is one of the few cookbooks that I have been drooling over that I don't yet own. David Leibovitz is a passionate cook and story teller who lives in Paris. I have been following his blog for sometime now. I love his pictures, he always makes me hungry.
VonShef Fondue Set – Stylish Red Cast Iron Porcelain Enamel – For All Styles of Fondue Such As Cheese And Chocolate : Two culinary loves in my life are cheese and chocolate. What an intimate way to share a meal, fondue with cheese! Pair this with some wine, fruit and bread and you have a romantic evening with your sweetheart. Don't forget the candle.
The Art of French Pastry : Almost anything French is romantic; cheese, wine, chocolate and pastries are my favorites. This book I keep checking out of the library because it is such a beautiful book for beginner pastry home cooks. I wouldn't mind if I unwrapped this little nugget.
Our Etsy Store
I couldn't have a gift guide without some of my favorite handmade items. My husband is the beautiful craftsman behind Craftiness.Etsy. His handmade items are still my favorites. I have been spoiled over the years with handmade knitting items, kitchen items and beautiful pens for him and her.
Final Thoughts
The people in our lives are what matters most. Celebrating life's gems with the people we love is special. Eat, laugh, cry and hug. I hope your life is filled with gratitude and love. Ciao!


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A Sri Lankan court has sentenced an Indian woman to life in prison for smuggling drugs.
The Negombo High Court today sentenced the Indian woman who was charged with import, possession and smuggling of cocaine. The suspect has pled guilty to all charges and was accordingly sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Police Narcotic Bureau at the Colombo International Airport in Katunayake arrested the Indian national on 11 March 2009 when she attempted to smuggle the drugs. Police had found 448 grams of cocaine in her possession. Charges were filed against the suspect on the 6th of June in 2011.

subset: commoncrawl


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InPrint Exhibitors have been invited to take part in competitive pitch presentations about their innovative products to a panel of leading experts, at 1pm, 10 April 2014 at the InPrint Show. The aim of the hour long session is to provide visitors with a snapshot of the array of innovative industrial print technology on display at the show. Great innovations drive value and new possibilities and this session will highlight the best the print technology sector has to offer, by showcasing excellence in Industrial print technology whilst providing insight to an audience of visitors , press and exhibitors as to why a particular product should win the 'InPrint's Great Innovation of 2014'.
The criteria are very simple. A presenting company must be an exhibiting company at InPrint and has to be able to present the product within a 5 minute timeslot.
At the end of the session, panellists will ask questions of the presenter, and this interaction, and the presenter's ability to answer the question effectively, will all contribute to their overall score.
Frazer Chesterman, Co-Director, InPrint explains, "The Great Innovations panel will not be the only factor deciding who will win this award. In this session itself, which is already close to being fully booked, the audience will decide who has won by using touchpad technology to vote for their favourite innovation. InPrint is about innovation for industrial print technology, so it makes sense that we provide exhibitors with a platform in which to present their product in an entertaining format, whilst the audience plays a role in the decision, giving great innovation the chance to be in the spotlight. This will undoubtedly be a great conclusion to a highly successful InPrint show."


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What a day. Dotty takes the prune juice. Takes a sip and tells me its poison. Not really complaining, just making an observation....By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room
Last week, I noticed s growth on top of one of Dotty's toes. Needless to say, it worried me.
As I was wondering what it was Dotty says, its a corn. I was not convinced, so I called the doctor and made the appointment.
I was worried on the way to the doctor.
We get into the office, the doctor looks and says, its a corn. Relief.
I figure he is going to freeze-dry it off or something. But I ask, how do you get it off? He tells me shave it off. Like with a razor. Huh. He goes ahead and Dotty didn't even flinch.
I ask the doctor, do you see a lot of corn's? Doc says, somewhat common in the elderly.
Well that was the first corn I ever saw. Live and learn.
As is always the case, when Dotty cooperates she gets the positive reinforcement. In this case, the fried egg, bacon, and toast. I ask Dotty, how is that egg? She tells me delicious. I wonder to myself, why don't they make egg flavored ice cream? I could kill two birds with one stone.
Did you know they make garlic flavored ice cream? Don't believe me? Come down to the International Garlic Festival here in Delray Beach next February. Lets just put it this way -- everything garlic and contests every hour to boot.
Dotty did something she rarely ever does today. She asked for a glass of water. Wozo. I guess having a corn removed makes you very thirsty.
Then Dotty says, my back hurts. I push on her stomach. I then inform her its the poopy agita backache. The dreaded ca ca backache. The, I have so much poop in me that it is pressing on my lower back causing a backache backache.
So I say to Dotty, well, I could give you some prune juice and it might flush you out. She looks at me and says, Okay. Can we go get a corn shaved off every day?
What a day. Dotty takes the prune juice. Takes a sip and tells me its poison. Not really complaining, just making an observation. I have Harvey tell Dotty, its good for you, its good for you.
Dotty takes another sip and tells me, its hurting my stomach. Not really complaining, just making an observation. I have Harvey tell Dotty, its god's gift to you, its god's gift to you.
Finally we are almost there, one sip to go. I have Harvey tell Dotty, bottoms up, bottoms up. Prune juice gone.
Dotty tells me, I'm hungry, I'm starving. Harvey tells me, I'm hungry, I'm starving, I'm hungry I'm starving.
So far good day. Now we wait for the poop.
Read More on the Alzheimer's Reading Room
- Communicating in Alzheimer's World
- What's the Difference Between Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
- How the Loss of Memory Works in Alzheimer's Disease, and How Understanding This Could Help You
- Learning How to Communicate with Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's Disease
- What is Alzheimer's Disease?
- What is Dementia?
- Alzheimer's World -- Trying to Reconnect with Someone Suffering from Alzheimer's Disease
- Advice and Insight -- Alzheimer's Reading Room
- Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia
- Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
- Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
- The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
- Alzheimer's Disease, Urinary Tract Infections, Urinary Incontinence, Poop (8 Articles)
- 100 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Now
Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. The blog contains more than 2,560 articles with more than 412,100 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.
The Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems
The 36-Hour Day A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease
Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room


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I just received this spam email... As you can see $PRENOM$ was not replaced by my first name, which would have made the email SO much more attractive! :-P
Digging into the email itself I saw that it links to bp50.net which shares a mailhost with np6.com, which, sure enough, is listed as a bulk advertising sender and blacklisted.
If I ever move to Lotus Notes, I think the first thing I am going to do is plug in JRules and write some email scanning and blacklist checking rules. Maybe they can be hosted online somewhere, so like-minded people can share them? Don't you get tired of this stuff too?


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Realization of a measurement of a ''weak value''
Ritchie, N.W.M.
Story, J.G.
Hulet, Randall G.
Published Version
We present the first realization of a measurement of a ''weak value,'' a concept recently introduced by Aharonov, Albert, and Vaidman (AAV). Our experiment uses a birefringent crystal to separate the two linear-polarization components of a laser beam by a distance small compared to the laser-beam waist. This ''weak measurement'' is followed by a strong measurement which translates the centroid of the beam by a distance far larger than the birefringence-induced separation. In addition, we present data corresponding to orthogonal initial and final states, for which the weak value is not defined. This interference effect may have application in the amplification and detection of weak effects.
Journal article
Citable link to this pagehttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/79437
MetadataShow full item record
- Faculty Publications [3592]
- Physics and Astronomy Publications [1345]


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Regime information for Lincoln Prison
The regime at Lincoln includes production workshops, laundry, education and vocational courses. Offending behaviour courses include SDP. Special features: such as Listeners Scheme, prisoner mentors and peer support scheme. Insiders and charity workshops are available. There are also numerous community links - for instance, volunteers who assist with the family visits.
Within HMP Lincoln a type 3 healthcare is provided by Lincolnshire Community Health Services (LCHS) as Commissioned by Lincolnshire NHS.
A comprehensive range of services are delivered including GP services, Integrated Drug Treatment Service (IDTS - from September 2009) and Mental Health Services.
Drugs Strategy
Random mandatory drug testing is in operation at HMP Lincoln. There is CCTV in the visits area plus passive drug dogs. Counselling for addiction is currently provided by an outside agency. Voluntary drug testing is available.


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"Simply put, the Five-Leaf System is a way of measuring the eco-friendly nature of hotels.
When people go on holiday or on a business trip, they normally take into account the quality of the hotel in terms of the five-star system. The Five-Leaf System allows them also to judge the quality of the hotel from an environmental point of view.
The aim is to create a system that enables hotels to go up quickly and gain more leaves if adequate measures are taken: no hotel need stop for ever at level 1, 2 or 3, for instance. There are many things that hotels and similar establishments can do to achieve a good rating without incurring a lot of extra cost. The aim is to get people in the industry to see expenditure on pro-environment matters as an investment for the future. The system provides the recognition that this is being done, and registration is absolutely free. A straightforward questionnaire must be completed, and a rating is issued."


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Cliff Richard's seven early original albums, plus bonus singles.124 tracks over 4 CDs - the original recordings, digitally remastered for superior sound quality.
Raucous Records is the longest establisted 1950s Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly and Psychobilly CD, DVD and vinyl specialist on the internet.A world of Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Surf, Swing and 1950s Rock 'n' Roll delivered to your door.
© Raucous Records 2019 All Rights Reserved


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Snot and You: A (Slightly Gross) Guide
Nothing says "Winter" quite like a runny nose. But did you know that your runny nose is helping you stay healthy?
It may not be the first thing you think of when you're blowing your nose, but the snot your body produces is actually going to good use. Known medically as a "Protective Bodily Fluid," the mucus produced by your body is used to neutralize harmful foreign materials, such as dirt and bacteria.
Mucus is produced by glands in your respiratory system. From the point of production, the mucus travels through your nasal cavity, coating the inside of your nostrils and sinuses with a protective layer of material that keeps bacteria and viruses from gaining a foothold in the sensitive tissue of your respiratory passages. Not only does mucus produce a physical barrier that prevents foreign bodies from irritating or attacking your nasal passages, but mucus also contains a number of powerful antibodies that are designed to attack the organisms that can cause your body harm.
Once the mucus in your nose serves its purpose, it is moved from your nasal passages to your stomach by a series of tiny hairs called 'cilia.' There, the harmful particles and organisms that your mucus may have caught are neutralized by the powerful acid your body produces.
As an essential process in protecting your body, it's important to allow the mucus a chance to do its job. Taking too many decongestants may reduce the production of mucus in your body, allowing harmful foreign bodies access to your respiratory passages and preventing your nasal cavities from receiving a healthy level of moisture. Likewise, if your body is experiencing irregularities in mucus production—such as overabundant or discolored mucus—it is important to contact your healthcare provider.
During periods of increased mucus production, such as cold weather or a respiratory illness, it is important to maintain a good level of hydration. This allows your body the chance to replace the mucus it's lost, and continue the process of keeping your body safe from dirt, bacteria, and viruses.
If you have any questions about the snot your body is making, take a look at our SNOT (that is, Sino Nasal Outcome Test.) It can act as a rough guide to the health issues your mucus may be telling you about. For any other questions, or for more information on ear, nose, or throat health issues, please contact us. We're here to answer any questions you may have.


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On Big Media, the Court Speaks
But the real question moguls will ask themselves: Is Donald Trump listening?
In our jokey times, it is perhaps fitting that the entire media and technology sector had been waiting on the outcome of a Justice Department antitrust suit that never should have been brought in the first place. We refer, naturally, to the department's lawsuit opposing the merger of AT&T and Time Warner, which Judge Richard Leon so handily rejected in his much-awaited decision Tuesday in favor of the two companies.
Indeed, the case probably would not have been brought if Donald Trump had not spontaneously and inappropriately...


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Click here for Dufet inventory
(1888 – 1985)
Michel Dufet was a renaissance man: architect, designer, painter, and writer. He was born in Deville-les-Rouen, France, and trained in Paris.
His long and distinguished career ranged from modern furniture and design to significant architectural projects.
Dufet began espousing the principles of modernism as early as 1913 when he opened a decorating studio, Mobilier Artistique Moderne (MAM) on Avenue de l'Opera in Paris to produce furniture, wallpaper (including the first Cubist wallpapers), fabrics and lighting. Just one year later, he made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1914 and exhibited again after the World War I armistice. His partner by then was Louis Bureau, a painter, and their partnership produced several opulent and well-received ensembles.
In the following ten years Dufet staged a theatrical review, paired with Louis Bureau, at MAM; sold MAM but continued to design for its new owner, P-A Dumas, served as head of the interior design firm Red Star in Rio de Janeiro, and designed interiors ranging from stores to cinemas to offices. In 1924 he began a 15-year collaboration with LeSylve design studio of Le Bucheron department store.
His commissions included work for the 1927 oceanliner Ile-de-France, 40 first-class cabins for the famed 1935 oceanliner, Normandie, theaters, shops and offices and a yacht for Marcel L'Herbier as well as commissions for the Foch and Ile-de-France.
In 1937 Dufet participated in the Exposition International des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in Paris, a major world's fair which would influence contemporary design for several decades
In 1939 he was commissioned to design the French pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair.
Dufet was the son-in-law of the sculptor, Bourdelle, and he participated in the design of the Musee Antoine Bourdelle in Paris, and planned the layout. He was also editor-in-chief of Décor d'aujourd'hui.


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Can death signify in its singularity or is it always entrenched in a political context? Toby Bull examines Ken Loach's Palme d'Or winning film I, Daniel Blake in the light of its political setting and contrasts Blake's death with Gianfranco Rosi's Gold Bear winning Fire at Sea, a documentary about the mass death of European migrant.
Have we stopped to be and given over our lives to the digital ether of the internet? Writer Nelly Crane explores Werner Herzog's latest documentary Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, reflecting on our seemingly limitless love for the machines we have created.
When do we reach the limits of representability, freedom and language? Christine Jakobson turns to László Nemes' debut film Son of Saul, which won him the Grand Prix at Cannes and best foreign language film at the Oscars, challenging questions concerning identity, while confronting the liminality between possibility and impossibility, individuality and universality.
What is the world's condition and what is our place in it? Film critic Emilija Talijan turns towards Wim Wender's biographical documentary on Sebastião Salgado, Salt of the Earth, looking at the tension between photography and documentary, beauty and reality and the individual and the universal.
What is it that makes Xavier Dolan's Mommy, the latest work of one of cinema's youngest and most prolific directors, a contemporary masterpiece? Film critic Emilija Talijan explores how Dolan creates a film that lives and breathes, remembers and foreshadows and leaves you with an unforgettable experience.


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Pizza contains the three major types of food your body needs to function and some essential vitamins, but it also contains cholesterol, which can cause blockage in your blood vessels. Pizza is very high in calories and fat.
(To learn more about proteins, carbohydrates, and fats visit: Cells are Us)
organs are involved in digestion?
The time food stays in the various parts of the digestive tract in a human under normal conditions is approximately as follows:
Knowing this, you should be able to answer the following:
Copyright © 2001-2003
Web Site Privacy Statement


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Four hundred eighty-six authors have been found guilty of misconduct by the Chinese government, the fall-out from a sweep of retractions by one journal earlier this year.
In April, Tumor Biology retracted 107 papers that had been accepted based on faked reviews. Since many of the authors were based in China, the country's Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) launched an investigation. On Friday, the news outlet Xinhua reported the results of the government's investigation:
Of the 521 authors implicated, 11 were deemed innocent with 24 still under investigation. Among the remaining authors, 486 authors were found guilty of misconduct at various levels. A total of 102 were found to be mainly responsible, 70 secondarily responsible and 314 did not participate in fraud, said He Defang, a ministry official in charge of rule enforcement.
The 300-plus authors who didn't participate in the fraud were "blamed for neglecting the management of academic achievements and paper publications," the outlet reported. While some have suggested that poor supervision should be included as part of the definition of misconduct, typically agencies — including the U.S. Office of Research Integrity — define the term more strictly as falsification, fabrication, or plagiarism.
The investigation concluded that 12 papers had been purchased from a third-party provider, such as a paper mill. Nine of the retracted papers were entirely fake, according to the MST.
The authors are facing major consequences, as Xinhua — a government news outlet — notes:
Altogether 376 authors involved in the scandal have been banned by their institutions from undertaking research programs for various periods of time. They also have their qualifications for promotion canceled, research funds retrieved, and awards and honors revoked.
In addition, they will face punishment according to the Communist Party of China discipline regulations and the regulations on personnel from public institutions, He said.
The MST has suspended the approval processes of 20 national scientific and technological projects that involve 21 authors implicated in the fraud. The Chinese Academy of Engineering has suspended an author's candidacy to be an academician.
According to Quartz, more than half of papers retracted for fake peer reviews originate from authors based at Chinese institutions.
Like Retraction Watch? Consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support our growth. You can also follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, add us to your RSS reader, sign up on our homepage for an email every time there's a new post, or subscribe to our daily digest. Click here to review our Comments Policy. For a sneak peek at what we're working on, click here.


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Seventh and eighth graders went over to the Schwartz Siegel building today to meet and to have lunch with the kindergarteners who will be in their Family Groups this year. Long a TPS tradition, family groups are headed by a middle school student and include three or four younger children in grades K though 5. Family groups get together several times throughout the school year, often participating in activities with three or four other mixed-grade groups (called Family Circles).
Everyone is excited for future activities together!!


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Our Team
By definition, a pastor is a shepherd and steward of people. The Gathering Place leadership team members bless and empower others in order to grow and glorify God's Kingdom. Each individual invests in his or her areas of oversight to reach people both within and outside the church community. Our team members lead by example, focus on people's lives and teach others to do the same.


text: J.C. PONSA, photographer and the designer How is your bed? My bed is a bunkbed for six…my father built it up for his three kids so we could invite a friend each over to sleep at home. Which kind of meal you do not like? Vegetables…all kinds! And your favourite? Pasta and pizza.Pizza and pasta.(order does not matter) Your favorite book to read? No, I look at pictures in magazines...I want to become a photographer when I grow up! Have you got an imaginary friend? I don't have an imaginary friend…I have two brothers to play and fight!


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Hospitality's debut album was one of 2012's brightest releases, full of chiming guitars and some studio trimmings, and topped off with Amber Papini's lyrical outlook that seemed to vividly encompass a handful of stories in the naked city. Trouble, the trio's sophomore release, journeys into darker territories. While Papini's clean guitar sound hasn't completely vanished, it's joined by some churning synth bass lines on a couple of tracks, most notably the dreamy trance of "Last Words." This time out, Papini doesn't lay out a storyline so much as offer an outline that we're left to color in ourselves.
Brian Betancourt, the group's bassist, says the new sounds weren't a departure, but instead a chance to help the songs come to complete fruition. "We didn't have a lot of time with the first record. The songs had been around for years, but they were recorded quickly," he says. "This time we had more hands-on time in the studio to make decisions. We all have tons of music influences and we wanted to flex different muscles this time."
The results could land Trouble's intriguing sounds on a lot of year-end lists, and offer a crowning achievement for the band's label, Merge, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary, a history marked by many unique albums.
When Hospitality came together, the group sounded admittedly more lo-fi than its current set-up. Papini played acoustic guitar and drummer Nathan Michel played a small, scrappy drum kit. As the band started to play larger spaces, amplification and better drums were in order. Both situations resulted in what Betancourt calls "creativity by necessity. When Nathan's behind the kit, he plays very musically and compositionally, so it kind of takes up a lot of space." He adds, "My bass parts are kind of melodic, so it's almost like a lead guitar sometimes. That's how our sound gelled at first, because we only had three people."
The band still records as a trio, but on tour, Hospitality is a quartet. Michel, who has also released instrumental albums on the electronic Tigerbeat6 label, occasionally gets behind the kit, but he just as often handles lead guitar and keyboard duties. Betancourt puts down the bass on a few songs, like the aforementioned droney "Lost Words." "We tried to make it so I'm still actually playing the sampler musically, not just pressing play and having a recording play over it. I'm using samplers as an instrument that plays a lot of the synth stuff," he says.
When the band comes to Pittsburgh, it will be on the last leg of a tour that took it to North Carolina for two days of a three-day festival marking its label's silver anniversary. Speaking a few weeks prior to the event, Betancourt was looking forward to sharing a bill with bands like Destroyer and the Mountain Goats. He appreciates the devotion of the Merge crew, which don't put a lot of pressure on bands. "They're genuinely enthusiastic. And they wouldn't work with someone that they weren't totally enthusiastic about," he says of Merge founders Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance. "And since they're musicians, it really helps them make wise decisions for smaller bands. I don't think every label has that kind of perspective."


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Forge your future
Delta Sigma Pi is a professional fraternity organized to foster the study of business in universities; to encourage scholarship, social activity and the association of students for their mutual advancement by research and practice; to promote closer affiliation between the commercial world and students of commerce, and to further a higher standard of commercial ethics and culture and the civic and commercial welfare of the community.
A core pillar of Delta Sigma Pi, our Brotherhood is not only for your time in college, it is for life.
We believe that Professionalism is a state of mind. Our Brothers have found success in a variety of industries, across the world.
We join together today in order to build a better tomorrow for ourselves and those around us.
best wishes from pi chi's president
andrew kim
Tau class
business management economics major
Dear Prospective Candidates,
Thank you for showing your interest in us. I'd like to welcome you, on behalf of the brothers of Pi Chi Chapter, to America's premier and foremost business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi.
Delta Sigma Pi - Pi Chi Chapter was founded in 2010, with over 230 members initiated since then. We offer students of UCSC a great opportunity to challenge themselves, gain valuable professional experiences, and give back to the community. Not only do we strive to create exceptional leaders, we have a wide Alumni network to help guide us along the way while offering great internship and networking opportunities.
Aside from our professional platform, we are committed to building everlasting bonds of brotherhood that will continue on throughout and after our college careers. I am proud to be amongst like-minded individuals who are intelligently driven and lovingly supportive of one another. I'm happy to say that I've found my people, and my family.
One of the most valuable lessons I've learned is that you can only get so much out of something if you actually put in the work yourself. So I encourage you to step out of your comfort-zone, expand upon your professional self, and seek out what you may be looking for, with us. And with that, I hope to see you guys at our Spring 2019 recruitment and I wish you all the best.
Fraternally yours,
Andrew Kim | President Spring 2019
Follow us on Instagram! @ucscdsp


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Last Saturday was Free RPG Day, though you may not have known about it. It's a big deal in some circles, but it's not as big of a deal in these circles, in the circles of Comics Book Resources or comicbookdom in general. Or in most circles, really.
You might have seen some kind of local press coverage of Free Comic Book Day -- I know we had at least one newspaper article about it in this area -- but it's unlikely you saw any widespread coverage of Free RPG Day unless you frequent the message boards of your local gaming shop. To put it into perspective, here's an event that was inspired by Free Comic Book Day, only with role-playing game adventures and quick-start rules as giveaways instead of single-issue comics, and Wizards of the Coast, current publishers of Dungeons & Dragons, didn't even participate this year. They ran their own promotion instead. That kind of makes Free RPG Day seem less than special. More of a curiosity than an event.
But here's the truth: Free RPG Day is better as a celebration of a medium than Free Comic Book Day is. Free RPG Day is just better in almost every way, actually, mostly because it embraces what it is, while Free Comic Book Day tries to do something that it isn't actually very good at. Free RPG Day is pretty great for everyone. Free Comic Book Day is...maybe okay for a few folks and really good for a few retailers who know how to use it to their advantage.
Listen, I realize that Free RPG Day will always have a more limited target audience than Free Comic Book Day, and I'm not trying to say that Free Comic Book Day is a bad thing in any way, but maybe there's something to be learned here. And I just want folks to realize how much fun Free RPG Day can be, when Free Comic Book Day is...less so, at least in my experience.
Free Comic Book Day gets people into comic book shops, and that's good. Some retailers think of it as their "Black Friday" and have the sales to prove it. I wonder how widespread that effect is. Of the three comic shops I have visited most often in the past five years -- for Free Comic Book Day or otherwise -- zero percent of them run any kind of sales on top of Free Comic Book Day. They just hope that the people who come in for free stuff will want to spend money to buy some non-free stuff while they're in the store. Maybe it works and maybe it doesn't, but I haven't seen big lines at the register.
(Right after college, I used to manage a retail store in a mall, and I know what Black Friday is really like. And it doesn't look anything like Free Comic Book Day.)
I know I'm talking about a super-small sample size, but I've been in plenty of comic book shops over the years, and very few seem poised to fully take advantage of the foot traffic and new reader enthusiasm offered by Free Comic Book Day. And mostly, that's because of the disconnect between Free Comic Book Day and the stores themselves.
Besides the excessive price of single issue comic books (if we're talking cost-per-minute-of-enjoyment-ratio for comics as a slice of entertainment) and the baffling-to-the-new-reader collected editions which are often in various sizes and formats and have no clear starting point in many cases, the reality is that the FCBD comics are not reflective of what the majority of comic shops actually stock. Of the twelve "Gold-level" Free Comics offered this year for the first-Saturday-in-May event, 75% of them were specifically aimed at young readers and only 17% of the twelve selections were superhero comics.
I have never seen a comic book shop with 75% of their inventory directed at children and 17% of their inventory directed at superhero readers. It's not even that those numbers are reversed, it's more that -- in the average comic shop -- 90% of its stock is superhero-related or genre comics that are basically superheroes without the costumes, and maybe 5% or less of the comics displayed are directed at young readers. Even if your local shop bucks the trend and stocks what feels like a ton of kids comics, I bet the superhero books far outweigh everything else. And the FCBD selections don't reflect that. So Free Comic Book Day is not particularly helpful to its own audience of readers, who will find it difficult to actually acquire any future issues of the young readers' comics they just walked away with. The shop they visited for Free Comic Book Day probably won't carry them. Maybe the Barnes & Noble down the street will. Barnes & Noble, you'll note, doesn't participate in Free Comic Book Day.
But even if the local comic shop does carry the comics the new readers attracted to the free stuff actually want to buy, and everyone leaves with some cool comics and maybe hooked into some new comic book titles and creative teams and properties they didn't know much about, Free Comic Book Day is still an ultra-passive "celebration" that's not really much of a celebration at all. Sure, your shop can host a costume contest, and the shop across town can invite a mid-tier penciler from 2005 to sign some comics behind a folding table, but the average FCBD experience is still just walking into a store (maybe waiting in line, maybe not, maybe dressed as Geo-Force, maybe not), picking up a couple of comics off a table, and then walking out. There's nothing inherently participatory or exciting or even interesting about it. You can buy comics in that same store all the time. So you save ten or twelve bucks off some comics you probably wouldn't have looked at otherwise? Is that the big appeal?
Free RPG Day is different. The publishers who participate actually provide game supplements that reflect the kinds of things actually for sale in the shops where you'd go to pick up your freebie. There's a lot of sword and sorcery stuff, in other words, and a few retro titles and a couple of sci-fi game supplements, and that thing for your group that's really into vampires. And the organizers provide simple guidelines: anyone who walks in that day can get one free tabletop role-playing game adventure (or quickstart rules or whatever the offerings are) for free. And store owners can use the rest as promotions in their own way, though providing additional free books for customers who participate in a game is suggested as a common practice.
That last thing is what makes Free RPG Day an event that's more robust, as a customer and attendee, than Free Comic Book Day. Let's say everything else were even. Let's say that I walked out of Free Comic Book Day with four fun and interesting comic books and let's say I walked out of Free RPG Day with four short fun and interesting adventure modules. Free RPG Day still wins. It still wins if I walk out with four great FCBD comics and only one short adventure module. And it wins because on Free RPG Day, participation is the default expectation. Creativity is encouraged, not just as decoration -- like having cosplayers waiting in line for the store to open -- but as part of the inherent nature of the event.
In my local shop, which participated in Free Comic Book Day and saw no significant increase in sales that day, a bunch of different role-playing games were running on Free RPG Day and new players were encouraged to join in. The act of role-playing and the nature of the games themselves were celebrated. Characters were created. Gamemasters brought their own favorite games -- new and old -- to run. Some of the games involved the Free RPG Daty giveways (I ran the Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure from Goodman Games to some late-night participants and it was 100% fun) and some of the games were homebrewed systems or adventures. The day was filled with creativity and improvisation and interaction and engagement in a shared experience. Or a bunch of shared experiences, since there were several tables and plenty of participants. A lot of players enjoying themselves. A medium, celebrated through activity.
Maybe it's just an isolated case, but I don't think so. From what I have seen and heard, only a handful of shops work to make Free Comic Book Day an interactive experience, while making Free RPG Day an event full of games and activities as far more common. The former could be pushed in that direction by savvy shop owners, but the latter is constructed that way at its foundation. There's a difference.
If Free Comic Book Day celebrated participation in the creation of comics, instead of the consumption of comics, then it would be something like what Free RPG Day is. But FCBD isn't about the creation of comics, it's built -- like the entire comic book industry -- around the regular consumption of product.
But the role-playing game industry, as a clunky, basement-workshop, participatory whole isn't built that way, and neither is Free RPG Day. It's a day when role-playing games, and the creative act at the core of each, is celebrated and performed and reconfigured and enjoyed. It's not just about consumption. It's an event worth participating in. Even if you've never played a role-playing game in your life, it's something you'll want to check out -- and dive into -- next mid-June when the event returns. It offers a glimpse of what's missing from Free Comic Book Day, and it makes FCBD seem a bit like a hollow promotion by comparison.
I don't know. Maybe the two "events" are just completely different and there's no fair point of comparison. But I know that both days are hosted by the same kind of shops -- in my experience, the exact same shops -- and one seems weirdly misaligned with the actual realities of the direct market and the other seems like a whole lot of engaging entertainment for everyone.
I was planning to run a Mutants & Masterminds game on Free RPG Day this year. It featured an extradimensional invasion and a bunch of Kirby-inspired superhero pre-generated characters I created for the players to use. The invasion never materialized. We ran out of time, playing too many other games on Saturday. Having too much fun. Creating and improvising and playing games we didn't know how to play before we sat down to the table. I look forward to doing it again next year. Maybe I'll see you there.
In addition to writing reviews and columns for COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, Timothy Callahan is the author of "Grant Morrison: The Early Years" and editor of "Teenagers from the Future: Essays on the Legion of Super-Heroes" anthology. More of his thoughts on comics can be seen regularly at the Geniusboy Firemelon blog.


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Learn | Ecosystem Applications
What are Ecosystem Applications and will these impact how we think of building software?
Applications that run on an ecosystem (or, network) level
As our organizations move into the information age the low hanging fruit for process automation is to move the applications providing that automation away from being single participant operated and toward being operated by a network, or ecosystem of participants. Ecosystem applications seek to automate processes at the value chain level thereby providing a framework on which to build complicated and connected networks that seek to reduce costs and open new opportunities for value creation.
The Information Age Transformation
As we continue the march from the industrial age to the information age the tectonic plates of globally-focused businesses, digital nomads, and information abundance have combined to massively transform a range of industries already and are hardly finished. One of the most important changes is in how organizations manage data and processes.
These changes originally powered the first generation of collective process management tooling which was focused on providing the base business process automation for a given enterprise. This generation of tooling, led by companies like SAP, Oracle, and others, effectively leveraged economies of scale over data and data processing power which on-premise data centers could provide. This generation of software emphasized the enterprise as the center of the universe.
These same changes later powered the second generation of collective process management tooling which is focused on extending the benefits of software defined process automation into smaller businesses. This generation of tooling, led by companies like SalesForce, Xero, Github, and others, effectively leveraged economies of scale over data and data processing power which IaaS systems could provide (until they eventually needed their own data center). This generation of software emphasized the "App" (or, latterly, the "Platform") as the center of part of the universe.
In our view we are entering into the third generation of collective process management tooling which will focus on extending the benefits of software defined relationships for businesses of many different sizes. This generation of tooling, which will be led by the companies we currently label "blockchain" and "smart contract" companies, will leverage the economies of redundancy over data and data processing power which networks of peers can provide. This generation of software will emphasize the "Ecosystem" as the center of part of the universe.
|Process Automation
|Winning Companies
|1st Generation
|Enterprise Focus
|Leverage economies of scale for data centers to synchronize paper-based internal processes of large companies
|SAP, Oracle, etc.
|2nd Generation
|SME Focus
|Leverage economies of scale of cloud providers to synchronize paper-based internal processes for smaller companies
|SalesForce, Xero, Github, etc.
|3rd Generation
|B2B Relationships
|Leverage blockchains and smart contracts to build harmonized applications that operate on an ecosystem level
|Winners being made now
The Big Problems Previous Technologies Haven't Effectively Solved
In order to move forward with the next generation of collective process management tooling, we need to understand
what are the big challenges which businesses face.
One of the biggest changes is in the likely reduction in competitive economies of scale for producers of goods. Increasing equalization of labor and resources costs in a truly globalized economy are very likely to create a context where one of the great cost differentiators for the production and distribution of physical products is transportation. This is, in turn, likely to require many supply chains to move toward more connected producers hooked into a range of distribution networks from local to global in scope.
As 3D printing, makers shops, and manufacturing automation continues to equalize the ability of more connected producers to competitively build physical products and as technology such as automated air and ground transportation along with increased shipping efficiency continues to equalize the ability of more connected producers to competitively distribute physical products, it is highly likely that more connected producers will gain in relative power to larger producers for many types of goods in the future.
These vectors align in the direction that connected is hot and isolated is not. The problem is that connected has been hard to scale. By way of a simple example, a small business in some portion of the world can always list their products on the internet. By doing so they have an ability to find customers, prepare shippings, and deliver to a global customer base. This is elegant. Yet it is not totally realistic for the vast majority of small businesses.
Thus the theory behind EBay, Amazon, and Etsy's successes – they act as the front office of a global customer base and the small business just needs to act as the back office (and also make good products). But Amazon, et al., do more than act as the front office. They also run "the platform" on which these small businesses can sell their goods. These "platforms" will list products, process transactions, provide customer servicing add-ons, or whatever suits the business of the platform.
So if we are truly in a globalized world where connected matters more than isolated, how do the connected effectively scale without having to rely on "the platform"? What if they want to run "the platform" themselves by banding together? As an ecosystem. How can they build applications that run on an ecosystem level, or, as we call them
ecosystem applications?
Ecosystem Application Toolkit
The toolkit for ecosystem application builders includes many of the peer-to-peer technologies developed since the 1990's and some that have been more recently developed.
|Problem It Solves
|Nerdy Term
who did what when
|attributable data
|smart contracts
computation that happens in an agreed manner
|deterministic computation
|data lakes
what content are we talking about
|content addressable storage
|point-to-point messaging
come over here I want to tell you a secret
|shared secrets
The problem that blockchain technology solves is not electronic P2P cash, nor is it settlement latency, it is the problem of
attribution and ordering of inbound events; at an ecosystem level.
When we send someone a bitcoin, what are we "really" doing? Well, we're signing a message which says that "I, keyholder of key X, am transferring title over this 'object' (in the example's case, a bitcoin) to the keyholder of key Y." Our signed message then is broadcast across the network. The network in turn analyzes this message to determine if the message has been properly signed, if the "sender" does indeed have title over 'object', and if it has the network transfers title over the "object" in question to the keyholder of key Y.
Of course, in bitcoin's case, there is a censorship-resistant, permissionless network behind all of it, but that is not the interesting bit. The interesting bit is that the network, without relying on passwords or logins, is able to effectively attribute actions. Blockchains are forced to do this because passwords and logins cannot safely be "held" at a network level. In traditional software architecture, they can be safely "held" by an application that is designed to run under the control of a single entity. Yet, if we take away the assumption that there will be a single arbiter of the password then we need to utilize a different system for attribution.
This technology, in combination with the ordering and timestamping functionalities that validators provide, solves the first problem ecosystem applications have: the problem of who did what when.
When blockchains are analyzed under this paradigm, their BFT consensus algorithms (implemented in a variety of ways) and their PKI provide a nice abstraction for application makers to begin building applications that run on an ecosystem level and need to know, well,
who did what when in a reliable, resilient manner.
What's the key difference in how blockchains and more simple fault-tolerant databases (such as rethink, riak or etcd) which are also able to solve the problem of
who did what when? The difference is an assumption about the network configuration. These fault-tolerant database technologies assume that the network is controlled by a single entity. Raft, the consensus engine used by these databases, is what's known as
fault tolerant – or
FT – rather than
byzantine fault tolerant – or
BFT. The difference between
FT and
BFT is important. The primary difference is a diffusion of power over who is the final arbiter of
who did what when.
BFT databases do not assume that there is a single entity controlling
who did what when. While it is true that modern, fast, blockchain technology is much closer to rethink, riak, or etcd in how they approach a number of underlying technical problems than they are to bitcoind, even the newer, faster chains do not relax the assumption that the data is going to be held across entities rather than within entities.
This is exactly why they are one important tool for opening up a range of new applications – applications that run cohesively at an ecosystem level.
Learn more about blockchain technology.
The attribution problem that blockchains solve is insufficient, alone, to actually be able to build coherent applications that run on an ecosystem level beyond very simple applications; such as moving electronic cash from one person to another.
Smart Contracts
The next problem that needs to be solved is deterministic computation. This is the problem that the "thing" the community currently calls smart contracts solves. The problem that smart contract technology solves is not escrowing funds, it is the problem of
is computation happening in an agreed manner.
What do we mean by deterministic computation? We mean that all participants in the ecosystem need to be able to compute something and achieve the same result.
This sounds rather easy at first blush, doesn't it? Isn't that what computers are supposed to do? It is indeed, for the most part, what computers do. However, computers are designed to perform computation, not deterministic computation. Let's look at the two major sources of non-determinism in an effort to understand why we need to control them in order to avail ourselves of a method to build ecosystem applications.
The first major source of non-determinism is randomness. Every programming language has a way to "make" a random number so that one can perform operations on it. Programmers use these random numbers to accomplish a variety of programming tasks. And yet, if one were to allow randomness within a strongly deterministic system of computation, all the members of the ecosystem who were running the application would "make" a different random number as the basis for the computation task. This means they would then have a different outcome for the entire computational sequence which depended on the random number. When one is trying to ensure that computation achieves exactly the same result across the ecosystem that is a bug, not a feature.
The second major source of non-determinism is time. Every programming language also has a sense of time. This allows programmers to do stuff like get
timeNow() and add a few days to create a filter of upcoming events. This is all well and good, but it is unlikely that the members of the ecosystem will have their computer clocks so finely tuned that they are exactly the same – down to the millisecond. One of the features that we design for when thinking about ecosystem applications, is that they can and should be verifiable by later in time participants. For example, if the ecosystem is in a highly regulated industry, then auditors for the various participants in the ecosystem may need to perform an audit on the year's activities. The
timeNow() at the end of the year will very much not equal the
timeNow() when the computation was originally performed. This will result in auditors getting a different result.
If we can take these sources of non-determinism out of the computation layer, then we can build systems where multiple actors in an ecosystem can, in real time or later in time, verify and notarize that a computation has happened in an agreed manner. But in order to "verify and notarize" a computational sequence, we must have
deterministic computation.
The other problem that smart contract technology solves, is a distribution problem. In order for ecosystem participants to perform the computation, they need to have the computational sequence. In "normal" computing we solve this by either: (a) installing applications on a given device; or (b) all connecting to the same cluster of devices where an application has been installed and is running.
But with ecosystem applications, we typically solve this in a different way. We often, but not always, put the application's logic "on" the blockchain. We use the high evidentiary characteristics blockchain tech gives us, (or, as we say,
who did what when) along with a smart contracts interpreter (often called, a VM (for virtual machine)) to not have to worry about downloading and installing these computational sequences. We simply connect in to the ecosystem's network and go!
Learn more about smart contract technology.
While blockchains (providing us
who did what when) and smart contracts (providing us
deterministic computation) are two tools that give ecosystem application builders two main capabilities necessary for building ecosystem applications, we still have a few more base requirements to really enable this technology to flourish. Namely we need to solve
content and
Data Lakes
In applications that are built on traditional architecture we can have content which resides on a single device or a cluster of devices that is under the control of a single entity. If that entity decides, for whatever reason, to stop servicing an application or stop serving particular content, it can so decide unilaterally. However, when we are building applications meant to exist outside the control of a single participant within the ecosystem, we cannot make such an assumption. This is where the IPFS project's thoughts about the permanent web are so crucial.
How we will deliver and store content within our ecosystem application is only one portion of the content problem. The other is how we "relate" to it. In other words, how do we know that "this is 'it'" whatever "it" may be. In computational terms this is solved by content addressable storage and it is the one of the key components for how to think about designing ecosystem applications. No matter how we deliver and store content, we need to be addressing the content with precision.
Content addressable storage gives us, in general, assurances that "this is 'it'". In traditional architecture when we are retrieving files from a remote server (to download an app, or to load a web page), there is always a risk that either the remote server was hacked in some way, or the file was "swapped" while it was on the wire between the remote server and your device. Depending on whether we trust the pipes and/or whether we trust the remote servers' credentials (that it is, e.g., Apple, Inc. is the company behind apple.com) we may need to take further actions to ensure that what was downloaded is "it". While proper use of
SSL alone solves many of these problems it doesn't solve them all.
Although SSL is a well worn system, if we want to be very careful that "this is 'it'" what we do is after we download a file from the internet we take its hash (which can be thought of as the "fingerprint" of a file) and compare that hash to one that has been provided by the publisher. This allows us to (if we trust the publisher) ensure that what we downloaded is what the publisher produced. When dealing with content addressable storage, which is local to your device, you can have assurances that the file was not "swapped" and that the file is pointing at what the network would like one to point at, because in most content addressable systems we reference data by its hash.
Point-to-Point Messaging
The final, major, challenge is around privacy. There are two types of privacy which are necessary to examine. The first one is a
me only type of privacy. This means that there need to be things which are known only to me. We typically define these as secrets. Secrets are things like one's private keys, or logins, or other information which should be available only to you. Those things are necessary for ecosystem applications. Within the Bitcoin world, wallet software provides a very valid
me only privacy function. There are a range of possible options for how to build generic ecosystem applications while also enabling
me only privacy. However, mostly ecosystem applications only need to "interface" with the generics so these will not be covered in great detail here.
The second type of privacy is a
come over here I want to tell you a secret type of privacy. Because within ecosystems, we don't necessarily assume that all participants
need/want/have_a_right to have all the information about all the things. This is where point-to-point messaging systems and an authenticated public key infrastructure (a PKI) with a given identity mechanism comes into play. Private message queues give us the
come over here ... a secret part of the whole problem. An authenticated PKI solves the
**I** want to tell **you** part of the whole problem. Point-to-point messaging gives us the final piece of what, at least theoretically, is a complete look at the major components necessary to build most ecosystem applications.
GROW revenue. SHRINK risk.
© Monax Industries. All rights reserved. Limited in the UK- company number 09101660. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
With thanks to Bootstrapious.


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There's a good amount of debate among avid D&D players when it comes to Called Shots. For me, they offer more realism and creativity during combat, which in my opinion, only makes combat better. You can read my more in-depth discussion here.
The purpose of a Called Shot is to allow a PC or NPC to target a specific part of someone's body for some special effect. I started out first by thinking about appropriate AC bonuses for Called Shots. Obviously we don't want a player saying, "I'm going to hit the unarmored portion of that soldiers face" so that they can negate his AC bonus. That makes hitting a smaller target easier, so we need to apply bonuses according to the size of the target. This can be done easiest, simply by using the size category modifiers D&D has given us:
Small: +1 AC bonus
Tiny: +2 AC
Diminutive: +4 AC
Fine: +8 AC
I would also recommend adding modifiers for +3, +5, +6, and +7. A player might argue that the AC bonus to the defender shouldn't include their Armor bonus, as the PC is specifically aiming for an unarmored spot. My response to this would be that armor should be thought of as an AVERAGE protection over the entire body AT ALL TIMES. Unless a target is completely stationary, I see no good reason to ignore their Armor bonus.
Now that we have the AC modifier, what fits into what size category? That's a matter of judgment, but when speaking about your average humanoid I'd say aiming for something like the eye would fall under Fine, while a head shot might be Diminutive or smaller if they have a helmet. So what happens when a player is successful? Here's a chart I've worked out to determine some specific effects:
Head: +6 Damage, Fortitude Save DC 18 or Dazed for 1 round if 10% HP is lost
Neck/Throat: +8 Damage, an attack to the throat renders the target speechless for 1d4 rounds if 20% HP is lost, Fortitude Save DC 19 negates
Eye: +10 Damage and Blindness (Blindness penalties are halved for 1 eye). Blindness is permanent if target loses 50% of their HP from the attack, otherwise it lasts 1 round (No Save)
Arm/Hand: -2 penalty to attack rolls with injured arm if 20% HP is lost, Fortitude Save DC 16 or items are dropped
Leg/Foot: Lose half DEX bonus to AC and -10% Move if 20% HP is lost, Fortitude Save DC 15 or target falls
Feel free add any number of other effects to this list and change the specifics to suit your own campaign. The most important rule of being a Dungeon Master is to be creative and bend the rules often. You might also consider calling for a Full-Round Action to make a Called Shot if you find it's making combat too easy for the players.
I also like to offer more severe results when a target is reduced to 0 HP. Generally, this means something is severed, and in the case of a headshot, it's often instant death. One important thing to keep in mind with all of this is that if your players are determined to use Called Shots, you should not feel bad about using them against the PCs as well in order to maintain game balance.
So have fun, and go shoot someone's eye out.


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Brian C Dunlap - Broker/Owner
Community Realty firstname.lastname@example.com
Several opportunities. Existing tier 2 status with state water board approval per seller. Current zoning is Ag and rural residential 10 acre minimums. Map and documents pending approval from Trinity County Planning. Community water and power to property line. Existing dirt and gravel roads. Home plan approved by county with no specific location. Contact listing for more info or clarification.
Call Brian today to see properties or discuss selling your house, 707-599-5331
Home | Open Houses | Community Listings | Search for Homes | Advanced Search | Map Search | Foreclosures | Mortgage Rates | Buyer/Seller Info | About Me | My Blog | Contact Me | Real Estate News!!! | Multi-Family
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Update: I made a visit to the shelter today and I have some GOOD news! The good news is that all the cats will be placed in foster care homes by tomorrow. All Huskys' have been placed in approved foster care homes today. The shelter has more than enough food, litter, and bedding. They are hoping that the rest of the dogs will be placed in approved foster care homes by next week, if possible. They are still in need for volunteers to help out.
Or you can always call me and I will relay the message.
Even after the animals are placed in foster care volunteers will be needed
The following is their current wish list:
Medium Dog Crates
55 Gallon Trash Bags
33 Gallon Trash Bags
Kongs Various Sizes
Dog Toys - All Sizes
Laundry Detergent
Name Tags
Ear Cleaner
On August 26th, 393 animals ~ making up 17 different species, were rescued from a house here in Denver. This rescue took over ten hours, during which we were getting heavy bands of rain from the former hurricane Faye. I passed this place twice that day, while this rescue was taking place... what a bitter sweet sight. Just how does someone collect that many animals? How can anyone afford to feed that many?
You can only image the HUGE task of caring for all these animals; bathing, assessing, medicating, cleaning, walking, and feeding it all takes time, volunteers, and donations.
Our local Denver Baptist Church has recently purchased a 6 +/- acre track of land that included various buildings (the former R-Anell Company's general office and manufacturing plant, which has moved to another part of the county) and it is here where the animals are being sheltered. As of last Tuesday it was reported that only a few have passed away, a few had to be taken to a vet hospital, and none have had to be "put to sleep" but this would be an option if it was deemed they were suffering.
Compact Animal Mobile Equipment Trailers (CAMETs) are being used at the Church shelter. CAMETs are stocked with all the necessities to set up an animal shelter; this is the first time for these to be used in North Carolina. All animals have been checked out by Dr. Kelly Farris, of the North Carolina State School of Veterinary School. Area vets are on the scene and are following the directions of Dr. Farris. Also, help teams have flown in from as far away as Colorado and Washington State to help in the efforts.
Since this is an ongoing criminal investigation it was first thought that authorities could not offer adoptions of these animals, due to legal issues. Now it sounds like they may have found a loop hole and will be able to start finding new homes for them soon.
Volunteers are needed who have training in animal care. But walk-ins are accepted too. Morning and evening shirts are available. Sign up is at the temporary shelter which is the former R-Anell location at 3549 North Highway 16, Denver, NC; which is across the street from Denver Baptist Church and next to Rock Springs Elementary School (almost in downtown Denver). They have a working calendar to schedule volunteers for feeding, cleaning cages, and washing animals. They will also introduce the animals to leads so that they will be able to be taken out to exercise.
Clean towels and newspapers are needed. These can be dropped off at Denver Fire Department at 3956 North Highway 16, Denver, North Carolina. So far food has been donated by several PetSmart stores in our area. Due to the humid weather, with volunteers in and out of heat, they are asking for Gatorade and water as well.
Monetary donations are desperately needed. Anyone can make a donation at any First Federal Savings Bank in Lincoln County; North Carolina.
Please join me as I plan to go by this week and see what I can do to help and you can help too!
About the author:
Teresa Harris is a Lake Norman Residential Real Estate Broker who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in Lake Norman and surrounding counties. Please visit www.TeresaMHarris.com for your relocation and/or your local needs.
Teresa Harris - Holbrooks Real Estate, Inc. - 704-458-1807 - email@example.com
Copyright © 2008 By Teresa Harris, All Rights Reserved...*Operation Noah's Ark Still Needs Help ~ Denver, NC*


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Now that summer is just around the corner (literally, it's tomorrow…yay!), the abundance of outdoor festivals in the city is about to begin! My first summer event of this year was The Stop's Night Market that took place over the last two days in Honest Ed's Alley. I didn't know much about the Night Market prior to purchasing tickets, but you can't really go wrong with paying $50 for an all you can eat and drink festival in Toronto (well I am sure you can go wrong, but I was optimistic about this one).
After purchasing the tickets, I learned that the money raised from the event goes towards supporting anti-hunger programs in the city. Various restaurants, bars and wineries all donated their time, food and drink, to help raise money and awareness for the program. Fortunate people like myself (there was a bit of a glitch with the online ticketing system and many people were not able to get tickets) got to taste little samplings from various local restaurants and breweries on a perfect evening in Toronto.
When entering the Night Market, I was overwhelmed by all the selection in front of me. My eyes (and stomach) didn't know where to go first. Being a vegetarian, I knew I would be limited in food options (I was planning on getting my money's worth by drinking beer and wine anyway), but was actually surprised when one of the first booths I came across was The Beet Organic Restaurant. Obviously I lined up (and was the first in line as I am not sure how many other vegetarians were at this event) and was treated with a lovely, bite size tempeh sloppy joe sandwich. I was actually slightly terrified to eat this thing as I had no idea how messy it was going to be. As one hand was already full holding my drink mug ('cause you gotta have a drink mug), I tried to eat this thing as carefully as possible without it all falling apart (or on my lap). Luckily there were some tables scattered around that I was able to rest my mug on so I could enjoy my tasty little treat. After that experience, I was ready to try more and started venturing off through the crowds on a mission to try and eat everything vegetarian that was available.
Surprisingly enough, there were quite a few veggie options for me at the event (enough to get me full at least), however, I kept getting drawn back to the dessert booths. Seriously, mini-donuts? Who doesn't want to eat frosted mini-donuts? I only learned after wolfing down the bite-sized goodies that these donuts were actually vegan and gluten free. Could it be? Kudos Tori's Bakeshop. They were AMAZING. The donut display by Paulette's Chicken and Donuts was also fantastic. A tower of donuts is a piece of art in my books (and tasty edible art is even better!).
Other than the food and drink, the Night Market actually had entertainment. Large chalk boards were available at the entrance where you could sketch your favourite vegetable or share your thoughts on what it means to eat well (my favourite comment was the person that wrote 'poutine'). A live band also busted out some awesome tunes to dance along to as they performed on the rooftop of a neighbouring building. However, the most random entertainment at the event was the French delivery man, AKA "Martin de la Rue" (and yes he has a website..). I made eyes across the alley way with Martin and he came over and handed me a folded up piece of paper addressed to "La Belle Femme". Inside was a message that read "After a full belly STOP all is poetry END". Those words definitely summed up my night! All was poetry!


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Content Managment (Share Center)
Store. Publish. Share.
It's just that easy with Share Center, our new and innovative content management tool for conferencing.
What is Share Center?
Share Center is a simple, web-based publishing tool for sharing your recorded conferences and related files. With Share Center you can now store your conference content in a single location and publish it to secure web pages to share with others. You'll have complete control of your content with an easy and secure way to share access.
- Easy access from your Account Dashboard.
- Store and manage all your recordings in a single location
- Audio recordings
- WebEx recordings
- Publish recordings to secure web pages.
- Control access with group members you specify.
- Store related files
- Store
Share Center begins with storing your conference content in your private Content Library - Share Center's central storage center. All of your recorded conferences are automatically stored in your Content Library.
- Publish
Now it's time to publish your stored conferences and files to secure web pages known as Portal Pages. Our easy-to-use publishing wizard will guide you through the process of moving content from your Library to your Portal Pages.
- Share
Once you've published, you're ready to share. Upon completion of the wizard, you'll receive an email with access information for your newly created Portal Pages. You now have complete control to share your conference content with the group of users of your choice.
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Sermons (NON-series)
Date: 31 Dec 2017
Title: Your Kingdom, Your Will
Verses: Matthew 6:9-10
Speaker: Pastor Jacob Lim
Date: 31 Dec 2017
Title: You Are Sons And Daughters Of God
Verses: Galatians 4:4-7
Speaker: Ms Tan Tiang Keng
Date: 24 Dec 2017
Title: A Witness To The Light
Verses: John 1:4-9
Speaker: Rev Dr Gordon Wong
Date: 3 Dec 2017
Title: Living Out God's Word in the Real World
Verses: Luke 6:46 & James 1:21-25
Speaker: Rev Lai Kai Ming
Date: 19 Nov 2017
Title: Amazed at & Surprised by the Lord!
Verses: Acts 14:1-7
Speaker: Rev Paul Nga
Date: 5 Nov 2017
Title: Good News To The Poor
Verses: Luke 4:16-21
Speaker: Rev Jason Phua
Date: 29 Oct 2017
Title: The Christian And The Book
Verses: 2 Timothy 3:16 and Luke 6:46
Speaker: Rev Lai Kai Ming
Date: 15 Oct 2017
Title: Witness - "Get off your butt!"
Verses: Acts 1:1-8 and Isaiah 43:10-12
Speaker: Dr Tan Poh Kiang
Date: 1 Oct 2017
Title: Undercover Priests
Verses: 1 Peter 2:9-10
Speaker: Rev Lai Kai Ming
Date: 17 Sep 2017
Title: Faith: What, How & Who?
Verses: Luke 8:22-25
Speaker: Mr John Ng
Date: 3 Sep 2017
Title: I Will Follow _________.
Verses: John 12:20-26
Speaker: Pastor Jacob Lim
Date: 20 Aug 2017
Title: Joy Unspeakable, Faith Unsinkable, Love Unstoppable
Verses: 1 Peter 1: 8-9, Matthew 14:28-31 and Romans 8:38-39
Speaker: Mr How Choon Oon
Date: 6 Aug 2017
Title: Fit For The Kingdom
Verses: Luke 9:57-62
Speaker: Rev Lai Kai Ming
Date: 30 Jul 2017
Title: Kia Whakatomuri te haere Whakamua – Walking Backwards Into The Future
Verses: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Speaker: Rev Timothy Khoo
Date: 16 Jul 2017
Title: Ministering to the Lord
Speaker: Rev John Koe
Date: 2 Jul 2017
Title: The Prodigal Sons and the Father
Verses: Luke 15:11-32
Speaker: Rev Jason Phua
Date: 18 Jun 2017
Title: Manoeuvring Through Injustice
Verses: Romans 8:22-28
Speaker: Mr Graham Rozario
Date: 4 Jun 2017
Title: Family of Faith
Verses: Romans 8:15-18
Speaker: Rev Dr Gordon Wong
Date: 28 May 2017
Title: Living in Righteousness
Verses: James 1:22-27
Speaker: Rev Wendy Tay
Date: 30 Apr 2017
Title: Security in Wisdom
Verses: Proverbs 4:20-27
Speaker: Mr Kevin Ang
Date: 14 Apr 2017
Title: The Way of the Cross
Verses: Luke 9:23
Speaker: Rev Dr Norman Wong
Date: 2 Apr 2017
Title: Two by Two
Verses: Luke 10:1-3,17-20
Speaker: Rev Lai Kai Ming
Date: 19 March 2017
Title: Una Buona Morte: Living Your Eulogy Not Your Resume
Verses: Psalm 23
Speaker: Rev Timothy Khoo
Date: 5 March 2017
Title: Rejoicing in Lament
Verses: Psalm 13:1-6; Lamentations 3:22-24
Speaker: Rev Chia Chin Nam
Date: 19 February 2017
Title: Worship Without Singing? Preaching Without Sermon? Offering Without Money?
Verses: Matthew 25:37-40
Speaker: Mr Joseph Chen
Date: 5 February 2017
Title: Let no one despise
Verses: 1 Timothy 4:12-16
Speaker: Rev Jason Phua
Date: 29 January 2017
Title: Christ in CNY
Verses: Luke 2:22-40
Speaker: Mr Jacob Lim
Date: 15 January 2017
Title: Comfort The Downcast
Verses: 2 Corinthians 7:2-16
Speaker: Rev Chia Chin Nam
Date: 31 December 2016
Title: Light of the World
Verses: John 8:12
Speaker: Ms Tan Tiang Keng
Date: 25 December 2016
Title: Truth about Christmas
Verses: Luke 2:1-20
Speaker: Rev Jason Phua
Date: 18 December 2016
Title: New Life, New Ways
Verses: Colossians 3:18-4:1
Speaker: Mr Kelvin Ang
Date: 11 December 2016
Title: New Life, New Clothes
Verses: Colossians 3:1-17
Speaker: Mr Justin Ang
Date: 27 November 2016
Title: Useful or Useless
Verses: Revelation 3:14-22
Speaker: Rev Raymond Sim
Date: 13 November 2016
Title: The Main Thing
Verses: Acts 1:6-11
Speaker: Rev Reuben Ng
Date: 30 October 2016
Title: Labour as a Worship
Verses: Gen 22:5; Romans 12:1
Speaker: Mr Ken Chua
Date: 9 October 2016
Title: Favouritism: Against God's call to welcome
Verses: James 2:1-9
Speaker: Dr John Ng
Date: 31 July 2016
Title: More than Enough
Verses: John 6:1-15
Speaker: Mr Graham Rozario
Date: 19 June 2016
Title: Really Know God? Hope? Power?
Verses: Ephesians 1:17-21
Speaker: Mr How Choon Onn
Date: 15 May 2016
Title: A House A Home
Verses: Ephesians 2:19-22
Speaker: Mr Joseph Chean
Date: 8 May 2016
Title: Living HIS Story Today
Verses: Habakkuk 3:1-2
Speaker: Mr Raymond Low
Date: 24 April 2016
Title: The Two Great Conditions for Jesus' Return
Verses: Matthew 23:37-39 & 24:14
Speaker: Pastor Ariel Blumenthal
Date: 10 April 2016
Title: Lamb or Lion in the Den?
Verses: Daniel 6
Speaker: Mr Justin Ang
Date: 24 March 2016
Title: Your Will, Not Mine
Verses: Isaiah 53:10-12; Mark 14:32-42
Speaker: Rev Chia Chin Nam


text: One of the most cutest couple of Pakistan industry Aiman Khan and Muneeb Butt are all set to get engaged on January 6, 2017. Aiman and Muneeb's relationship was never a secret as they had always been open about it in their interviews as well as on social media. The beautiful couple now finally had their dholki last night. They ... Read More »


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{lion: jellycat via Nordstrom // chambray shirt: Carter's // pants: Carter's (similar) // socks: Carter's (old) // beanie: June & January}
**also, I couldn't choose just one picture for this month, so here are two!**
{month twenty-seven} Holy cow you guys, how has it been an entire quarter since Eloise turned two? In case I didn't ever say, I have decided to do quarterly updates for Eloise since we are doing weekly pictures and posts for Baby Foot (which will continue thru the rest of my pregnancy and then that first year!). I was just reading back over Eloise's two year post and she seems like a totally different kid! Okay, here's a quick re-cap of the past three months:
Eloise has been "mean muggin'" since before she was one, but now she says "mean muggin'" while she does it. And it's hilarious! She has the best looks.
She sings the alphabet every time Aaron or I spell something that we don't want her to hear or repeat which is quite a bit these days. And, she has learned what a few of the spellings are, so we have had to come up with code names for words like: walk, bath, and applesauce.
Eloise is still obsessed with books! We read quite a few throughout the day and at least one or two before naptime and bedtime too. She has memorized many of her favorite books and reads to herself and her dolls or toys which is impossibly cute.
She uses a fork and spoon at all meals, though sometimes her fingers work just as well. Unless it is making a huge mess, I try not to be too strict about using a utensil if she refuses (picking my battles!). But generally she is excited to use them and wants to use the exact same thing that Mama and Papa use. Plus, she has learned to set the table. You guys, this is huge and I am so proud. I will put the utensils that we need (except for sharp knives) on the corner of the dining room table, and Eloise will come over and move all of the utensils to everyone's spot on top of his or her napkin. Emily Post would be so proud!
Sometimes (especially if she is trying to be funny) Eloise says "MOM!" to get my attention. Or she will just yell it for fun. It gives me a good glimpse into her teenage years I think.
Eloise can count from 1 to 20 in English, and 1 to 10 in French, Japanese, and Spanish. She is equally obsessed with counting as she is with saying her ABCs, and counts everything.
She tells us she dreams about paradise and butterflies after she wakes up from naptime or in the morning. Paradise always includes: Mama, Papa, Grammie, Paga (what she calls my dad, or her version of Grandpa), Kilo (my dad's horse), Yaya (my sister Anya), occasionally Sadie and sometimes a few other characters. And the butterflies are always green, blue, and purple.
Speaking of purple, Eloise is obsessed! Seriously. Every morning she picks out her underpants and socks for the day, and she wants her purple ones. She has about three pairs of purple underwear (maybe four or five if I can convince her that the smallest little bit of purple actually makes them purple) but only one pair of purple socks. So she is always stoked on laundry day when her purple socks are clean! Needless to say, she needs a few more pairs of purples socks and underwear… I sort of love that she loves purple since I too like it (plus, it is the color for UW so in this area it is perfect!) and Aaron loves it because it isn't pink! We will see how long this obsession lasts, but I don't see it ending anytime soon.
Eloise is always singing songs: when she is playing, at mealtime (which I am really trying to stop), in the car, and when she is falling asleep. Twinkle Twinkle, Are You Sleeping (Brother John)? (though we usually since the French version), The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, songs from school are the current favorites.
And probably the biggest change in the past three months is that Eloise is potty trained! I had hinted previously that I was going to do it at the end of the summer, but wanted to keep mum since I didn't know exactly how it would go. I am going to be honest and say that there were some rough times and times that I thought I would be happy for her to be in diapers forever, but we have turned a huge corner and Eloise is a champ! We rarely have accidents during the day and Eloise is self-initiating all the time. She is still in diapers at naptime and bedtime, though that is only because I am not willing to take on night-time training just yet; we have a loose plan to try to night-time train in December or very early January, but are just going to play it by ear since there are a lot of big events and life changes on the horizon for this kid. Plus, in total honesty, I don't want to have to wake her up to go potty in the middle of the night when she would otherwise sleep completely thru the night and I am seven (plus) months pregnant. So I will keep you up to date on that! For those who are curious, we used the book Oh Crap! Potty Training which I cannot recommend enough! It was super comprehensive and broke things down into blocks (not days) which I appreciated. Plus, it discouraged the use of rewards which is really in-line with our parenting philosophy. If you are needing to potty train a toddler, pick this one up!
Eloise is learning her shapes and colors, and is pretty good at identifying at this point. I try to teach her without doing rogue drills, so we talk about things that we see and what shape or color it is. And now Eloise points things out on her own.
If you ask Eloise what time it is, she will tell you it is thirty-teen. Hilarious!
And another big thing that happened (in September) is that Eloise doesn't use a pacifier anymore! We had restricted it to sleeping time (with the occasional exception like if she was sick, really upset, or we were travelling or out late) since she started really sleeping well (around five or six months). But, she became pretty attached to it. Our pediatrician had recommended we give it up right at two years, though our dentist said that since she was using the Soothie pacifier, it was fine for her to use it up until three. Though we knew it would change her sleeping (at least a little), we both felt like we wanted her to give it up and have a nice big break without it before Baby Foot is born. One night we had her put her doll Stella's paci in a jar because Stella was a big kid and didn't need her paci anymore; and then we had Eloise put her four pacis in the same jar the next night. We kept the jar in her room up on a shelf where she could see them but not get to them for about a week, and then they mysteriously vanished! It was a rough couple of nights and really took just over a week for her sleep to get back to "normal" but we did it. She didn't ask for her paci nearly as much as we thought, but wanted many more cuddles before bed. We have noticed that it takes much longer (like 45 minutes to an hour sometimes at bedtime) for Eloise to fall asleep even if we have adjusted the time she goes down, but other than that, she is sleeping really well. And honestly, she is sleeping better thru the night because she can self-soothe without having to find her paci in the dark or having one of us go in there and stick her paci back in her mouth!
Shortly after the paci went away, Aaron converted Eloise's crib to a toddler bed. This is really just taking off one side and having a small guard rail. We weren't sure how it would go, but again, with Baby Foot's impending arrival (and us not wanting to buy another crib!) we decided to go for it and see how it went. One night after dinner Eloise and Aaron went down and she watched him convert the crib, and boy was she excited! She even came up and wanted me to go back downstairs to her room so she could show me – so cute! And she is still pretty excited about it. She likes to climb in and out by herself (although she will stay in bed all night and until one of us comes in in the morning!) and have all of her blankets and animals in bed with her. She doesn't move around nearly as much as she did when she was in her crib, staying in the top third of the bed. The only tricky thing I see is that she stays up near where the guard rail is, so we may have some rolling out of a twin bed once we make that transition (we are thinking January for that). Having her in the converted toddler bed has made it so much easier for me to get her in and out of bed (since I was having trouble lifting her up out of the crib if she was laying down flat), plus it allows us to more easily night-time train her and then eventually transition her to a twin bed.
And lastly, as most of you know, Eloise started preschool in September. The first two weeks of drop-offs were really rough, but now Eloise is off and playing by the time I head out the door. She is excited to go to school and really loves her teachers and her friends. While it isn't a Montessori school, it shares similar principles which is perfect for Eloise and for us. She brings artwork home every week and they are all hanging proudly in our front window (though I am going to have a special place in her room for art once we move her in a few months). She has learned so much in terms of basics (colors, numbers, letters) but also sharing with others and being able to respond and respect other adults. We are always amazed what she comes home talking about; just last night she talked about the moon waning and waxing as she moved her hands open and closed!
It has been an amazing three months with this little gal and she is such an awesome kid!
{weight} 30-ish pounds.
{hair} dark (reddish) brown.
{teeth} 20 teeth and molars.
{eyes} dark brown.
{clothes} 2T, and some 3T.
{diapers} POTTY TRAINED! size 2T underwear during the day and honest company size 6 diapers for naptime and at night.
{feeding} during the day, three meals, morning snack, & afternoon snack. sippy cup of milk with every meal. eloise is really starting to master using a small cup for water too, so we try to offer one with at least dinner & sometimes snack time.
{likes} school (her friends and teachers), talking walks around the neighborhood, coloring, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, football, yelling, Duplos, digging in the dirt, splashing, counting, chewing on her toothbrush, the mailman, any person outside on the sidewalk, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, buckles, jumping, watching out the front window (dogs, kids, trucks), books, mama & papa's cell phone, singing & music, dancing, Sadie, standing, FaceTime, bath time, shoes, mama's (diaper) bag, clapping, putting things inside a bag or box, taking lids off of things, talking, helping with anything & everything, when Papa comes home from work.
{dislikes} not being included, having something taken away from her, being hungry, getting into the carseat, getting out of the carseat, not being able to do something herself.
{nicknames} Bug{s}, Love Bug, Baby Bug, E, Wheezy, Kiddo, Love, Bugaboo, Ellie or Elle.
Happy 27 months Eloise!
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The study of N-acylpyridinium salt chemistry and its application in the asymmetric synthesis of Streptomyces SS20846A
Abstract (Summary)Homer, Holly K.: Study of N-Acylpyridinium Salt Chemistry and Its Application in the Asymmtric Synthesis of Streptomyces SS20846A. (Under the direction of Dr. Daniel L. Comins) The first part of this research was directed towards a study of the mechanism of N-acylpyridinium salt chemistry. Comparison of de's obtained from organometallic additions to the pyridinium salt versus analogous non-organometallic additions would show whether chelation of the metals plays a key role in the mechanism. The second focus of this research was on the use of chiral N-acylpyridinium salt chemistry in the asymmetric synthesis of Streptomyces SS20846A, a natural product isolated from a soil sample in Greece which has a restrictive action on the digestive system. The Study of N-Acylpyridinium Salt Chemistry and Its Application in the Asymmetric Synthesis of Streptomyces SS20846A By Holly K. Homer A Thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Department of Chemistry Raleigh, North Carolina 2000 Approved by: _____________________________ Dr. Daniel L. Comins, Chair ___________________________ Dr. Suzanne T. Purrington _________________________ Dr. Binghe Wang ii Biography The author, Holly K. Homer, was born in St. Mary, Ohio, on September 15, 1974 to Rev. Edwin and Margaret Homer. She grew up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin where she attended Sheboygan North High School and graduated in 1993. She studied chemistry at Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri, and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Holly attended North Carolina State University and completed her Master of Science degree in Synthetic Organic Chemistry in the spring of 2000 under the direction of Dr. Daniel L. Comins. iii
Bibliographical Information:
School:North Carolina State University
School Location:USA - North Carolina
Source Type:Master's Thesis
Keywords:north carolina state university
Date of Publication:


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Monterey Bay Aquarium Builds Life-Sized Blue Whale Art Installation Made from Discarded Single-Use Plastic to Raise Awareness About Ocean Pollution
The National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Host Marine Life Artwork at Crissy Field in the Presidio
Oct 11, 2018
San Francisco, Calif.; October 11, 2018 – Monterey Bay Aquarium, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy), unveils a life-sized blue whale art installation at the heart of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Crissy Field in the Presidio, to bring awareness to a massive problem: the issue of ocean plastic pollution. The 82-foot-long blue whale made from hand-recycled plastic trash makes a splash on Saturday, October 13, and will remain on public view there until March 1, 2019.
Monterey Bay Aquarium chose the endangered blue whale as the subject of the art installation to draw a connection between plastic pollution and its impact on marine life around the world. The largest animal ever to live on Earth, a blue whale can weigh about 300,000 pounds – the approximate weight of plastic that ends up in the ocean every nine minutes.
"We created a life-sized blue whale to dramatize the scale of the problem," said Julie Packard, Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. "As people view the installation, we hope they're inspired to make changes in their own plastic consumption and will to join us in protecting ocean wildlife."
Bay Area artist Joel Dean Stockdill, known for creating artworks from reclaimed materials, collaborated with co-creator Yustina Salnikova to build the blue whale installation. The two, along with a team, personally hand-sorted, cleaned and cut plastic trash before transforming it into panels that compose the artwork.
"Plastic is filling up our landfills and only nine percent of it has been recycled. As a society we need to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic," said Stockdill. "That's why I wanted to be a part of this effort."
Stockdill and Salnikova chose to make the installation from recycled plastic trash rather than use found objects typically seen in other discarded plastic sculptures. The artists developed a custom recycling process done by hand to demonstrate that small-scale, high impact waste management is possible and not something that necessarily has to be done on an industrial scale.
"The solution to ocean plastic pollution is in our hands," Packard said. "We can make a difference through the choices we make as individuals, and by encouraging businesses to adopt innovative alternatives and supporting public policies to curb single-use plastic."
Monterey Bay Aquarium developed the idea for the blue whale with Hub Strategy and Communication, a San Francisco advertising agency. Hub worked with Building 180, an arts management and consulting agency, to bring in Stockdill.
This installation is part of the Art in the Parks program that has a mission to connect visitors with creative experiences in the parks that are transformative, unexpected and inspirational. Since 2006, more than 280 artists have participated in 27 art projects, engaging over 1,176,000 park visitors across 19 park sites in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area through the initiative.
"Our Art in the Parks initiative seeks to bring art to park settings to provide new ways of experiencing and learning about place and to foster wider civic engagement and dialogue around today's most important social issues," said Greg Moore, President and CEO of the Parks Conservancy. "Art projects like the blue whale art installation encourage an exploration about the history of our parks, the importance of our natural resources and the stewardship of these places."
"This installation builds on a rich tradition of artists who bring new perspectives through creative expression to the national park experience," said Charlie Strickfaden, Chief of Communications at Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
The blue whale art installation was sold to Meow Wolf, a public benefit arts and entertainment group based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Meow Wolf plans to exhibit the blue whale on the campus of Santa Fe Community College.
Monterey Bay Aquarium always wanted the installation to continue to be exhibited after it left Crissy Field in San Francisco. We sold it to Meow Wolf because they offered it a permanent site and also wanted to continue to use it to raise awareness about ocean plastic pollution.
About the Monterey Bay Aquarium
With a mission to inspire conservation of the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the most admired aquarium in the United States, a leader in science education and a voice for ocean conservation through comprehensive programs in marine science and public policy. Everything we do works in concert to protect the future of our blue planet. More information at montereybayaquarium.org
About the National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior charged with managing the preservation and public use of America's most significant natural, scenic, historic and cultural treasures. The NPS manages the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, as well as 417 other park sites across the U.S. For more information, visit nps.gov/goga
About Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit membership organization that supports the Golden Gate National Recreation Area—the most-visited unit in the national park system in the U.S. Since 1981, the Parks Conservancy has provided over $500 million in aid for site transformations, habitat restorations, research and conservation, volunteer and youth engagement, and interpretive and educational programs. Learn more at parksconservancy.org or call (415) 561-3000.
About Art in the Parks
The mission of Art in the Parks is to provide programs that connect our visitors with creative experiences in the parks that are transformative, unexpected and inspirational. Learn more: parksconservancy.org/visit/art
About Hub Strategy & Communication
Hub Strategy and Communication is an integrated advertising, design and production company located in San Francisco's historic Presidio district. hubsanfrancisco.com
About Building 180
Building 180 is a creative consultancy and arts management group whose goal is to bring more art into the world and who believe that art has the power to build community and create impact. www.building180.com
Download this release as a PDF


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According to Brisbane Insects and Spiders, the grasshopper mouth is a simple-type mouth, which has evolved with parts that function in chewing, cutting, grinding, manipulating, touching, tasting, sensing temperature and keeping food inside the mouth. The grasshopper mouth has some of the most primitive oral structures of any insect.
While the labrum is similar to an upper lip, the labium is similar to a lower lip. The mandibles cut and grind the grasshopper's food, and the maxillae behind the mandlibles are used to manipulate the food. The maxilary palpus and the labial palpus serve to touch, taste and sense temperature differences.


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Previous abstract Next abstract
Session 67 - Stars: Evolution, Atmospheres, Intrinsic.
Display session, Thursday, June 11
Atlas Ballroom,
Multimode RR Lyrae variables -- Blazhko effect stars and double mode stars -- pose a challenge to theorists of stellar pulsation. A photometric program to study the peculiarities of these stars, inside and outside of globular clusters, has been in progress at Michigan State University. Results are presented for several field and cluster stars, with particular emphasis on the Blazhko variable AR Her. The occurrence of different secondary cycle patterns in different stars is noted
Program listing for Thursday


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Vernon Ah Kee
For the past few weeks, the MacKenzie Art Gallery has been hosting their first Artist in Residency with Australian artist, Vernon Ah Kee.
I spent a bit of today hanging out with Vernon, taking pictures for a few upcoming publications, and chit chatting about trains, non-existent Aussie winters and Canon cameras. Such a nice guy, and such great work!
His exhibition opening is on Sept 11, and I really suggest you be there if you can. An opportunity to meet Vernon and see the work he has created while in Regina, is not to be missed.
To read more about Vernon and is work, visit the MacKenzie Facebook invite.