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This post kicks off a series of posts on the design of the Start screen and the evolution of the core activity of launching and switching programs. Some folks are calling the Start screen the "Metro shell" for Windows 8, but for us it is the evolution of the Start menu and associated functions. We've been watching the comments closely and have seen the full spectrum of reactions as one would expect when the core interface changes. We want to use these blog posts to have a dialog that reflects back on your comments, and so we'll start by walking you through the history and decisions that led to the current design. Because the Developer Preview is focused on building apps, and the core user experience is still under development, we want to make sure our discussions start from first principles and work through the design to provide a fuller context for where we will be at the next project milestone.
This post was authored by Chaitanya Sareen, program manager lead on our Core Experience Evolved team. You might remember Chaitanya, as he also worked on the Windows 7 experience and authored posts on the Engineering 7 blog.
We'd like to share a series of blog posts on the how and why of reimagining Start. This first post talks about the history and evolution of the Start menu, and several of the problems and trends we've learned from you. We think it's always important to understand where we've come from before we talk about where we're headed. We'll then have another post that dives into how we crafted the new Start screen, and then we'll see where the discussion leads us from there.
We recognize that to some people, any change to Windows is going to be disruptive, and so we want to make sure we continue an open dialog about those changes. Since Windows is such an integral part of so many people's lives, most any change can generate visceral reactions like "how can I turn it off," or debates over whether things are more or less efficient.
The debate around touch today is looking eerily like the debate in the 1980s over whether a mouse was a gimmick, a productivity time waster, or an innovation in the user experience. We say this knowing that many comments have been emphatic about the superiority of the mouse over touch. Unlike when the mouse was introduced—before desktop publishing programs came along there were few use cases for the mouse other than early paint programs—today we are surrounded by touch screens—at the airport, the gas station, the movie theater, every cash register, and of course, on our phones. The one place touch has not yet become mainstream is on the most capable of all the devices you use. Just like the introduction of the mouse, innovations like this do not happen without new OS support, new apps, and new hardware. We believe that, as with the mouse, we will see touch augmenting, but not replacing, most every aspect of the PC experience over time. Achieving this starts with the Windows 8 Developer Preview. So with that, let's start the dialog about how things will evolve, not just in the Windows core user experience, but in hardware and apps as well.
With regard to the main user experience, particularly Start, we're noticing some themes in your comments. Will there be a way to close Metro style apps without going to Task Manager? (Yes there will be, but we also want to talk about why you probably won't need to use it.) Are we going to do anything to make the mouse more efficient in scrolling through your programs in Start? (Yes, we'll improve that experience, and show you much more in the beta.) Some of you have talked about it feeling less efficient to cycle through your recent programs compared to using the taskbar (and we'll have more to say about that in future posts). There are other comments as well, and the point here is just to make sure you know we are aware of the questions. Some things will be easier to discuss if we first agree on some shared terminology. For example, Metro style is a design language we can apply to any element of Windows, and the Start screen is the evolution of the Start menu (as well as taskbar, notifications, and gadgets), and not really a "Metro shell." Another example is that we don't see "Metro" as a mode of Windows, rather it is a way to describe the attributes of applications written to WinRT (as in these //build/ talks on traits of Metro style apps or principles of Metro style). There's lots of ground to cover. We know with our initial focus on the platform and tools, we probably did not provide enough early context around the user experience changes through this blog.
The Start menu is one of the most visible parts of Windows, and so we don't take any changes we make to it lightly. The environment around Windows has changed immensely since we first introduced the Start menu, and we want to make sure we're still delivering an experience that is both relevant and tuned to the dynamic computing world we live in today. The evolution of the Start menu is inextricably linked with the development of several other related, but disparate concepts, such as application launching, application switching, system notifications, and gadgets. The history behind these and the divergent paths they have each taken create an opportunity for us to do a much better job in providing a cleaner, more powerful, and more uniform way of working across the wide variety of apps and PCs we use today. The new Start screen embodies this effort.
So, before we tackle Windows 8, let's first take a trip down memory lane and see what we can learn about the Start menu.
A brief history of Start
The design of the Start menu began in 1992 for its debut in Windows 95. The menu was conceived in a world where PC towers and 15" CRTs dominated cubicles. The Web was still an experiment and people had to drive to a store to buy software. It was a very different time. The fundamental goal of the menu was to provide an obvious place for people to start their computing tasks. It replaced the venerable Program Manager, that Windows 3.x concept that placed shortcuts in a floating window which happened to interfere with the desktop and other applications. Anchored to the taskbar, the Start menu was a consistent and consolidated portal to your apps and system functions. It was essentially the fastest way to start programs without hunting down an executable somewhere in the system.
Fig 1: The Windows 95 Start menu
Looking at the Windows 95 Start menu, you may immediately see the areas for improvement that subsequent versions of Windows addressed with incremental changes. For example, we heard feedback that putting an alphabetical list of programs under a flyout made it slow to navigate. Windows XP addressed this with the introduction of the "most frequently used" (MFU) section that surfaced the programs you used regularly. This change in turn introduced some new problems because there was no way to really customize it, and some people struggled to understand how the MFU was populated (a complex heuristic determined which apps you use the most). To address the customization aspect, Windows XP (and later, Windows Vista and Windows 7) featured a section where you could pin the apps that are most important to you, to put them at your fingertips. However, this functionality was still limited. You could put apps in the pinned section and reorder them, but you still couldn't group or organize them if you had more than just a few items.
There were also problems with traversing All Programs on Window XP. It wasn't uncommon to have your mouse "fall off" the menu and then you'd have to restart the task all over again (this was especially challenging for laptop customers who used track pads or for those with limited dexterity). It was also difficult to fit all this UI into lower resolution screens. Vista addressed this with the introduction of a single menu and a tree control that required fewer acrobatics with the mouse. However, All Programs still felt cramped, since the menu required a scroll bar (fig 2). The Start menu was already starting to feel full.
Fig 2: All Programs in the Start menu in Windows 7
Another critical evolution of Start was the introduction of instant search. Vista and Windows 7 both made it really easy for you to open the menu and just type what you wanted. We know many of you enjoy this powerful method, as it reduces "time to launch." The introduction of advanced commands also reduced the need to use the Run dialog. Nonetheless, we knew there were still areas for improvement. Search results sometimes feel overcrowded and showing lots of different types of data (email, files, control panel settings, etc.) didn't always work best in a one-size-fits-all column. Some of you have asked whether the Windows 8 Start screen will also support search. Yes, it does—on the Start screen, just start typing to instantly see search results that you can filter by apps, files, or settings. And just like in Windows 7, the full power of search is available in Explorer.
Based on these challenges and your feedback, we've continued to refine the Start experience over the years. However, we find that even the Windows 7 Start menu still faces core usability challenges:
- The menu feels cramped relative to available screen real estate when you try to see and navigate the full catalog of your programs.
- Search doesn't have the space it deserves to quickly show you rich results across all sources of information, especially on larger screens.
- It's hard to customize the menu to make it feel like it's really yours.
- Icons and shortcuts are static and don't leverage more of the pixels we see in modern graphical interfaces to surface connected scenarios.
Of course, the above list isn't a complete set of everything we are improving. We also aim to unify Start with the rest of the system and enable new scenarios. An important part of design is sometimes taking a step back to fundamentally reimagine something from the ground up in order to bring more than incremental improvements to a product. This is especially true for something like Start that was born in a very different time when we didn't use our PCs the way we do today.
It is important not to lose sight of the breadth of the problem space. The Start menu is almost exclusively used to launch items (except for the subset of search functionality). The full program experience in Windows 7 also includes switching and pinning via the taskbar, alerts in the notification area, and gadgets on the desktop. As we continue our dialog, we'll talk about how Windows 8 brings these all together in a harmonious manner.
How is the Start menu used?
Now that we've briefly discussed the history of the Start menu, let's discover how people are actually using it. We thought it would be interesting to see how the usage of the menu has changed over time. Figure 3 reveals the change in Start menu usage across the two versions of Windows.
Fig 3: Change in Start menu feature usage between Windows Vista and Windows 7
It is striking to see how dramatically different the use of the Start menu is in Windows Vista vs. Windows 7. Some of the Special Folders (what we call those items on the right side of the menu) dropped in use by over 50%. Likewise, people accessed pinned items on the Start menu half as often in Windows 7 than they did in Vista. People also access All Programs and the MFU far less often. Finally, we see an 11% drop in how often people are opening the Start menu at all. While 11% may seem like a small number at first, across our hundreds of millions of customers it is eye opening to see such a drop for a universally recognizable element of the Windows interface. We're not talking about some hidden setting that is tweaked by a minority of people—we're talking about a fundamental piece of Windows that people are using less and less.
So why the change in how people are using the Start menu? Here's a hint—it has something to do with that bar at the bottom of your screen that was introduced in Windows 7.
The "Start bar"
The evolution of the Windows taskbar directly impacted the Start menu. What once was locked behind a menu suddenly came closer to you. The most obvious advancements were the introduction of Quick Launch by Internet Explorer 4.0's Windows Desktop Update in 1997, as well as the more recent taskbar pinning in Windows 7.
Interesting side story: did you know that Quick Launch was initially disabled by default in Windows XP because some people believed the MFU list and pinning in the Start menu would suffice? We saw a volume of evidence to the contrary, and so we reversed the decision (though back then, the data upon which we based these decisions was limited, so we don't really know what a broad variety of customers were doing). What we took away from this was that it was important for you to be able to designate what apps you care about, see them all in one place, and have them be one click away, rather than trying to guess what is important through software heuristics or having important items mixed with less important items.
To really bring this all home, let's take a look at where people are pinning their apps. Figure 4 reveals that 85% of people have three or more items pinned to the taskbar compared to a mere 23% who have the same number pinned to the Start menu. Although the taskbar and Start menu have different pinned defaults, many people do customize both of them when they want to. The message is clear that the majority of people want most of their apps on the taskbar rather than having to dig into Start.
Fig 4: Number of pinned apps on the Start menu (top) vs. on the taskbar (bottom)
We also know that enthusiasts in particular use their Windows 7 taskbar even more than the Start menu. Keyboard shortcuts like Win + <n> (where n corresponds to the sequence of an application icon on the taskbar) make it even faster for the keyboard experts to instantly launch and switch with the taskbar (and those shortcuts continue to work in Windows 8). When we visit IT pros, it's not uncommon for us to see a taskbar filled with icons for standard corporate desktops. We even see items like Control Panel pinned to the taskbar to save people a trip to Start. Pinning is also increasing in popularly because you can now also pin websites to your taskbar with IE 9. Fortunately, there's plenty of room on the taskbar—even at 1024x768 the taskbar can hold 22 small icons. Add the power of Jump lists, and theoretically, you can also have access to 220 files, folders, and sites at that same resolution! This means that for those who wish to just use desktop apps, the taskbar provides the room to quickly access the things you need every day without going to the Start menu.
Speaking of Jump lists, we've seen also how pinning Explorer by default to the taskbar and populating its Jump list with common folders makes it even easier to access system folders like Documents (not surprisingly, use of Documents in Start has also dropped, as shown above).
In summary, the taskbar has evolved to replace many aspects of the Start menu. You can even say the taskbar reveals many of the weaknesses of the Start menu and that the menu is no longer as valuable as it once was long ago. Search and access to All Programs are still unique strengths of the Start menu that we know you depend upon, but when it comes to the apps you use every day, one-click access from the taskbar is hard to beat. You, and many like you, are the ones who gave us this strong feedback over the years, which pushed us to make the taskbar a powerful primary launcher and switcher for the desktop. In fact, we sometimes even referred to the taskbar in Windows 7 as the "Start bar," since it became clear that most people now start with the bar, rather than with the menu.
A new opportunity for Start
With the Windows taskbar becoming the key launcher and switcher for the desktop, and the Start menu being revealed as a poor everyday launcher, an opportunity appeared to reimagine Start and make it into something more valuable. Since we now know most of you can (and do) just use the taskbar to access the things you commonly use on the desktop, this freed us up to make Start even better at its unique strengths and to unlock new scenarios. Improved search, more room for all your programs, tiles that are alive with activity, and richer customization all suddenly become possible when the venerable, but aging, Start menu is transformed into a modern Start screen. Stay tuned for our next post, where we'll talk about the Start screen and how it represents the way we use our PCs today.
Chaitanya Sareen


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Marty Zwisler is a rare individual, a man who lives to find
ways to do things no one has done before. In fact, when faced with a task he
wants to complete, he'll insist on finishing it on his own, sometimes to his
own detriment.
"I'm definitely a 'do it myself'-er," Zwisler says.
Today, you can find Zwisler and his wife, Jane, on their
houseboat, Beach House, on the scenic
waters of Lake Powell. Despite its rather normal
external appearance, Beach House is
far from typical. Its roots are seen in a home almost 250 miles to the east,
near Durango, Colo. The Zwislers built the home back in
1978, and designed it to be 90 percent powered by solar panels. It was a long
and educational experience, and they took the lessons they had learned and
applied them to Beach House.
The Houseboat
Because Zwisler doesn't live on the boat 365 days of the
year, he designed the solar power system around the fact that his visits to Lake Powell
usually run no longer than two weeks.
While the boat sits in the buoy field, the solar panels are
charging a bank of batteries Zwisler has installed. When he arrives at Lake Powell
to spend some time on the water, the boat is powered half on the battery
reserve and half on the power being drawn by the solar panels as he boats. And
when the fun is over, the panels go back to a full-time job of recharging the
"As a general rule of thumb, if I'm there 10 days, I wait 10
days to go back," Zwisler explains. "If I go for a week to 10 days, it'll take
me at least that long to go back again, thanks to commitments to work and other
Despite being moored away from shore power, Beach House welcomes the Zwislers with a
refrigerator filled with cold drinks and 250 pounds of ice in the freezer, a
bonus any houseboater can appreciate.
This system works mostly because of the innovative design
features the Zwislers built into the boat to reduce energy costs.
Using the information and experience they'd gained while
building their home in Colorado,
Zwisler did all the necessary calculations to determine exactly how much power
they would need to fit his plans.
"A comparably equipped boat probably uses two to four times
the electricity we use because of the components and electrical devices on
board," Zwisler describes. "The light fixtures, the fridge, the cooler, the
pumps, everything we use on that boat were purchased and selected based on
their energy efficiency."
In short, the Zwislers decided what energy consuming
conveniences they wanted to have on the boat and then purchased the most
efficient appliances and devices available to meet that goal. By way of
comparison, most houseboat builders will choose a refrigerator or washing
machine based on capacity and appearance, then buy generators based on the
amount of power needed after the fact.
"The fridge in my house is a 15-year-old version of the same
one I have in the houseboat," Zwisler says. "They are pretty expensive, but
they use about 10 percent of the energy of a comparably-sized fridge. You can
spend 50 or 100 percent more on the fridge, but you've reduced the solar panel
requirements. You end up netting refrigeration at a lot lower cost in the end."
Zwisler also figured that if the houseboat is floating in
millions of gallons of fresh water, why haul water in a tank? Beach House's unique system provides an
endless supply of domestic water at high flow rates and minimal filtering
costs. There is never a need to go to the docks for water, and the Zwislers
never run out. In the winter this means there are no water storage tanks to be
filled upon arrival, or drained at the end of the trip. The system also allows
the Zwislers to go 20 days or more of low-to-no-odor usage between pump-outs.
Cost Savings
Despite the up-front cost of buying solar panels and more expensive, yet more
energy efficient appliances, Zwisler states that in the end, they saved money
overall by not having to buy, fuel and maintain a generator.
And really, a big reason the Zwislers built this boat was in
an effort to keep the cost of using the boat to a minimum.
"There is little we can do about the cost of ownership, with
buoy fees, insurance, registration, etc.," Zwisler complains. "But we could
keep the remainder of our costs down by incorporating products and components
that would hold up to the harsh desert/marine environment and cost less to
Cool on the Cheap
Another feature of the boat that contributes to its low
energy costs is the evaporative cooler on the upper deck. The cooler moves
enough air through the boat's cabin for a complete air exchange every minute.
This humidified air is also beneficial in keeping skin from drying out, and by
keeping the aft deck door open, the cool air significantly lowers the temperature
on the deck while maintaining an interior connection to the outdoors.
"I drive by houseboats that have their doors closed, blinds
closed and the generator going," Zwisler laughs.
In addition, the windows are designed to reflect 90 percent
of the sun's ultraviolet rays, and the exterior of the boat is reflective to
the point that it can be difficult to look directly at it in the sunlight. Yet
Zwisler explained that it is cool to the touch, even on the hottest of days.
"Insulation is another key," Zwisler says. "The evaporative
cooler would not get the job done if I didn't use the right glass or
insulation. All of the factors play off each other."
An added benefit to the custom, insulated design is
all-season boating. The Zwislers can visit Lake Powell
at any time of year, because the same components that keep heat out in the summer
also keep the heat in the winter. Beach
House has a furnace that runs off the solar power, and the rear deck cover
can be easily removed to allow in extra sunlight when it gets especially cold
Reverse Floor Plan?
The Zwislers also wanted Beach
House to have the focus be on the lake when moored. To that end, they
designed the floor plan to concentrate the best living area towards the water.
Other features of the unique floor plan include an interior hallway that allows
access to both decks without requiring passage through bedrooms, solid-core
doors and soundproofing in the walls to isolate bedrooms from external noise
and an open, recessed swim deck that allows easy access to the water.
The Zwislers enjoy extra storage in multiple pontoon
chambers that are accessed through hatches above.
Another benefit of the floor plan is that Beach House has fuel capacity for
cruises of up to 400 miles on its twin 115hp Mercury four-strokes, as well as
the ability to fuel companion boats on the fly, thanks to a metered fuel nozzle
that is conveniently stored out of sight.
An Efficient Relationship
To Zwisler's estimation, most of the aspects of Beach House have performed better than
he expected when he undertook this great project. Most days the hair dryers are
going, the toaster is popping out toast and the microwave is heating up a bowl
of oatmeal like in a normal houseboat, but without the noise and vibration
commonly found with generators.
"Our boat is absolutely silent, and I just love that,"
Zwisler boasts. "I can tell when there's another boat in the canyon when their
generator's on, even when I can't see it, because I can hear it. They've done a
lot to make them quieter and safer, but to me it's an evil."
The Zwislers also enjoy satellite voice and internet
communication even in the more remote regions of Lake Powell.
Zwisler is always happy to share the knowledge he has gained
in the area of environmentally- and economically-friendly houseboating, though
he is quick to warn that most of the methods he uses cannot just be quickly
applied to existing houseboats. The best way to make it all work is to build
from the ground up.
And build from the ground up is exactly what Zwisler did,
and does, throughout his life. Who knows? Maybe the innovations we see in this
boat may one day be standard on all houseboats around the world.
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Mom: Will a Relapse Ruin Marjorie's Wedding?
Feb 17, 2016 8:00 PM EST
On Thursday's episode of Mom, Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy) is getting married - but what should be a day of celebration quickly turns tragic. Christy (Anna Faris) and Bonnie (Allison Janney) have suffered plenty of losses, but nothing can prepare them for… Read more


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The Chest of Nostradamus, was invented by Jos Denys of Belgium. This is a fabulous and diabolically clever prediction. No amount of examination of the chest or cards will reveal the unique and original method.
EFFECT: The mentalist shows a small wooden chest suspended from decorative chains. As it hangs from the performer's extended finger, a participant is informed that the box contains two things; a deck of cards and a small envelope. When the participant opens the chest to get the cards, he will cut from the deck as many cards as he wishes and the mentalist guarantees that the card freely cut to will match the prediction playing card in the envelope.
The participant is asked to do the following in his mind only; to cut an imaginary deck of cards, count the number of cards in the portion he cut off, and to keep the information to himself. He has a completely free choice and may change his mind until the moment that he reveals it to one and all. Then, the participant is instructed to do exactly the same with the real deck of cards inside the chest.
The chains are detached from the chest and the chest placed on the participant's outstretched palm. He is then instructed to open the chest and to place both the envelope and the deck of cards on the table. The envelope containing the prediction card is removed and placed next to the chest. The participant himself counts off the same number of cards that he imagined cutting in his mind before and places the dealt off cards aside. He then removes the top card from his stack and places it to the side, face down.
Attention is drawn to the prediction envelope - it is torn open showing the card inside to be (for example) the Jack of Spades. All eyes now turn to the one face down card selected by the spectator. It is turned over to reveal the ..... JACK OF SPADES!
Do you own this product? Write a review.


text:
As the topic of urban restoration garners more attention, we have seen an increase in the investigation and experimentation relating to NYC's ecological past. NYC Wildflower Week demonstrated a rise in popularity of plants native to New York City. Coupling urban restoration and indigenous plants, Julie Farris and Sarah Wayland-Smith, both landscape designers, were commissioned by the Public Art Fund to design and construct 'A Clearing in the Streets,' a 15-foot wide, plywood structure containing the beginnings of a meadow. The temporary installation, meant to invite passers-by to appreciate and watch the "re-insertion" of nature back into the city, offers a glimpse into NYC's native landscape.
We found the walls enclosing the landscape to be slightly disorienting, since we typically think of nature as residing outside, not inside. The designers explained in an interview with Flavorwire: " [The] narrow apertures, where the bright blue photographic mural can be clearly seen, draw visitors toward the structure and to a closer, more intimate view of the plantings inside." We were instantly reminded of The Phantom Tollbooth upon approaching the project's exterior, which made us wonder if by peeking in, we would be whisked off to another world where New York City is no longer a dense, concrete jungle.
And in fact, this sentiment was perhaps not far off. At least, not if you think about the implications of "re-inserting" nature into the city. What would our city look like if more public attention was turned toward green spaces? Or more importantly, how would cities feel — how would the life of an ordinary citizen change?
Upon peering inside, we found that Farris and Wayland-Smith chose to populate their installation with plants native to NYC. As the summer progresses, the plants will grow, creating a very close juxtaposition between nature and built environment. While the use of native plants certainly stirs a bit of nostalgia of what the land once was, the creation of greenery more importantly points to what might be. Inquisitive individuals who investigate the piece will hopefully find that the installation illustrates how a bustling metropolis such as NYC can begin to invite nature back into the daily experiences of its residents.
True to the principles of nature where all matter is part of a living cycle, the designers plan to re-use the materials of the project at the end of the installation: the plants will be donated to NYC community gardens, while the plywood will be re-used to create planter boxes.
Via Flavorwire


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Product DescriptionThese great beads are made by the Krobo People of Ghana, Africa. Powder glass beads are made by crushing glass to a fine powder and heating it so that the particles fuse together. The glass is then poured into clay molds, with a cassava leaf stem used to make the hole. They are baked in an oven and the glass fuses and the cassava stem burns up. This technique has been used in Africa for centuries. Due to age, some beads may be chipped.
Product Details
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text:
Detailed extensively on a current Indiegogo project, inventor Jonathan Dandrow has developed a smart license plate frame that has the ability to blanket the numbers and letters on your license plate in white light when being captured by a traffic camera. When a red light or speeding camera uses a high-powered flash to illuminate your vehicle, the sensor at the top of the noPhoto frame detects that flash. After quickly analyzing the incoming flash, the sensor triggers two flashes from the xenon lights on the left and right side of the frame. When the lights are active, it's impossible to see any letters or numbers on the license plate and the driver of the car won't receive a ticket in the mail based of the photo taken by the traffic camera.
The noPhoto frame is basically designed to overexpose the area around the license plate with too much white light without breaking any current laws about license plates.
According to Dandrow, the noPhoto frame is legal because it doesn't cover the state name on the plate or the actual identification number. In addition, Dandrow claims there are no laws specifically indicating how much light can cover a license plate at any given time.
If the noPhoto frame is used to successfully thwart a camera, a driver would avoid paying a fine for the ticket in addition to increased car insurance costs over the year. Beyond the obvious financial incentive to using the NoPhoto frame, Dandrow also indicates that there are privacy concerns to red light and speeding cameras. According to Dandrow, a company called Redflex located in Arizona makes the majority of the traffic cameras used in the United States. Each time a photo is taken by a Redflex camera, Dandrow claims a driver's personal information is being stored in a database. Dandrow fears that information could be sold for marketing purposes at some point.
Beyond specifically using the noPhoto frame to drive recklessly, Dandrow also stresses that red light and speeding cameras can be prone to failure. Faulty equipment can send out tickets to people that didn't actually break any traffic laws, thus the noPhoto frame would be useful for the law-abiding citizen.
Dandrow is also attempting to market the noPhoto frame to celebrities looking to avoid paparazzi, owners of exotic cars or basically anyone that prefers anonymity.
In order to fully fund the Indiegogo project, Dandrow is seeking $80,000 to get UL certification as well as kick off manufacturing of the noPhotos frames. Dandrow is currently offering the first one hundred noPhoto frames at a price of $199, but the standard price of the frame appears to be $350 according to the main site. The frame is designed to work in all types of weather since the circuity is sealed in plastic within the frame. Dandrow has included a test button on the noPhoto frame to see if the lights are still active. In addition, the firmware of the noPhoto frame can be updated assuming manufacturers of red light and speeding cameras attempt to modify photo timing in the future.


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Shop owners who come up with excuses to avoid spending the time or money to properly educate their employees are typically the first to blame their workers for mistakes and lapses in productivity. This article discusses the reasons why you should educate your staff and offers several resources for training.
By Mike Ukena
What comes to mind when the subject of education comes up in your business? If you're like most, your response is not enough time—not enough time for the owner to learn, the manager to learn, and the employees to learn.
In my opinion, based on 25 years in the business as an owner, educator, tech-support specialist, and ink salesman, our industry has to be one of the worst at educating its people. Owners and managers who come to our industry from elsewhere are usually stepping way down in business size. Most of those people think that our industry is so simple that they don't need to provide any training—and they do not need any themselves. This attitude helps to explain the great number of very basic technical questions that swamp support forums and technical-support personnel. As an example, I get anywhere from 20-50 technical-support calls per week. I would guess that at least two thirds of these calls are what I would call basic enough that I'm surprised people in this business do not know the answers.
I do not mean to infer that the people who ask these questions are stupid. I can safely say that I was in a similar position when I first started. The difference is that I quickly realized that I needed to educate myself so I could, in turn, educate my staff.
The most common tactic for new business owners in our industry is to hire experienced printers. They think that if they just do that one thing, they'll be off to the races, making the big bucks. Well, I am here to tell you that if you haven't been at this endeavor long enough to realize it yourself, that strategy seldom works well. Most of the experienced people that you hire suffer from several problems:
1. They learned on their own in the first place.
2. They did not learn to do the job properly—just enough to get by.
3. They are changing jobs because they weren't so good at their last one.
4. Even the ones who are pretty good printers probably don't do a very good job of passing their knowledge on to others and, even worse, may try to guard what they know as some kind of job security.
Forms of education in screen printing
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vprelovac needed a new button or icon design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 44 designs submitted by 14 freelance designers.
Webification (: act of converting content from its original format into a format capable of being displayed on the web) is a blog created to publish concise information about latest web development and web design resources which we think you should not miss.
Web designers and web developers
Logo that will fit the brand name. The site is about Web 2.0 taking over the World. Logo should fit the current template but should not be limited to it.
Some of the sites with similar thematic are webappers.com and webresourcesdepot.com


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I'm not sure that Cal's ever had a Belgian waffle before, having only eaten their toaster-ready brethren. He was very impressed by its goliath proportions.
Mack and I shared a pancake combination plate, which means that he stole all my bacon and refused to eat anything else, even though I poured three kinds of syrup on the pancakes. THREE KINDS OF SYRUP!
Syrup application, in case you were wondering, is a serious business.
Hide-and-seek at the playground. You'd think from Mack's covering his face that he'd be the one counting and then seeking, but actually, he's the one hiding. Because if you cover your face, no one can see you. Think of all the research money the armed forces could have saved if only they understood this principle! (Cal also noted that the fact that I was standing there taking pictures of him made Mack particularly easy to find.)
My penchant for striped shirts, exposed.
I know this was just a pile of pictures, but that's basically all I got. Oh, that, and this: one more Whitney Houston tribute courtesy of Randy Watson and Sexual Chocolate.
I suppose I could write more now, but I just downloaded Season 2 of "The Walking Dead" from iTunes (which includes all this "Behind the Scenes" cast commentary) and it's pretty much blowing my mind that Andrew Lincoln not only doesn't have a Southern accent in real life, but, in fact, has a British accent. It's Downton Abbey with zombies!


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Back in April we announced the One Good Chair Design Competition, where a $4500 challenge was set to design a chair that 'Does Good, Feels Good, Looks Good'. Designs for this competition were judged on their environmental impact, ergonomics and aesthetics, and our own Editor-in-Chief Jill Fehrenbacher was one of the judges for the competition. Well, now the results of the One Good Chair Competition are in! The best chairs in the competition ship and stack easily and are made of renewable and biodegradable materials that minimize waste – one honorable mention even encourages people to ride the bus. Over 300 designers competed in this competition, and in the end the judges couldn't pick a favorite between the top two. Check out the winners below the jump!
Posi+ive Lounge Chair
Jittasak Narknisorn designed the Posi+ive Lounge Chair with the idea that a design simple enough to be modeled using a piece of paper would be easy to make in an industrial system. The seat is made out of a single piece of bent plywood covered by a cushion of wool felt, resting on a single round steel bar that wraps around the chair to form arm rests.
Pandanus Chair
Jessica Konawicz's Pandanus Chair is made from a cellulose-based plastic that is biodegradable and can be produced through a low energy manufacturing process. Her inspiration came from the spiraling leaves and colorful fruit of Padanus tree, which lends her design an easily stackable structure and a funky array of colors. The chair is not designed for napping – Jessica hopes sitters will use the Pandanus for "active relaxing." Congrats to the winners!


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Teflon wrap protects hoses
Prevent chafing on high-pressure hydraulic and other hoses with a line of spirally cut Teflon wraps. The Heli-Tube Teflon wrap applies like tape to protect against abrasion and provide color coding of hoses. The tape is expandable, chemically inert and nonflammable. It is available in seven sizes from 1/16 to 1 in. Prices range from $0.55 to $12.95/ft. Contact M.M. Newman Corp., Dept. FIN, Box 615, Marblehead, MA 01945, 781/631-7100, www.mmnewman.com.
Powerful cutting
If you're looking for a small but powerful plasma cutter, the new HTP MicroCut 380 may be your answer. This unit offers 30 amps for heavy work but can be dialed down to 15 amps for intricate cutting. It will cut any material that conducts electricity, from steel and aluminum to copper and brass. The new unit features instant arc starting without high frequency and will start the arc through rusty or painted surfaces. It draws 16 amps of 220v power. Weighing 25 lbs., it lists for $899. Contact HTP America Inc., Dept. FIN, 3200 Nordic Rd., Arlington Heights, IL 60005-4729, 800/872-9353, www.usaweld.com.
Safe electrical work
Work on an electrical outlet safely and easily with the new PlugGrip. The device plugs into any dual, 110 to 125v grounded outlet and provides a solid grip for installing or removing it. The PlugGrip grabs onto the outlet and holds it securely so that you can wire it and insert it into the box. The handle of the device keeps tools and fingers from touching potential live wires. You can easily maneuver a screwdriver around the PlugGrip. Once you turn the power back on, an indicator light notifies you that the outlet is correctly installed and power is present. The device is available at many hardware stores including Ace Hardware and Northern Tool stores. Price: $9.99. Contact PlugGrip Products, Dept. FIN, 133 W. Honolulu St., Suite C, Lindsay, CA 93247, 866/562-9363, www.pluggrip.com.
Repair concrete
Protect and strengthen concrete feed bunks or barn floors with a new epoxy sealer from Vanberg Specialized Coatings. V-Seal CR's low viscosity and high solids resin will penetrate deep into the concrete and strengthen it. It can be applied without an acid etch step, making application easier than with other epoxy sealers. The company says the sealer will fill cracks less than 2 ml thick and reconsolidate them with the concrete substrate. Multiple coats will create a glossy cover. V-Seal CR costs $103 for a 2-gal. kit that covers 400 sq. ft. Contact Vanberg Specialized Coatings, Dept. FIN, Box 19414, Lenexa, KS 66285, 800/874-0631, www.vanbergcoatings.com.
Compact rotary hammer
Two new SDS rotary hammers from Milwaukee Electric Tool are really three tools in one: a drill, a hammer with drill, and a chisel. With a 7.4-amp motor, the compact 1 ⅛ -in. SDS rotary hammers can drill holes into concrete, masonry, wood, metal or plastic and can be used for light chipping or chiseling. Model 5359-21 lists for $595 and is three-wire grounded. Model 5360-21 is double insulated and lists for $645. Contact Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., Dept. FIN, 13135 W. Lisbon Rd., Brookfield, WI 53005, 877/729-3878, www.mil-electric-tool.com.
Concrete drilling
A new, double-insulated, ½-in. Hammer-Drill easily drills small holes in concrete. The tool's 5.5-amp motor and dual-torque gearbox provide high-speed drilling with smaller bits and plenty of torque for larger bits in the low-speed range setting. The drill offers variable speed with reverse and a selector for hammer-with-rotation and rotation-only operating modes. Price: $335. Contact Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., Dept. FIN, 13135 W. Lisbon Rd., Brookfield, WI 53005, 877/729-3878, www.mil-electric-tool.com.


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Local New Furnace in the Spotsylvania Area
A Leader in HVAC For Over 25 Years
Whether you're a landlord seeking tenants, a manager building a productive workplace, or a homeowner trying to keep your family comfortable, reliable heating equipment is indispensable. Outdated or damaged heating systems not only undermine your comfort and quality of life, but waste energy, require frequent maintenance efforts, and put your building at risk. Access Heating and Air offers premium heating service throughout the Fredericksburg area. Whether you need to repair an existing heating system or install a new one, we have the expertise and equipment to keep you warm.
Access Heating and Air offers thorough unit inspections for both homeowners and businesses by our certified heating specialists. We help you increase your HVAC or furnace heating system's longevity, avoid costly repairs, improve temperature comfort levels, and reduce energy use. Installing a modern heating system is one of the best investments you can make in a new or renovated building. Choose from the latest heating technology while we provide quality boiler and furnace installation.
With our help, you can:
- Save Money- Our devices and services make maximal use of warm air, spreading it evenly around your building rather than working harder in certain areas. This saves you money on multiple fronts. Not only does it lower your electric bill in the short run, but because the system doesn't have to work as hard, you won't spend as much repairing it over the long run.
- Save Time- Fewer repairs also means you won't have to spend as much time inspecting your heating system. This is particularly valuable for businesses, as workers will be free to focus on productive activities.
- Save the Planet- The less energy you need to heat your building, the lower your contribution to a range of ecological problems. Installing a green heating system may make your home or business eligible for state, Federal, and private environmental incentives.
Why Choose Us For New Furnace in Spotsylvania?
As a family-owned enterprise, Access Heating and Air understands how devastating a broken heating system can be, especially during Fredericksburg's cold winters. Our team strives to get your heat back on as quickly as possible, and goes the extra mile to reinforce the system against similar failures in the future. Even if there is no obvious problem with your heat, we are happy to inspect the system for signs of damage or inefficiencies and shore them up before they become an issue.
For new gas or electric heating and air conditioning installations, Access Heating and Air has partnered with Bryant and Trane, delivering homeowners and businesses the leading name in HVAC service equipment and repair. Residential and commercial boiler maintenance is the number one way to avoid expensive outages and equipment repairs. We have factory trained & certified service technicians.
Avoid costly repairs, increase efficiency, improve temperature comfort levels, and save money on energy costs with affordable heating system maintenance. We also offer incredible deals on new heater installations. Our impeccable customer service and quality workmanship are guaranteed to provide you with perfect experience.
See Our Reviews!See Current Discounts


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THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
Join me tomorrow, along with Quest Domain Expert Brent Ozar and SQL Server MVP Ron Talmage, for a roundtable discussion on SQL Server virtualization. We'll discuss a variety of issues that seem to come up constantly in the discussion forums - How are your virtualized SQL Servers going to be used? Are they running production environments with strict SLAs and heavy workloads? Do SQL Server licensing costs make a big difference for your organization? What about SQL Server management costs? Will performance troubleshooting be an issue?
The webcast is tomorrow, Thursday July 30th, at 8:00 AM PST / 11:00 AM EST. Register for the webcast here.
I hope to see you there tomorrow!
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Hi Kev,
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July 5, 2006
Eight weeks of research and multiple trips to covered bridges has resulted in a fifteen-minute video covering many aspects of covered bridges in Indiana. It includes the history, their purpose, the materials used, the construction process, and their current status today.
The purpose of the video is to expose individuals to covered bridges and help gain attention to a very important piece to Indiana history and heritage. The bridges can be viewed as representative of westward expansion and life on the frontier. A trip to some of the more notable covered bridges can leave one in awe. A combination of the meandering streams, rustic farmland, and picturesque bridges create a very rewarding experience.
However, covered bridges are often neglected and many fade into history as the years progress. Arson, floods, and everyday wear and tear claim an average of five covered bridges per year. In light of the current situation, many have joined together to try and protect and preserve the bridges that are left.
The importance of the bridges to the people of Parke County can be seen through their determination to rebuild the Bridgeton Bridge, which was lost to arson last year. The beginning stages of construction have been fueled solely by donations and volunteers. A group of Wabash men had a chance to participate, and volunteered for a day to contribute to the rebuilding effort.
Meara's full video will be added to this site later this summer.
Meara '07 is a History major from Oklahoma.


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A 4-year-old Phelps County girl reported missing on Wednesday has been found safe in New Mexico, according to the Phelps County Sheriff's Office.
Phelps County Sheriff's officials reported Thursday afternoon that the girl, 4-year-old Cassandra Robertson, was found at a residence in Las Cruces, New Mexico at about 3:45 p.m.
Earlier on Thursday, the sheriff's office received information regarding Cassandra's whereabouts, and the las Cruces Police Department was called in to investigate.
When police arrived, they found Cassandra and her mother, Nikie Robertson, at the residence.
Robertson, 39, who according to earlier reports was suspected of taking Cassandra from a residence at the 11800 block of State Highway V near Rolla on Monday, was taken into custody on a Phelps County warrant for Parental Kidnapping.
Cassandra was placed in protective custody.
An endangered person advisory, which has since been canceled. was issued on Wednesday for the 4-year-old.
"Our focus is to find the child and make sure she gets what she needs," Phelps County Sheriff Rick Lisenbe said Thursday afternoon prior to locating Cassandra. "I think the most important thing for us is to find her and make sure she's all right."
According to Cassandra's father, the youngster has an eye infection that requires medication. It was also reported that Nikie Robertson has a history of suicidal tendencies and substance abuse.
Missing 4-year-old found in New Mexico
A 4-year-old Phelps County girl reported missing on Wednesday has been found safe in New Mexico, according to the Phelps County Sheriff's Office.