text:
Among all the beloved, memorable books of my childhood, I probably hold no other series in higher esteem than I do John D. Fitzgerald's The Great Brain books, narrated by John D., the younger brother of Tom D., AKA "the Great Brain."
Author John D. Fitgerald set his stories, loosely based on personal experiences from his youth, in Adenville, Utah in the late 1800s. For a 1970s kid like me - a child of the space age - these chapter-long anecdotes of life during simpler time where fascinating (and a bit of a revelation).
Fitzgerald starts the first book in the series with a hilarious anecdote about his family becoming the first in Adenville to own a "water closet." When the boys' father orders the technological marvel of a toilet you use inside the house from the Sears-Roebuck catalogue, the ever scheming Great Brain immediately sees financial opportunity. He devises a plan to charge every kid in town a penny per viewing. Little brother John D. is enlisted as "a barker" for "ten percent of the gross receipts."
Many of the stories revolved around amusing scenarios like this. But unlike other childhood fair, the Great Brain books often explored very sobering topics and themes. Not the least among them was a frequent reminder of the rough justice of childhood. This was a time when fist fights weren't discouraged by adults - and losers not only took a beating, they were forced to eat dirt to punctuate their guilt and humiliation.
Fitzgerald reinforced important concepts like the destructive nature of greed and envy,
... the inevitable consequences of lying to parents, teachers or anyone else in authority,
... or the tragic result of not showing compassion for one's fellow man.
As I was a kid of maybe nine or ten at the time of reading, John D.'s first-person narration had exactly the right tone of voice to reach me and introduce what would become some extremely valuable, thought-provoking life lessons. In a manner that never came across as preachy, Fitzgerald taught young readers the importance of kindness and community and to appreciate the simple pleasures of life. His stories stayed with me into adulthood. Years later, I made a point of reading the Great Brain series to my own sons knowing they would no doubt affect them in a similar manner.
The Great Brain books were illustrated by Mercer Mayer.
Over the course of the series, you can begin to see his style maturing nicely.
As a kid, I was conscious of the intricacy of Mayer's pen and ink technique. It's part of what attracted me to these books in the first place.
I enjoyed looking at his illustrations immensely (and still do).
They were so unlike anything else I had seen at that point in my life...
... so complex in their rendering and "old fashioned" looking.
I read a bit about Mercer Mayer's career in preparing this post (I had no idea he has over 300 books published!) and noted that some critics accuse him of borrowing too heavily from Maurice Sendak's oeuvre. I can see the similarity of style... but I don't know, I can appreciate both artists' work on it's own merits and would not consider them too close for comfort.
For me, Mayer's interpretation of John D. Fitzgerald's stories will always be the one I imagine when I think of the Great Brain and the world he lived in.
* If you're interested in seeing more of Mercer Mayer's Great Brain illustrations, I found scans of the entire series at this blog.
Celebrating illustration, design, cartoon and comic art of the mid-20th century.
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Art of Summer Reading: Mercer Mayer
5 comments:
This book series is one of my favorites! Thank you for posting the lovely illustrations. As a kid I loved Mercer Mayer's "How the Trollusk Got His Hat" and read it so much the pages fell out. Good times.ReplyDelete
I think Maurice Sendark must have been a big fan - those pen drawings remind me of his Little Bear illustrations (which I have to say I love)ReplyDelete
"The Great Brain looks like a hobbit.ReplyDelete
Excellent post, thanks for sharing. Just wanted to add that if anyone is looking for great window tinting in Round Rock TX, make sure you visit the Alpha Tinting website. Great service provider!ReplyDelete
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text:
March 10, 2015
Do We Need Wolves?
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In the West Bank, the Kids Aren't All Right
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By Joseph Sorrentino
Banking Goes Postal
Sixty-four unions and community groups are demanding a banking public option—at the post office. MORE
By David Moberg
Steven Greenhouse on Keeping the Labor Beat Alive
The longtime New York Times labor reporter on the state of the American labor movement and labor journalism. MORE
By Micah Uetricht
The Wrong Way to Revitalize a City
ALEC's scheme to take the community out of community development. MORE
By Rachel M. Cohen
Act Locally
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Is the tactic the best way to pressure Israel? MORE
By Joel Bleifuss
Why One Community Voted to Tax Itself
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By Anne-Marie Cusac
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By Theo Anderson
Meet the Radical Brownies
A Oakland girls' troop is inspired by the Girl Scouts … and the Brown Berets. MORE
By Aviana Willis
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In a welcome departure from most depictions of Asian families, Fresh Off the Boat pokes fun at the ignorance and blandness of white American culture. MORE
By Julia Wong
Ai-jen Poo's 'The Age of Dignity' Is a Wake-up Call for an Aging—and Unprepared—Nation
When it comes to providing care for an aging baby boomer population, Poo says, we need to think bigger. MORE
By Joanna Scutts
Despite a Rosy Lens, Timbuktu Has Something to Teach Us About Resistance to Oppression
Abderrahmane Sissako's Oscar-nominated film may be improbably beautiful and relatively apolitical, but it's worth seeing. MORE
By Michael Atkinson
Exit Signs
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Kent Russell seeks to lay claim to the raw, serious stuff of the American male past. MORE
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Syriza makes U.S. media elites uncomfortable. MORE
By Joel Bleifuss

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I've written about garnering media attention for your business before, but I keep getting requests to delve a little deeper into the topic. So here you go, this will teach you exactly how to get your online store or a product you're selling featured in the press.
So how do you get the media's attention?
DO check out your target publication's focus: If it's a local newspaper, magazine, or website that only covers local companies, focus on that angle. If it's a national or international publication, look for something that will have broad interest but also has a unique perspective that brings something new to the table. Make it clear why readers in different parts of the country or world would be interested in your story.
DO get to know the players: I have to admit, I used to delete emails really quickly when they were addressed "Dear Business Reporter" or "Dear Sir/Madam." Just as you're probably not going to pay as much attention to the flyers sent to your house that are addressed to "Occupant," it makes a huge difference to personalize your pitch. It also helps to do a quick web search on what sorts of topics the journalist covers.
DO have several suggested angles: If your first approach doesn't work, it doesn't hurt to try a different story angle. The key is to get your awesome story out, even if it's not the first thing you thought would be interesting.
The PitchesThere are two main types of pitches: The short pitch and the long pitch. Every reporter prefers one or the other. It takes some practice and even a little intuition to figure out which works for certain reporters and publications, but you'll get the hang of it. Generally, send bloggers, and super busy reporters the short pitch. Send larger publications and magazines the long pitch.
The Short Pitch
The Long Pitch
Dear PR: You don't need to send me three reminders in a single day about your event— Dear PR (@DearPR) October 24, 2011
RT @cbm: @DearPR when you say, "sorry to follow up so soon" are you really?— Dear PR (@DearPR) August 16, 2011
Dear PR: Please do not send unsolicited high-res images. A lot of IT depts limit inbox size, and this can cause our email to wonk out— Dear PR (@DearPR) July 11, 2011
Dear PR: Unless you are BFFs with an editor-in-chief, don't send them your press release.— Dear PR (@DearPR) June 28, 2011
Dear P.R.: I can tell that you cut-and-pasted that "personal" email when my name is one font, and the rest is another— Dear PR (@DearPR) June 23, 2011
Dear PR: If you've never seen a product on the cover of our magazine, don't ask us to put your product on the cover of our magazine— Dear PR (@DearPR) June 28, 2011
Dear PR: Your press release is not "High Priority". Please do not flag it as such.— Dear PR (@DearPR) June 29, 2011
Dear PR: Blocking your caller ID doesn't make us want to pick up any more— Dear PR (@DearPR) September8, 2011
RT @cbm: . @DearPR When you send me a note that says "THIRD ATTEMPT" that's not a good look.— Dear PR (@DearPR) September 19, 2011
Also... Don't Do These
DON'T exaggerate: Even if you genuinely believe your new gadget or app will be the greatest innovation since sliced bread, don't overuse words like "breakthrough" or "revolutionary" in your pitch. Instead, get specific with reasons why people will be interested in your product (e.g. it'll make doing something easier/faster/cheaper).
At the same time, don't get bogged down with too many minute, jargon-y details – even if you're pitching a highly technical publication (and this is where it helps to understand your target's editorial focus), it's not that likely that the nitty-gritty will be what grabs their attention first.
DON'T give up: While you don't want to get to the point of being annoying or pushy, reporters have been known to take a second look at a story if you're politely and pleasantly persistent. This goes back to the points about preparing several angles for a publication, as well as getting to know the players, since you're establishing contact with your emails, calls, or Twitter messages. However, it helps to make sure you're offering something new and timely each time you contact a reporter; if you're pitching the same old story again and again and the media outlet has already told you it's not interested, you'll likely be wasting your time.
- DON'T disappear: So you've got someone's attention and they've agreed to cover your story. Great! Now is NOT the time to turn off your smartphone or consider your pitching job done. It's particularly irritating for a journalist who's received a pitch to suddenly find themselves up the creek at deadline because their contact at the company is nowhere to be found. Even if last-minute issues come up, it definitely helps to keep the reporter informed – it establishes a good relationship and you might still be able to arrange another interview at a more convenient time.
To ConcludeOkay, so after reading all that and having a laugh at some of those funny Tweets, I want to leave you with the PR industries response to Dear PR. It's called Dear Journalist and it's a hilarious collection of complaints against the community of journalists - as told from the PR industry. Always remember... there's two sides to every story. Good luck making headlines. :-)
Oh yes that's right, I am psychic and know you are on deadline and just calling to piss you off. My bad.— DearJournalist (@DearJournalist) October 18, 2011
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21 comments
December 21 2011, 11:17AM
Wow, so useful article! It's so refreshing to read something really good and helpful.
December 21 2011, 08:40PM
Love it. It also helps to pitch an idea that's not solely a self serving press release. Instead, try to focus on something new and exciting—an emerging trend that hasn't been covered before or some new wrinkle.
Speaking of wrinkles, when you pitch your idea, try to give it a different spin whenever possible. That will give you your best shot of standing out from the crowd.
December 22 2011, 08:39AM
Thanks for this helpful how-to. It will really help me explain to my clients why they need a PR firm or person now that I have a better understanding of the potential pitfalls of certain mistakes. Keeps them focused on what they do best!!
December 30 2011, 10:59AM
Fantastic article! Thanks for the practical advice and examples to make an intimidating process a little easier to navigate.
December 30 2011, 02:31PM
Possibly one of the best articles on getting media attention I have read to date.
Excellent easy to read instructions. I especially found the pitch example useful.
How did you 'embed' the Dear PR tweets into your article like that? I haven't seen that before.
January 27 2012, 02:13PM
March 19 2012, 12:05AM
A better magazine theme will make the blog looks nicer:)
September 05 2012, 10:01PM
Thanks for the great tips. I was happy to read that I have done most of what you have suggested (on the to-do list). It's paid off because I have received national and international media coverage on my store. Short pleasant emails go a long way.
February 24 2014, 11:07AM
Thanks for the tips. Since we are on a limited budget, we are always looking for ways to get PR for our company.
September 17 2015, 05:12PM
As an aspiring PR professional, this was very useful. Thanks a bunch!
January 02 2016, 04:37AM
Thank you so much for the sharing of various intrepreneurers vision and how the took off from ground zero from your support. Skinny Coconut interview was amazing. Very encouraging too.
Happy New Year and wishing you all the best of 2016.
February 11 2016, 06:40PM
Great tips, thank you for sharing!
March 23 2016, 02:33PM
I just love it when I find these articles right at the time I'm needing the information.
Thanks for posting these invaluable tips.
April 22 2016, 05:50AM
Your blog posts are always so well researched and helpful. You really put a lot of thought into your articles.
September 10 2016, 06:22AM
Many thanks for this information. It's just what I've been looking for.
February 19 2017, 09:36AM
I was just about to send my first email to a blogger and I stumbled across this article.
Some very very good advice!!!
I am going to use all of it!.
April 19 2018, 03:07PM
This is a Perfect step by step guide for helping small businesses get good PR thank you for the guide
April 26 2018, 09:47AM
Ty for the information.
Reading this help me a lot!
October 07 2018, 03:13PM
Great and very useful blog! Thank you.
October 09 2018, 02:09AM
Thank you.
By the way recently Hakernoon mentioned my quote here https://hackernoon.com/13-pr-ideas-for-generating-media-opportunities-for-an-ico-3ac50a80ea9e
How I did it? My advice – use helpareporter.com
November 29 2018, 06:24PM
Great article, thanks for the info.


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Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Biggest Frauds In Canadian History
Last night, in Winnipeg North, the Conservative candidate was a no show for the candidates debate. Important to note, this complete affront to the notion of democratic accountability isn't unique, the Conservatives have pulled this stunt, time and again, across the country. Taken further, incorporate Fantino, his "protective custody" style of campaign, and you are left with what just might be the biggest fraud of party since confederation.
Where are you Reform hypocrites, blogging bories, all you white horse mount pure types, as you watch the transparent, accountable party operate like a totalitarian regime? Not only are Harper's Conservatives not accountable, transparent, populist, they make the former Liberal regimes look downright progressive by comparison. It's absolutely stunning, that the Tim Horton's party can operate in such an elitist, detached, snub your nose, bite me electorate, fashion. And yet, they can....
18 comments:
- Jerry Prager said...
Populism is nearly always a fraud perpetrated by geo-political bagmen.
And the supporters of right wing populism, are so blind to the corrupting influence of money, that they think they are genuine libertarian free thinkers. Stuff and nonsense.
- 8:23 AM, November 17, 2010
- Glenn said...
The Tories sure have their skeletons, and their issues, but totalitarian? The worst ever? Come on.
I hear you about the Tory no-show in Winnipeg North. But you know what though, Steve? Much the same argument can be made for a certain Liberal party leader (the leader of the Official Opposition by they way) that has the highest record of absenteeism of any MP in Paliament today, as well as stating publically that he doesn't bother voting on private members' bills.
By the way, I seem to recall (correct me if I am wrong) about a blog post you wrote about the risks of Ignatieff's speaking engagement tour. Is what Ignatieff doing able to justify the terrible optics of promoting himself and the party as his reason for being absent so much? Because you know the Tories are going to use that as a cudgel to beat Ignatieff with during the next election campaign.
- 8:31 AM, November 17, 2010
- Steve V said...
Are you for real??
That you try to make the comparison, wherein said opposition leader is ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM AVERAGE VOTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY is hilarious. You provide the antithesis and you actually try to use that to undercut my argument? Ummm, you just reinforced my point, with that contrast.... Wow.
- 8:37 AM, November 17, 2010
- Glenn said...
Wow? I reinforced your point with what I was saying about Ignatieff? Of course I was; that was the reason for me saying it in the first place; namely that the Tories don't exactly have a monopoloy on all that. We all know that, and you do too. So trying to say something like "the worst ever" is a little trite, and won't resonate.
As for "answering questions" while on the Liberal Express Tour, the Thinker's Conference, and now to the Open Mike Tour, that is all well and good. However, rightly or wrongly, eventually people are going to wonder why he isn't in Parliament doing his job as leader of his party and leader of the Offical Opposition, and why while other people in the Liberal party are there day in and day out, grinding it out, holding the fort in Parliament while, rightly or wrongly again, Ignatieff is out promoting himself, because God knows, he isn't exactly doing a bang up job. You yourself know about the risks involved in doing that, you even blogged about it. Well, these are the chickens coming home to roost. And if he still out doing his Open Mike while the other people are taking an ass kicking over the Afghanistan extension, watch out.
I'm not trying to undercut your argument, because I agree with what you are saying. But that sword isn't a fencing sword - it has another edge to it.
- 9:10 AM, November 17, 2010
- Marc Bernard said...
Sadly, they do it because they can.
The general population isn't listening to people like you and me - they might read the newspaper or watch TV news, and they're not seeing any real opposition.
They need to see Ignatieff asking these tough questions. They need to see Bob Rae smashing a cabinet minister's tail lights with a crowbar. Make some noise. Get noticed. Pin the slippery buggers down.
- 9:12 AM, November 17, 2010
- Steve V said...
"Wow? I reinforced your point with what I was saying about Ignatieff? Of course I was; that was the reason for me saying it in the first place; namely that the Tories don't exactly have a monopoloy on all that. We all know that, and you do too. So trying to say something like "the worst ever" is a little trite, and won't resonate."
I am making the point that these guys are the worst on accountability and transparency and YOU use Ignatieff being accountable and transparent to say they are all the same. WOWSERS. If you can't see the massive error in logic, my goodness... I feel like smacking my head against a brick wall to be honest. All you've done is show how the Libs aren't the same here, do you get that?? On second thought, please don't answer :)
I criticized, or more correctly worried, that Ignatieff out of Ottawa might hurt us (turns out I've been wrong, it's made no difference, partly because Harper hasn't been there either). To extrapolate that argument here...hello!
- 9:18 AM, November 17, 2010
- Steve V said...
"Sadly, they do it because they can."
We need somebody to connect the dots, in a succinct manner and passionately make the case. If you can get through to the electorate, they will reject this dodge and weave, but nobody can seem to find the magic resonation formula.
- 9:20 AM, November 17, 2010
- Gayle said...
"Where are you Reform hypocrites, blogging bories, all you white horse mount pure types, as you watch the transparent, accountable party operate like a totalitarian regime?"
They are blaming the "liberal biased MSM". You see, once you brainwash people into believing everyone is against you, you can do anything you want.
- 9:29 AM, November 17, 2010
- Steve V said...
That's true, they rationalize it all by saying the MSM is out to get them, so they have to hide. What an amazing denial filled, paranoid existence, the zealots lead.
- 9:33 AM, November 17, 2010
- Glenn said...
By hanging together, they may ensure they do not hang separately. Deprived of the oxygen of publicity that Liberal opposition would bring, it will be left to the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois to keep up the attack that the extension without a parliamentary vote represents an abuse of democracy.
This will hurt the Liberals more than the Conservatives, given that Mr. Harper's lack of respect for Parliament is one of their central complaints.
This is exactly what I mean. Now that the Liberals are in the proverbial bed with the Tories over the Afghanistan extension, it is rather inconvenient to call this government "totalitarian" and "the biggest frauds".
And, by the way, the Liberals have been trying for a while now to dispel the myth of them being a part of an Opposition Coalition. How is cozying up to the very people making that accusation, especially after calling them "the biggest frauds", and "totalitarian" helping that case?
- 9:36 AM, November 17, 2010
- Steve V said...
Why are you NOW using Afghanistan to now say "this is exactly what I mean"? Scrambling now, well okay...
- 9:47 AM, November 17, 2010
- Glenn said...
Scrambling, Steve?
- 9:54 AM, November 17, 2010
- Steve V said...
You're a joke.
- 9:57 AM, November 17, 2010
- Dman said...
Glenn, you characterise yourself as a time wasting, wheel spinning, five star light weight. You apparently don't know or worse ... YOU don't even care about contributing something called VALUE. You clearly delight in making a MINUS value contribution to this most RELEVANT + IMPORTANT discussion !!!
- 10:26 AM, November 17, 2010
- marie said...
Steve, it goes to show you how brain drained, brain washed and an example of the Puppet supporters of Harper who are probably being fed the talking points that they are most likely paid to spin across the blog world. no other explanation makes any sense of why they would make themselves appear the way they seem to portray themselves.
One has to feel somewhat sorry for these mindless people who can accept lies so easily. Its their children one has to feel for, if they are even old enough to have them that will eventually need to pay for their actions.
One has to think that they stay up all night waiting for their cult idol to send them their talking points so they can print their senseless dumbed down opinions.
any one who will vote for a candidate that doesn't even appear to the public to avoid answering questions should be a red flag warning them that this person is not going to be available to their constituents when and if they need them or trust them.
- 11:37 AM, November 17, 2010
- Calgary Junkie said...
"Lamoureux directed his question on how to better accommodate immigrants into Canadian society to Javier — which drew loud laughter and applause from the partisan crowd."
I suspect that "partisan crowd" had something to do with Javier's no-show.
But regardless, it doesn't matter what reason she had. The CPC has handed you guys a gift narrative--Tory candidate afraid to face the voters. Or however you want to frame it.
So run with it as best you can, and good luck. On the plus side, she avoids giving you guys any damaging quotes. It all gets sorted out by the electorate. It's no big deal, one way or the other, if she shows up.
As with everything in politics, whatever you do is a double-edged sword, and your opponents will use it against you as best they can.
- 2:17 PM, November 17, 2010
- LK said...
I agree with you Marie. Facts are concealed, worse, kill the census. And, there are 30% of us who vote for the snake-oil salesman. They're everywhere. They tell racsist jokes, oppress women and childen, destroy any progress we were making...Paul Martin? Visionary. M. Dion? Visionary. IMO. Now? It seems -- each man for himself. What Jerry Prager and Marc Bernard said is right on.
- 3:14 PM, November 17, 2010
- Gayle said...
All crowds are partisan at these things.if she had shown she could have brought her own partisans. Just like the other candidates did.
- 6:42 PM, November 17, 2010


text:
Electronic Payment Options for Employers
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) accepts electronic funds transfer (EFT) for payment of Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes. Please read the information below regarding the various EFT payment options. If you still have further questions please call UI at 608-266-5793 or email UI General Accounting staff.
The EFT payment options available are the automated clearing house (ACH) debit and credit.
Click on an underlined topic below for specific information about EFT payments.
- EFT ACH Debit Payments
- Blocking EFT payments from coming out of your bank account
- Frequently Asked Questions About EFT ACH Debit Payments
- EFT ACH Credit Payments
- EFT ACH Credit Instructions for Financial Institutions
Credit Card Payments
UI does not accept credit card payments at this time.
Wire Transfers
UI does not accept wire transfer payments at this time.
If you have further questions please call UI at 608-266-5793.
Payment Plan for Delinquent UI Tax
If you are interested in setting up a payment plan for the delinquent tax on your UI account, you can either call and speak to one of our collectors at 608-266-9700 or email UI Collections staff.
Electronic Payments Required for Some Employers
2007 Wisconsin Act 59 requires employers with a tax liability of at least $10,000 in the previous fiscal year to make all UI tax payments using electronic funds transfer (EFT) beginning the following January. This law change takes effect with tax payments made on or after January 1, 2009. Once employers initially become subject to this requirement, they must continue paying by EFT.
For employers with a tax liability of at least $10,000 in the previous fiscal year:
- If you currently use EFT to pay your unemployment taxes, you must continue to pay electronically.
- If you do not currently use EFT, all tax payments made on or after January 1, 2009, must be submitted by EFT.
- If an employer service provider submits your payments, please inform the provider of these new payment requirements.
The new law provides penalties for non-compliance with the EFT payment requirements. Employers who do not pay electronically when required to do so will be assessed a penalty equal to $50 or 1/2 of 1% of the amount due, whichever is greater.


text:
If you've found yourself cursing your cellphone (and your carrier) for another dropped call, this next bit of news won't surprise you. According to the just-unveiled 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Wireless Call Quality Performance study, Charlotte has more problems per 100 calls than any of the top 27 U.S. cellphone markets. Charlotte has 19 problems per 100 calls, while at the other end of the spectrum, Tampa, Fla., logged just 5 problems per 100 calls:
What gives? I've got a call in now to a J.D. Power researcher, and hope to round up some details on why we apparently get such crappy reception here in the Queen City. Not surprisingly, some of the wireless companies are already jumping in with their spin. Verizon was happy to point out that it ranks highest in the Southeast in call quality. AT&T earlier today shot me an e-mail touting its nearly $200 million in investments in its N.C. network.
What do you think? Does call reception seem worse here than in other cities?
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Charlotte cellphone reception lags other cities
If you've found yourself cursing your cellphone (and your carrier) for another dropped call, this next bit of news won't surprise you. According to the just-unveiled 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Wireless Call Quality Performance study, Charlotte has more problems per 100 calls than any of the top 27 U.S. cellphone markets. Charlotte has 19 problems per 100 calls, while at the other end of the spectrum, Tampa, Fla., logged just 5 problems per 100 calls:
31 comments:
- Jason said...
Simple one word answer....TREES!!!!
- September 9, 2010 at 2:54 PM
- wiley said...
I have Verizon and never have that problem...
Many AT&T people do, as they wind up dropping me.
...and no I don't work for Verizon nor does anyone I know.
- September 9, 2010 at 3:17 PM
- Anonymous said...
Ditto Verizon - they irk me with their customer service at times, but they've got the best coverage around.
- September 9, 2010 at 3:25 PM
- Anonymous said...
Have had AT&T since February and zero dropped calls. My wife had Sprint and ALWAYS lost calls around the airport on 485. She's now on AT&T and no problems so far.
- September 9, 2010 at 3:27 PM
- Anonymous said...
I have GREAT reception with Verizon. Except my house :(
- September 9, 2010 at 3:30 PM
- Anonymous said...
The reason Verizon has good coverage here is from the Alltel aquisition. They had NC covered. Still have Alltel, and no dead zones/dropped calls, and great customer service. ATT coverage is terrible.
- September 9, 2010 at 3:37 PM
- Timothy Whitson said...
Verizon definitely picked up a bargain in Alltel. I once made a phone call from the bottom of Linville Gorge on an Alltel phone.
- September 9, 2010 at 3:43 PM
- wiley said...
Anonymous said...
The reason Verizon has good coverage here is from the Alltel aquisition. They had NC covered. Still have Alltel, and no dead zones/dropped calls, and great customer service. ATT coverage is terrible.
I had Alltel once a few years back. Worst service in the world.
It took 5 months to finally nail down the actual technician over cell towers who knew where the dead spots were.
Unfortunately, my neighborhood was thr worst dead cell they had.
I couldn't get away from Alltel fast enough.
- September 9, 2010 at 4:27 PM
- Anonymous said...
For some reason, I've had more dropped calls and "No Service" notifications on the display screen in the past month or so than I've had in years.
It's beginning to get irritating enough that I'm starting to think of switching carriers.
- September 9, 2010 at 4:32 PM
- Anonymous said...
I've had Verizon since 2000 (10 years) and 99% of the time love it..Customer service has been great..price is high but not willing to change services due to all the complaints I hear from friends. I know that Sprint drops calls and AT &T as well. I can go to the mountains, up north of Wisconsin and never lose a call. Thanks Verizon for the wonderful years of service..and no don't work for Verizon..
- September 9, 2010 at 4:34 PM
- Anonymous said...
I have Verizon and I have no problems with there service. However, I did have Sprint and that was the worst.
- September 9, 2010 at 4:35 PM
- NoAlibis said...
I have the GREAT IPHONE with AT&T, I have dropped calls all the time. Can't wait till Verizon gets the iphone. Already dropped AT&T from home & office. Bye Bye AT&T
- September 9, 2010 at 4:38 PM
- Anonymous said...
I switched from Verizon to T-Mobile about 8 months ago. I actually drop fewer calls on T-Mobile than I did on Verizon (though I didn't drop more than 10 or 15 per year with Verizon either) and pay a lot less.
- September 9, 2010 at 4:38 PM
- Anonymous said...
I live near Quail Corners shopping center and everyone I know in this area calls the general area the "cell phone dead zone". I have an AT&T iPhone (personal) and a Verizon Blackberry (work) and both are HORRIBLE in and around a rather broad area near Quail Corners.
- September 9, 2010 at 4:47 PM
- Anonymous said...
I have ATT work iPhone and Tmobile personal cell and coverages for both are terrible at home... (Providence Rd near Colville...walk a few feet in the house and the call drops...get 1 bar or less ALL THE TIME at home..
- September 9, 2010 at 5:16 PM
- Eric Frazier said...
A note/correction: Verizon was tied for first place in the Southeast region with Sprint and T-mobile. Also, i'd love to hear more about the Quail Corners "dead zone" or others you guys might know about, for inclusion in my story in tomorrow's paper. Feel free to buzz me at 704-358-5145.
- September 9, 2010 at 5:21 PM
- John Taylor said...
Eric --
A little bit of background for your readers may be helpful.
The latest J.D. Powers study says that Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon are tied for first in the Southeast when it comes to call quality. Despite the claims from Verizon's PR rep.,Verizon isn't deemed to be any better than T-Mobile or Sprint in the Southeast. The study looks at the 1st half of 2010.
At Sprint, our internal metrics look at both dropped and blocked call rates by market. Our internal measurements continue to have both our Sprint and Nextel wireless networks performing at best-ever levels.
When we look at specific markets, Charlotte is as good as any market for Sprint in either North or South Carolina. Our statistics don't match up with what J.D. Powers is reporting about the entire wireless industry's performance in Charlotte. I'll be interested to hear how J.D. Powers responds to your questions. Perhaps other carriers have an explanation about their experience in Mecklenberg Co. or the rest of the Charlotte metro area which will shed some light here.
Other external studies continue to point to the strength of Sprint in Charlotte. Earlier this summer, PC Magazine ranked Sprint 4G as the fastest network in Charlotte.
We continue to invest millions of dollars in all our wireless networks in Charlotte and the surrounding area and will continue to do so -- witness our investment in bringing Sprint 4G to Charlotte.
John Taylor
Media Relations
Sprint Nextel Corp.
Twitter @jbtaylor
- September 9, 2010 at 5:25 PM
- Jessica said...
I'm with Verizon and have no complaints about coverage (just their customer service). My friends with AT&T have a lot of complaints; a big reason I have yet to purchase an iPhone.
- September 9, 2010 at 6:09 PM
- Anonymous said...
verizons is the bomb
- September 9, 2010 at 6:15 PM
- Anonymous said...
we have had Sprint for over a decade. No dropped calls and outstanding internet service. The new phones are AWESOME. I have two Blackberrys (one work and one personal) and both kids have BBs. Not a single issue.
And no...none of us work for Sprint.
- September 9, 2010 at 7:23 PM
- Anonymous said...
I had Verizon for years and was very happy with the coverage. I had to make a switch based on my employment to AT&T wireless. One word on their coverage, "awful". I continually dropped calls around the Charlotte area and in areas I travel around North Carolina and South Carolina. I worked with my employer to let me make the switch back to Verizon. I couldn't be happier although my Verizon phone is still lacking in my home but at least I can make calls and hear and could not say the same about AT&T coverage in my home.
- September 9, 2010 at 8:46 PM
- Anonymous said...
Thanks for this article. Verizon has terrible coverage in my area. I live in SW Charlotte and have been complaining for the past 6 months. I was finally told by a Tier 2 tech support person at Verizon that my area has marginal coverage and that I could get out of my contract because of it. The coverage is spotty in this entire area and inside my house - forget about it!!!
- September 9, 2010 at 8:57 PM
- Anonymous said...
As a cell phone enthusiast, I find that the battle of the cell carriers are quite interesting. Verizon has the largest network, but not as fast as T-mobile, or Sprint. Sprint's so called 4g network (WiMax) is actually not even 4g, T-mobiles new HSPA+ network is 2 times the speed and better range then the WiMax that Sprint offers. However, each of them require a HSPA+ or 4g capable phone to utilize them.
I would gladly get the upcoming HSPA+ phones that T-mobile will be offering in the next couple months that will bring a new quality and speed to the area.
AT&T however, which also promises HSPA+ has not yet announced any plans to upgrade their towers.
- September 9, 2010 at 9:05 PM
- Anonymous said...
re: "Earlier this summer, PC Magazine ranked Sprint 4G as the fastest network in Charlotte."
.. Which dodges the dropped call issue completely. I have had Sprint service for over six years.
The ONLY reason I stay with them is due to the fact my Family is on Sprint as well, and I have to stay to get the free cell to cell minutes. The dropped call issue is massive. Several areas on Hwy 51 have zero coverage, and if you are in a building, you can almost totally forget about making a call.
Also, the much touted $69 *everything* plan is a misnomer. If you have a smart phone, You must also buy a $10 / month data plan. Also all included calls are mobile to mobile only.. If You call a land line, you use minutes.
Don't fall for Sprint's doubletalk.
- September 9, 2010 at 9:22 PM
- joe said...
There is also a dead zone on Sharon Road between the north end of the South Park Mall and Runnymeade on Sprint/Nextel network. Had the same problem on AT&T in the same area before I switched.
- September 9, 2010 at 9:39 PM
- Anonymous said...
i was on AT&T it sucks man
now i moved to sprint which is far better never go for at&t in charlotte my buddies have iphone
i am only the guy with evo 4g in our group with 4g you won't feel that you are browsing through the cellphone
- September 9, 2010 at 10:08 PM
- Anonymous said...
I've been told that AT&T is all digital, therefore they get service in spots. Verizon is analog & digital, so they get better service. I have Verizon and have never had a coverage issue. Have been out in Northern California, Upstate NY, NC mtns, basements of houses, floating down the New River...and still get service. My husband, who has AT&T, gets the worst service EVER. Even when he is right under an AT&T tower, he gets nothing. AT&T should not tout "more bars in more places", when you don't get squat. Even their employees know this.
- September 9, 2010 at 11:50 PM
- Ron Ruiter said...
Right now I'm with AT&T but will return to Verizon once this contract is up. They are really bad. I never had a problem with Verizon, no matter where I was in NC or SC.
- September 10, 2010 at 9:05 AM
- Diabetic Snacker Reviews said...
I don't own a cellphone yet, I was hoping to find a pr rep to work with me on my blog. I wanted to review a cellphone by using it & blogging about it several times. barb g.
- September 10, 2010 at 1:21 PM
- phone cell cases said...
For a new user to know, which one that have to choose ?
- October 18, 2010 at 8:40 PM
- susane said...
Indeed, this realization is a true wonder, thank you for this article anyway.
voyance gratuite par mail
- July 20, 2016 at 10:31 AM


text:
They told Mark Rogers it wouldn't work — that cotton grown behind calves wouldn't perform well because the animals would pack the ground so much that the cotton would suffer.
But, Rogers tried it anyhow and has proved the naysayers wrong. Not only is he growing strip-till cotton on fields where calves have wintered on ryegrass, yields on those fields are consistently better than for his conventional cotton.
Cotton and calves are not the route Rogers, who also grows peanuts with his father, Mitchell, near Collins in south central Mississippi, had in mind when he went to Mississippi State University to study poultry science, with the idea of going into the chicken business.
"There's a lot of poultry in this part of the state," he says, "and a lot of people have done well in that business. But, when I got my poultry science degree in 1996, I re-examined the situation.
"The investment cost is heavy — it can easily run a million dollars — and you're stuck with those chicken houses for the long term in order to recoup that investment. I just wasn't sure I wanted to be tied down to that kind of commitment, either financially or in terms of years.
"So, I came back here and farmed with my father, also growing some cotton on my own, until I figured out what I wanted to do.
" I had grown up in farming. My father has farmed here since the 1960s, and my grandfather and great-grandfather before him.
"My father grew cotton and raised cattle for many years, but when the gin closed in 1976 and everybody around here got out of cotton, he sold his equipment and got out, too, and put a lot of the land in pastures and timber. In 1982, when cattle prices dropped, he got out of cattle, too."
In 1989, a gin opened in Rankin County, about 75 miles away, and he started gradually getting back into cotton. In 1993, he bought a module builder and two 2-row pickers, and since then has steadily increased cotton acres. "We bought a 4-row picker in 1997 and would like to get a 6-row machine, but our terraces and everything are set up for 4-row.
"We're the only cotton farmers in this county and our operation is spread out over a 16-mile radius. Our largest field is 76 acres, but most average 20 acres to 30 acres. The nearest gin now is exactly 103 miles from our shop, Gaddis & McLaurin Gin at Bolton, Miss."
It was the challenge of coming up with something to keep farm labor busy during the winter that led Mark to his present operation.
"I fenced in some of the land, planted it in ryegrass, bought some calves, let them graze through the winter, and sold them in the spring. That turned out pretty well.
Ryegrass stubble
"Then, I thought, why not follow the calves with cotton? My belief was that the organic matter from the ryegrass stubble and from the cow manure should be beneficial for the cotton. But, when I mentioned that theory to some old-time cotton growers, they told me it wouldn't work, that the ground would be too packed behind the calves, and that the cotton just wouldn't do well."
Some neighbors who were growing cotton were using a strip-till plow that was giving them good results, which provided him an idea for further refining his calves/cotton idea.
"Basically, they were burning down vegetation with Roundup, making one pass through the field with the strip-till plow and to mark rows, then planting. The plow cuts a 14-inch-deep subsoil slot, which gives the seed soft ground for easy germination and lets the plant's taproot quickly go straight down."
The first year he tried it, Mark says, "almost made me believe what I'd been told about it not working." He had bought one of the strip-till plows, but came planting time and things went somewhat awry.
"I got the calves off late and by the time I was ready to work up the field to plant cotton, we hadn't had rain in six weeks, and the ground was packed hard as a brick —the plow wouldn't penetrate it. The tractor wheels would just spin.
"Thankfully, we got a 1-inch rain to soften the ground and then the plow worked like a charm. That taught me my first lesson: If I was going to strip-till, I needed rain first.
"The 100 acres of cotton I planted strip-till into the ryegrass stubble behind the calves outperformed everything else by several hundred pounds. The following year, I did it on other land where I'd had calves, and I've gradually increased it every year since.
"I've never had a year in which cotton behind calves didn't outperform conventional cotton, even in side-by-side fields."
"Basically, what I do after selling the calves is to burn down the ryegrass, run the strip-till plow, and then plant cotton right into the stubble — cow patties and all. I figure the manure is equivalent to 3 tons to 4 tons of chicken litter. I've found the cotton fruits quicker, grows off better, and out-yields my conventional cotton. In most cases, it will begin fruiting on the fourth node, compared to the fifth node for conventional."
Mark says this year's crop "is probably the best-looking I've ever had. We got planted on time, have had some good rains, and it has grown off well. I'm just hoping we'll have a good fall so we'll have a chance to make up some of what we lost last year."
Like most Mid-South farmers, 2009 is a year he'd as soon forget as far as cotton is concerned.
"Going into late summer, I had a fantastic crop. I started defoliating late August-early September, and then the rains set in. There was so much regrowth, I ended up defoliating three times. The rain also caused a lot of boll rot. I probably had a 900-pound or better yield going into harvest, but ended up getting only 500 pounds. It was disheartening, to say the least.
Calves gained well
"The bright spot, though, was that it was one of the best years I've had for the calves. They gained well — averaging 2.1 pounds a day through the winter — and prices were good, so that proved a lifesaver financially."
Long term, Mark says, his average for cotton behind cattle is 950 pounds per acre and for conventional, about 760 pounds to 780 pounds.
This year, he planted Stoneville 5288B2F, a Roundup Ready Flex/Bollgard II variety, on land behind cattle. "It's a medium maturity, tough, versatile variety that sets a high level of fruiting nodes and has outstanding yield potential," he says. For conventional fields, he planted Stoneville 5458B2RF, a new Roundup Ready Flex/Bollgard II variety that also offers rootknot nematode tolerance.
The cotton was planted May 6 and by early July was blooming well and setting bolls.
"Since we're the only cotton farmers around, we don't have many pest problems — unless you count deer, which mowed down 40 acres of cotton last year," Mark says. "The Bollgard technology takes care of any worms, and we may spray a couple of times during the season for plant bugs."
He applies potash and phosphate in the fall when planting ryegrass, and 120 units of nitrogen during the winter. "In most years, we'll apply 1,000 pounds of lime in the spring behind the cattle, based on soil tests. Then, we'll put down 55 units of nitrogen ahead of the planter. I figure the manure from the calves is equivalent to about 40 units of nitrogen."
They've been operating with one four-row John Deere 9965 picker, but recently bought a used John Deere 9960 four-row machine to increase harvesting capability. "We hope to be done by the end of September or early October. I like to have the ryegrass planted by the middle of October."
Mark says he learned a valuable lesson early on — that baling the ryegrass for hay is a no-no for the cotton that follows.
"I baled the hay, planted cotton, and everything was fine until early August, when the cotton started showing a potash deficiency and a lot of it defoliated. When you take that much hay off the field, I found, it also takes off a lot of potash. I haven't made that mistake again."
Mark says they have another 500 acres to 600 acres that could be fenced for the cotton-behind-calves program. "Our soil is basically a sandy clay, and we've found the hill land that drains well does better for ryegrass-cotton than bottom land."
In addition to the improved cotton yields following ryegrass/calves, he says ryegrass also grows better behind cotton. "The only thing I have to be careful of is that some cotton materials have a residual effect on ryegrass."
While a lot of their land in the rolling hills isn't suited to cotton, it does make good pasture land, Mark says. About 500 acres is devoted to ryegrass for winter grazing for 1,000 calves, figuring two calves per acre.
"I'll start buying 325-pound calves in late September/early October and sell them in May, when they're 600 pounds to 675 pounds. They did really well this past winter, averaging 722 pounds at sale.
"They're mostly Angus, Brangus, and Charolais crosses — a little bit of everything. When they go to the feedlots, the breed doesn't matter that much. I mostly look for animals that are uniform in height and weight, and am not that concerned about color."
Fattening calves
Unlike the long-term commitment for poultry, Mark says fattening calves overwinter "can be whatever you want it to be — once you sell them in the spring, you're not obligated to do it again if you don't want to.
"I like working with calves, and the ryegrass/calves/cotton program has worked well for me. I've been doing it 12 years now, adding fencing for another 40 acres to 60 acres each year."
In addition to the cotton and calves enterprises, the Rogers have 155 acres of peanuts.
"Rather than taking them to a buying point for processing and commercial uses, we sell them green, out of our shop here on the farm. There is really a good market for green peanuts — a lot of people come out of New Orleans and buy them by the truckload to resell for boiling.
"We grow three varieties, with staggered plantings starting in late March and going into early July. We have 35 acres of Valencias, a smaller size peanut, which we started digging in early July. They'll yield 1 ton to 1.5 tons per acre. We grow about 60 acres of Virginias, a medium-size peanut, which yield 2 tons to 2.5 tons per acre, and 60 acres of Super Jumbos, with about the same yield. By staggering planting and harvesting, we'll have peanuts to sell from early July all the way to Thanksgiving."
Back in the 1970s, Mark says, "My father and his uncle, Dennis Mitchell, were growing peanuts under the government quota system and shared equipment. They grew runner-type peanuts for the oil market. After the quota system was abolished, they were so far away from the mills that there wasn't much profit growing peanuts for the market, so they switched to producing strictly for green sales.
"Our operation and his uncle's are now separate — we're friendly competitors — and we've expanded a little each year. We do only minimal shaking and cleaning after digging the peanuts, then bag them and put them in the cooler until they're picked up."
Mark says he expects to continue with his cotton-behind-calves program for the immediate future.
"My father is getting to the point he may want to retire one of these days, and I don't see myself growing 1,200 acres of cotton long term. There's only so much I can do without stretching things."
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Ever since I moved into the present flat of ours I have become kind of a plant aficionado. Most of the things around look edible in my eyes. I pluck few leaves and sniff them to see if they give out any scent, pluck berries, fruits etc and research on their details with some vague information. It wasn't a waste of time at all. Among quite a few other stuffs, I also discovered that the outrageously growing bush all around our estate is Rosemary! Wow. I was quite exited and have been looking out for recipes that use rosemary. Talking about rosemary, it is a herb with quite hard and spiky leaves and that has a mint-like smell.
Among the entire set of recipes that I came across, focaccia was something that really fascinated me. I have also come across some lamb shank recipes that use rosemary for flavouring. Rosemary grows wildly like any grass or bush you see anywhere. I thought I have to use into something before I shift from here and decided to give a go with focassia. I referred James Martin's recipe for the basic dough but tweaked it much by adding Sundried tomatoes in olive oil
1 teaspoon castor sugar


text:
I also used up a bunch of colors of spare embroidery floss. I find 3 strands of floss look about the same as #8 perle cotton.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A Couple of Finishes
I also used up a bunch of colors of spare embroidery floss. I find 3 strands of floss look about the same as #8 perle cotton.
31 comments:
- Teodo said...
wonderful quilts.....I love your flowers.
ciao linda
- September 12, 2011 at 12:43 AM
- Rachaeldaisy said...
Both of your quilts are so wonderful!!
- September 12, 2011 at 1:53 AM
- Dianne said...
Lovely finishes. The hand quilting makes your quilt. You did the right thing there. Going to try the 3 strands of emb. thread one day. It looks really good. Dianne.
- September 12, 2011 at 2:02 AM
- Julie Fukuda said...
What a bummer taking out machine stitching but it looks so nice done by hand.
- September 12, 2011 at 3:14 AM
- Jackie said...
They are just fabulous!! Can you hear my heart singing from here! The color is phenomenal! Wonderful finishes!
- September 12, 2011 at 3:49 AM
- Pinkadot Quilts said...
Beautiful! Can't believe you picked out the machine quilting UGH!The hand quilting looks great!
- September 12, 2011 at 4:11 AM
- Janet said...
They are both fantastic quilts, they have so much character and soul. You come up with brilliance again with the blooms in the first one. Love the look of the hand quilting too.
- September 12, 2011 at 4:50 AM
- True Blue Nana said...
You are so busy! I love the string quilt and the "blooms" are the perfect addition. I see you are channeling your inner Gwen with Our Lady of Guadelupe. I love it. What great quilts.
- September 12, 2011 at 5:06 AM
- Sujata said...
LOVE both your quilts. Your hand quilting looks perfect. I had undo a little of the machine quilting over the weekend. Not fun at all. You must be quite happy that you chose hand quilting over the machine.. It looks great!
- September 12, 2011 at 5:22 AM
- Tonya Ricucci said...
gorgeous!!! love the tulips quilt. I hadn't realized you'd placed them by where the stems were - awesome way to let the quilt tell you what it needs.
- September 12, 2011 at 5:45 AM
- Michele said...
Oh wow! They turned out so pretty!
- September 12, 2011 at 6:13 AM
- Mary Keasler said...
Bravo! they look brilliant. And the hand quilting is perfect. I love the way you used different quilting designs in the different spaces. What fun.
You have been a busy bee
- September 12, 2011 at 6:32 AM
- Nancy said...
Well it may have started as a basic string quilt, but you took it to a much higher calling! This looks wonderful, as does the Lady quilt.
- September 12, 2011 at 7:11 AM
- Miki Willa said...
I do love both these quilts. You have such a great sense of color.
- September 12, 2011 at 8:37 AM
- Lee D said...
I love the applique flowers on the string quilt, great way to use them up.
- September 12, 2011 at 11:50 AM
- Em said...
I am smiling big as I enjoy the pics and visualize them in person from my visit last night with you. You are such an inspiration to be with and your work is such a signature of you! Love, Em
- September 12, 2011 at 12:02 PM
- Barb said...
fabulous post!
I love both of your finished projects. I especially like the red tulip dancing across your string - very fresh and fun!
OMOG is fab too - can't believe you picked out machine quilting - the hand stitching is wonderful, so it was worth it.
I always think "do I want to take the time now to fix this, or regret I didn't forever...." It's usually an easy answer.
thanks for the colorful inspiration today!
- September 12, 2011 at 12:22 PM
- Sharon said...
Wow, I love this quilt with the red flowers, Yes, the stems were just waiting for blossoms! Nice quilting on Our Lady. Is that one of V's fabrics?
- September 12, 2011 at 12:47 PM
- Ann Champion said...
Fabulous finishes! Adding the Tulips was pure genius.
I'm very partial to your Eyelash quilt too!
Taking out machine quilting sounds like an awful chore, but I sure do like the way you hand quilted Your "lady" quilt. I don't think you'll ever regret that decision?
- September 12, 2011 at 3:44 PM
- smazoochie said...
I LOVE the tulips & the are RECYCLED!!!
- September 12, 2011 at 4:14 PM
- Lynn said...
So glad to know I'm not the only one who has machine quilted something only to rip it all out and start over!
Beautiful quilts!
- September 12, 2011 at 6:41 PM
- meli B said...
I remember when you put the first tulip quilt together. the border really does work brilliantly. It looks even more stunning now that it has been quilted. As for the lady, she is glorious. I can see all these fabrics I recognise mixed with chintzy florals and bold moderns and they frame her perfectly. Are you ever going to enter these into a show? They are so refreshingly original.
- September 13, 2011 at 3:37 AM
- Cathy said...
Oh my goodness your quilts are incredible, the colour is droolworthy!!! I had to laugh when I read you had unpicked all your machine stitching, you sound like me...so much work though isn't it, but worth it in the long run. Your embroidery floss is looking like perle 8 to me! Stunning! xo
- September 13, 2011 at 5:41 AM
- Kim said...
I knew you were a good listener and that quilt just shouts it is the RIGHT finish to have hand quilted tulips across the face of the quilt.
You've been busy, I have never quilted with floss.....does the thread stay even?
Congratulations on two beautiful finishes.
Happy Sewing
- September 13, 2011 at 7:53 PM
- Marit said...
You are sharing three wonderful quilts here! I couldn't pick a favorite, they all have big "personalities". Love your hand quilting on the lady quilt so much! I am so inspired. And I can't even believe that I was lucky enough to see and touch two of these this summer. They are very show worthy.
The connection between your eyelashes and the tulip quilt is so fun, it is the perfect match!
- September 14, 2011 at 1:06 AM
- Clare said...
I love it when quilts tell you what they want you to do, rather than the other way round.
I've just been reading about Em's visit. Sounds as if you had a ball.
- September 14, 2011 at 2:53 AM
- Vesuviusmama said...
Lovely finishes. I've been wondering about using embroidery floos in place of perle cotton for some big stitch stitching. Thanks for the hint. Do you also use an embroidery needle to do the stitches, then, too? (I've never done big stitch before, but have been wanting to try.)
- September 17, 2011 at 5:44 AM
- SandyQuilts said...
Fabulous. Thank you for sharing.
- September 17, 2011 at 8:04 AM
- Quilter Kathy said...
Amazing...gorgeous...and very inspiring!
- September 17, 2011 at 11:07 AM
- Victoria said...
Gorgeous work!!!!
- September 19, 2011 at 4:59 PM
- Julierose said...
I love your Lady of Guadaloupe quilt! It is simply gorgeous...(I saw it in your latest post--bedroom view). I have some of that fabric and have been wanting to make a quilt for my Aunt who is in a nursing home in California (hence: Our Lady of Guadalopue) I really like how yours came out...thanks for the peek..hugs, Julierose
- August 16, 2013 at 1:08 PM


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Join Now!!
You realize a group of men is going right to you. The man in front has a hard determined look on his face, the two men behind follow him with some uneasiness. He stops before you, holding the handle of his sword in one hand, and slaps (choose person carefully) with leather gloves he carries in the other hand. "Rhadagald Thinvoice, I challenge You to a duel to dea..." Stopping abruptly, he realizes this is the wrong person.
Encounter ( City/ Ruin ) | July 22, 2004 |
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text:
This fall we are celebrating a Fernandes iconic trademark shape, since it's inception in 1994, the Vertigo (H model in Japan) has brought a new perspective on the way many of us see and feel the electric guitar. Countless artists from different corners of the world, from Hide of X JAPAN to Riggs formerly of ROB ZOMBIE BAND, have used and abused their Vertigo guitars throughout the years, and we will tell you all about it!
Stay tuned for giveaways, promotions, special features, history lessons and more, starting September 22nd and through December 21st. Make sure you are registered to receive the Fernandes newsletter and follow us on facebook and twitter to get all the updates!
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"Creating very large documents and running very compute-intensive scripts has caused lots of Adobe FrameMaker crashes due to simply running out of 32-bit memory space. With the complete overhaul of FrameMaker code to run native on today's 64-bit machines, this boundary has evaporated. With the 64-bit code of FrameMaker (2019 release), there is virtually no limit to the size of documents and scripted automation you can create."
—Jang F.M. Graat, CEO, Smart Information Design
"The 2019 release of Adobe RoboHelp is RoboHelp 'reimagined' and has been built on the latest technology, enabling a faster content development cycle. On a large scale, authors will be blown away by the increase in speed and real time CSS and skin editors. On a more granular level, writers will enjoy the enhanced flexibility in creating tables, multi-level lists, autocorrect editing and other enhancements. Adobe has taken RoboHelp to a whole new level in help authoring."
—Beth Gerber, President, Lightext, Inc.
"Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) and structured/XML authoring in a standard like DITA allows for continuity across multiple departments, which can eventually evolve into the holy grail of single source publishing, which has been proven to decrease time to market."
—Thomas M. Aldous, Founder, The Content Era
"Video is a crucial need these days and it's easy to import YouTube, Vimeo and Adobe Captivate eLearning modules into Adobe RoboHelp (2019 release)."
—John Daigle, Adobe Certified RoboHelp and Captivate Instructor, Evergreen Online Learning, LLC
"Adobe FrameMaker was already the best overall publishing solution for long, complex documents. Now with its all-new 64-bit architecture, PDF engine and technology implementation, Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) and Adobe FrameMaker Publishing Server (2019 release) escalate the document creation bar to greater heights."
—Ben Slone, President & CEO, Finite Matters Ltd.
"Adobe RoboHelp (2019 release) delivers a whole new and exciting authoring experience. The modern interface and streamlined file and asset management features are sure to please."
—Shelley Bates, Production Strategist, Tanner Corporate Services
"I really love the enhanced publishing feature! Publishing to multiple outputs, even from unstructured documents has become a working and predictable feature of Adobe FrameMaker. Output to responsive HTML5 and app format is extremely useful and it works absolutely great!"
—Bjørn Smalbro, Director, FrameMaker.dk
"SVG defines the graphics in XML format. In a nutshell, the support for high-quality SVG images in Adobe RoboHelp (2019 release) makes sure graphics maintain a superior look and quality."
—Rajdeep Gupta, Managing Director & Principal Trainer, Blue Dots Consultancy Services
"With FrameMaker (2019 release), you can customise your DITA topics without ever seeing an angular bracket. This is a major break-through in leveraging the acceptance of DITA as the #1 standard for structured content authoring and publishing."
—Jang F.M. Graat, CEO, Smart Information Design
"If you aren't a CSS coder, the visual CSS editor in Adobe RoboHelp (2019 release) makes it much easier to change your styles and view those changes in real time. If you edit and/or create skins regularly, you'll not only get a modern interface with Adobe RoboHelp (2019 release), but also more tools to make your help projects look better than ever."
—Eric Butow, Owner, Butow Communications Group
"We work with large complex documents within a structured authoring environment and throw everything but the kitchen sink at them. Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) is the only tool on the market that makes working with so much complexity easy."
—Don Stolee, CEO & Founder, eGloo Technologies
"Adobe RoboHelp continues to offer fresh and exciting changes and provides us with a new perspective on UI."
—Rajdeep Gupta, Managing Director & Principal Trainer, Blue Dots Consultancy Services
"Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) is an easy to use solution for beginners to become acquainted with XML/DITA, convert their legacy content and still hit their KPIs."
—Thomas M. Aldous, Founder, The Content Era
"I am very excited to see so many wonderful enhancements to the workflow, authoring interface and end-user experience presented in Adobe RoboHelp (2019 release). This is a comprehensive release that will solidify RoboHelp as the tool of choice for help authors who want to deliver state of the art help to their users."
—Beth Gerber, President, Lightext, Inc.
"The new 64-bit version of Adobe FrameMaker along with the all-new PDF engine makes generating PDF files a true joy in terms of speed. This is no small thing as PDF generation is done many times each workday."
—Bjørn Smalbro, Director, FrameMaker.dk
"The new user interface in Adobe RoboHelp (2019 release) makes it much easier to get to the tasks you need without having to search through rows of toolbars. There is a learning curve with the new user interface, but you'll be surprised how easy that curve is."
—Eric Butow, Owner, Butow Communications Group
"With the advent of digital mediums, publishing to PDF has taken a backseat. But the all new PDF engine in the Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) blows your mind. It's quick, with no delay between conversions and no queue."
—Rajdeep Gupta, Managing Director & Principal Trainer, Blue Dots Consultancy Services
"I love the new updated PDF controls in Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release). I can convert to PDF much more quickly than before and generate fully tagged, accessible PDFs. I can even set up the security and initial view settings from within FrameMaker, prior to converting my files."
—Barb Binder, Adobe Certified Instructor on FrameMaker, Rocky Mountain Training
"Using the Dynamic Content Filter in Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) I can deliver content for multiple products and let my customers pick and choose what to read! I've never heard or seen anything like this before."
—Rajdeep Gupta, Managing Director & Principal Trainer, Blue Dots Consultancy Services
"Now that Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) is 64-bit, it is welcomed into the world of modern programmes. Large projects respond faster, saving time and saving money. Finally, PDF output is fast and worry free. FrameMaker (2019 release) is a worthwhile upgrade!"
—David Creamer, President, IDEAS Training
"The 64-bit version of Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) allows us to have a high-performing environment, tailored to the architecture of current computers and increase performance of daily tasks. It is especially noticed on publishing tasks, where the publication speed has been reduced (as for DITAmaps and for standard books)."
—Philippe Zingoni, Senior Technical Consultant, Noteha
"For products and applications that leverage the ultra-reliable and versatile Adobe FrameMaker Publishing Server composition engine to produce millions of PDF pages per day for the Dynamic Enterprise Publishing market, Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) represents a big advance."
—Joanne Hannagen, Business Development Manager, Datazone
"The new PDF engine in Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) gives more control over customisation of publications. You can now define more settings, including security passwords, without any need for Adobe Distiller, which can still be used for PDF-to-print. And one additional benefit: the progress bar is now displayed when generating a PDF."
—Philippe Zingoni, Senior Technical Consultant, Noteha
"With the updated image handling controls in Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) I can now quickly resize an image so that it fits within its frame and with the new transparency support I can adjust the opacity of my placed images."
—Barb Binder, Adobe Certified Instructor on FrameMaker, Rocky Mountain Training
"Adobe continues to invest in DITA support. The book conversion from DITAmap is included in publication parameters, more configurable than an ini file. Adobe FrameMaker (2019 release) also has a customisation feature that allows you to easily remove unwanted attributes, elements, domains etc. from your authoring environment, without any work on EDDs or DTDs."
—Philippe Zingoni, Senior Technical Consultant, Noteha


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Luxury Hygro™ Texture towel collection
Special Price Now £38.00
Complimentary shipping is available for all orders in the United Kingdom over £20, orders below this will be charged a flat rate of £4.95 for delivery.
Sheridan now deliver to a number of European nations, including Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Sweden. Different shipping rates are applicable for each country, please check your desired destination at checkout.
We will accept change of mind returns on products for up to 14 days from the date of receipt, or if faulty. More information


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Fast & Furious 4 [HD Movie Trailer]
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, John Ortiz, Laz Alonso, Wilmer Calderon Release Date: April 3, 2009
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
A Big Splash
This splash effect is made up of several large to medium sized splashes and bubbles that I animated by hand directly in Flash on a Cintiq tablet. All of the elements except for the water surface are simple, hand-drawn effects. The subtly animating water surface effect was created in Adobe AfterEffects by my good friend and colleague Dennis DeKonnig.
Posted by Joseph Gilland at 12:26 PM
3 comments:
- Graham Ross said...
I really like looking at these splashes for reference. Wish they were quicktime files thought so I could still-step through them ;)
- May 25, 2009 at 5:23 PM
- Chris Palmer said...
- August 21, 2009 at 7:26 PM
- Niya said...
Fabulous splash....
Loved it......
2d and 3d animations
- February 24, 2010 at 12:24 AM
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I haven't written a political blog since the election. At first it was depression that kept me from the keyboard. Then came the shock and outrage. After almost a year I have decided that it is time to again share "Aubrey's Opinion" with the world.
Why now?
I was searching the friendly World Wide Web for information on the current healthcare "debate". I was amazed (more upset than amazed) to find that it was VERY difficult to find actual information. Everything is presented to us through a lens…what "they" want us to see. "They" being the media, the current administration, the progressives-take your pick-that are trying to hijack our country.
And I remembered why I started my political blog in the first place.
1. An outlet for me to vent my ideas and frustrations.
2. A way for me to help my friends and relatives (and total strangers that find my blog) know what's really going on in the world. It's hard to find the truth, so when I dig it up, I want to share.
So here goes…
If you have been following the healthcare mess, you've probably heard about the report released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) about a week ago. The major news networks joyfully reported that the CBO found that imposing government run healthcare would REDUCE the deficit by $81 billion dollars over 10 years. Hooray!!
Really? Is there anyone in America stupid enough to believe that bunch of hooey?
If you got your information from CNN or NBC, that would be the end of the story. The Baucus bill will save us money and reduce the deficit. Yeah! Let's pass it now!
Umm…not so fast…
The CBO set the 10 year cost (2010-2019) at $829 billion. The thing is, the coverage won't START until 2014, but the $11 billion in tax increases will start NOW (2010). Do you get it? Over this 10 year period they are collecting taxes for 10 years and implementing the program for 5 years. So on paper they can make it look great!
CBO report on the Baucus Bill:
*2010-2019 decrease deficit by $81 billion
*2020-2029 increase deficit by $1.2 trillion (yes, trillion with a 't'…somehow this number-in the same report-didn't seem very newsworthy)
Here's a pretty graph that I found in case all of these numbers are making yoiur head hurt.
And those numbers assume that the cost estimates are accurate…a HUGE assumption! In 1965 it was projected that Medicare world cost $12 billion in 1990. In reality, Medicare cost over $100 billion in 1990. It's pretty safe to assume that the numbers are hugely underestimated.
Is anyone curious where the money is coming from to pay for part of this disaster?
According to the same CBO report:
$4 billion- tax on individuals who don't buy government qualified coverage
$23 billion- tax on employers who don't offer government qualified coverage (which will mean employers will have to lower wages or lay off workers…good plan)
$200 billion- tax on health insurance plans. This includes a 40 percent tax on sales by insurers of 'Cadillac' policies and fees on health insurers, drug companies and device manufacturers, all of which will ultimately be passed on to consumers. (Side note…many of you probably have "Cadillac Plans"…this is any family plan deemed to be worth over $21,000 per year)
I haven't even gotten to the best part!
The Joint Committee on Taxation says that 87 percent of the tax burden will fall on Americans making less than $200,000, and more than half on those earning under $100,000.
Didn't a certain presidential candidate say something about not raising taxes on anyone making less than $250,000 per year? I must have dreamed that.
In addition to all of the tax/fee increases, the rest of the $829 billion will supposedly come from Medicare cuts and provider payment cuts. Seriously, do you think the politicians will vote to cut Medicare payments to old people right before re-election? I'll leave it up to you to decide whether the $400 billion in cuts will ever actually happen or if we will just tack it on to the deficit. I mean, what's another $400 billion in debt to pass on to our kids when we're already passing on trillions a year, right?
So what does our $829 billion buy us?
The accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers released a study that predicts that the Baucus plan would increase premiums for an average American family by $4,000 per year.
The Obama Administration's response? Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform:
"Clearly this is not their area of expertise."
You know, those accountants…they really need to stay away from numbers…they have no experience with money or anything like that.
Bottom line.
We are being led to believe that the end goal is to "reform" healthcare and make it more affordable and accessible. If that were truly the case, would we see all of these taxes, fees, and cost increases?
I don't think so, but clearly this is not my area of expertise.


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Founded in 1988, the Downtown Tacoma Business Improvement Area (BIA) has more than two decades of experience providing maintenance, security and streetscape improvements in an 84-block district of downtown Tacoma. The activities of the BIA are supported entirely by rate-paying property owners who collectively elect to pay an annual fee that supplements publically financed street sweeping and police services.
Contact BIA Security Patrol: 253.383.1131
BIA provides a constant security presence in downtown 24 hours a weekday and most weekend hours. The Bike Patrol partners with and provides support for the Tacoma Police Department, University of Washington Tacoma Security, and private security providers in addition to offering security escorts to downtown residents, workers and visitors.
Contact BIA Maintenance: 253.682.1731
The BIA Maintenance Team maintains a consistent level of cleanliness in downtown Tacoma through a comprehensive program of sidewalk/street sweeping, pressure washing, graffiti removal, leaf pickup and response to ratepayer cleaning requests.
The BIA also supports streetscape improvements that beautify downtown and benefit all ratepayers. The downtown banner program, hanging flower baskets, sidewalk flower planters and holiday lights are provided by the BIA.
Downtown Tacoma Business Improvement Area
950 Pacific Ave., Suite 300
Tacoma, WA 98401
phone: 253.627.2175
fax: 253.597.7305
Website Credits
The mission of the Downtown Tacoma Business Improvement Area is to provide common services for property owners and to be an advocate for the general economic well being of downtown properties.


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Instapage needed a new web page design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 70 designs submitted by 12 freelance designers.
Mesiab Labs
We're a fast moving web 2.0 company developing and deploying cutting edge platforms. We've run many successful projects for many high profile assets like Retweet.com and Hummingbird 2 for Twitter.
We love the designs you guys produce and are very active in providing feedback and direction.
Businesses who use Twitter
We have developed a simple Flex application that deletes Twitter Direct Messages. The application has only two screens, a login screen (http://screencast.com/t/YTY3NGFm) and the primary screen (http://screencast.com/t/NjM0Nzg3YWQt).
We need a simple design for the primary screen.
SEE: http://screencast.com/t/NjM0Nzg3YWQt
We like glossy buttons and subtle shadows.
Strive for a clean, simple layout
Consider the workflow of the application and try to design according to how a user will use it ;)
Any you think work well. We prefer light colors, like light grey's, blues and greens. But feel free to experiment.
Examples of Flex applications we like:


text: Keep Your Dog Safe at Thanksgiving By following a few rules, you can prevent an emergency trip to the vet for your animals. By Lisa King Pet Safety During the Holidays During the holidays, especially on Thanksgiving, which is food-focused, keep in mind that although canines and humans area both omnivores, their digestions and dietary requirements are very different. Those … [Read more...]


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Pinker, S. (2011). The better angels of our nature: Why violence has declined. London, Viking.
We've all had the experience of reading about a bloody war or shocking crime and asking, "What is the world coming to?" But we seldom ask, "How bad was the world in the past?" In this startling new book, the bestselling cognitive scientist Steven Pinker shows that the world of the past was much worse. With the help of more than a hundred graphs and maps, Pinker presents some astonishing numbers. Tribal warfare was nine times as deadly as war and genocide in the 20th century. The murder rate of Medieval Europe was more than thirty times what it is today. Slavery, sadistic punishments, and frivolous executions were unexceptionable features of life for millennia, then suddenly were targeted for abolition. Wars between developed countries have vanished, and even in the developing world, wars kill a fraction of the people they did a few decades ago. Rape, battering, hate crimes, deadly riots, child abuse, cruelty to animals—all substantially down.
How could this have happened, if human nature has not changed? What led people to stop sacrificing children, stabbing each other at the dinner table, or burning cats and disemboweling criminals as forms of popular entertainment? The key to explaining the decline of violence, Pinker argues, is to understand the inner demons that incline us toward violence (such as revenge, sadism, and tribalism) and the better angels that steer us away. Thanks to the spread of government, literacy, trade, and cosmopolitanism, we increasingly control our impulses, empathize with others, bargain rather than plunder, debunk toxic ideologies, and deploy our powers of reason to reduce the temptations of violence.
With the panache and intellectual zeal that have made his earlier books international bestsellers and literary classics, Pinker will force you to rethink your deepest beliefs about progress, modernity, and human nature. This gripping book is sure to be among the most debated of the century so far.


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Classic Romance Peach
By Kathryn Estry
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Product Information
- Type: Combo Pack
- Designer: Kathryn Estry
- Download Size: 93.4 MB (approximate)
Design Elements
- Digital Papers: 10
- Page Elements: 32
Designer Notes
For weddings, engagement parties, anniversaries, and any other romantic photos, this collection has it all! This product comes in 8 popular celebration colors. I hope one is just perfect for you! Enjoy!


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Since the late 1960's one lingerie brand has made high quality and luxurious lingerie styles that women love to wear. Farr West got its start by Iris and Jack Farr, making this family-owned business one that has stood the test of time. Decades later, Farr West continues to create lingerie styles with the same quality of yesterday bringing together the updated fashions of today. To this day, Farr West Fashions is a family owned and operated lingerie firm located on Monterey Bay in Northern California. The brand was built on principals of creating a quality product women could enjoy while maintaining a family oriented work place and that same standard of quality continues to this day. Aside from the brand's tradition of making excellent lingerie, the Farr West brand also takes pride in offering great customer service that's friendly and fast. What started as a small family owned business has boomed into a popular lingerie brand that can be found in more than 250 stores and websites across the country and HerRoom is proud to be one of those online retail sites that offers Farr West lingerie and slip styles.
The Farr West lingerie brand remains the leader in the world of ladies lingerie slips, camisoles, half slips, tap pants, chemise, full slip, pantiliners, sleepwear and so much more! Farr West concentrates on daywear styles such as half-slips, camisoles and full slips. They feel they make the "perfect slips" due to their silky charmeuse and invisible microfiber fabrics, which receive the highest rating in the world for anti-static use.
Featured on the Today Show, many of Farr West slips and lingerie styles offer a hint of vintage inspired glamour with ultra elegant lace details and gorgeous silhouettes with the style and function that today's modern woman can enjoy wearing. These full slip or half slip lingerie styles are made to wear effortlessly under your favorite skirts and dresses with a classic and subtly seductive appeal. When you want more coverage with comfort and sophisticated style, you're sure to find a full slip by Farr West to suit your needs and fashion. One ever popular Farr West style that has received many rave reviews from customers is the 12 inch Low Rise Slip. This Farr West half slip style is the perfect addition to wear with your shorter length mini skirts and made to sit low on your waist to create a comfort and sexy fit. Ultra soft microfiber fabric is also featured so this half slip style looks virtually invisible under your clothing.
In addition to the great fabrics and design for fit, Farr West garments are made with the best trim materials. They were the first company to use woven plush-back elastic on half-slips. Such elastic is more comfortable to wear and will not narrow or fray like braided elastics. They were also the first to use the decorative three-step zigzag stitch on the waistband. This stitch makes a prettier garment and greatly reduces stitch breakage. All Farr West garments are made in the USA.


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Jadakiss Talks NBA Playoffs! "I Want To See Kobe Vs Lebron James"
Jadakiss Talks 2009 NBA Playoffs w/ The Los Angeles Leakers (The Take Over on Power 106)
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in BAP Member Blog, Berlin, Brooklyn, Emerging Artists, Illustration, Member work, Painting, Rising Stars
Featured Artist: Johan Potma // Berlin
We're incredibly proud to count Berlin based artist Johan Potma as a BAP member. Johan's been featured as a BAP Artist of the Month and has had his work covered by Communication Arts. He's truly a gifted artist with a talent for creating creatures and scenes that you wish were real. Check out all of his ... Continue reading ›


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Celebrating illustration, design, cartoon and comic art of the mid-20th century.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Bob Foster: "... a gentleman (with) personal high standards of integrity, as a teacher and a friend."
Bob explained to me an amusing account of how he was able to read the time consuming manuscripts of stories to be illustrated and still meet his deadlines. He explained that he didn't read them, instead he hired prostitutes to come to his apartment / studio, who would read to him while he painted (I imagine at perhaps a lower rate than their normal fee).
He said they had time during the day, since their normal working hours were at night and into the early morning. He said they would also model for him occasionally, and they really enjoyed the change of pace. Yikes! The evidence is clear that illustration was linked to prostitution! What a terrible scandal -- I had no idea!
Of course, I'm joking. As much as Bob appreciated beautiful women (and he truly did) he was always a gentleman, and I never heard a crass or disrespectful word from him about anybody. I never observed anything that he said or did that breached personal high standards of integrity, as a teacher or a friend.
Bob found his niche in the pocket book cover market and remained quite busy through the 1960s and into the '70s. Unfortunately, he started his illustration career in N.Y. a decade too late to effectively compete in the '50s editorial market which had greatly inspired him. He certainly had all the tools and the skill level that was necessary, but it became an increasingly insecure and fickle market by the late 1950s, even for the the top names.
Incidentally, Sandy Kossin - a well known mid century illustrator - and Bob Foster became friends after moving to N.Y. They shared models and photo shooting sessions. They also would have lunch together at the Society of Illustrators, where they were both members. Foster and Kossin were admirers of one another's illustrations and shared the same high standards of professionalism. (Below, a 1970 Sandy Kossin paperback cover)
I lost contact with Bob after our visit in N.Y. and, in 1977, I heard through the illustration grapevine in San Francisco that he had passed away. It took me by complete surprise because, when I saw him last, he seemed in good health. It was confirmed recently from members of his family that he indeed passed away of a heart attack in 1977, at the age of 49, after having progressively poor health.
Posted are some of the few examples of Bob's work, that I have been able to find. They represent just a glimpse of his output, versatility and extraordinary talent. If anyone has additional information of - or illustrations examples by - Robert (Bob) Foster, I would be grateful to hear from you. My email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.
* Tom Watson is a retired West Coast illustrator, art director and educator. He has been a frequent contributor to Today's Inspiration and his storyboard work for film was a subject of a post on my other blog, Storyboard Central. Many thanks, Tom, for a great week on Today's Inspiration!
* Many thanks also to Kyle Katz, gojira2012 and mystique123_2000 for allowing me to use the many Bob Foster paperback cover scans you saw this week from their Flickr collections.
5 comments:
a terrific series of posts on Mr. Foster. Thank you!ReplyDelete
I've enjoyed this series very much. Thank you both for writing and publishing it.ReplyDelete
- Harry Borgman3:10 PM
Hi Tom,ReplyDelete
Really great work, I was not aware of his wonderful art, thanks for posting.
Awesome, I worked for a year at a great used bookstore called the BookTrader in Philly besides getting amazing opportunities to snag old leyendecker, frazetta, wyeth art books, I loved my time shelving in the science fiction section because I could marvel at the covers of Bob Foster and discover so many others(like John Harris), frustrated when uncredited.ReplyDelete
thanks for all the inspiration
Hi Mr. Watson.ReplyDelete
Absolutely loved this series of articles. I recently purchased a painting by Mr. Foster. I'm reasonably certain it was for a book jacket, but have never been able to locate the book.
Again, thanks so much for posting.


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walitys necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 56 diseños de 19 diseñadores freelance.
Charisma Booster Coaching
What do I do?
I coach CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) of ambitious start-ups and Fortune 1000 companies unlocking their creative potentials. I coach CEOs to boost their charisma and improve skills previously acquired. Charisma is extremely valuable trait for a successful leader. I guide executives to unconscious sources of their genius and help them to access hidden treasures of their psyche. Being connected to these powers results in unstoppable success and skyrocketing improvements in all essential areas of business success. This success shows in easier client acquisition, effective team management, better customer satisfaction, higher profitability and retaining of high-potential employees.
What is my educational background?
Medical School. Ph.D.-level Program in analytical psychology. Studies in Organizational Consulting, Behavior Change, Transactional Analysis, CBT, EMDR, NLP, Problem-Solving, Communication Skills, Negotiations, Sales, Leadership - ongoing. Working with clients since 1989 and learning from them - all the time.
I target CEOs of "Fortune 1000" companies. I work with Executives and High-Potentials in these companies.
How do I do this?
I work with CEOs on one-on-one basis. I ask questions and prompt unconventional thinking. I unlock client's creativity and trigger self-discoveries. I give honest, fresh, unconventional and sophisticated feedback, based on many years of my experience as an analytical psychologist. I introduce CEOs to the newest and cutting-edge discoveries in the field of organizational psychology. Winners of the business game see CEO coaching as an investment with the highest ROI.
How does the Executive Coaching start?
We meet. We talk. You check me out. We need to build trust. Solid trust brings great results. I explore your needs and your motivation. You tell me your goals and show me, who you are, what you like about yourself, and what areas you want to improve. We specify goals, metrics and degrees of commitment to the coaching process. I submit a proposal. We sign the deal. We start.
What do I NOT do?
I do not do formal presentations coaching. I do not do CEO strategic consulting. But I boost your presentation, strategic planning and problem-solving skills. I do not do focus on what is done wrong. I focus on your resources, your talents and abilities, your uniqueness and greatness, which will help you to find great solutions to any problem.
The name of the company I need a LOGO for is:
Charisma Booster Coaching (International)
I need a VISUALLY POWERFUL LOGO for my Executive Coaching business. The LOGO has to be professionally done, esthetically appealing and professionally-looking.
This LOGO has to build trust on the spot.
It has to reflect the highest quality of coaching service according to the highest professional standards.
It is important to reflected in your LOGO the following issues:
big value, harmony, clear thinking, understanding, needs analysis, powerful vision, unleashed creativity, positive change, achieving goals, uniqueness, greatness, charisma, unconscious resources, removing obstacles, psychological mastery, wisdom.
Dear Designer,
feel free to ask me any question you need in order to better reflect the idea of my business in your logo. Thank you. Soon I will also need a website, business cards, etc.
My address is walitys (a) gmail.com
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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B-R Pipeline Company
Original Volume No. 1
Contents / Previous / Next / Main Tariff Index
Effective Date: 05/01/2004, Docket: RP04-224-000, Status: Effective
Original Sheet No. 35 Original Sheet No. 35 : Effective
4. MEASUREMENT OF GAS (Continued)
4.4 Temperature and Specific Gravity. The following measurement
factors shall be given due consideration.
(a) The temperature of the natural gas flowing through each meter
shall be an assumed temperature arrived at by agreement or the
actual measured temperature.
(b) The specific gravity of the gas shall be determined by the
party operating the meter by calculation, adjusted for any
difference between the specific gravity in the ideal state and in
the real state in accordance with published procedures accepted by
the American Gas Association.
4.5 Notice of Equipment Tests. Unless otherwise agreed to by the
parties, the party operating the measurement facilities shall give
notice to the other party of the time and location of all tests of gas
delivered hereunder or of any equipment used in measuring or determining
the nature or quality of such gas, in order that such other party may
conveniently have its representative present. Should the non-operating
party reasonably not be satisfied with any such test, it shall so notify
the operating party and the operating party shall perform such retests
as may be necessary to assure an accurate test.
4.6 Meter Testing. The accuracy of measurement equipment shall be
verified at reasonable intervals by the party operating such equipment,
and if requested, in the presence of representatives of the other party,
unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. If either party notifies the
other that it desires a special test of any measurement equipment, the
operating party shall cooperate to secure an immediate verification of
the accuracy of such measurement equipment and joint observation of any
adjustments. The payment for all such tests shall be borne by the
party requesting the test, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.
4.7 Check Meters and Non-Interference. Either party may install and
operate check meters at its option and expense to check the other
party's primary measurement equipment, but measurement of gas shall be
by the measurement equipment of the parties identified in Section 4.3.
Such check meters shall be installed so as not to interfere with the
operation of the primary measurement equipment of such parties. The
parties shall exercise care in the installation, maintenance and
operation of check measuring, pressure regulating equipment or gas
compressors so as to prevent any inaccuracy in the determination of the
quantity or quality of gas being measured. If unacceptable square root
error or gauge line error shifts occur, the installation of pulsation