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Beverly Moskowitz needed a new button or icon design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 165 designs submitted by 10 freelance designers.
Real OT Solutions™
30+ years as a school-based Occupational Therapist. Currently completing doctoral studies in entrepreneurship. Launching a business to address the fine motor difficulties of young students using original products. Products address handwriting, cutting, drawing skills and more. Trained as an artist, but not in graphics. Now specializing in developmental and learning disorders. Looking for someone who can combine professionalism with personality. Because the intended clients are preschool and elementary grade children, the graphics need to be child-friendly. I prefer drawings that are clever, entertaining and unusual, with clean lines that evoke energy and emotion. The pictures requested this time must be black and white so children can color them in. Future contests will request small one-inch square colored icons of simple objects. If I enjoy your style and interpretation of the scenes requested below, there may be more opportunities ahead. We'll need an assortment of original artwork for activity pages (e.g. mazes, dot-to-dots, half-page coloring sheets, etc.) as we're looking to establish a brand, a reputation for quality and a signature look.
This project: B/W 2-frame cartoons (one per page). For printing practice pages. Available space is bottom margin of page, preferably 1" X 6". Some can be 2" wide X 3" high. Mix it up. Be creative.
The products produced and sold by my company address handwriting, cutting, and drawing issues and will be used to increase skills so children can successfully participate in their educational programs. My target market therefore is therapists, teachers and parents of young children with these types of fine motor problems.
This is a start-up niche business and my home territory Philadelphia. It is only logical then that we start by focusing on local geography, including surrounding suburbs and states. In short order, we expect to be both nationally and internationally appealing, utilizing our website, as well as national and state conferences to get the word (and picture) out.
I will be aggressively marketing to therapy consulting groups who dominate school contracts, elementary teachers, administrators who make curricular decisions, parents with special needs children, and parents who home school. We are presently working on our campaign vision, customizing our marketing plan according to the audience and setting. We are already signed up for several state conferences and have connections to many school districts. We have mailing lists of therapists and price lists for online journal print ads. At the same time, we plan to explode onto the public scene in parent support groups, trade shows and other commercial venues.
This is just the beginning.
Alligator eats Apple
Al. sick from apples
Boy w/ balloons
B flies w/ balloons
Cow tows canoe
C relaxes in canoe
Dinosaurs dance
D leave dance
Elephant sits on egg
E surprised. Chicks hatch.
Frogs catch fish
Fish catch frogs
Goats in golf carts
G gets hole-in-one
Horse buys house
H hangs Home Sweet Home picture
Closed Invite on ice cream carton
Ice cream party invitation
Jellybeans in jar
J on counter
Kangaroo dangles keys
K places keys in kitchen
Lion carry lollipops
Lions in love eat lollipops
Monkey roast marshmallows
More monkeys roast marshmallows
Nest full of nuts in tree
Nest of nuts on table
Octopus puts on ice-skates
Ostrich skates with octopus
Peacock plays pool
P floats in pool
Queen unwraps quilt
Q wrapped in quilt
Rabbit cuts garden roses
R places roses in vase
Squirrels on See-Saw
S on swings
Turkey stops truck
T drives truck
Beach Umbrella w/ unicorn pictures
Unicorns under beach umbrellas
Vegetables exchange valentines
Mixed vegetables pair off
Walrus checks watch at busstop
W hugs baby w getting off bus
Xray of a child's elbow
Xray of entire child excepting elbow
Yak reads yo-yo instructions
Y does yo-yo tricks
Zebra unzips stripes
Z hangs striped zipper jacket
Personify numbers 1-10, w/ row of different school objects. Your choice!


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Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Diminutive posies with pearl centers in creamy shades of pink, each flanked by pale pink bows. A sweet bracelet for a little girly girl.
Pink, pink,and more pink.
A headband for a special occasion or headpiece for a flower girl.
Miss Henrietta Hedgehog has volunteered to become our model du jour.
More pink overload. Are you sick to your stomach yet?
A feminine splash of sweetness to start your day. I hope all that pink wasn't too much for you. Sometimes it is for me. But not today. I need a blast of sweet-pink- frosting-cutesy every now and then.
You can find directions for making the posie in this tutorial. It is the flower center from my Heart to Heart Valentine Tufted Pin.
Yesterday's comments made me smile. After posting a picture of my neat and tidy living room, I had a feeling that I may be asked about my creative space. Some of you may recall that I overhauled my space last year because the inner slob in me let it fall into total disarray. I am happy to say that I have been able to keep it relatively tidy since then. Of course, while a project is in motion, things are all over the place. In my opinion, creativity and making-a-big-mess go hand in hand. After the completion of each project, I do make a conscious effort to return items to their designated area. I slip up every now and then, but I try to keep a handle on things while the messes are still manageable.
If you'd care to torture yourself, you can read through my old posts here, here, here, and here Protect your retinas, people. You are sure to get an eyeful. Looking back at those pictures make me cringe. I hope that I never find myself in the middle of that kind of chaos again.
Have a fabulous day!
15 comments:
- Bluebell said...
Hi Arlett, I love the headband and bracelet every little girl I know would love one. Where do you get all your ideas you do such lovely things I love them all. Keep doing it.
Love Jillx
- Thu May 13, 11:26:00 AM 2010
- Beansieleigh said...
These are ADORABLE Arlette!! Love your work!!.. Have a nice weekend! ~tina
- Thu May 13, 12:07:00 PM 2010
- Linda said...
So cute! You are so creative! I am new to blogging and I cannot believe how many creative people are out there! One can only dream....
- Thu May 13, 01:14:00 PM 2010
- Deb said...
What a cute idea! I love all the pink! Such a wonderful project!
- Thu May 13, 01:52:00 PM 2010
- Sanyukta Gour(Bayes) said...
damn creative thought with cardboard...very vute..pinky pink
- Thu May 13, 03:10:00 PM 2010
- sweetiepie said...
I could see my little Olivia with an headband like that. She likes pink but she loves "poople"...lol. That is how she says purple.
Take care.
- Thu May 13, 03:36:00 PM 2010
- Kristin said...
Oh Lettie, those are beautiful!
- Thu May 13, 04:30:00 PM 2010
- Zlaty said...
Wow That is so cute Lettie, is it OK if I make it for me! :))
Have a great day!
- Fri May 14, 06:46:00 AM 2010
- Merry said...
What terrific creations. How wonderful to turn something would normally go into the bin into something so beautiful. Clever.
- Fri May 14, 06:24:00 PM 2010
- DeeDee said...
I love this..how do you make those flowers..they are so darling....I have many girls in my life that would so love these great items...
- Sat May 15, 04:02:00 AM 2010
- Sewing Junkie said...
Lettie, That is so cute. A little flowergirl or a princess would love them. Chris
- Sat May 15, 07:27:00 AM 2010
- Laura Ingalls Gunn said...
Such a clever and creative girl. My heart is going pitty pat.
- Sun May 16, 05:31:00 AM 2010
- Annette said...
Beautifull beautifull!!!!!
- Sun May 16, 01:16:00 PM 2010
- Tolentreasures said...
So ingenious, as always! Love to come here and see what you have done.
- Mon May 17, 03:26:00 AM 2010
- GEORGIA STEWART said...
these are gorgeous , gosh you are so very talented thank you for sharing all these wonderful projects i am in heaven , kindest regards
georgia from ohio
- Thu Jul 05, 09:32:00 PM 2012

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tinkerer's toolbox (the tame version)
6 comments:
- Bernadette said...
TWINE!!! Don't forget the twine! That's the number one thing in ours. I love this Kami.
- December 14, 2010 at 10:17 AM
I enjoyed reading this as well. Also feel good to know that I'm not the only one giving my kids real scissors and crazy amounts of rope. Didn't think of the gorilla glue so thanks for that one. It will make a great gift for the 10 year old along with the new buck knife.(:
- December 14, 2010 at 2:16 PM
- miss merril said...
I love this idea, a tinkering toolbox for all! This is the first year I've given my pre-k kiddos wire and wire cutters and I have been so impressed with the respect they have for the material and working with it is their favorite. Thanks for another reminder that children can certainly handle "real" materials and tools.
- December 28, 2010 at 6:13 AM
- rachelle @ tinkerlab.com said...
Hi Kami! I found you through let the children play, and so glad I did! Your blog is right up my alley. My eldest child is only 2.5, and I look forward to setting her up with materials like these as she gets older. You and Gever have got it right--kids should be trusted to mess around with real materials. It's with that time to practice, play and tinker that they'll learn to think creatively and independently. Bravo to you! Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
- January 1, 2011 at 6:54 AM
- rachelle @ tinkerlab.com said...
...tinkering, sorry. Typing on my phone over her :) happy new year!!
- January 1, 2011 at 6:56 AM
- Kami said...
Yes, most definitely, twine, rope, string, cord, loads of it! Thanks Bernadette!
So great to hear from you all...!
Tinkerlab.... cool!
Wire, wire cutters, and buck knifes.... also very very cool! You're so right, Miss Merril... I always say, kids don't want to get hurt any more than we do, so if we just show them how to work with tools/materials safely, they can totally do it. Bravo for doing that!
- January 2, 2011 at 10:25 AM


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I just came from a community cinema event in Philadelphia for an independent film called "Arusi Persian Wedding" directed by Marjan Tehrani. It's a really beautiful film that follows an Iranian-American and his American wife who travel to Iran and have a traditional Persian wedding. I was not only in awe of how incredibly beautiful Iran is, but also at how I found myself relating to it. The Iranian-American expresses his pride for his Iranian roots, but also feels a distance because of his inability to fully understand the culture and language. It reminded me about how I sometimes struggle with finding my ethnic identity, no matter how much I'm proud of it.
After the screening, there was a guest panel that led an interesting discussion about the film and then took questions from the audience. My friend got a chance to chime in with a great question, while I decided to sit back and listen. I didn't feel like I had much to contribute to the conversation since the event seemed to aim at breaking stereotypes about Iran, its people, and its culture. Although one of the panelists spoke very highly of her experience as a White woman in Iran, she admitted that "initially, I was frightened, as a feminist, when I learned I had to wear the veil…"
When I got home tonight, her words replayed in my mind over and over again. I really should have gotten up and said something, even though I just wanted to make a small comment. I think I'll e-mail her after I write this, but what I wanted to point out is that it's very important for us to not make an association between oppression and the hijaab, or veil. Her comment seemed to implicate that someone who wears the hijaab could not also be a feminist (I would have asked her to correct me if I was wrong). I'm sure this is not what she meant, but I believe it would have been important for one of the panelists to mention that forcing someone to dress a certain way is very different from someone choosing to dress a certain way. There are plenty of Muslim women in other parts of the world, especially in the West, who wear hijaab by choice; therefore it would be very inaccurate to say that Muslim women who wear hijaab cannot be feminists. I'm glad one of the Iranian panelists said that Iranian women still drive, work, and go to school, contrary to the stereotypes and misconceptions that they're "so oppressed."
The other thing I should have commented on was on their usage of the word "Islam" whenever discussing the "Islamic Revolution" in 1979 and the current "Islamic Laws." The Qur'an clearly states that religion cannot be imposed on people. Doesn't Allah teach us to use our logic and reasoning? What is so logical about forcing someone to believe a certain way? The true spiritual essence and beauty gets lost when someone is being forced to practice a religion. Spirituality and Faith is personal; it must be felt within. Reciting the Shahada (Islamic declaration of Faith) is simple, while believing in it is something deeper and entirely different altogether.
Later, someone asked a question about whether or not these were the dress codes for Muslim women in all Islamic countries, and one of two Iranian panelists said, "I'm not sure, but I would say 'yes,' they are universal." A friend and I spoke about this later after the discussion and both agreed that we felt a strong anti-Islam vibe from her. I was glad that the other Iranian panelist jumped in and explained that these are not universal dress codes in Islamic countries since most Muslim countries don't force women to wear hijaab or the burqah.
Anyway, my main point is that the hijaab should not be associated with oppression, and Muslim women who wear it shouldn't be so quickly judged. Just because some feminists are not familiar with certain manners of dress doesn't mean that it's not compatible with feminism. I think it's important for feminists to understand that feminist thought is very diverse rather than being limited to one group of people, one culture, and one skin color.
~Broken Mystic~
(Photo credit: davidChief via creative commons)


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The extract of a plant native to Taiwan has been tested as a possible treatment for Leukemia. One of the chemical compounds produced from the plant was analyzed for a particular collagen. The collagen amount was found to be normally distributed with a mean of 77 and standard deviation of 9.8 grams per mililiter.
(a) What is the probability that the amount of collagen is greater than 68 grams per mililiter?
(b) What is the probability that the amount of collagen is less than 80 grams per mililiter?
(c) What percentage of compounds formed from the extract of this plant fall within 2 standard deviations of the mean?


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battle of bastogne (new york)
High energy paintball in Amsterdam New York is holding a senario game on November 26th start time is 8am ending time will be 6pm door prizes and 50/50 raffles also . pre reg is $15 by november 20th after that its $30 field paint only.if you pre reg you get to choose a job for durring the game like spy , intell ops , demolition , ect.. after that sides and jobs will be set for you day of event.paint will be starting price of$50 , $60 , $70 per case there is a place for food and restrooms there as well very large and well done field . lots of good play will be happening there if any one wants more info pm me here or go to highenergypaintball.com and look for nexus he is the owner.
|All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:53 AM.


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Psportoveloce and myself got together and "crashed" the European Auto Salvage Yard get together this morning (it is a Porsche event). We didn't take a ton of pictures, but it was fun, and we resolved to do it again.
The EASY event usually happens the first Sat of every month. Anyone else here in the SF Bay Area want to go to the next one?


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16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, February 23, 1912: It was so awful muddy this afternoon. Didn't hardly know how I would get through mud and everything else coming home from school.
Her middle-aged granddaughter's comments 100 years later:
Mud was a huge problem a hundred years ago. Neither the streets in McEwensville nor the rural roads that Grandma needed to walk to get home from school were paved.


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A year ago, Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan helped kill a bill that would have improved the Byzantine discipline process for teachers accused of sex, violence or drug offenses involving children, allowing districts to fire abusive teachers quicker.
The Bay Area Democrat objected to the piecemeal approach, saying she wanted to revamp the entire teacher discipline process.
What we got this year was AB 375, a bill that, like last year's legislation, makes changes to the process — some good, some bad — but falls short of the overhaul that had been promised. Still, it is a step in the right direction.
The bill, which appeared dead in July, was resurrected days before the end of the legislative session with last-minute amendments that were never vetted. It was yet another example of the ugly legislative process that our state lawmakers perpetuate. Critics say that the teachers union hijacked this bill. That may be true, but it's better than what we have now and Gov. Jerry Brown should sign the bill. Classrooms would not be rapidly purged of incompetent or abusive teachers as a result. But the process should be speeded up with some significant improvements.
The number of notifications required before a district could initiate disciplinary hearing proceedings would be shortened. Most cases would be resolved within seven months of launching the proceedings.
The number of depositions would be restricted. But districts usually would not be able to raise new allegations they learn about within 90 days of the disciplinary hearings.
For sex and violence cases involving children, districts would finally be able to use related evidence that's more than four years old. Abusive teachers would no longer be shielded during the summer from initiation of discipline proceedings.
However, one of the biggest shortcomings of the bill is its perpetuation of the three-person hearing panel that includes an administrative law judge and two teachers. It's a ridiculous requirement. These cases should be heard solely by administrative law judges, like most public employee labor hearings. Now the bill would make the process more burdensome, requiring the selection of the two teachers 45 days before the hearings.
In sum, this bill is a start. It doesn't go nearly as far as it should. But the changes are worth testing.


text: In his 23rd season at the helm of the men's squash program, David Talbott has built Yale into one of the most respected programs in the country. Only the third coach in the last 66 years, Talbott has led the Bulldogs to the top of the national rankings, finishing no lower than third in the country from 1989 through 1994. Yale has also finished in the top three in the country the last three seasons. The Bulldogs won the national championship in 1989 and 1990 and own a 269-62 record since Talbott arrived in New Haven in 1983. His record over the past seven years is an impressive 102-18 and Yale has won at least 10 matches in each of the last 19 years. Talbott, a native of Dayton, Ohio, had a distinguished playing career as a professional, obtaining a ranking as high as 12th in North America. He won the 1989 and 1990 World Professional Squash Association Legends Championship (35 and over), beating three of the famed Khan brothers on the way to the title. But he cannot even claim to be the best player in his family. His younger brother, Mark, was the top-ranked player on the North American professional tour for 15 years. Mark, who was the Yale women's squash coach for six seasons, won 160 professional titles for the Talbott family. Dave's father, Dr. G. Douglas Talbott, Yale Class of 1946W was formerly ranked No. 1 in the United States in the 70 and over age group. Talbott has served squash in many capacities beyond his playing and coaching. He has served as secretary and pro tour coordinator for the World Professional Squash Association. Talbott served as president of the Men's Intercollegiate Association the past two years. In addition, Talbott has served numerous times as director of the Intercollegiate Team Championships and helped host many junior and senior national championships. In 2002-03 Yale hosted both the USSRA Junior Olympics and the women's national championhip. In 2003-04 Yale hosted both the collegiate team championship as well as the USSRA 5-man team championship.


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Chris Young Honored With Caricature at Posh Nashville Restaurant the Palm
Chris Young is the latest celebrity face to don the walls of Nashville's high-end restaurant, the Palm. Young's mug was recently added amongst the variety of caricatures of musicians, actors, politicians, athletes, regular customers and people of note, as well as classic cartoons, which complete the wall decor throughout the restaurant in downtown Nashville.
Young took a break from his busy CRS (Country Radio Seminar) schedule this week to stop by the restaurant for the unveiling of the new caricature on Wednesday (Feb. 22) and to autograph the piece of art that shares the same wall space as a few other country stars, like the Oak Ridge Boys and Randy Travis.
"Chris is a great addition to our wall since he has participated in several fundraising events at the Palm for Make a Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee as well as Stars for Stripes," says Paige Dixon, sales manager for the Palm (pictured above with Young). "We're honored that Chris could stop by in the midst of CRS week and his national tour. We're proud that he'll be a permanent fixture here."
The caricature tradition originated when Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi opened the Palm restaurant in 1926. Since they were on such a tight budget, the two couldn't afford to purchase decorations and offered complimentary meals in exchange for the cartoon artwork to be put on the walls by professional artists.
"The Palm is such a mainstay in this city and in the music community," says Young. "It's pretty cool to be part of this Nashville institution!"
The Nashville Palm is located at 140 5th Avenue South.


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THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
Some folks decry
the concept of being in a 'Hole'. For them, there is no such thing as
'Technical Debt', no such thing as maintaining weak and wobbly legacy code, no
such thing as bad designs, no such thing as under-skilled or poorly performing
co-workers, no such thing as 'fighting fires', or no such thing as management
that doesn't share the corporate vision. They just go to work and do their job,
keep their head down, and do whatever is required. Mostly.
Until the day they
are swallowed by the Hole.
This brings us to
the Forth Rules of Holes: If
you do not see the bigger picture, you just might be in a hole.
Without seeing the
'bigger picture', how can you possibly know your part of the puzzle? How can
you possibly know when you are being truly successful? How can you possibly
know where to spend your scarce time preparing for your future? In fact, how
can you possibly know that you are NOT in a Hole?
Holes are insidious,
they consume all that blindly enter. And when you are in a Hole, you can't see
out, and you eventually become accustomed to thinking that everything that you
see is all that there is, and that you need not be concerned with anything
else. Wrong! The Hole has consumed your ability to be rational.
Technology is
changing at an increasingly rapid pace. You must be watching the horizon in
order to prepare and position yourself for the future. If you don't, you won't
have much of a future in technology. Not so long ago, around 1999-2000, folks
that could only code basic HTML were very well paid. and many were unemployable just a
couple years later. Technology moves on, the Hole doesn't want you to leave -it
needs you to survive.
So look for your
horizon, scan for the future, pay attention to where you are and where you wish
to be next year. Be prepared AND keep a big picture.
(I am in the
process of compiling a more complete list of 'Rules of Holes', and in upcoming
weeks, I'll share them with you. And if you have developed your own 'Rules of
Holes', i invite you to share them with us.)


text:
Regarding "Oil, gas groups in Pa. to do radiation study," Nov. 5, page 16.
The article states the Marcellus Shale Coalition and the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association are encouraging their members to participate in a study of the naturally occurring radioactive material in shale gas drilling waste which, according to the article, can "contaminate equipment over time."
The industry has been drilling in Pennsylvania shale for over five years, and in shale plays out west for far longer, and suddenly it occurs to them that radioactive material in drilling waste might be a matter worthy of study? Shouldn't this have been looked into before they started this drilling endeavor? Or maybe they're just trying to catch up with the recent Duke University study of radioactive shale gas wastewater showing up in Pennsylvania's waterways?
The article makes no mention of soil, water, air, workers, residents, pets, livestock or wildlife being contaminated by this radioactive material via leaks, spills, etc. — just equipment.
It's good to know that the natural gas industry has its priorities in order.


text:
Back View
Angle View
Top View
Right Side View
Left Side View
Viewfinder Detail
Show MoreLess
Now Viewing:
Product Highlights
The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds Digital Camera sports the popular mirrorless technology that allows for a light and compact body. More than that, however, the OM-D E-M5 is an outstanding camera that provides you with tools like an electronic eye-level viewfinder, a 120 fps refresh rate, a tilting 3.0" OLED touchscreen monitor, 16Mp of resolution, and - of course - an ever-expanding array of compatible lens options. All these factors boil down to a camera that's easier to transport than the average DSLR, yet puts multiple creative choices, and numerous other high-end features and functions, at your disposal.
Taking the features of the OM-D EM-5 one at a time, let's begin with the camera's high image quality. Making such stunning 16Mp stills and 1920 x 1080 HD video possible would be the 16Mp Live MOS image sensor and the TruePic VI image processor. The heart of the camera, these two work together with an array of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses for impressive images and movies.
Other features worth mentioning here include Olympus' AF system, which enables fast, accurate images in a variety of situations. Additionally, 9.2 fps high-speed sequential shooting goes a step further to ensure that fast moving subjects are easily captured. The 5-axis, sensor-shift image stabilization system also comes into play here, compensating for vertical, horizontal, and rotational camera shake, which conventional 2-axis systems of the past haven't been able to tame. This stabilization is built-in the camera body, and ensures effective stabilization with all lenses.
The high-res, 1.44 million dot LCD has 100% field-of-view coverage and a 1.15x maximum magnification. The EVF also allows for enlarging the focus point for seeing the effect of many different features right in the viewfinder. In addition to this impressive EVF, the camera also has a 3.0" tilting OLED touchscreen monitor, making it the first Olympus camera to have such capabilities. The touchscreen monitor allows for fast menu navigation, and brilliant composition and review of scenes.
The OM-D EM-5 is also a tough camera, featuring a dust-proof and splash-proof design. As Olympus states, "multiple ring-shaped seals protect the camera from sand, dust, rain, and water spray". That means there's no need to fear the elements and as a result, miss the shot. What's more the OM-D extends this feature to the bundled flash unit, the optional grip, the power battery holder, and the optional M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ lens.
A "Key Line" Art Filter joins ten other available filters on the Olympus E-M5 and enhances the edge lines of the image to make it look more like an illustration. "Cross Process II" and "Dramatic Tone II" Art Filters provide variations on the popular existing filters, and the two new Echo effects for movies leaves a momentary residual image of a subject's movements when activated during movie recording. Users who like to perform their movie post-editing on a PC will particularly appreciate the Full HD 1080i movie recording function, which adopts the MOV format (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)
|Lens Mount
|Micro Four Thirds
|Camera Format
|Micro Four Thirds (2x Crop Factor)
|16.1 Megapixel
|File Formats
Still Images: JPEG, RAW
Movies: AVI, MOV,
|Bit Depth
|Dust Reduction System
|Memory Card Type
UHS-I compatible, Eye-Fi card compatible
|Image Stabilization
|Sensor-Shift, 5-Way
|AV Recording
|Video Recording
|Aspect Ratio
|4:3, 16:9
|Audio Recording
Optional External Mic: With Video (Stereo)
Mono without external mic
|Focus Control
|Focus Type
|Auto & Manual Focus
|Focus Mode
|Continuous-Servo AF (C), Manual Focus (M), Single-servo AF (S)
|Autofocus Points
|Viewfinder Type
|Viewfinder Coverage
|Viewfinder Magnification
|Approx. 0.92x
|Diopter Adjustment
|-4 to +2 m
|Display Screen
|3" Rear Touchscreen Tilting LED (610)
|Screen Coverage
|Exposure Control
|ISO Sensitivity
Auto, 200 to 25600
Default: 200-1600
|1/4000 to 60 Seconds
|Remote Control
|RM-UC1 (Optional)
|Metering Method
Center-Weighted Average Metering, Multi-Zone Metering, Spot Metering
Multi-zone=Digital ESP
|Exposure Modes
Modes: Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority
Compensation: -3 EV to +3 EV (in 1/3 EV Steps)
Also: Bulb, Time, Scene select AE, Art Filter, Underwater wide/macro Exposure compensation: 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV steps
|Max Sync Speed
|1 / 250 Second
|Dedicated Flash System
|iTTL Groups: 4 Channels: 4
|External Flash Connection
|Hot Shoe
AV Output
DC Input
HDMI D (Micro)
Dedicated multi-connector accessory port 2
|1 x BLN-1 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
|AC Power Adapter
|AC-3 (Not Included)
|Dimensions (W x H x D)
|4.8 x 3.5 x 1.7" / 12.2 x 8.9 x 4.3 cm
|15.00 oz / .43 kg
|Packaging Infocttvczcccatxxrtzyfycduafwzvxtetyuf
|Package Weight
|2.35 lb
|Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
|9.8 x 5.7 x 4.1"


text:
Mar 28, 2011
March 28, 2011
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -
1st Round Team Results in PDF Format
1st Round Plyer Results in PDF Format
Jack Duneminier shot a 5-under par to lead Oregon to the first round lead at the OGIO-Santa Barbara Intercollegiate Golf Tournament at Sandpiper Golf Club in Santa Barbara on Monday. The Ducks lead the host, UCSB, by 14 shots (274-288) as the 16 teams continue play in the second round.
Duneminier was one of four Oregon golfers to shoot below-par in the first round. Daniel Miernicki was second at 4-under par while Robbie Ziegler was tied for third a 3-under par. Ziegler was joined by Long Beach State's Kevin Roy and Seattle University's Chris Holway.
UCSB was led by Andrew Gunson who shot a 2-under par 70.


text:
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- The Act of Union Black List 1800/1801
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Thursday, June 24, 2010
Treasure Chest Thursday: Old photos found
4 comments:
What a great FUN FUN FUN find! Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Great Photos! They brought a smile to my face. Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
What positively joyful photos! I hope you were able to spend time with your cousins again later.ReplyDelete
Your photos bring back such joyous memories of being a giggly teen-aged girl! Thank you for sharing, and I'm so sorry about your cousin, Angela.ReplyDelete
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Cheers, Jennifer


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Hinduja Group
Saudi firm to buy out partner's share in Petromin
Saudi Arabian family firm Dabbagh Group is in the advanced stages of buying out its Indian partner's stake in a lubricant venture in the kingdom, a deal prompted by strategy differences between the partners, three sources aware of the matterMore…
Indian auto major to open RAK assembly plant
India's Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland on Thursday will inaugurate a vehicle assembly plant in Ras al Khaimah Investment Authority (Rakia). The plant will be inaugurated by Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al KhaimahMore…
$1bn Petromin Saudi IPO planned
India's Hinduja Group plans to launch the initial public offering in Saudi Arabia, of its subsidiary Petromin, to raise $800 million to $1 billion this year, a group official said on Wednesday. Lubricants maker Petromin is an equal joiMore…


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"Surprise:" Nokia 808 PureView is not coming to the US
27 Comments
1. JBz007 (Posts: 63; Member since: 02 Mar 2012)
Nokia still makes phones?
22. -RVM- (Posts: 331; Member since: 19 Oct 2011)
and still the biggest phone maker in the world.
2. bragzter (Posts: 53; Member since: 21 Feb 2012)
Am not surprised at all, was kinda expecting that. That's what you get for not showing love for the OS that made smartphones. The UI was not as fancy as iOS and Android, but it did it's job, and was multitasking too. So it looks like importing will be the way to go, which will cost a whole lot more than if was available locally.
3. pedobear (Posts: 22; Member since: 24 Feb 2012)
saw the title and started to laugh at all the people that wanted this phone so desperately :p
4. tahnik (Posts: 199; Member since: 17 Jul 2011)
They should have exclude europe too....:D
The troll is between iOS and Android in US and Europe...No one cares about that symbian thingy....
5. the_s2 (Posts: 239; Member since: 22 Nov 2011)
Hehehehe!! iOS cult in US deserves it! :D
6. kshell1 (Posts: 1143; Member since: 05 Oct 2011)
i hate you now nokia
7. bbblader (Posts: 590; Member since: 24 Oct 2011)
well since EVERYONE took a cold showder on nokia nokia is now taking a cold showder on them
12. simplyj (Posts: 406; Member since: 23 Dec 2009)
the fxck is a showder?
15. bbblader (Posts: 590; Member since: 24 Oct 2011)
bitch please im from a country that speaks exactly the opposite of english
and im just 13
its a miracle i even know english in my country
here even if we take english classes noone but me and 1 other friend pay attention to it
i ment shoulder
and i just woke up what do you expect from me
19. abaza121 (Posts: 17; Member since: 02 Oct 2011)
wow..too many details
21. Mandroid (Posts: 209; Member since: 22 Feb 2012)
Halfway decent spelling and grammar?
8. ReturningToNokia (Posts: 130; Member since: 09 Jul 2011)
Not a surprise - No U.S. carrier in the U.S. wants Symbian, and haven't for several years! T-Mobile, I'd wager, didn't really want Symbian either, but threw Nokia a bone by carrying the Astound as it was relatively a budget device.
With that said, if anyone in the U.S. really wants this phone, they can just go through Amazon or NewEgg as they tend to carry unlocked Nokia devices.
9. phoneghoul (Posts: 12; Member since: 01 Mar 2012)
No surprise at all. Because we all know that it's a test bed device. Nokia wanted to prove what they are capable of in image technologies. The future is a similar or better image sensor on a WP8 device. Even if they release it in the US nobody is gonna buy it. But it's a good last hurrah for ardent Symbian fans all around the world.
13. -box- (Posts: 3991; Member since: 04 Jan 2012)
I'd buy it, and I know several others that would buy it as well here in the U.S. So that's not "nobody"
10. chapizzo (Posts: 116; Member since: 13 Sep 2011)
Nokia, you had better wake up, this is stabbing your loyal followers in the back. The next thing we'll know is that it will be available in a few select markets like uzbekistan, and even then at very high price.
I seriously believe Microsoft is forcing nokia's hand here so that this phone doesn't Compete with windows phones.
16. shimmyx20 (Posts: 280; Member since: 03 Mar 2009)
I think it's more that carriers don't want to carry a Symbian device. They'd rather devote their space and resources towards carrying another phone that would generate more sales. U.S. consumers for the most part are not interested in Symbian devices.
I'd be curious to try one though
18. DigitalJedi_X2 (banned) (Posts: 346; Member since: 30 Jan 2012)
You're half right. It's not Microsoft, it's Elop. He's essentially doing Microsoft's bidding and has been doing so since he got there. Nokia and Symbian is what killed Windows Mobile and Ballmer never let that one go. So once Microsoft's stool pigeon basically paid his way into the company the rest was history. Burning platform memo, sabotaged the N9 sales, fired any personnel that would oppose him and paid the board one billion of dollars of Microsoft's money and you basically have the death of the old Nokia and Symbian. There's more too, but we might be here all night. I kindly direct you all to Tomi Ahonen's brilliant Communities Dominate Brands site for the full run down. Really good stuff there.
11. alekso9 (Posts: 40; Member since: 30 Jan 2012)
Honestly...i really don't care.
14. -box- (Posts: 3991; Member since: 04 Jan 2012)
Competition leads to better phones. The N8 forced every other cell manufacturer to improve their smartphone cameras. Sure the N8 isn't as widely sold as a Galaxy S2 or an iphone, but it is/was still quite the metaphorical gauntlet thrown down. The 808 does the same thing, and while now supposedly it won't be available from a carrier in North America, we're not the biggest smartphone market, and it's still a well-publicized release that have both camera and smartphone enthusiasts (and buyers) talking.
Would the iphone4 and 4s have focused so much on the optics and including a flash unless people were aware they could have those things? Would the Galaxy S2 have sold as well with the same camera sensor as an Evergreen? We don't know, but each development by a major manufacturer leads to other manufacturers trying to outdo the others, be it camera, screen resolution, thinness, battery life, or pure aesthetics. That is a good thing
23. -RVM- (Posts: 331; Member since: 19 Oct 2011)
so why u post ?
17. DigitalJedi_X2 (banned) (Posts: 346; Member since: 30 Jan 2012)
Uh... Nokia already stated that they will no longer be bringing Symbian handsets to North America. They said this a while ago. This is t anything unexpected. And for anyone in the Us that wants it, it can easily be bought from a third party seller. As well as from Nokia's own site. Nothing new here folks!
20. thatdude1 (unregistered)
Whether 808 pureview is sold here or abroad, I will still be getting one. There are many channels in which to get one imported.
27. kanagadeepan (Posts: 1183; Member since: 24 Jan 2012)
Thanks to TROJAN-HORSE StephenElop....
28. thelegend6657 (unregistered)
Stupid move
30. aldenone (Posts: 1; Member since: 07 Mar 2012)
I certainly hope Amazon will carry the Nokia 808, the Nokia N8 was not released to any US carriers either but just by looking at the comparative number (not to mention a decent rating) of reviews on the Amazon site it is apparent that it gathered some momentum and interest. Other phones in the similar price range and release dates do not come close.
Nokia N8 - 603 reviews
BB Torch 9810 - 29. iPhone 4 - 69, Samsung Galaxy - 180
I certainly hope this will mean something both to Nokia and Amazon and we will see the Nokia 808 listed.


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Search This Blog
Sometimes I live in a world of my own, sometimes I dream in Fairytales. I am Desiree', most call me Dezz for short. I am a mom, wife. I have a healthy obsession with makeup, unicorns, glitter, mermaids, and skulls [skulls are lovely]! I am into paper crafting, multi-media, up-cycling, making pretty things! I think that the best color ever is baby-pink! SO there you have it, a little of this and that, a very short introduction to me! I hope you will hang around and maybe even be inspired?
Showing posts from August, 2017


text: With the GoPro app, your latest footage moves to your phone and automatically transforms into a QuikStory—an awesome video with effects and music. [1] You can also use the app to control your GoPro, check out your shots and create short clips. [2] Then share your favorite moments to Instagram, Facebook and more. [2] --- Key Features --- NEW! LIVE STREAMING + Send it live! With HERO7 Black you can stream to Facebook Live or compatible video platforms that support an RTMP URL. GET QUIKSTORIES Copy your latest footage to your phone, then kick back as it automatically transforms into an awesome video with effects, music and more. [1] VIEW YOUR PHOTOS + VIDEOS Check out the shots you've captured, right on your phone. CREATE CLIPS + GRAB PHOTOS Trim videos to create short clips. Or flip through a video frame by frame and grab a still photo for easy sharing. [2] SHARE THE SHOT ON THE SPOT Post your favorite photos and videos right to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Or share them by text or email. [2] ACCESS ANYWHERE WITH GOPRO PLUS GoPro Plus subscribers can set up auto upload to the cloud and access their photos and videos in the cloud anytime, anywhere. [3] PREVIEW SHOTS + CONTROL YOUR GOPRO Frame the perfect shot with live preview and get full remote control of all camera functions. Easily adjust settings, start and stop recording, and more. KEEP YOUR GOPRO UP TO DATE Easily update your camera for new features and optimal performance. [4] --- Camera Compatibility --- Fusion HERO7 HERO6 HERO5 HERO4 HERO Session HERO3+ HERO3 (requires camera software update, see gopro.com/update) HERO+ --- System Requirements --- iOS 11.0 or later; iPad 2 is not supported For full compatibility details, visit gopro.com/apps. --- Footnotes --- [1] Compatible with HERO5 cameras and later; not compatible with Fusion. Requires the GoPro and Quik mobile apps. [2] Compatible with videos captured in select modes only. [3] GoPro Plus is a subscription service available in select territories. Cancel anytime. Cloud access is subject to storage limits. Separate data fees may apply. Visit gopro.com/plus for info and availability. [4] Compatible with Fusion, HERO7, HERO6, HERO5, HERO4, HERO Session, HERO+ LCD and HERO+ cameras only. Need help? Contact support at gopro.com/contact.


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Shaping Your Business StrategyBy Faisal Hoque | Posted 2008-09-02 Print
Business technology enables business options through four strategic roles. Key strategic governance policies should drive business technology management investment, such as spending levels, your applications, security and data portfolio, and the metrics required for evaluating and justifying information technology investments.
Determining business technology's organizational role is a key strategic governance decision that sets the tone for business technology management activities, such as the level of investment, the nature of the applications portfolio, and the type of metrics for evaluating and justifying investments. Business technology has the ability to shape business strategy through the following four roles:
Automate: Transaction and work process automation enable the business goals of higher productivity, low cost and efficiency. Automation helps make it easy to do business with a company because employees, customers and business partners can access services with speed, convenience and some degree of personalization.
Examples include the deployment of customer and employee self-service functions, as well as online sales. An automation vision signals that a firm's business technology focus will be on seamless enterprise and interenterprise services, global process connectivity and the quest for ever more digitization. Key business value metrics will focus on productivity, cycle time and costs.
Empower: Fast, effective and accurate decision making across an enterprise and its partnership network is accomplished through investments in decision-support tools and technologies, intranets for dissemination of best practices, and extranets for rapid sharing of information with business partners. Empowerment helps make it easy to do business with a company by providing front-end workers with intelligence and decision support in their interactions with customers, business partners and other external stakeholders. Many of these interactions require problem or dispute resolution.
Examples of empowerment include decision-support scripts for call centers and customer service agents, as well as visibility tools in supply chain and logistics processes. An empowerment vision signals that the firm's business technology focus will be on decision support and knowledge management. Key business value metrics will focus on partner satisfaction, problem-resolution productivity and resolution costs.
Control: Efficient, real-time monitoring of business operations and business partners can be facilitated through practices such as daily close, operational alerts and dashboards with drill-down capabilities. This is accomplished through investments in monitoring tools and technologies and through the design of enterprise risk-management processes.
Control enables the business goals of enhancing transparency of business operations, rapid detection and resolution of management-control issues, and accurate reporting of the key metrics of business performance. The emphasis of the control vision is upon strong financial performance management systems. Key business value metrics include the completeness, accuracy, validity and integrity of the firm's transactions and decision-making processes; the accuracy, speed and economy of financial reporting; and the effectiveness of financial audits and fraud detection.
Transform: This role involves facilitating the innovation of new business models, new products and services, and new modes of organizing work. The focus here is not as much on the investment in specific business technologies as it is on the development of digital options, digitization of products and services, and experimentation with new business technology-enabled business ideas. Transformation enables the business goals of continuous innovation, agility and competitive disruption. Key business value metrics include the rate of product, process or business model innovation, along with the comprehensiveness and richness of a firm's innovation portfolio.
Faisal Hoque is chairman and CEO of BTM Corporation. BTM innovates business models and enhances financial performance by converging business and technology with its unique products and intellectual property. © 2008 Faisal Hoque
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The government is planning a draft bill introducing limited prisoner voting rights to comply with the European court of human rights, despite fierce opposition from Eurosceptic backbenchers.
But embarrassed government ministers are likely to defer the hugely controversial announcement until just before a late-November deadline, allowing it to be made after the police commissioner elections on 17 November.
One government source said: "No party wants to put this in their 'last week grid' for these elections. The final decision will be made very late."
The announcement is still causing friction, with one coalition source saying most of the dispute is now "a blue-on-blue row", within the Conservative party.
David Cameron has said it would make him sick to give prisoners the right to vote, but he allowed the then Cabinet Office minister Mark Harper to propose that prisoners serving a sentence of four years or less should be given the right.
Harder-line Tory backbenchers, such as Dominic Raab, have argued there is practically no danger of a fine by the European court should Britain not introduce votes for prisoners, and absolutely no chance of the UK being kicked out of the Council of Europe. But the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, has told ministers they have to accept the ruling of the European court in Strasbourg after repeated appeals have failed. Grieve has been an exponent of reform of the court, but not UK withdrawal, saying that would make Britain a pariah state.
Liberal Democrat ministers still support compliance with the court, but do not want to be seen any longer to be in the vanguard on an issue that is likely to make them deeply unpopular. Labour does not favour prisoner voting rights but does not want to be seen to be ignoring the court.
The political advantage of agreeing to publish a draft bill is that the government would not be seen to be in open defiance of the European court in that it would be taking steps with the court order to introduce legislation on prisoners' rights.
Yet, in practice, a draft bill might take years to reach the statute book, since it would require wide consultation and allow amendment by a joint committee of both houses. The two alternatives are to table a fresh Commons motion, or to publish a bill.
In a marathon legal battle going back to 2004, the court has repeatedly ruled that a general and automatic disenfranchisement of all serving prisoners was incompatible with European law.
The UK government was given six months from a judgment in Scoppola v Italy on 22 May 2012 to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the law.
But the court has also accepted that member states should have a wide discretion as to how they regulate a ban on prisoner voting, in terms of the kind of offence, length of prison sentence, and the discretion given to individual judges to determine a prisoner's right to vote.
The British government's already acute dilemma has been deepened by the Commons overwhelmingly passing a motion in February 2011 stating that it supports "the current situation in which no sentenced prisoner is able to vote except those imprisoned for contempt default or reprimand". The motion was passed by 234 to 22.
The debate was led by the prominent Tory backbencher David Davis and by the former Labour justice secretary Jack Straw. Davis argued: "If you break the law, you cannot make the law." Straw asserted: "The issue of prisoners voting rights was by no stretch of the imagination a breach of fundamental human rights but was a matter of penal policy which the minority of judges at Strasbourg said should be left to the UK parliament." He accused the Strasbourg court of trying to set itself up as "the supreme court of Europe".
Ministry of Justice sources denied they would comply with the ruling by publishing a draft bill, and stressed they were the lead department on the issue and opposed the right of prisoners to vote. They refused to discuss the state of internal negotiations, or whether a draft bill might be a means of deferring a decision. No 10 also deniedthere had been any decision to give prisoners voting rights.
• The headline of this article was amended to 24 October 2012 to make clear that the ruling on prisoner votes was from the European court of human rights rather than the European Union.


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Learning programmes at Kew
Botanical Horticulture There's a wide range of opportunities to gain horticultural qualifications or experience at Kew
Our learning programmes provide opportunities for people at all stages of education, from curriculum visits for school pupils to specialist training courses for professionals. Kew also offers a broad range of informal talks and courses for adult learners.
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Horticulture, plant science and conservation training courses
Bring your students to Kew Gardens or Wakehurst
Kew offers many learning opportunities for schools, students and teachers. Taught by experienced and enthusiastic Kew staff, the school visit programmes cover all stages of education and are aligned closely with the National Curriculum and work schemes.
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Kew offers a wide range of talks and courses, whether you have a passion for plants and photography, would like to observe kingfishers in their natural habitat, or learn the basic techniques of botanical illustration.
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This is lesson to begin learners' thinking about magnetic influence. Learners will watch a classroom demonstration about the effect of magnets on iron filings and then complete a journal assignment to record their reactions and thoughts. This is the... (View More) first activity in the Mapping Magnetic Influence educators guide. (View Less)
This is a summative activity about magnets. Learners will observe a demonstration of the action of a magnet on a test tube of iron filings, answer questions, and, using the concepts learned in previous activities, write an essay about their... (View More) understanding of the demonstration. This is the fourth activity in the Mapping Magnetic Influence educators guide. Learners should complete the other three activities in that guide (Seeing Magnetism, What Do You Know about Magnets, and Magnet Map) prior to beginning this activity. (View Less)


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The blogging syndrome
I think everyone who blogs will admit that blogging is addictive. I won't say anything sophisticated or deep here (because that's not really me) about blogging, on how it gives a voice to the voiceless, and how freedom of speech is so great that once you get it you can't let go. But I simply think it can be summed up in this quote that I read when I was 16 and don't remember who said it: "I write to know what I think".
Going into three months of blogging now, and surprisingly, I'm still enjoying it. Its taking more and more of my time everyday. You're supposed to blog in the free time you have, but I end up doing everything else in my life in my blogging left over time! The blogger in me is certainly evolving.
There are two people who know who I am in real life (met me in person). The first, is a good friend of mine that I told her of my blog the first day I started it because I was abit excited maybe, and I tend to do stupid things when I'm excited, so I told her. At the beginning we never mentioned the blog in our conversations, but now, she calls me, keeps on laughing, and then we end up talking about the blog. I realized that I don't like mixing my blogging life with my real life. (Yes, I know you're reading this). The interesting part is that in the rare times when she comments here, she does it anonymously, while she's like the only one who knows who I am! The other person who knows me in real life is a girl I met a while ago and went out with for a few times. She was a really fine girl, and I thought that this (us) might turn into something, so I pointed her to my blog. I thought that this is the best (and fastest) way for her to get to know me. Would save us alot of time trying to figure out who I really am, and how I think (would've sure liked it the other way around too). Well, we didn't go too far before she dumped me. I doubt it was because of this blog though, but I think it was abit too soon to reveal my blogging habit. I know she's not reading this anymore (actually I don't even know if she ever did), so I should be fine. This was my best line to her about blogging: "I'm having a problem with spending too much time blogging, so you should help me; by going out with me as much as you can in order to take me away from blogging"! How dull.
As few as they are, I don't really know how many read this blog, and how many like or dislike it (those visitor statistics don't really tell). I'd like to say that I don't care, but I can't help it. I shouldn't care however, because that's not really why I'm blogging, and if I think of who reads it, I might steer my writing for a certain "audience", and I don't want that. That's not why I'm blogging. And Mona, if you're still listening (I doubt it), I still believe that thinking of blogging as a mean to reform the Middle East is taking it too far. I don't think blogging is useless however. Which doesn't mean that most of what I write isn't silly, but its not necessarily useless. Just talking is good, and letting things out is good, and communicating is even better. And sometimes this is a really good mean of communication. Communicating with people you would've never had the chance to meet. Opens up your mind really and brings you new ideas. Its communicating about interesting topics too.
It does feel good however when someone praises what you do. Another journalist whom I like reading her stuff emailed me the other day praising my blog (that was before that sex post though). I thought that was cool coming from someone that I have high regard for.
Having your own blog is not that bad (especially if you don't have many readers), but surfing the blogosphere and commenting on others' is the real killer. I mean, I'd really rather read a good book, and blog about it, then read another blog and blog about it! The most interesting blogs to me are the ones with a personal touch, even if they're political or technical or whatever. This is how blogging creates that separate new life for me. I'm even starting to know those bloggers so well its scary. I haven't met any, and I don't think its a good idea to meet any. Not because of who they are, but because it would ruin my blogging experience. I like blogging in a Black Hole.
I like to control the blog comments I write though. Its too much if I go write a comment that's longer than the author's initial post. If I have that much to write, I'll come to my blog and write about it. That'll make me satisfied, and then I won't have the urge to keep on arguing. Those comment discussions can really become an overkill. Why do many people think they have an obligation to convince those who disagree with them?! I like to say my thing and leave. Usually I'm not clear enough, so I keep explaining my point, but the best thing about blogging is I don't have to convince anyone, and I don't care if everyone disagreed with me. I'm not trying to win anyone over, and I know this will not change the world. So that makes it more comfortable and fun.


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Enigma 137
SARATOGA SPRINGS, MAY 9, 2011--In the end, the splintered run-up to this year's Kentucky Derby turned out to be a perfect harbinger of future events. In the racing paper of record, 30 prep races were listed in its Derby section this winter and spring.
Of those 30 preps, only two managed to produce repeat winners. But Dialed In could beat only half the field while the other, Archarcharch, to his credit, beat four rivals despite a slipped saddle and condylar fracture that sadly ended a promising racing career.
There would have been a third had Daily Racing Form included Aqueduct's Whirlaway Stakes in its stakes prep lineup, however, subsequent Wood Memorial winner Toby's Corner never made it into the starting gate at Churchill Downs.
Indeed, only seven of the 20 starters on Saturday won two races of any kind in 2011, several of those, plus a few others, ran more than three times this season. Five colts went into the Derby having only two preps.
After watching the replay several times, it might not have mattered. Animal Kingdom was that much the best, aided by pluperfect handling from Johnny Velazquez, who might experience a second score should the Hall of Fame committee announce later this week that he will be among this year's inductees.
Animal Kingdom showed extreme class despite his inexperience, the Derby being only his fifth lifetime start. He has now won on Polytrack at two different venues, would have beaten 10 turf rivals if not for a poor start in his season's debut at Gulfstream and, of course, beat his 18 foes on Saturday with authority.
And this doesn't include the beaten favorite, Dialed In, who sped passed all but seven rivals and racing last of 19 for much of the way behind the slowest Derby fractions in two decades, finishing his last half-mile faster than the winner; :47.02 compared to 47.52.
Perhaps it was appropriate that a "turf-synthetic specialist" should win a Derby with a race shape more closely resembling a synthetic surface or turf course more than a conventional dirt track, with the first half-mile clocked in :48.63 and a final four furlongs in :48.64.
Either way, the fresh winner's turn of foot was electric, the kind of style that often wins a Preakness, Pimlico's mythical tight turns and all.
The first, third, fourth and eighth place finishers will run back in Baltimore where they will meet at least nine new shooters, possibly 10 if Bob Baffert elects to enter The Factor. Given the Derby pace scenario, that would seem prudent.
Bullet Bob could decide to race Midnight Interlude back also. This lightly raced colt finished 16th on Saturday while racing a little rank early but appeared to empty out when the real running began.
Steve Asmussen could start runnerup Nehro but that colt's had a lot of racing this spring and Asmussen has an excellent option in Astrology, whose style neatly fits the pace dynamic at Pimlico.
Other worthy newcomers expected to hop on the Triple Crown trail are the Arkansas Derby's third and fourth finishers; Dance City and Sway Away.
Time to move on to HRI's Post Derby-Pre Preakness Rankings:
1. Animal Kingdom - Proved 72 hours ago that he will be a force to be reckoned with the rest of this season. Graham Motion said he's excited to run in his home state in a fortnight and, as we know, Graham Motion never lies.
2. Toby's Corner - No idea where this guy will show up next having come out of the Wood a little worse for the wear. But show up he will, in more ways than one. Suddenly it's Graham Motion who's on top of the racing world.
3. Nehro - As honest as they come but he's done a lot of developing in a short period of time. Asmussen handled him masterfully during Derby week, backing off him for several days while the colt recharged his batteries.
4. Mucho Macho Man - As honest as they come, Part 2, this guy just keeps coming and coming. He could have been discouraged when Animal Kingdom ran by but instead dug in and just missed second.
5. Dialed In - His Derby was better than the eighth-place finish looked at first blush. And Nick Zito has 5-½ million reasons to have him benefit off the light Derby training schedule.
6. Archarcharch - This will likely be the last week his name will appear here given that he's been retired. But he deserves recognition for two stakes triumphs including the always tough Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
7. Shackleford - Just because he was helped by the unusually soft Derby pace doesn't mean he hasn't earned recognition. He's run well twice in a row, including a game second to the subsequent Kentucky Derby favorite at Gulfstream.
8. Uncle Mo - He'll be back, apparently, but the question is when. Will be receiving hyperbaric chamber treatment at Winstar Farm in the hopes of resurrecting his juvenile championship form.
9. Midnight Interlude - His inexperience showed in Louisville but his Santa Anita Derby has earned him recognition and respect among his peers. Came a long way in a short time and could be an excellent second-season prospect. I see a Haskell in his future.
10. Brilliant Speed - I see the Secretariat Stakes in his future, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Belongs here thanks to his Blue Grass. Finished well too late with a very wide rally on Saturday, beaten less than 6 lengths for it all.
Written by John Pricci - Comments (16)


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Electric line and tree crews are dedicated to restoring power to the approximately 28,500 customers that lost power throughout Western New York
National Grid crews have been working through the night responding to downed wire calls, assessing damage and restoring service after strong thunder and lightning storms and damaging high winds moved through upstate New York Friday evening.
At its peak, about 75,000 customers in upstate New York lost power due to the storm. About 28,500 customers were in the Western New York region, primarily in Erie and Niagara counties.
In Western New York, there are currently approximately 16,000 customers without power. While National Grid expect to continue restoring customers through the day today, many customers in the hardest hit areas will have power restored by later Sunday, barring additional storms that may move through the region today and tonight.
Crews are replacing broken poles and repairing down wires throughout the storm-affected regions.
"This was a fast moving, but very severe storm that came with extremely high winds and caused extensive damage to our electric system," said Ken Daly, National Grid president, New York state. "We remain in close contact with local emergency response teams and local officials as we move from damage assessment to restoration efforts today."
Hundreds of electric and line and tree crews are dedicated to the restoration efforts across upstate New York.
In Lewiston, Department of Public Works crews were busy hauling large piles of brush from North Fourth and Oneida streets and throughout the village.
Stay Safe After the Storm
National Grid offers the following tips for customers to minimize inconvenience and maximize safety as restoration efforts continue.
Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222.
People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the company's customer service center at 1-800-642-4272.
It's a good idea to have a number of working flashlights, at least one battery-operated radio, and an extra supply of batteries in your home. A radio is a good way to stay in touch, as National Grid provides news media with timely information regarding service restoration efforts.
If you plan to use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to only operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, be sure to disconnect from National Grid's system by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize crew safety.
National Grid provides several ways for customers to learn about and report power outages during storms. To receive free text message alerts and updates, text the word STORM to NGRID (64743). Email alerts are available to customers who create an online profile on the company's website. All alert services can be started and stopped at the customer's request.
Customers can see real-time outage information and report an outage at www.nationalgridus.com in the "Outage Central" section of the company Web pages. Customers also can access "Outage Central" by entering the Web address on their mobile device.
National Grid also provides storm and restoration updates through Facebook and Twitter.


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Cocktails and cuisine have always mingled. But lately these pairings have become much more popular in restaurants and the broader culinary community. Playing matchmaker can be a fun way to liven up your menu at your next dinner party or get-together, plus it's a good idea to serve food whenever you serve alcohol. And while there's nothing like for experimentation, the guidelines below are a good start.
Match the mixer
The prevailing flavor in most cocktails comes from the mixers, not the spirits. Keep this in mind when you're pairing. Make sure the mixers in the cocktail pair well with key ingredients in the food. For instance, the lemon essence in a margarita goes well with fresh seafood, like raw oysters.
High-alcohol cocktails
Drinks like Martinis, Margaritas and Cosmopolitans are best paired with foods that can soften the taste of alcohol. These foods include smoked fish or fried foods. Cheeses also soften the alcohol in spirits like cognac or scotch.
Start with dessert
If you're a rookie on the pairing playfield, you may want to start by serving cocktails with dessert. Coffee-based cocktails like Mexican Coffee and Bushmills Irish Coffee go particularly well with desserts-the acidic flavor in the coffee complements the sweet taste of sugar in desserts.
Complicated recipe, easy cocktail
If you're making a dish with complicated flavors, serve a cocktail that's simple and distinct. For example an herb-crusted rack of lamb, with its multiple seasonings and flavors, deserves a straightforward cocktail like a Manhattan.
Think of Cocktails as condiments
Try not to think of beverages as complements to a meal, but as condiments like salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. As with wine, consider the contrasting or similar components of both food and cocktail. The soft flavor of fish, for instance, can be enhanced by the zest in a citrus cocktail-like a Beachcomber or Sangria. Cocktails can also curtail flavors in foods. If you're dish turned out too spicy, you can temper it with a sweet cocktail.
The consistency of a cocktail also plays into your pairing decisions. Thicker cocktails made with liqueurs generally don't go well with red meat or rich sauces. Frozen cocktails can overwhelm the palate, while carbonated cocktails pair well with full-flavored foods.
TIP: Looking for inspiration? Think about typical, everyday food pairings like cookies and milk.


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A dark navy jelly with orange, hot pink, and aqua glitters in varying shapes and sizes. Don't you love this combination?
I layered it over Borghese: Mezzanotte Blue, a dark navy jelly but you can wear it on its own to opacity. The glitter came out evenly and gorgeously :)
One can find Pahlish at her Facebook here, her Etsy here and also on Llarowe :)
Like this? Click below to let us know!


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The traditional charm of this twin over full bunk bed makes it the perfect addition to a child's room. It provides the perfect place for a slumber party and maximizes bedroom space for siblings who share a room. Utilize the space even more with the optional Brighton Under Bed Storage Unit or a Brighton Trundle Unit. An innovative clock shelf makes a special place for child on the top bunk to put an alarm clock, drink or glasses. Crafted using hardwood solids and veneers, it features a rich saddle brown finish.
Would you like us to help you find a similar item? Talk with our Design Consultants toll-free at1-800-927-5164.
*Shipping transit time varies based on destination. Free shipping offers are limited to the 48 contiguous states of the USA.
International Customers (including Alaska and Hawaii) please contact a Customer Service Representative if you have any questions about placing an order with PoshTots.
Some assembly required. Assembly service available upon request.
This item is custom made especially for you upon order.Click here for our policy on custom made items.
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The Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary consists of two distinct areas (download a map here or watch a video here);
- marshy lowlands surrounding Swan Lake
- rocky, oak-forested highlands of Christmas Hill
Swan Lake
The marsh around Swan Lake provides good habitat for many birds and small animals, including muskrat, river otter and mink. They make their homes in the rock walls, marsh grasses and cattails beside the lake. Swan Lake's water comes from a large watershed to the north and the east, which includes Blenkinsop Lake. The water drains west from the lake into the Colquitz River and drains into the Pacific Ocean at Portage Inlet.
Christmas Hill
The highland environment of Christmas Hill is in marked contrast to the lowlands of Swan Lake. The glacially moulded rock faces, the vernal (seasonal) pond and the majestic view from the hilltop are of special interest to visitors. The meadows surrounding Christmas Hill bloom with a sea of wildflowers in the spring. The Swan Lake and Christmas Hill sections are connected by a trail corridor. A 2.5-kilometre loop trail, that includes two wharves and a floating walkway, provide access to the lake area.
Swan Lake History
The lake was formed 12,000 years ago when the last glacier receded. Swan Lake was rescued from oblivion just a few decades ago. During most of its recent history it was a dumping ground for raw sewage, dairy farms and a winery. Cleanup began in the 1970's and today the lake is a rich habitat for a variety of wildlife.
The Nature Sanctuary Society
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is a nature education centre. It is a registered charitable organization run by the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Society (Charity # 11920 7157 RR0001). The lands and facilities are owned by the Corporation of the District of Saanich, and the Nature Sanctuary Society operates through a land management agreement with Saanich since June, 1975.


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2012-05-24 / Obituaries
Charles Berger, longtime Amityville resident, parishioner of First United Methodist Church
Charles William Berger, whose family lived in Amityville for 100 years, died March 18, 2012. He was 99 years old. Mr. Berger was born June 4, 1912 in Newark, New Jersey to Charles W. and Mabel (Molitor) Berger. He attended public schools in New York City. He built his home on Pine Street, Amityville, now East Massapequa, in 1940 and lived there ever since.
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Catalyst believes that men have a critical role to play in diversity and inclusion efforts, especially initiatives to eliminate gender bias. Yet too often men are an untapped resource in such gender initiatives.
Please join us for a breakfast and panel discussion exploring ways to engage men as advocates for women's advancement. The panel will include Dwaine Kimmet, Treasurer and VP, Financial Services, The Home Depot, Stan Deans, President of U.S. Domestic Operations, UPS, Christine St. Clare, Retired KPMG Partner, Corporate Board Member of Polymer Group, Inc. and Fibrocell Science, and Tom McNeil, Atlanta Office Managing Partner, Bryan Cave, and will be moderated by Erin Wolf, Founding Director, Women's Leadership Center at Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University. This event is targeted to both men and women line management.
A continental breakfast will be served at 8:00 a.m. The program will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Please RSVP by April 15, 2014 to Anthony Mitchell at [email protected].
Directions for parking and entrance instructions will be sent before the event. Please bring photo ID.


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BASKETBALL: 'Skins fall in OT
Wapakoneta's numerous chances to seal the game against Minster went awry, allowing the patient Wildcats to hang around and eventually surpass the Redskins 54-49 in overtime on Saturday night.
Minster scored the final seven points of the game to get back to .500 on the season.
"It's a little bit of perseverance," Minster head coach Mike Lee said. "They didn't panic and they executed when they needed to execute...It's a testament to gutting it out for as long as we did."
Minster junior guard Adam Niemeyer hit what proved to be the game-winning three-pointer from just right of the top of the key with 58 seconds left in overtime to give Minster a one-point lead.
Two missed free throws, two missed shots and a turnover later Wapakoneta (4-10) exited the court with another close loss in a season of near-misses and disappointments at home. The Redskins fell to 1-6 on their home floor.
"We had a ton of chances," Wapakoneta head coach Matt Bradley said. "I'm proud of our effort. I was proud of our effort to get to the free throw line because we only got there two times (on Friday) night. But give credit to Minster for taking advantage of their opportunities."
The lead changed hands seven times in an exciting fourth quarter that ended tied at 47-47.
Wapakoneta's best chance to end things in its favor came in the closing seconds of regulation. Redskin guard Andy Faller drove into the lane and had his running seven-footer miss only to have Kaleb Vondenheuvel and Jake Buzzard to miss putbacks from point-blank range as the buzzer sounded to end regulation.
"We dodged a proverbial bullet at the end of regulation," Minster head coach Mike Lee said. "Not only did they have one clean look, they had two extra offensive rebound stickbacks that didn't go in."
It was hard to pinpoint the moment Wapapkoneta seemed most assured of a win.
There were the nine free throw attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime period, the three point-blank shots in the game's final three seconds.
The Redskins struggled at the free throw line (13-of-25 on the night and two missed while down one point with a minute left in overtime) and those missed trio of close game-winning shots at the end of regulation.
"It was a just a bunch of little things that we have got to get cleaned up," Bradley said.
Niemeyer scored 24 points for Minster (7-7), the most important coming from his big shot in the overtime that capped a night that included a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the three-point line. Niemeyer reached double-digits for the fourth straight game and has emerged as the Wildcats' best scoring threat.
"He's seeing the floor much better," Lee said. "Not that he wasn't seeing it well before, but in key situations, he's doing a great job."
Wapakoneta's Travis Bertram paced the Redskins with 16 points. Jake Buzzard had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Alex Greve scored 12 points and was the exception to Wapkakoneta's poor showing at the charity stripe by sinking 7-of-9 free tosses.
If the Wildcats didn't burn up the nets with just 37 percent shooting from the floor, they also didn't hand Wapakoneta anything. The Wildcats turned the ball over just three times in 36 minutes of play and swung the ball around on the perimeter patiently until something opened up.
Wapakoneta committed 16 turnovers in what was largely a half-court battle after a fast-paced first period.
Wapakoneta jumped out early, beating Minster back down the court time after time to build an 18-15 lead after one period, with 7-for-13 shooting leading to an unexpected Redskin burst following a night they scored only 31 points against Ottawa-Glandorf.
Neither coach was comfortable with that up-and-down pace. Both got their way as things slowed considerably for the next four quarters of play.
Minster stopped the bleeding by briefly going zone before Lee challenged his team to simply play better man-to-man defense in the second half.
"We resorted to going to a zone defense. We don't do that typically. When they still got clean looks in the zone, we just challenged the kids at halftime that we've been a man-based team and we needed to get after it defensively. I think we played with a little bit more energy and heart in the second half."
Wapakoneta played solid defense all night long, Bradley said.
"Our goal is to keep the opponent in the 40s and we did that in regulation," Bradley said.
The Redskins opened up an eight-point lead late in the second quarter at 29-21 when Adam Henderson drained a three-pointer with two and a half minutes left in the first half. The Redskins led 31-25 at the half.
Wapakoneta held the lead for all of the third quarter and led 39-37 heading into the fourth.
Minster grabbed its first lead since the first quarter when Minster sophomore Ethan Wolf feathered in a short jumper from the left wing early in the fourth to put Minster up 40-39.


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Aging Division employee and Police Officer are honored
Mayor Don Wesely today presented Mayor's Awards of Excellence to Chester "Chet" McPherson with the Lincoln Area Agency on Aging and Police Officer Patrick Howell. The monthly award recognizes city employees who consistently provide exemplary service and work that demonstrates personal commitment to the city. McPherson won for the month of January and Howell for the month of February. The awards were presented at the beginning of today's City Council meeting.
McPherson has been with the Aging Division since August 1986. He was nominated in the field of productivity by his supervisor and the entire staff of the Lincoln Information for the Elderly (LIFE) Program. McPherson is a licensed insurance agent, and his co-workers say he uses his previous private sector experience to provide advice on Medicare and insurance to older adults.
"Chet is not selling anything to them so they feel they can trust the information he provides," the nomination letter reads. "This information is so often the result of Chet's personal research frequently completed on his own personal time. Chet always puts the client first." Because those he has helped often refer others to him, McPherson has helped many older adults learn about the LIFE Program and its other services.
Police Officer Howell is with the Southeast Team and was nominated for the award in the area of productivity by his supervisor, Sergeant Mike Bassett. Bassett wrote of the extra efforts the Police Department makes in December to keep drunk and drugged drivers off the roads.
"Officer Howell made 18 DWI arrests for the month and completed his normal duties, which included approximately 80 calls for service and their follow-up," Bassett wrote. "Officer Howell is a tireless worker who is an example to all his fellow officers as one who rises to the demands of his profession and gives the extra service to the community."
The other categories in which employees can be nominated are safety, loss prevention and valor. All city employees are eligible for the Mayor's Award of Excellence except for elected officials and some managers. Individuals or teams can be nominated by supervisors, peers, subordinates and the general public.
Nomination forms are available from department heads, employee bulletin boards or the Personnel Department , which oversees the awards program. All nominations are reviewed by the Mayor's Award of Excellence Committee, which includes a representative with each union and a non-union representative appointed by the Mayor.
Award winners receive a $100 U.S. savings bond, a day off with pay and a plaque. Monthly winners are eligible to receive the annual award, which comes with a $500 U.S. savings bond, two days off with pay and a plaque.


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Nothing smells of an English summer like strawberries. I'm very lucky to live in Essex, which grows some of the tastiest, sweetest, prettiest strawberries in England…not that I'm biased!
I have wanted to make crème patisserie for ages and thought it would be the perfect accompaniment to the strawberries in this classic, unfussy tart.
My earliest memory of crème patisserie has to be the Marks & Spencer choux bun. Like everything (except my waistline) they were definitely bigger in the past, and the creamy light custard filling tasted like heaven! It was the sort of treat that you almost ate too quickly in your desire to consume it, and then regretted that you hadn't savoured it more. Of course, the CCM (Caked Crusader's Ma) usually made sure there was more than one cake to be enjoyed…(see earlier comment about waistline!)
This tart relies on great ingredients and should probably only be made in the summer when the strawberries are local, and packed with flavour. The simple shiny glaze gives a professional looking finish.
The buttery pastry is crisp and crumbly and provides a lovely textural contrast to the thick, creamy crème patisserie.
Cut a very large slice, sit back and enjoy!
For the pastry:
250g plain flour
125g unsalted butter, straight from the fridge and cubed
50g caster sugar
2 eggs
For the crème patisserie:
4 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
25g plain flour
1 vanilla pod, cut in half lengthways and the seeds scooped out
350ml milk
optional: 4 tablespoons double cream (whisked in just before assembling tart)
For the strawberries:
2 large punnets (about 400g each) strawberries
3 tablespoons caster sugar
3 tablespoons water
Start by making the pastry. Place the flour, butter and sugar into a food processor and blitz until you have breadcrumbs. (You can do this by hand with the old rubbing the butter into the flour method)
Add the eggs and blitz again.
Tip out onto a sheet of clingfilm and, with a little extra flour if necessary, bring the mixture into a dough.
Wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/fan oven 130°C/300°F/Gas mark 2.
Roll out the pastry between two sheets of clingfilm until it is large enough to line a 25cm loose bottomed flan tin. There is no need to grease the tin as the pastry is so buttery. I found the pastry behaved really well and there was no tearing thus no patching needed. Leave any surplus pastry hanging over the edge.
Line the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and fill with baking beans and bake blind in the oven for 45 minutes. This sounds a long time but the temperature is very low so the pastry won't burn.
Remove the paper and beans and, if the pastry looks wet, return to the oven for a further 5 minutes to dry it out.
When cool enough to touch, trim away the excess pastry.
Leave to cool and then store in an airtight container (the tart should only be built on the day of serving).
Now make the crème patisserie – this can also be made a day in advance and refrigerated until required.
Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until light and thick – don't skimp on this stage, it will take several minutes.
Whisk in the flour.
Place the vanilla pod and milk into a saucepan and bring it to the boil slowly; take it off the heat as soon as it boils and remove the vanilla pod.
Pour the milk onto the egg and sugar mix and whisk all the time.
Return the mixture to the sauce pan and stir over a low heat until it comes back to the boil.
Stir all the time; you will feel the mixture start to thicken as it approaches boiling point. This won't be a subtle thing – you will have no doubt that your liquid has firmed up!
If you find the crème patisserie becomes lumpy whisk it quickly, off the heat. Don't panic though – you can always pass the mixture through a sieve. Some people are funny about this and think it's a sign of failure - I always do this, just to be on the safe side, whether there are lumps or not – why be proud and risk it?
When the crème patisserie has thickened, remove the pan from the heat and press clingfilm onto the surface to stop a skin forming.
When it is cool, transfer it to a bowl and cover with clingfilm; refrigerate until you build the tart.
Add the cream to lighten your crème patisserie when you build the tart. Take the crème patisserie from the fridge and whisk in a large bowl – it will have set so whisking loosens it up.
Add cream, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the light consistency you require – mine took 4 tablespoons. (if you don't mind a thicker crème patisserie omit the cream, but still whisk it to lighten the texture).
Now prepare the strawberries: wash them and hull them (this means remove the green leaves and the little white core you get in the middle).
When the strawberries have dried, you are ready to start building the tart: fill the pastry case with the crème patisserie and arrange the strawberries on top.
Now make the glaze for the strawberries: place the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring them to the boil, stirring occasionally to ensure that the sugar dissolves.
Brush the glaze over the strawberries and leave to cool.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.


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Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sun Moon Lake and more...
After an hour long Spa treatment at the Lalu, I was entirely prepared and perfectly relaxed for my two hour presentation to a sharp, smart and incredibly good looking group of corporate honchos - mainly from the Asia Pacific region of a gigantic international brand. I think my presentation was well received, given the lively questions that the team bombarded me with right after. Then, it was time for a farewell banquet on the rooftop of the Fleur de Chine Hotel. The Sky Bar looked romantic and beautiful, with lilting music being played by a Chinese orchestra. As perfectly chilled Moet & Chandon was served in elegant flutes, and several toats raised, I thought of how fortunate I was to be in such a setting with such inspiring people.
Happy Mother's Day, Blogdosts....
4 comments:
- The Y said...
hmm...I must be a masochist...for everytime i come here i indulge in one of the seven deadly sins...envy...n i still love to come here :)
quite a life you live...
- May 13, 2012 at 6:17 PM
- Vijay said...
Thanks for your support over the Cool Blogs
And it's a diversion to a personalized official blog
- May 13, 2012 at 6:23 PM
- Pooja Rathore said...
Love your posts- I really like your posts about the places you travel , your experience -its fun,interesting and informative.
Happy mothers day-to the dearest" Ma de"-I really admire you-woman with bags of self esteem-I have your pic on my vision board .I respect and look up to you . very happy to be connected to you...lot of love to you.
Read your column on Vicky donor,well written...i never miss your column and you can count on me as your fan and blog friend!
- May 13, 2012 at 9:22 PM
- shalmali said...
Love your articles,Shobha De...you being an ex-model,hope you don't mind me asking how tall are you?? Cheers-Shalmali
- May 14, 2012 at 6:47 AM


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On June 20th, the e-book world changed: One innovation cut through the fog of the discussions on copyright, digital rights management (DRM), and various other real and perceived problems of digital books. It did not take a revolution, angry protests, lobbying of politicians, or changes in copyright law. All it took was a simple idea, and the talent and determination to implement it.
Gluejar is a company that pays authors for the digital rights to their books. When it acquires those rights, Gluejar produces the e-book and makes it available under a suitable open-access license. Gluejar calls this process the ungluing of the book.
Handing out money, while satisfying, is not much of a business model. So, Gluejar provides a platform for the necessary fundraising. When proposing to unglue a book, an author sets a price level for the digital rights, and the public is invited to donate as little or as much as they see fit. If the price level is met, the pledged funds are collected from the sponsors, and the book is unglued.
Why would the public contribute? First and foremost, this is small-scale philanthropy: the sponsors pay an author to provide a public benefit. The ever increasing term of copyright, now 70 years beyond the death of the author, has long been a sore point for many of us. Here is a perfectly valid free-market mechanism to release important works from its copyright shackles, while still compensating authors fairly. Book readers that devote a portion of their book-buying budget to ungluing build a lasting free public electronic library that can be enjoyed by everyone.
The first ungluing campaign, "Oral Literature In Africa" by Ruth H. Finnegan (Oxford University Press, 1970), raised the requisite $7,500 by its June 20th deadline. Among the 271 donors, there were many librarians. Interestingly, two libraries contributed as institutions: the University of Alberta Library and the University of Windsor Leddy Library. The number of participating institutions is small, but any early institutional recognition is an encouraging leading indicator.
I hope these pioneers will now form a friendly network of lobbyists for the idea that all libraries contribute a portion of their book budget to ungluing books. I propose a modest target: within one year, every library should set aside 1% of its book budget for ungluing. This is large enough to create a significant (distributed) fund, yet small enough not to have a negative impact on operations, even in these tough times. Encourage your library to try it out now by contributing to any of four open campaigns. Once they see it in action and participate, they'll be hooked.
Special recognition should go to Eric Hellman, the founder of Gluejar. I have known Eric many years and worked with him when we were both on the NISO Committee that produced the OpenURL standard. Eric has always been an innovator. With Gluejar, he is changing the world... one book at a time.


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As the L.A. area's beer scene continues to grow, the Glendale Tap makes a compelling argument that Glendale could be its ground zero. After all, the Glendale Tap is just a short drive to two of that city's most respected breweries.
Glendale Tap is a reversal of trends. The city has had no shortage of craft beer spots opening up, with many of them falling into the fancy-pants gastro-pub category complete with a burger that comes equipped with Gruyère cheese. At Glendale Tap, there are peanut shells on the floor, and you can get a pretzel heated up. Though only about 6 months old, Glendale Tap feels lived in. "We wanted to re-create a bar that maybe your dad or granddad went to. We want it to have an old look," said co-owner Glyn Samuel.
The bar, on San Fernando Road just north of Los Feliz Boulevard in Glendale, is located between Golden Road Brewing and Eagle Rock Brewery. There was no sign until just a few days ago, but that wasn't part of a plot to stay hidden. Co-owner Steve Skorupa wanted Glendale Tap to recall the neighborhood taverns he grew up with in Chicago, where a sign advertising Old Style on tap was often larger than the name of the bar. "Those were taverns," said Skorupa. "You didn't have to put the name up. You just put the Old Style sign up and the neighborhood knew what it was. It was the pub, it was the local."