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Bronze-Caster & Lighting Manufacturer
(19th century)
Pair of Lamps
Signed twice Gagneau on the bronze light fittings
Circa 1880
Without Lampshade: Height: 57cm (22,4 in.) ; Diam.: 20cm (7,9 in.)
With Lampshade: Height: 62cm (24,4 in.) ; Diam.: 42cm (16,5 in.)
A fine pair of Chinese cloisonné enamel lamps with polychrome foliate patterns, mounted in gilded and patinated bronze mounts. The neck is enriched with openwork mounts, and Greek frieze, and Chinese inspired patterns. The whole rests on a base with four elephant's heads and fitted for electricity.
Gagneau, a famous lighting manufacture, was established in Paris since 1800, and become reknown because of its improvement to the Carcel oil lamp. The innovation was shown for the first time at the National Industry Products Exhibition in Paris in 1819, and was patented the same year. In the 19th century, the firm moved from the 25, rue d'Enghien to the 115, rue Lafayette and specialized in all lighting material: lamps, chandeliers, wall-lights…, whose quality was famous : Gagneau received Premier Medals at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London in 1851, and at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1855. Celebrated bronzer and lighting manufacturer, Gagneau was member of the jury for the Artistic Bronzes Class at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889. The firm provided all lighting for the new French Embassy in Vienna in 1908.


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Grassley, Issa Press for Answers about Another Crime Gun Connected to Fast and Furious
WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley and Congressman Darrell Issa are again pushing the U.S. Department of Justice to be forthcoming about yet another gun found at the scene of a shooting in Arizona and connected to the ill-advised gunwalking strategy known as Operation Fast and Furious.
The shooting occurred at a Phoenix apartment complex and left two individuals wounded. Grassley and Issa learned of the gun from documents obtained through a request under Arizona's open records law by Judicial Watch. According to the non-profit's website, the organization "promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government." Grassley and Issa were able to confirm through documents obtained during their investigation that the weapon found at the scene was purchased by Sean Christopher Steward, who has since been convicted for his role in Operation Fast and Furious and is serving 9 years in prison.
Steward purchased the firearm while under surveillance by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF agents watched Steward purchase the firearms, place them in another person's vehicle, and transfer them to a suspected stash house. Despite the continued surveillance, the ATF did nothing to stop the guns from being moved. The gun was one of approximately 200 firearms that Steward purchased in December 2009 with full knowledge of the ATF.
In a letter to Deputy Attorney General James Cole, Grassley and Issa ask for additional information about this particular gun and other firearms associated with crimes that were allowed to be trafficked by the ATF during Operation Fast and Furious. Grassley and Issa have previously asked for similar information, and make clear that the continued lack of transparency by the Obama administration regarding Operation Fast and Furious creates mistrust from Congress and the American people.
"The refusal to respond to our standing requests for this information effectively hides the connection between crimes like this and Operation Fast and Furious. Unless the information becomes available some other way, the public would never know. This lack of transparency about the consequences of Fast and Furious undermines public confidence in law enforcement and gives the impression that the Department is still seeking to suppress information and limit its exposure to public scrutiny," Grassley and Issa wrote.
Grassley and Issa led a congressional investigation into the actions of the Justice Department and the ATF that allowed gunwalking, guns purchased by known straw buyers who then often transferred the firearms to Mexican drug cartels. Operation Fast and Furious contributed to the death of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, who died in December 2010 when a firearm from the operation was found at the murder scene. The House of Representatives has subpoenaed documents withheld by the Justice Department which were subsequently claimed by the White House to be under executive privilege. Most recently, a federal judge has ordered the Obama administration to produce a privilege log to explain why the documents are being withheld from Congress.

subset: commoncrawl


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Superannuation Rollover
If you are unhappy with your current super fund (e.g. limited investment choice), have changed jobs or have multiple funds, then you can consider rolling over your superannuation into an actively managed superannuation provider that has features that can be tailored to more closely align with your goals and objectives.
Consolidating your funds and having all future contributions paid into the one fund also makes it easier to keep track of your superannuation benefits, ease of administration and gives you more control over your funds allowing you to have a more focused total investment strategy. Amalgamating your superannuation may also mean that you reduce having to pay multiple member, administration and investment fees. Your superannuation benefits should be invested in accordance with your risk profile to achieve your financial goals whilst taking into consideration any insurance you hold within your existing funds.
Munis Somer Accumulator
"I became a client at FFA back in 2012 after the passing of my dear father. My parents had for many years entrusted in them to look after their financial affairs which were very complex, such as retirement planning, super and investment advice. Since our first meeting I have been very happy with the services and advice they have provided me and my dear mother's complex portfolio. They have greatly helped me in many areas of estate planning,
aged care, super, pension and redundancy.
After 3 years utilising their services I am more than delighted with the professional, high standard services I am receiving to this day as its very refreshing to work with a financial adviser who is truly interested in their clients needs and circumstances. The staff at FFA are always contactable, helpful and courteous and I am highly impressed with the depth of knowledge they offer.
Their ethical and caring nature is why I would highly recommend them to future clients."


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1920's Windsor specs/saddle bridge
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Please visit my secure Flickr album dedicated to these specs. 16 unedited full sized photos.
The Windsor style was first introduced in 1880 and remained popular until after WWI. Windsors came in silver, roman steel, gold filled, gold, and nickle. Often the lens rims and temples were covered with celluloid in black, burgundy, tortoise and blonde. This pair reflects an auburn hue in direct light, and a dark brownish auburn in low light.
The celluloid covers are in excellent condition having maintained their luster for about 100 years.
1920's round 10K gold filled spectacles with auburn celluloid rims. Pre-owned.
As offered with their original magnifying prescription glass lenses of about +2.00-+2.50 strength. I typically wear +3.00-3.50 for close up viewing, I found these perfect for clearing up my distance, but not strong enough to read my cell.
The surface of the gold metal is in excellent condition and they haven't lost their shine.
Though I could have polished the outer temples with a light cloth but didn't want to risk the possibility of the color changing even though gold filled is not like plated...
plates wear off with use. Gold filled takes a lot longer to fade, but does eventually wear.
These are in fantastic condition. Ready for your own Rx.
They're about 100 years old.
Saddle bridge marked 10k GF
Will accommodate most average prescriptions and bifocal scripts as well.
The lenses are flat lightweight glass, practically scratch free.
I found this pair extremely comfortable to wear, the frame isn't pressing against my eyelashes as some coiled temples tend to do if they're not long enough.
You won't be disappointed. 1 pair available.
Frame width: 4 3/4" (120mm)
Frame height: 1 11/16" (43mm)
Frame material: 10k gold filled & celluloid rims
Lens width: 1 1/2" (40mm)
Lens height: 1 1/2" (40mm)
Hinge to hinge width: 4 3/4" (120mm)widening to 6" behind the ears conservatively without causing a significant curving of the frame front at the bridge.
Bridge (Distance Between Lenses): 28mm. Widest width between saddle bridge itself 18mm.
Temple length: 6" (150mm)
Spring hinge: easy hinge opening wider than conventional 45 degree angle as to fit most head widths.
Pupil to pupil distance: 2 5/8" (65mm)
Lenses: current prescription approximately +2.00-2.50 magnification
Head size: Narrow to average
Optical quality: Absolutely
Protective case and lens cleaning cloth included
: If you don't have vision insurance, check out this online lab called ReplaceALens.com. We recommend them to all our eyewear buyers. Their prices are 2/3rds less than your local neighborhood optical shops. Visit their website. They never turn down any of our optical frames. Our frames are guaranteed with a free replacement or refund in case the lab damages them while they install your lenses. No other optician would give you such a promise. Only we do. Tell them Desi sentcha from Retro Focus Eyewear.
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Learning to type is one of those things that tends to slip my mind. Of course, I know how to type, but teaching the kids . . . well, that's something that they have to learn on their own. Thankfully, we received a one-year UltraKey Online Family Subscription from Bytes of Learning. UltraKey Online is a self-paced keyboarding program that allows the kids to learn keyboarding skills at their own pace.
The Setup
Getting things set up took a bit of time. Once in Family Management, I was able to customize the experience for each child.
As you can see, there are a plethora of customization choices:
- background photo
- keyboard – dark? light? colored? show the letters?
- hands – show hands? should they be transparent? what about skin color?
- should the instructions be spoken?
- should the student follow a certain flow of learning or can they skip around?
- should there be a little practice or a lot?
- would you like your student to able to backspace?
All of the options allow for your student to have a truly customized experience, which you, as the teacher decide upon. I appreciate the ability to lock certain features. This cuts down on the kids just messing around and wasting time instead of doing what they're on the computer to do.
I initially set up accounts for Max (6), Caroline (5), and myself. Max had zero interest in learning to type right now and I didn't press the issue. I've learned to pick my battles and this wasn't one of them! Caroline, however, was more than willing to sit down for a few minutes a day and do some typing lessons.
While the recommended use of the program is to be used for about 20-30 minutes, once a day, we adapted that to make it work into our regular routine. 30 minutes is a long time for a 5-year-old to do anything, so we stuck with just 10-15 minutes, a couple times a week. Really, as long as you're being consistent, you'll have results.
Below is a screenshot of Caroline working her way through the lessons.
The lessons are pretty straightforward. The new keys are introduced and practiced. After that are some word and sentence practice. I suppose my only complaint about the program is that during the sentence practice, there are names that require capitalization before the shift key is introduced. Nothing major, but it did cause a bit of confusion.
After each of the lesson steps is completed, there are skill checks. You have to complete the skill checks before going to the next lesson. (or at least that's how I made Caroline's to be)
Overall, UltraKey is a sound keyboarding program. Learning to type is something that takes a lot of practice. UltraKey incorporates a lot of practice (one of your many choices when setting up student accounts) and is a fairly independent program. This is something the kids will continue to use over the coming months.
Because this is an online program, we were able to use it on our Chromebooks. Sometimes programs require a Mac or PC to run. Thankfully, this was not the case with UltraKey. Currently, UltraKey Online is oriented to the North American keyboard, and North America spelling and content. The UK and Australian/New Zealand orientation will be implemented during 2018.


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"Art is a spiritual language I use to communicate with people, no matter what language they speak. My work is about reaching every single heart by touching the deepest sanctuaries of the human soul. I invite viewers of my paintings to feel a higher awareness of light and reality."
Born in Moldova, Tatiyana Kraevskaya immigrated to the United States in 1994 where she continues to paint and exhibit her work at various galleries: Longview Museum of Fine Art Longview TX; Zimmerli Art Museum New Brunswick NJ; Springville Art Museum Springville UT; Masur Museum of Art Monroe LA; Amsterdam Whitney Gallery Chelsea, New York NY; APW Gallery Queens NY; Art Club Gallery Brooklyn NY; The Artist Alley Gallery San Francisco CA; Gallery 104 San Clemente CA; JWA Costa Mesa CA; EVVIVA Art Gallery Beverly Hills CA; Fingerhut Gallery La Jolla CA; Gallery on Broadway San Diego CA; 19 Street West Art Gallery Costa Mesa CA; Bronco Exhibit Gallery Pomona CA; Repartee Gallery Provo UT; Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery Santa Cruz CA; Plano Art Association Plano TX; Williams Fine Art Salt Lake City UT; David Ericson Fine Art Salt Lake City UT; Goggle Works Center for the Arts Reading PA; Huntington Beach Art Center Huntington Beach CA; Art Expo New York NY; Art Expo Los Angeles CA; International Art Fair Palm Springs CA; Art Philadelphia PA; Artspace2000 Canada.
Tatiyana Kraevskaya has been nominated for: The 2016 Certificate of Achievement Inspiration Artbook; The 2008 Bertha Pessel Greenblatt Memorial Award Pennsylvania; The 2007 Artspace Canada; Director's Recognition Award from Period Gallery, Nebraska; Honorable Mention in the 30th Annual Juried Competition from Masur Museum of Art, Louisiana; Award of Excellence from Manhattan Arts International, New York; Professional Abstract Painting Award Intermountain Society of Artists, Utah.
This review was published by Circle Foundation for the Arts © CFA Press ∙ Images are courtesy of the artist


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Phone: 909-307-5500 x.30501
Degrees and Certifications:
Masters Library and Information Science ________________________________________ Library Paraprofessional Staff: Ms. Jimenez-Aldama Front Desk x.30502 email@example.com Ms. Rivera Textbook Room x.31301 email@example.com
Mrs. Major: Teacher Librarian
Welcome to Your Library!
Library Research Databases Available 24/7
Provided by the California State Library, these content resources provide students with a massive amount of digital information: books, scientific research, newspaper articles, photos, videos and more – all aligned with the curriculum that California has created for our schools.
Fiction and Nonfiction Books, computers, printers, quiet reading/research/study space, group collaboration spaces, and a library staff ready to assist you
The RHS Library Program strives to implement the best school library practices as outlined in the Model School Library Standards for California Public Schools, K-12


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Quiet Monk takes great pride in bringing you some of the purest CBD oils on the market. Not only does it help promote well-being and overall health, it also helps balance the body. Quiet Monk Extra Strength whole plant (full spectrum) CBD oil is available in peppermint flavor. 30ml (1oz) bottle of 1000 mg of cannabinoids.
Our CBD is pure – only hemp-seed oil is blended in with our full spectrum oil. This is important since hemp seed oil is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and is a sustainable plant-based alternative to the unsustainable fish oil industry. Fatty acids are essential for our brain function since they can't be produced by the body and have to be obtained from diet or supplements.
CBD Tinctures are also known to help with other ailments:
- Inflammation
- Stress and Anxiety
- Pain
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Sleeplessness
- Helps Balance the Body
- Helps support Neurological Function.
Full spectrum hemp oil (PCR Hemp Oil), peppermint flavor
Recommended use:
Take once daily or as desired, orally or added to food/beverage. If taken orally place the oil under your tongue and hold for 1-2 minutes. The longer you hold the oil under your tongue, the more you will absorb in the capillaries under the tongue.
If you are new to CBD oils we recommend you start with a small dosage.
A full squeeze is a full dropper (1 ml) It wont fill the syringe
Quarter dropper (.25 ml) provides 8.3mg (120 servings)
Half dropper (.5 ml) provides 16.7mg (60 servings)
Full dropper (1 ml) provides 33.3mg (30 servings)


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Paradera Park Villa is centrally located. The Villa is fully fenced. When entering the yard you will notice a beautiful nature scenery with various types of plants which gives the whole villa a tropical feeling.
The villa features 4 berdooms and 2 bathrooms, it's semi furnished with modern furniture and the villa is fully air conditioned. The bathrooms are fully tiled.
The kitchen is equipped with a fridge, microwave, stove and cutlery to enjoy your favorite meals. Outside the kitchen area there is a spacious balcony where you can relax and experience Aruba's beautiful scenery.
Below the balcony there is a cozy patio with a dining table and 6 chairs where you can enjoy Aruba's Breeze.
Upon leaving the patio you will be steps away from the swimming pool which is surrounded by beautiful palm trees and various plants that makes the area very pleasant.
Water, Electricity & Gas Excluded.
Internet, Cable & Serlimar Included
Guest Reviews
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Blink Swag is a company dedicated to putting your brand front and center for all of the interactions you have from client meetings to employee engagement to industry promotions to retail packaging and every interaction in between. Our team is focused on matching promotional products with who your brand is and how you want it to appear, not forcing you into a "one size fits all" ideology. Blink Swag is a full-service promotional products and retail packaging company dedicated to bringing great ideas to life for every one of the clients we partner with.
Blink Swag was born out of the continually evolving business our sister company, Blink Signs, was involved in. With clients from every industry from large to small, we saw a continued need for promotional products as part of the branding needs their sign clients had. We saw this continued demand and Blink Swag is our solution to fulfill this growing need.
Main Contact: Steve Weber, National Sales
Phone number: 1-855-512-4700 ext. 130
Email: email@example.com


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- A venue boasting a spectacular exterior and exhibiting marvels of science and technology seemed the perfect location to show off Hyundai's i30 Fastback, a car that's as innovative as it is stylish.
With its striking facades designed to resemble the skeleton of a whale, the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe or Prince Philip Science Museum forms part of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. The museum's goal is to stimulate curiosity and so it formed an ideal backdrop to showcase Hyundai Motor's i30 Fastback, the newest model in the manufacturer's signature car range in Europe.
The i30 Fastback Driving Experience
The museum and roads of the Spanish city were the setting for a host of journalists to get behind the wheel of one of Hyundai's newest models. The i30 line-up is designed to be Hyundai's DNA model on the continent and the latest in the range, the i30 Fastback, is set to play a role to emotionalise the Hyundai brand. That's according to Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing & Product, Hyundai Motor Europe.
Sun-drenched Valencia, Spain, hosted the Hyundai i30 Fastback Driving Experience bringing top automotive industry writers together to test-drive the car which boasts subtle differences to the other models in the range, such as the i30 five-door and the i30 Wagon. "We changed the suspension, to be a little more agile, the steering is more direct than you expect from the i30," added Hofmann.
The spectacular surroundings offered the chance for the media to get a feel for a car that the Korean manufacturer considers a game-changer for its segment, a Fastback with the spirit of a coupe.
Find out what happened in the following video:
The i30 Fastback has been praised for its design
The i30 Fastback's innovative design has not gone unnoticed. Accentuated by its dynamic silhouette the Hyundai model has already been bestowed with a prestigious iF Design Award. The award recognised the elegant and expressive appearance of the motor industry's first five-door coupe in the compact segment.
The trip to Spain allowed journalists to learn about this unique design of the i30 Fastback and also just how Hyundai developed as a brand. From witnessing how clay-modellers worked on the model, to how the designers sketched the overall look, Hyundai was able to showcase how the Fastback sits between a hatchback and a saloon combining sporty accents and dynamic performance, sophisticated sculpting and premium technology.
Thomas Burkle, Chief Designer, Hyundai Design Center Europe states:
With this project we were really free to choose the dimensions, so we decided our own proportions.
The i30 Fastback looks and feels like a sports coupe because of its elegant sloping roofline and a long bonnet. The car features Hyundai Motor's signature Cascading Grille and is characterised by a strong stance and sporty, elongated lines.
Launched at the 2017 Frankfurt International Motor Show, the i30 Fastback is another statement of intent from Hyundai's to make premium design and features accessible for everyone.


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Product Code: PAN-AGCX350EJ
Suggested Retail Price £3,416+VATWhere to buy Videos
Stock status: In Stock; available from resellers
Warranty information available here
The lens has the industry's widest angle of 24.5mm*1 on the wide end and allows recording of wide-angle images with minimal distortion, without the use of a conversion lens. The optical 20x zoom covers up to 490mm telephoto in all modes. Furthermore, the i.Zoom enables seamless zooming of up to 32x in HD or up to 24x in UHD from the telephoto end with no degradation in resolution. The AG-CX350 also comes with digital 2x/ 5x/ 10x zoom.*2
Thanks to HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)*3 the AG-AC350 supports HDR (High Dynamic Range) which achieves a wide dynamic range on HDR-compatible TV monitors. The gamma mode can be selected from eight modes (HD, SD, FILMLIKE 1, FILMLIKE 2, FILMLIKE 3, FILM-REC, VIDEO-REC, HLG).
The 1.0-type MOS (approximately 15,030,000 pixels) offers an outstanding depth of field and excellent balance between image quality and sensitivity. It supports multi-formats, such as UHD (3840 x 2160), FHD, HD and SD, and provides images without cropping in all modes. This MOS sensor also boasts high sensitivity of F12 (60Hz) /F13 (50Hz) (in both UHD and FHD in High Sensitivity mode).
The camcorder can record UHD/50 fps videos in high-image-quality 10bit on an SD memory card. It also features a new, high-efficiency HEVC codec (LongGOP, 10bit, 4:2:0, MOV) .
In UHD, variable frame rate (VFR) recording at 1fps to 50fps is possible. In FHD, super-slow can be realized at a maximum of 100fps. Both provide high-quality 10bit, full-frame pictures with no image area cropping even at high frame rates.
The AG-CX350 can be used for live coverage of concerts and sports events as well as for live streaming of breaking news. Facebook, YouTube, and other streaming services are supported.
The industry's first camcorder equipped with NDI | HX mode*4, it allows video transmission and camera control via IP connection, without using an external converter. The camera can be built in to larger systems working alongside Panasonic PTZ camera systems equipped with NDI | HX and the Live Production Center AV-HLC100.
How many times have you heard the phrase – the camcorder is dead? Now video cameras are going full frame, how can there possibly be a place in the market for a fixed lens camcorder with a smaller sensor? Well, there is a place for them, and great reasons why quite often they will get you the best pictures in the widest variety of circumstances. When filming a live event or in a variety of locations the zoom lenses available with smaller sensor camcorders offer a range simply not available from a single lens on any other type of camera.
Holdan feature alongside Midwich, Sound Technology and PSCo in the latest edition of AV Magazine. Take some time out to find out what technology is used to provide football fans instant "TV REPLAY" in the terraces. Available to download.
Panasonic has introduced a new handheld camcorder, the first in a series set to combine advanced connectivity functionality with high end image production for broadcast and streaming applications. The AG-CX350 camcorder spearheads the series, and is the first camcorder in the industry to provide NDI | HX connectivity. This ensures smooth video transmission and camera control over IP for live events and web distribution, and means the camera can be built in to larger systems working alongside Panasonic PTZ camera systems equipped with NDI|HX and the Panasonic Live Production Center (AV-HLC100).
Download the latest Firmware and Software
128GB SDXC UHS-II Memory Card
CFast / SDXC Card Reader
Pro Light Camcorder Case 192N for C100,C300,C500,AG-DVX200
Lightweight Tripod with Fluid Video Head and Carbon Legs
Live video streaming production hardware perfect for sports broadcasts, live news shows or any production looking for that extra bit of professional polish
Advanced 12G-SDI live production switcher
Bolt 500 LT HDMI Wireless TX/RX


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Cape Town - The fire in Imizamo Yethu, Hout Bay, which left almost 10 000 people homeless is a direct result of black people being dispossessed of their land, uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans' Association (MKMVA) chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe said on Tuesday as he called for the expropriation of land without compensation.
"If land was not dispossessed we would not be finding our people living in such uncomfortable conditions," said Maphatsoe, who is also the deputy minister of defence.
"Hout Bay is an example [of what happens] if we don't take heed on the issue of land. We say this is the time we must tackle the issue and amend the Constitution," said Maphatsoe.
All that is required for the amendments is a series of community meetings to get support, he said.
"I think all of you who are clapping hands think that we need to expropriate the land without compensation," he continued
"Every year we have to deal with the issue of Hout Bay and it will never be addressed [until] we address the issue of land."
Maphatsoe was speaking at a meeting of the Cape Forum. Ousted former ANC Western Cape chairperson Marius Fransman is one of its organisers.
'Willing buyer willing seller'
Held at the Athlone School for the Blind on the outskirts of Bellville, the meeting was attended by supporters of the ANC and the South African Students' Congress (Sasco).
Maphatsoe said that the death knell for any hope of prosperity for black people was the Native Land Act of 1913 which consolidated previous land ownership restrictions and effectively killed sharecropping.
This divided farming in South Africa into barely surviving subsistence farmers, and massive subsidised and monied white-owned commercial farming enterprises where the workers were black.
"As MKMVA, don't quote me as a deputy minister, we think we have tried many things as government."
He said the principle of "willing buyer willing seller" and various laws on land restitution had not worked.
"So the only thing we can do is support the call to government to say, let's expropriate land without compensation."
Two-thirds majority wasted
Farmworkers' rights activist Nosey Pieterse said that President Jacob Zuma's suggestion that land be expropriated without compensation was just "sloganeering".
He said Zuma in his first term and former president Thabo Mbeki had failed to address the land question.
He wanted to know why 22 years and the "loaded gun" of the two-thirds majority the ANC once had were wasted.
He said the South African Communist Party had done nothing to change the distribution of land either.
He urged a review of certain clauses in the Constitution and said all that was needed was one voting session.
"But that is the easy part. The challenge is, how do we redistribute the land after we have taken the land back?"
Siyabonga Ntombela, chairperson of Sasco at the University of Cape Town, said he supported taking land without compensation, but warned that the poor will bear the brunt of any civil unrest that might accompany it.


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Course description
Evaluate if Google AdWords are a profitable fit for your business' goals.
Danielle Glick
Our Founder & Chief Trainer
Eight years of testing social media marketing, creating ads, writing email newsletters, and analyzing sales has taught Danielle the marketing techniques that work to increase sales for any small business selling experiences, such as tourism activities, classes, and events. Working with both first-time small business owners and experienced franchisees with multiple locations all over the U.S. has exposed Danielle to the wide variety of marketing challenges that small business owners face. Danielle now shares her proven marketing strategies with those who are ready to learn how to replicate others' success for themselves.
Course Curriculum
Should an SMB Use Google AdWords?
How Google AdWords Works
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How to Be a Better Designer for AI
6 Key Design Takeaways From The AI World Forum Conference
Last week I attended the AI World Forum Conference here in Toronto. I was both sad and excited to see a lack of thought leadership in design throughout the conference. I was sad because well… who likes to be left out? But I was also excited, because this is an incredible opportunity for designers to jump in and help shape our practices when it comes to designing AI-powered products.
I'm not going to write a full report of the conference here. If you're curious to know who the speakers were and what they talked about take a peek at my twitter feed. I captured the highlights when I wasn't distracted by the incredible Art Deco architecture of the Carlu. But what I want to write about here are my key takeaways on where, as designers, we can proactively contribute:
1. Identify where humans can add value that machines can't.
Devin Singh from the Hospital for Sick Children talked about his experience as a physician and the amount of time he's wasted on capturing a patient's history and symptoms as opposed to spending that time on meaningful conversations with patients and connecting with them on an emotional level. He talked about parents of children drilling him with questions trying to understand why he came up with a diagnosis and how important it was for him to use his human intuition and emotional intelligence to make his patients and their families feel cared for.
What I learned from that story was that as a designer (and as part of my journey mapping exercise) I can't stop at identifying where machines can solve efficiency problems and do repetitive tasks and analyze large amounts of data. I also need to be vigilant about where humans add value. It's exciting to design an AI powered app and let the machine be the hero of the experience, but we need to make sure that we keep users at the centre of our designs and respond to their needs with AI when it makes sense and with humans when it matters the most.
2. Support human decision making when designing prediction apps.
Another story from Devin Singh was about how they've been testing a model that's able to predict a child's cardiac arrest within 4 minutes. That's incredible! But he asked a very important question after: What next? You design an app, and it can make these amazing predictions, but then what?
Imagine this doctor receiving a prediction on their desktop screen and the child who's about to have a cardiac arrest is just playing with his/her toys and not showing any signs of an imminent cardiac incident. Should the doctor jump up to give the child some pills? Should he say anything? What's he supposed to do with this prediction?
Many of the areas where AI is able to make predictions are going to create new challenging scenarios for humans that we're not used to dealing with. As designers, we need to do continuous research, testing, and simulation of these scenarios to make sure we don't stop at designing the prediction, but that we're also mindful of what the user will experience on receiving those predictions. Effective and empathetic design work includes thinking through the whole experience, not just the one moment of interaction.
3. Always ask "who's missing".
Steve Irvine of Integrate.ai in his opening keynote about building courage asked everyone in the conference to consider who's not up on stage, because "everybody who's going to talk to you today and tomorrow has figured something out. But if you ask yourself who's not up there, you can be the one who makes a difference." After the second day, I asked myself who was not up there and the answer for me was designers. (Obviously!)
But on the second day Deborah Raji from Google AI talked about the concept of Inclusion in Ethics. She also encouraged everyone to ask "Who's missing" but this time she meant in development scenarios, where we consider a use case, choose our datasets, and design a model, so that we can reduce biases in AI's predictions.
What I think we can do as designers is to keep asking this question when researching different user groups and segments. Is anyone missing? Have I considered every user who might be affected by this product directly or indirectly? What will I be missing by excluding this or that data point and how will that change the outcomes for my users? It's our responsibility as designers, when working with AI, to ensure we're creating inclusive experiences with a minimum of bias as much as possible, which means ensuring we bring in a multitude of voices from the outset.
4. Conduct qualitative user research to uncover inauthentic consumer behaviour.
Laura Mingail from Secret Location brought up a really interesting point about how consumers are often aware of how their behaviour is being monitored and used for personalization, and that a lot of the times this leads to inauthentic behaviour from users. Their interactions feed back into training the machine learning models and then they keep getting recommendations and experiences that they don't always desire at heart.
What this means for us as user experience designers is the continued importance of qualitative user research. We need to continue to drive toward uncovering the "why"s of user behaviours and how we might be able to leverage design to build trust or encourage authentic behaviour to ensure we're truly creating something of value.
5. Don't implement NLP blindly.
We kept hearing over and over again that NLP is still an immature technology. There are lots of challenges, from availability of data for training purposes to labelling data and lack of context and domain knowledge that makes it incredibly difficult for chatbots and NLP services to identify the true intent and meaning of all human statements.
So what can designers do about this? We all know the hype around chatbots and voice, and how businesses are intrigued by the promise they offer of giving their businesses a cool, trendy stamp while creating delight for their customers. But ultimately we're also responsible as designers for making sure that we remain user centric and don't just design voice and chatbots for the sake of "cool". As Chiel Hendriks of Google Cloud noted about the fundamental value of voice, it "unlocks technology for those who can't use it." Unless we're creating an added value for businesses and users, we should not blindly implement these solutions. We can't lose sight of what users need and we can't stop measuring and evaluating the user experience by continuous research and user testing.
6. Don't ask "what can AI do for users?", but instead ask "what do users need from AI?"
This seems like an obvious point, but it was incredible to see how many of the discussions and presentations revolved around what AI is capable of as opposed to what humans need.
There is a fundamental issue with framing AI solutions before investigating needs: it goes against the principles of design thinking. As designers, we believe what Charles Kettering, Head of research for GM said, "A problem well-stated is half-solved". We might feel like we've already defined a problem for the use of AI — something along the lines of "humans have shortcomings when it comes to making decisions based on large amount of data" — but this problem statement is still too generic and doesn't contain any specific user story or scenario.
The design thinking process allows us to develop an incredible amount of empathy with people, their environment, and their needs, and it allows us to target the root cause of their problems as opposed to a sliced solution that doesn't fit into their everyday lives.
Much like the example Devin Singh shared about the application that predicted cardiac arrest but didn't consider the next steps, the problem with starting the design process with solutions before we've investigated the need and the full context is that it becomes incredibly easy to be blindsided by the solutions and lose sight of what else is possible. There might be other technologies (or even non-technological solutions) that would cost less money and require less effort and that might even solve a bigger problem than the one we've developed a tunnel vision for.
It's clear that UX design and research in the AI industry is not moving at the same pace as the technology itself is advancing and being implemented and experimented with in the real world. But that's always been the case in technology, where design has been afterthought until it becomes a commodity. There was a time where good UX was a competitive advantage and now lack of it puts your business at risk. It's the same story with AI powered apps where it seems like great user experiences are not a commodity yet. And that makes it an incredible time to be a designer in this space!
Let's hear from you— any key insights around designing with AI that should be recognized early? Be sure to 👏 and share to help start the conversation.
And if you're interested in working at the forefront of AI design implementation, take a look at our open roles and apply to join our team today.


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Many retail workers had to put in much longer, more stressful hours during the recent Black Friday frenzy. Customers were not afraid to get up before the sun to take advantage of money saving opportunities. While some shoppers were quick to complain about the crowds, many workers got the harder end of the deal.
Merchandise moved fast and retail workers had a lot of lifting and moving to do to keep shelves stocked. There are many injuries that can be sustained by employing improper lifting techniques such as strained muscles and even broken bones in order to meet the demands of the customers.
Fatigue from long hours can also take a toll on retail workers. Workers must try to provide good customer service while being tired and overwhelmed can be stressful, especially for workers who had to miss out on their own family holiday celebrations to earn a living.
Black Friday may be a much-anticipated event for shoppers hoping for a bargain but for the person on the other end of the register, the day can be long and difficult. Standing on your feet for long periods of time without suitable rest can be draining and harmful to one's health.
Other consequences of the Black Friday events around the state during past years have included employees being assaulted or trampled by over-aggressive customers. Broken bones and other injuries were incurred by workers just doing their jobs.


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Breathtaking Moments: A 5-year-old Girl Caring For Her Paralyzed Father
We are touched by the love of the little girl gives for her father!
Recently, a video about a little girl caring for a paralyzed father makes netizens admire. It is known that her father was paralyzed and could not move or walk normally.
Many are touched by the love and affection the girl gives her father. It is unbelievable that this little girl can take care for her father as an adult.
Her movements are very gentle and proficient. There are many people can not do what she did.


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We all need a little wristlet. You don't always want to, or need to, carry your purse. The Yvonne wristlet from Sapahn is perfect for that.
It's a great size for carrying just your essentials – a little cash, a couple cards, and an ID. or for dropping into a bigger bag.
Yvonne is simply adorable. It's great for women of all ages, from tweens and teens to older women and everyone in between.
Sapahn is one of those companies that you can feel good about your purchase. Sapahn has partnerships with several artisan communities throughout Thailand, where they deal with the artisans directly and fairly. They have total transparency in where no only the products come from, but the raw materials and labor as well. Fair trade at it's finest.
Ready to enter? Do so in the Rafflecopter widget below.
This is part of the Holly Jolly hop, hosted by Mama the Fox.
Now that you've entered here, hop on along to the rest of the awesome giveaways
MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.


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Texas Alumni & Friends GroupsEvent Date: Varies by Location
Event Time:
Weekly recovery meetings with a positive outlook on sobriety where we share what works for us through the 12 Step Program and staying focused on the solution and not our past.
Wednesdays at 7:30 pm in the Grapevine cafeteria
Join fellow Alumni in an open discussion that focuses on our path of sobriety. We will open with one of our Team Leader speakers and the topic will be the step that coincides with the month or whatever step you felt like talking about. This group focuses on positives of living sober and the ways we can share where we are and what keeps us strong in our recovery. These meetings are closed meetings and only people that have gone through Residential or IOP or Continuing Care are allowed to attend. Coffee and pastries will be available for your enjoyment.


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Adobe Training and Web Design Classes in Milwaukee
Request Information
We'll provide you personalized
training options right away.
American Graphics Institute offers live, instructor-led training classes in Milwaukee, WI. These are available as live online courses for individuals, or private in-person training for groups.
Training Classes Offered in Milwaukee, WI
We offer the following live, in-person training for groups along with live, online courses for individuals in Milwaukee.


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|March 26: Live
It's always nice to hear live music at a show, even though it invites ugly comparisons with the inevitably inadequate versions of "live" heard in the showrooms. A fine artist doing regular gigs at the Salon is cellist Vincent Bélanger. He's one of the musicians recorded by Fidelio in high definition, and we've used him in recent equipment reviews. He was playing along with the music at the Lys Audio room.
Lys Audio? The triamplified speaker system was hidden behind a curtain (a sheet actually). The source was a set of museum pieces: an Oracle Delphi MkII, a Dynaco PAS4 preamp, and an aging Sugden P128 power amp. The "Tri-Phonic" speaker is actually mono, with its three drivers spaced out, supposedly to restore breadth from the missing stereo. The result? We really enjoyed Vincent's playing.
We ran across singer Anne Bisson, who has been singing her songs at the last two Salons and also at TAVES in Toronto. And at the two Vegas shows in January. She wasn't singing this time, but she was on hand at the Oracle room, to autograph copies of her latest album, both CD and LP, Portraits & Perfumes.
We picked up both.
March 26: Loudspeakers
It happens regularly that we see products, especially loudspeakers, at US shows, but that they never, ever appear in Canada. A common reason is that the company has no distribution in Canada, but that's not necessarily a good reason. Two years ago, Jeff Joseph had brought his Joseph Audio speakers to the Montreal Salon for the first time ever. Last year he found a distributor (Tri-Cell). Sometimes it pays to go fishing.
Now Rethm, whose Maarga speaker ($8750) is shown at right, was in Montreal for the very first time. Going fishing.
Actually we've always liked the Rethm speakers, which are styled with unusual, sometimes startling, elegance, and which sound warm and musical. The single driver looks like a Lowther. And in fact Rethm (Sanskrit for "harmony") long used the Lowther. The new Maarga uses a proprietary driver. Driven by Rethm's own integrated tube amplifier, they sounded...well, we did say we liked them?
At every Montreal show we look forward to the largest room of local retailer Coup de Foudre. That's because CdF shows off Wilson speakers, and brings in Wilson's sales director, Peter McGrath. Sales aside, Peter has been for many years a recording engineer, responsible for some of the greatest classical recordings you can buy. And he's also generous, funny, and -- most important -- passionate about music!
This time out he brought along what passes as an entry-level speaker at Wilson. The Sophia 3 (at left) is a "mere" $18,000. The speakers were backed by serious hardware, namely VTL MB185 Series III tube monoblocks ($15,000), a VTL TL5.5 preamp ($9500), and of course Peter's trusty DAC and MacBook Pro, filled with ten thousand high-resolution music files. Not too surprisingly, he gets some of the best sound of the show. Which explains how much time we spend there.
A revelation this time was the Cuban-born pianist Jorge Luis Prats, who brings together dazzling pyrotechnics and wonderful sensitivity and balance. You may be hearing from him, since he has an 11-CD contract with Decca, but it is Peter's live recordings of his playing that really deliver the magic.
Another memorable recording: an excerpt from Haydn's oratorio, The Creation.
Would we have the pleasure of Peter's company at the Toronto show in September? Perhaps, though Wilson has for the moment, no dealer in Toronto.
Perhaps it could go fishing?
UPDATE: Wilson does in fact have a Toronto dealer, Audio Excellence. It will be up to the store whether to book a suitable room and bring Peter in. Do we get a vote?
March 24: More good rooms
Booking a really big room can be a problem. For one thing you have to fill it with sound, somehow. For another, most big rooms in hotels or convention centres are not really rooms, but can be be charitably referred to as spaces. Still, if you know what you're doing you can get reasonable results.
This gigantic amplifier, from Germany's Accustic Arts, was driving a pair of Joseph Audio Perspectives floorstanding speakers ($12,200). The source was a moderately-priced (well under $2K) Unico CD player from Italy. The combination worked surprisingly well ("surprisingly" considering the very long room).
Record producer Fidelio usually has a good room, and it delivered again. Of course Fidelio has nothing to sell, other than its recordings, but visitors did note the system that was delivering such gloriously tactile sound: an Ayre preamplifier and stereo amplifier, and Audio Physic speakers.The source was a Mac mini (there were a number of them around the show, with a USB link toa dCS Debussy converter.
Sometimes it's hard to be sure why one room sounds so much better than another. Two of us wandered into a rather large room with a very expensive system we won't name, but whose sound was detailed and smooth, without any sign of annoying artifacts. A good room? We were both left cold, because, for reasons that were not obvious, the music failed to connect. Then, just down the hall, we found the Audiophonie room, which was playing the large classic Spendor speakers (shown at right). Now that was better! The sound was warm and inviting, and across several music types, it drew us in. And kept us there, we should add.
The Spendors have that old school "hi-fi box" look, but a number of visitors were reacting very favorably. The Spendors look like what they are. And what they are is pretty good.
Another very good room, one already referred to, was that of Magico. The man behind Magico is Alon Wolf, who uses aluminum skeletons to make his enclosures stiff, though inevitably costly. The model on demo (at left) was the Q3, far from Magico's biggest, but still weighing in with a price tag of $39,000. In case you're wondering, the top-of-the-line Q7 goes for nearly quadruple that price.
Still, Magico earns its name. In recording after recording (all Red Book CDs, we should add), it delivered superb sound.
Can "a good room" exist purely within your head? Possibly, if we're talking about top grade headphones, and of course a great head'hone amplifier. Woo Audio has some 11 amps, all designed for headphones, some of them spectacular. How about a large all-tube amp with a separate tube power supply? With Beyer Dynamic headphones, it sounded magnificent. However it was Woo's special electrostatic-ready amp that stole the show, coupled with Stax SR-009 phones. Electrostatic phones need a polarizing voltage, just as electrostatic speakers do, and so the amplifier must be able to provide it. The amp uses four EL34 output tubes, enough to power a very good conventional power amplifier. The price is around $5000. But the headphones cost about that too. The sound was the best we've heard from Stax phones, or pretty much any other phones.
The Woo booth was next to that of Todd Garfinkle's MA records, and the combination was a happy one.
How many good rooms were there at this Salon? In actual count, perhaps not that many (and you own list may vary). However there were very few toxic rooms, with the "bad" ones being more boring than awful. And the good ones were really very, very good. Music to our ears, you might say!
March 24: The Black Swan
No, not the Natalie Portman movie (which we recommend, however) but the familiar flagship speaker from Gershman Acoustics. Though it's not obvious from pictures, the bottom section , which contains the woofers, is freestanding, and tucks under the main speaker. It costs $42,000.
And they sounded about as good as we have ever heard them sound. The source was a Stello CD player, and the amplifier was the same Mastersound Evolution 845 tube integrated amplifier we have just reviewed (watch for the review in issue No. 92). It was literally the same one, picked up from us the morning of the show. The amplifier has supposedly limited power (it uses two 845 tubes per channel, in parallel not push-pull), but there was no strain. Nice room.
Very different, but also most listenable were the small Lafleur speakers, running with YBA electronics, plus a Meitner DAC. The source was in fact a laptop computer, with a USB link. Most DAC's have horrible USB circuits, but Ed Meitner pretty much knows what he's doing. In any case, there was a natural smoothness to the sound that made it tempting to hang around.
Not the case everywhere. We spent a bit of time in the BitPerfect room. BitPerfect is software, as you can deduce from the name. It is in fact a Macintosh software package which can allegedly do better than Apple's own iTunes for music playback. It is, therefore, a competitor for Amarra and Pure Music, reviewed in issue 91 of UHF, but unlike them it's available from Apple's App Store for just $4.99.
However the room didn't do it justice. Running through Classé electronics into Wilson Sophia speakers, the sound was consistently hard and strident. BitPerfect sounded much better, with the same speakers and VTL electronics, in the Coup de Foudre room.
So here we are at noon on Saturday, and the crowds are making it difficult to navigate the hallways, never mind the rooms. This really may turn out to be the most successful show in the Salon's 25 tries.
UPDATE: Before closing time, the BitPerfect people were showing a prototype of thei next version, intended to run on integer mode on Apple's beta Mountain Lion operating software. Perhaps more importantly, they had found a way to bypass the Classé CP-800 preamplifier. The sound was transformed! The harshness was gone, and so was the veiling. We're looking forward to trying the BitPerfect software on our own system.
March 23: Great loudspeakers
One of our favorite German loudspeaker is the one from Audio Physic. Well, actually it's a whole line of speakers, designed by Manfred Diestertich, who is in this picture with his top-of-the-line Cardeas speaker.
We had actually heard this very speaker before, and we know because it was a one-off made for Las Vegas. The side panel is transparent, and there is crinkled metallic paper behind it.
The Cardeas speakers are superb, no surprise there, playing with Trigon gear (also German): the Chronolog server, the Dialog preamp, and the Monolog monoblocks (of course). There was also an impressive-looking turntabke, the Acoustic Signature Ascona. None of this is inexpensive by any measure. The speakers alone carry a price of $34,000, or more depending on the finish. Even the equipment stand has a five-figure price tag.
Still, the result was superb, despite the room's clearly undesirable acoustic signature.
While we're on the topic of expensive but excellent speakers, the big Magico speakers were here for the very first time. We want to give them a better listen when the room is less crowded, but what we heard was superb. As with the Audio Physic, that's no surprise.
We also got to hear large Amphion speakers, matched to Hegel electronics, in a room entirely draped in white sheets. The sound was superbly detailed, with a certain hardness that may have been due at least in part to the source material., and perhaps even the acoustics They'll deserve a closer listen too.
March 22: Lifetime achievement awards
For the third year in a row, Montreal's Salon Son & Image gave out two lifetime achivement awards. One of the winners was an old friend, Marc Denis, shown with his statuette in this picture. Marc is a "rep," meaning a representative for one or more brands within a given territory (Canada is the second largest country in the world, and one person can hardly cover it all). He has now retired. Marc was most recently rep for B&W.
We also know well the other recipient, Richard Petit, who has long run the Montreal store Kebecson.
Last year the award winners were Vince Bruzzese, founder of the loudspeaker maker Totem Acoustic, and Gerard Rejskind, editor and publisher of UHF Magazine.
At the gala cocktail where the awards were given, Salon CEO Michel Plante struggled to the stage on crutches. The joke was that, before the show, someone told him to "break a leg," and he took it too literally. In fact he told us that he injured his foot without noticing during the demanding setup, and it swelled up. Bad timing! However, both he and his alter ego, Sarah Tremblay, were on the floor, ready to greet exhibitors and visitors, and put out any (figurative) fires that might flare up.
Thursday was of course the trade and press day at the Salon. It opens to the public Friday at 11 a.m.
March 22: Current dumping redux
How's this for full circle? Decades ago, a new distribution company called May Audio, started by Nizar Akhrass, began life with just one brand: Quad. Known especially for its wonderful electrostatic speakers, Quad became a huge success. May Audio would ultimately lose the line, but by then it had taken on a bewildering array of both hardware and software.
Fast forward to today. The successor company to May Audio (which still exists under that name in the US) is Liberty Trading, run by Nizar's son Nabil. And Liberty's latest acquisition is...Quad!
The amplifier shown here is the QSP, a new version of the familiar 909. Like the 909 and all later Quad solid state amplifiers, the QSP uses current dumping, also known as feed-forward. A large class B amplifier provides the muscle, while a small class A amp corrects the output signal, thus cancelling the larger amp's nonlinearities. This relatively compact amplifier puts out 140 watts per channel.
March 22: Everything in one box
As the CD player gradually leaves its role to the computer, or to computer-like sources, Naim has embraced the new trend wholeheartedly. This unit, the Uniti, includes an integrated amplifier, a wireless converter, plus FM and Internet radio. Total price: just under $7000.
The source? Of course Naim has that as well, in the form of a server with a 1 TB hard drive (but connectors for your own external drives), which looks like...well, like a CD player. But the slot at its front is a CD loader.
The audio world is changing!
March 22: Negotiating all the curves
Who remembers that at one time not all records were cut with the same equalization curve? Th universal one today is called the RIAA (named for the much-reviled industry association better known for suing alleged pirates). If you have a collection of older recordings, this Monk Audio phono preamp will probably grab your attention. It includes curves for ffrr, the old London-Decca curve, as well as the one used on early Columbia records, and NAB (used for magnetic tape).
In the demo we heard, the Monk Audio preamp was getting its signal from the spectacular Dr. Feickert Firebird turntable, which we'll be talking about again. The room, shared with the Canadian company Tri-Art, was very good.
Tri-Art makes amplifiers, preamplifier, and other gear that look like handsome stone cubes. They're not on the market yet, but are being prepared for launch.
March 22: The KEF Blade
We've had our eye on these speakers, or something like them, since CES more than a year ago. Then called the Blade Concept, this remarkable loudspeaker had a cabinet made from carbon fibre. Why the word "concept"? The speaker was intended to show what the KEF engineers could do if money was no object.
We protested. Perhaps it was true that the speaker could never be produced for what most people would consider a reasonable price, but that hasn't stopped KEF in the past. Its aluminum Muon speaker, which reminded some observers of the shape-shifting T1000 in Terminator 2, was produced and sold for nearly $200,000, and it sold. The Blade Concept was superior, and deserved to see the assembly line.
And KEF has listened...sort of.
The Blade, named for its trenchent shape, has been re-engineered from less expensive material, namely resin. Like the Blade Concept, the new Blade uses familiar KEF technology, including its coaxial woofer-tweeter. We would still like to see the original produced. Perhaps it could be called the Blade Pro? It's not that we're lobbying for higher priced for hi-fi gear. Indeed, we usually swing the other way. But we do think that KEF is on to something here.
The Blades ere driven by an entire suite of components from Chord. We were told that Chord and KEF are just a two-minute drive from each other, and often consult on projects.
In another of the large rooms, the German maker MBL was back with its very large omnidirectional speakers and its huge monoblock amplifiers. Last year saw the brand's first appearance at a Canadian show.
March 21: Watch for the blue-haired ladies
We don't mean those elderly teachers with henna rinses you may remember from your childhood. These delightful young ladies have become the symbol of the Salon, and you'll find them at the registration desk, which is where you'll be buying your ticket.
The show opens to the public Friday the 23rd at 11 am, and runs for an exhausting 10 hours, through 9 pm. Bring good shoes! It continues Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, and it winds up Sunday 10 am to 5 pm.
But be warned: Saturday brings in the biggest crowds, and you may have to fight to get into the more popular rooms. We're just saying.
Want more information? It's available on the Salon's own site.
But, as for us, we're on site from Thursdy morning, and we'll let you know what we see.
March 21: Here comes edition 25
The very first Montreal high end Salon (then called a Festival) was in 1984. UHF Magazine was then just to years old, and the show was organized by Michel Prin, who had just relinquished his position as our first publisher. It was held at the Hôtel Mont-Royal, which was about to close for recycling into an (unsuccessful) shopping centre.
Years went by before there was another Festival, but then it became an annual event...and this is the 25th one.
For years it took place at the downtown Delta hotel, popular with visitors, less so for exhibitors who had to line up for hours to get access to an elevator to move in or out. It later moved to the Sheraton Centre, which was popular with movers, but less so for visitors. The rooms were...but let's not go there.
For the third year in a row, the Salon is at the Hilton Bonaventure, high atop the architectural marvel that is Place Bonaventure.
The Salon opens for the public Friday at 10 pm, but we'll be here, with reports, on "Day 0," Thursday, which is reserved for trade and press.
Le Salon Son & Image 2012 in Montreal ran


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Start this 6 part series HERE or refresh yourself on the last article.
When I taught children a lot more than I do now, I used to often say, "God sends them to us perfect. It's our job not to screw them up."
So, when parents tell me things such as…
"My kiddo was just asked to not come back to church next Sunday as punishment for behavior…this is the third church we've been to. We'll try again the next Sunday, but this momma is afraid we might be three strikes and we're out."
"I was dismayed today to have it reported that a nursery volunteer told a child 'you're a bad boy' in response to something he did. The church has such a profound influence on a child's identity formation- we need to take care to reach children that they are beloved bearers of Christ's image."
it breaks my heart.
When I asked if I should write on this topic, parents said…
"Yes! I honestly can't even take my children to church at times because they are trauma kids and need help. But they have been told they were bad, they've been put in time out, and I've been told that I'm not a good mom and don't have control over my kids… I know they are tough. I live with them. I don't need them to be hurt at church."
"Definitely! I have that kid, and now when I serve in children's ministry, I seek out 'that kid' and their mom, and try to encourage them and love them both!! I also found that the teacher who I initially felt was tough on my kid turned out to be EXACTLY what he needed."
I want to be clear about something though: all throughout the responses and emails I've received, the parents have been understanding! They've been understanding about a lack of volunteers, a lack of training, and more. No parent came across angry or unforgiving. Rather they came across to me as simply wanting a solution, and to be a part of it at that! Occasionally, they were clearly hurting, frustrated, confused, or fearful.
Well, first – as with any problem , a great part of the solution lies in communication. Just because it's church, doesn't mean you just hand off your child as you would with maybe their grandparents. Just as if you were interviewing a babysitter or checking out schools for your little one you need to know the situation they are walking into. It's OK to ask questions. It's OK to sit in the back of the classroom and see the way they facilitate their class. It can be frustrating to experience the way a ministry may facilitate discipline, celebration, worship,… any list of things if you are not first aware of how they will be doing that, if you're not already prepared.
As an example:
If you know that your little Johnny gets out of hand when excited then you need to be his advocate and be proactive. Don't set him up for failure. If you know that your children's ministry has exciting worship before their lesson, then maybe you go to children's church during praise and worship and sit by him simply to teach him how to control himself and then wind down for the lesson…and then you leave. Alternatively, maybe you keep him with you wherever you are until the lesson starts and then you escort him to children's church.
Another example:
If you know that your children's minister calls people out by name and sends them to timeout but your child has experienced a past trauma that would be revisited or exacerbated by this, then speak privately with your minister and come up with a plan beforehand. Hit it off at the pass!
These were just some of the responses that I received from ministers when I asked them "What does your department consider a 'problem' that must be addressed immediately with parents?"
"Anything that a child brings up about their home life that could be harmful. That would be first and foremost. If a child is injured I would bring that up immediately with a parent. If a child wants to be baptized and has questions about Jesus or God, I would always pull the parent to the side and have a conversation with them. I never addressed behavior [with a parent] unless they harmed another child."
"A 'problem' would be anything that is keeping the department or class from running smoothly. If a child were to hit, kick,bite, cause distraction, harm Church property or others, defy leadership. Any of these things happen, parents are notified."
"One of the few times I had problems with behavior was if after many times of trying to redirect a child who was unruly (fighting, yelling out, being sexually inappropriate, cussing) I would send for their parents or if it was one of my inner city kids, I would get the superintendent. One instance I was able to turn around was a child who I suspected was dyslexic. The kids were teasing him. So I just rewrote everything on the chalk board for the class. No one could read it but the said child. Victory for him! Understanding and empathy for the other children [goes a long way]."
Do you see how very different all three of those answers were? Different churches, different ministries, different ministers will respond and direct differently! You need to know who and what you're dealing with so you can be proactive.
"The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part…But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it…Yes, there are many parts, but only one body….while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad." 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 18, 20, 24-26 NLT
Second, you have to be understanding of your church's limitations just as you are their positive aspects. Some churches are blessed with an over-abundance of volunteers in every department of ministry. Others are not. Did you know that children's ministry needs the most volunteers yet typically is the very ministry that has the very least people that volunteer for it? Further, with things being the way that they are in the world now, churches find themselves having to go to the extra expense of paying for background checks. That cost alone can limit them to the amount of volunteers they can afford. Your simple offer to pay for your own background check could nullify that. Also, while there are many that love children and may be parents themselves, they may have not been given any training in regard to the teaching or caring of others' children outside of or within a church setting…for whatever reason. If there has been no training offered, you should know that before your child has joined children's church. If you have a problem with that, then you have some options: 1) you can volunteer yourself; 2) you can spearhead getting training brought to your church's children's ministry; or 3) you can take your chances knowing that or keep your child out.
When I asked ministers "Are all of your volunteers trained? Some? If so, how?" these were just some of the responses I received:
"[Our] churches do not have a lot of money for training and materials. We offer them the best training possible which is to tell them what we expect in each class/service. If something were to happen, we are to be alerted as the leaders of the department, and then we talk to the Parents."
"All volunteers are trained before being placed in a classroom. Training takes place monthly for new team members and is required for all team members because it is held monthly in a team rally situation."
"We took classes taught by church for training. I had an advantage in that I had my AA degree in child education and additional classes in special needs children." Not all ministries have the luxury of having formally trained teachers, obviously.
Lastly, you must be an active participant. You can't treat children's ministry as if it's a babysitting service and then be disappointed, upset, or angry when you don't get the results you're hoping for (e.g., your child knowing the Bible, knowing Christ, understanding repentance, your child ultimately accepting Christ). Babysitters don't do anything other than assure that your child is safe while you're away. If you treat it all as babysitting, then you should expect to get called out of church. After all, you wouldn't expect your babysitter to discipline your child would you? If you treat them as a babysitting service, you would be shocked and astounded if you came to pick up your child and your child suddenly knew how to read a book.
You know…you may feel like they want to get your kids and to get rid of you at the door. If you feel that way, that's probably not what's going on. Teachers and ministers get in a zone just like the players of a game do. Seriously! They get totally focused on their "game plan" and are anxious to initiate it. So, don't be afraid to ask, "How can I get involved?" Because just as you're getting different responses here, you may get a very different response from your children's minister!
When I asked "What do you think parents can do to be most beneficial overall and for their children specifically, in regard to their relationship with your children's ministry?" These were some responses I received…
"The most important thing a parent can do is serve in kids ministry. Especially if they have a child in kids ministry. It helps them [that] you sweat and it's not a babysitting service and opens up communication about their children's faith. Children's ministry is one of the most important ministries in a church and will help promote church growth if done correctly and parents are a big part of this."
"Talking positively about the teachers. Calling them Ms. or Mr., not their first names. Speaking with parents separate from the classroom. No one needs to hear [about situations] but those involved. Not calling out or speaking about the issue in front of [a] child and [the] whole class. Talk about [the] problem, not [the] child, and without naming names!"
"In our department, we had parents who used us as babysitters. If they would see us as much more than that. We are pouring into the souls of their children for the sake of the Kingdom. If parents could put our classes and services on the top of their priority list, ensure their students are in class on time and as often as classes or an event are held, it only helps. If parents could remind students of how they should behave that would be great. If parents would communicate with leadership and let them know about any special needs the student has, that would be great! As volunteers freely give up their time to serve in the ministry, it is our hope that children and students will have a great time so parents can focus on their own class/service."
No. You need to treat them and respect them for what they are – educators. They are educating your children on the very most important thing they'll ever need to know in life – God and His will. Do you recall at the beginning of this series where I lined out how "kids" in the Bible learned?
In Christ's time, a Jewish child was sent to school within the fifth or sixth year of his life. Until they were ten, the Bible was their one text book. From the ages of ten to fifteen, traditional law was their main subject. After the age of fifteen, they studied theology as it was taught in the Talmud. The Talmud is the record of rabbinic teachings that spans a period of about six hundred years… The rabbinic teachings of the Talmud explain in great detail how the commandments of the Torah are to be carried out.
If with school you get progress reports, you meet with the teacher, you assure that they are behaving properly, you ask them what they learned that day…why would you not do that and more for their lessons on God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit? We are talking about their entire life on this planet and eternity!
Somewhere along the line we all get our priorities messed up, out of alignment, out of order. Sometimes our churches do. After all, they're ran by us – deficient humans. Sometimes Churches get distracted by trying to entertain the children, trying to hem up the children, trying to grow the ministry. So too, though, do we parents get messed up and begin to treat children's ministry as if it's somehow less important than school, a reprieve from parenting for a couple of hours, not our responsibility.
So, today take responsibility for yours! If you feel like your children are being entertained rather than ministered, speak up. Do so with respect and patience; because these folks are working hard for your children.
You'd be surprised what you can accomplish when you are directed by the Holy Spirit and speak as Christ would. After all, complaints are usually filed away and put in one of two boxes in our minds: 1) "I can't let it bother me"; or 2) the box of insecurities. When spoken to with suggestions and concerns, offers of assistance and encouragement, those words are often put into boxes like: 1) "That's someone who's on my side. I can work with them." 2) "Maybe that's who God is sending me to help me." 3) "I see there's an area I need to work on; and, I'm okay with that."
Lastly, I would challenge you to pray for your children's ministers and teachers. Are you praying for our president? Your governor? Your boss? Your pastor? You better be! And, if you are, then shouldn't you be praying for all of those same people that influence your children's lives?
Thank you for staying with me throughout this series. I pray that God has brought hope and forgiveness to parents. I pray that God has brought insight to teachers and ministers. Above all, I pray that this series is able to change the outcome of even just one of His children and the path that they take for His kingdom.
Do you want to do more with your children? You might start here: Focus on the Family's Summer Adventure Kit! It's completely free (but you can always donate) and is a great way for you to take an active part in the Biblical education of your children in a very fun way.
Do you need some more encouragement on a very real and specific thing you and your child(ren) are going through? I encourage you to check out Focus on the Family's parenting website. They cover a variety of topics from newborn on up. To learn more about them CLICK HERE.
"Focus on the Family is a global Christian ministry dedicated to helping families thrive. We provide help and resources for couples to build healthy marriages that reflect God's design, and for parents to raise their children according to morals and values grounded in biblical principles."
STAY TUNED: We're on vacation this week but because so many of you have responded so well to this series, when I return home, I'm going to be doing a giveaway! Follow my blog, Facebook page, Twitter account, and on Instagram and you'll never miss a giveaway!


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What have you accomplished this week?
Welcome back to this week's Little Accomplishments!
I hope that all of you had a happy, productive week. Mine was lazy in some ways, and very successful in others, hahaha! We'll see how this post turns out.
Make sure to comment down below what you have been up to this week!
Oh, and by the way – don't forget to drop by yesterday's post! I would love to hear all of your summer stories. ☀🏖🌴
Let's celebrate all of life's joys – no matter how small!
This past week, I…
- tried Guatemalan coffee. (I had no idea I would end up enjoying it so much! And I drank it black. That is an absolute first for me!)
- finished the blogging challenge. (On different days, I didn't know if I would be able to post for the full thirty days in a row lol, but as most of you know, I did it! And I had so much fun.)
- reached 500 followers. (The only thing I have to say is thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you! <3)
- finished reading Evil Under The Sun. (Ooohhh yes. Every novel Christie has written is a work of art.)
- started reading Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. (I love Newt even more now. And Harry's and Ron's little sidenotes and additions to his writing are hilarious.)
- reorganized my desk. (I am going to share what I've added/changed in an updated desk tour post this upcoming Monday! Sorry for making you wait, hehe.)
- wrote a review on Death on The Nile. (Yup!)
Yawn. Hahaha, okay, not really! However, I did slack on what I wanted to get done this week, as some different things were going on, so I didn't do as much as I would've liked. ._. Right now, though, I'm making a full list for next week that I will follow! Watch meeee!
Alright, it's Thursday evening, and I am too tired. Signing off before I say anything more embarrassing. Good morning and good night!
Friday morning edit: I'm starting that to-do list now. 😄
Comment what YOU'VE done this week down below – last Saturday through today!
Happy weekend, everyone!


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We are starting Day 5 of the Fifty Day Challenge. After today, we'll be 10 percent done. i am hanging in there. i've substituted some different exercises for the planks and feel like a more virtuous person. 🙂
But going into Day 5 also means i have gotten spanked 4 days in a row. For the most part, not hard, and certainly not for long ~ a two minute spanking is a morsel, a small treat in my opinion. And yet.
The four days of exercise have begun to build muscles, and that feels good. Four days of spanking have softened me in some way. Yeah, like pounding on meat to tenderize it? Something like that, i suppose!
i feel more connected to Him in a submissive way. When i sit near Him, i feel like part of me melts and i want to touch Him. When i'm in His arms, i feel that warm, melting sensation that i think of as one of the joys of being submissive.
Not that i didn't before, but more so now. i really like the feeling, and wonder what it'll be like ~ how i'll feel ~ when we're 50 days into the challenge.
"No," He says. He is holding His cock close to her face; she kneels at His feet.
"Please, Sir?" she says.
"No," and He strokes it, bringing it close to her lips without letting it touch.
She licks her lips, tilts her head, trying to entice Him. He smiles, and says it again, "No."
Kneeling naked, hands behind her back, balancing is not as easy as she had expected, but she finds that spreading her knees wider is helpful. Her nipples ache from the clamps, and every time she gets used to the feeling, He tightens them a notch.
"Tell me why you want to," He says. "Convince me."
"i want to because you look so good, i love your cock, just look at Him, all hard there, and i want to taste Him, take Him in my mouth and taste Him and lick all around Him and suck him and please, can't i, just a little taste?"
"No," He says, still stroking Himself. He loves to make her beg. In a little while, He thinks, He will spank her ass until she begs for mercy.


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Today it was my honor to speak at the Summer Youth Employment Program kick off ceremony at The Arc in South East Washington, DC! Only 51 youth were selected for jobs and I talked to them about the importance of being the best and obtaining as much knowledge as possible. I left them with the message that anything can be taken away from you but no one can take away your knowledge and what you know! Goodluck to all the new youth employees!
Angie Ange
Special thanks to Mayor Gray and William C. Smith + Co.