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The best improvement you can make to your country home and active indoor/outdoor lifestyle is to build a deck of warm and inviting wood—for family cookouts, parties, close supervision of kids and pets, or simply for someplace to sit back in the sun and watch the tomatoes ripen. And, it needn't be the sort of architect-designed, megabuck extravaganza you see in the slick magazines and "ideabooks." Designing a simple four-square deck and doing the elementary masonry and carpentry yourself, you can add 100 cents of every dollar you spend directly onto the market value of your home. Indeed, if you shop carefully, you may even be money ahead!
First, visit (don't phone) the local building inspector to see if you need a building permit and inspection(s). In most populated areas, you will. Built right, decks are permanent structures and, like it or not, society has legislated itself a say in the appearance and durability of structures that will outlive their builders. Communities determine setbacks (distance of buildings from property lines) and interpret regional building codes to specify size and spacing of structural members, depth and size of foundations, dimensions of stairs and railings and more.
Some inspection departments encourage owner/builders, and offer deck plans and tips for satisfying the code. Others are biased toward the building trades and may be sticklers for detail. All can force you to tear down a deck if it fails inspection. But, as a town assessor once advised: "If you don't need a permit, don't get one. Filing it will alert us and your property tax may go up." Even if a permit is not required, to build a deck that will hold up in your climate, learn code requirements and follow them.
The Site Plan
To obtain a permit, you'll need to submit a scale site plan and construction drawings. Draw them up even if you don't need to. Measure the distance of buildings from property lines. Using square-ruled graph paper, ink in a birds-eye-view scale outline of applicable setback lines, structures, drives, walks, and permanent plantings. Then make graph-paper cutouts of your deck ideas and try them on for size, location and effect on household traffic patterns. Decks serve best when connecting the family's most-used inside and outside activity areas—linking back or side yard with kitchen or family room. But try your ideas all around the house.
Decks are for expansive living. As one builder puts it: "Everyone needs ample 'butt-space."' So, be sure you build a deck that's large enough. Make a full-page scale plan of the deck, then mark a 3' arc access area at entries and stairs. Make paper cutouts of a 3'×4' rectangle for a barbecue grill in use; 4'×6' rectangles for occupied deck chairs; 4' diameter circles for standing people. See if, with furniture moved aside, you have a 6' wide track for your youngster and a pal on Hot Wheels. The deck may demand that the garden be moved or suggest a whole new landscaping plan. Take your time; paper's cheap.
Plan to spend $3.50 to $5.00 per square foot. In these tight-pursed times, bank financing may be a problem for those who want to build a deck themselves. However, many building supply outlets will finance up to $1,500 worth of materials. Lumber and fittings for few home-builder-scale decks will cost more; a discount lumber yard near me sells lumber and fittings for a 6'×8' entry deck for $170, and a 16'×24' model (railings included) for $1,300.
A Trial Layout
Next, make a string-and-stick mockup. Set stout boards or poles at the corners and every few feet around the deck's outline, run taught cord around them, clear and rough-level the land and try living in the space for a while. Be sure you have easy access from the house. An existing door may suffice, or you may need to cut a door in the kitchen or family room wall.
For a clear view of the deck, windows may need enlarging or relocating; a sliding glass door may solve both window and door problems.
Experiment with different deck sizes and shapes. The building code and common sense require that any deck much over a foot off the ground must have a railing and stairs; try different locations and sizes. Fronting the door from the house is most convenient, and an outdoor stair should be at least 4' wide. Perhaps a pair of stairways will be better.
Before drawing the construction plan, select the materials. The deck must support 10 lbs./sq.ft. of its own weight and a total "live" load (including people and furnishings) of 40 lbs./sq. ft. Different types of lumber have different carrying capacities.
In time, boring insects and soil-borne molds will destroy any wood they can get to, and airborne mildew will gradually eat it to pulp. For longest life, lumber must be weather-resistant and kept out of contact with the soil.
Surprising perhaps, but your worst lumber choice would be hardwood such as maple, birch, or most oaks. Not much longer-lived are common building lumbers such as spruce, fir, or pine. Most elegant are straight-grained softwoods containing natural resins which repel bugs and molds. California redwood, eastern red or western white cedar, and southern bald cypress will last 25 years or longer with proper care. However, they're expensive. Inch-thick Western red cedar decking costs over a half-dollar a running foot (and is rising). You'll pay almost twice that for redwood. White cedar costs less, but is hard to come by—it is only really available primarily from fencing contractors.
From your woodlot or local sawmills, you may be able to obtain non-commercial species having a measure of natural rot-resistance: locust, mulberry, catalpa, and, in the Midwest, Osage orange. Wild cherry, white oak, and red cedar make okay deck woods but are better used for furniture. (Be sure that having the wood hauled, cut to size and milled smooth doesn't cost more than buying finished lumber.)
For economy and longest life, your deck's frame at least should be of pressure-treated lumber: "PT" to the trade. Primarily Southern yellow pine in the East and Douglas fir in the West, PT is construction-quality softwood that is pressure-infused with CCA, a copper/arsenic fungicide/insecticide. It is both cheaper and stronger than naturally weather-resistant woods.
PT is sold in 4" to 8" square posts and flat boards in 1" to 4" thicknesses and 3" to 12" widths. All come in lengths from 8 to 16 or 20'. The optimal grade for decks is designated by the American Wood Preserver's Bureau label "Ground Contact LP-22," or it has been treated to a retention level of .40 lbs./cu.ft. It has a minimum life expectancy of 30 years. Grade #1 will contain a few 1/2" or smaller tight knots. Grade #2 will be knottier—but is only 10% cheaper. Be sure you get genuine PT, not wood that's been dipped. Fresh PT is bright green, but weathers to gray. You'll pay between $4 and $5 for a 4"×4"×8' post.
Fittings & Fasteners
You can build an elegant post-and-beam deck, chiseling mortises in massive vertical posts to accept tenons cut into the horizontals, then drill and peg the joints. But this is for purists. For quickest, most mistake-proof building, use stock "dimension" lumber and galvanized metal fittings.
Fittings, deck planking, small framing members, and trim are usually nailed on. Buy fat aluminum deck-fitting nails or hot-dipped galvanized steel: common nails which are rust-resistant and have a large enough head to hold. Use ten-penny (10d) 3" nails to fasten 2-by stock, and 2" 6ds to fasten 1-bys. Thinner nails will bend, and larger may split the wood. To attach trim and railings, get finishing nails with a small pitted head that can be nail-punched to disappear into the wood.
More expensive than nails, but easily removed if you plan to modify the deck in future, are self-tapping drywall-type screws. Install them with an electric screwdriver. Buy "All-Weather" deck screws of galvanized steel at a dime and up apiece or more costly versions made from rust-proof alloys.
Major frame members are fastened with round-headed/square-shouldered carriage bolts hammered into the wood at one side of through-holes and tightened on the other side with washers and nuts or with lagscrews: hex-headed wood screws that are racheted into pilot holes with a wrench. For 2×8s get 3" and longer threaded fasteners in 3/8" diameter—also hot-dip-galvanized.
Foundation & Frame
Now, draw up a detailed plan for your foundation, frame, and planking. These directions are overbuilt by trade standards and your code may permit you to use smaller structural members.
A ground-level deck can rest directly on a concrete footing dug to below frost level. Support higher decks on wooden posts affixed to the footing. You can buy heavy precast footings or pour concrete into upside-down-mushroom-shaped holes or into cylindrical cardboard Sona tubes. Easiest for the DIYer (if building code allows) is to dig ample holes and mortar 7 1/2" cubical concrete blocks to a few inches above ground level, then install wood-post legs on metal fittings affixed to the blocks to support the deck. Don't bury wood posts in soil or embed them in concrete. And don't try building a high block-only foundation unless you have masonry experience.
Test-dig a pier hole. If your soil is hardpan or rocky, you may have to hire a tractor with a post-hole auger or backhoe to get the foundation in. But in snow country, do not be tempted to install footings too—shallow the deck will be heaved out of the ground by alternating freezes and thaws. Check your code, but in stable soils, footings 2' deep should suffice below the Mason-Dixon Line; 3' through middle of the continent and 4' in far northern U.S.A. and Canada.
It's easiest to attach ground-floor-level decks to wood frame houses with a ledger board. This is a 2" thick beam lagscrewed or through-bolted to the bottom members of the house frame: the massive sill of timber-frame houses or to the sill, joists, studs, and plate of stick-built houses. If your home is of stone or the ledger must attach to a concrete foundation, it can be affixed with masonry bolts set into expansion anchors placed in holes bored out with a drill and masonry bit. The easiest approach is often to forget the ledger and support the whole deck on concrete-and-post piers. (A freestanding deck built in modular sections with removable fasteners may be code-exempt to boot.)
The ledger joins with side and front beams supported on piers located at the deck's corners and at 8' to 12' intervals to form a square or rectangular frame. Beams can be square timbers or single or doubled 2" thick planks placed on edge. Joists running between beams support the planking.
Side beams plus joists can also be supported by the ledger and a dual-member carrying beam (or beams) set on 8'-spaced piers. Such a frame can "cantilever"—extend without support—beyond the carrying beam up to 1/5th of the joist's length (2' of a 10' deep deck). The cut ends of beams and joists are boxed with a rim joist.
So long as your deck rises no more than 5' above the ground and you use PT lumber, you should satisfy the code at least cost using 4 × 4 posts, 2 × 8 frame/joist members and 5/4 × 4 planking—which comes with square or, better, rounded or "eased" edges. This is all "nominal measure" lumber. For reasons lost in the sawdust of time, most dimension softwood lumber is sold as if a smoothing 1/8" or more has not been milled off flat surfaces and varying amounts off the nominal width. So, a 4 × 4 post is actually 3 1/2" square and a 5/4 × 4 decking plank is actually 1" thick and about 3 3/4" wide. Confusing. So, visit your lumberyard and measure the wood you will be using. Then draw up a scale plan using "actual" measure. Design in 1' increments, making any minor adjustments along the long dimension of your planks in 4" increments (the width of a deck plank).
A small entry deck close to the ground and less than 6' both ways can be supported on a ledger and single 2 × 8 beams resting directly on corner footings. If any dimension is substantially longer, double the 2 × 8s—either by bolting one to each side of posts or butting them together on top. For drainage, butted beam planks should be separated by spacers—3" squares of 1/4" thick plywood—where they are affixed to posts and nailed in every 2'. Butted 2 × 8s with spacers will fit neatly atop a 4 × 4 post.
Using PT, space your piers so that no 2 × 8 beam is unsupported for more than 10'. Eight-foot spacing is sturdier—and must be used with any framing lumber other than PT. For a deck that is 16' deep, run a dual-2 × 8 beam down the middle as well as at the front—both 16' beams supported on a quartet of piers spaced 8' apart.
Space 2 × 8 joists no more than 16" apart "on center"—meaning that the middle of each on-edge board is 16 inches from the centers of its neighbors. No need to space all joists 16 inches apart, however; this is possible only on decks that are an even 8, 12 or 20' wide (or a larger even-foot multiple of 16). Do space joists evenly in the center. Using (most economical) 16" spacing, in an off-width deck, add a joist or two and space end joists closer than 16". Or arrange all joists an inch or two closer to even them out. For example, on a 10-footer, space seven joists 15" apart between the end beams.
Now, draw your detailed construction plan and make up a Bill of Materials listing the block, mortar and concrete mix, fittings and fasteners, plus how much lumber of what sizes you will need. Don't try estimating square footage or board feet. Count each board. Get a post anchor, truss-tie plates or column caps for each pier, a pair of joist hangers for each joist plus other wood and hardware depending on your stair and railing needs.
Order all your materials at one time for a quantity discount. Get lumber in lengths that will give you mistake-space, but which will generate the least waste (divide a 20' board into three 6' 8" segments for 6' joists rather than buying a trio of 8s and losing two feet of each). Buy a few extra boards for when you measure too short. As they say, "No carpenter's tool chest contains a board stretcher."
Building Material Sources
To save money, look in the Yellow Pages for building material recycling outlets. You may find lumberyard surpluses and discards at 20% off or used materials for even less. And scrounge around. Check building supply outlets for deck packages. You may find one that approximates your own design, and during spring sales a package often sells for 10% or 15% less than the same materials bought by the piece.
Look down the long edge of boards and reject any with serious twists or warps, or with large knots or dark splits that will admit rot. Many experts recommend buying fresh-processed PT that's wet but still sawmill straight. All PT will want to "move" as it dries and shrinks slightly. However, fastened wet and straight, it will dry straight.
If you need plywood for spacers and other places it won't show, buy "CDX," the cheapest grade glued for exterior use. If it will show, buy "finished-one-side".
Buying materials, don't be intimidated by the trade jargon of lumberyard workers. Tell them you don't pretend to be a house carpenter and are ordering lumber by actual measure to make the project come out right. Most will be delighted to help.
Layout & Foundation
Unless you live in the desert, you'll want to keep water out of the house. Locate the top of your ledger 3" below the adjoining house floor. Use a chalk-coated snap line fitted with a line level to outline top and bottom of the ledger on the house. Where the ledger will attach, remove siding to expose sheathing for 2" above to allow for planking and 2" wider on each side than the deck's width.
With a helper—and working out from the bottom of the ledger—use a level line of wire or hemp cord (not stretchy nylon twine) to sink stakes at the outer corners of the deck so their tops are a little lower than the ledger bottom. Use a carpenters' square and straight boards or lengths of cord to assure that all sides are equal and corners precise 90° angles. A line stretched across each diagonal must measure the same. Set nails into the stakes—tops at precise height and angle points. Locate other piers with line, stakes and nails.
To dig footings, set a pair of level strings on stakes in an "X" over the nails in your footing stakes—the stakes holding ends of string "X"s far enough from post holes to give you digging room, the string a foot above ground. Remove string, dig holes to below frost line and tamp soil well at the bottom and around sides.
Put in a 3"-thick concrete pad, replace string "X"s if need be to find center and set in your first block so it is level and square with the house. Using a 1/2" layer of mortar all around, set and level blocks and bricks as needed up to about 6" above ground level. As you go, fill the open center of blocks with concrete rubble, rocks or brick. Set wood-post attachment fittings into a thick pad of wet concrete on the top block with top-center of the fitting at the intersection of the string "X"s, the fitting level and square with the house. Bevel the concrete down and away from the fitting to shed water.
Next day, (or after your foundation inspection) tamp soil well around the footings. After the concrete cures in a week's time, assure a waterproof seal by coating the top of the pier with asphalt roofing cement. Now you have a footing worthy of the name!
Cut your ledger 4" wider than the deck (the extra 2" at each end to hold side-beam hangers) and bolt or lagscrew it to the house frame members—not to the thin sheathing! Nails in sheathing will reveal locations of frame members.
Avoid the most common mistake of both pro and amateur deck-builders: Don't fail to insert water-shedding aluminum flashing in overlapping strips up under siding and then carry it down over the ledger.
Let flashing overrun the ledger at the sides by enough that you can tuck the ends under cut edges of siding. Plug every hole and seal every crack with long-life acrylic caulking and your deck won't admit water to rot the house frame.
Tack (temporarily nail) vertical support posts to foundation fittings—setting them plumb with the level and keeping them that way with four boards hammered into the ground at an angle and tacked to each side of each post. Snap a level chalk line from ledger bottom to post tops and remove posts to trim. Tack column-cap beam holders to top of posts and tack-nail them back on the footings.
Measure beams to length on the work, cut and and install them on joist-hangers on ledger and with column-caps of truss braces on piers. Make sure all are level before final-fastening posts and beams; you may have to shim (use thin ends of cedar shingles) or trim the posts a bit more to compensation for fitting thickness.
Joists are next. Mark locations of all joist-hangers before tack-nailing them on. Make sure all are level and square with their opposite numbers before final-fastening. Measure and cut each joist to fit on the work and lay in place. Keep them level. Especially if the lumber is wet, make them snug but not so tight they will bow the beams. Shim here and there if needed and once you are sure all joists are level and even with one another, final-fasten.You may need a building inspection before proceeding. If you aren't code-restricted and have exceeded recommended dimensions, its best to put scrap 5/4 × 4 PT cross-braces on edge at mid-span between overly long or wide-spaced joists.
Don't give in to the urge to get the barbecue fired up, and begin slapping on floor boards. Lay out every plank before setting the first nail.
Experiment with edge finishes. The outer sides and ends of boards can jut beyond the frame as much as an inch, giving a finished, table look. If your frame is of paired beams fastened to post sides, you can center square edged 5/4 × 4 planking along the outer beams, angling joints at 45°, then nail deck plank ends to the inner beam.
A deck also looks good with the three exposed sides framed with skirt boards. Set the skirt board under out-jutting plank ends and edges.
Or lay sides and cut ends of decking even with the edge of the underlying beam so top of skirt boards will be at floor level.
Run a bead of caulk around top and bottom of straight-edged 2-by PT skirt boards, then nail them around the beams. Use small-headed finishing nails to attach such non-supporting trim.
Place planks tight against the house, oriented so the grain (visible at cut ends) curves upward in a dome rather than dishing in a water-holding cup. Use 16d nails as 1/8" spacers or use spikes for wider spacing. Drive two nails through each plank where it crosses each beam and joist—nails one quarter of the board's width from each edge.
To prevent splitting, drill pilot holes with a drill bit smaller than the nail's diameter through planking and a 1/4" into joists—especially at ends of boards. If you must piece short lengths of decking, stagger the joints and angle nails into pilot holes drilled into the underlying joist.
Wait until all the planking is on before trimming the ends. Snap a chalk line and tack straight boards to the deck to guide your circular saw, and trim all the boards at one time. If plank ends are to be exposed, use a sharp blade and go slow to get a really clean saw cut.
Railings & Stairs
Railings are required on decks more than a foot or two above grade. They are most sturdy if main rail posts are extensions of foundation posts. If rail posts, especially at corners and stairs, are freestanding, attach with metal deck-post fittings screwed through planking into beams.
The caprail is one place you should consider splurging on splinter-resistant, straight-grained cedar or redwood. Rail stock pre-grooved for balusters comes in several styles and sizes—as do balusters. Measure on the job and cut to a snug fit. Don't drive fasteners from top of caprail into verticals. Affix rails atop posts with post caps or metal angle fittings. The lower rail can be toenailed on (nails angled into posts from sides of rails) or (better) supported at bottom by metal angles or plywood cleats. Hold balusters in place with short wooden spacers in the grooves or finishing nails driven through sides of the rails. Space balusters evenly, but follow code specs—no more than 2 1/2" between if small children are to use the deck.
Measuring and cutting notched-plank stair stringers is tricky. Easier is to buy precut stringers from a building supply outlet. (Use three stringers under a stair wider than 4'.) Easier still, for a 4'-wide stair, use a pair of 2 × 10 or 2 × 12 PT boards and attach wood or steel cleats to support the stair treads. See "Framing Details for Stairway" illustration for dimensions.
Lagscrew stringer tops to foundation posts or fasten to a beam with large metal angle-fittings. Through-bolt the bottom stair post to the bottom of the stringer, then screw bottom of both stringer and rail post to metal fittings set a 1/2" above a poured concrete or filled-block ground pad.
Angle-cut and screw the stair's cap and bottom rails to the deck-railing posts and fill with angle-cut balusters to match the railing. Stair treads receive the most wear of any part of a deck. For best drainage and easiest replacement, make treads of spaced 5/4 × 4 decking fastened to stringers through pilot holes with 3" self-tapping deck screws.
If your deck is well above grade, you may want to conceal the bare ground beneath with a spaced-wood apron. Affix a 2 × 4 rail on edge around the bottom of foundation posts and even with the beam above. Then, between beam and rail, attach wood strips to match the deck and house trim—horizontal or vertical, diagonal or latticed. Inch-thick PT boards are best, but cheapest is 1/8 × 1 1/2 × 4 wood lath or 1 × 3 × 8 furring strips: wood that is a little rough, but serviceable if culled and sealed at ends and sides before fastening. To use the space for storage, eliminate a length of bottom rail. Build apron panels to fit between posts on a rectangular frame of 2 × 4s screwed together both sides with triangular plywood gussets or galvanized metal "L" fittings. Hang them at top with galvanized "T" hinges.
Finish & Maintenance
Decks do best with a minimum of finish. If you must, prime and paint railings to match the house, but never paint deck floor-planking. PT and naturally rot-resistant woods can be left to weather, but benefit by being treated with a clear sealer. Conventional lumber must be treated periodically with a sealer/stain to retain an even color. Don't rely on can labels; consult a knowledgeable local paint retailer for the best finish for your choice of lumber in your climate.
Finally, assure the longevity of your deck by cleaning it spring and fall and treating annually against mildew. (Use a scrub brush and detergent or oxalic-acid wood bleach to scour the door). With a putty knife and hose on high pressure, dig rot-encouraging debris from cracks between planks—especially over joists. Let dry, then apply a colorless deck preservative, soaking planks and railings and brushing well into vertical surfaces. Get under the deck and slosh preservative up into fittings and joints. If you notice rust on fittings or fasteners, wirebrush down to shiny metal and coat with metal primer and aluminum rust-proofing spray-paint. If floor boards begin to splinter or rot, replace the entire board or cut out the affected length between joists, double the joist under joints and fasten a length of new wood. In termite country, check older decks for mud tunnels leading from soil over concrete footings to the wood. If you find them, call the exterminator.
There are various books on deck projects. Most hands-on helpful to DIYers is Tim Snyder's Decks: How to Design and Build the Perfect Deck for Your Home from Rodale Press. Or you can wait a while for John Vivian's Entries, Decks & Porches That You Can Build (Storey Communications/Garden Way Publishing).


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Pan-fried chicken in mushroom sauce
Creamy chicken and mushroom dish - a fabulous French seasonal recipe
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
- kcal600
- fat40g
- saturates22g
- carbs3g
- sugars0g
- fibre1g
- protein50g
- salt0.8g
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is made from pressing sunflower seeds and extracting the oil. It's usually…
- 6 large, free-range chicken legs, halved at the joint so you have 6 thighs and 6 drumsticks
- 700ml/1¼ pts chicken stock (or water)
- 50g butter
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 1 onion, finely diced
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 400g mixed wild mushrooms
The mushroom is a fungus which comes in a wide range of varieties that belong to two distinct…
- 300ml/½ pt dry white wine
- 284ml pot double cream
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the thighs for 8-10 mins, skin side only, until golden brown, then transfer to a casserole dish. Fry the drumsticks for about 5 mins each side and add them to the thighs.
Pour the stock over the chicken legs in the casserole. There should be enough stock to just cover the chicken, if not add a little water. Bring stock to the boil and cover, leaving lid slightly ajar. Cook at just below simmering point for 30-35 mins until chicken is cooked.
While chicken is simmering, drain oil from the pan. Heat the butter in pan and add onion. Sweat onion for 5 mins until soft, but not coloured. Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms, then fry for 3 mins until they soften and start to smell wonderful. Pour over the white wine, raise the heat to maximum and boil rapidly for 6-8 mins until reduced by two-thirds. Turn off the heat and leave until chicken has cooked.
Once chicken legs are cooked, strain stock into pan with the onion, mushrooms and white wine, bring back to the boil and reduce again by two-thirds until it is thick and syrupy. Pour in double cream, bring it to the boil, season if you want, then pour it over chicken. Heat chicken through in the sauce for 2-3 mins then turn off the heat and leave for a few mins before serving. This is such an aromatic and beautiful looking dish you should serve it straight from the casserole with the lid on.
Recipe Tip
Like this?Try some of our other chicken dishes, Mustard-stuffed chicken, Chicken & chorizo jambalaya or Parmesan spring chicken.

subset: commoncrawl


text: FifthE1ement's SuperCard Guide! "FifthE1ement's SuperCard Guide" is a complete user's guide to everything SuperCard. This new version comes in Adobe Acrobat Reader "PDF" format and includes detailed step-by-step instructions, pictures and a quick guide that will allow you to get you the most from you SuperCard flashcart. If you've just received your SuperCard or if you've owned one for years this guide will teach you everything there is to know about the SuperCard and then some. Guide Version: v1.1 Updated: December 18th, 2006 * If you have linked here from your current version of the guide please match the version number in your guide to the one above to make sure your guide is up-to-date. Download Information: Click here to download. (Choice of PDF & ZIP files available.) Enjoy the guide, FifthE1ement


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(Pictured here: Holly Cupala, Janet Lee Carey, Lorie Ann Grover, Dia Calhoun, and the Hauslet duo of wonder.)
Thankfully, Seattle still claims Rene Kirkpatrick of Third Place Books as one of our own. If you ever need a YA book recommendation, she's the one to ask. We do--all the time at readergirlz!


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ALAMEDA — Guard Kevin Boothe, an eight-year veteran who started 14 games as a Raiders rookie in 2006, signed a reported two-year contract with Oakland a couple of hours after the team's signing of wide receiver James Jones was announced Monday.
Boothe, 30, is primarily a guard but played six games at center with the New York Giants last season. He has 62 NFL starts and played on two Super Bowl championship teams with New York, his team the past seven seasons.
Despite being a rookie starter in 2006, Boothe was cut the following season when the Raiders switched from a power-gap blocking scheme to a zone scheme under Lane Kiffin and line coach Tom Cable.
"This place has always held a special place in my heart as the team that drafted me," Boothe said in a conference call.
Also visiting the facility was defensive lineman Alex Carrington, who last played for Buffalo and who has also visited with Pittsburgh.


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Possible Duplicate:
Do some half-lives change over time?
Would it be possible to considerably speed up the decay rate of an isotope?
Considerably meaning more then a 1 or 2% increase in decay rate.
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Possible Duplicate:
Do some half-lives change over time?
Would it be possible to considerably speed up the decay rate of an isotope?
Considerably meaning more then a 1 or 2% increase in decay rate.
Spontaneous decay rate are considered to be a kind of intrinsic property and it should not depend on anything else, see the answers in the related question. Usually when there are particles interacting with the atom, the decay rate can change but it is not spontaneous. I want to add an experimental results.
There are occasional reports of the observing decay rate fluctuate less than 1%. Recently, an experimental results claimed that the effect of the sun on the beta decay can be large and its variation depends on the hour of day and the date of year. Details and discussion are given in a blog post.
The experiment have record the beta decay of $^{214}Pb$ and $^{214}Bi$ with 28733 measurements of gamma radiation. The time series is shown in Figure 1 below. The power of the signal over days and years are shown in Figure 2 and it is very close to the power of sun in Figure 3.
The data here is pretty clearly show that there is large fluctuation overtime and there is a relation to the sun. Though, it is hard to tell whether the spontaneous decay rate has been changed. But I think it might be some unknown interaction mechanism with particles from sun.
Figure: Gamma measurements, normalized to mean value unity, as a function of time.
Figure: Gamma measurements as a function of date and time of day. The color-bar gives the power, $S$, of the observed signal.
Figure: Solar elevation as a function of date and time of day. The color-bar gives the power, $S$, of the observed signal.
Edit: I want to add a note about the discussion of the previous question, and pointed by @dmckee that this result and others are conducted by the same author. That is these are not independent results. It is therefore less trustable.
However, the results produced by their group this time is much clear and stronger. I think there are other research groups interested to reproduce it. This experiment should be much easier than the previous one for other groups to valid its correctness (or figure out stupid experimental problem). Hence, it could be expected that we can see more independent results to verify it soon.
The answer to this is yes, on the grounds that that is exactly what happens in nuclear power plants/bombs, however this is not "spontaneous" fission and I am guessing that you mean is there a way to speed up it's decay without the use of additional particles/gamma rays.
If you are talking about spontaneous fission, then to increase this rate you would need to apply some kind of potential field to the nucleus that would decrease the energy barrier required for fission to take place. I think the easiest way to go about this would be to apply an electric field across the nucleus such that rather than decreasing the coulomb barrier for a large fission, you make a beta decay to a higher energy state much more likely?
I hope that makes sense/answers your question. I haven't got the time to check how specific transition strengths are altered by an external field, but I am a theoretical nuclear physicist and in terms of solving the Schrodinger equation, an external potential field will certainly make differences to stability of orbitals.


text:
In 2011 Cameron said, "Never again will work be the wrong financial choice … We are finally going to make work pay for some of the poorest people in our society."
As you know, I found part-time work. I was quite excited by this. I'm now told my Jobseekers' Allowance has been stopped, I'm entitled to reduced Housing Benefit and I'm not entitled to Council Tax Benefit
I've received a number of letters pointing out differing amounts I am or I'm not entitled to and my head is spinning but I've tried to calculate what this means.
And I'm £21 per month worse off by working. Add to this the money I have to find for rent and Council Tax and I'm a massive £158 a month worse off before I've even paid the rest of my bills.
It's literally impossible.
I will, of course, also pay high bank charges when I inevitably become overdrawn losing yet more from my paltry income.
If my calculations are accurate, I'm at very real risk of becoming deeper in debt and, ultimately, losing my home.
Over a year since Cameron excitedly said work will pay, the reality is I'm now awake in the early hours panicking about not having any money, fretting that I won't have fares to even get to work and questioning whether I'll be penalised for packing in my part-time job and returning to full benefits.
Stay on benefits. You know it makes sense.
I understand I can't get Working Tax Credits because I work fewer then 16 hours per week.
I've not been given any advice on alternative benefit options so don't think there are any. I have to accept a loss of £158 per month and work.
So – for those who think the unemployed should try to get at least a few hours work – it is an impossible challenge. That is, unless you're working as part of slave labour for multi-million companies while "earning" your benefits.


text:
A beekeeper.
Yes, that is what I have become.
Just ask the two most important men in my life - my Dad and Cute Husband.
My Dad (master beekeeper and mentor) gets my frantic calls at all hours of the night. "Dad, why are the bees making a roaring sound after I opened them up and rearranged their whole living conditions" or... "Dad, do you think I am giving them enough ventilation? Maybe I should drill some new entrances..." or
"Dad, I really think Athena's bees are a super strong force of honey making nature ... and... can you believe I may actually get some honey from this hive?"
(Secretly, I could care less about the honey ... but don't tell Cute Husband)
So, Dad gets the frantic hive management calls.
Warren, my Love, gets bees 24/7.
I tell him the daily activities of both Athena and Diana (Hive #2).
I tell him all the interesting bee behavior theories that I learn from endless reading of bee journals. I relay any new bee news that might make me a better keeper of the bees.
I tell him if ants are messing with Diana or if Athena looks like she is going to swarm again. I lure him to the "bee yard"to see all the bee activity. I go on and on for hours about the discussions at the bee club meetings.
I hide the evidence of bee paraphernalia purchases like some women hide shoe boxes in hopes their husbands will not notice.
"What? That new feeder, swarm trap and bottom board? Oh, no, no.... these are old ones, had them for years... you never noticed?"
"Oh, yes, yes, these are new... last season's frame and wax. Super beekeeper sale that I hit last fall".So, obviously I have tons of wonderful male support.
But I also have over 100,000 females in the back yard. And Athena's females are acting quite odd.
Last week a group of them decided to swarm and landed about 10 feet away from the original hive. They hung out on the ground in a big ball, which I thought I had recaptured, only to return the next morning and find no sign of them.
Perhaps they were queen-less and decided to return to their original abode. My next inspection showed little to no difference in bee numbers. So, maybe.
The trouble is... I don't speak bee.
On Saturday, some of Athena's gals were just hanging out on their fancy landing ramp. All clumped together perhaps waiting for further instructions from the realtor worker bees who look for a new home. Or, maybe they were waiting for the queen to exit so they could take off together. Or, maybe they just get sick of me looking at them all the time.
Again, I don't speak bee.
I recently whined to our bee club president, "I just have no idea if I am doing any of this beekeeping stuff correctly... and I feel so responsible for their well being...."
Apparently, bee club president thinks these are exactly the traits that make a good beekeeper.
Stay tuned to see if any of these bees decide to continue to live in the housing I provide.


text:
I was trying the following puzzle from this link :
You randomly withdraw 3 balls out of a lot containing identical red, identical green and identical blue balls. What is the probability that you get 1 red, 1 green and 1 blue ball given the number of
a) Red balls = 3, Green balls = 3, Blue balls = 3
b) Red balls = p, Green balls = q, Blue balls = r such that p,q,r>3
c) Red balls = infinity, Green balls = infinity, Blue balls = infinity
My solution for the puzzle is as follows:
Number of ways of selecting 'r' things from 'n' identical things is '1'.
Therefore, first answer would be 1.1.1/(number of solutions of x+y+z=3, where x,y,z>=0) i.e. 1/10
For second part : 1/10, since p,q,r > 3
For third part : 1/10. Same logic.
But if I apply the same logic to solve : "What is the probability to select a red ball out of a lot of 1 red ball and infinite blue balls?", my answer is 0.5 which intuitively is wrong(It should be 0).
Please tell me where am I wrong.


text:
Scenes From The Love Show
Dominic Champagne, who directed and wrote the original concept for the show, explained his vision for LOVE: "I wanted to create a Beatles experience rather than a Beatles story, taking the audience on an emotional journey rather than a chronological one, exploring the landscapes and experiences that have marked the group's history." Here's his vision for each scene in the show.
Get Back - Love Show
Nowhere Land
Eleanor Rigby Scene
Depicting the resurrection and resilience of a post-war nation, Eleanor Rigby pulls the weight of her past through the rubble. Interpretation of key characters from The Beatles musical and historical narratives emerge including Father McKenzie, The Queen, Mr. Piggy, the Children of Liverpool and The Fool. Interwoven in this homage to The Beatles tragic heroine are hints of "Julia," "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "A Day in the Life."
Glass Onion Scene
Marked by the ending strings from "Glass Onion," the festivities are brought to a startling finish and we flash back still further to the war years of The Beatles youth. The vibrancy and levity become shrouded by the grim realities of WWII that shaped the four boys' revolutionary attitudes and musical tastes. Sgt Pepper's band is symbolically destroyed amid the chaos and devastation, and the grim landscape soon becomes a setting for change and renewal.
Because Scene
Creating a portrait reminiscent of the ports of Liverpool, sailors climb dramatically on ropes toward the Heavens. The a cappella voices of John, Paul and George pave their ascent. Each pull of the rope elevates the intensity of anticipation, foreshadowing The Beatles revival. Anchored at the other end of their lifelines is a scene from Savile Row. In an instant the sailors descend from their summits and raise the set, taking us from the place where it all began to The Beatles' final performance in 1969 atop the roofs of London.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band comes back to life in its full regalia in a moment of hallucinogenic hilarity. Continuing the experimental journey, the parade emerges reborn with instruments imbued with fantasy and whimsy.
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite Scene
Strawberry Fields
Assembled around a mysterious piano, Dr. Robert introduces the Nowhere Men to an unusual tea drinking ritual. This euphemistic stimulant launches them and the show itself on a psychedelic trip. The surreal "Strawberry Fields" is underscored in the closing stages by "Penny Lane," "In My Life," "Piggies" and "Hello Goodbye."
JAM Session
A lively repartee between the four band members. Created from the authentic recordings at Abbey Road Studios, the sound bytes evoke the presence of The Beatles within an intimate studio setting.
Abbey Road
A collage of sound bytes create a fictionalised conversation between John, Paul, George and Ringo. Using The Beatles master tapes, Québecois comedian François Pérusse pieced together this intimate exchange, which is illustrated by the projection of shadow figures.
Here Comes the Sun Scene
Reminiscent melancholy rooted in the love that once was and the longing of what could be.
Four extreme sports athletes take to the stage in this fast-paced, nail-biting number. The skaters take blading to the extreme, leaping 11-foot tall ramps -- and each other -- with a continuous barrage of flips, twists and jumps.
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite
The topsy-turvy world of fame gone awry comes to life. Mr. Kite's macabre circus is populated by a dizzying frenzy of nightmarish creatures and faceless characters. Indicative of the media frenzy and controversy that surrounded The Beatles during their meteoric rise to fame, the Russian Swing artist whirls and twirls high over the crowd performing 360-degree feats of aerial acrobatics. Excerpts from "Cry Baby Cry," sound effects from "Good Morning Good Morning," laughter from "Piggies," noises from "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" "Helter Skelter" and audio snippets of The Beatles joking around during recording sessions can be heard throughout this delirious mix.
Gnik Nus / Something
Introduced by "Sun King" played backwards, this sensual choreography shows how fleeting and fragile love can be. Set to the classic tune "Something," a young male solo dancer is tantalised by four women who fly in and out of his reach.
Within You, Without You
Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream ... Here the children of Liverpool are taken on a wild ride atop a billowing bed sheet, a visual psychedelic stream, which envelops the audience, launching them on a magical journey. "Within You Without You" can be heard over the drums from "Tomorrow Never Knows."
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
The trip continues with the glittering daughter of the heavens, Lucy, soaring through the air in this aerial contortion number. Connecting with the earthy Fireman who keeps her aloft, Lucy lets her hair down and rejoices in this moment of exhaultation.
Octopus's Garden Scene
Octopus's Garden
The surreal voyage takes a plunge into the Octopus's Garden, where marine creatures perform a slow-motion aquatic ballet.
Lady Madonna
Celebrating the strength, beauty and courage of motherhood, Lady Madonna dances with children at her feet. The dance ensemble performs high-energy "Gumboot" choreography. Accompanied by her rock 'n' roll lover, Sugar Plum Fairy, they celebrate love in all its joys and hardships.
Here Comes the Sun
This tranquil moment of enlightenment is the climax of the psychedelic trip, bridging Western values and Eastern culture. Four female artists perform aerial yoga in a garden of contemplative light, evoking the spiritual journey taken by The Beatles and their new-found state of consciousness.
Come Together
Led by a Krishna-like figure, this sensual dance is an unbridled release of sexual energy, wrapped in a political statement of the times. It's an exhibition of free love in rebellion of the accepted conventions of order.
Revolution / Back in the U.S.S.R.
In this energetic trampoline performance, long-haired free-spirits playfully attempt to tame and jostle the authorities with their daring, fast-paced acrobatics.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
A solo female dancer ponders the sad loneliness of unrequited love. She contemplates her past in a soulful dance under a rain of falling love letters.
A Day in the Life
This sombre yet whimsical tale features a dramatic aerial straps act and a poetic recounting of personal loss and eternal love.
Hey Jude
Red poppy petals swirl as a symbol of remembrance. The consoling lyrics and soothing melody are a chant of reconciliation.
Sgt. Pepper (reprise)
In this explosion of joy, performers soar on latex tubes and Korean ropes as the entire cast revels in Beatlemania euphoria with the audience.
All You Need is Love
A montage of The Beatles projected on red Kabuki curtains that fills the audience with wonderful nostalgia and a message of LOVE.


text: The Research Committee The Research Committee is responsible for research issues. It acts as a body of the University of St.Gallen and as body of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The Research Committee's tasks are based on the University's Statute (Art. 29 and 30), the Rules for the Research Committee and the Rules for the SNSF-Research Committee. In these functions, the Research Committee is responsible for: Awarding Basic Research Fund (Project, Postdocs, Start-up) Publication Fund Research Panel Fund Doc.Mobility (SNSF) Early Postdoc.Mobility (SNSF) Congress Subsidies Statements on Applications for Doc.CH (SNSF) Applications for Postdoc.Mobility (SNSF) Applications for research projects (SNSF) on behalf of the higher education institution Issues of research policy at the University and submissions in this respect to the academic bodies Proposing a winner of the University Latsis Prize to the President's Board Support for HSG-members Research funding opportunities Handling of applications and projects Information on current research topics


text:
Market Scene: Chavez Plaza Farmers Market in Sacramento
My discovery of the Chavez Plaza Farmers Market in downtown Sacramento was purely by accident, and it ended up being the absolute best kind. The entire park was ringed with vendor booths, all stocked with such a wide variety of produce that it was like summer and fall happening simultaneously. You could still get your hands on a beautiful basket of strawberries (the last of the season), while picking up early harvest apples or a pumpkin.
Plus, everything is rather cheap. Most items, including apples, stone fruits, and peppers, were about $1.50 a pound, and in some cases, even less. I'm not sure how much produce costs in Sacramento's supermarkets, but I'm used to spending twice that at my local farmers market in San Diego.
Another great feature of the market is you can also get tough-to-find items like baskets of ground cherries, nopales (cactus) and padron peppers.
There were also prepared foods like falafel, tamales, and Chinese food, plus several vendors selling bread, and one selling cookies (but they were all sold-out shortly after lunchtime).
Take a look at all of the beautiful market photos in the slideshow >>
The Chavez Plaza Farmers Market is located at Cesar Chavez Plaza Park, at 10th & J Streets in downtown Sacramento (map), it's open on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., May to October.
In Season Right Now
Apples Stone fruit Pomegranates Melons Grapes Berries (but not for much longer) Peppers Onions Carrots Corn Beans Potatoes Tomatoes Swiss Chard Summer Squash Pumpkins Nopales
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
In case you were in any doubt, the recent Oracle Applications User Experience (UX) events in Singapore and Beijing serve as a timely reminder that our PaaS4SaaS UX enablement for Oracle Partners is global.
Our toolkit is internationalized (taking advantage of those Java i18n features and the best of Unicode) and supports translation and localization requirements for different countries and regions worldwide.
The Oracle Applications User Experience PaaS4SaaS enablement for partners is based on the simplified UI rapid development kit approach. Oracle Applications Cloud partners in Beijing and Singapore saw a simplified UI deployed live to an Oracle Java Cloud Service-SaaS Extension service. Try the kit yourself here.
Check out the Usable Apps blog post Deep-diving Oracle UX PaaS4SaaS Enablement in Asia and the VoX (Voice of User Experience) blog posts Showing the Oracle Applications User Experience Roadmap to Oracle's Asia Partners and Laying Out the Oracle Applications User Experience Strategy for Partners in Beijing for more details.


text:
A director has yet to be named for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn," but series star Robert Pattinson is putting in a good word for director Gus Van Sant.
"I probably shouldn't say this, but I've heard that we're going to shoot ['Breaking Dawn'] in Portland," Robert told MTV News during the "New Moon" junket last weekend.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: All Access: Up Close & Personal With The Stars Of 'New Moon' In Los Angeles
And if Robert were to get his dream director wish, local Portland-based Oscar nominee Van Sant would be in the director's seat.
"I think Gus Van Sant would be great to do it," he said.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Robert Pattinson - Hollywood's Hottest Vampire!
The young actor thinks the double Oscar nominee for "Good Will Hunting" and "Milk" would bring cinematic beauty to the fourth book.
"He shoots everything in Portland. He's good at making it look beautiful," Robert said. "It's all about teenage love and obsessions. I think Gus Van Sant would be great."
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: See The Men Of 'Twilight' - Shirtless!
PLAY IT NOW: 'New Moon' Mania: Robert Pattinson Tells All!
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended Part II: Robert Pattinson - Werewolves Are 'Dorks'
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: The Twilight Saga - Twilight - Movies - News - TV


text:
Everyone has a story about what was happening ten years ago, on that originally beautiful morning that soon turned into the nightmare we now know as September 11, 2001. I was watching live coverage of then President George W. Bush, who sat in a public school classroom in Florida, as he sought to mobilize people behind a consensus that our school crisis needed a major national initiative to ensure accountability for results at an unprecedented level.
After the tap on the shoulder from his chief of staff, the news people interrupted and the rest, as they say, is history. Weeks later, Bush would begin anew with the late Senator Edward Kennedy, House education chair John Boehner, house education ranking member George Miller and others as they forged a new consensus that money without strings, and without a requirement for student results, would no longer be the way our government conducted business.
As No Child Left Behind took hold over many contentious days and nights of negotiation, eventually, and in large part owing to the new found camaraderie that sprang out of the tragedy of 9/11, a new law was born.
Despite its many detractors and some flaws, NCLB then, as now, continues to shine sun on an outrage that should upset the American public at its core, on a regular basis. That outrage — that fewer than half of ALL of U.S. children are not proficient in basic, needed elements of education, and that children of color lag by another 30 percent — is something that we should approach not much differently than as if a foreign power was attacking us right here on our own soil.
In the aftermath of 9/11, we were reminded that generations of students lack a fundamental understanding of history. Evil acts aside, most Americans did not understand


text:
Halloween Monster Make-Up Kit
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♫ fast music playing ♫ Hello and welcome to the Russell Brown Show. (Dracula voice) In this episode, I will be not speaking like this the entire time. (Dracula voice) I will be switching to my normal voice because I want to tell you about a great, great offer I have for you. Here in the Halloween season there's nothing like turning an average-looking kid as you see here on the screen into a monster. (Dracula voice) I will occasionally switch back to this voice when I can. (Dracula voice) Okay, in this project, and of course this show I'm not only showing you how to turn yourself into a monster but I'm giving you all the parts and pieces you would need to do it yourself. Check this out. I've got bolts. I've got monster heads. I've got monster scars, monster wigs, and monster gashes to turn anybody into a monster. This is a fairly simple project but you'll have all the parts you need and you can download them directly from Adobe TV where you're watching this fine tutorial. So let's get started. Let's turn this good looking kid into this monster! (Dracula voice) And it starts, of course, taking all of these images into Adobe Photoshop. Here in Adobe Bridge, let's just select all the parts that I want to combine together to create my monster. I'm selecting those with the Shift key. I'll also select with the Command key or the Control key this Davis character. What a good looking child, isn't he? And so we've got those all selected. Let's bring those open with a Command O or Control O we can open those all up here inside of Photoshop. Now inside of Photoshop, of course we have this great tabbed interface that's happening. Don't forget the key stroke of the tab. The Command key on the Macintosh or the Control key on the PC and the Tilde key on your keyboard. What's the Tilde key? The Tilde key is below the Escape key and it's that little eñe, in niños, you know that one? So we hit the Tilde key and you can go through each of the files which is open. Now that's sort of a difficult way to work because you can't see all of them. So here's a great superuser tip and technique. If you've got a lot of images open and you want to see all of them go here to the View menu. Excuse me, you wouldn't go to the View menu because you're not as foolish as I am. You'd go to the Window menu and down here to Arrange and over here to... You want to Float All Windows. So what that's going to do it's floating all of my images. That's a good start. I can see all of them. But now, under Window this time he does it correctly Arrange Tile. Check it out. I've now tiled them all so I can see them. I can see the different elements and drag them around and use them. Let's move this over here. Just like this. And let's start our project here. I want to grab from my elements. Let's start with this one right here and use our Move tool. So this is a fairly simple project. Even I can do this. So you target with your Move tool. You open up your image and by the way, when you photograph your subject, your victim (Dracula voice) you photograph them straight on in fairly flat lighting. Make sure your background is a little bit soft like mine is. Just like this. And this file size... Let's just check that file size. Because you need to know these things. Image size. My image size is about 4 x 6 at 300 pixels per inch in resolution. Or 1300 by 1900 approximately with width and height. That's good to know that. That's a good size to crop this to. Okay, let's get this started. I click with my Move tool and I can drag this element right over drop it onto my victim like this and put it into position. It's that easy. Now they're not going to be scaled the right size so let's go ahead and do this. When in fact, let's bring in all of our elements. We'd like a mask over his face. We'd like to bring in a little bit of a headdress here, like this. We of course need to have bolts in here. So let's bring those bolts in. Let's leave those there. And what do we have over here? We've got more scars to put in. Oh, a neck scar. It's always good to throw one of those in. Is this easy and fun or what? What's this? Oh, oh. Got to have a wig. Let's drag the wig in. So let's put all of the rough pieces into position and then we can turn those off by turning off our visibility over here. Just like this. And then let's bring up the size of this image overall. With my Command Plus key on the Macintosh or Control Plus key on the PC I can bring up the size within the frame but check this out. With the Option command and the Plus key or the Alt and Control and the Plus key you can then change the overall size. Did you see that? Let's do that again. I can change the overall size of this with the combination but if I just use the Command or the Control key it changes it within the frame. Which is a really nice way of using the scaling features the zooming features here is CS4. Okay, let's learn about the basics of transforming. Because once you bring these in you want to transform them so that they fit over the face. We know our simplest transformation tools of course, are under the Edit tool and Free Transform. I chose free transform because then I can slide this up and I can start to slide and distort this. In fact I can distort it and squeeze it or stretch it from any of these points to start getting this to work. I'm going to get this pretty close right there. That looks pretty good. And let's use my Arrow keys on my keyboard to reposition this. So I'm using a combination of the Arrow keys and nudging this around until it fits just right to get the eyes to go through. Before I hit the Enter key I want to show you something else that's really nice for controlling and working with shapes like this. If we go to the Edit menu and down to Free Transform I can always go over here and I can warp my image. Another great capability. Select Warp. Warp lets me grab right in on this mask and move this around if I want this to be a little bit lower so that the eyes fit in here. Just like this. Check that out. Or I can move the head up a little bit. So you've taken this mask against transparency... That's right. You get all of these masks on Adobe TV. Well back to the show. Okay, so we've got the mask. We hit the Enter key. So I used a combination of a standard transform and I used the warp capabilities. Now his skin isn't looking quite green enough so I'm going to add a little bit of skin tone here. One of my favorite ways to add a little bit of skin tone of course, is to go in here and create a new layer under... Right here at the base of my layers tab panel I created a new layer. I set the new layer to a Mode of Color. This is a little bit advanced for me. (high-pitched voice) Is it a little advanced. Mode of color on a new layer and I can go in with my Brush tool select a nice slimy green value here and I can start to paint in a green shade over my subject. So I'm just going in and I'm tinting my subject. Just a simple way of tinting your subject and you can turn it on and off and then now if we start to lay in our overcoat here, so we've got that little bit of green tint happening underneath there, that's looking better. Oh wait, wait. I colored his eyes. You can always use the Eraser tool to go in and we don't want his eyes to be green so we're going to go in here and take that out of there. Let's bring up our eraser size a bit and take that out of there. That's much better. How unprofessional of me. Green eyes. Who knows? Okay, moving on here. We have the... Let's bring in the forehead here. Let's use our Move tool. Let's move this into position. Let's deselect if I have any selections. You have to select your forehead in order to move it as you see here. We can then move this down into position like this. You know I always like to use the Arrow keys on my keyboard to nudge this into position. And that looks great. Now his head is not high enough. Let's do a little bit of Command T on the Macintosh or Control T on the PC. In fact, let's go right up to the Edit menu and back down to Free Transform again. Because that's easier. And I want to free transform his head up. That's much better. Let's drop this back down a little bit so you can stretch this around just like that. Perfect. What control! Let's bring in our hair. Let's bring the hair back in. Target the hair. Position the hair. As you can see, this demo is all about using the transformation tools because everything is against a mask already for you. That looks great. We've got that going. What else are we missing? Oh, scars. Scars are us. Ooh, that's great. (Dracula voice) Target the scar. Move the scar. And of course you can adjust the layers if the scar needs to move down in layer. Let's move the scar down so it's underneath our layer... Oh, nah, let's bring it up one more. Right there. You can continue to move those and stack those so you get different effects as it moves over your subject. This is looking great. (Dracula voice) And what about our final touch? (Dracula voice) Would be our bolts. (Dracula voice) Drop those bolts in. Move those into position. First you have to target the bolts transform the bolts and move them in. We're almost done. (Dracula voice) We transform them in. We put them into position. We're set. Incredible! So there you saw a great way to simply and easily drag these different files together to create the monster of your dreams. Here, on the Russell Brown Show. Until next time, I'll see you in Halloween Land. (Dracula voice) ♫ fast music playing ♫
Video Details
Duration: 10 minutes and 50 seconds
Language: English
License: All rights reserved
Genre: None
Views: 46
Posted by: adobetv on Oct 6, 2010
In this special "Halloween" edition of the Russell Brown Show, you'll learn how to turn people into monsters. Russell even gives you the files you'll need to do it!
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text:
The things I learn as I am out being the representative of the Food Bank can be overwhelming sometimes. I had a woman at a presentation I made last week hand me her business card. The card said she has a B.A. and a M.A. in Counseling Psychology. But the handwritten message on the card said "Jobs at Food Bank? I REALLY NEED A JOB! PLEASE CALL". I talked to her so I know what her skills are if a job should open up at the Food Bank. Unfortunately I am not her answer today. She needs a job and is doing all she can to get the position she needs, but even with the skill she has she cannot get the job she needs right now.
I also got a note we received with a financial donation that said "Enclosed please find a check in the amount of $1000. This is a donation to the Food Bank. After spending five months unemployed, I made a pledge to myself to contribute to the Food Bank once I was employed again. Happily this is now the case. I hope you find this donation helpful."
I don't know if these people received food from the Food Bank, but they demonstrate that there is a real need in the community today. People who used to donate to us have been unemployed for months. People with advanced degrees are not able to find work. Our community is in a very fragile place right now, and the Food Bank is doing all we can to provide food to those who need help.
For more way you can help, visit www.foodbankccs.org/givehelp.


text:
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You can receive variable annuity prospectuses from your Horace Mann insurance representative or by calling 1-800-999-1030. You should read the contract prospectus and the underlying investment option prospectuses carefully and consider the investment objectives, risks and charges and expenses carefully before you invest or send money. The prospectuses will provide complete information about Horace Mann's variable annuity contracts, Horace Mann Life Insurance Company and the underlying investment options.
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Why the Wii wins
I bought myself a Nintendo Wii in February. I really wanted one because it looked like fun, and I also really wanted to play The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I tried to get one in December, which didn't happen because they were all sold out. In February, I went to Best Buy to get one and they were sold out. I hung around for no particular reason and ended up playing the Guitar Hero II game for about half an hour. I suddenly noticed store personnel walking in with a bunch of white boxes. I swear, as the guy reverently placed the box on the shelf, the clouds opened up and a single ray of sunlight fell on the box (there was a hole in the ceiling). I also heard a chorus of angels.
I used to game a lot, but then I stopped because it got too expensive. Also, graduating and getting job was a huge factor. I simply didn't have the time to play a lot of games. That's not to say I don't enjoy them. The first thing that got me about the Wii, of course, is its revolutionary interface. The first game I played was Tennis, from the pack-in Wii Sports game. Of course, the graphics weren't mind-blowing, but playing it was fun above all else. That is what made the Wii a success. It is an excellent family console that targets the casual gamer. In a paradoxically Zen manner, Nintendo managed to be a gaming success without targeting gamers.
I got firsthand experience of the how much fun the Wii can be, when my parents came over to visit. My parents don't play games as much. My dad will occasionally play but more often than not, they're usually telling me to stop playing. But both of them found the Wii to be a lot of fun. My dad especially enjoyed Tennis and Bowling. This last weekend, I took my Wii over to California, so that my sister, my cousins, and I could play. My uncle, who never plays games had a whole lot of fun playing Golf and Tennis on Wii Sports. The fact that a console can generate interest in a demographic that doesn't typically play games demonstrates its success.
I hear a lot of comments from Xbox (360 and the older one) and PS3 fanboys. They seem to be peeved that the Wii is a success (PS3 fanboys seem especially peeved). I'll address their points here:
- The graphics on the Wii suck! It's not even that much better than the Gamecube!
It's not about the graphics. Nintendo didn't try to make a console with breath-taking graphics. They tried to make a console that was fun, and that everyone would enjoy. From the looks of it, the gamble paid off.
- I've played the Wii and it's ok for a while, but now I play my Xbox/PS3 while my Wii gathers dust.
Good for you. You must be a serious gamer. Nintendo didn't make the Wii for you. The market consists of two kinds of people: hardcore gamers and everyone else. Nintendo went after everyone else. Guess which group is bigger?
- The Wii is not a serious gaming console. It's just for kids and it's mainly for fun.
Fanboys say this like it is a bad thing. It's not. The Wii was never meant to be a serious gaming console. It was meant to be a fun console. I remember watching my dad play the Sinclair ZX Spectrum when I was really young. It was a home computer created by Sinclair Research Ltd., a UK-based company. It had very simple games which were fun. I think this was probably the last console that my dad played games on (not counting FIFA 97 on the N64, and Prince of Persia on the PC). He played those games because they were fun and simple. Most casual gamers, or even non-gamers don't really enjoy complicated RPG's (Role-playing games) or FPS's (First-person shooters). They like to jump in to a game and play without learning complicated button-sequences, or even figuring what each of the buttons do. The Wii offers them that in an extremely innovative and revolutionary form.
- The Xbox and PS3 are technologically superior to the Wii.
So? Technological superiority has nothing to do with it. Don't you get it? This is not about the serious hardcore gamer. Yes, the hardcore gamer cares about photo-realistic graphics. The hardcore gamer cares about specifications. The casual gamer doesn't. Despite the Wii not being "up there" with the Xbox and PS3 as far as technology is concerned, it still is a raging success.
- The Wii controller is lame! The motion-sensing is not that precise! It doesn't even have that many buttons!
I forgot where I saw this gem of an argument… Anyway, the Wii controller is simple. You move your controller, and your character does the same. Someone was griping that the Baseball game on Wii Sports wasn't like actual baseball. Ok, so you're telling me that pushing a button on a regular controller is more like actual baseball? Casual/Non gamers don't want to take on the learning curve of complicated button sequences and button assignments. The Wii even hearkens to the days of the Classic Nintendo Controller, when things were much simpler. So understand this: Simple = Easy = Fun.
- The Wii sold more only because it is cheap!
Yes, this is true. But that's not the only reason. Yes, many customers balk at the $500-$600 price-tag of the PS3. However, why shell out that much when you can get a more "fun" console at half the price? I went to Best Buy a few weeks ago and saw a customer asking one of the employees if they had any Wiis. The employee's response was that they were all sold out. I went up to him and asked him about the sales of the PS3 vs. the Wii. He said that the Wiis were getting sold out almost as soon as they came in, whereas the PS3's were still sitting on the shelves.
- The Wii games are lame! There are not even that many games!
This also falls into the "Wii is for fun" category. Wii games are for fun. It is true that the Wii doesn't have that many games, but neither does the PS3. Another important point to realize is that many developers are scrambling to develop titles for the Wii. Many developers ignored the Wii, and laughed it off as a console that was doomed to fail. After the console's success, many developers are now rushing to release titles for the Wii. This further highlights the success of the console. Also take into account that development costs for the Wii are between $2 million to $3 million versus the $20 million to $30 million for Xbox 360 or PS3 titles.
- Wii is for losers and pussies!!!!PS3/XBOX RUELS!
I suspect that most of the people who make these sort of comments are frustrated 14-year olds who's moms didn't buy them a PS3. Or people who bought the technology-laden PS3 to compensate for some part of their anatomy. I can only say this: most people who buy Wiis, buy it for casual gaming. Casual gaming probably means that they have other things that are more important. Like for instance, they may actually have a life.
Let me categorically state that I don't consider the Xbox or the PS3 to be "bad" consoles in any way. I am also not saying that the Wii is the "best" console out there. I have played games on the Xbox 360 (Gears of War is one of them) and I have seen the PS3 in action. Gears of War is a fun game, and the graphics on the PS3 are mind-blowing and gorgeous. It all comes down to your needs. Do you want a technology-heavy gaming-powerhouse? Then you might want the PS3. Do you want a fun console that the whole family can enjoy? Then you might want the Wii.
Nintendo made a brilliant (and risky) strategic decision to target casual gamers, and it paid off. There's no reason to be mad at Nintendo because of that. All I know is that I enjoy playing my Wii, and so does my family. This is more than I can say for any previous console I have owned.
Wii Sports and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess


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Early in 2013 I stated here that this year I wanted to train better and see what I could accomplish if I gave it my all. Well I guess I accomplished that goal because I did focus more on my training and I achieved more than I could have ever thought possible. Instead of a rundown of my year, I'll just list my top five running accomplishments. And yes, I feel extremely fortunate to have had a year that included even more than five highlights.
#5 Tie - 5k PR and Oregon Trail Series Age Group win
Okay, I lied and can't keep it to just 5 highlights. In September, the week before Mountain Lakes 100, I ran a neighborhood 5k and finished in 23:17. That's a 7:29 pace in case you don't want to do the math. Whoa! I really didn't know I had that in me. I'm the gal who usually plods along at a 9-10 minute pace. And since I didn't feel like I needed to puke for the last mile I'm pretty sure I could have pushed it more and maybe even finished under 23 minutes.
In September I also found out that I won my age group in the Oregon Trail Series. Technically I was second, But fortunately for me the overall winner was in my age group. Nevertheless I'm proud of my result and I won another cool pint glass to add to my collection.
#4 Waldo 100k
I never would have thought that finishing Waldo would NOT be the number one highlight in a year. But it still makes the top 5. :) This was a tough day for me, but I still had a pretty strong race and earned my hat. And now I want to go back and finish sub 16 hours.
#3 Mt Hood Circumnavigation
This was a spur of the moment adventure. For my 49th birthday I decided I wanted to complete an epic run. Yassine suggested this one. I had my doubts whether it was the right time or place, but I'm so glad I took the plunge. What a wonderful adventure! Marc joined in the fun and we spent 15 glorious hours circling the 40+ miles around one of the most beautiful mountains in the country. This is one birthday I'll never forget.
#2 Javelina Jundred
After the disappointment of Mountain Lakes, I'm so glad I was able to move on and finish my first trail 100 down in Arizona. Some things that made it extra special were my brother pacing me a lap from miles 62 to 77 and finally getting the "first 100" monkey off our backs with good friend Desiree.
#1 Mt Hood 50 mile
Even in a year where I finished Waldo as well as my first trail hundred, I can honestly say that my third running of the Mt Hood 50 miler was my best running moment. This was a perfectly executed race. It's the one I'll judge all future races against. Plus, finishing sub 10 hours, which I never in my wildest dreams thought I could do in a trail 50, was pretty sweet. My finish pictures pretty much say it all! And this being the race I fought so hard to even get to the start the first time, is just the cherry on the top.
Looking forward to 2014, I know that 2013 will be tough to top. I do have a few big goals in the works and hope I can keep riding the wave and eek out two good years in a row. Whatever happens, I love this sport and it's participants. I'm forever grateful to be a part of it. Stay tuned!


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Technologia procesów termicznych /
Folie ze stali nierdzewnej do ochrony przed zajściem reakcji powierzchniowych
Stainless Steel Heat Treating Foil to avoid Surface Reactions
|Workpieces in foil heat treating
Single parts requiring protection against decarburizing can be wrapped in a stainless steel heat treating foil off the roll or packed in prepared envelopes or bags. The rolls are available in various lengths and widths, the envelopes and bags are supplied in various dimensions.
Foil off the roll can be cut to size using gold plates scissors and the workpiece can be wrapped to requirements. See page 76 - 77 for more details about accessory supplies required, such as tongs and special gloves. The protected workpiece can now be loaded into the heated furnace. Due to the foil's thinness, it takes on the furnace temperature immediately and binds oxygen trapped in the foil packaging. There is then no oxygen present to oxidize the workpiece itself. The workpiece stays clean.
After the appropriate dwell time in the furnace, the wrapped workpiece is immersed in the quenching medium. After quenching the foil is removed and the part is then tempered.
Care should be taken to ensure that the foil is not too close to the workpiece as otherwise the foil may become damaged. If the workpiece should have several openings or gaps, and a large amount of oxygen can be wrapped up, these gaps can be filled in with foil pieces. This increases the foil surface area.
The foil has very sharp edges. Use gloves and tools.


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Hello ,
Thank for your interest in the Shooting Job ,here is more information about the assignment is a $1,600 pay Fashion job (Assignment) for you,My client wants to update her Catalog with her new year release Fashion outfits and to host one of the 2011/2012 model event with her new fashion from Italy this assignment is to encourage the upcoming models in the industry she is affiliated with the Academy Art,you don't have to be worried about your experience or present look because we have specialist stylist and make artist who will bring the real beauty out of you,I'm a professional photographer/Manager with 4 years experienced :). Find all details for the job below..
Job Location
The shooting will hold at a rented photographers studio in the Model location,so you don't have to worry about traveling,the name and address of the studio will be forwarded to you before the date of the shooting,all make up will be taken care of in the studio.You can come along with any body of your choice on the day of the shooting,your mum,dad,friend,body-guard anybody you wish to come with just for you to feel more comfortable.
Job details
You have 12 different Fashion outfits to cover,which would be provided by our client on the day of the shooting.
Types of cloths
Jeans and Jackets
Name of client
Wilson James
Company Name
Diane Von Furstenberg
Job percentage
The total pay for the jobs is $1,600 and you get $250 as your part payment before the shoot to assure you that the job is yours and for you to get the neccessary thing you needed for the shoot .Shooting Date the date for the shooting is not fix yet,i will have to make arrangement for that ahead from now,I will email you the exact date for the shooting a week before as soon as the arrangement is completed with our client.
Very Attractive,Classy,In Great Shape,Extremely Outgoing & Personable,out spoken,Must be Reliable.
Payment Policy
As part of my working policy and ethics,i receive part payment from any client before I proceed with any job and balance immediately after the shooting,this is to identify a serious client and ascertain the job,I hope you comprehend this fact.
I will keep you updated as to when our client wants to make upfront payments
you need to have good and attractive poses .(start practicing) Basically this is all required of you,for your make up my client will be taken care of it,you don't have to be bother for any make up,please get in touch with me if you will take the job and we can go from there,just let me know if you will take the job to commence with next arrangement.
Do send your pictures of yourself to me if you are really interested in the shoot because the shoot is coming up this month and i dont want any delay .
Please I'd like you to check your email on a regular bases, I might have updates for you..
Thank And God Bless You ...


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mbootpack (Multiboot kernel and modules)
This is a tool that takes a multiboot kernel and modules (e.g. a Xen
VMM, linux kernel and initrd), and packages them up as a single file
that looks like a bzImage linux kernel. The aim is to allow you to
boot multiboot kernels (in particular, Xen) using bootloaders that
don't support multiboot (i.e. pretty much anything except GRUB and
SYSLINUX). This is, as you might expect, pretty grim stuff, involving
lots of lovely 16-bit real-mode code.
Maintained by: mario
Keywords: mbootpack,lilo
ChangeLog: mbootpack
Download SlackBuild:
mbootpack.tar.gz.asc (FAQ)
(the SlackBuild does not include the source)
|Individual Files:
| mbootpack-0.6a_asm_page_fix.patch
| mbootpack.SlackBuild
| mbootpack.info
| slack-desc
© 2006-2020 SlackBuilds.org Project. All rights reserved.
Slackware® is a registered trademark of Patrick Volkerding
Linux® is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds
Web Design by WebSight Designs | Managed Hosting by OnyxLight Communications


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This document has been downloaded 1429 times.
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Years ABC (Ordinary Form) scores, Mp3's, and practice videos Introit (Ps. 16:8, 6, 1) Ego clamávi, quóniam exaudísti me, Deus: inclína aurem tuam, et exáudi verba mea: custódi me, Dómine, ut pupíllam óculi: sub umbra alárum tuárum prótege me. Vs. Exáudi Dómine justítiam meam: inténde deprecatiónem meam. I have called out because you answer me, O God; incline your ear and hear my words; keep me, O Lord, like the apple of your eye; protect me under the shadow of your wings. Hear my just cause, O Lord; attend to my supplication. Gradual (Ps. 27:9, 1) Salvum fac pópulum tuum, Dómine: et bénedic hereditáti tuae. Ad te Dómine clamávi: Deus meus, ne síleas a me, et ero símilis descendéntibus in lacum. Save your people, O Lord, and bless your inheritance. Unto you have I cried, O Lord; O my God, be not silent with me, lest I become like those who go down into the grave. Alleluia (Ps. 145:2) Allelúja, allelúja. Vs. Lauda, ánima mea, Dóminum: laudábo Dóminum in vita mea: psallam Deo meo, quámdiu ero. Allelúja. Alleluia, alleluia. Praise the Lord, O my soul; I will praise the Lord throughout my life; I will sing in honour of my God as long as I have being. Alleluia. Offertory (Ps. 118:47-48) Meditábor in mandátis tuis, quae diléxi valde: et levábo manus meas ad mandáta tua, quae diléxi. I will meditate on your commandments which I love exceedingly; I will lift up my hands towards your commandments which I love. Communion (Ps. 8:2ab) Dómine Dóminus noster, quam admirábile est nomen tuum in univérsa terra! O Lord our governor, how admirable is your name in all the earth!


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Weekend Herb Blogging #47 Recap: What's Cooking Where You Are?
Somewhere in the South, U.S.A.
Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy
Officially first in this week was the amazing Ilva from Lucullian Delights, who always cooks something that looks tantalizing. This week Ilva is visiting her family in Sweden, but she still manages to cook something for us! Check out her great photos of Salmone con Dill, Timo e Lime or Oven Baked Salmon with Dill, Thyme and Lime.
Kronshagen, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
In Germany, Ulrike from Kuchenlatein received some shallots from her mother-in-law which inspired this week's interesting creation for WHB. I was already impressed when I heard that her mother-in-law had grown the shallots in her garden, but Ulrike's recipe for Pickled Shallots and the finished jars of lovely pickled shallots impressed me even more.
Weimar, Germany
Another post from Germany is from Meeta of What's For Lunch Honey, who has been busy this week celebrating the birthday of her four year old son Soeren, but still managed to send something great looking for WHB. Meeta has prepared Cheese Quesadillas with Two Salsas, and the spicy tomato salsa and fruity pineapple/avocado salsa both look great.
Buffalo, New York, U.S.A.
A delicious sounding way to prepare cod comes next from Mandira of Ahaar. She marinates her fish in a combination of lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and mint before baking, then combines it with soy-marinated veggies to create Baked Fish and Vegetables that look very tasty.
New Jersey, U.S.A.
Davis, California, U.S.A.
Sydney, Australia
Anna from Morsels and Musings has been lobbying hard for flat-leaf parsley over the curly type, and she gets to use the flat leaf type in her dish for WHB. Calamares Rellenos or Stuffed Calamari sounds just fabulous, and Anna also provides some interesting information about parsley.
The Triangle, North Carolina, U.S.A.
Okra is something many people don't get much experience eating, but Pookah from What's Cooking in Carolina shows us a great way to cook Oven-Cooked Okra giving a result similar to fried okra, but with less fat. There's also some other ideas for things to make with Okra in this post.
Melbourne, Australia
Over at Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once, Haalo has decided to take a closer look at carrots. After taking some quite amazing carrot photos, she creates Spiced Carrot Fritters, which I know I'd love, since they contain coriander, one of my favorite herbs!
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
EJM from Blog From Our Kitchen has been quite effective at getting rid of dandelions in her lawn by digging them up. However, now that she's prepared dandelion greens, and is finding herself wanting to buy more, she's having second thoughts about being so effective at the dandelion-removal game.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
One of the herbs I've always wanted to grow but never have is lemongrass, so I was suffering some serious lemongrass envy when I saw the beautiful lemongrass of Ange of Vicious Ange. The inspiration for the Thai Pumpkin and Seafood Curry where Ange used the lemongrass came from Nigella and a couple of food bloggers, and it sounds like a wonderful combination to me.
Trinidad, California, U.S.A.
Peppercorns are the intesting topic this week for Christine from Christine Cooks, and perfectly appropriate for WHB since they come from a plant. Christine favors Tellicherry peppercorns, and has recently been initiated into the joy of pepper on cantelope, something she learned from her husband.
Connecticut, U.S.A.
Sarah from Cucina Bella is simply mad about gaaaahhhhlic, and gives a lot of interesting information about it in her post. She shares a recipe for one of her favorite garlicy dishes, Aglio e Olio, but warns that it's not suitable for dinner when you're having guests.
Toronto, Canada
A great post with links to many interesting recipes and bits of information comes next from Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. Ruth is raving about the beautiful Celery Root or Celeriac she had a chance to photograph recently at a farmer's market, and I must say it looks interesting.
Washington D.C., U.S.A.
Another gardener with a good supply of tomatoes is Christa from Calendula and Concrete, who still has plenty of Brandywines and Beefsteak tomatoes. She used some of them to create a Fresh Tomato Tart with Bacon and Ricotta which used puff pastry for the crust, and it sounds heavenly to me.
Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A.
Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener, has been known to moan and groan over perfect french fries, and readily admits to being a bit of a potato freak. She's been doing a little online research to find the best ways to make potato salad, and she's come up with a recipe for Potato Eater's Salad that sounds like a winner.
Southern California, U.S.A.
If Surfindaave of The Serendipitous Chef was a student in my classroom, I'd give him an A+ for creativity for the interesting things he manages to find to write about for Weekend Herb Blogging. This week Dave has purchased a plant recommended by the local herb seller, which tastes a bit like cilantro. After much research (and intense wishing that he had written down the name) Dave solves the herbal mystery to discover this plant is a Mexican Herb called Pepicha or Pipicha. Teengirl uses the plant in the vinaigrette for a tasty looking tomato salad, but Dave says the verdict is still out on this one.
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.
My own post this week for WHB was about how to freeze fresh rosemary and thyme, something I discovered by accident but have had good success with. I love having the herbs from my garden last me through the winter as much as possible, and this tip can help with that.
Now I promised that I'd tell more about who's hosting Weekend Herb Blogging next weekend, and this time it's Genie from The Inadvertent Gardener who is doing the honors. It's Labor Day weekend in the United States, so we've decided to give her until Monday to post the recap, since she's doing a bit of Labor Day traveling. Send your entries to genie AT theinadvertentgardener DOT com by 3:00 Sunday afternoon, Utah time, and she'll include you. Don't forget to link to The Inadvertent Gardener with the words Weekend Herb Blogging somewhere in the post. Here are the rules for Weekend Herb Blogging for more information.
Do you realize that in five weeks, we will have done an entire year of Weekend Herb Blogging! It seems like something special is in order, and I've been mulling it over in my mind as to what would be a proper way to celebrate. Let me know in a comment or e-mail if you have a fun idea. Also, I still have a short list of people who have signed on to host Weekend Herb Blogging every other week when it goes on the road, but if you're interested in getting on that list. send me an e-mail at kalynskitchen AT comcast DOT net.
Food Recipes Cooking
Weekend Herb Blogging


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After years of effort by the project oversight committee, chaired by Spero Manson, Ph.D., and the project design team, design and construction of the Nighthorse Campbell Native Health Building (housing the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health) at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus is complete. This new facility is indeed a truly unique and very special place - special to the campus and Native American communities.
Completed in August of 2002, the three-story, 50,000 square foot facility houses the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health (within the Colorado School of Public Health). The project design team was headed by M+O+A Architectural Partnership of Denver, Colorado. Because of the many unique cultural aspects of the project impacting the overall space and building design, the firm of Medicine Root, Inc. was also engaged.
In addition to the program office and support space necessary to house these programs, space in the new facility includes a rotunda - great hall for ceremonial and program events; the Shore Family Forum with capacity to seat 100; a multi media production suite and studios; and a CD production area.
Reflective in the design of the facility are many Native American cultural elements. Major elements include the building and landscape circular forms and its location on the eastern side of the campus green. The design of both the interior and exterior space celebrates the Native American belief that the 'circle' represents the dwelling place created by the Great Spirit for all people. As a result, circles play a major role in the architecture of the facility. Circular forms are repeated to form the interior rotunda, the exterior council ring and the Shore Family Forum. A fragment of a circle is even used to define the overall shape of the entire building.
Since the earth-sky orientation is an important part of the Native American culture, even the primary public spaces are oriented in a special fashion toward the axis lines of the winter and summer solstices. The overall building form reflects similarity to a grassland butte found in this region of Colorado. The building entry, facing to the east, exposes the building's rotunda to the exterior and also aligns with the sun's solstice.
The buffalo culture is expressed mostly in the rotunda and exterior plaza areas. The rotunda is the most dramatic space in the building and provides an interior gathering space for ceremonial activities for building users. A fragmented tipi form is used for the rotunda and reflects the influences of these local nations in the building design. Framing the rotunda and extending through all three floors are seven Douglas Fir logs. Reminiscent of the lodge poles that support the plains tipi, they symbolize the seven teachings of our Grandfathers – love, honor, respect, courage, honesty, reciprocity and family. The Medicine Wheel at the center of the rotunda floor represents the four sacred directions and nations of Man – the colors of which are red, white, black and yellow. Colorado fieldstone surrounds the Medicine Wheel. Inset around its perimeter are the blessing stones, etched with the names of key participants in the June 2000 Ground Building Ceremony that preceded construction. The rotunda skylight is also a nighttime feature emitting light while defining the building and its entry.
Exterior to the building on the eastern side is the ceremonial plaza. The plaza is enclosed by yet another circle - an arbor structure that is a reinterpretation of the council ring, forming the ceremonial space within. Its opening is also to the east, thus establishing the eastern entrance traditional to Native American dwellings. A seating area adjacent to the entry plaza expresses the concept of a broken circle, saying that indeed nothing is perfect. An exposed area of earth at the center of the exterior council ring is symbolic of the connection to the earth common to many Native American ceremonies. The native Colorado soil in this area was mixed with soil from the four corners of the United States during the Building Dedication Ceremony in September of 2002.
The Shore Family Forum, is expressed as a round form of stone, a kiva-like structure, on the western side of the building. An exterior deck area has been constructed above the Shore Family Forum to accommodate special events and exterior seating. Additionally, the building conference rooms are located in the south end of the building and enjoy views of Pikes Peak.
The interior space is accommodated with modulated floor plates that are gently curving, interrupting the long view. The light sensitive spaces, such as the media production suite, are located in the center of each floor plate. The project design also encourages open office space, with views to the exterior.
Native American art has been incorporated throughout the building interior and exterior. Niches and wall space for art are available both inside and outside. Currently, a collection of Native American woven baskets and historical photographs graces the exhibition space. It is our hope that all tribes will eventually be represented through art somewhere in the building.
The ground building ceremony for the $10.4 million dollar facility was held in June of 2000, and construction was completed in August of 2002. The new Nighthorse Campbell Native Health Building has proven to be a truly unique institutional resource for all of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region.
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