text:
Christian threat' seminar with new name will cause suspicion, says interfaith group
Malaysian Insider
Rev Dr Thomas Philips, vice president of the interfaith group, said today "these kind of seminars will cause disharmony and create more suspicion and misunderstanding among the people."
"What kind of atmosphere are they (the teachers) creating for the minds of young children?" he told The Malaysian Insider, referring to the 300 teachers reported to be attending the seminar.
On Thursday, Johor state executive councillor Datuk Maulizan Bujang said that the seminar's title has been amended and will now omit specific mention of the "Christian threat".
However, the Johor Mufti Department said that the title-amended seminar will go on with no change to its contents.
"It is sad to note that they are going ahead with it," said MCCBCHST honorary deputy treasurer-general Reverend Dr Hermen Shastri, when asked about the organisers' cosmetic change to the "Christian threat" seminar.
The seminar was initially themed "Pemantapan Aqidah, Bahaya Liberalisme dan Pluralism Serta Ancaman Kristianisasi Terhadap Umat Islam. Apa Peranan Guru?" (Strengthening the Faith, the Dangers of Liberalism and Pluralism and the Threat of Christianity towards Muslims. What is the Role of Teachers?).
News of the seminar's theme earlier this week drew swift condemnation from non-Muslims, who expressed shock and dismay over the characterisation of Christians in the title.
Chrisanne Chin, Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) Youth Moderator, had asked "why is there a perceived threat? Do they have to create this sense of fear?"
The Cabinet's interfaith panel head Datuk Azman Amin Hassan said the "provocatively-titled" seminar flies in the face of the government's school-level interfaith harmony week launched last month by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He added that while "it is fine to improve your faith", such seminars "will cause the [non-Muslim] community to feel uncomfortable."
The MCCBCHST had demanded the government to explain why official sanction was given to the "highly inflammatory" seminar.
Muslim groups, however, have insisted the seminar is necessary to beat back the alleged threat of proselytism, which they repeatedly profess to be real despite the absence of firm evidence.
The Muslim Organisations in Defence of Islam (PEMBELA) yesterday insisted the seminar and its theme were part of Muslim rights that were "enshrined in the Federal Constitution".
Malay rights group Perkasa previously said it would consider the seminar's organisers "cowardly Muslims" if they gave in to pressure to cancel the event.
Christians form 9.2 per cent of Malaysia's 28.3 million-strong population.
In recent years, the Christian and Muslim religious communities have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the word "Allah", with the latter group arguing that its use should be exclusive to them on the grounds that Islam is monotheistic and the word "Allah" denotes the Muslim god.
Christians, however, have argued that "Allah" is an Arabic word that has been used by those of other religious beliefs, including the Jews, in reference to God in many other parts of the world, notably in Arab nations and Indonesia.
Conservative Muslim groups have also accused Christians of attempting to convert Malays, resulting in heightened tension between followers of the two religions.


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300 gallons of urine found in home
NEWTOWN -- Authorities are seeking to determine whether criminal charges should be brought against a Newtown man they say stored as much as 300 gallons of human urine in his home.
The man, whose name has not been released because he has not been charged, has spoken with state and local environmental officials, according to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman Dennis Schain.
When DEEP investigators, at the behest of local health officials, searched the house on Berkshire Road they found "200 to 300 one-gallon plastic jugs" filled with urine, Schain said.
The average person produces about six cups of urine a day.
The single-family home, he said, was "in a state of disrepair."
"An environmental contractor ... was brought into help deal with this under our supervision," Schain said by telephone Monday.
He said it was unlikely that charges would be filed against the homeowner, although authorities have not entirely ruled out the possibility.
The urine was sent to be treated at a sewage-treatment plant.
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-731-3350; http://www.twitter.com/ljanyNT

subset: commoncrawl


text:
J.J. looks back on Shingo's 2004 season:
Everything about Shingo in 2004 was awesome. The 24-game scoreless streak. "Mr. Zero." The gong. "Shingo Time." His 2.31 ERA. Nineteen saves in 20 tries. And, of course, the coolest pitch I'll ever see a pitcher throw effectively: a sweeping Frisbee breaking ball that usually was thrown in the upper 50 to low 60-mph range.
Sure, Shingo may have been lucky in 2004. He had a .213 BABIP, a 3.80 FIP (1.49 higher than his ERA), and a 4.24 xFIP. Looking back, Shingo's fall from grace in 2005 was inevitable. But for one year, Shingo was the man. …
Oh, remembering Shingo's 2004 season! I enjoyed that.
BTW, after returning to Japan he reached 273 saves. Add his 33 MLB saves and he has 300 saves. Shingo joined the Taiwanese baseball league in January.


text:
There are, Lord knows, reasons to attack or criticize Barack Obama. The Republican Party seems unable to locate the President's actual deficits, however, and continues to hammer him on dumb things. Like the notion that he isn't really an American. Or they take things he says out of context. For example, this now semi-famous statement: "If you've got a business–you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen."
Now let's take a look at what the President actually did say, in context:
If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business — you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn't get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet.
Clearly, and I mean this is pretty obvious, the President is not saying that businessmen aren't responsible for building their businesses. He is saying that government is responsible for building the highways and airports and information superhighways like the internet that help business do business. This is not an anti-business statement. It is a pro-government statement (and pro-government statements are not necessarily anti-business–just ask any local Chamber of Commerce that gets government grants for civic improvement). Furthermore, the President is supporting the sort of government that free market champions going back to Adam Smith have favored. Indeed, Smith is on the record in favor of taxes–more immediately, tolls–to pay for these public works:
A highway, a bridge, a navigable canal, for example, may in most cases be both made and maintained by a small toll upon the carriages which make use of them: a harbour, by a moderate port-duty upon the tonnage of the shipping which load or unload in it. The coinage, another institution for facilitating commerce, in many countries, not only defrays its own expense, but affords a small revenue or seignorage to the sovereign. The post-office, another institution for the same purpose, over and above defraying its own expense, affords in almost all countries a very considerable revenue to the sovereign.
The ahistorical extremists who call themselves conservatives are, of course, blocking bills that would furnish funds to repair roads and bridges, and also the post office, and–another "of course" seems necessary here–they are blocking any effort to raise tolls to pay for them. They are panicky right now because Mitt Romney's furtive behavior is hurting their party and so they're trotting out this sloppy crap. Arguments can be made about this Administration's anti-business actions, especially when it comes to the sclerotic regulatory morass and the byzantine tax code, but no one seems to be making them.


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In the months before Christmas, I started a class
of chopping and stirring and cooking with gas.
I dragged myself up every Sunday at eight.
Luck'ly they set out strong coffee to wait.
Knife skills and techniques were taught on week one,
but at home were dull knives that weren't much fun.
Week two was eggs that we poached, whipped, and scrambled.
We made a soufflé even I could have handled.
On week three, we learned that a good stock should jiggle,
but without salt and acid, soup surely will fizzle.
The fourth week was braising, keep temperatures low,
to make cabbage and short ribs and osso bucco.
When week six was sauces, I made béchamel;
I took home a pear so the recipe I could tell.
But wait! You've just noticed — where's the fifth week?
Oh you smart readers, nothing past you can I sneak!
Week five as you know, was on hot hot hot heat.
For my part, I set forth with grilling some meat.
Other types of dry heat, we also did try,
from broiling to roasting to deep deep fat fry.
You may not have realized, but until that day,
I'd never tried frying or grilling, no way!
I faced deep fat frying just earlier this week,
with sufganiyot – fancy doughnuts, so to speak.
But I think grill cooking and taking out trash
are jobs for a man, and I'll flutter my lash.
Though I'm planning to try – only grilling, of course –
with a grill pan I own, or another resource.
I'll start this "man's task" with a feminine flair,
with fruit and with teacake and other sweet fare.
And, in case you are wondering, although I will grill,
the trash taking out will remain my worst skill.
Grilled fruit
A lot of different fruits can apparently be grilled. While my cooking partner and I were waiting for our meat to marinate, we scrounged around the kitchen for other things to grill. We found pears and grapefruits and set to work. We cut the fruit into good sized chunks that wouldn't fall down the grill grates. For the pears, we made 4 cuts around the core. For the grapefruit, we made about 4 slices perpendicular to the fruit segments. We then brushed all surfaces with a little olive oil (I'm sure melted butter would be great too), a nice sprinkle or two of sugar, and a small pinch of salt (if you want). Fire up the grill. Or, if you are like me and only have indoor cookery, put your grill pan on medium heat. When your grill (pan) is hot, place the fruit on the grill. Let it cook for about 5 minutes on each side for harder fruit (apples, pears) or 2-3 mintues per side for citrus. Just like with meat, the fruit is ready when it releases itself from the grill (pan) – if you have to tug at it, leave it be for a minute more.
Grilled cranberry-orange zinfadel bread with orange mascarpone cream
We made these "breads" as tea cakes in mini loaf pans. They would obviously work just as well in 2 large loaf pans. I think the cake is great as is, but excellent with the extra texture and flavor from the grill. When you make the dough – think of it like pancake batter – you don't want to over mix. Instead you want the ingredients to just barely come together.
For the cranberry-orange zinfandel bread:
– 1/4 C oil
– 2 eggs, slightly beaten
– 4 C flour
– 1 1/2 C sugar
– 1 t salt
– 1 T baking powder
– 1 t baking soda
– 1 C walnuts or pecans
– 3 C whole raw cranberries
– 2/3 C fresh orange juice
– 1/2 C white zinfancel
– 2 oz melted butter
For the orange mascarpone cream:
– 1 C (8 oz) mascarpone
– 1 t orange zest
– 3 T fresh orange juice
– 1 T orange liqueur (Cointreau, triple sec, Grand Marnier)
– 1 T confectioner's sugar
Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter/oil and flour 2 loaf pans, 6 mini loaf pans, or 2 dozen muffin tins. Toast nuts in the heated oven for 10-15 minutes – the second you start smelling the nuts, grab them from the oven. Check them at about 7 minutes. When the cool a bit, chop them up into medium sized chunks.
Mix. In a large bowl, mix oil and eggs well. Then add the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir this all together until it just barely combines — the mix will be a bit crumbly. Fold in nuts and cranberries. Then add juice and zinfancel and stir until just blended.
Bake. Pour batter into the greased and floured pans. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out dry.
Grill. Turn on your grill (or get your grill pan ready). When the bread is cool, slice it into 3/4-inch slices. Brush with melted butter and grill slices 3-4 minutes on each side.
Make mascarpone cream. In a bowl, whisk mascarpone until smooth. Add zest, orange juice, orange liqueur, and sugar and whisk until well blended.
Eat. Top a grilled cake slice (or two) with a big blob of mascarpone cream.


text:
Tyler Worth
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text:
Tonight we are featuring one more new stamp set called "You've Got Mail". Seriously...love that movie, and I love this stamp set! I am so happy that the owners chose this name for the stamp set...it is just perfect!! I paired the stamp set with some of the new papers from the Bright Side collection....and love how it turned out! Here is what I created!!
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics (pink) & Papertrey Ink (vintage cream)
Julie Campbell
Latisha Yoast
Lea Lawson {You are here!!}


text:
- Uploading phptos from this weekend to Flickr #
- Watching Airwolf from netflix on the xbox #
- 2minutes is a *really* long time if you have a screaming baby 🙁 #
- Just wrote a quick blog entry about how I like to use svn hooks: http://tinyurl.com/dk4wfe #
- I can't believe I actually did this…but I just purposefully clicked on a ad on a website. That's the 1st time except in testing @GameSpot. #
Posted under Twitter
This post was written by Michael Tougeron on March 8, 2009


text:
No matter how fast your transceiver skills, locating an avalanche victim under the snow is only half the battle. Your partner's life still hangs on how fast you can dig them out.
Historically, the average extraction time for someone buried under three feet of snow has been around 15 minutes. In hard snow or with a deep burial, extractions have been known to take up to an hour. European studies suggest 90% of avy victims buried for less than 15 minutes can be revived. Once the burial time slips past the 15 minute mark, survival rates plummet. Beyond 35 minutes, studies say only 30% survive.
Just as digital beacons have improved search times, significant research has gone into devising specialized digging strategies that speed up extraction times. The importance of understanding these rescue digging techniques can not be overstated. Finding a beacon signal and getting a positive probe strike within two minutes won't do any good if it takes you another 20 minutes to reach your partner.
This video by Backcountry Access is a good introduction to strategic rescue shoveling. The techniques described in the video have proven to speed up extraction times considerably and especially in companion rescues (only one rescuer).
You'll also want to check out this article about the "Snow Conveyor" digging method developed by Manuel Genswein and Ragnhild Eide. The snow conveyor method is recognized as the preferred digging strategy if you have multiple rescuers. In tests, Manuel and Ragnhild's crew has been able to repeatedly perform two-meter extractions in rock hard snow in under 20 minutes. Read about it here.
But beyond watching videos or reading articles, the best way to learn strategic digging techniques is in a professional avalanche course. Find a course close to you in this avy course directory.


text:
- Quality Silver Sequin on Black Fabric
- Overbust Corset in Crop Top Design
- Plastic Bones for Extra Comfort
- 4 Rolls of Hook and Eye Closure at the Back
- Underwire Cups for Extra Support
- Elegant Black Trim
- Approx Length 24cm - 25cm
Additional Info
Additional Info
|Plastic Boning
|Torso Length
|Petite Torso, Regular Torso, Long Torso
|S - Waist 24"-26", M - Waist 26"-28", L - Waist 28"-30", XL - Waist 30"-32", 2XL - Waist 32"-34"
Write Your Own Review
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Shipping & Delivery
We ship our products with Registered International Parcel service.All parcels are fully trackable in destination countries' post system.
All orders will be shipped within 24 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays). We will upload the tracking number to your order and send a copy of the tracking number to you via email.
Return & Exchange
We offer generous 30 days hassle free return & exchange policy to all purchases made on our website. 30 days money back guarantee. No questions asked. Shop with confidence.
30 day unlimited exchanges provided items are returned to us within the relevant time limit, in the same condition they were dispatched in and complete with all relevant clothing tags. We are NOT responsible for any additional cost incurred during the return.
For all exchange/return requests, you MUST retain a valid tracking number of your return parcel for future references. We cannot process your request without a valid approve of the return.
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text:
The Ferengi Alliance was the formal name for the Ferengi government, whose seat of power was on the homeworld Ferenginar. The government of the Ferengi Alliance was dedicated to the promotion of Ferengi profit and commerce. It was overseen by the Grand Nagus from the Tower of Commerce on Ferenginar. The Nagus's power derived from both the Ferengi Bill of Opportunities and Rules of Acquisition.
Agencies and institutions
Despite a strong spirit of laissez-faire regarding commerce, the Alliance maintained numerous agencies to regulate Ferengi business and trade. Though ostensibly created to oversee Ferengi business practices and ensure adherence to regulation, these agencies appeared to be constructed as much to create opportunities for graft, bribery and corruption as any legitimate purpose.
The Ferengi Commerce Authority (or FCA) was an agency of the Alliance concerned with business practices and the enforcement of trade under Ferengi Trade By-Laws and Code. Agents of the FCA were known as Liquidators, led by the Board of Liquidators, all of whose offices were located on the 40th floor of the Tower of Commerce in the Sacred Marketplace on Ferenginar. (DS9: "Family Business")
While the FCA primarily regulated business dealings among Ferengi, the Ferengi Trade Mission furthered Ferengi governmental business interests with other species. (TNG: "The Price")
The Ferengi Health Commission oversaw health regulations in Ferengi businesses and public life and had the ability to revoke a Ferengi's trade license. (VOY: "Infinite Regress")
The Ferengi Gaming Commission regulated all gambling ventures within the Alliance. (DS9: "Ferengi Love Songs")
Domestically, advancement in Ferengi government was based on bribery and patronage. A Ferengi who aspired to a higher position in any government agency, in particular the FCA, was expected to earn a large profit not just for himself but for his superiors. Even seeking an audience with a senior government official required a donation of latinum. (DS9: "Family Business")
Generally, the Ferengi Alliance stayed neutral in the politics of the galaxy, since the Ferengi were solely interested in profit and making enemies diminished possible business opportunities. In the spirit of free enterprise, most Ferengi business ventures were made without the knowledge of the government. As a result, while a number of hostile conflicts occurred between the Federation and the Ferengi in the 2360s, the Ferengi Alliance itself was not considered responsible. (TNG: "Bloodlines")
The Ferengi Alliance has never actually fought in any large-scale interstellar war, which Quark considers an accomplishment which makes it morally superior to even the Federation. (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar") Generally, when the Ferengi Alliance comes into conflict with another galactic power, they peacefully apply economic pressure using their considerable financial resources (raising or lowering trade restrictions, etc.) until they can force the other power to agree to a peace treaty at the negotiation table, preferably one in the Ferengi Alliance's favor. (DS9: "The Siege of AR-558")
The Ferengi Alliance maintained official neutrality during the Dominion War, though it believed its natural business interests to lie with the Alpha Quadrant powers. Similarly, during the Occupation of Bajor the Ferengi took no sides and traded equally with the Cardassians and Bajorans. (DS9: "Business as Usual")
The official practice of neutrality, however, did not guarantee the Alliance favorable relations with all races. The Klingons were known to despise Ferengi in almost all circumstances, despite no history of bad relations between the two governments. However, even as a neutral power, the economic might of the Ferengi Alliance gave them significant influence in the galaxy.
- See also: Ferengi Market Exchange, Ferengi Futures Exchange
The Ferengi Alliance maintained a military which consisted mostly of D'Kora-class marauder craft. The military was used to protect the business ventures of various Ferengi entrepreneurs, not to wage war. A Marauder was usually commanded by a DaiMon who was authorized to open new trade negotiations on behalf of the Alliance. (TNG: "The Last Outpost", "The Price")
Rank was indicated by insignia on the Ferengi uniform but also by small green tattoos on the right part of the forehead. The tattoo consisted of the Ferengi logo and depending on rank, additional chevrons next to the logo. A DaiMon's tattoo consisted of the logo and two chevrons.
The Battle of Prexnak, between the Ferengi and Lytasians, was the most important battle in Ferengi History. A similar operation was undertaken in 2374 between the Ferengi and Dominion, the only "encounter" the two powers had during the Dominion War. (DS9: "The Magnificent Ferengi")


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Friday, March 22, 2013, 7:24 AM
Town Square
Pleasanton police make arrest for prostitution at First Street massage parlor
Original post made on Mar 22, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Friday, March 22, 2013, 7:24 AM
Comments (13)
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 22, 2013 at 12:02 pm
* A 17-year-old from Pleasanton was arrested for felony burglary at about 6:18 p.m. March 15 for stealing six pairs of underwear valued at $56 from JC Penney in the 1500 block of Stoneridge Mall Road.
How is $56 a felony?
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 22, 2013 at 2:15 pm
Are you kidding me? A $56 theft is a felony? At the same time we have big bank and securities crooks, and government office holders that have stolen billions that haven't been charged. I guess the moral to this story is that if you are going to steal something, think really big, because the bigger the heist, the less likely you are to go to the slammer
a resident of Birdland
on Mar 22, 2013 at 3:06 pm
liberalism is a disease is a registered user.
Was someone wearing the stolen underwear at the time, to make this crime a felony?
a resident of Castlewood
on Mar 22, 2013 at 7:05 pm
Hey Truth-I am agreeing with everyone else-It's not a felony. It's a misdameaner.(go ahead talk crap about my spelling)
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 22, 2013 at 7:35 pm
A Happy Ending!
a resident of Las Positas Garden Homes
on Mar 22, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Burglary (a wobbler) is the entering of a business, home, locked vehicle and some other things, with the intent to commit theft or any felony. Most of the time when the police arrest someone for a wobbler, they will charge them with a felony and the DA will knock it down to a misdemeanor. This lad must have entered the store knowing he was going to steal.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 23, 2013 at 12:33 am
Penal Code is actually correct, all except for the vehicle. I believe burglary requires "four walls" with intent. A car does not have walls, so it would be considered theft.
Still, shoplifting with intent is a serious crime. There's some pretty sophisticated organized gangs out there that make shoplifting a heavy weight crime. It's good to see police take a more aggressive role. We think stealing a part of underpants is funny, and non-consequential ... not so. Pull the tail on that pair of shorts and you got a tiger roaring.
a resident of Carlton Oaks
on Mar 23, 2013 at 8:25 am
Milo, you're right about it being serious, but a vehicle certainly does qualify. look it up. as long as the vehicle is locked and forced entry is made, it is burglary. if the vehicle is unlocked or they reach through an open window, it's just theft.
a resident of Birdland
on Mar 23, 2013 at 9:18 am
Susie...what your failing to realize is this is considered a commercial burglary, which is a second degree charge and a felony....you can thank me now.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 23, 2013 at 11:57 am
The important thing is that justice has intervened in order to protect the embattled J.C. Penney from felonious underpants shoplifters.
We all know that J.C. Penney hasn't been doing too well lately, cutting over 20,000 jobs as the venerable retail firm has struggled with bad decisions and the current harsh retail climate. Not to worry, though, top company executives have got things covered, though it takes them some time to get to the ol' office:
CEO Johnson and executive vice presidents Ben Fay and Laurie Miller commute from California to the retailer's headquarters in Plano, Texas. Chief Creative Officer Michael Fisher and senior design and trends executive Nick Wooster fly from New York, while construction executive Bob Laughrea commutes from Boston. The company pays for the commutes.
Hmm. Three live in California, two in New York, and another in Boston. Clearly those liberal-state high taxes aren't quite decimating the ranks of the jahbgiver class just yet. As for the shoplifter, I hope they lock him up and throw away the key. It's people like this 17 year-old who threaten the ability of top corporate executives to fly the friendly skies.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 23, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Save jc Penney, you could not be more right. Penny's should unionize...that'll teach those telecommuting execs who continue to employ thousands more than you do. You whiny liberals are all the same.....good for telling businesses how to run things when you couldn't run a lemonade stand, let alone manage your own affairs without govt interference.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 23, 2013 at 10:10 pm
Too bad for those 20,000 employees we axed. You don't expect us execs to give up any our perks, do you? What's more important, a few thousand unemployed or me without my private jet?
I got mine and screw everyone else
a resident of Livermore
on Apr 19, 2013 at 10:25 am
i had no idea that the J was not unionized...indeed...UNIONIZE!
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text:
The Lesley Card is the official identification card of
Lesley University. Issued to all members of our
community, it is required for identification and access
to essential campus services. It also offers a convenient account for making purchases on and off campus.
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text:
Calendar Month View
Mixed Media: Introduction to Art Journaling Class B
Adults 55+
- Date: 03/01/2019 1:00 PM
- Location: Senior Center
240 S. Route 59
Bartlett, Illinois 60103
Return to full list >>
Mixed Media: – Introduction to Art Journaling
Mixed Media: – Introduction to Art Journaling
Fridays, March 1 – April 19 (7 week series) No Class on March 8th
Class A: 9:30 – 11:45 AM
Class B: 1 PM - 3:15 PM Donation: $28
Curious of what Mixed Media is all about? Come and create a Mixed Media Art Journal filled with exciting new techniques, colors, mediums and art play. A beginner's course for anyone, even non-painters. Registration Required. Instructor Linda Kay


text:
One of my favorite parts about winter is that I get to snuggle up in warm blankets, without being uncomfortably warm. Like most people I love soft cuddly blankets. It just makes it so much more cozier. I have a blanket made of micro fleece that I have a hard time sleeping without. But, earlier this year my boss introduced me to the softest blanket I had ever felt. He told me it was a Minky Couture blanket.
I knew after holding that Minky blanket he had that I was going to want one of my own. The only thing that stopped me was my rational thinking. It was nearly summer and I didn't need another blanket. As the temperature started dropping so did my resolve and I couldn't get Minky Couture out of my mind. I finally got one and not just a small lap blanket like I was first introduced to, but a Monster Minky that I could sleep with.
I wanted to know more about these blankets that I fell in love with at first touch. I was able to get a phone interview set up with the owner/creator, Sandi Hendry. She was so nice and friendly she gave me this code, Splash40, exclusively for splash readers to save 40%. With this code it makes the infant blanket right around $35!
Maria: Why did you name it Minky Couture?
Sandi: I wanted to make the blankets out of minky fabric and I wanted them to be fashionable and follow the current trends. For example trends like damask, vintage, Moroccan, tile and such, so I named it Minky Couture.
Maria: On your website it says you started by giving the blankets as gifts, and that people asked you where they could purchase them, but when and why did you decide to make a business out of it?
Sandi: So when did it go from being fun to being crazy?
Maria: (small chuckles) Yes, when did you decide to go blanket crazy?
Sandi: Four years ago my oldest daughter got sick and while she was in the hospital she wanted a good cozy blanket. I made her a big minky blanket. I then decided to make 20 more to give away at the hospital. People would ask if I had any big baby blankets they could buy. I started selling blankets in different size online. Now I have four store fronts in Utah that are busy all day long. I also sell wholesale, but my best sells are face-to-face or online.
Maria: Where do you manufacture the blankets, I noticed they are hand made.
Sandi: All our blankets are hand sewn. I was trying to decide where to manufacture them and I decided I wanted to stay local where I could inspect the quality of the blankets. I decided to reach out to stay at home moms who needed an extra income bit couldn't afford child care. Right now I have 28 seamstresses. Each of them go through three weeks of training and have at home inspections. Each home must be smoke and pet free. The materials are cut and put in bins. The stay at home moms come and pick up the bins, and then drop them back off once the blankets are completed.
Maria: How do you decide on new designs and fabrics?
Sandi: I watch magazines, clothing styles and bedding styles. I try to find the best fabric designs not being used by my competitors. Several of my designs are Minky Couture exclusive. I've been really lucky with my exclusive designs and haven't 'eaten' any costs from them. I try to have new designs every month, but even with the new designs there are standard prints that I never rotate out, like zebra, and cheetah print.
Maria: I have one more question. How 'crazy' do you plan to go? What are your goals for the future?
Sandi: Right now we're selling about 2,000 - 3,000 blankets a month and I would like to sell 10,000 a month. The sky is the limit. I'd just like to continue to get bigger. For me its not all about selling blankets. Minky Couture blankets are a source of comfort for many that receive them. I often get letters from people with the sweetest stories. A mother recently wrote that, her family had lost everything in a tornado and the only thing that her three little boys were praying for were their Minky blankets.
Not only are Minky Couture blankets absolutely the best cuddle blanket out there, but they meet needs. From their Infant blankets to their Monster Minky's these blankets will last a life time. If you're not convinced yet use the exclusive Splash Magazines code to order your first blanket and fall in love with Minky Couture at first touch. Use 'Splash40' for 40% off your next Minky Couture blanket and order online today!


text:
For those in the USA, I hope that you had a great Fourth of July celebration with friends and family.
I have some older kit designs from the year 2016. I have decided to go ahead and upload them for you, along with a warning that, back then, I always seemed to make 100 or more papers at a time, and each file was large. I was learning and growing and didn't really consider how difficult large downloads were. It's a big learning curve, once you start designing for others. So, as I get them gathered, I will upload them, a random thing over the next month or so. The quality of design is hit and miss. My feelings won't be hurt if you don't wish to download.
This kit was designed in November of 2016 and is called Enchanted Autumn. I used a "Good Karma" Terms of Use back then – Use however you wish, commercial use allowed.
Journal Cards
Quick pages
Word Art
Papers 1
Papers 2
Papers 3
Papers 4
Papers 5
Papers 6
Papers 7
Papers 8
Papers 9
Papers 10
Blessings and Blue Skies,


text:
Lâendroit idéal pour demander de lâAide.
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text:
Cheryl Burke Attends DWTS Vegas Show, Dances At Reckitt Benckiser's 2012 Sales Conference
Isn't this a fun picture of Cheryl Burke with Lacey Schwimmer, Tia Carrere, Cheryl Burke, and Sabrina Bryan? Cheryl went to the Dancing With The Stars LIVE show last weekend in Las Vegas which you can read all about at Vegas News. Jerry Springer was at the show as well. You can view a fun picture of him at the link too.
Then last night, Cheryl danced at the Reckitt Benckiser's 2012 Sales Conference representing Veet which you can watch below. Thanks to @DWTSGossip for the video find!!


text:
This article contains contributions from Monica Dinculescu, Rob Dodson, and Jeff Posnick.
Typography is fundamental to good design, branding, readability, and accessibility. Webfonts enable all of the above and more: the text is selectable, searchable, zoomable, and high-DPI friendly, providing consistent and sharp text rendering regardless of the screen size and resolution. Webfonts are critical to good design, UX, and performance.
Webfont optimization is a critical piece of the overall performance strategy. Each font is an additional resource, and some fonts may block rendering of the text, but just because the page is using webfonts doesn't mean that it has to render slower. On the contrary, optimized fonts, combined with a judicious strategy for how they are loaded and applied on the page, can help reduce the total page size and improve page rendering times.
Anatomy of a webfont
- Unicode fonts can contain thousands of glyphs.
- There are four font formats: WOFF2, WOFF, EOT, and TTF.
- Some font formats require the use of compression.
A webfont is a collection of glyphs, and each glyph is a vector shape that describes a letter or symbol. As a result, two simple variables determine the size of a particular font file: the complexity of the vector paths of each glyph and the number of glyphs in a particular font. For example, Open Sans, which is one of the most popular webfonts, contains 897 glyphs, which include Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic characters.
When picking a font, it's important to consider which character sets are supported. If you need to localize your page content to multiple languages, you should use a font that can deliver a consistent look and experience to your users. For example, Google's Noto font family aims to support all the world's languages. Note, however, that the total size of Noto, with all languages included, results in a 1.1GB+ ZIP download.
Clearly, using fonts on the web requires careful engineering to ensure that the typography doesn't impede performance. Thankfully, the web platform provides all the necessary primitives, and the rest of this guide provides a hands-on look at how to get the best of both worlds.
Webfont formats
Today there are four font container formats in use on the web: EOT, TTF, WOFF, and WOFF2. Unfortunately, despite the wide range of choices, there isn't a single universal format that works across all old and new browsers: EOT is IE only, TTF has partial IE support, WOFF enjoys the widest support but is not available in some older browsers, and WOFF 2.0 support is a work in progress for many browsers.
So, where does that leave us? There isn't a single format that works in all browsers, which means that we need to deliver multiple formats to provide a consistent experience:
- Serve WOFF 2.0 variant to browsers that support it.
- Serve WOFF variant to the majority of browsers.
- Serve TTF variant to old Android (below 4.4) browsers.
- Serve EOT variant to old IE (below IE9) browsers.
Reducing font size with compression
A font is a collection of glyphs, each of which is a set of paths describing the letter form. The individual glyphs are different, but they contain a lot of similar information that can be compressed with GZIP or a compatible compressor:
- EOT and TTF formats are not compressed by default. Ensure that your servers are configured to apply GZIP compression when delivering these formats.
- WOFF has built-in compression. Ensure that your WOFF compressor is using optimal compression settings.
- WOFF2 uses custom preprocessing and compression algorithms to deliver ~30% file-size reduction over other formats. For more information, see the WOFF 2.0 evaluation report.
Finally, it's worth noting that some font formats contain additional metadata, such as font hinting and kerning information that may not be necessary on some platforms, which allows for further file-size optimization. Consult your font compressor for available optimization options, and if you take this route, ensure that you have the appropriate infrastructure to test and deliver these optimized fonts to each browser. For example, Google Fonts maintains 30+ optimized variants for each font and automatically detects and delivers the optimal variant for each platform and browser.
Defining a font family with @font-face
- Use the
format()hint to specify multiple font formats.
- Subset large Unicode fonts to improve performance. Use Unicode-range subsetting and provide a manual subsetting fallback for older browsers.
- Reduce the number of stylistic font variants to improve the page- and text-rendering performance.
@font-face CSS at-rule allows you to define the location of a particular font resource, its
style characteristics, and the Unicode codepoints for which it should be used. A combination of such
`@font-face declarations can be used to construct a "font family," which the browser will use to
evaluate which font resources need to be downloaded and applied to the current page.
Format selection
@font-face declaration provides the name of the font family, which acts as a logical group of
multiple declarations, font properties such as
style, weight, and stretch, and the src descriptor,
which specifies a prioritized list of locations for the font resource.
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
src: local('Awesome Font'),
url('/fonts/awesome.woff2') format('woff2'),
url('/fonts/awesome.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: italic;
font-weight: 400;
src: local('Awesome Font Italic'),
url('/fonts/awesome-i.woff2') format('woff2'),
url('/fonts/awesome-i.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome-i.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome-i.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
First, note that the above examples define a single Awesome Font family with two styles (normal
and italic), each of which points to a different set of font resources. In turn, each
descriptor contains a prioritized, comma-separated list of resource variants:
- The
local()directive allows you to reference, load, and use locally installed fonts.
- The
url()directive allows you to load external fonts, and are allowed to contain an optional
format()hint indicating the format of the font referenced by the provided URL.
When the browser determines that the font is needed, it iterates through the provided resource list in the specified order and tries to load the appropriate resource. For example, following the example above:
- The browser performs page layout and determines which font variants are required to render the specified text on the page.
- For each required font, the browser checks if the font is available locally.
- If the font is not available locally, the browser iterates over external definitions:
- If a format hint is present, the browser checks if it supports the hint before initiating the download. If the browser doesn't support the hint, the browser advances to the next one.
- If no format hint is present, the browser downloads the resource.
The combination of local and external directives with appropriate format hints allows you to specify all of the available font formats and let the browser handle the rest. The browser determines which resources are required and selects the optimal format.
Unicode-range subsetting
In addition to font properties such as style, weight, and stretch, the
@font-face rule allows us to define a set of Unicode codepoints supported by
each resource. This enables us to split a large Unicode font into smaller
subsets (for example, Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek subsets) and only download the glyphs required to
render the text on a particular page.
The unicode-range descriptor allows you to specify a comma-delimited list of range values, each of which can be in one of three different forms:
- Single codepoint (for example,
- Interval range (for example,
U+400-4ff): indicates the start and end codepoints of a range
- Wildcard range (for example,
?characters indicate any hexadecimal digit
For example, you can split your Awesome Font family into Latin and Japanese subsets, each of which the browser downloads on an as-needed basis:
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
src: local('Awesome Font'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff2') format('woff2'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
unicode-range: U+000-5FF; /* Latin glyphs */
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
src: local('Awesome Font'),
url('/fonts/awesome-jp.woff2') format('woff2'),
url('/fonts/awesome-jp.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome-jp.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome-jp.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
unicode-range: U+3000-9FFF, U+ff??; /* Japanese glyphs */
The use of Unicode range subsets and separate files for each stylistic variant of the font allows you to define a composite font family that is both faster and more efficient to download. Visitors only download the variants and subsets they need, and they aren't forced to download subsets that they may never see or use on the page.
That said, there's one small issue with unicode-range: not all browser
support it yet. Some browsers
simply ignore the unicode-range hint and download all variants, while
others may not process the
@font-face declaration at all. To address this, you need to fall back
to "manual subsetting" for older browsers.
Because old browsers are not smart enough to select only the necessary subsets and cannot construct a composite font, you have to fall back to providing a single font resource that contains all the necessary subsets and hide the rest from the browser. For example, if the page is only using Latin characters, then you can strip other glyphs and serve that particular subset as a standalone resource.
- How do you determine which subsets are needed?
- If the browser supports unicode-range subsetting, then it will automatically select the right
subset. The page just needs to provide the subset files and specify appropriate unicode-ranges
in the
- If the browser doesn't support unicode-range subsetting, then the page needs to hide all unnecessary subsets; that is, the developer must specify the required subsets.
- If the browser supports unicode-range subsetting, then it will automatically select the right subset. The page just needs to provide the subset files and specify appropriate unicode-ranges in the
- How do you generate font subsets?
- Use the open-source pyftsubset tool to subset and optimize your fonts.
- Some font services allow manual subsetting via custom query parameters, which you can use to manually specify the required subset for your page. Consult the documentation from your font provider.
Font selection and synthesis
Each font family is composed of multiple stylistic variants (regular, bold, italic) and multiple weights for each style, each of which, in turn, may contain very different glyph shapes—for example, different spacing, sizing, or a different shape altogether.
For example, the above diagram illustrates a font family that offers three different bold weights: 400 (regular), 700 (bold), and 900 (extra bold). All other in-between variants (indicated in gray) are automatically mapped to the closest variant by the browser.
When a weight is specified for which no face exists, a face with a nearby weight is used. In general, bold weights map to faces with heavier weights and light weights map to faces with lighter weights.
Similar logic applies to italic variants. The font designer controls which variants they will produce, and you control which variants you'll use on the page. Because each variant is a separate download, it's a good idea to keep the number of variants small. For example, you can define two bold variants for the Awesome Font family:
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
src: local('Awesome Font'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff2') format('woff2'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
unicode-range: U+000-5FF; /* Latin glyphs */
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 700;
src: local('Awesome Font'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l-700.woff2') format('woff2'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l-700.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l-700.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l-700.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
unicode-range: U+000-5FF; /* Latin glyphs */
The above example declares the Awesome Font family that is composed of two resources that cover
the same set of Latin glyphs (
U+000-5FF) but offer two different "weights": normal (400) and bold
(700). However, what happens if one of your CSS rules specifies a different font weight, or sets the
font-style property to italic?
- If an exact font match isn't available, the browser substitutes the closest match.
- If no stylistic match is found (for example, no italic variants were declared in the example above), then the browser synthesizes its own font variant.
The example above illustrates the difference between the actual vs. synthesized font results for Open Sans. All synthesized variants are generated from a single 400-weight font. As you can see, there's a noticeable difference in the results. The details of how to generate the bold and oblique variants are not specified. Therefore, the results vary from browser to browser, and are highly dependent on the font.
Optimizing loading and rendering
- By default, font requests are delayed until the render tree is constructed, which can result in delayed text rendering.
<link rel="preload">, the CSS
font-displayproperty, and the Font Loading API provide the hooks needed to implementing custom font loading and rendering strategies, overriding the default behavior.
A "full" webfont that includes all stylistic variants, which you may not need, plus all the glyphs,
which may go unused, can easily result in a multi-megabyte download. To address this, the
@font-face CSS rule is specifically designed to allow you to split the font family into a
collection of resources: unicode subsets, distinct style variants, and so on.
Given these declarations, the browser figures out the required subsets and variants and downloads the minimal set required to render the text, which is very convenient. However, if you're not careful, it can also create a performance bottleneck in the critical rendering path and delay text rendering.
The default behavior
Lazy loading of fonts carries an important hidden implication that may delay text rendering: the browser must construct the render tree, which is dependent on the DOM and CSSOM trees, before it knows which font resources it needs in order to render the text. As a result, font requests are delayed well after other critical resources, and the browser may be blocked from rendering text until the resource is fetched.
- The browser requests the HTML document.
- The browser begins parsing the HTML response and constructing the DOM.
- The browser discovers CSS, JS, and other resources and dispatches requests.
- The browser constructs the CSSOM after all of the CSS content is received and combines it with
the DOM tree to construct the render tree.
- Font requests are dispatched after the render tree indicates which font variants are needed to render the specified text on the page.
- The browser performs layout and paints content to the screen.
- If the font is not yet available, the browser may not render any text pixels.
- After the font is available, the browser paints the text pixels.
The "race" between the first paint of page content, which can be done shortly after the render tree is built, and the request for the font resource is what creates the "blank text problem" where the browser might render page layout but omits any text.
The next section describes a number of options for customizing this default behavior.
Preload your Webfont resources
If there's a high probability that your page will need a specific Webfont hosted
at a URL you know in advance, you can take advantage of a new web platform
<link rel="preload">.
It allows you to include an element in your HTML, usually as part of the
<head>, that will trigger a request for the Webfont early in the critical
rendering path, without having to wait for the CSSOM to be created.
<link rel="preload"> serves as a "hint" to the browser that a given resource
is going to be needed soon, but it doesn't tell the browser how to use it.
You need to use preload in conjunction with an appropriate CSS
definition in order to instruct the browser what do to with a given Webfont URL.
<!-- Other tags... -->
<link rel="preload" href="/fonts/awesome-l.woff2" as="font">
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
src: local('Awesome Font'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff2') format('woff2'), /* will be preloaded */
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
unicode-range: U+000-5FF; /* Latin glyphs */
Not all browsers support
<link rel="preload">,
and in those browsers,
<link rel="preload"> will just be ignored. But every
browser that supports preloading also supports WOFF2, so that's always the
format that you should preload.
Customize the text rendering delay
While preloading makes it more likely that a Webfont will be available when a
page's content is rendered, it offers no guarantees. You still need to consider
how browsers behave when rendering text that uses a
font-family which is not
yet available.
Browser behaviors
The "race" between the first paint of page content, which can be done shortly after the render tree is built, and the request for the font resource is what creates the "blank text problem" where the browser might render page layout but omits any text. Most browsers implement a maximum timeout that they'll wait for a Webfont to download, after which a fallback font will be used. Unfortunately, browsers differ on implementation:
|Chrome 35+
|3 seconds
|3 seconds
|3 seconds
|Internet Explorer
|0 seconds
|No timeout
- Chrome and Firefox have a three second timeout after which the text is shown with the fallback font. If the font manages to download, then eventually a swap occurs and the text is re-rendered with the intended font.
- Internet Explorer has a zero second timeout which results in immediate text rendering. If the requested font is not yet available, a fallback is used, and text is re-rendered later once the requested font becomes available.
- Safari has no timeout behavior (or at least nothing beyond a baseline network timeout).
To ensure consistency moving forward, the CSS Working Group has proposed a new
@font-face descriptor,
font-display, and a
corresponding property for controlling how a downloadable font renders before it
is loaded.
The font display timeline
Similar to the existing font timeout behaviors that some browsers implement
font-display segments the lifetime of a font download into three major
- The first period is the font block period. During this period, if the font face is not loaded, any element attempting to use it must instead render with an invisible fallback font face. If the font face successfully loads during the block period, the font face is then used normally.
- The font swap period occurs immediately after the font block period. During this period, if the font face is not loaded, any element attempting to use it must instead render with a fallback font face. If the font face successfully loads during the swap period, the font face is then used normally.
- The font failure period occurs immediately after the font swap period. If the font face is not yet loaded when this period starts, it's marked as a failed load, causing normal font fallback. Otherwise, the font face is used normally.
Understanding these periods means you can use
font-display to decide how your
font should render depending on whether or when it was downloaded.
Using font-display
To work with the
font-display property, add it your
@font-face rules:
@font-face {
font-family: 'Awesome Font';
font-style: normal;
font-weight: 400;
font-display: auto; /* or block, swap, fallback, optional */
src: local('Awesome Font'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff2') format('woff2'), /* will be preloaded */
url('/fonts/awesome-l.woff') format('woff'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.ttf') format('truetype'),
url('/fonts/awesome-l.eot') format('embedded-opentype');
unicode-range: U+000-5FF; /* Latin glyphs */
font-display currently supports the following range of values:
auto | block | swap | fallback | optional.
autouses whatever font display strategy the user-agent uses. Most browsers currently have a default strategy similar to
blockgives the font face a short block period (3s is recommended in most cases) and an infinite swap period. In other words, the browser draws "invisible" text at first if the font is not loaded, but swaps the font face in as soon as it loads. To do this the browser creates an anonymous font face with metrics similar to the selected font but with all glyphs containing no "ink." This value should only be used if rendering text in a particular typeface is required for the page to be usable.
swapgives the font face a zero second block period and an infinite swap period. This means the browser draws text immediately with a fallback if the font face isn't loaded, but swaps the font face in as soon as it loads. Similar to
block, this value should only be used when rendering text in a particular font is important for the page, but rendering in any font will still get a correct message across. Logo text is a good candidate for swap since displaying a company's name using a reasonable fallback will get the message across but you'd eventually use the official typeface.
fallbackgives the font face an extremely small block period (100ms or less is recommended in most cases) and a short swap period (three seconds is recommended in most cases). In other words, the font face is rendered with a fallback at first if it's not loaded, but the font is swapped as soon as it loads. However, if too much time passes, the fallback will be used for the rest of the page's lifetime.
fallbackis a good candidate for things like body text where you'd like the user to start reading as soon as possible and don't want to disturb their experience by shifting text around as a new font loads in.
optionalgives the font face an extremely small block period (100ms or less is recommended in most cases) and a zero second swap period. Similar to
fallback, this is a good choice for when the downloading font is more of a "nice to have" but not critical to the experience. The
optionalvalue leaves it up to the browser to decide whether to initiate the font download, which it may choose not to do or it may do it as a low priority depending on what it thinks would be best for the user. This can be beneficial in situations where the user is on a weak connection and pulling down a font may not be the best use of resources.
font-display is gaining adoption
in many modern browsers. You can look forward to consistency in browser
behavior as it becomes widely implemented.
The Font Loading API
Used together,
<link rel="preload"> and the CSS
font-display give developers
a great deal of control over font loading and rendering, without adding in much
overhead. But if you need additional customizations, and are willing to incur
with the overhead introduced by running JavaScript, there is another option.
The Font Loading API provides a scripting interface to define and manipulate CSS font faces, track their download progress, and override their default lazyload behavior. For example, if you're sure that a particular font variant is required, you can define it and tell the browser to initiate an immediate fetch of the font resource:
var font = new FontFace("Awesome Font", "url(/fonts/awesome.woff2)", {
style: 'normal', unicodeRange: 'U+000-5FF', weight: '400'
// don't wait for the render tree, initiate an immediate fetch!
font.load().then(function() {
// apply the font (which may re-render text and cause a page reflow)
// after the font has finished downloading
document.body.style.fontFamily = "Awesome Font, serif";
// OR... by default the content is hidden,
// and it's rendered after the font is available
var content = document.getElementById("content");
content.style.visibility = "visible";
// OR... apply your own render strategy here...
Further, because you can check the font status (via the check()) method and track its download progress, you can also define a custom strategy for rendering text on your pages:
- You can hold all text rendering until the font is available.
- You can implement a custom timeout for each font.
- You can use the fallback font to unblock rendering and inject a new style that uses the desired font after the font is available.
Best of all, you can also mix and match the above strategies for different content on the page. For example, you can delay text rendering on some sections until the font is available, use a fallback font, and then re-render after the font download has finished, specify different timeouts, and so on.
Proper caching is a must
Font resources are, typically, static resources that don't see frequent updates. As a result, they are ideally suited for a long max-age expiry - ensure that you specify both a conditional ETag header, and an optimal Cache-Control policy for all font resources.
If your web application uses a service worker, serving font resources with a cache-first strategy is appropriate for most use cases.
You should not store fonts using
or IndexedDB;
each of those has its own set of performance issues. The browser's HTTP cache
provides the best and most robust mechanism to deliver font resources to the
Optimization checklist
Contrary to popular belief, the use of webfonts doesn't need to delay page rendering or have a negative impact on other performance metrics. The well-optimized use of fonts can deliver a much better overall user experience: great branding, improved readability, usability, and searchability, all while delivering a scalable multi-resolution solution that adapts well to all screen formats and resolutions. Don't be afraid to use webfonts.
That said, a naive implementation may incur large downloads and unnecessary delays. You need to help the browser by optimizing the font assets themselves and how they are fetched and used on your pages.
- Audit and monitor your font use: don't use too many fonts on your pages, and, for each font, minimize the number of used variants. This helps produce a more consistent and a faster experience for your users.
- Subset your font resources: many fonts can be subset, or split into multiple unicode-ranges to deliver just the glyphs that a particular page requires. This reduces the file size and improves the download speed of the resource. However, when defining the subsets, be careful to optimize for font re-use. For example, don't download a different but overlapping set of characters on each page. A good practice is to subset based on script: for example, Latin, Cyrillic, and so on.
- Deliver optimized font formats to each browser: provide each font in WOFF2, WOFF, EOT, and TTF formats. Make sure to apply GZIP compression to the EOT and TTF formats, because they are not compressed by default.
- Give precedence to
local()in your
srclist: listing
local('Font Name')first in your
srclist ensures that HTTP requests aren't made for fonts that are already installed.
- Customize font loading and rendering using
<link rel="preload">,
font-display, or the Font Loading API: default lazyloading behavior may result in delayed text rendering. These web platform features allow you to override this behavior for particular fonts, and to specify custom rendering and timeout strategies for different content on the page.
- Specify revalidation and optimal caching policies: fonts are static resources that are infrequently updated. Make sure that your servers provide a long-lived max-age timestamp and a revalidation token to allow for efficient font reuse between different pages. If using a service worker, a cache-first strategy is appropriate.
Automated testing for web font optimization with Lighthouse
Lighthouse can help automate the process of making sure that you're following web font optimization best practices. Lighthouse is an auditing tool built by the Chrome DevTools team. You can run it as a Node module, from the command line, or from the Audits panel of Chrome DevTools. You tell Lighthouse what URL to audit, and then it runs a bunch of tests on the page, and gives you a report of what the page is doing well, and how it can improve.
The following audits can help you make sure that your pages are continuing to follow web font optimization best practices over time:
- Enable text compression
- Preload key requests
- Uses inefficient cache policy on static assets
- All text remains visible during webfont loads


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Here is some news from Ron Zinck, who posts to the NSRoots mailing list quite often -
"I spent part of my Friday the Archives of Ontario working my way through
the collection of Rev. Ewen MacDonald. He worked for decades on Scottish
history and the McDonald family history. I have a number of scans that may
be of interest to researchers and I suspect I will have allot more after
every visit. This batch includes letters and a few charts that discusses
Antigonish, Cape Breton, and different septs in Scotland.
I hope that some of the MacDonald researchers will be able to help decipher, interpret and place these scans in context."
I uploaded them onto Google drive at this link


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MIAMI – The International Space Station (ISS) will be visible Saturday evening, March 3rd, as it passes over South Florida. You can see it starting at 6:55 p.m. and it will be visible for nearly 6 minutes which is a long "visible" flyover!
All you have to do is go outside and look NNW. You can see it with your naked eye, no telescope needed. It will start in the NNW and be moving ESE.
Look for a bright white dot that is moving across the sky. Don't confuse the ISS with Venus and Jupiter which will be two very bright stationary dots in the western sky!
Keep in mind, while you watch, that the ISS is traveling at speeds over 17,000 mph roughly 250 miles above Earth.
Let's hope the clouds hold off and the skies are clear like they were for the sighting on Friday night.


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State v. Walker (1887) is an important but hitherto neglected landmark case in the development of the right of privacy. The case involved the "autonomistic" or "free-love" marriage of Edwin C. Walker and Lillian Harman, daughter of Moses Harman, the radical newspaperman.
Edwin and Lillian, who rejected state control over marriage, proclaimed themselves married in the fall of 1887, although they declared that their union was neither permanent or exclusive. Prosecuted for illegal cohabitation because of their refusal to obtain a marriage license, they and their defenders developed a vocabulary that would profoundly influence the future path of American law.
Their supporters in the radical press began to speak of the right of women to control their own bodies, woman's right to reproductive autonomy, and a right of sexual privacy. Indeed, it was in the midst of this controversy that the expression "freedom of choice" was used, probably for the first time, in its modern meaning by Lillian Harman writing from prison.
The Kansas Supreme Court, which ruled on the appeal of their convictions, was, in contrast, a deeply conservative and Christian group of men who were publicly known for their religious fidelity and who brought their religious feelings to bear in the case.
Thanks to the survival of both a substantial body of newspapers and the personal papers of the three justices who ruled on the appeal, it is possible to reconstruct a vivid account of this first skirmish in the American culture wars.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Reid, The Devil Comes to Kansas: A Story of Free Love and the Law
The Devil Comes to Kansas: A Story of Free Love and the Law has been posted by Charles J. Reid Jr., University of St. Thomas School of Law (Minnesota). Here's the abstract:
Posted by Mary L. Dudziak at 9:05 AM
2 comments:
- zanet said...
May I translate and reproduce in my blog with reference to the author and links parts of the paper?
- September 30, 2011 at 6:58:00 AM EDT
- Mary L. Dudziak said...
Hi, Zanet. Blogs often post SSRN abstracts with links to the paper. If you want to go beyond that and translate and post anything from the paper itself, contact the author to ask permission. To get an author email, click on the article title to get to the abstract on SSRN. Then click on the author's name. That will get you to a page with author contact info.
- September 30, 2011 at 8:49:00 AM EDT
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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A Panasonic internal Blu-Ray Disc writer will ship in June, the electronics giant has said, but like the similarly spec'd models announced by IO Data, the LF-MB121JD isn't going to come cheap.
The Panasonic unit will read BD, DVD and CD media, and be capable of writing BD-R, BD-RE, DVD±R/RW (single and dual-layer), DVD-RAM and CD-R/RW discs. The drive can cope with 25GB and 50GB Blu-ray media, but while it will undoubtedly read DVD-ROM discs, you won't be able to play BD movies unless you have suitable software.
Panasonic certainly isn't bundling any such code, curiously, even though it plans to include PowerDVD for DVD viewing. It will also bundle back-up software that will write to BD-R/RE discs, it said.
Panasonic has already said its consumer-oriented Blu-ray Disc player, the DMP-BD10, will ship in September for "under $1,500".
The manufacturer said it was not naming a price for the LF-MB121JD, but local reports expect it to retail for around ¥100,000 ($851/£477/€689). ®


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American revolutionary leader George Washington has been voted the greatest enemy commander to face Britain, lauded for his spirit of endurance against the odds and the enormous impact of his victory.
In a contest organised by Britain's National Army Museum, the first President of the U.S triumphed over Irish independence hero Michael Collins, France's Napoleon Bonaparte, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.
Making the case for Washington, historian Stephen Brumwell said the American War of Independence (1775-83) was 'the worst defeat for the British Empire ever.'
More formidable than Napoleon! Not bad for a guy who spent the latter months of '76 retreating across New York and New Jersey.


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Possible abuse investigated at Forest Hills care home
Doris Burke, 84, suffers head injury at Juniper Village
Doris Burke lived her entire life in Pittsburgh's Greenfield neighborhood, but a few days after Christmas, her family decided it was time for the 84-year-old dementia sufferer to live in a personal care home.
Two days later, she was found bloodied and with a head injury at Juniper Village personal care home in Forest Hills on Dec. 29.
State regulatory officials, Forest Hills police and Allegheny County police are still investigating.
Detective Michael Kuma told Channel 4 Action News' Jim Parsons that police have not obtained evidence of wrongdoing.
Burke's son told Parsons that county police began investigating after they received an anonymous tip from a staff member at Juniper Village saying Burke may have been abused.
State regulatory officials said they were notified about Burke by Allegheny County police, and not Juniper Village staff.
The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare has cited Juniper Village multiple times for violations of failing to report injuries and suspected abuse.
In one incident, state inspectors said "an allegation of abuse ... was reported to staff," but Juniper Village "did not report the incident until (three days later), when a family member reported it."
In the case of Burke's injuries, executive director Janet Wangler said, "Juniper Village followed all protocols properly. The incident was reported according to regulations."
Burke remains at UPMC Mercy hospital, but her son said she is expected to make a full recovery.


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STS-98, Mission
Control Center
On the last full day of docked operations between the crews of Atlantis and the International Space Station (ISS), the eight space travelers will continue transferring supplies and equipment in preparation for Friday morning's undocking.
Atlantis' astronauts were awakened shortly after 4 a.m. Central time today to begin their ninth day in space.
Among the final items to be transferred to the Station today are a replacement hard drive for a portable computer, the spacesuit worn by Tom Jones during his three space walks for future use, and additional tools and supplies for Expedition One Commander Bill Shepherd, including a screwdriver, bolts, tape and printer paper. Jones' space suit will remain on the Station for use by visiting shuttle crews and for Station-based space walks once the U.S. airlock is installed later this year.
Commander Ken Cockrell and Pilot Mark Polansky will again fire Atlantis' thrusters in two additional reboost maneuvers to gently raise the Station's altitude. Today's firings will be the sixth and seventh of the mission and should add another five statute miles to the station's altitude. Atlantis will leave the Station about 16 statute miles higher than last Friday when the Shuttle arrived.
Cockrell, Jones and Bob Curbeam will take a break from their work at 7:49 a.m. Central time today to talk with elementary and middle school students from the Baltimore area at the Maryland Science Center. Later, both crews will field questions from reporters in the U.S. and Russia during a news conference starting at 12:37 p.m.
With Atlantis scheduled to undock from the Station shortly after 8 a.m. Central time Friday, Curbeam, Jones and Marsha Ivins will check out some of the rendezvous tools they will use as Polansky gently backs Atlantis away from the Station prior to the start of a half-lap flyaround to enable the astronauts to collect detailed pictures and video of the newly expanded Station. Hatches between the two craft will be closed early Friday for the final time after the crewmembers say goodbye to one another.
Flight controllers in Houston, meanwhile, continue their checkout of the systems of the new Destiny laboratory of the ISS, reporting that the research facility is in excellent shape except for a balky pump in the carbon dioxide removal system of the Atmospheric Revitalization Rack. Troubleshooting on that pump continues, but the rack is not needed presently and controllers believe the problem will be solved before long.
The Expedition One crew - Shepherd, Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev - will work side by side with Atlantis' astronauts today in the transfer of equipment and will document life on board the Station with a large format IMAX camera.
Atlantis and the International Space Station are orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 237 statute miles with all systems functioning normally.
The next mission status report will be issued at 7 p.m., or sooner, if events warrant.
NASA Johnson Space Center Mission Status Reports and other information are available automatically by sending an Internet electronic mail message to firstname.lastname@example.com. In the body of the message (not the subject line) users should type "subscribe hsfnews" (no quotes). This will add the e-mail address that sent the subscribe message to the news release distribution list. The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription. Once you have subscribed you will receive future news releases via e-mail.


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Cloud Computing Races On, But NoSQL Finds Bumps In The Road
Someone whose career involves computing and software development would have to be lost in a cave in recent months to miss the almost religious fervor surrounding cloud computing and NoSQL databases. Cloud computing continues to gather momentum, but the NoSQL bandwagon has run into bumps in the road. Highly-publicized outages of sites using a NoSQL solution have raised the specter of stability problems. That's not atypical for new software and some big name NoSQL products are not an exception.The cloud has become like the proverbial snowball rolling downhill, aided no doubt by almost daily media coverage.
Three recent news items give us a pretty good indication of the state of cloud computing.
1. The Federal government has issued guidelines for data center consolidation that will have federal agencies moving applications to the cloud.
2. Compuware recently monitored web transactions for 3,000 small, medium and large businesses. It reported that 27% of those transactions had at least one component that involved a server hosted by Amazon EC2.
3. Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 doubled the number of objects it stored between 2009 and 2010. The AWS Elastic Cloud Cloud (EC2) service has experienced steady growth. To better serve EC2 customers in Europe, Amazon recently purchased a site in Ireland to house a new data center. The 240,000 square foot building in Dublin was formerly a warehouse for the Tesco supermarket chain. Netcraft reports 1/3 of the web servers connected to the Internet in Ireland are operated by Amazon.
The economics of cloud computing (pay-as-you-go, expense vs. capital expenditure) are undoubtedly one reason for the migration to the cloud. Another reason is the cloud is the rage and it appeals to technology fashionistas who want to avoid any appearance of being a Luddite.
People in the early stages of their career are often the ones who are most interested in a change of the guard. Just as they want the latest smart phone, they also want the latest programming language or database. But they are not universally scornful of old school technology. For example, being a fan of the 1970 Dodge Charger, a premier muscle car, is fashionable. That's why a Charger featured in the movie "Fast and Furious" was valued at $200,000+, more than 50 times its original price. Others command 10-15 times their original price.
Unlike a vintage car, software doesn't have problems with rust, corrosion or metal fatigue, but somehow software can acquire an "old and tired" label. So cloud computing, like Internet computing and Windows computing in the '90s, rides a wave generated by eager adopters looking for the excitement of change. But when the fashion trend fades, unmatched capacity and capability will remain a core argument for cloud adoption. Like grid computing, the cloud makes it possible to do work that requires plenty of MIPS, plenty of data, or both. For example, Yahoo researchers were able to sort a petabyte of data in 16.25 hours using 3658 processors.
If your organization needs to do analytics with very large data sets (Big Data), you've undoubtedly looked at the need for a massively scalable architecture. Grids and cloud computing give you the hardware infrastructure you need, but then there's the question of software.
More companies are jumping into the Big Data arena with specialized data stores and solutions that leverage Apache Hadoop Map/Reduce. But don't assume that Big Data means SQL is no longer in the picture. Platforms such as Vertica, Sybase IQ, Oracle Exadata, Teradata and EMC Greenplum have a strong presence in this space and all of them support SQL queries over massive amounts of data. The Teradata data warehouse for eBay is one of the world's largest, measured in petabytes.
Next: NoSQL Speed Bumps


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A modern bathroom vanity spans the entire width of this room. Open bathroom shelving holds a menagerie of black, grey and white bathroom accessories. A colour coordinated trash basket sits beneath it. Deep rustic wood tone adds a completely unique feel to this bathroom that also incorporates a utility area within the bathroom vanity itself. A wooden bathroom vanity unit adds a flash of character to completely grey walls. An expanse of patterned tiles inside the walk in shower unit, like a patchwork quilt, complement the cosy character of the wood. A simple modern wall sconce lights a small vanity unit nestled in a nook. In contrast to the rest of the white and grey bathroom decor, the utility area is lined with wood grain panels and shelf.
Gold faucets add a look of luxury and expense to the otherwise minimalist pair of bathroom sinks. Two marble side tables match the half height wall surround. This grey and white master bathroom uses a darker floor tile to visually anchor light walls. The slate tiles are highlighted with floor level LED lighting that acts as a safety marker along the edge of a step. A plain white vanity unit has a chunky marble top that gives it a high-end finish. Stark contrast is key in this black white and grey bathroom. A black cistern wall backs a modern white toilet, and a black shelving unit holds a selection of grey towels and natural woven baskets.
Bathroom Ideas Full Length Mirror Bedroom Ideas Free Standing Large Mirrors Uk Designs Art Furniture For Long La Decor Splendid Glass L With Lights
Home / Bathroom Ideas / 32 Bedroom Mirrors With Lights Picture Ideas / Full Length Mirror Bedroom Ideas Free Standing Large Mirrors Uk Designs Art Furniture For Long La Decor Splendid Glass L With Lights


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Relationships with
Photo Credit: Zelda Fitzgerald's picture is courtesy of Zelda's Jewels. Photographic illustrations of Zelda Fitzgerald are copyright © by their respective holders. The images are published with permission or as allowed by the copyright law's fair use or quotation provisions. If any copyright holder objects to an image being included, please notify us and it will be removed immediately.
Disclaimer: This information about Zelda Fitzgerald is derived from astrological interpretation of Zelda Fitzgerald's date, time, and place of birth.


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Night of the Living Trekkies: Book Trailer
on September 21, 2010 at 5:00 am
Posted In: Uncategorized
I love this new trend of making trailers for books, I'll probably pick this one up. One question though, when you put this much effort into your trailer for a book…. Why not just make it a full blown movie.[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…


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The Kidservatory program introduces elementary students to the exciting world of creative arts, with school-day pull-out classes, after-school offerings, and private lessons.
o Integrated curriculum with classes in art, music, and choir for all grade levels
o K-12 faculty from some of the finest conservatories in the world including The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and the Peabody Institute.
o All students graduate learning to play an instrument
o Multiple performances in theatre, dance, and music throughout the year
o Exciting after-school offerings.
After-School Kidservatory Classes
Our students have the wonderful opportunity to enjoy the arts after school through the Kidservatory program. Music, art, theatre, and dance classes are taught by experienced Conservatory faculty. Exciting offerings such as Fun with Drums, Adventures in Art, Heavenly Harps, and Dance Express are just a few of the many after-school enrichment classes offered on the Leigh campus.
Private Lessons
Available to VCS students K-12 and the general community. Private music lessons are vital for musical growth. Individualized instruction accelerates student success in technical proficiency and musical expression. VCS private lesson instructors have extensive training and years of experience in private instruction and public performance. Lessons are available to elementary, junior high, and high school students, including students who do not attend Valley Christian Schools. The Conservatory Private Lesson Studio offers lessons in: bass, bassoon, clarinet, flute, guitar, harp, oboe, percussion, classical and jazz piano, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, tuba, violin, viola, and voice.
Contact Mary Creel in the Conservatory office to sign up, firstname.lastname@example.com 408-362-7602.
School Day Enrichment Classes
Artistic instruction is an integral part of the day-to-day school program at VCES. Each class meets with a music teacher for weekly general lessons, and by 4th grade each student participates in Fourth Grade Wheel. Instrumental instruction is part of the artistic specialized program during the regular school day, and different vocal and instrumental groups perform several times a year at events throughout the community, such as Christmas at the California and the VCS Festival of the Arts.
All K-5 students receive a foundation in visual art. Students showcase their work via portfolios and the annual art show.
Kindergarten through Third Grade Choir/Music
All K-3 students meet weekly for vocal/music instruction. The first half of the year prepares students for the festive Christmas concert at the California Theatre. The second half of the year readies students for the end of the year performance at the Festival of the Arts. Through the Orff method of learning, Valley Christian students learn rhythm, beat, melody, and play in parts with xylophones, conga drums, and various small, unpitched rhythm instruments. All students have an instrument in their hands at all times.
Fourth Grade Wheel
Students participate in a yearlong rotation (every eight weeks) of offerings in music including orchestra, choir, band, and woodwinds.
Fifth Grade Power Electives
After a year of exploring instruments/performing arts in their fourth grade rotation, fifth grade students may select a power elective of their choice. They can choose from orchestra (strings), band (brass or woodwind), or drama/choir.
Hand Chimes
Fourth and fifth graders may audition for this special pull-out class. Selected students practice once a week in preparation for fall and spring performances. Participants are introduced to techniques unique to hand chimes and are exposed to basic music reading, performance skills, and learn to count on each other to produce beautiful music.


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The ability to purify recombinant proteins using affinity chromatography has greatly advanced protein research.
In affinity chromatography, the protein of interest is purified by its ability to bind a specific ligand that is immobilized on a chromatographic bead material (matrix).
Crude cell-lysates are incubated with such a matrix under conditions that ensure specific binding of the protein to the immobilized ligand. Other proteins that do not bind the immobilized ligand are washed through. Elution of the bound protein of interest can be achieved by changing the experimental conditions to favour desorption.
Jena Bioscience offers both Agarose and Magnetic Beads as matrix for different purification tasks.
Also available: Auxilary Equipment such as empty Columns, Spin Columns or Columns for FPLC and ÄktaTM design instruments.
Click on the links below to visit the appropriate product sections:
|Purification of
|Magnetic Beads
|Nucleotide-binding proteins
|NTP/NDP/NMP Agaroses
|mRNA cap binding proteins
|m7GTP Agarose
|ATP-binding proteins
|ATP Agaroses
ATP Affinity Test Kit
ATP Affinity Purification Kits
|AMP-binding proteins
|AMP Agaroses
AMP Affinity Test Kit
|Poly(A)-binding proteins
|Phospho Amino Acid binding proteins
|O-Phospho-Serine Agarose
O-Phospho-Threonine Agarose
O-Phospho-Tyrosine Agarose
|GST-tagged proteins
|Glutathione Agarose
|Glutathione Magnetic Beads
|His-tagged proteins
|Ni-NTA Agarose
Ni-IDA Agarose
Co-IDA Agarose
Ni-, Zn-, Co-, Cu-IDA Agarose (gravity flow)
|Ni-NTA Magnetic Beads
Co-NTA Magnetic Beads
Ni-IDA Magnetic Beads
Co-IDA Magnetic Beads
|Protein A Agarose
Protein G Agarose
Protein A/G Agarose
|CLICK-functionalized proteins
|Azide Agarose
Alkyne Agarose PC Alkyne Agarose
DBCO Agarose
|Azide Magnetic Beads
Alkyne Magnetic Beads
DBCO Magnetic Beads
|Glycosylated proteins
|m-Aminophenylboronic acid


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Virgin Offers Affiliate Network relationships are built upon a commitment to excellence and a mutual trust that has been earned through the years. Our staff is focused on providing the highest converting and highest paying offers to our affiliate network. We pride ourselves on being able to identify and obtain the most targeted offers for our network. We understand that all products and services are not compatible with our traffic. We do not waste the time and money of our affiliates by forcing a program into our network that is not a good 'fit'. Our affiliates know that when we launch a new program it has already been thoroughly tested and will be a strong converter.
Consistent and quick payments
Over the years Virgin Offers has distinguished itself as one of the most trusted and reliable affiliate networks on the web. Commissions' checks are accurately and timely delivered to our affiliates on a monthly basis. Special payment methods such as electronic deposit to bank accounts or a stored value card are available for affiliates earning consistently high levels of commissions each month.
Intuitive tracking and reporting tools
Our technologists have created a full suite of tools to track and report all of your marketing efforts. The key to being a successful affiliate is understanding which offers work best for you so that you can focus your marketing dollars and maximize your ROI. Affiliates use one id and one password to access the entire Virgin Offers site. Affiliates use their id and up to two variables to track separate sites, campaigns, and expenditures.
Powerful creative and content
Our creative staff continually works to produce new creative and content for all of our programs. Keeping the look of an offer is crucial to the success of that program, Virgin Offers maintains an aggressive schedule of redesigning web sites, banners, emails, and pop ups to give our affiliates the best click thru rates possible.
Online support and learning center
Our compliance and support team constantly manages our offers and assists affiliates to ensure that only responsible marketing practices are used. We have created a comprehensive affiliate support section with FAQs, educational articles, live chat, and contact form. Our staff puts countless hours into supporting the questions and needs of each of our affiliates. Our first priority is to help our affiliates conduct the highest quality and highest performing marketing campaigns possible.
|Affiliate Network Details
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|We Offer the highest payouts on high converting offers
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|Wire/ Cheque/ PayPal
|Referral Commission:
|Click Here To Join This Network


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Schroders Quickview: Eurozone growth disappoints but remains steady
Schroders Quickview: Eurozone growth disappoints but remains steady
- Growth slows in eurozone
- GDP down to 0.3% in Q2 from 0.4% at start of year
- German growth slightly misses
- France provides biggest disappointment
German growth slows
The slowdown in growth comes as a slight disappointment for markets where consensus expectations were for 0.4% growth, but given the concerns over Greece during the period, the latest figures show robust and steady recovery.
For Germany, consensus expectations were for 0.5% GDP growth, so an actual growth rate of 0.4% only represents a slight miss.
Industrial production had indicated much weaker growth, but it appears that the services sector, boosted by a surge in retail sales of late, helped to maintain steady growth in aggregate.
The biggest disappointment came from France, where the pick up in activity seen in the first quarter turned out to be too good to last.
French Investment recession
The French economy was stagnant in the three months to June, compared to 0.7% growth in the first quarter (revised up from 0.6%).
Much weaker domestic demand was rescued by an acceleration in exports growth. Household consumption continued to grow in the latest figures, albeit much slower than the past year.
However, the most disappointing aspect of the French data is that the recession in investment has continued. Investment in France has failed to grow for six quarters.
Italy disappoints
Italy also disappointed, missing consensus expectations of 0.3% by managing just 0.2% growth, and compared to 0.3% growth in the first quarter.
Industrial production held up reasonably well in the second quarter, along with retail sales.
However, the Italian economy continues to struggle with domestic rigidities against an increasingly competitive international backdrop.
Elsewhere, Spain had released its preliminary estimate for growth earlier, showing another strong quarter of 1% growth (now up to 3.1% year-on-year).
In addition to Spain, Greece also beat expectations with the crisis-struck state having achieved a miraculous 0.8% growth rate.
Expectations were for a sharp fall in activity given the introduction of capital controls. The negative impact may yet hit in the third quarter.
Elsewhere, Portugal delivered another solid quarter of 0.4% growth – unchanged for the third quarter.
Second-half pick-up
Looking ahead, we forecast a slight acceleration going into the second half of the year as further falls in global energy prices should boost the purchasing power of households.
Concerns over growth in emerging markets, China in particular, may hit investment in Germany, the Netherlands and Austria, which all disappointed in the second quarter.
However, our expectations for stronger growth in the US over the rest of this year should offset emerging market weakness.
Contributes to
Unstructured Learning Time


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For the many individuals and families who have been affected in some way by breast cancer, the walk is a way to unite for a common cause and experience the hope of survivors and the comfort of others who are fighting the same battles.
On Aug. 7, Making Strides will host a kick-off breakfast at Antun's Catering Hall on Springfield Boulevard from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. to share more information with potential participants and hand out materials for the walk to team captains.
The three-mile walk has no registration fee and no fundraising minimum. Participants can raise as much or as little as they would like, or just come to experience the atmosphere. Last year around 12,000 people participated.
According to Michele Becker, a director for Making Strides, the Queens Walk, which happens on the same day as Making Strides walks in the other four boroughs, is a particularly beautiful event in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
"The location alone is just breathtaking," Becker said. "The park is amazing. We're starting at the Fountain of the Planets. They've never started there before."
The walk will feature entertainment from St. John's University step team and band, a survivor tent, sponsor tents and a line of flags of hope near the finish, which will honor and commemorate the loved ones that people have chosen to walk for.
"You always find that people do this because they have a connection in some way," Becker said. "Everybody is doing it for somebody."
For Fran Holzman, who has been doing the walk for nearly a decade, she has a number of people that she walks for, including herself.
Holzman's mother and grandmother both died of breast cancer, and she herself was diagnosed in November of 2007. She started doing the walk when her mother was first diagnosed in the 90s and has continued walking every year since.
"The atmosphere it creates of hope, to see so many survivors when years ago there wouldn't be as many," Holzman said. "It just means to me that I'm not going to die from this. And neither are a large percentage of these women. It just gives you the feeling that, 'I'm here, I'm going to be here and you're not going to get me.'"
Holzman, a survivor of breast and lung cancer, said her most meaningful walk was the first one she did as a survivor.
"Everybody is most active in the charity that touches them personally," she said, "but because this is so widespread, and you hear so many stories, and because the American Cancer Society does so much in terms of research, as well as reaching out to people suffering because of it and providing all of this information, I would just say that really this is the one to support the most."


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The Fledgling
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Posted by Lom Gom at 23:23 0 comments
Labels: Artwork
Mike Bennett another H.P. Lovecraft classic
Mike has been busy beavering away to add some of his readings to youtube. The current reading is The music of Erich Zann.
A deliciously creepy tale of horror and madness from H.P. Lovecraft. A university student takes a room in a Paris lodging house. He meets another tenant, Erich Zann, an old man who plays the viol. At night, the student lies awake listening to the strange, eerie music coming from the old man's room. But he soon learns that is not playing for pleasure.
Artwork by yours truly
Features music: "Violino" by Marco Esu.
Artwork by yours truly
Features music: "Violino" by Marco Esu.
Posted by Lom Gom at 14:14 0 comments
Labels: Lovecraft, Mike Bennett
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