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Joy's Beach Lovers Bedroom
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- Name:
- Joy
- Location:
- Fairfax, VA
- Division:
- United States
- What do you love about your bedroom?:
- My husband and I are avid beach-lovers and design enthusiasts, so I love that our room is a moody blend of both. Rustic beach house meets sophisticated comfort. Some of my favorite things are the gray linen headboard which I DIY'ed when I was 9 months pregnant (I don't recommend this...) and the pallet wood frame I built for the Wyeth print hanging above the dresser. We also picked out the piece of driftwood from a little roadside shop on one of our vacations. These things make the room feel like it is actually ours and not just a pretty space. I love how the layered textures and graphic, monochromatic patterns combine to create an atmosphere of relaxed sophistication.
- What are your tips for creating a beautiful, healthy and organized bedroom?:
- We have two kids, ages three and one, so having a beautiful, healthy and organized bedroom is challenging, to say the least. A few rules make it a little easier. This is a no brainer, but the bed gets made every morningâthis is huge in keeping order for the rest of the day. Another priority I have is for everything to have a home, so that stray stuff can be put away easily. We have a large hamper for unsightly laundry, and our bedding is easy to clean. White duvets and bleach are great friends!
- In modern homes, bedrooms have become more than just a place to sleep; they can be a retreat, a home office, a library, a relaxation zone. What are some ways you make the most of your bedroom?:
- I started seriously assembling our room a few months before our second child was born. Since he would be sharing our room, I knew that I needed a pleasant environment to help me stay sane. Our room is one of the most used rooms in the house, and I love that my husband can work from home, we can rock the baby to sleep, and read to my daughter all in the same space.


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Difference between revisions of "Dogon Country"
Revision as of 22:07, 30 March 2010
Dogon Country (French: Pays Dogon) is the name used for a region of south-central Mali renowned for its secluded villages embedded on cliffs and for the region's distinct culture. Most visitors to Dogon country will start and in one of the couple of major towns connected by roads and trek to smaller villages.
Dogon Country's villages lie among the plains, and especially the cliffs along the Bandiagara Escarpment. For obvious reasons, it's rather difficult to reach the steep cliffside villages, where the Dogons have lived to protect themselves from potentially hostile neighbors, as well as wild animals. Today, the vast majority of the population lives in the plains below the escarpment in more recently constructed villages, but the old homes remain, and are taken care of and in excellent shape.
It's wholly possible to travel to Dogon Country without a guide, especially considering that you can hire a (French-speaking) guide at any of the villages for a negligible sum.
The local Dogon language is spoken by everyone, but due to its popularity with tourists French remains the lingua franca. English is spoken by only a handful of tour guides in the entire region and practically no one outside the handful of cosmopolitan (relatively speaking) base camps/towns. A working knowledge of French is essential unless travelling with one of the few guides who speak English.
Get in
Bandiagara, Bankass, Douentza are the three main town entry points in to Dogon and places where you can find a never ending supply of harassing guides as well as supplies for the trip, although they will cost a great deal more than in a town such as Mopti.
For those who will make the hike down in the villages, the most common starting point are the larger villages of: Kani-Kombolé, Djiguibombo, Endé, Dourou, and Sanga.
Get around
There are almost no roads in the region, except those connecting a couple of towns used as base camps with the neighboring regions. You will need to go on foot and be in relatively good shape. A number of the hikes are quite strenuous, although you'll see village women trekking up them with piles of goods on their heads. Despite the fact that the Dogon people walk these trails in sandals, it is advisable for anyone visiting to wear either a sturdy pair of running shoes or hiking boots depending upon your needs.
There are hundreds of unique towns scattered throughout the region and while all are unique and, while there is no "typical" Dogon village, most can be found built into the sides of hills and escarpments.
The main reason to take on the expense and time of going to Dogon Country is to hike the many small villages that exist there, perched either up on the plateau or down in the sandy lowland. Below are the villages that are most commonly visited.
Southern Plateau
Northern Plateau
Sadly, many (but not all) of the villages have learned the value of tourism and while the culture remains strong and the villages remain spectacular, expect to pay for everything from entering each village to photographing anything inside villages to meeting certain people (i.e. chiefs). Most villages will sell arts and crafts to tourists.
Towns will generally sell small quantities of food to tourists, but there are no restaurants outside the couple of major base towns. You will likely be sharing a meal with a family. You should bring food with you to eat, although there is food to be had in the more recent small guest-houses, where they will feed you sauce (occasionally meat sauce) over rice, noodles, or couscous. It's simple, but quite tasty and cheap.
Water is a scarce commodity (do not expect to use water for bathing or hand washing) and you should bring some with you, especially to prevent dehydration while trekking between villages.
There is no alcohol to be found outside of the couple of base towns, where you'll find beer, coke, and bottled water for about 1,000CFA. It is more cost effective to stock up on supplies in a town such as Mopti where you will find a greater selection and better, albeit still higher prices. Inside Dogon Country, a 1.5 liter of the Malian Diago brand of water will costs around 1,250 CFA, although it is often the case that they will lower it if you buy more.
Dogons are very spiritual and visitors should be very keen to respect their beliefs. One should always ask if it is appropriate to photograph something. Altars may look like piles of dirt to the untrained eye and religious buildings may look like just a house, both of which (along with people, unless you ask permission) should not be photographed.
Stay safe
If trekking, you should be in good physical shape and carry and drink lots of water to prevent dehydration. Also, be careful of snakes in brush (although most are nocturnal).
Get out

subset: commoncrawl


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A loam that has large amounts of sand in it. This type of soil tends to warm easily and is well drained making it a suitable soil for growing early varieties of grapes.
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Fisketjon Nabs 22-Year-Old's Debut
Snatching up one of the books everyone is buzzing about pre-Frankfurt, Gary Fisketjon at Knopf acquired North American rights to Roger Hobbs's debut novel The Ghostman. Nat Sobel of Sobel Weber brokered the deal, and Fisketjon made the call after reading just the first 50 pages of the book. Hobbs, who is now 22, wrote the novel when he was still a senior at Reed College; it's about a mysterious and wildly skilled robber named Jack who, per the agency, "has the chance to make a huge killing in easily transmitted cash—or be killed in the process." Einaudi, in Italy, pre-empted the book, on those same 50 pages, in a six-figure, two-book deal. Goldmann in Germany has closed a high six-figure, two-book pre-empt. A deal in the U.K. is also expected to close shortly. The agency will have a longer manuscript in Frankfurt—150 pages in total. Hobbs lives in Portland, Ore.
Mulholland Takes Beukes's 'Shining'
Another book gaining buzz before Frankfurt is Lauren Beukes's The Shining Girls, which John Schoenfelder at Mulholland Books took North American rights to, in a two-book deal, for a sum rumored to be in the mid six-figure range. Beukes, who lives in Cape Town, South Africa, is the author of Zoo City, which was published by British indie Angry Robot in 2010 and won the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Oliver Munson at Blake Friedman Literary negotiated the sale with Schoenfelder, and the Hachette imprint is planning a spring 2013 publication. A rep for Mulholland said the novel is about a violent, time-traveling drifter who, beginning in the 1930s, goes on a 60-year murder spree.
Pegasus Brings van In to America
In a partnered deal between Pegasus Book and Open Road Integrated Media, Claiborne Hancock took world English (with Open Road taking digital) to the first two thrillers in the bestselling Inspector van In series by Belgian author, Pieter Aspe. The titles, The Square of Revenge and The Midas Murders, were sold by Peter Riva at International Transactions. There are 26 books in Aspe's series, which has been published over the past 15 years, and, according to Pegasus, the titles have sold more than two million copies throughout Europe. Pegasus Crime will release Square in 2012.
Dutton Children's Buys Two by Forman
In a two-book deal handled by Sarah Burnes at the Gernert Company, Julie Strauss-Gabel at Dutton Children's Books took North American rights to two new novels by Gayle Forman, Just One Day and Just One Year. Forman, who wrote the bestselling YA titles If I Stay and Where She Went, also published by Dutton, asks two questions in these companion books: the first probes whether two people can fall in love in a single day, and the second asks whether someone can become a new person over the course of a single year. Just One Day is scheduled for spring 2013, and Just One Year for 2014.
S&S Takes Messenger's Middle-Grade Debut
Keeping up with the high-priced deals, Liesa Abrams, executive editor at Simon & Schuster, took North American rights to three books, in a six-figure pre-empt, by newcomer Shannon Messenger. Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary brokered the deal for the middle-grade fantasy series, and the first book, Keeper of the Lost Cities, is scheduled for fall 2012. In Cities, a 12-year-old girl who can read minds, and is something of a social outcast, discovers the reason she has her abilities when she meets a mysterious boy. Rennert elaborated: "She's never felt at home because she isn't. There are secrets buried deep in her memory, secrets about her true identity and why she was hidden among humans, that others desperately want and would even kill for." Messenger is in her 20s and is one of the founders of the free, online writer's conference, WriteOnCon.
Arthur Levine Gets Mother-Daughter Ghost Story
In another six-figure, pre-Frankfurt buy, Cheryl Klein at Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Books took North American rights in a three-book deal, to a trilogy by a mother-daughter trio Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed. Jennifer Weltz at Jean V. Naggar brokered the deal for the gothic YA series, in which a teen girl, her autistic brother, and their mother, wind up in an ancient home that Weltz described as "full of secrets." Weltz added that the sister is forced to save her brother when the ghosts in the house endanger him, noting "she must race against time and the house itself to stop the course of history before it is cemented forever." The first book is called Amber House.
Vicki Pettersson, Sign of the Zodiac series author and one-time showgirl, sold a new series to Diana Gill at Harper Voyager/Morrow. Miriam Kriss at Irene Goodman negotiated the three-book, world rights deal for the supernatural noir mysteries; the first book, The Taken, is scheduled as a paperback original for June 2012.


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Tenderloins are the pig's equivalent of the boned, skinned chicken breast. The most expensive cuts from the animal, they have very little waste, are easy to prepare, and are almost universally popular.
They are also, far too often, as boring as they are popular.
Tenderloins are the back-strap muscles that run down either side of the spine of the animal. They're expensive because they're relatively small and the animal produces only two of them.
Despite the expense, tenderloins are popular not only because they have virtually no waste and are easy to prepare, but also because these muscles see very little action while the animal is alive - which means they're always tender, even when they get a little overcooked.
It's also, unfortunately, why they can be boring. The more inactive the muscle is, the less oxygen and nutrients it gets - and those are the things that give meat flavor.
Tenderness that is almost impervious to bad cooking and a tendency toward blandness are the main reasons that grilling is by far the most popular cooking method for tenderloins. The hardwood smoke boosts the retiring flavor, and the family grill-meister would have to practically incinerate the thing to make it tough.
Unfortunately, if we never did anything but grill tenderloins, we'd be bored to death with them before summer was half over.
The good news is that there are many ways of infusing this cut with flavor that don't involve open flames. And because it cooks quickly, it can be sauteed, pan-fried, pan-broiled, stir-fried, and even quick-roasted.
But before we get into that, there are a few the basic techniques for preparing tenderloins for the pan that are all too often neglected.
Tenderloin basics
One way to ensure better flavor with tenderloins is to seek out meat from "pastured" animals (that seems an odd designation for pigs, but "free-range" and "all-natural" have become meaningless terms in the food industry; pastured means that the animal has had some freedom to actually roam). Because these animals eat more than just commercial feed, the flavor of their meat, particularly the tenderloin, is more distinctive.
Tenderloins from pastured pigs are also smaller than from those that are commercially raised, so a single tenderloin will usually feed no more than two to three people.
Though tenderloins are lean and have very little waste, they still need a little trimming. Remove excess fat with a sharp knife or sharp pair of kitchen scissors, and pull away the fine film-like membrane that covers the muscle (if it hasn't already been removed in the butchering).
On one side, you'll find a wide strip of iridescent, stringy connective tissue that connects the muscle to the bones. Remove this by slipping a sharp, thin knife just underneath it, then cut it away in strips. Many use a filet knife for this job, but I like a hawk-beak-shaped "tourne" knife.
Pork Tenderloin Cutlets and Scaloppine
One way to break out of the same old routine with pork tenderloins is to make them into cutlets or scaloppine. It's easily and quickly done. Here's how:
First, cut the trimmed tenderloin crosswise into 1-1/4-inch-thick medallions.
Lay the medallions on a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and then cover with a second sheet of wrap or paper. Using the light pound and slide motion that you use for veal scallops and chicken cutlets, lightly beat each medallion until it is less than 1/4-inch thick.
The tenderloin scallops can now be breaded and pan-fried (see Tenderloin Cutlets recipe) or substituted for veal or chicken in virtually any scaloppine or cutlet recipe.
Lemon, please
Finally, one of the best secrets for boosting the flavor of tenderloins is fresh lemon juice. In our country, we tend to think of lemons only when serving up fish or shellfish, but other cultures appreciate that a squeeze of lemon juice is also a wonderful condiment for almost any fried or grilled foods. It gives a wonderfully fresh lift to pork that is particularly welcome in warmer weather.
To show you how versatile the combination can be, all the recipes that follow take advantage of it.
Serves 6-8
1 pair pork tenderloins, about 2-to-2-1/2 pounds
Olive oil
Whole black pepper in a mill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
10-12 very thin slices prosciutto, preferably Prosciutto di Parma
1 cup dry white vermouth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1. Trim tenderloins (see Tenderloin Basics, above). Rub entire surface lightly with oil. Sprinkle entire surface with pepper, rosemary and garlic, patting into surface. Wrap each tenderloin with prosciutto, completely covering surface. Secure in 5-6 places with twine. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425 F. Rub roasting pan with oil and put in tenderloin. Drizzle with more oil. Roast 20 minutes and reduce heat to 350 F. Roast until meat reaches desired internal temperature, around 135 F for medium (it will continue cooking as it rests), about 15-20 minutes longer.
3. Remove to platter, loosely cover with foil, and let rest 15 minutes. Deglaze roasting pan over direct medium heat with vermouth and let boil until liquid is reduced by half and lightly thickened. Add accumulated juices from platter, turn off heat, and swirl in butter. Pour into warm bowl or sauceboat. Thinly slice tenderloins, garnish with lemons, and serve with sauce passed separately.
Serves 6
1 pair pork tenderloins, about 2-to-2-1/2 pounds
Salt and whole black pepper in a peppermill
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs such as marjoram, parsley, thyme, or mint
About 1/2 cup flour, spread on a plate
2 large eggs, lightly beaten in a soup plate
About 1 cup Panko or dry bread crumbs, spread on a soup plate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Olive or vegetable oil
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1. Trim tenderloins (see Tenderloin Basics, above). Cut crosswise 1-1/4-inch thick, put between two sheets wax paper or plastic wrap, and beat out until 1/4-inch thick (see Pork Tenderloin Cutlets and Scaloppine, above). Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and herbs.
2. Roll each cutlet in flour, coating both sides. Shake off excess and dip in egg, coating both sides. Roll in crumbs, patting to coat both sides. Put on clean, dry plate or wire cooling rack and let stand 30 minutes to allow breading to set.
3. Heat butter and oil in heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, put in enough cutlets to fill pan without crowding. Fry until bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown second side. Remove from pan and keep warm while remaining cutlets fry. Serve hot with lemon.
Serves 6
1 pair pork tenderloins, about 2-to-2-1/2 pounds
Salt and whole black pepper in a mill
2 tablespoons olive oil (or more)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour, spread on a plate
1 cup dry white vermouth
3 lemons, 2 cut in half, 1 cut into wedges
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Spring Vegetable Sauté (recipe follows)
1. Trim tenderloins (see Tenderloin Basics, above). Cut crosswise 1-1/4-inch thick, put between two sheets wax paper or plastic wrap, and beat out until 1/4-inch thick (see Pork Tenderloin Cutlets and Scaloppine, above). Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and butter in large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Roll pork scaloppine in flour, shake off excess, and slip as many as will fit in pan without crowding. Raise heat to medium high and brown well on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining cutlets, adding more oil if needed.
3. Pour vermouth into pan, stirring and scraping bottom to loosen cooking residue. Cook until vapors no longer sting. Return cutlets to pan, turning in sauce to coat. Squeeze in juice of 1 of the halved lemons and turn cutlets in sauce to distribute. Taste and add more lemon juice as needed. Turn off heat, stir in parsley, and turn onto platter. Surround by vegetable saute and garnish with lemon wedges.
Delicious with almost any main dish, this is the perfect accompaniment for Pork Scaloppine with Lemon, but it is also well-suited for all the recipes included here. The beauty is that it can be prepped ahead and finished at the last minute. Serves 6
12-18 very small whole spring carrots
12 small radishes
18 fat asparagus spears
1/2-3/4 pound haricots verts
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup fresh green peas, fresh or frozen
6 small, slender scallions
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whole black pepper in a mill
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1. Peel and trim carrots, leaving a little of green top. If carrots are very small, leave whole; if larger, cut on diagonal into 2-3 pieces. Trim and halve radishes. Peel tough parts of asparagus stems and cut on diagonal into 3-inch pieces. Remove stem end of haricots verts. Rinse peas if fresh, let thaw if frozen.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil. Add small handful salt. Add carrots and blanch 1 minute if small, 2 if large. Remove with slotted spoon to colander. Add radishes and blanch 1 minute. Remove. Repeat with asparagus, haricots verts, broccoli, and peas, blanching 1 minute per vegetable (or 2-3 minutes for fresh peas). Spread on a sheet pan and let cool completely. Vegetables can be made several hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated until needed.
3. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. When hot, raise heat and add carrots and radishes. Saute one minute and add asparagus, haricots verts, broccoli, and peas. Season with salt and pepper and saute, tossing gently but almost constantly, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add parsley, toss, and taste; adjust seasonings accordingly, toss one last time, and serve at once.


text: Consequently, applying the limited LCM approach to pharmaceutical products can lead to flawed assumptions, unrealistic strategies, and value-destroying execution. Pharmaceutical professionals are advised instead to consider the concept of Drug Life Optimization (DLO), which enables pharmaceutical professionals to view the entire life—not just the lifecycle—of a product in order to make more appropriate, timely, and strategic decisions through each of a product's three life periods. DLO is an all-encompassing business approach to manage the complete set of product information, processes, and resources in order to maximize the longest, full life potential of a drug.


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These are the things you can't unsee -- the 25 most memorable moments in horror movies. Our list of tricks and treats goes backward through the years, examining some of the scenes that burned themselves into our collective consciousness. Some are unnerving, some are uncanny, but all of them are unforgettable.
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2018 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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Sanderson Family Collection - Heritage 1/2009:4934 - Heritage 8/2011:7303, $16,100
Ron Guth: Finding an 1878 7 Tail Feather Reverse of 1879 Silver Dollar requires counting tail feathers and determining the contour of the eagle's breast. Fortunately, these actions are easy. 1878 Silver Dollars are found with either 7 Tail Feathers, 8 Tail Feathers or some combination (known as & over 8 varieties). Some 7 Tail Feather varieties show traces of underlying feathers, but they are not true 7 over 8 Tail Feathers. Determining the type of reverse requires a look at the eagle's breast. If the breast is flat, it's a Reverse of 1878; if the breast is rounded, it's a Reverse of 1879. It's worth a look because the 7TF Reverse of 1879 is half as common (or twice as scarce) as the 7TF Reverse of 1878.
The 1878 7TF Reverse of 1879 is a relatively common variety in grades up to and including MS-64. In MS-65, the population* is still above 300 coins, but high collector demand means there is a lot of competition for these coins. The finest examples are six MS66's. Prooflike examples represent less than a tenth of the total population and Deep Mirror Prooflikes are twice as rare as regular Prooflikes.
Sources and/or recommended reading:
*PCGS Population Report as of September 2011
© 1999-2018 Collectors Universe NASDAQ: CLCT


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Vanguard senior quarterback Adam Robles took his explosive offense for a test drive Friday night at Booster Stadium. The Knights showed they're capable of becoming a well-oiled machine this season after a 27-7 win over Forest in a two-quarter fall classic.
Vanguard senior quarterback Adam Robles took his explosive offense for a test drive Friday night at Booster Stadium. The Knights showed they're capable of becoming a well-oiled machine this season after a 27-7 win over Forest in a two-quarter fall classic.
The Knights scored twice on the ground and twice through the air against the cross-town rival Wildcats, who played for the first time under new head coach Skip Austin.
"Our running game did a great job against an improved Forest team," Vanguard head coach Alex Castaneda said. "(Reshard) Sweet is unreal. He's so much better, and he just runs so hard."
Sweet — a 5-foot-11, 200-pound senior — got the bulk of the work for the Knights with eight carries for 56 yards, while Deltron Modican, a 5-10, 171-pounder, finished with three rushes for 78 yards.
Sweet scored Vanguard's first touchdown on a 24-yard run that capped its first drive of the second half (six plays for 76 yards). Modican scored from four yards out early in the fourth quarter.
Robles, meanwhile, found his two go-to guys through the air. Tight end Kano Dillon (6-5, 220) finished the Knights' second drive when he caught a Robles pass over the middle and raced 42 yards to put Vanguard up 14-0.
Senior receiver Natrell Jamerson led the Knights with three catches for 91 yards, including a 52-yard catch with less than 2 minutes left from backup quarterback Darren Lake, who was successful on his only pass attempt of the night.
"It was nice to see our young quarterback get in there and complete that long one," Castaneda said. "We were able to finish on a high note there."
Forest meanwhile, showed promising signs for a program that has a new coach and plenty of turnover from last season's 3-7 team. Sophomore quarterback Jaylon Gadson hung in there against an aggressive Knights defense, going 4-for-14 for 103 yards.
On the Wildcats' first possession of the fourth quarter, Gadson completed an 11-yard pass to senior Jamaal Williams. Two plays later, he found freshman Tyree Gillespe for a 52-yard touchdown. Gillespe beat Jamerson to the inside on a post route and was able to break into the open when Jamerson ran into a VHS safety.
In fact, Gadson only learned he was going to be Forest's quarterback just two weeks before summer workouts ended when FHS learned starter Tyrique Jones was transferring to Lake Weir. Gadson played defense as a freshman last season.
"For such a young kid like that, I could not be happier with how Jaylon performed tonight," Austin said. "Like I kept saying, we're continuing to improve every day, and we proved it tonight.
"… I'm pleased with the progress of our offense. We went from not being able to gain pretty much a yard in the spring to moving the ball pretty well. We just have to break down the penalties and so forth and, again, just continue to get better."
Vanguard will play at Palatka to open the season next Friday, while Forest hosts North Marion.
"We have to play better on defense," said Castaneda, whose Knights played Friday without two defensive backs and a linebacker because of injury. He believes they'll be ready to go for the season opener. "Palatka's a very physical team. We're going to have to play a whole lot better up there next week."


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David Letterman, noting Yoko Ono's 78th birthday last week, joked that she celebrated by breaking up The Jonas Brothers.
Back in the twilight of sixties, perhaps early seventies, a much-appreciated Christmas gift (namely for my older brother Craig but which the rest of us took full advantage of) was a record player. Not just any record player, either. This was stereophonic, which as far as we could tell just meant there were two speakers – left and right – with enough spare cord to separate them by a couple of feet or so. We later learned (of course Craig already knew) that cool things happened in one speaker, then the other, sometimes back and forth.
It wasn't in a big coffin-sized cabinet like my aunt's. It was very slim. The record player dropped down from inside like a Murphy bed and it had a spindle maybe six inches long where you could pile records one on top of the other and they would drop down, individually, as the one before it finished – very cool. This also worked for 45s (single songs, double-sided). An arm swung over from the corner and held the records in place up top until they were ready to hit the turntable.
It's hardly a surprise, thinking back, that it was green – my mother's favourite colour – kind of the same shade of green as the fridge and stove.
If I remember correctly, that Christmas Mom and Dad played it pretty safe (for them anyway) with gifts to us of the greatest hits albums of Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, the latter being a Christmas album some of which I now have in mp3 format for old times sake.
I'll try to think of a list of many of the albums which eventually flopped down onto that stereo turntable but meanwhile, as I enjoy the remastered Beatles iTunes in my ears, I'll share a few memories of them.
I remember seeing them on one of their Ed Sullivan Show appearances. I remember the black suits and ties, white shirts and the scandalous mops of black hair which they all shook at various times as they performed. I must admit my appreciation only grew for them after they broke up, I was quite young, probably allowed to stay up to see them because the mouse was on with Ed, or promise for later that night.
Craig had both Let It Be and Abbey Road, the two I'm listening to now, if not more.
I almost owned a late hit single of theirs – at least I was late trying to get it, which I didn't. My first and last shop-lifting attempt was, among a couple of other things (pipe-smoking equipment well beyond my age), the single "Revolution". Never did get it, but will never forget the reason why.
As I was heading for the mall exit at Woolco (that dates it right there) a man hooked me under my right arm, very discreetly, and asked me to "vide tes poches" – empty my pockets. Well, amateur that I was, hoping to impress my peers and yet flying woefully solo, he very nearly had a few extra lumps from the back of my pants!
I was red-faced, nearly crying I'm guessing by then, certainly panicked. His office was back between the washrooms and the shipping room. Long story short, he eventually told me that he wasn't going to involve the police nor my parents. Good thing, too, because as I explained to him I was just a few months away from a once-in-a-lifetime school trip to London (so I must have been 15 or 16).
Other than being later than expected home that night, I escaped unscathed.
Happier memories just floating by come from a diner in the Bellerive district of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, where I grew up. It was called Le Fricot (The Stew) best-known, by me, for its nice, brown french fries (second only to the chip van which parked near the tracks on Maden Street most summer evenings). The Fricot was a one-storey building, modern, cube-shaped (it might be mistaken for a bank nowadays) and was built on a corner of an otherwise older neighbourhood so I suspect one of our annual major winter fires probably cleared a spot for it. Inside, diner-style, were booths separated by faux wood just above elbow height and mini jukeboxes dangled over the partitions between booths. I'd guess the going rate was three songs for a quarter. I distinctly remember that opening yelp from The Beatles' "Oh Darlin'" there!
Song titles – and picture me singing the background sopranos at the top of my lungs in the basement – included The (soaring) Long and Winding Road, the hammer instrumentation of Maxwell's Silver Hammer, the guitar opening and brass-in-bass line of Because, the simple, descending, repetitious bass clef piano line in Let It Be, and the lyrics alone from She Came Through The Bathroom Window were hilarious enough for this kid!


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Integration: Power and fire/life safety systems
Integrating power and life safety systems requires an understanding of the sources of power and the life safety system load requirements.
Learning objectives
- Learn which codes and standards pertain to power system integration.
- Understand the codes and standards that pertain to life safety.
- Determine which power sources are correct for life safety applications.
High-performance data center achieves LEED Platinum
Designed by M+W Group, the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center is the first university research data center to have achieved U.S. Green Building Council LEED Platinum certification. The 90,300-sq-ft facility located in Holyoke, Mass., is operated by a consortium of Massachusetts's most research-intensive universities. See Figures 1 and 2.
The integration of power and life safety systems requires an understanding of both the sources of power and the specific requirements of the life safety loads. It also requires a team approach of various types of consulting engineers including electrical, life safety, mechanical, and fire protection.
It becomes confusing when the terms "emergency life safety power" or "standby power" are used incorrectly or interchangeably to refer to either the power sources or the load. The following codes have very specific definitions for these sources and loads:
- NFPA 70: National Electrical Code (NEC), Articles 700 and 701
- NFPA 101: Life Safety Code
- NFPA 110: Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems
- NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
- NFPA 20: Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection.
These codes break things down into two types or levels of systems: one is emergency/life safety and the other is standby.
Emergency systems are covered under NEC Article 700, which classifies these systems as "those systems legally required and classified as emergency by municipal, state, federal or other codes, or by any governmental agency having jurisdiction." The NEC further states that "these systems ... automatically supply illumination, power or both … essential for safety to human life."
In practical terms this normally includes providing power to egress lighting, fire detection and alarms, fire pumps, selected elevators, public safety communications, smoke or toxic exhaust systems, or any system where loss of power would cause serious endangerment to life or health within 10 seconds of normal power loss. Under NFPA 110, these are referred to as Level 1 systems. NFPA 101 Level 2 systems would be equivalent to the NEC Article 701 for legally required standby systems.
The NEC also contains requirements for legally required standby systems in Article 701. Code-required standby systems may include communications, selected ventilation or smoke removal systems, lighting, or certain types of industrial processes that may create hazards or hamper firefighting operations if power was not available. The code-required standby systems must be available within 60 seconds and may be routed in the same raceway as normal power systems.
Having clearly separated emergency/life safety from standby loads, let's look at the most common emergency power systems and associated life safety loads.
Emergency power sources
The term "emergency generator" is often used mistakenly as a description of any type of engine generator used to provide power in a facility. However, not all generator types will meet NEC or NFPA requirements to power life safety loads. First, the emergency power from a generator is required to be available within 10 seconds or less. Second, the source of fuel to a generator must be reliable; this typically eliminates natural gas generators from consideration unless on-site liquefied petroleum (LP) storage is provided. Traditionally, this has meant a diesel engine generator set.
NFPA 110 has additional requirements for emergency generators:
- A certified 0.8 power factor, full load factory test. Test report must be furnished to owner for proof and kept on record by manufacturer for 5 years.
- Requires certified NFPA 110 generator controller which includes all pre-alarms and a 16-light annunciator.
- Requires a certified NFPA 110 battery charger that has the following alarms: low voltage, high voltage, and common fault.
- A four-hour full load test is required to be completed annually.
Beyond traditional diesel engine generators, newer forms of power sources including motor generator flywheels, and fuel cells may be considered by local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) as emergency power sources.
Batteries, including inverters and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, may also be used as an emergency power source for buildings of a limited type and size, and for certain systems like egress lighting and fire detection and alarm systems.
This standard also includes two other power source terms:
Class: Refers to the time, in hours, for the energy source to provide power. For example, Class 2 means 2 hours of power at full load (see Table 1).
Type: Refers to the maximum time for the emergency power source to be unavailable or restored. Type is commonly referred to by seconds; for example, Class 10 would be a power source that is online in 10 seconds or less (see Table 1).
Two final points on emergency power sources should be kept in mind. First, in most electrical system sizing, demand or diversity is applied to the electrical loads. However, for life safety loads the entire load must be fully applied, without demand factors. This also includes the starting currents of motors on emergency systems. This is particularly important with loads like fire pumps.
Secondly under NEC, emergency circuit wiring must be routed separately from legally required or optional standby circuits. An example of emergency power distribution is shown in Figure 3.
After examining the types of emergency power sources available, the engineer should focus on the specific types of life safety loads. The most common ones encountered in buildings include egress lighting, fire alarm systems, and fire pumps.
Power distribution requirements
Under NEC, emergency circuit wiring must be routed separately from legally required or optional standby circuits (see Figure 3). However, legally required standby circuiting may be combined with optional and other loads.
Emergency generator power distribution systems must also have fire protection when installed in buildings with occupancies of 1000 or more people, or in certain types of buildings that are taller than 75 ft. This fire protection shall be accomplished by installing the distribution in spaces protected by sprinklers, or by providing a 2-hour rated enclosure for the circuit wiring. The fire protection requirements also apply to the physical feeder circuit equipment itself (panels, transfer switches, etc.), which must be in 2-hour rated rooms, or rooms with fire protection.
Emergency and legally required standby generator power distribution systems also are required under the NEC to be selectively coordinated. This will require a protective device coordination study, looking at fault levels, and overcurrent devices to ensure that faults are isolated by opening the protective device nearest the fault, allowing the rest of the system to function. Optional standby systems are not required to be selectively coordinated. Another notable protection requirement is that emergency and legally required standby power systems do not have to include ground fault protection, but rather must have ground fault alarms.
Life safety loads: Lighting
While the NEC designates that lighting is an emergency load, NFPA 101 covers specific requirements for that lighting. The requirements are focused on paths of egress and exiting from certain types of buildings and structures. When required in these buildings, this includes designated stairs, aisles, corridors, ramps, escalators, and passageways leading to an exit.
The source of emergency power (NFPA 110 Level 1) must come on line with 10 seconds after loss of primary power (NFPA 110 Type 10) and must provide power for a minimum of 1.5 hours (NFPA 110 Class 1.5).
Various power sources may be considered for typical buildings including a central UPS or inverter system, localized internal battery packs, or diesel generators. However, in certain types of buildings such as high-rises or high-occupancy buildings, the larger loads and a requirement for a fire pump and/or one or more elevators will require a diesel generator.
The illumination levels for egress lighting are very specific. Lighting should be provided to achieve an initial level of not less than an average of 1 foot-candle (fc). The level is permitted to decline to not less than 0.6 fc at the end of the 1.5 hours. In addition a maximum-to-minimum illumination uniformity ratio of 40:1 shall not be exceeded.
NFPA 101 requires regular testing of emergency lighting systems every 30 days.
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Track team debuts in Juneau this weekend
The Haines High School boys' and girls' track and field teams will open their season this weekend, April 26-27, at Juneau's Thunder Mountain High School.
The schedule includes a May 3-4 meet in Haines, the May 10-11 Region V championship in Juneau, and the state championship May 17-18 in Fairbanks.
"Now that the meets are approaching, we're really going to harness in on their technique," said first-year coach Lexie DeWitt. "We've given them a good base of fitness, and now we need to work on the technique."
Her team of about 40 students started practicing in late March. Around 30 of the athletes will be making the trip to Juneau for the first meet, DeWitt said.
"It's been pretty rainy; they haven't been able to get on the track," she said. "This past week has been, really, the only time we've been able to practice on the track successfully, without the kids being covered in mud or stepping in puddles and snow and ice."
The boys were third among small schools at the 2012 state meet, trailing Grace Christian and Anchorage Christian in a field of 18 teams. Two of the most decorated returnees for the Glacier Bears are senior Chris Olsen, runner-up in the triple jump, and senior Patrick Henderson, who placed fourth in the high jump and sixth in the 800 meters. Haines also was impressive in relays in 2012.
"We're really excited about our senior talent this year," DeWitt said. "They've been on the team for four years, and they're going to be able to demonstrate all their ability that they've learned."
Both the boys' and girls' squads were regional champions last year, and 25 Glacier Bears advanced to the state meet. The girls were fifth of 16 squads in their division at state, behind Grace Christian, Anchorage Christian, Monroe Catholic and Cook Inlet Academy.
Several returning Glacier Bear girls have state experience, including senior Alisha Young, who was second in the discus and fourth in the shot put last year; junior Serena Badgley, third in the triple jump; and sophomore Zayla Asquith-Heinz, eighth in the 1,600-meter run.
DeWitt said she is working with "expert" coaches like Greg Schlachter and Jim Stanford "to really help me put together a great season for the kids and, hopefully, have a lot of successful events."
Schlachter focuses on the jumping events, while Stanford works with the throwers. The Glacier Bears seem well set in the triple jump, as Olsen and Badgley figure to be in the mix for state titles.
"It's a combination of speed, technique and strength," Schlachter said.
Olsen said what he enjoys most about track is "all the company, we've got great coaches, and I'd have to say the competitiveness."
DeWitt was a collegiate rower and teaches physical education at the Haines School.
"I've taken a lot of my rowing training to really get the kids to work to motivate each other - even though it's an individual sport – to really work as a team and demonstrate positive behavior and leadership to make this a memorable season for them," she said.


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text: Artvoice Add Comment Share This! Facebook Twitter Google Plus Pinterest LinkedIn trump April 19, 2016Artvoice You may also like News • NXIVM Bail Package: Agnifilo's assertions on Keith Raniere and my rebuttals November 16, 2018 News Shadow State: Poor, Poor Pitiful Allison Mack November 15, 2018 News Judicial Watch Legal Team Back in South Florida Monitoring Election Recount November 15, 2018 About the authorView All Posts Artvoice News and art, national and local. Began as alternative weekly in 1990 in Buffalo, NY. Publishing content online since 1996. Add Comment Click here to post a comment Leave a Reply Cancel reply Comment Share This! Facebook Twitter Google Plus Pinterest LinkedIn


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Pope appeals for release of hostages in Syria
June 2, 2013
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is appealing to the "humanity" of kidnappers in Syria to release hostages.
Francis urged prayers for "beloved Syria" as he spoke from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square on Sunday to a crowd below. He lamented that the war there has stricken a defenseless people aspiring to peace.
Francis decried the "plague of kidnappings." Both rebels and pro-regime forces have abducted political foes, members of rival sects and others, including journalists, to settle scores or for ransom.
Among those snatched were two Orthodox bishops who were abducted in April.
The pope assured families of hostages of his prayers.
Francis expressed strong concern that the conflict has dragged on for more than two years.


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Jim Weaver and Bill Roth thought their radio exchange immaterial. Alas, in the Twitter age, there's nothing that can't be distorted beyond recognition in less than 10 minutes.
This is especially true when the subject is conference realignment. Few, if any, topics generate as much opinion and uninformed speculation.
For more than two years, a segment of Virginia Tech fans has pined for the Hokies to leave the ACC for the Southeastern Conference. While well-intended, their notion is misguided.
Tech joined the ACC in 2004 and subsequently reaped competitive and financial windfalls unimaginable during its Big East days. So at every stage of the recent realignment craze, the school, from President Charles Steger's office to athletic director Weaver, has dismissed any chatter of the Hokies joining the conference that has produced the last six football national champions.
That hasn't changed, even with ACC charter member Maryland's move Monday to the Big Ten. The only way Tech leaves the league is if mass defections occur.
So back to Weaver and Roth, the voice of the Hokies for 25 years. On Tuesday's "Tech Talk Live" show, Roth asked Weaver about the possibility of the SEC copying the Big Ten and starting its own cable network.
Roth: "(Commissioner) Mike Slive and the SEC say they want to start their own network. If they follow the Big Ten model, if they follow the Big Ten model and want to get East Coast schools, do you anticipate Virginia Tech being contacted for that league?"
Weaver: "Wow, that's a hard one. I really haven't thought about it because the discussion has just come about obviously in the last two or three days (since Maryland's announcement). I'm going to have to defer my answer on that if I can because I really haven't given it any thought. I think there could potentially be some interest, but I don't know how much, if any."
Now it seems clear that Weaver was referring to possible SEC interest in the Hokies, not the school's in the SEC. That's certainly how Roth heard it.
Weaver's comment is hardly breaking news. Were the SEC to consider further expansion — Missouri and Texas A&M joined this year — Tech, its loyal fans and Virginia's TV markets would be among several attractive candidates.
But folks on Twitter heard otherwise. Tech-to-the-SEC advocates flooded my timeline with references to Weaver expressing "potential" interest in the SEC.
I wasn't listening live to the show, but when the fallout hit, I texted Weaver, who called immediately.
"I just can't believe people are misinterpreting what I said," he told me.
"We're not in discussions with anyone," Weaver continued. "We've always wanted to be in the Atlantic Coast Conference. We're there, and we're pleased to be there. …
"There's nothing happening in regard to Virginia Tech going anywhere. I don't know how to say it any clearer than that."
Cynics will say Weaver is covering his backside, but I take him at his word for two reasons.
First, if Tech officials were plotting a move to the SEC, do you really think Weaver would discuss it on radio? Please.
Second, in 15 years I've never known him to lie to me. Not once. Not on personnel matters, not on conference membership.
Indeed, when Weaver arrived at Tech in 1997 he granted colleague Dave Fairbank and me an interview that extended well beyond an hour.
``If we can go to the ACC with Syracuse and Boston College," Weaver said then, "we've got to go in a New York second. But I think that's beyond comprehension right now."
Funny how things work out.
Could the Hokies eventually land in the SEC? Yes. Were the ACC to collapse, which I don't believe it will, anything is possible.
But of this I am certain: Absent said realignment crisis, Virginia Tech is not leaving the ACC under its current leadership of Steger, Weaver and football coach Frank Beamer.
Not going to happen.
And Maryland bolting for the Big Ten hardly is reason for panic. Presuming the ACC replaces the Terps with a top-flight athletics program — think Louisville — they hardly will be missed.
"I'm ready to get all this expansion done and behind us," Weaver said as our conversation concluded.
On that I think we all can agree.
I can be reached at 247-4636 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow me at twitter.com/DavidTeelatDP
Here's a link to my Daily Press print columns.


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Madhouse (US - DVD)
Gabe Powers' deformed twin and killer rottweiler actually pay him some rent...
Deaf child teacher Julia (Trish Everly) is the complete opposite of her insane, violent, and hideously deformed twin sister Mary (Allison Biggers). For most of her adult life Julia's managed to avoid Mary, but as their birthday approaches their uncle, Father James (Dennis Robertson), presses for reconciliation. When Mary escapes the insane asylum with her giant, vicious rottweiler and starts murdering all her friends, Julia begins to worry a bit.
I talk a lot about the UK's Video Nasties list in my horror reviews, but usually I'm expecting nothing but schlocky garbage. The truth is that, like most collectors and fans, I really just have a pointless need to see everything on the previously banned list. Thanks to websites like the now banned from DVDActive Dave Brock's Bearded Freak, and excellent books like David Kerekes and David Slater's 'See No Evil', and Marc Morris and Harvey Fenton's 'Shock! Horror!', I've learned which films I can expect more than boredom from. Madhouse (aka: There Was a Little Girl, a better title) is one of the few items on the BBFC's original list that features any sort of positive buzz among fans (save a few Argento and Fulci films that we've had easy access to for years), and it's been missing from R1 DVD.
There's nothing on the books to say that Madhouse won't be schlocky garbage. It's directed by sleaze king Ovidio G. Assonitis, who mostly made a name for himself as a producer, but who did direct the popular (but stupid) Exorcist rip off Beyond the Door. The cast is either unknown, or known for being limited at best. Most importantly, the story sounds a whole lot like a million other thrillers about twin sisters, save the dog aspects. Somehow the stars aligned this one time, and the film is surprisingly effective as both an entertaining horror movies, and as a minor psycho-thriller.
Assonitis does his best impersonation of Brian DePalma impersonating Alfred Hitchcock, but cannot escape his obviously Italian roots. Every step taken towards making the film appear American made, including the surprisingly capable cast, is overridden by a clearly Italian era pacing, framing, and editing style. In many ways Madhouse strikes as one of Lucio Fulci's '80s films, though the thin veil of actual narrative structure will make the film an easier (if not less interesting) watch for non-fans. The plot twists end up a little too easy to predict, but are appreciated, and there are two or three really good scares wrapped into the mostly derivative script.
The film's strongest, and ironically enough, most Italian-specific elements are Roberto D'Ettorre Piazzoli's interesting, but not too flashy photography, the BBFC bothering gore, and Riz Ortolani's electronic and symphonic score. The Video Nasty cataloguing is pretty silly, as even at its most violent the film is pretty tame compared even to standards of the time, but there is a sense of anything goes dread that probably genuinely disturbed the folks at the BBFC when the film was first released. There's also the ridiculous possibility that they fell for the special effects in the animal slaughter scenes.
This is my first experience with the film, so I can't compare Dark Sky's release with the PAL R0 copy that came out a few years back. I can compare with the studio's other releases, and the comparison is quite positive. Madhouse looks really good for what it is, and is presented in what appears to be the correct 2.35:1 framing. The transfer is not without its dirt, grain, and minor artefacts, but overall Dark Sky has cleaned this sucker as fresh as a daisy. Details are occasionally inconsistent, though it appears that most of the image softness has more to do with soft focus choices made during filming. Piassoli's oh so Italian use of colour is realistically rendered, and both bright and dark hues are rich and full bodied.
Dark Sky's disc features a generally clean Dolby stereo audio track, with clear dialogue, solid mix levels, and generally very little distortion. As seems to be the norm for low budget horror, Madhouse doesn't feature a whole lot of aggressive sound effects, depending more on its music for stab scares and atmosphere. Madhouse has the advantage of being scored by a pro like Riz Ortolani, who makes do with very few cues (I'm guessing Assonitis couldn't afford the composer's full price). Ortolani uses a lot of electric bass (as was popular among Italian composer's at the time), and even without an isolated LFE track the bass levels are generally impressive for such a film. During a few of the film's more noisy musical moments the mostly centred stereo track suddenly and awkwardly switches to a fully separated track, and I caught a few slices of drop out, but the track's clarity mostly makes up for these minor issues.
There aren't a lot of extras here (two to be exact). The first is an interview with director/producer Ovidio G. Assonitis, who apparently only acted as director this time around because he couldn't find someone else in time (or at least someone that worked for more than ten days). It's a pretty lethargic interview, but Assonitis shares quite a bit of valuable information about the making of the film, and in place of a commentary track or making-of documentary the interview does fine. The other extra is a still gallery.
That's one more to check off my list of banned must sees, and satisfyingly enough, a decent little thriller that didn't waste ninety minutes of my life. Madhouse is a nasty little treat for Italian horror fans, and Dark Sky's disc is a fine introduction for region one audiences. The film isn't quite good or original enough to transcend fan lines into being a must see for average movie watchers, but those on my side of the fence will be happy enough.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Wilson Bros Reviewer Join Date: August 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,183
The sound on the UK DVD was bloody awful, being some half-arsed stereo track where the dialogue was mixed at a level that demanded the volume to be turned up, leaving you at the mercy of the rest of the audio at an excruciating degree.
The image was better than we were expecting, anyway.
The image was better than we were expecting, anyway.
This product has not been rated
Disc Details
Release Date: 25th November 1995
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Single side, single layer
RCE: No
Video: NTSC
Aspect: 2.35:1
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo English
Subtitles: English
Extras: Director Interview, Gallery
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Ovidio G. Assonitis
Cast: Trish Everly, Allison Biggers, Dennis Robertson
Genre: Horror
Length: 93 minutes
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A former advertising executive, Vicki Esralew of Chicago decided to switch gears after she became a mom. Her brainchild? A software game called Jack's House (named after her firstborn), which she delivered to vendors from the front seat of her Jeep. Ten years later, she now oversees Vickilew Inc., a multimillion-dollar business that specializes in CD-ROMs, music, and videos.
Esralew is just one of a new generation of moms inventors who are discovering ways to capitalize on their newfound -- and favorite -- talent: parenting. Some left jobs for the home front but took their skills with them; others were new to the market but used their mom smarts to brainstorm products. In the end, all have one thing in common: They love what they do.
The Greatest Inventions for Parents
The Diaper Guru
Marlene Dunwoody, Macon, GA
Aron, 2, and expecting another at press time
BabyNaturale.com, an online diapering resource that specializes in cloth diapers and other natural products and clothes
How it began: Soon after Aron was born, Dunwoody began to research some facts about diapers. Calculating that the average baby goes through 7,500 changes in two and a half years, she became sold on the benefits -- from economic to ecological -- of cloth. That's when she launched her site, which offers a full range of products and services for cloth devotees.
Toughest moment: Like most business newcomers, Dunwoody found the early going frustrating. "Developing an Internet presence wasn't easy, and I had to find appropriate places to advertise," she says. But soon she began to build a customer base -- by signing up with a company that submitted the name of her website to various search engines and by participating in Internet message boards for parents who use cloth. "After a couple of months, I began to get repeat customers and referrals and the orders started rolling in," says Dunwoody.
How to find it: Go to www.babynaturale.com or call 877-714-6287.
The Greatest Inventions for Parents
Secondhand Steals
Brooke Cohen, Weston, FL
Jared, 3, and Jamie, 5 months
BabyBargainsUSA.com, an online shop that specializes in both new and used products for babies, children, and pregnant moms
How it began: "I had a relatively expensive stroller I wanted to sell," says Cohen, who used to teach seventh-grade English. "I thought, Wouldn't it be great if there was a website just for moms who wanted to buy and sell?" So she wrote up a 70-page plan that described the look and function of her online dream in click-by-click detail, handed it over to a designer, and her website was born. When sellers log on, they list the item they want to sell, name their price, and select a shipping method from a list. If someone purchases their item, they ship it to the buyer, who pays in full for the sale and the shipping. "I make my money by deducting eighteen percent from the sale. The rest of the profit goes to the seller," says Cohen.
Toughest moment: Just after the site launched, things got harried for Cohen. "I was nine months pregnant, the business was brand-new, and I was spending a lot of time shipping out many of my own things to buyers -- which meant there was a ton of boxes piled up in my living room," she says. At the same time, she was wondering whether her venture would actually pay off, her friends were questioning the wisdom of starting a business with the birth of her second baby just around the corner. "In the end, though, I made the right choice -- I decided to trust my heart instead of listening to others," she says.
How to find it: Go to www.babybargainsusa.com or e-mail email@example.com.
The Greatest Inventions for Parents
Toddler Motivators
Jill Avery-Zuleeg, Saratoga, CA
Tanner, 6, and Autumn, 3
All By Myself children's video and DVD series
How it began: "Tanner wasn't quite three when one morning he dashed into my bedroom and said, 'Look, Mom, I got dressed all by myself!'" says Avery-Zuleeg. Never mind that the outfit was actually on backward -- it was one of those landmark moments for him and his mom.
Later, she browsed through a video store for a tape that would reinforce her son's emergence into big-kidhood, but she found nothing. So she wrote a script and, along with two fellow moms with whom she'd worked previously at Apple Computer, Michele Free and Carmela Zamora Robertson, decided to create a video series to promote self-motivation. One year later, All By Myself: Getting Dressed had been shot, edited, and released at a national trade show. Another video followed the next year, and three new ones are scheduled for this year and next.
Toughest moment: Avery-Zuleeg and her partners got a crash course in juggling childcare and work as the cameras rolled on their first video. "We brought our kids to the set -- one newborn, one four-month-old, and three toddlers. There we were, in between takes, hormonally whacked-out and sleep-deprived, trying to shoot a film -- which, like everything else in our company, we did on our own with no experience -- and chasing after our toddlers, who were running around the set wearing only their underwear." But that's what made it all worthwhile for the trio: "It's real, it's mom-made, and it's ours," says Avery-Zuleeg.
How to find it: Go to www.allbymyself.com or call 866-408-KIDS.
The Greatest Inventions for Parents
Precious Gifts
Belinda Wasser, Jamaica Plain, MA
Emily, 2 1/2
Blueberry Babies, which specializes in presents for mothers, babies, and siblings
How it began: In 2001 Wasser was laid off from her managerial job. With a 3-month-old daughter at home, she decided she needed to reevaluate her priorities. She drew up a business plan for a mothers-and-children gift company, using her management skills and setting her own hours. "I took a class for entrepreneurial women and learned how to think like a CEO," she says. "I also hired a business coach to help me through the early stages of the venture." Her coach, who had formerly been a business executive herself, taught her how to prioritize her goals throughout the process. "My problem has always been that I try to do too much," says Wasser. "She recognized that I was a nursing mother who was trying to run a business, and her pacing advice was very valuable to me -- because, obviously, I could no longer judge my stamina according to the standards of my prebaby life." The support -- and the hard work -- paid off: Within a year, Wasser was presiding over Blueberry Babies, with a full array of high-end items -- including baby stationery, gift baskets, clothing, and sterling-silver pacifier clips.
Toughest moment: For Wasser, the success of her company actually led to one of her most difficult decisions: "The business had grown so rapidly, I realized I had to move it out of my home." Yet the idea of relocating it was an emotional jolt. "I loved tucking Emily into bed at night and going into the Blueberry room to work," Wasser says. After all, spending quality time with her daughter is what prompted her to start her own company in the first place. Fortunately, she found a good compromise: an office space just a mile away, which allowed her to move freely between her work and her family throughout the day.
How to find it: Go to www.blueberrybabies.com or call 877-258-2379.
The Greatest Inventions for Parents
Special Skin Care
Lisa Price, Brooklyn, NY
Forrest, 8, and Ennis, 6
Carol's Daughter, which specializes in beauty products for women, with a line just for moms and babies
How it began: "I started making fragrances and creams in my own kitchen, as a hobby," recalls Price. "When my first baby, Forrest, was diagnosed with eczema, I created a moisturizer I called Honey Pudding. By the time he was two, I realized I'd come up with a remedy that actually worked." Concocting other products and calling her line Carol's Daughter (in honor of her mom), Price and her husband, Gordon, began to sell her wares at local crafts fairs, then moved on to mail-order and online outlets and a storefront shop in Brooklyn. In 2002 the story of Price's home-brewed elixirs caught the ear of Oprah Winfrey, who invited her onto the show. "That was it!" says Price. "After that, my website practically exploded." Price's memoir, Success Never Smelled So Sweet: How I Followed My Nose and Found My Passion (written with Hilary Beard), hit the bookstores in April 2004.
Toughest moment: For all the obvious advantages of working out of the home, Price notes that there are still those moments when her business's productivity runs up against parenting. "Unfortunately, children don't always understand when Mommy says she has to get to work," she says. "I'd be busy in the kitchen and I'd hear one of them say to the other, 'Mommy doesn't know how to play.'" Those words, concludes Price, provided a valuable lesson: "My children taught me how to prioritize. Now, when it's five o'clock, I just stop working."
How to find it: Go to www.carolsdaughter.com or call 877-540-2101.
The Greatest Inventions for Parents
Two-Of-A-Kind Clothing
Natalie Walker, Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Graham, 7, and Nicole, 4
Aquaswimwear, a line of coordinated Mommy-and-me swimsuits, sarongs, and sportswear
How it began: Formerly a designer for such companies as Speedo and Nautica, Walker retired after the birth of her second child, with the intention of devoting more time to the home front. "But in 2001 I chaired a fund-raiser for my son's preschool. To help them generate some money, I designed swimsuits for little girls," she says. Walker raised $6,000 for the school. Her one-time-only fund-raising effort made her realize that she missed the creativity of her former career. So within a year, she'd developed Aquaswimwear, which soon became a lucrative business.
One reason for its success may be her postbaby-body-friendly bathing suits, with their built-in shelf bras and adjustable straps. As she says, "Not all moms are built the same -- some have shed all their baby weight, and others are still struggling with it."
Toughest moment: Without a doubt, Christmas 2003 was the craziest time for Walker. She was organizing another fund-raiser for her son's school, and there were three others scheduled for the following week. Meanwhile, holiday orders for Aquaswimwear -- including those for last year's popular custom-monogrammed mother-daughter baseball tees -- were pouring in, so in between filling the orders, she was running back and forth to the monogrammer. "One day, my son had a friend over who looked around our living room and asked, 'Do you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanza, because there's no Christmas tree here?' That's when it hit me that I'd been so busy, I hadn't even remembered to go out and buy a tree for our house!"
How to find it: Go to www.aquaswimwear.com or call 310-544-5559.
Bruce Kluger is Parenting's video/DVD reviewer; David Tabatsky writes plays and essays. Each is a dad of two.


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CRYSTAL LAKE – The McHenry County Mental Health Board has picked a former County Board member to temporarily head the agency while a search for a permanent leader starts anew.
The Mental Health Board announced Tuesday that it has selected Lyn Orphal as interim executive director, effective Jan. 2, until it can hire a permanent replacement. Board members unanimously approved her appointment Monday evening, but did not name Orphal until she received notification and could give appropriate notice.
The board is giving Orphal a six-month contract with a 30-day opt out while it begins its third search for a leader after a tumultuous year of managerial upheaval and budget cuts.
County Board member Paula Yensen, who holds the county's voting seat on the nine-member Mental Health Board, said that search will begin with the new year.
Orphal, of Crystal Lake, will replace Information Systems Director Duane Lahti, who was given the interim reins in November after previous interim executive director Todd Schroll resigned. The board has not had a full-time executive director since Sandy Lewis resigned in November 2012 to take a teaching and management job at Virginia Commonwealth University. Lahti will return to his regular duties.
"Duane has done a yeoman's job, but he was wearing three hats, and he needs some relief as far as both responsibilities," Yensen said.
The Mental Health Board is tasked with helping the county's mentally ill and developmentally disabled, mainly through a property tax levy it disburses to qualifying social service agencies.
The board over the past year has experienced almost complete turnover. New members are grappling with shrinking revenues that have forced cuts long sought by critics who have alleged that past members allowed the agency to become a top-heavy bureaucracy that spent too much on administration, overhead and a large headquarters it did not need.
Past critics of the Mental Health Board have since stated they are happy with the direction the new board members are taking the agency.
The two previous searches for a full-time director came frustratingly close for the Mental Health Board.
The first search ended in April when one of two finalists backed out, forcing a do-over. Board members in November interviewed three finalists and began negotiations with the top candidate, but that, too, fell through.
Orphal could not be reached for comment Tuesday. She served on the County Board from 2000 until 2010, and from 2007 to 2010 was executive director of Leadership Greater McHenry County. Orphal was development manager from 2011 through 2012 for Family Alliance, a Woodstock-based adult care agency that receives Mental Health Board funding.
Her online resume lists her career since August as a self-employed consultant, although she applied in
October for the paid seat to represent McHenry County on the Regional Transportation Authority Board.


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I was very impressed with this . It is a high quality bedroom set. I would be buying this as presents for all the people I know.
I purchased this for a dear friend, I was pleased with the workmanship of this simple, classic bedroom set that is made all the more personal with the inscribed words. I'm sure she will love it, and it will be a reminder of our treasured friendship.
Exactly how I pictured it! Love how simple, yet classy it is! Great price for the quality of the bedroom set. I recommend this product to anybody who wants quality and perfection. color and style is just perfect.
Great bedroom set! Love the material and fit! Will buy in other colors as well! I love this bedroom set. I bought the black first and then ordered the white. I love the fit,too. I may buy another color later if it continues to be available.
$1786.97 $2299.99 $3985 $502.97 $2750.97 $285.99


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JProPhotoSlidesPlus module, from JPro Extensions, allows you to display slideshows of photos or images containing information to your users/customers, with responsive html, on the front-end of the website. It's Joomla!™ R3ADY!
JProPhotoSlidesPlus module, from JPro Extensions, allows you to display slideshows of photos or images containing information to your users/clients, with responsive behavior, on the front-end of your Joomla!™ 3 website. It's Joomla!™ R3ADY!
JProPhotoSlidesPlus makes use of the new twitter Bootstrap* framework packed with Joomla!™ 3 which allows the module to render perfectly on big screens or even on smartphones.
# Bug fix in caption random selection.
^ It is now possible to display either the custom headline, caption or both.
^ Overall rendering performance optimization by removing all inline styles from the html markup. Custom styles are now loaded as css classes.
^ The jQuery/JavaScript code run now on ECMAScript standard "strict mode" to increase security.
^ Refactored JavaScript code to obey to strict coding standards.
# Fixed possible div stretching when images have different heights. The defined height in the module administration is now the maximum div height.
# Fixed carousel indicators wrapper for browser compatibility.
^ When black and white mode is set, images in modal window will also open in black and white.
# Typos in administration backend corrected
^ When no links selected in dropdown, url fields
+ No links selection to the dropdown in backend
# Keyboard navigation target only the specific module and not all modules in same page.
# Alt image property corrected
* Filtering image types that are allowed
^ Color fields in administration with full wheel and direct input
# Firefox black & white (greyscale) images
+ Keyboard left/right (next/previous) navigation for slides is now supported;
+ Rounded Slides indicators/links;
+ Fancy Modal optional style;
^ Responsive styles;
^ Completely redesigned and enhanced UX in backend administration;
^ Refactored jQuery plugin;
+ Easing transitions on captions;
+ Easing transitions on slides;
^ Installer class refactored;
^ Help button open real time latest version of the extension documentation;
- Html help file removed and replaced by real time help;
- Separator fields from manifest;
+ New validation system in the module administration;
+ HTML 5 properties to fields in module administration;
+ New class file for the extension update notifications;
+ New Real Time Updates Notification center in module manager using the new JPro Extensions updates webservice;
! Skipped versions from 1.3.0 to current 3.0.0
! Release
* Security Fix
# Bug Fix
+ Addition
^ Change
- Removed
! Note


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|Poster Gallery
The WPA's Federal Art Project put money in the pockets
of the unemployed, brought the avant-garde into
small-town America, and started an aesthetic revolution
(Reproduced by permission from the April-May 1997 issue of Civilization magazine)
Robert Muchley, Philadelphia
O IT WASN'T QUITE HOWARD Carter's first glimpse of King Tut's tomb, but for scholars of Depression-era art, the find ranks with some of the greatest discoveries of all time.
Thirty-one years ago, art historian Francis V. O'Connor climbed a spiral staircase to a remote attic above the rotunda of the Library of Congress. He unlocked a heavy door to reveal a cobwebbed, circular room. This was mission control, home of the hardware that sent electric currents to the Jefferson Building's farthest stone ledges to zap pigeons from their roosts.
In the room was an even more electrifying sight: a wooden crate holding nearly 1,000 posters from the Federal Art Project. Sent to the Library for storage during World War II, the posters remained in mint condition, though they hadn't been examined for years. Now part of the Library's Prints and Photographs collection, they demonstrate, in the words of one scholar, how the government "unwittingly launched a movement."
The FAP was a branch of the Works Progress Administration, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's massive work-relief effort. In its peak years, 1936 to 1938, the FAP employed 5,000 artists across the country, at a salary of $95 a month. They created murals, sculptures and paintings, taught community art classes to millions, and produced 2 million posters from 35,000 designs at a cost of about a dime each.
Poster Gallery
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |


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Penguins beat Hurricanes, clinch division
Raleigh, NC – Evgeni Malkin and Beau Bennett's goals 13 seconds apart midway through the third period proved to be the difference as the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes to clinch the Atlantic Division.
Pascal Dupuis sealed the win, which assured the Penguins no worse than a No. 2 seed in the upcoming Eastern Conference playoffs, with an empty-net goal while contributing two assists. Brenden Morrow and Robert Bortuzzo also scored to help support a 25-save effort from Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Penguins last captured the Atlantic Division crown in 2008, a year in which the team eventually lost to Detroit in the Stanley Cup Finals.
"We've always had good teams, we just haven't been able to win it with our division being so tough," said defenseman Brooks Orpik. "So I think it's definitely a good thing for us, especially in the shortened season. It's been a grind here; we still have a ways to go."
Carolina had taken a 3-2 lead on Riley Nash's tally two minutes into the third period, before surrendering three unanswered scores en route to a franchise- record eighth consecutive defeat on home ice.
Joe Corvo and Bobby Sanguinetti potted goals as well for the spiraling Hurricanes, now losers of six straight overall and 1-12-1 over their last 14 games. Justin Peters stopped 28-of-32 shots in the setback.
"I think every night for the last four or five games, we've come ready to compete," said Nash. "Really, we're just coming out on the wrong end. It's tough to watch because all these guys compete so hard."
With the Penguins down 3-2, Craig Adams created a 3-on-2 rush before giving the puck off to Bennett -- just recalled from the minors as a replacement for an injured James Neal. The rookie skated in on Peters and found an opening with a backhand try to knot the score with 10:11 left to play.
Shortly after the ensuing faceoff, Pittsburgh's Jarome Iginla intercepted an intended clearing attempt and put forth a shot on goal. Peters turned back the chance, but Malkin came in uncontested from the left side to bang home the carom for the go-ahead score.
Peters was pulled with around a minute to go, but the Hurricanes failed to establish an attack and had their fate sealed when Dupuis came up with a takeaway and flicked the puck from the neutral zone into the vacated net two seconds prior to the final whistle.
"Beau got us a big goal and then Geno topped it off," said Morrow. "It was just a full effort by the whole team. Those wins feel great."
The Hurricanes drew first blood during a high-scoring first period, capitalizing on an early 4-on-3 power play that ended when Corvo whipped a wrister past Fleury following a faceoff win by ex-Penguin Jordan Staal. The goal came just 4:06 after the opening whistle.
Pittsburgh pulled even just 92 seconds later, when Bortuzzo jumped in from the back end to tip home a well-placed centering feed from Dupuis for the rookie's second career NHL goal.
Morrow's first marker as a Penguin put his new team ahead with 6:11 left in the frame. After receiving a backhand pass from former Hurricane Jussi Jokinen, the recent trade acquisition skated past Carolina's Zac Dalpe before firing a shot while falling to the ice, beating Peters to the stick side.
The Hurricanes responded less than two minutes afterward on Sanguinetti's second career goal, a blast from the left point that Fleury failed to pick up while battling traffic in front.
Neither team lit the lamp during a second period that saw tighter checking on both sides, with Pittsburgh coming up empty on a pair of power-play chances in the session.
Carolina struck quickly in the third, however, with Nash backhanding a rebound of teammate Tuomo Ruutu's attempt that Fleury initially stopped to put the Hurricanes back in front two minutes into the stanza.
Game Notes
Adams also finished with two assists ... Jokinen was playing in just his second game with the Penguins since being traded by the Hurricanes to Pittsburgh last Wednesday. He spent five seasons with Carolina ... In addition to being without NHL leading scorer Sidney Crosby (broken jaw) for a fourth straight game, the Penguins were also minus Neal due to a concussion sustained in Friday's 2-1 shootout win over the New York Rangers ... Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk, out since Mar. 19 with a sprained knee, returned to the team's lineup along with forward Alexander Semin, who had missed two straight tests with an upper-body injury ... Morrow potted 243 goals over 13 seasons with the Dallas Stars, who dealt the seasoned wing to Pittsburgh on Mar. 24 ... Pittsburgh improved to 9-3-0 against Southeast clubs this season and 23-8-1 in their last 32 matchups against the division.


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TODAY'S QUICK TAKE: Shoulda, woulda, coulda
There's a common error in this sentence:
I wish I would of saved a piece of that coconut cake for tonight.
Did you find it? The error, of course, is that I ate the last piece of cake this afternoon, and now it's gone.
Nah, just kidding. It's that little word 'of' after the 'would'. The correct phrase is 'would have'. The same goes for its cousins, 'could have' and 'should have'.
It's an easy mistake to make—when we talk, we usually make the phrase into a contraction (would've) which sounds like 'would of'. But it's not. And I can't think of a handy device to help you remember this one, so you're on your own.
Should have, would have, could have.
Over the next several weeks, I plan to use the writing challenge judging criteria as an outline for my lessons. Even if you plan to branch out from the writing challenge, or you do most of your writing elsewhere, these are excellent criteria for almost any genre or length of writing. Learning to write to these criteria should definitely improve your overall writing skills.
Here's the first one (which might take two weeks to cover): How well did this entry fit the topic?
1. Understand the topic. Many weeks this is not a problem, as the topics are fairly straightforward. But there have been weeks when the topic was unfamiliar to some people (Australia, A Stitch in Time Saves Nine, Science Fiction…). If this is the case—before you start writing, do a little bit of research. You might also check the Writing Challenge forum, as there is often a thread with clarification of the trickier topics.
2. Don't refer to the topic itself as the topic, or to the Writing Challenge. I'll use a made-up topic from a few lessons ago as my example: let's say the topic for the week was 'Fire'. You wouldn't want to write anything like…
When I saw that this week's topic was 'fire', I immediately thought of the time my Thanksgiving turkey burst into flames.
There are several reasons for this. First of all, self-referential statements are redundant, so you're wasting precious words. Second, referring to the topic isn't a very effective 'hook', nor is it particularly original. Finally, the winning entries will eventually be published in a book, purchased and read by people outside of FaithWriters. They may know nothing about the writing challenge, so the entries need to be able to stand on their own, without referring to 'the topic of the week'.
3. Don't overkill the topic. There's a bit of finesse to being sure that your entry is on topic but not to the extent that you make your reader weary of it. Back to the 'fire' example: you don't need to include a fire in every paragraph. This error is even more noticeable in weeks when the topic is a more uncommon word or phrase (oops, bitter and sweet, charades). BUT…
4. Make sure that the topic is integral to your story, poem, or article. Here's where the finesse comes in—how to make the topic important, but not to overdo it? When I was writing for the challenge, I tried to write a story that could not have been written without the topic concept.
The best example I can think of was a story for which the topic word was 'Space'. I didn't use the word 'space' until the last sentence (except for a few red herrings)—but the entire climax and resolution of the story revolved around the fact that my main character had mis-read a phrase because of a missing space. My story for the topic of "America" wasn't really about America—it was about a very old woman being interviewed—but it was essentially American, and it couldn't have been set in any other place. When the topic was "River", I wrote not about a river, but about a series of comedic events—however, a river wound its way throughout the whole piece.
Here's where I can just advise you to trust the judges to "get it". Every week, the judges are given instructions about the topic, and included in those instructions is usually something along the line of "if it conveys the essence of [topic-ness], it's on topic.
1. Ask me a question about writing to the topic. OR
2. Comment on something in this lesson. OR
3. If you've been writing for the challenge for a while, please let us know what you do to make sure you're on topic.


text:
|2013-05-02, 09:19
|Link #1661
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
The problem is, this wasn't a 'harem' series when it started but turned into one...... romance with other girls is more like a subplot to move the siblings' relationship dynamics to me, and it didn't even start till v5.
When the author 'force-fit' Kanako into the mix of people 'dere' towards Kyousuke, it became a blatant problem for me.
|2013-05-03, 00:15
|Link #1662
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 61
However, not calling anything until the last page given this author's obvious enjoyment of pulling the chains of different fan factions.
|2013-05-03, 00:34
|Link #1663
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
|2013-05-03, 00:52
|Link #1664
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 36
I've said this before (back when the first anime season aired in particular), but I personally basically saw this as a "harem" premise (with Kirino as a central member) from early-on, even though the actual "candidates" started adding up in a serious way as it went on. I've always felt that the view that the whole story was just about "sibling relationship dynamics" with no romantic implications was, at best, an incomplete interpretation of what was really being shown. To me, it's sort of like "where there's smoke, there's fire"; people kept trying to view the story as one thing, but the evidence kept adding up the other way as it went along. So I have a little bit of a hard time buying the "the premise changed" or "it wasn't planned" argument. Of course, no LN author necessarily knows how many volumes their story will last, but I do think there's a pretty linear progression between where things started and where things ended up.
|2013-05-03, 00:59
|Link #1665
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 61
Yeah, (speculation obviously since he isn't telling) but the way the story reads I think he pretty much had the addition of interesting possibilities mapped out for the most part from the start. So he's set up this massive Jenga situation on purpose. I remain curious to see how he executes the crash (or the winning deconstruction).
I still think having him initially connect with Kuroneko and then "pausing" that path is something that I don't recall seeing too often in this kind of set up.
|2013-05-03, 02:04
|Link #1666
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 36
I totally agree with you that what will be interesting to see is how the pieces fall into place at the end, and particularly just how "conclusive" he decides to make it.
|2013-05-03, 03:53
|Link #1667
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
I must also point out that, my judgement is definitely not clouded because I'm against a work on sibling-romance, because I'm not against a work of this sort. I've played my fair share of eroge with sis-ends and I also enjoyed a very old, touching, Korean drama series that openly touched on sibling romance.
With regards to 'mis-interpretation', I could say likewise when people are trying to assert that this was meant to be a 'soft-incestuous story' right from the get-go, when some of them haven't read the story from the get-go. Either that, or they too choose to see what they want to see (I'll come back to this point at the end). Anyway. this might not mean a thing, but OreImo was originally a one-shot, so it's totally possible that the plan or direction has changed, especially if it's to capitalize on its popularity to certain groups of audience, given its (later) success in its dating sim franchise. Granted, I agreed on Vexx's point that he had created a set of 'viable options' to take on the romance (sub)plot; aside from Kuro, Ayase is fine, Saori is good, but when suddenly, in the most jarring way, Kanako gets thrown in to strengthen his harem hold, it does create quite a 'WTF is this!?' stir in me. And I've never thought that the premise has changed since all along, I've seen the premise to be about "Kyou-Kiri's relationship", and it pretty much remains at that. What changed for me was how Kyousuke got a harem at an accelerated rate. Well, it's not totally unexpected or unthinkable to have a group of girls falling for Kyou; things like Ayase's setup was pretty much in the pipeline, but why Kanako (this primarily is the basis behind my jab that it has turned into a harem-focused series)? Anyway, can someone explain this (why Kanako) to me? The execution rubbed me off the wrong way and left much to be desired. But anyhow, overall, I still see 'harem/romance' as a subplot and not the main premise.
With regards to 'mounting evidence', I hope you are coming from the perspective of someone who has read the novels since volume 1, including the author's afterwords. Most of these 'evidence' I see suggested in this thread with reference to earlier volumes cannot be called 'evidence' imo (like playing Imouto eroge and supposed 'sexual' tension), but merely used for comedic effect (when I read those, what came to my mind was 'www'). It's only in the later volumes, that the evidence can be said to be 'truly mounting', but even so, they are not yet absolute enough to me that I can totally forget about dismissing them as possible pandering or comedy tools. If you are coming from that perspective (as a novel reader), then we can agree to disagree.
While I'm sure there are some readers, like VVolf, who are holding the same view as you, there are also quite a number of us who see otherwise, like karice and Undertaker (who are more veteran LN readers than someone like me), among others, though I'm not sure what their current positions are. Like I mentioned, I'm not against a work on brother-sister romance, but for me, when I read the first few volumes, I just don't get the 'feeling' that it will be a story on brother-sister romance. Yes, it's a feeling and I can't explain it. Call it lame or illogical or whatever, but the writing did not sing that tune to me.
Back to the topic on choosing the way things are seen by different people. I'm sure we all have a bias as to how we see things, and I can agree that many things you have suggested are valid possibilities. But I would not agree that they can be taken as objective definite proofs and evidences.
All in all, we know your view, and you know ours (myself + those on the opposing camp), that's why I stopped repeating myself since hundreds of posts ago, and continue to wait and see. And we just have to wait for v12 to see which of our interpretation is more 'correct'. Or we may never know for sure, depending on how the author chooses to end it.
(Looking at the time now, I really regret writing this post, but I'll regret it more if I delete it without posting. It's hard to write a post to bring across my thoughts and without sounding overly offensive. And pardon my English and dis-jointedness since I kept getting interrupted. Hopefully this is the last one I make here till June.
|2013-05-03, 04:01
|Link #1668
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
I don't see how this wasn't planned from the start. People seem to think that Ayase's confession isn't justified when actually she had more build up than Kuroneko before Volume 5. So compared to Kuroneko, who had one solid Volume dedicated to her build up, Ayase's build up is more spread out but is definitely not something the author pulled out to make this into a harem joke. I agree that Kanako's build up is a joke though, but it seems like there is space to re-interpret her actions. She could have been trying to mess with the other girls all along without actually having feelings for Kyousuke, ie. she won't do anything at all in Volume 12.
And I disagree on the core of this series being a love-triangle. I see the core of this series being "how everything that has happened in these 2 years affect the relationship between Kyousuke and Kirino." Explains why the novels always have Kyousuke and Kirino only on the cover.
|2013-05-03, 04:16
|Link #1669
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
|2013-05-03, 04:34
|Link #1670
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Heavens
After all, I'm still rooting for the (romantic) sibling relationship to develop and sometimes think to myself "how the heck will it happen, it requires the power of Holy Grail !!! "
But, I have a feeling that the story would turn out to be a normal love story, ignoring the 'romantic' sibling relationship *sigh* . . .
|2013-05-03, 05:23
|Link #1671
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 36
If I say "I always felt that things were heading this way" (which I did at the time, ref. my posts from back then), and they do head that way, then I suppose I could argue that my interpretation ended up being not invalid, since the subsequent events support it.
But if you say "I never thought it was heading this way, but the author could easily have changed his plan, so my interpretation earlier was equally right"... then on what basis are we supposed to interpret the story's meaning and the significance of earlier events? If you have to do an ever-increasing amount of downplaying and dismissing, doesn't it make the argument more difficult?
If there's an interpretation of the story that connects from start to end and ties everything together on a clear path/direction (granted, we don't know the ending yet, so we can only speculate at this point based on where we're at so far), then don't we have to assume this is the most logical interpretation of the author's underlying intent? If the alternative is "the intent was one thing at first, but it changed", isn't the burden of proof that much higher? (Unless you take the view that "we can never know the intent" (unless the author tells us specifically), and then a lot of analysis potential is closed off.)
Of course opinions are opinions and everyone is entitled to their own. But when it comes to interpreting a work's essential themes and central elements, I think we can't just rely on personal opinion. The evidence is in the work itself; you have to prove it in the text. But obviously, such proofs will ultimately have to wait until the final volume is released (although even then, I strongly suspect a lot will be left open to interpretation, so this is an argument that may never be won).
I didn't mean my comment as a sort of personal attack against you or anyone else, and I wasn't trying to imply that the way you interpreted the story at first was invalid, even though my gut/instinct/guess was different at the time. But I do think that, looking back now, it seems to me that a picture is forming that connects everything together. But we'll just have to wait to see how things end.
|2013-05-03, 06:58
|Link #1672
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
|2013-05-03, 11:18
|Link #1673
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 36
Of course, to go back to the point mentioned earlier, who knew that they'd try to pass all the heroines including Kanako as a "serious candidate", but I feel like that's a bit of comedy of excess as they get towards the end. It just puts that much more impetus on Kyousuke finally making a decision, and muddies the waters a bit more for "shippers".
So maybe it is just my bias that read something more into the story than was clear/intended at first, but I just always felt like it was that sort of story. *shrug*
Last edited by relentlessflame; 2013-05-03 at 23:31.
|2013-05-04, 11:53
|Link #1676
Crazy Devout Fanboy
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: 1st Ra Cailum-class battleship Ra Cailum, port-side officer's bunks
Not that I'm complaining. I'd definitely love to wait less time rather than more for this ending. I'm still rooting for KyousukexAyase, but it's hard to tell which way it's going to go.
|2013-05-04, 18:32
|Link #1678
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 36
In terms of cutting decisions, I'd say this was a good one. The episode has a very nice flow (the date, the inference of the boyfriend, and the discovery of the boyfriend). It's hard to think of a better way to end the episode, IMO.
|2013-05-05, 00:50
|Link #1680
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
|comedy, romance, shounen, siblings
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