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Sunday, May 25, 2008
Color Zones of the Face
In real life, these zones can be extremely subtle, almost imperceptible. They are more pronounced in men.
This is an unretouched reproduction of Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Washington.
Although this chin is covered by a white beard, this portrait of the surgeon Nicolay Pirogov by Ilya Repin shows the first two bands clearly enough.
Women and children don't have the five-o-clock shadow, but they can be a bit greenish around the lips, and many artists play this up to bring out the complementary lip color. Below, a detail of a portrait by Sargent.
There's reason behind this. The central zone of the face has more capillaries carrying oxygenated blood near the surface. The forehead, by contrast, is much more free of muscles and red blood cells. And the chin, especially on a man with a black beard, is bluish from the microscopic hairs. Around the lips are relatively more veins carrying blue deoxygenated blood.
Like all general rules, there are plenty of exceptions. But it's good thing to keep in mind next time you're painting a head.
34 comments:
- oso-oso/cristina chua said...
Thank you very much for this bit of knowledge! I've always wondered about this thing. I enjoy reading your helpful posts. please keep up the good work!
- May 25, 2008 at 8:39 AM
Now that's the sort of tip you get nowhere else. Mr. Gurney you do a great service with these kind of posts. Another thank you.
- May 25, 2008 at 9:34 AM
- Paolo Rivera said...
Great tip. I glaze almost every face I paint in this way, though to differing degrees. One reason I like using a transparent medium is that this can be done quickly and easily.
You've managed to cover them here, but how about a post devoted to ears? - May 25, 2008 at 10:44 AM
- Enzie Shahmiri said...
Great observation!
- May 25, 2008 at 11:26 AM
- Erik Bongers said...
Utterly completely new information for me too. Thanks!
Since I'm slightly colorblind, (diminished vision of red and green), as a rule I know that my greens and reds are too strong if I can easily recognize the colors.
However, I can EASILY see those red/pink cheekes of Mr. President and the surgeon.
May I then assume that those colors are too strong to be realistic?
The fact that you [James Gurney] state you did not enhance anything seems an indication to that.
The Sargent girl does not have this : I can't recognize a green area around the mouth, but I do see it's a differnt color (grayer and a tad darker in my perception).
Comment on the above perceptions appreciated as it's tricky for colorblind canvas smearers to start adding variations in color to a painted face without ending up with an awkward clown's face! - May 25, 2008 at 12:09 PM
- craigstephens said...
Another concise bit of painting lore. Thanks so much! I hit your blog every day and I always appreciate what you offer.
- May 25, 2008 at 1:51 PM
- Moai said...
I already knew of the blue/greenish jaw area, but the reddish nose and cheeks and the yellowish forehead were new concepts for me. Thank you very much.
- May 25, 2008 at 4:20 PM
- Tyler Davis said...
Are there similar color zones for other ethnicities? Or does it vary with skin color? After reading this post I started thinking of my darker skinned friends and in my mind, there's not as much of a difference as what's been shown in the Caucasian skin color. Thanks for you tips and insights.
- May 25, 2008 at 4:32 PM
What a succinct and enlightening demo. As always you provide a school years' worth of knowledge in a few sentences and those priceless visual training tools.
I check your site, probably daily as there's something new to learn every time.
Please add my thanks to your loyal list of readers. - May 25, 2008 at 6:22 PM
- Per H said...
What a great blog this is!! Thank you so much for sharing.
- May 26, 2008 at 4:19 AM
- Raluca said...
this is 100%new info to me:as someone said before,this is a tip you get nowere else!Thanks for posting it!I became an addicted visitor to your site:like the 2 guys visit you posted above!They will end-up in a big-oil portray for sure!Very nice turned around the situation!!I love it!Have a good week!
- May 26, 2008 at 7:04 AM
- Mark Heng said...
Thanks for another great insight! Just when I think you've covered it all, you come up with another one that opens up whole new topics...How about a series on portraiture?
- May 26, 2008 at 10:44 AM
- Joe Kresoja said...
It's nice to see something that I have noticed myself. =)
- May 27, 2008 at 6:46 PM
- David Apatoff said...
James, I often visit your blog; I always enjoy it and learn from it. You are so prolific, I can rarely find time to comment because you keep us so busy reading and absorbing what you write. As a general matter, that seems like the most useful allocation of my time, but every once in a while I have to weigh in and tell you how much I appreciate what you do.
- May 28, 2008 at 4:40 AM
- James Gurney said...
Thanks to all and to you, David.
For those who aren't already aware of it, David runs one of the most fascinating art blogs, called "IllustrationArt.blogspot.com" that takes a close look at all kinds of illustration. His blog has been a big inspiration for mine.
Paolo, thanks for mentioning glazing, which is a great way to achieve the color zones.
Erik, I don't think you're as color blind as you think. The Sargent girl isn't really very green around her mouth...to me anyway it's really more of a gray in the repro. I couldn't find a better example, but I've seen Sargents that are much more noticeable.
UglyMuffin: Regarding other skin pigmentations, I don't know of any old painter's rules, but I imagine that the beard and capillary effect would be visible unless pigmentation overruled it. - May 28, 2008 at 11:04 AM
- Tyler Davis said...
Thank you for responding, I'll keep my eyes open and if I notice anything, I'll let you know.
- June 9, 2008 at 12:58 PM
- Unknown said...
Enjoyed reading this very much. Apparently on the Sargent of the girl there are some diversions from this dictum. The forehead appears cool violetish rather than yellow and there is a progression from red to yellow from the check going towards the ear. But it is still in keeping with the idea that the blood is in the middle section of the face, especially the nose, with the cheek being the most intense. But as you say, these are general rules, and very subtle. Sargent gave dominance to what he saw and of course is famous for his ability to depict nuances of color.
- November 12, 2008 at 12:04 AM
- Marty Murphy said...
Rembrandt color zone example posted on muddy colors. http://muddycolors.blogspot.com/2011/06/at-met-again.html
- June 9, 2011 at 9:25 AM
- Myke said...
Deoxygenated blood isn't blue. We threw that one out with trepanning and leeches, you guys.
'Veins appear blue because the subcutaneous fat absorbs low-frequency light, permitting only the highly energetic blue wavelengths to penetrate through to the dark vein and reflect off.' - Wikipedia
Still a good resource, mind, and I hope to implement this colouring technique in the near future. A+, like this, etc - September 16, 2011 at 3:52 AM
- James Gurney said...
Myke, thanks for explaining that. I stand corrected.
- September 16, 2011 at 11:10 AM
- Robnonstop said...
Here's an entertaining conversation about how blood never turns blue. http://www.biology-online.org/biology-forum/about763.html
I once saw a documentary on the powerful and mysterious Humboldt Squid.
It can turn its entire body from almost white to a very deep red when feeling endangered. The purpose is not to scare off enemies but to become invisible. Deep underwater red light doesn't travel far, while blue light remains visible.
Both the squid and our blood would be deep red in bright light but appear dark blue when placed under layers of redness-capturing materials. - December 26, 2012 at 11:29 AM
- Robnonstop said...
Photo comparing arterial blood with venous blood:
[Flickr photo by yui.kubo, 2011] - December 26, 2012 at 1:07 PM
- Blue said...
Only now do I realize I'm responding to a 5 year old question, but uglymuffin got me thinking about other skin tones.
Another great tip I learned about painting skin is that the darker the skin's pigment, the more reflective it is. Dark skin is extremely shiny and you can get a lot of great tones from reflected light sources, while the tutorial here demonstrates how much of the variation in paler skin comes from underneath - blood vessels, etc. I dunno, that came in really handy for me. - September 19, 2013 at 4:07 PM
- Joseph Miller said...
Mr. Gurney:
I recently learned that another bust portrait of George Washington has been found near Berlin, MD, stored in an old chicken house. Apparently it has been authenticated and the federal government wishes to purchase it. Imagine that! All those years stowed away in a chicken house.
Joe - January 28, 2014 at 8:57 PM
- Marcelo said...
Some post about color zones of the nude body?
Or some article about that?
Thanks in advance! - March 4, 2016 at 5:04 PM
- Marcelo said...
Some article about nude body color zones? Or where to find?
- March 4, 2016 at 5:04 PM
- Unruffled said...
Sorry, late coming here, but I do have a question. What if a face is tilted, on its side?
- June 17, 2017 at 11:01 AM
- DG said...
Very late as well, but worth asking: what's the 5 o'clock Shadow as in ''Women and children don't have the five-o-clock shadow'' ? Thank you so very much for the precious resource this awsome, fantastic blog has become. - July 29, 2017 at 10:54 AM
- James Gurney said...
Montreal, on a woman it's not like a dark 5 o-clock shadow, but just the subtlest greenish tones in the lower face and neck relative to the lips and the cheeks.
Unruffled, the same local colors would map onto a tilted head.
Marcelo, good question, but I have no idea where you would find that.
Joseph, thanks, I didn't know about that.
Blue, thanks for that tip. I hadn't heard that before. - July 29, 2017 at 12:18 PM
- Unknown said...
what about a guide for dark skin tones, unless if it is the same?
- June 24, 2018 at 12:43 AM
- Unknown said...
Does this coloration apply to dark skin tones?
- June 24, 2018 at 12:43 AM
- Unknown said...
Really I loved it!! !
- April 29, 2019 at 1:54 AM
- John said...
Thanks to share such interesting article with us, Its really help skin care and reduce my acne problems
- July 31, 2020 at 4:56 AM
- Unknown said...
Thank you so much...you are an excellent teacher...my portraits have improved so much after implementing your color zones teaching!
- October 4, 2020 at 9:38 AM


text:
Fox says Gary Newman and Dana Walden, the two executives who run the company's television studio, will also be in charge of the Fox broadcast network.
The appointment announced Monday aligning 20th Century Fox Television with the network brings back a structure that Fox had for five years, ending a decade ago. There are usually financial benefits to having a studio make programming for a network under the same ownership.
At the same time, Mr. Newman and Ms. Walden said the studio will continue making programs for other networks, and the network will remain in business with other studios. The two executives worked at the studio for 15 years.
Ms. Walden said there were no plans to hire an entertainment president for the network. Kevin Reilly's recent exit from Fox triggered the changes.

subset: commoncrawl


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Owing to the uncertainties associated with the estimate of the evolutionary effective microsatellite mutationrates, depending on the haplogroup demographic history,37 we considered two different population models: (1) a constant size population and (2) a single rate of m=0.01 for exponential population growth. After calibration for the specificmicrosatellites used in this study,13 we found evolutionary effective mutationrates of 7.9x10-4 and 1.3x10-3, respectively.and:
As an upper limit, we used the coalescence time of the R-M343/P25 haplogroup (12.9 ky, 95% CI=11.6–14.3 ky, under a conservative scenario of constant population size), which, on the basis of the accumulated nucleotide and microsatellite diversity (Table 1; Figure 2), most likely originated outside Africa. The coalescence time of the seemingly African-specific haplogroup R-V69 (6.0 ky, 95% CI=4.2–8.2 ky, under the hypothesis of an expanding population) was used as a lower limit.
European Journal of Human Genetics doi:10.1038/ejhg.2009.231
Human Y chromosome haplogroup R-V88: a paternal genetic record of early mid Holocene trans-Saharan connections and the spread of Chadic languages
Fulvio Cruciani et al.
Although human Y chromosomes belonging to haplogroup R1b are quite rare in Africa, being found mainly in Asia and Europe, a group of chromosomes within the paragroup R-P25* are found concentrated in the central-western part of the African continent, where they can be detected at frequencies as high as 95%. Phylogenetic evidence and coalescence time estimates suggest that R-P25* chromosomes (or their phylogenetic ancestor) may have been carried to Africa by an Asia-to-Africa back migration in prehistoric times. Here, we describe six new mutations that define the relationships among the African R-P25* Y chromosomes and between these African chromosomes and earlier reported R-P25 Eurasian sub-lineages. The incorporation of these new mutations into a phylogeny of the R1b haplogroup led to the identification of a new clade (R1b1a or R-V88) encompassing all the African R-P25* and about half of the few European/west Asian R-P25* chromosomes. A worldwide phylogeographic analysis of the R1b haplogroup provided strong support to the Asia-to-Africa back-migration hypothesis. The analysis of the distribution of the R-V88 haplogroup in >1800 males from 69 African populations revealed a striking genetic contiguity between the Chadic-speaking peoples from the central Sahel and several other Afroasiatic-speaking groups from North Africa. The R-V88 coalescence time was estimated at 9200–5600 kya, in the early mid Holocene. We suggest that R-V88 is a paternal genetic record of the proposed mid-Holocene migration of proto-Chadic Afroasiatic speakers through the Central Sahara into the Lake Chad Basin, and geomorphological evidence is consistent with this view.


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Herbalism, Mining, and Skinning are often referred to as Gathering Professions. By contrast, the other professions are usually considered Crafting Professions.
Most of the crafting professions require the aid of someone with a particular gathering profession to supply the necessary materials. For example, a leatherworker needs skinned leather. Since your character can learn two primary professions, it is often wise to pick two skills that complement each other.
There is little or no reason not to spend time learning the secondary skills. Fishing and cooking can be boring, but first aid is essential to the survival of most players.
To learn a new profession, you must first locate a Profession Trainer. You will need to train the apprentice level of skill (this can be trained at any trainer). At that point you will have a skill level of 1 out of a possible 75. As you practice the skill it will increase. (See Using a Profession.)
As you gain skill, you may be able to learn new recipes from your trainer. Also, when you are approaching a skill of 75, you will want to train beyond being an apprentice to a journeyman, which will also grant you a new Achievement. This will raise your skill cap to 150. Otherwise, you will never go past 75.
You will be able to visit a trainer again to increase your skill cap to 225, 300, 375 and 450. (These levels are called Expert, Artisan, Master and Grand Master.) As your skill increases, you will be able to make newer and more interesting things...or be able to harvest more challenging items in the case of gathering skills.
To use a gathering profession, you only need to find an item you can gather and right-click it. For skinning, this is as simple as killing a creature that is skinnable and then looting the body. Once it's been looted, simply right click it to skin it. For herbalism and mining, you will need to locate herb and ore nodes. Fortunately, you will have a tracking skill for finding nearby plants and deposits. You will need a skinning knife to skin or a mining pick to mine. These can be bought from any "Trade Goods Vendor."
Production professions are slightly more complicated. First you will need to open your spellbook and look under the General tab for your profession. This will open a Tradeskill Window that will list all of your available recipes, and in parentheses after each is the number of those things that you can actually make/perform based on the materials you have in your inventory. Clicking on a particular recipe will show the items required in the lower half of the window. If you are able to make this item, you can press the Create or Create All button to start crafting.
It is important to note that the recipes (and gathering attempts) will be written in different colors.
As you become a more capable craftsman, the recipes may shift into a lower color, so it is important to keep up with the most recent recipes you can train.
All production professions will have some items that you cannot learn from a trainer. Instead, you will find a recipe out in the world. Some of these will be from a Limited Supply vendor, and others will be World Drops.
Training to the next tier of craftsmanship requires finding a trainer that is able to teach it to you. Most trainers have a limit on what they can teach you. If you are looking to move beyond them, then you may need to travel to another location. If you read the text on the trainer before clicking the "I would like to train" dialog, they will usually indicate where you can find a more capable trainer. You can also refer to our List of Trainers.
It should also be noted that moving to the next tier has a required level associated with it. You must be level 1 to begin a tradeskill, 5 to become a journeyman, 10 for expert, 20 for artisan, 30 for master and 45 for grand master.
If you should decide that you want to embark upon a new profession, you will have to unlearn one of your two existing professions. To do this, open your Skills Window, click on the skill you wish to unlearn, and click on the "no" symbol next to the skill listing that appears at the bottom.
Some production skills also have specialties. When you reach a certain level, you can pick up a focus in one aspect of the profession. This allows you access to certain specific recipes, or in the case of alchemy, bonuses when trying to create potions/elixirs/transmutes.
Production skills seldom, if ever, make money. Most players who invest heavily into being a complete leatherworker or engineer will find themselves in the red. It takes some good business sense to find items nobody else has or is making money from and exploiting the market. It can also take tenacity. For that reason, if your goal is to make money, it is not advised to work on a production tradeskill. As a cruel irony, the reason production skills lose money is because they spend it on raw materials from the Auction House that gatherers collect.
It is recommended if you would like to start your toon with a foundation of gold, to take two gathering skills instead. Plan ahead to drop one of them around lvl 50, and pick up a tradeskill that will enable your character to get the optimized gear or weapons that you need. Until then, the best thing you can do if money is your goal, is to stick to the gathering path.
Skinning and either Herbalism or Mining will net a greater profit than nearly any other pairing. Mining and Herbalism is particularly nice because you will often find nodes and herbs in the same locations. With the introduction of Jewelcrafting in BC, there is an increased need for copper, tin, and silver as well, and its very easy to have a growing stash of gold from your mining. The ore/bars you get in Mining are used by Jewelcrafters, Engineers, and Blacksmiths so you have an increased net of customers to sell to. Herbalism will start off slow in gold, but as you hit outlands you will find yourself with a healthy profit from your time gathering.
Enchanting also has great potential for making money, without requiring a gathering skill, but tends to be very expensive to level. See Making Gold by Disenchanting
A frequently asked question is "What tradeskills should I do?" You must consider what you expect from a tradeskill, whether to make money, or fill a niche in the market, or simply produce some useful items for your character. There are some crafter-only items for each profession to encourage players to not just rely on others for their production.
Common pairings:
While it is possible to combine herbalism and mining, it's less ideal than the other pairings because both make use of the tracking feature and only one type of tracking can be used at a time.
Tradeskill professions are divided into three subcategories:
Primary, and some Secondary, professions are also grouped into 3 sub-categories:


text:
100 Team "Seeded"
Single Elimination Tournament Bracket
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text: Registration at the Hancock Center of Pearl River Community College will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5.The Hancock Center is located at 454 Highway 90 in Waveland.Fall semester day classes at the Hancock Center include Art Appreciation, Computer Application in Business and Industry, Beginning English, Intermediate English, English Composition I and II, Spanish I, World Geography, hybrid World Civilization I, World Civilization II, hybrid American History I, American History II, Fundamentals of Mathematics, Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Calculus I, hybrid General Psychology, General Psychology, Shielded Metal Arc Welding I and II, Drawing and Welding Symbol Interpretation and Cutting Processes.Fall semester night classes at the Hancock Center include General Biology I and lab, Legal Environment of Business, Human Growth and Development, English Composition I, World Literature I and II, Personal and Community Health, World Civilization I, Essential College Skills, College Study Skills, Music Appreciation, American National Government, Beginning Reading, Intermediate Reading, Introduction to Sociology and Public Speaking I.Fall semester night classes at John C. Stennis Space Center include Child Development II, Creative Arts for Young Children, English Composition I and College Algebra. Students taking classes at Stennis need to register at the Hancock Center.Day and night classes start Monday, Aug. 16.Tuition for full-time students taking a minimum of 12 hours is $1,000 per semester. Additional fees are charged for some labs and programs.Admission requirements for new students include a completed PRCC application for admission, official high school transcript showing date of graduation or GED score report, ACT score report and transcripts from any other colleges attended.For more information, telephone the Hancock Center at 228-467-2761, the PRCC admissions office at 601-403-1214 or the academic counseling office at 601-403-1250 or visit the PRCC Website at www.prcc.edu.


text:
Warranty : 1 Year
Every item is guaranteed to be free of defects in workmanship or materials for one year from the original date of delivery when installed and maintained properly. We agree to repair or replace without charge, at our choice, any product judged defective for either of these reasons and to return the item (or its replacement) freight prepaid. Products that do not have a special guarantee carry up to a one-year guarantee which is honored only when the product is inspected and found to have experienced normal use.


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The Street Of Misfit Toys
There's an old man who spends a lot of time on our street. Across the street, actually, at house in which he does not live. He has a friend there, another elderly gentleman, the father of the fellow who actually owns the house. Last summer, they spent the entire summer, the two of them, on the verandah, old and gnarled and batshit crazy, singing loudly along to songs playing on their transistor AM radio, pausing in the choruses to drink coffee and beer and growl at each other like old, toothless pirates.
The second gentleman, the one who lives there, doesn't come out much anymore; he recently spent some time in the hospital and now just sits at his window, looking out at the street, watching the children and the squirrels and the birds. And his friend, the old man that comes to visit.
That old man still comes every day.
He comes every day, but he never goes inside. He turns up at dawn every morning, regular as the newspaper, and sits on the verandah with his transistor radio, listening to summer AM oldies, everything from Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey to Paul McCartney and Wings and, sometimes, Katrina and the Waves. He doesn't sing anymore, but he hums along, loudly, and growls his pirate growl at the stray tomcat that lurks near the verandah steps, and at the random ghosts that, it seems, appear and disappear and reappear to him throughout the day. Some days, he paints - he has painted and re-painted the verandah steps, and has painted and repainted the verandah railing, which itself has come up and down at least three times this summer. One day, he set up a tall, spindly birdbath on the front lawn - constructed, it seems, from random bits of scrap metal - and then, the next day, took it down. He is always puttering and pottering - futzing is the word that my mother would use - and talking to himself and humming and drinking and never, ever glancing toward his old friend in the window.
This is, I suppose, how he mourns - for his old friend, not yet gone but already, it seems, lost, and, I expect, for some long-disappeared family, some long-lost love, some yesterday that lives on only in paint fumes and AM radio. I don't know, because he's never told me.
We don't speak, not really. I wave and shout hello across the street when I open the door to collect the newspaper, or the mail. WonderBaby waves and shouts hello when we pass the verandah on the way to the park around the corner. Hi! Man! she shouts. Bye! Man! she hollers and he waves and smiles and growls - aaarrrr, aaaarrrr! - and she laughs and shouts, delighted at the fanfare. Bye-eeeee!
The other week, he spent hours on the lawn across the street, scrubbing some heap of pink plastic. Then, as I watched from our front window, he carried the heap across the street to our drive, and set it down. Then he picked it back up again, and carried back to his adopted lawn, and scrubbed it some more. Then he sat back on the grass, and contemplated it. It was a big, pink, battery-operated toddler car, no doubt purloined from someone's recycling pile. He seemed unsure what to do with it.
I opened the door, and went across the street to where he was sitting. That's a nice car, I said, gesturing to the battered pink monstrosity.
Yep. (mutter mutter mutter) Found broken fixed (mutter). Cleaned it. (mutter) Broke it. (gestures to our house.) Little one?
She'd like it, I said. He smiled, and picked it up ('good good good aaarrrr'), and carried it to our yard. A strange and lovely and isolated gesture, or so I hoped. I didn't really want that ugly pink car in our yard.
Then, last week, I opened our front door, and saw these:
The trucks, not the bathtub. My husband is responsible for that bathtub, former resident of our BATHROOM. Take it up with him.
Two toy trucks. Battered, but scrubbed clean, and lined up neatly behind the bathtub that should really not have spent two whole days on our verandah. Later, when I mentioned it to my husband, he said that he had been out on the verandah talking to contractors about finishing our bathroom, when the old man had rambled across the street and up our drive clutching a toy monster truck. He pressed into my husband's arms, saying nothing, and then growled and retreated across the street. The truck was left on our front steps by my distracted husband when he left for work, abandoned to be tripped over or kicked aside. I noticed it when I bent out the door to pick up the newspaper, but didn't give it a thought. So there it sat.
By the time I opened the door to check the mail, an hour later, there were two trucks. And now, they were lined up neatly by the door, tucked safely against the wall, the better to not be tripped over, or kicked aside.
WonderBaby was delighted. She loves trucks, and big ugly plastic things, and when she saw them she scooped up one and took it out back to put in her big ugly plastic car, which she also loves. Then she scooped up the other, and pushed it through our house, shouting vrroooom vrroooom! to the backyard where it, too, was giving pride of parking place in the front seat of her battered pink Jeep. Then she got in with them and shouted car! car! tuck! and honked the (still functional) horn.
They're ugly, these toys. They're big ugly plastic things, the sorts of things that I turn away from in the toy store. And they're battered and broken and - despite the labours attended to them - a little dirty. But they delight her. They make her smile. She sees beauty in these old, misfit toys, and watching her love them fills my heart to bursting with an inexpressible, ill-understood pain-tinged joy. A happy hurt that I can't quite explain.That she would fill the heart of this crazy old man, that she would move him, inspire him, I understand. She is breathtaking, and that she smiles and waves and calls to him every morning (Hi yooooooo! Maaaaan! Hy-eeeee!) must be like a fresh, forceful breeze, blowing the ghosts away - or, perhaps, pressing them more closely to him. I don't know. Whatever it is, it is something good. Something beautiful.
That she has so embraced his gifts, that she so loves these dusty, battered tokens of affection, that she so delights in his incomprehensible growl and in the salutory hoisting of his beer bottle - this has taken me by surprise. But why should it? There is magic in dust and wonder in what is old and endless mystery in all that is strange and different and misfit. He is no less amusing and interesting to her than seagulls and goats and the sweet Portuguese baker lady who gives her cookies, and his gifts are no less delightful than anything that my credit card can buy. Perhaps more delightful, because they are scavenged treasure, delivered by a pirate.
She sees beauty and magic where I see age and dementia. She sees treasure where I see junk. She sees friendship where I see loneliness.
She sees far, far more and far, far further than I do, and I love this, and I envy this. From deep, deep in my heart, I envy this.


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Blood Test: Estradiol
Article Translations: (Spanish)
What It Is
An estradiol test measures the level of the hormone estradiol in the bloodstream. Estradiol plays an important role in sexual development: It's the most important form of the hormone estrogen. In sexually mature females, it's produced mainly by the ovaries, and in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands. Estrogen is also produced by the placenta during pregnancy. Sexually mature males have much lower blood levels of estradiol, which are produced by the testes and adrenal glands.
In young girls, estradiol levels are normally low. As puberty approaches, usually between ages 8 and 14, the pituitary gland, located just beneath the brain, secretes two hormones (luteinizing hormone, or LH; and follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH) that work together to stimulate the ovaries to make estradiol. Increased estradiol production is largely responsible for breast development, genital growth, and changes in the distribution of body fat in pubescent girls.
Because human sex hormones work so closely with one another, doctors often perform the estradiol test with tests for LH, FSH, testosterone (the male sex hormone — but teen and adult females produce some, too), and progesterone (the hormone that prepares the body for pregnancy). Taken together, the results can often provide a more complete picture of a person's sexual maturation status and help doctors diagnose diseases causing sex hormone imbalances.
Why It's Done
Doctors may order an estradiol test if a girl appears to be entering puberty earlier or later than expected. High levels are associated with precocious (early) puberty, while low levels may indicate a delay in sexual development.
Estradiol levels also give important information on the functioning of the ovaries. This can help doctors evaluate menstrual problems, including abnormal bleeding or missing periods. The test may also be used in boys or girls to check for damage or disease of the testes, ovaries, or adrenal glands.
Testing estradiol levels also can be used to monitor the progression of a pregnancy, fertility treatments, or to evaluate menopause symptoms.
No special preparations are needed for this test. On the day of the test, having your child wear a T-shirt or short-sleeved shirt can make things easier for your child and the technician who will be drawing the blood.
The Procedure
A health professional will usually draw the blood from a vein. First, the skin surface is cleaned with antiseptic, and an elastic band (tourniquet) is placed around the upper arm to apply pressure and cause the vein to swell with blood.
Then, a needle is inserted into a vein (usually in the arm inside of the elbow or on the back of the hand) and blood is withdrawn and collected in a vial or syringe. After the procedure, the elastic band is removed. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed and the area is covered with cotton or a bandage to stop the bleeding. Collecting the blood for the test will only take a few minutes.
What to Expect
Collecting a sample of blood is only temporarily uncomfortable and can feel like a quick pinprick. Afterward, there may be some mild bruising, which should go away in a few days.
Getting the Results
The blood sample will be processed by a machine. The results usually are available within a few days.
The estradiol blood test is considered a safe procedure. However, as with many medical tests, some problems can occur with having blood drawn, such as:
- fainting or feeling lightheaded
- hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin causing a lump or bruise)
- pain associated with multiple punctures to locate a vein
Helping Your Child
Having a blood test is relatively painless. Still, many kids are afraid of needles. Explaining the test in terms your child can understand might help ease some of the fear.
Allow your child to ask the technician any questions he or she might have. Tell your child to try to relax and stay still during the procedure, as tensing muscles and moving can make it harder and more painful to draw blood. It also may help for your child to look away when the needle is being inserted into the skin.
If You Have Questions
If you have questions about the estradiol test, speak with your doctor.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2024 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com


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Water is the best choice for quenching your thirst. Coffee and tea, without added sweeteners, are healthy choices, too.
Some beverages should be limited or consumed in moderation, including diet drinks, fruit juice and milk. Alcohol in moderation can be healthy for some people, but not everyone.
Avoid sugary drinks like soda, sports beverages, and energy drinks.
There are many options for what to drink, but for most people who have access to safe drinking water, water is the best choice: It's calorie-free, and it's as easy to find as the nearest tap.
Water provides everything the body needs—pure H2O—to restore fluids lost through metabolism, breathing, sweating, and the removal of waste. It's the perfect beverage for quenching thirst and re-hydrating your system.
How much water do I need?
There is no one estimate for how much water the average American needs each day. Instead, the Institute of Medicine has set an adequate intake of 125 ounces (about 15 cups) for men and 91 ounces (about 11 cups) for women. (1) Note that this is not a daily target, but a general guide. In most people, about 80% of this water volume comes from beverages; the rest comes from food.
Water is an excellent calorie-free, sugar-free choice. For some people who are accustomed to drinking sweet beverages, water can initially taste bland. To increase water consumption without losing flavor or to spice up your daily water intake, try these refreshing water-based beverages:
Infused water
Instead of purchasing expensive flavored waters in the grocery store, you can easily make your own at home. Try adding any of the following to a cold glass or pitcher of water:
Sliced citrus fruits or zest (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
Crushed fresh mint
Peeled, sliced fresh ginger or sliced cucumber
Crushed berries
Sparkling water with a splash of juice
Sparkling juices may have as many calories as sugary soda pop. Instead, make your own sparkling juice at home with 12 ounces of sparkling water and just an ounce or two of juice. For additional flavor, add sliced citrus or fresh herbs like mint.
Beverages to limit
Drinks that are loaded with sugar are the worst choice; they contain a lot of calories and virtually no other nutrients. Consuming high-sugar drinks can lead to weight gain and increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and gout.
The average can of sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch provides about 150 calories. If you were to drink just one can of a sugar-sweetened soft drink every day, and not cut back on calories elsewhere, you could gain up to 5 pounds in a year. (2) Cutting back on sugary drinks may help control your weight and may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Sports beverages are designed to give athletes carbs, electrolytes, and fluid during high-intensity workouts that last an hour or more. For other folks, they're just another source of sugar and calories.
Energy drinks have as much sugar as soft drinks, enough caffeine to raise your blood pressure, and additives whose long-term health effects are unknown. For these reasons it's best to skip energy drinks.


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Micah P Hinson
Micah P Hinson and the Pioneer Saboteurs
Full Time Hobby
Texas-based, Micah P Hinson's fourth album is a consummate collection of plaintive and beautiful tracks. Cinematic in its grandeur, the album expertly arcs from prologue to epilogue through 12 songs, sweeping from a modest instrumental beginning to climax with the indulgent The Returning.
Inspired by Walt Whitman and infused with the pioneering spirit of early America, the album sustains intensity and energy throughout. This is due in part to the ubiquitous and sublime strings and the layering of instruments with vocals that add an epic quality. It's a Johnny Cash-meets-Pink Floyd mix of styles, ranging from the comfortably familiar with Seven Horses Seen Or Through The Hours, Still Comes Another Day, to the more experimental later tracks.
Each song has its own merit, but it is the album as a whole that really thrills and in a reversal of convention, this soundtrack is aching to have a film set to it. Even the vocals on She's Building Castles in Her Heart have the grainy quality of an old reel. An evocative selection that always has more to discover. www.micahphinson.com.
Bryony Byrne


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COMMON BRAND NAME(S): Benylin, Creomulsion, Delsym
USES: This medication is used for temporary relief of coughs without phlegm that are caused by certain infections of the air passages (e.g., sinusitis, common cold). This product should not usually be used for an ongoing cough from smoking or long-term breathing problems (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema) unless directed by your doctor. This product contains dextromethorphan. It is a cough suppressant that works by decreasing the feeling of needing to cough. Cough-and-cold products have not been shown to be safe or effective in children younger than 6 years. Therefore, do not use this product to treat cold symptoms in children younger than 6 years unless specifically directed by the doctor. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details about using your product safely. These products do not cure or shorten the length of the common cold and may cause serious side effects. To decrease the risk for serious side effects, carefully follow all dosage directions. Do not use this product to make a child sleepy. Do not give other cough-and-cold medication that might contain the same or similar ingredients (see also Drug Interactions section). Ask the doctor or pharmacist about other ways to relieve cough and cold symptoms (such as drinking enough fluids, using a humidifier or saline nose drops/spray).
HOW TO USE: Take this medication by mouth, usually every 4 to 12 hours as needed or as directed by your doctor. If stomach upset occurs, take with food or milk. Use a medication-measuring device to measure your dose of liquid medication. Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose. If you are taking a suspension, shake the product well before measuring out your dose. Dosage is based on the product you are taking and your age, medical condition, and response to treatment. If you are using this medication for self-treatment (without a prescription from your doctor), follow the specific dosing instructions on the packaging to find the correct dose for your age. If your doctor directs you to take this medication daily, take it regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time(s) each day. Improper use of this medication (abuse) may result in serious harm (e.g., brain damage, seizure, death). Do not increase your dose, take it more frequently, or use it for a longer time than prescribed. Properly stop the medication when so directed. Tell your doctor if your symptoms persist or worsen after more than 1 week or if you also have fever, chills, headache, or rash. These may be signs of a more serious condition.
SIDE EFFECTS: Slight drowsiness/dizziness, nausea, or vomiting may occur. Rarely, some people may experience severe drowsiness/dizziness with normal doses. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, remember that he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
PRECAUTIONS: Before taking dextromethorphan, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: lung problems (e.g., asthma, emphysema). This drug may make you dizzy or drowsy. Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you more dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis). This medicine may contain aspartame. If you have phenylketonuria (PKU) or any other condition that requires you to restrict your intake of aspartame (or phenylalanine), consult your doctor or pharmacist about using this drug safely. During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first. Taking certain MAO inhibitors with this medication may cause a serious (possibly fatal) drug interaction. Avoid taking isocarboxazid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, safinamide, selegiline, or tranylcypromine during treatment with this medication. Most MAO inhibitors should also not be taken for two weeks before treatment with this medication. Ask your doctor when to start or stop taking this medication. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: other medications for cough (e.g., hydrocodone, over-the-counter cough/cold products). This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.
OVERDOSE: If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: fast heartbeat, vomiting, sweating, nervousness, feeling high (euphoria), hallucinations, problems walking (staggering), agitation, severe drowsiness.
NOTES: Keep all regular medical and laboratory appointments.
MISSED DOSE: If you are taking this product on a regular schedule and miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up.
STORAGE: Store at room temperature between 68-77 degrees F (20-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Information last revised October 2018. Copyright(c) 2018 First Databank, Inc.


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Dryer Vent Wizard of Central Dallas, Ft. Worth offers thorough, professional dryer vent cleaning in the Euless, TX area. Over time, lint and debris accumulate in a dryer vent, eventually leading to clogs that are not only a serious fire hazard, but that also decrease efficiency and increase wear to clothing. As a locally owned and operated business, we are not only committed to providing excellent dryer vent cleaning services in our community, but also to making each home we visit safer and more efficient.
Benefits of Dryer Vent Cleaning
- Reduces Fire Hazards
- Eliminates Mold Issues
- Saves Money
- Saves Time
- Increases Clothing Life
- Decreases Energy Consumption
- Prevents Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Extends Dryer Life
Euless, TX Dryer Vent Repair, Inspection, & Installation
As well as offering expert dryer vent cleaning, Dryer Vent Wizard of Central Dallas, Ft. Worth provides a complete lineup of dryer vent related services.
- Repair: A vent line in disrepair or a damaged dryer vent can lead to more serious problems including clogs, decreased efficiency, carbon monoxide poisoning, or fire.
- Inspection: If you think your dryer vent may contain hidden fire hazards or if your dryer is not performing as it should, a thorough dryer vent inspection from Dryer Vent Wizard of Central Dallas, Ft. Worth will uncover the problem.
- Installation: Having your dryer vent system installed by a skilled and experienced professional is the best way to avoid added fire hazards and future complications. Our technicians know which materials work best and how to work around any obstacles that may be present in your laundry area.
To schedule your dryer vent cleaning, inspection, repair, or installation, call (972) 822-2050 or request an appointment today!


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A Guide to a Successful Lending Experience
When applying for a home loan mortgage, there are many things that can affect the success of your experience.
We will discuss your goals - I will want to know about your short- and long-term goals. How long do you plan to live in the house? How quickly do you want to pay off your mortgage? We will consider your financial and homeownership goals to help you decide which loan program might work best for your needs.
I will communicate every step of the process - Communication is key during a home loan transaction. My goal is to keep you informed and relaxed throughout the loan process. Whether you prefer phone calls, texts, or emails, I will be in touch every step of the way.
We will create a workable timeline - Throughout the mortgage process, there are many forms and documents that I will need from you. Before you begin, we will work together to create a timeline for paperwork submission and verify that we have enough time before you close.
You will keep me in the loop too - Many things can make it difficult for you to obtain a home loan. Be open about any unusual circumstances such as a pending divorce, changes in employment, or unreliable income.
I will help keep our team organized - I will work with the real estate agents, title company, attorneys, and other parties involved for a smooth and easy transition, and communicate with them throughout the process.
When you are ready to purchase a home, I would love to talk to you about your home buying options and tell you more about my plan to help make your lending experience stress free. Call me today to set up an appointment!


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WASHINGTON — Saturday mail may soon go the way of the Pony Express and penny postcards. The Postal Service said Wednesday that it plans to cut back to five-day-a-week deliveries for everything except packages to stem its financial losses in a world radically re-ordered by the Internet.
"Our financial condition is urgent," declared Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe. But Congress has voted in the past to bar the idea of eliminating Saturday delivery, and his announcement immediately drew protests from some lawmakers. The plan, which is to take effect in August, also brought vigorous objections from farmers, the letter carriers' union and others.
The Postal Service, which suffered a $15.9 billion loss in the past budget year, said it expected to save $2 billion annually with the Saturday cutback. Mail such as letters and magazines would be affected. Delivery of packages of all sizes would continue six days a week.
The plan accentuates one of the agency's strong points: Package delivery has increased by 14 percent since 2010, officials say, while the delivery of letters and other mail has plummeted. Email has decreased the mailing of paper letters, but online purchases have increased package shipping, forcing the Postal Service to adjust to customers' new habits.
"Things change," Donahoe said.
James Valentine, an antiques shop owner in Toledo, wasn't too concerned about the news.
"The mail isn't that important to me anymore. I don't sit around waiting for it to come. It's a sign of the times," he said, adding, "It's not like anyone writes letters anymore."
In fact, the Postal Service has had to adapt to changing times ever since Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general by the Continental Congress in 1775. The Pony Express began in 1860, six-day delivery started in 1863, and airmail became the mode in 1918. Twice-a-day delivery was cut to one in 1950 to save money.
But change is not the biggest factor in the agency's predicament – Congress is. The majority of the service's red ink comes from a 2006 law forcing it to pay about $5.5 billion a year into future retiree health benefits, something no other agency does. Without that payment – $11.1 billion in a two-year installment last year – and related labor expenses, the mail agency sustained an operating loss of $2.4 billion for the past fiscal year, lower than the previous year.
Congress also has stymied the service's efforts to close some post offices in small towns.
Under the new plan, mail would be delivered to homes and businesses only from Monday through Friday but would still be delivered to post office boxes on Saturdays. Post offices now open on Saturdays would remain open.
Over the past several years, the Postal Service has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages – and it repeatedly but unsuccessfully has appealed to Congress to approve the move. An independent agency, the service gets no tax dollars for its day-to-day operations but is subject to congressional control.
The proposed change is based on what appears to be a legal loophole – and that may be a gamble. Congress has long included a ban on five-day-only delivery in its spending bills, but because the federal government is now operating under a temporary spending measure rather than an appropriations bill, Donahoe says it's the agency's interpretation that it can make the change itself.
"This is not like a `gotcha' or anything like that," he said. The agency essentially wants Congress to keep the ban out of any new spending bill after the temporary measure expires March 27.
Might Congress try to block the idea?
"Let's see what happens," he said. "I can't speak for Congress."
Two Republican lawmakers said they had sent a letter to leaders of the House and Senate in support of the elimination of Saturday mail. It's "common-sense reform," wrote Darrell Issa of California, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
But Alaska Democratic Sen. Mark Begich called it "bad news for Alaskans and small business owners" who he said need timely delivery to rural areas.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she was disappointed, questioned the savings estimate and worried the loss of Saturday service might drive customers away.
"The Postal Service is the linchpin of a $1 trillion mailing and mail-related industry that employs more than 8 million Americans in fields as diverse as direct mail, printing, catalog companies, magazine and newspaper publishing and paper manufacturing," she said. "A healthy Postal Service is not just important to postal customers but also to our national economy."
She noted that the Senate last year passed a bill that would have stopped the postal service from eliminating Saturday service for at least two years and required it to try two years of aggressive cost cutting instead.
The House didn't pass a bill.
Republican House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday, "I think trying to act in this postal area is pretty difficult. But I understand where the postal commission is coming from. They're in charge with running the post office, but yet the Congress, in its wisdom, has tied their hands every which way in order for them to actually run the post office in a revenue neutral way."
"And so Congress needs to act, there's no question about that, and I hope we'll act soon."
President Barack Obama's spokesman, Jay Carney, said the White House learned only Tuesday about the agency's decision to cut Saturday service. He said the White House is still evaluating the decision but would have preferred its own comprehensive overhaul package that failed to pass Congress last year be adopted "for the sake of a stronger future Postal Service."
The president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Fredric Rolando, said the cutback is "a disastrous idea that would have a profoundly negative effect on the Postal Service and on millions of customers," particularly businesses, rural communities, the elderly, the disabled and others who depend on Saturday delivery for commerce and communication.
He said the maneuver by Donahoe to make the change "flouts the will of Congress, as expressed annually over the past 30 years in legislation that mandates six-day delivery."
The National Farmers Union said "impacts on rural America will be particularly harmful."
Despite that opposition, the Postal Service clearly thinks it has a majority of the American public on its side. The service's market research indicates that nearly 7 in 10 people support the switch as a way to reduce costs, Donahoe said.
He said the savings would include employee reassignment and attrition.
The agency in November reported a record annual loss of $15.9 billion for the past budget year and forecast more red ink in 2013, capping a tumultuous year in which it was forced to default on the $11 billion in retiree health benefit prepayments to avert bankruptcy.
The financial losses for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 were more than triple the $5.1 billion loss in the previous year. Having reached its borrowing limit, the mail agency is operating with little cash on hand.
The Postal Service is in the midst of a major restructuring throughout its retail, delivery and mail processing operations. Since 2006, it has cut annual costs by about $15 billion, reduced the size of its career workforce by 193,000, or 28 percent, and has consolidated more than 200 mail processing locations, officials say.
At the DeCicco Food Market in Pelham, N.Y., where they handle the mail for all 10 of their stores, the assistant manager, Frank Torres, said they will try to adjust their routine. I'll tell you, though, the customers are pretty upset, we've been hearing them at the (checkout) registers. Some of them get mail they want on Saturday.
"You know what also, it will be strange not seeing the mailman on Saturday. Our office girls know him on a first-name basis."
source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com


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By JEAN H. LEE
In this Wednesday, April 10, 2013 photo, North Korean military officers look from a sight-seeing boat sailing on the Yalu River, the China-North Korea border river, near North Korea's town of Sinuiju, opposite to the Chinese border city of Dandong. North Korea delivered a fresh round of rhetoric Thursday with claims it had "powerful striking means" on standby for a missile launch, while Seoul and Washington speculated that the country is preparing to test a medium-range missile during upcoming national celebrations. (AP Photo) CHINA OUT
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Hinting at a missile launch, North Korea delivered a fresh round of war rhetoric Thursday with claims it has "powerful striking means" on standby. Seoul and Washington speculated that it is preparing to test-fire a missile designed to be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.
The latest rhetoric came as new U.S. intelligence was revealed showing North Korea is now probably capable of arming a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead.
On the streets of Pyongyang, North Koreans shifted into party mode as they celebrated the anniversary of leader Kim Jong Un's appointment to the country's top party post — one in a slew of titles collected a year ago in the months after his father Kim Jong Il's death.
But while there was calm in Pyongyang, there was condemnation in London, where foreign ministers from the Group of Eight nations slammed North Korea for "aggressive rhetoric" that they warned would only further isolate the impoverished, tightly controlled nation.
North Korea's provocations, including a long-range rocket launch in December and an underground nuclear test in February, "seriously undermine regional stability, jeopardize the prospects for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and threaten international peace and security," the ministers said in a statement.
In the capital of neighboring South Korea, the country's point person on relations with the North, Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, urged Pyongyang to engage in dialogue and reverse its decision to pull workers from a joint industrial park just north of their shared border, a move that has brought factories there to a standstill.
"We strongly urge North Korea not to exacerbate the crisis on the Korean Peninsula," Ryoo said.
North Korea probably has advanced its nuclear knowhow to the point where it could arm a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead, but the weapon wouldn't be very reliable, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded. The DIA assessment was revealed Thursday at a public hearing in Washington.
President Barack Obama warned the unpredictable communist regime that his administration would "take all necessary steps" to protect American citizens.
In his first public comments since North Korea escalated its rhetoric, Obama urged the north to end its nuclear threats, saying it was time for the isolated nation "to end the belligerent approach they have taken and to try to lower temperatures."
"Nobody wants to see a conflict on the Korean Peninsula," Obama added, speaking from the Oval Office alongside United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was headed to Seoul on Friday for talks with South Korean officials before heading on to China.
"If anyone has real leverage over the North Koreans, it is China," U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Congress on Thursday. "And the indications that we have are that China is itself rather frustrated with the behavior and the belligerent rhetoric of … Kim Jong Un."
In the latest threat from Pyongyang, the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, a nonmilitary agency that deals with relations with South Korea, said "striking means" have been "put on standby for a launch and the coordinates of targets put into the warheads." It didn't clarify, but the language suggested a missile.
The statement was the latest in a torrent of warlike threats seen outside Pyongyang as an effort to raise fears and pressure Seoul and Washington into changing their North Korea policies, and to show the North Korean people that their young leader is strong enough to stand up to powerful foes.
Referring to Kim Jong Un, Clapper told Congress that "I don't think … he has much of an endgame other than to somehow elicit recognition," and to turn the nuclear threat into "negotiation and to accommodation and presumably for aid."
Officials in Seoul and Washington say Pyongyang appears to be preparing to test-fire a medium-range missile designed to be capable of reaching Guam. Foreign experts have dubbed the missile the "Musudan" after the northeastern village where North Korea has a launchpad, saying it has a range of 3,500 kilometers (2,180 miles).
Such a launch would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korea from nuclear and ballistic missile activity, and mark a major escalation in Pyongyang's standoff with neighboring nations and the United States. North Korea already has been punished by new U.N. sanctions for the rocket launch and nuclear test.
Analysts do not believe North Korea will stage an attack similar to the one that started the Korean War in 1950. But there are concerns that the animosity could spark a skirmish that could escalate into a serious conflict.
"North Korea has been, with its bellicose rhetoric, with its actions … skating very close to a dangerous line," U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in Washington on Wednesday. "Their actions and their words have not helped defuse a combustible situation."
Bracing for a launch that officials said could take place at any time, Seoul deployed three naval destroyers, an early warning surveillance aircraft and a land-based radar system, a Defense Ministry official said in Seoul, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with department rules. Japan deployed PAC-3 missile interceptors around Tokyo.
But officials in Seoul played down security fears, noting that no foreign government has evacuated its citizens from either Korean capital.
"North Korea has continuously issued provocative threats and made efforts to raise tension on the Korean peninsula … but the current situation is being managed safely and our and foreign governments have been calmly responding," Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young told reporters Thursday.
Still, Taiwan urged its citizens Thursday "to suspend travel to South Korea for business, tourism and educational purposes unless it is absolutely necessary."
The Korean War ended in 1953 with a truce, not a peace treaty, and the U.S. and North Korea do not have diplomatic relations.
For weeks, the U.S. and South Korea have staged annual military drills meant to show the allies' military might. North Korea condemns the drills as rehearsal for an invasion.
In retaliation, North Korea for days barred South Koreans from crossing the border to get to factories in Kaesong where they make everything from shoes to suits using North Korean labor. Citing the tensions, North Korea on Monday pulled its more than 50,000 workers from the Kaesong complex, forcing many factories to stop production and jeopardizing the future of the last joint project between the two Koreas.
Discouraged South Korean managers continued leaving Kaesong, packing their cars with goods and belongings.
In Pyongyang, however, there was no sense of turmoil. Across the city, workers were rolling out sod and planting trees in preparation for a series of April holidays.
Students from Kim Chaek University of Science and Technology put on suits and traditional dresses to dance in the plaza next to the Arch of Triumph to mark Kim Jong Un's appointment as first secretary of the Workers' Party a year ago.
Another key appointment falls on Saturday, and flower show and art performances are scheduled in the lead-up to the nation's biggest holiday, the April 15 birthday of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, father of the country's second leader, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather of the current leader.
No military parade or mass events are expected over the coming week, but North Korea historically uses major holidays to show off its military power, and analysts say Pyongyang could well mark the occasion with a provocative missile launch.
"However tense the situation is, we will mark the Day of the Sun in a significant way," Kim Kwang Chon, a Pyongyang citizen, told The Associated Press, referring to the April 15 birthday. "We will celebrate the Day of the Sun even if war breaks out tomorrow."
During last year's celebrations, North Korea failed in an attempt to send a satellite into space aboard a long-range rocket. The U.S. and its allies criticized the launch as a covert test of ballistic missile technology.
The subsequent launch in December was successful, and that was followed by the country's third underground nuclear test on Feb. 12, possibly taking the regime closer to mastering the technology for mounting an atomic weapon on a long-range missile.
Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul and Kimberly Dozier and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.


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Mark Bittman's Olive Oil Cake
Friday, August 28, 2009
I can't believe it has been 8 weeks since my last blood donation. The summer is just flying by. September in a few days? What the heck? Last time I gave blood, I brought my own post-donation cookie. This time, I can't have dairy so I made an Olive Oil Cake.
I just picked up Mark Bittman's two classics from the library: How to cook everything and How to cook everything vegetarian. They are going on my wishlist of cookbooks.
This cake was really lovely. It was moist and light. The eggs provide a nice sponge, and the glaze a bit of sweetness. I think you'll like it. And it was a delicious treat after giving blood! :)
I'll try this again with either lime, lemon or grapefruit...I love me the citrus.
And don't forget...if you can give blood, it is much needed. Jan, the RN, at my blood donor center told me that the percent of eligible donors is now 46% of the population. And of the 46%, only 5% actually donate. So, if you can, please think about rolling up your sleeve to help out! Contact you local hospital or the Red Cross.
Olive Oil Cake
Adapted from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"
2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
3/4 c sugar + 1/4 c sugar
4 eggs, separated
1/3 c freshly squeezed orange juice
2 t grated or finely minced orange or lemon zest
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
2. Grease two 8- or 9-inch layer cake pans or one 9 x 13 pan. I used 9 x 13.
3. Combine in small bowl: flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Mix together oil, 3/4 c sugar until creamy. Add 4 egg yolks and beat until thick and fluffy (5-7 minutes)
5. Mix in dry ingredients until smooth. Add the orange juice and zest, and stir until blended. The batter will be pretty thick.
6. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, then add the 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until soft peaks.
7. I stirred 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the wet ingredients to lighten the batter. Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites.
8. Pour into pan(s). Bake for 35 minutes. If you used rounds, let them cool for 15 minutes before depanning. If you used the 9 x 13 pan, let it cool in the pan. Let cool completely before glazing.
Orange Glaze
1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice
1 T grated orange zest
1/2 t vanilla extract
3 c confectioners' sugar
Mix together. Glaze the cake.
How to cook everything vegetarian by Mark Bittman, page 852 (has optional glaze recipes)
How to cook everything by Mark Bittman (10th Anniversary Edition) page 914 | glazes on page 919 and 924
37 comments:
- Fahrenheit 350° said... [Reply to comment]
I can't give blood, but my husband gives blood and plasma every few months! They have him on a schedule! This cake looks amazing, and those cookbooks... who knew? They are going on my list too!
- August 28, 2009 at 1:02 AM
- Rosa's Yummy Yums said... [Reply to comment]
That cake looks really good!
Rosa - August 28, 2009 at 1:17 AM
- Unknown said... [Reply to comment]
That's so great that you give blood. I've been looking into giving blood in my little community but it seems they don't have the facility for it. Bummer.
I especially wanted to give blood because if you donate on a military base it goes straight to other military members. Talk about supporting the troops. - August 28, 2009 at 3:33 AM
- Donna-FFW said... [Reply to comment]
This sounds so lovely, so simple, and like it is just perfect for tea or coffee. I love the shot of theglaze dripping down!!
- August 28, 2009 at 4:26 AM
Just in the past few weeks I've been obsessed with How to Eat Everything Vegetarian...like reading it in bed just for fun. Your results for this recipe look gorgeous!
- August 28, 2009 at 4:57 AM
- Mary said... [Reply to comment]
This cake is on my must try list...great post....tgif. I love Mark Bittman too...have you seen on the NYTimes website where you can watch little videos of him cooking?
- August 28, 2009 at 5:12 AM
- Erica from Cooking for Seven said... [Reply to comment]
I am intrigued by olive oil cakes. It sounds delicious, but I don't know how my family would take it. :D
Your cake looks wonderful. - August 28, 2009 at 5:14 AM
- Audrie said... [Reply to comment]
I think the glaze on that cake looks divine!
- August 28, 2009 at 6:28 AM
- Irene said... [Reply to comment]
This looks wonderful, Mary! Thanks for a non-dairy recipe, I'm always looking for that for lactose intolerant friends as well as for my friends who keep Kosher.
- August 28, 2009 at 8:43 AM
- The Blonde Duck said... [Reply to comment]
I've never heard of olive oil cake. How interesting!
- August 28, 2009 at 10:15 AM
- Kerstin said... [Reply to comment]
Olive oil cakes seem like they are in every restaurant now! I so need to try one, yours looks great!
- August 28, 2009 at 10:17 AM
- Audrey said... [Reply to comment]
OK, spooky, I have both of these out too. I haven't had time to make anything, but this cake will be on top of my list! Looks wonderful.
And thanks for the reminder about blood donations. There's a mobile donation van that comes to my office...I just love it when I pass the iron test! - August 28, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Will def have to make the cake it looks really good.
And thanks for the reminder about donating blood. I just made an appointment for Sunday. - August 28, 2009 at 11:23 AM
- Bec said... [Reply to comment]
Ok, I know it's a little off topic but I thought of you. I'm making Dole Pineapple Whip for my daughter's "Enchanted Tiki Room" bday party - what sort of cupcake would you make with that? I was thinking coconut but I'm not sure.
- August 28, 2009 at 12:08 PM
- Hennifer said... [Reply to comment]
I give blood pretty regularly.
Every time I go and read the predonation reading I am sad that more and more exclusions come up. I understand them but find them sad.
On a positive note I too adore citrus and this cake looks and sounds so yummy.
Thank you for sharing. - August 28, 2009 at 12:22 PM
- The Food Librarian said... [Reply to comment]
Bec, You have a recipe for the Dole Whip??!!? My total favorite part of Dland! I think coconut would be good...(but full disclosure: I'm a shredded coconut hater). Could you do some without shredded coconut on top? Or a white cake with mango pieces on top? Or lime cupcakes? The cupcakes are soooo secondary to the Dole Whip! :) - mary
- August 28, 2009 at 1:06 PM
- Maria said... [Reply to comment]
They won't let me give blood, I don't weigh enough. So odd! I appreciate the people that do:) Glad you tried this cake, it looks fantastic!
- August 28, 2009 at 2:49 PM
- Monica H said... [Reply to comment]
That orange glaze looks so tasty!
- August 28, 2009 at 2:56 PM
- Ingrid_3Bs said... [Reply to comment]
Love how the glaze is dripping down the sides. Yum!
~ingrid - August 28, 2009 at 3:07 PM
- Nancy/n.o.e said... [Reply to comment]
I love Bittman, I love his books, I love olive oil cake, I love giving blood (but I'm way overdue, so thanks for the little reminder!), so it all adds up to: I love this post!!
- August 28, 2009 at 3:17 PM
- betty geek said... [Reply to comment]
I love this! Olive oil cake?
That sounds awesome and your pictures convinced me, too!
What happened to our summer?! I am trying to take advantage of the last few weeks myself with ice creams and light cupcakes! - August 28, 2009 at 3:57 PM
- Jen H said... [Reply to comment]
This looks delicious! I love olive oil cake.
- August 28, 2009 at 4:18 PM
- Jacque said... [Reply to comment]
I'll bet the folks at the blood drive love seeing you! This looks simple, yet delish.
So nice. - August 28, 2009 at 5:27 PM
- JR said... [Reply to comment]
This was a good post because it prompted me to go to the Red Cross site. I wasn't eligible to donate for several years (too long living in the UK during the Mad Cow disease high point). Sadly, I'm still ineligible because I've lived too recently in a malarial country. Three years of non-eligibility for that one! Still, at least you prompted me to check it out.
- August 28, 2009 at 11:26 PM
- Jo said... [Reply to comment]
Hmm I've never tried making a cake with olive oil. But by the looks of your photo, it may not be that bad after all cause it sure does look moist.
- August 29, 2009 at 9:48 AM
- Bec said... [Reply to comment]
I like the mango & lime ideas. It's for little kids so I think they won't love shredded coconut either. You can buy the dry Dole mix that they use at Disneyland online and make it at home in an ice cream maker - it's amazing! http://uec-hawaii.com/dolewhip.html
Thanks for the ideas! - August 29, 2009 at 12:33 PM
- BAKE-EN said... [Reply to comment]
Your cake looks lovely. Can't wait to try this recipe.
- August 29, 2009 at 3:49 PM
- Jennifer said... [Reply to comment]
Now THAT looks delicious!!!!!!
- August 29, 2009 at 5:28 PM
I've been wanting to try this recipe since I saw it in his books. YUM.
- August 29, 2009 at 6:41 PM
- Hungry Dog said... [Reply to comment]
Sounds (and looks!) like a perfect summer cake! I'm definitely going to make this.
- August 30, 2009 at 9:35 AM
- Unknown said... [Reply to comment]
UCLA's blood & platelet center came to my office bldg last week so I donated & got a very nice beach towel AND movie pass!
- August 30, 2009 at 12:05 PM
- Dina said... [Reply to comment]
the cake looks great. i want to try olive oil cake!
- August 30, 2009 at 6:38 PM
- eatme_delicious said... [Reply to comment]
Mmm this cake looks yummy & soft! I haven't checked out any of Mark Bittman's cookbooks yet - I should.
- August 30, 2009 at 11:39 PM
- Katie said... [Reply to comment]
Ohh I've never tried an olive oil cake before, sounds yummy
- August 31, 2009 at 12:19 AM
- Sam@BingeNYC said... [Reply to comment]
Yum! I LOVE olive oil in baked goods. Enjoy those cookbooks, they are pretty awesome!
- August 31, 2009 at 3:30 PM
- Cindy said... [Reply to comment]
I've been meaning to make an olive-oil cake for the longest time and yuor post inspired me to do it tomorrow.
Thanks. - September 5, 2009 at 4:34 PM
- m said... [Reply to comment]
Tried this today, delish! By the time I got to the glaze though, I realized I had used up all my oranges, so I used lime instead... not a fan of the ultra sweet, but my girlfriend loved it and had 3 slices smothered in glaze c: the actual cake on the other hand, I ADORED, super duper moist and fluffy, definitely having some coffee with this business! Thanks so much C:
- January 17, 2011 at 1:42 AM


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Rolling Stone Premieres New Tim Fite Video
This Monday February 6th, Rolling Stone will debut a brand new video from the artist Tim Fite. The highly imaginative and emotionally resonant clip for the song "We Are All Teenagers" is from Fite's upcoming album Ain't Ain't Ain't which will arrive in stores on March 6th via Anti-Records.
The epic and heart wrenching song "We Are All Teenagers" serves as the thematic centerpiece of Fite's startling new album, building from an intimate lament on the awkwardness of the teen years to a magnificently cathartic Phil Spector-like crescendo about human frailty and the lost promise of youth. The accompanying video perfectly captures the song's bittersweet sentiments.
As Tim Fite explains, "The video for "We Are All Teenagers" tells the story of an old man who is pleasantly confused by his own reflection. Whenever he looks in the mirror, he sees himself as a teenager. Emboldened by this reflective anomaly, the old man swipes his daughter's car keys, and sneaks out of the house for a bit of late night joyriding. Ditching his cane, clad only in flannel pajamas, the old man hurdles headlong into a joyous night of freedom and fireworks."
Directed by Ronnie Porto and featuring Tim Fite in special effects "old man make-up," this cinematic video will appeal to anyone who has ever snuck out of a window in the middle of the night . . . anyone who has ever run around the yard waving a sparkler . . . who has ever hung out the window of a moving car just to feel the wind in their hair. . . this video is for proud few who can recall what it was like to be a teenager, making "something to do" out of "There is nothing to do!"
To watch the video for Tim Fite's "We Are All Teenagers" just go to href="http://www.rollingstone.com/videos/new-and-hot/tim-fite-we-are-all-teenagers-20120206">Rolling Stone.
The album Ain't Ain't Ain't is the final installment of Fite's critically acclaimed "Ain't" trilogy. While the first two albums were powerful sound collages that artfully combined disparate musical traditions without pretense or prejudice, this latest work features the artist playing and recording instruments in the studio. This leaner sound reveals Tim Fite to be a classic songwriter of startling ability and vision.


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If you're in marketing, chances are you've already heard about how to connect with Millennials; nowadays a new generation is bursting forth onto the consumer scene, many of whom just got their license and moved away to college. Born after 1995, Generation Z is the youngest generation to breach the boundaries of adulthood.
But don't mistake their youth for insignificance. According to Fast Company, Gen Z will account for 40% of all consumers by 2020. And they're not simply another generation of Millennials to market to. Generation Z grew up in the technological world, which means marketing to them must be more targeted than ever. Here are seven strategies for marketing to Gen Z.
1. Embrace authenticity.
Generation Z has been constantly exposed to messages and information their entire lives, which means they can quickly tell when a company is lying. They're particularly astute to how a business connects its front face with its actual values. This means companies should embrace authenticity in every area of their marketing, advertisements and even business structure.
2. Share your values.
Speaking of values, share yours with Generation Z followers. This generation is particularly socially conscious, and they tend to do business with companies who share their values. Identify what your core principles are—and where you stand on some social issues—and see how you can link them into your marketing strategy to demonstrate more authenticity.
3. Be on social.
This might come as no surprise, but Gen Z is one of the most social generations for businesses to work with. If your company isn't on social media, chances are it's not reaching Generation Z. Update your social networking presence, stay on top of digital marketing trends and keep your social media strategy relevant to position your business in a strong light with Gen Z.
4. Work with influencers.
Generation Z are constantly connected, and they get most of their product information and insight from social influencers. As you upgrade your social media presence, consider working with a variety of online influencers to help promote your products. But, remember authenticity: develop long-term relationships with content creators to draft genuine stories for Gen Z.
5. Leverage reviews.
As they've grown up around technology, Generation Z customers constantly have a plethora of ratings and reviews to help them choose their products. Therefore, positive user-generated reviews are crucial to business success with Generation Z. A company can no longer have a few small reviews here or there; genuine reviews should be a top priority.
6. Keep it simple.
Gen Z is used to being bombarded by messages and making their decisions quickly. As a byproduct of technology, they have an increasingly short attention span. This means your business needs to keep its marketing messages simple and straight to the point. Don't beat around the bush, or you risk losing the audience's attention and the sale entirely.
7. Use mobile first.
Be where your customers are, which is on their phones. Say goodbye to much of desktop, web browser and email marketing. With Generation Z, embrace a mobile-first marketing strategy. Say hello to native apps, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. Most importantly, make sure your website is mobile-friendly, where consumers can easily find you.
Marketing is an ever-changing game, and as Generation Z embraces adulthood, strategies are forced to adapt, too. If you want to connect with Generation Z, keep these marketing tactics in mind for how to share your product and support your business.


text:
Burger King Offers Proud Whopper in SF
Burger King is celebrating gay pride with a message on its Whopper wrappers.
The fast-food chain says it will post a video online Wednesday that shows scenes from a San Francisco location where it sold a "Proud Whopper." Customers were not told what is in the burger, which comes wrapped in rainbow paper. Once opened up, a message inside the wrapper states, "We are all the same inside."
The idea is that the Proud Whopper is no different from the regular Whopper, despite its colorful packaging.
The marketing effort is part of Burger King's push to connect with customers in a more meaningful way, particularly with the younger individuals fast-food chains are known for courting. As part of that push, Burger King recently said it was retiring its "Have It Your Way" slogan in favor of the more personal "Be Your Way" (Ad Age pointed out the phrase was "grammatically challenged").
Whether the new approach can help Burger King Worldwide Inc. boost sales remains to be seen. The company, based in Miami, was acquired and taken private by 3G Capital in 2010. The Brazilian private investment firm took the chain public again in 2012 in a deal that allowed it to retain a majority stake while more than recouping its investment.
3G has been trying to revitalize Burger King's image and menu ever since with mixed results in the U.S., where traditional fast-food chains have struggled amid competition from newer players such as Chipotle. Last year, Burger King's sales at established North American locations slipped 0.9 percent.
The chain says the "Proud Whopper" video was shot over the past weekend in San Francisco, near where the city held its 44th annual gay pride parade. Fernando Machado, who heads global brand management for Burger King, said in a phone interview the "Proud Whopper" will remain on the menu until Thursday.
A rough cut of the two-minute video shows confused customers asking about the Proud Whopper, trying to figure out what makes it different, then later grasping what is happening.
"I think this wrapper means we all have the same rights," a young child explains.
"A burger has never made me cry before," says a young woman.
Another young woman uses an expletive to explain that it's same stuff inside. The video also shows some negative reactions, including a man who says the chain will no longer have his business.
Burger King said the video was developed by the ad agency DAVID, and directed by Henry Alex Rubin, who also directed the film "Girl, Interrupted."
Other food companies have also recently shown support for gay individuals, including Oreo-cookie maker Mondelez International Inc., which featured a gay couple in an ad for Honey Maid graham crackers, and Coca-Cola Co., which featured a gay couple in its Super Bowl ad.