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customized: family reunion dress
I always love to see what you do with our sewing patterns, and it's especially fun to see how you customize them to make them your own.
Here is an excellent example.
This gorgeous Family Reunion Dress was sewn by Nicole, who makes all sorts of terrific things for her five children. Nicole lives in Australia and blogs at Five and Counting.
I asked her for some details about the alterations she made to the pattern, and here is what she said:
I used a chartreuse dupioni silk for the dress and a pearly pink thai silk for the trim. I pre-washed the fabric in my machine on a gentle load with Pantene shampoo and conditioner (mix the conditioner with water first) and line dried. I have continued to wash the dress the same way, and all the lemonade and cake comes out.
The alterations were very few. I lengthened the short sleeves straight down without tapering the line. When sewing the sleeves I created a simple elastic casing and used 1/2 inch non-curl elastic so it had some width and firmness. Using the contrast thai silk I made two simple ties and sewed them in place at the seam of the cuff. They simply tie around her wrist after dressing.
The neck was a folded strip of the same silk. I think it may have been double the neck measurement? I sewed the ends and turned it to have a neat finish.
I basted the ruffle to the wrong side of the dress and then pinned the right side of the facing over that and sewed them all together [follow the sewing instructions for the facing, but sandwich the ruffle between the facing and the wrong side of the dress] and then turned the facing to the outside (after trimming the neckline).
I replaced the front tab with a ruffle of the thai silk approximately the same length and hand sewed a little silver charm to the bottom of the ruffle.
Isn't it beautiful? Here it is in action. You can see more photos of Nicole's sewing on Flickr, too.
I've just created a new pinterest board called "Customizing with Oliver + S" where I thought it would be fun to collect inspiration, both of clothing that you've sewn and of images I see that give me ideas of ways you might want to customize our patterns. We'll blog more in-depth looks at some of these ideas, too, so I hope you'll find lots of inspiration for your own projects.
And as always, I can't wait to see what you make!
10 Comments:
Gorgeous dress with lots of nice details. Looking forward to checking out everyone's ideas for new spins on the patterns! The link seems to be mistyped, though, it's here: http://pinterest.com/liesl/customizing-with-oliver-s/
Nicole is one of the most talented sewists I know. She is so generous with her time and with helping others make gorgeous creations too. It's fabulous to see her work on your blog! Thank you 🙂
Oh my goodness Liesl,I am very humbled,I thought I was to be part of a post-not a post!
Thank you for the huge compliment.
PS-Silk is best dried away from a breeze as that can 'rough' up the fibres and it will not have as much sheen.
I love the idea of sharing how such talented folks have customized and altered the patterns on Pinterest. What amazing inspiration! Thank you for sharing.
What a nice post and a gorgeous dress! I'm off to look at your new pin board, Liesl.
Nicole always does such beautiful work, and this dress is no exception! And Liesl, I love that you're so excited about people customizing your patterns, it's really fun to see all the variations! 🙂
Nicole is so wonderful at inspiring to try new things! Half of patterns I bough is because she has made a pattern that I just can't seem to get out of my head. A very clever woman she is!
I agree with everyone else! Nicole is such an inspiration and such a help! She is always so sweet in answering my questions. And she sews ah-mazing clothes!! Can I be her daughter… 😉 And I have enjoyed following your board Liesel, it is so fun to see how others have customized and also when you show a designer garment and tell what pattern to use to make it… does that make any sense? ha! (I am thinking specifically of the teal jcrew shorts:)
Great posting!
This particular family reunion dress by Nicole was truly amazing! The ruffles and bow ties are so girlie and sweet.
Nicole's work is always so inspirational and she's always happy to share her ideas and projects with others (brilliant tutorials, but I suppose most of you already know that…). Now, if only I could have her time management skills (…)
And I really love all the inspiration provided by pinterest (trying not to get addicted, though ;))


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COLLEGE STATION, Texas, February 20. THE Auburn men, and the Georgia women ended day two of the Southeastern Conference Championships in College Station, Texas, in the lead in their respective title quests.
Freshman Matias Koski of Georgia raced to the finish with a winning time of 4:14.28 in the men's 500-yard freestyle to kick off the evening. That's his first SEC title, and the top time in the country at the NCAA level. For comparison's sake, high schooler Jack Conger went a bit faster two weeks ago at Metros as the Texas-commit broke the national high school record with a 4:13.87. South Carolina junior Michael Flach raced to second in 4:15.32, while Auburn junior Zane Grothe rounded out the top three with a 4:15.44. Florida senior Jason Taylor also cleared 4:16 to take fourth in 4:15.69.
In what proved to be an extremely exciting finish, Texas A&M sophomore Sarah Henry emerged from ACL surgery just a year ago with a 4:35.25 to win the women's 500-yard free, touching out Georgia sophomore Amber McDermott (4:35.82) for the win. Olympic gold medalist Allison Schmitt of Georgia cruised in with a 4:36.54 to take third overall, as it is obvious she's saving her best for NCAAs.
The men's 200-yard IM featured a stunning disqualification as Florida junior Marcin Cieslak witnessed his win evaporate after officials caught him taking too many dolphin kicks off the breaststroke pullout. Something the entire breaststroke community hopes continues to be caught. Georgia freshman Chase Kalisz, a mid-season addition after clearing up some minor academic hurdles, claimed his first SEC title with a 1:43.04. Sophomore teammate Nic Fink gave the Bulldogs huge points with a second-place 1:43.42, while Auburn senior Kyle Owens claimed third in 1:43.45.
Georgia remained on a roll, with its third win in fourth events, as junior Melanie Margalis touched out Florida junior Elizabeth Beisel, 1:54.55 to 1:54.59. That's a big time victory for Margalis, as she topped the Olympic silver medalist in the 400-meter IM and bronze medalist in the 200-meter back. Texas A&M's junior Carolina McElhany turned in a third-place time of 1:55.97.
Auburn junior Marcelo Chierighini kept up the Auburn sprinting tradition by blasting a ridiculous 18.88 to win the men's 50-yard free after already clocking a swift 18.92 in prelims. With Chierighini and Florida junior Bradley deBorde posting a 9.26 and 9.28 at the turn, Chierighini powered home with a 9.62 while deBorde posted a 9.84 en route to a 19.12 for second. Texas A&M senior John Dalton finished third in 19.56. Notably, Auburn junior James Disney-May ripped off a 19.60 to win the B final.
In yet another exciting finale for the women, Tennessee freshman Faith Johnson and Georgia freshman Chantal Van Landeghem deadheated in the women's splash-and-dash with matching 21.90s in the 50-yard free. Tennessee senior Caroline Simmons gave the Lady Volunteers two of the top three times with a sizzling 21.97, while Georgia sophomore Maddie Locus just missed the top three with a fourth-place 22.13.
During the diving finale, Missouri's Loren Figueroa nailed her final round dive to surge to victory with 315.45 on the one-meter springboard event. Texas A&M senior Rebecca St. Germain finished second with 312.40 points, while South Carolina's Patty Kranz wound up third with 307.25 points.
Chierighini did it again in the 50-yard freestyle leadoff for Auburn as the Tigers blazed their way to a 1:16.23 to win the 200-yard freestyle relay. Chierighini clocked a scintillating 18.85 to lead the nation, while Disney-May (19.28), TJ Leon (19.27) and Owens (18.83) each posted sterling splits of their own.
Florida's deBorde (19.33), Pawel Werner (19.49), Corey Main (19.22) and Matt Curby (19.22) raced to second in 1:17.26, while Texas A&M's Henrik Lindau (19.83), John Dalton (19.16), Cory Bolleter (19.67) and Kyle Troskot (19.29) took third in 1:17.95.
Georgia pulled a bit of an upset over Tennessee in the women's 200-yard freestyle as the Lady Volunteers looked to be unstoppable in this relay after results from the 50-yard free were complete. Someone forgot to tell UGA's Megan Romano that, as the senior continued to add to her legacy as one of the best collegiate relay legs in women's swimming history.
With Tennessee in the lead, 1:05.17 to 1:05.90, heading into the final leg, Romano overhauled Lindsay Gendron (21.96) with a stunning 20.99 anchor leg. Her time, along with Maddie Locus (22.12), Chantal VanLandeghem (21.69) and Allison Schmitt (22.09) gave the Bulldogs the win in 1:26.89. Tennessee's Caroline Simmons (22.13), Faith Johnson (21.47), Kelsey Floyd (21.57) and Gendron put together a second-place 1:27.13. Florida's Ellese Zalewski, Sinead Russell, Lindsey McKnight and Natalie Hinds posted a 1:27.98 to take third overall.
Men's Team Scores
Auburn 417
Florida 412.5
Georgia 372
Tennessee 300.5
Texas A&M 288.5
Missouri 252
South Carolina 201
Alabama 187
Kentucky 153
Women's Team Scores
Georgia 500
Texas A&M 464
Florida 443
Tennessee 429
Missouri 274
Auburn 263
Arkansas 234
Kentucky 194
Alabama 161
South Carolina 129
Vanderbilt 92

subset: commoncrawl


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Listed below are the various divisions of the Carson City Sheriff's Office. Select one of the links below to jump to a specific division:
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Hope they show us good battles in the Unova league instead of lucky hits by Ash.
Hope they show us good battles in the Unova league instead of lucky hits by Ash.
3DS Friend Code: 3866-8099-9870 - Nuno
Battle Spot Doubles Record: W160 L100
ohhh my gosh !!! <33
My W2 is in my ds, and im playing it now <33
it came to my house today D !!<33
W2: 5072-1789-3761 | W: 1807-9100-3523 | IGN: Draco | My Clan: The Hoenn Triangle
Spoiler:- THT:
Sea Division - Mudkip Rank
That's um nice VEVOZ.
If ur gonna post your progress, put it in a spoiler please.
7 days till bw2
26 days till my Bday.
geting lego batman 2 on mac!!!!!
Ok since norns is the fight gym leada, can i be the dark E4?
(I can only battle through PO)
And correct me if im wrong, but only 3 of my pokes has to be the gym/E4 type, right?
Last edited by justinjiaxinghu; 5th October 2012 at 9:10 AM.
Credit to Astral Shadow!
That's right, Justin.
@Shadow...Elesa's battle was bad but the worst ever was Ash vs Blaine's "Aim for the Horn" in the OS...makes me cringe...>.<
3DS Friend Code: 3866-8099-9870 - Nuno
Battle Spot Doubles Record: W160 L100
I give excuses to his first two bcos the writers had just started but after Erika's battle I was like, nope, this is bullsh*t.
NOOOOOOO! I turned on my DS and HG wasn't in it! No it's not even in my game area! That game has every single pokemon I've ever trained! I spammed Migrate and trade to myself so every pokemon I've had for the past like 5 years! VEVOZ, I feel your pain
Sig under construction
ok thanx hudsonn but can i be the dark E4?
Credit to Astral Shadow!
Umm...I'll have to test you first...make a team on PO and I'll test...Version 1 please because PO V.2 is downloading as we speak but it's taking forever...
Sorry for the double post but Seven deadly Sins has asked us for a war. They said it would be 5 vs 5 battles with 6 members from each clan. It can be wifi and PO V.2. I'll ask if we can do Black/!hite 2 wifi as well. Right now our war team is:
Hudsonn98, Snivy trainer, Klinklang_1024, Shade2000, Norns, and _______
If you would like to be on the war team, VM me.
Yay was. Shade, BW2 comes out in UK on the 7th.
Actually Norns, it's the 12th.
And Hudsonn, when is this war scheduled. Cos I really can't do short notice.
Neither can I.
No, I searched and it said the 7th everywhere.
Norns lol, from the official nintendo website: Nintendo has confirmed the Pokemon Black and White 2 UK release date. Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2 will be released across the UK and Europe on 12 October.
Norns, it's release in AMERICA on the 7th, so unless you moved to america recently.
hey guys. as you can tell from my activity i barely have anytime for SPPF anymore. im sorry for this but i was unable to do much. ownership and first few posts have been given into Hudsonn98's hands. today marks an end of my ownership. i WILL however, still have some time for SPPF and i will come on occasionaly. i want to see how a dream of mine turns into one of the most popular clans on SPPF. good luck to all of you. Steel Forretress wishes his luck too.
W2: 5072-1789-3761 | W: 1807-9100-3523 | IGN: Draco | My Clan: The Hoenn Triangle
Spoiler:- THT:
Sea Division - Mudkip Rank
Urgh my teams keep vanishing from PO.
Okay then shade but that just crap. Maybe if I pre order it it'll come sooner.
Hi eevee long time no see.
Did you save it correctly? I had trouble with that.
I've kind of forgotten my OU Rain team, so I'll restart it.
Hi snivy. You guys should watch the Can't Hug Every Cat song but before that watch the original clip thats a dating profile thingy. Its hilarious.
Right, official BW2 Rain team begins now. If I can make it by tonight, I can test it on PO.
Im on my phone right now.
I'm on a laptop. Listening to music and typing here.


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I am trying to get a perl loop to work that is working from an array that contains 6 elements. I want the loop to pull out two elements from the array, perform certain functions, and then loop back and pull out the next two elements from the array until the array runs out of elements. Problem is that the loop only pulls out the first two elements and then stops. Some help here would be greatly apperaciated.
my open(infile, 'dnadata.txt');
my @data = < infile>;
chomp @data;
#print @data; #Debug
my $aminoacids = 'ARNDCQEGHILKMFPSTWYV';
my $aalen = length($aminoacids);
my $i=0;
my $j=0;
my @matrix =();
for(my $i=0; $i<2; $i++){
for( my $j=0; $j<$aalen; $j++){
$matrix[$i][$j] = 0;
The guidelines for this program states that the program should ignore the presence of gaps in the program. which means that DNA code that is matched up with a gap should be ignored. So the code that is pushed through needs to have alignments linked with gaps removed.
I need to modify the length of the array by two since I am comparing two sequence in this part of the loop.
#$lemseqcomp = $lenarray / 2;
#print $lenseqcomp;
#I need to initialize these saclar values.
$junk1 = " ";
$junk2 = " ";
$seq1 = " ";
$seq2 = " ";
This is the loop that is causeing issues. I belive that the first loop should move back to the array and pull out the next element each time it loops but it doesn't.
for($i=0; $i<$lenarray; $i++){
#This code should remove the the last value of the array once and
#then a second time. The sequences should be the same length at this point.
my $last1 =pop(@data1);
my $last2 =pop(@data1);
for($i=0; $i<length($last1); $i++){
my $letter1 = substr($last1, $i, 1);
my $letter2 = substr($last2, $i, 1);
if(($letter1 eq '-')|| ($letter2 eq '-')){
#I need to put the sequences I am getting rid of somewhere. Here is a good place as any.
$junk1 = $letter1 . $junk1;
$junk2 = $letter1 . $junk2;
$seq1 = $letter1 . $seq1;
$seq2 = $letter2 . $seq2;
print "$seq1\n";
print "$seq2\n";
print "@data1\n";
I am actually trying to create a substitution matrix from scratch and return the data. The reason why the code looks weird, is because it isn't actually finished yet and I got stuck. This is the test sequence if anyone is curious.


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Siege Bell War Memorial, Valletta
photo: The memorial from the sea
The Siege Bell War Memorial commemorates the victory of the Allied forces during the Second Siege of Malta from 1940-1943. Italian and German forces battled with Allied forces to gain control of Malta - an important strategic location.
Almost 1,500 civilians died during the Second Siege of Malta. The proud tiny island was almost constantly bombarded during this period. In 1942 Malta was awarded the George Cross. In bestowing the award King George VI said '...to honour her brave people, I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history'.
Copyright 2007 MaltaLinks.co.uk. All rights reserved.


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Franklin Hsu, Tai Chi & Martial Arts Coach
Hello, my name is Franklin Hsu and I am the coach at the Evergreen Chinese Academy. I teach tai chi chuan and kung fu classes for kids and adults. I am from Taiwan but left when I was young to Libya and Malta. I have been training in Chinese martial arts for over 10 years. I have started a school in Federal Way called Institute of Chinese Martial Arts but have sold it last year. I have found that what I love the most is to teach others Chinese martial arts along with Chinese culture such as lion and dragon dance. I especially like tai chi and I also like to work with kids. Thank you for your interest in our school and I hope to see you soon in our classes.


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Under the leadership of the mayor, the DWP has asserted repeatedly that it is a $4 billion-a-year business, not a municipal utility owned and accountable to the public.
If so, its stock would be falling sharply and ripe for a takeover with liabilities mounting, its products faulty and obsolete, its costs out of control, its management in disarray and consumer confidence at all-time low.
Just look at the facts, a litany of long-term mismanagement, lack of transparency, sweetheart deals with unions and contractors, failure to upgrade the water and power systems, illegal actions and ratepayer ripoffs.
On Thursday, state officials announced the DWP agreed to pay other utilities in California $112 million for price gouging during the 2000-01 energy crisis when then — and current — General Manager David Freeman overcharged for our utility's cheap and dirty coal power.
It was Freeman who turned over most of those ill-gotten gains to the city's general fund depleted by the impact of the dot-com boom, even as he squandered tens of millions on a phony solar energy plan that a decade later still hasn't generate enough electricity to light my little neighborhood and turned over running the DWP to union bully boy Brian D'Arcy.
Then there's the $130 million in water revenue his successors — perpetuating his policy of using the DWP as the city's cash cow — illegally put in the general fund and still haven't refunded and the $150 million owed families over the deadly disaster at the Utah mine it partially owns.
Is it any wonder that the DWP has let the water system deteriorate to the point that pipes are bursting all over town or that it is so far behind in the clean energy race that it is paying huge premiums to try to catch up and meet the state-mandated goal of 20 percent renewables by next December and the mayor's politically-inspired artificial target of 40 percent in 2020?
Is it any wonder that Freeman wants advance approval for virtually unlimited electricity rate increases and doesn't have a coherent or detailed plan to put before the public?
It was just a year ago this week that the mayor's lawyer sued the Solar 8 to squelch citizens who questioned Measure B, the DWP scheme to own, install and maintain billions of dollars in large-scale rooftop solar in the city.
Voter rejection of that costly boondoggle did nothing to stop DWP from moving forward on virtually the same plan with a few crumbs offered to the business community, private sector labor and environmentalists.
To the degree that hapless ratepayers know what's going on, the only certainty is that we will get the bill for a program that is ill-conceived and does little to solve the problem of having the nation's dirtiest air and dirtiest power-generating system.
As far as we can tell, the DWP's answer to getting rid of its reliance
for coal-burning plants for nearly half of its electricity is to jack
up rates and borrow heavily to build gas-burning plants, which
continues our reliance on fossil fuels instead of turning to the vast
array of fools from solar thermal, geothermal, biomass and alll the
other technologies now available or coming on line.
The mayor
can spend our precious money traveling the globe first class and
staying in $1,000 a night hotels with his entourage of hangers-on and
He can show slick videos produced at our expense
and promise the world and talk about how clean-tech corridors and green
energy jobs but it's all just talk and empty promises when his city is
falling apart, slashing staff and services and suffering from massive
unemployment and soaring poverty.
The DWP raised new concerns
this week with its mysterious backing down on a large-scale solar
project on the utility's property at the Salton Sea it announced with
great fanfare just a few months ago.
The Board of Commissioners rolled over on the Niland Solar Farm back in August and the CAO's office
glowingly recommended approval but the City Council sat on for three
months out of concern for the wrath of the public of moving forward
without a plan.
They finally got around to talk about it in committee on Tuesday and hit Freeman & Co. with some harsh comments:
"The public doesn't trust the Department of Water and Power," said
Councilman Richard Alarcon. "They believe they are being overcharged."
Cardenas added: "We have listened to presentation after presentation
where the department has downplayed the renewable energy costs."
Jan Perry made it clear creating an independent office of Ratepayer
Advocate Office was more important than all sales pitches.
"The public is frightened. People are out of jobs. There is a jobless
recovery. I understand that completely, and these elected public
officials who are reacting to the views of their constituents," Freeman responded.
he announced he was killing the project entirely even though it would
start generating electricity by summer and four times as much power in
18 times as DWP's 10-year-old in-basin solar program.
explanation for canceling the deal with the the top firm First Solar
was it costs too much because it would have to extend transmission
lines to the site — which didn't make sense to anybody since the cost
of the project was fixed and problem well known months ago when it was
pushed as a giant leap forward.
Freeman added to the confusion
and mistrust by pushing for a "pilot project" at Owens Lake (which DWP
drained of water a century ago) to skirt environmental review laws and
then went before the state Lands Commission on
Thursday to sell a fanciful notion that it will cover most of the 100
square miles of the lake with solar panels and run moats through so it
was also parkland.
The real issue is the DWP faces massive fines
because of the dust problem it caused. Commissioners were forgiving of
that temporarily despite DWP officials inability to exactly explain
what they intend to do since they don't know and are flying by the seat
of Freeman's pants.
There also were indications the pilot
project would have to be scaled back from more than 600 acres to just
80 acres to appease critics. It wasn't the Lands Commission's job to
question whether the project even makes sense, whether it is the best
use of ratepayer's money and whether it will actually provide solar
energy efficiently and at the best price.
Clearly, this is no way to run a business, let alone the nation's largest municipal utility.
the DWP does is a political game, not a public service. It didn't start
with Antonio Villaraigosa but he has politicized the DWP and other city
departments like no one since the scandal-ridden administration of
Mayor Frank Shaw in the 1930s.
The Council's growing support for
a Ratepayer Advocate, its resistance to blank checks to the DWP, its
questioning of the glib promises and plans enunciated by Freeman are
all positive signs that members are listening to the community and
fearful of voter vengeance at the polls.
They ought to be but the message hasn't registered on Freeman.
"In city government, it's hard to get anything done and there are all
kinds of people who can say no," he complained. "We're
running a public business that requires action."
We can all agree with him on that but not before the DWP lays out a comprehensive long-term plan with real costs.
Anything less will explode as surely as the DWP's aging electrical boxes.


text:
Main Content:
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text:
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Meet Ford model Isaac Weber. He's this week's addition to Male Model Mondays. Isaac has only been modeling for a few years, but he has built up quite the resume in just a short time.
PHOTOS: Mateus Verdelho – Male Model Mondays
His editor …


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Inns / Bed & Breakfasts
Inns / Bed & Breakfasts in Maine
An overnight stay at one of Maine's bed and breakfasts provides not only a cozy and unique lodging experience, but also a way to connect with the people of Maine. When you stay at a bed and breakfast in Maine, you become not only a guest in the home of your host, but also in their hearts.
There are a wide variety of inns in Maine – from quaint seaside village inns to spacious manor houses. The innkeepers of Maine love to welcome visitors into their unique accommodations – some of which are former ship captain's homes or cozy farmhouses.
Perhaps you want the traditional Maine bed and breakfast experience, or simply a secluded room in a little inn. But like everything here in Maine, you'll find more than you expected. Because when you stay at an inn or bed & breakfast here, you'll get your very own Maine Insiders.
And when you're telling the story of the friendly place you stayed, and the warm people you met there, you'll realize it was a big part of what you loved most about your trip to Maine. Part of why you can't wait to come back.
Topic Filtersclear filters
Location Filtersclear filters
- spring
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Traveler Type
What kind of experience would you like?
The Inn at Diamond Cove
We are a 44 room historical luxury inn was built in the 1890's and renovated in 2015, located on Great Diamond Island. Open seasonally...
Candlebay Inn
Candlebay Inn has a long history in the Freeport area. Built in 1853, this beautifully restored shipbuilder's home is located in the village...
Yellow House Bed & Breakfast
Maine cottage chic in the heart of Bar Harbor, Maine. Yellow House Bed & Breakfast is on a quiet road and offers comfort and style for...
B&B at the Eagle Lake Sporting Camps
Enjoy the many resort amenities plus breakfast at the historic Eagle Lake Sporting Camps. Lunch and Dinner are available in the Roosevelt Dining...
Inn at the Agora
Charming historic small urban boutique hotel created from a former church rectory. Built in the 1850s, this masterpiece has been...
Lakeview Inn
Lakeview Inn is a 16-room bed and breakfast perched on a knoll overlooking Long Lake in the lakeside village of Naples, Maine. ...
Related Stories
Cozy Wintertime Inns in Maine
Brunswick Inn, Brunswick Few places will make you feel as welcome as this historic Brunswick home. In winter, locals and guests alike gather...


text:
Short Starts is a column devoted to kicking off the week with a short film, typically one tied to a new release.
One of the big movies out this Friday is the Guillermo del Toro-presented remake of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." It's only co-written and produced by del Toro, however, so don't be fooled that it's really a film by the director of "Hellboy" and "Pan's Labyrinth." It's actually a film by newbie filmmaker Troy Nixey, the director of "Latchkey's Lament." If you missed this short when it debuted at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, or when it made the rounds two years ago as evidence of Nixey's qualification to helm such a major horror pic as his first feature, now's as good a time as ever to check out the weird and wonderful work that now appears a consequent calling card of sorts.
I don't entirely get what's going on in the film, or why, but I don't mind since it's a dialogue-free 17 minutes of magical storytelling, somewhere between Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Pixar -- or, maybe if Terry Gilliam made a film for Pixar, as he wishes to. Basically we've got a creepy, gnome-like mechanical monster who steals anthropomorphic latchkeys, which to him are either food or a drug, or both. But one of these animated keys means to take the 'Keyfiend' down after watching his 'wife' consumed. The result is a short perhaps a little too cutesy-cartoony for most adults yet too scary for kids. That's how I'd describe the original "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," actually, so it makes sense Nixey got the gig.
Watch "Latchkey's Lament" in two parts after the jump.
Prior to directing "Latchkey's Lament," Nixey was a comic book artist and creator who has collaborated on multiple projects with Mike Mignola, of "Hellboy" fame. That would connect him to del Toro already, in a way, but it would take del Toro's viewing of this short to convince the veteran visionary to work with the novice. We'll see if it pays off this weekend. And if, with an R-rating, the "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark" redo is more grown-up-scary.
Follow Spout on Twitter (@Spout) and be a fan on Facebook
Follow Christopher Campbell on Twitter (@thefilmcynic)


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And the news is not good...
Felix Doubront showed up to camp is not good condition, much like 2011.
I know this might be seen as an over-reaction/knee-jerk reaction by some, but I think the Sox should sign Lohse and trade Doubront before he injures himself, perhaps along with Aceves and Salty for a real LFer or some pitching prospects (you can never have too many).
This is absolutely unacceptable to me by a young pitcher who is trying to establish himself, especially since it seems to be a trend for him. Trading him now would also send a clear message to all the pitchers.
While I think that Rubby De LaRosa, Webster and Morales provide depth for the rotation, Doubront was penciled in at #5 and Lackey is no guarantee. The rotation is thin and could use another bona fide starter. Lohse is the best still out there. The prospects you might receive in a trade make up for the 2nd round pick you lose (though not the slot money). Thoughts?


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CHAMPAIGN, IL (AP) -- Illinoisans wore galoshes more often than snow boots in December -- and barely broke out the parkas.
State climatologist Jim Angel says the average statewide temperature in December was 35.7 degrees -- almost 6 degrees above average.
That's the ninth-warmest December since the state began keeping records in 1895. The highest temperature was 67 in Cairo on Dec. 5.
All that warm weather naturally meant less snow -- although rainfall was above average, with 7.70 inches recorded at Brookport Dam.
The biggest snowfall recorded in December was 4 inches in Stockton in far northwestern Illinois. That compares to less than an inch in southeastern Illinois and 1 to 2 inches everywhere else.
Last winter, much of Illinois had gotten 10 to 25 inches of snow by mid-December.


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Bedbugs biting in San Diego
As seasoned travelers, they are among the most feared and reviled in the hospitality industry, mounting their stealth attacks on unsuspecting hotel guests in the middle of the night and scurrying away to their hiding places before the light of day.
They are the dreaded bedbug, and while these pernicious pests are not known to carry any disease, their growing presence is fueling heightened anxiety among not only the traveling public but also hoteliers fearful of the bugs sullying their good reputations.
Although there is no formal process for documenting bedbug infestations, pest control companies report their numbers are multiplying rapidly across the country, especially in more populous areas and tourist destinations like San Diego that are more vulnerable to the tiny travelers.
Not only must local hotels combat the stigma of suspected bedbugs (especially when they're outed online), but they also face hefty costs in eradicating the resilient critters, which rely on human blood for their sustenance.
"I think the concern is warranted because they can cause quite a bit of discomfort, including psychological distress," said Vicki Kramer, chief of the vector-borne disease program for the California Department of Public Health. "Knowing that when you're sleeping these bugs are crawling and feeding on you for several minutes is not acceptable to most people."
Well aware of the rapid rise of the bedbug problem, hoteliers are taking a defensive posture, training their housekeeping staffs how to recognize the telltale signs of the reddish-brown, flat bugs, which hide in cracks and crevices, the seams of mattresses and box springs and behind headboards. Just a quarter-inch long, they're especially agile, moving between rooms through electrical sockets, and marking their presence with small bloodstains and clusters of darker spots, which is their digested blood.
Some San Diego hotels have gone to the added expense of encasing their mattresses in special protective pads that are said to keep bedbugs out. Still others schedule regular inspections by licensed exterminators, who rely on chemical applications, as well as heat and freezing to destroy the pests.
"Identifying the problem is the best defense because if you don't, it can go to four rooms, and that's four mattresses you have to throw away, which is a significant cost," said Pat McTighe, director of sales and marketing for the Hotel Indigo.
He was quick to point out that his downtown property has had no problems with bed bugs.
"It's one of those things you typically don't talk about in the hotel community," he confessed. "If I'm at a networking event, I'm not going to talk to the Hotel Solamar abut it. I mean, how much do you trust your competition?"
While there is no requirement that local health departments monitor reports of bedbug sightings, San Diego County's Environmental Health Department acknowledges that it gets one or two calls a day seeking information where in years past it rarely got any. Local pest control operators as well report a huge surge in calls over the last couple of years during a time when it was believed the problem was confined largely to the Northeast.
"It definitely has increased, especially with the travel season upon us," said Sam Eram, San Diego-based regional service manager for Terminix. "We get 25 calls a week on bedbugs, where a couple years ago, we got maybe one or two."
An interactive website started four years ago by a computer programmer to allow hotel visitors and apartment dwellers to report incidences of bed bug sightings documents 33 hotels in San Diego that may have experienced an infestation. Because of disputes he received from hotel owners, the website manager said he only allows postings from people who confirm they saw a bedbug or its feces on the mattress. A bite or two will not suffice.


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The release notes for version 5.0.4 contains the following bullet:
Is there any additional information on this new feature? Is it available only in the NE version?Law Enforcement (aka lawful/legal intercept) can be configured. User
messages can be intercepted and sent to another mailbox. Once intercept
is turned on, any time that the user sends a message, receives a message,
or saves a draft, an intercept message is sent to the specified mailbox with
the original message attached. (Bug 17539)
There is nothing else in the release notes about it. I couldn't find anything in the latest Admin Guide on it. I tried looking up bug 17539 in Bugzilla, but it said I didn't have access to this bug. A search on the forums for the terms "law enforcement" and "intercept" didn't turn up any meaningful hits. Finally, I looked around the Admin console but didn't find anywhere that I could configure this setting.


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Rae won't rule out bid for permanent leader
OTTAWA – Bob Rae, who has been acting as the Liberal interim leader since the party suffered an unprecedented loss in the 2011 election, won't rule out a bid to take the spot permanently.
The current rules governing the Liberals don't allow for an interim leader to seek permanent leadership.
But with a national convention just days away, those rules could change.
During the three-day meeting in Ottawa this week, Liberal members will elect a new national executive board which will be responsible for setting rules.
In an interview on The West Block Sunday morning, host Tom Clark asked the Liberal leader whether he would consider "ever seeking the position of permanent party leader."
Rae answered only referring to the current rules, saying, "The party executive made a decision with respect to the appointment of the interim leader… I'll continue to respect the rules."
Virtually no Liberal MPs have come forward to take a shot at leading the embattled party, though that could change once they know who the executive is.
Only Quebec MP Marc Garneau has said he'd consider running, but he has also signaled he'd be happy throwing his support behind a younger or more experienced candidate.
The next leader is expected to be selected during the spring of 2013. The exact date of the leadership election will be determined at this week's convention.
Follow The West Block on Twitter.


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World-class downtown Vancouver hotel, restaurant and bar
the elegant charm of this family-run hotel.
Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, Vancouver, sets the
standard for fashionable city hotel. Cosmopolitan to its core with
stupendous customer service, it's reminiscent of a classic London
hotel in Vancouver's modernist Robson Square. Culture vultures will
almost trip over the art gallery on the doorstep and if all you
want to do is shop, you won't be disappointed. Take time to fully
appreciate this family-run hotel and spa, founded by Eleni
Skalbania whose 30 years of energy and good old fashioned
hospitality made the Wedgewood what it is today. Eleni's
uncompromising standards live on thanks to daughter Elpie Marinakis
Jackson who worked alongside her mother for 20 years. Inheriting
her mother's dedication and flair for the hotel business, Elpie has
also developed her very own unique management style and fine taste,
which continues to drive the hotel forward in its delivery of
excellence and dedication to perfection. These facets are
noticeably evident in Wedgewood's decadent, modern French Bacchus
restaurant, which has become a fashionable place to be and be seen.
Its luxurious feel permeates the rest of the Wedgewood Hotel. All
rooms and suites have balconies and sink-into beds; some even offer
seductive double soaker tubs. Once you've finished exploring this
great city, seek out the Spa's Urban Escape Packages and try the
signature Thai fusion massage.
Condé Nast Johansens Best Hotel with Spa 2015


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Slurp! The Best Oyster Wines
Oyster-mania hits Fort Mason this weekend in the form of the 11th annual Oyster Fest. Head down there to catch oyster-philes getting their fix at events like the "Slurp and Shuck" competition.
In honor of the weekend, we're republishing a few words of wisdom on oyster and wine pairings:
Is Minervois the New "It" Wine?
I'm always on the lookout for new trends in the world of wine and spirits, and it's always interesting to note a particular zeitgeist, as it may or may not be happening. The latest I've seen concerns wines from France's Languedoc region, specifically the sub-appellation of Minervois. For whatever reason, it's just started showing up everywhere.
Cheap Wine Wars: The Two Buck Chuckwagon Heads South
In news that is positively dripping with irony on many, many fronts, Two Buck Chuck—the unbelievably cheap wine that turned the American wine market on its head a few years ago—is going on the road. To of all places . . . Australia.
It's Got Legs: Beringer's Rhine House
As more once-great institutions appear to teeter on the brink of oblivion, a Wine Country landmark is back in vogue. And thriving.
On a recent rainy night, card-carrying members of the SF and Napa Valley Swell set convened to celebrate the return of Beringer Winery's historic Rhine House in St. Helena with a glamorous black-tie dinner.
Beringer was founded in 1897 and, though recently purchased by the Australian Foster's Beer empire, it reigns as the oldest continuous winemaking facility in the Napa Valley.
Spanish Beauty
Rich white wines, especially white Burgundies, are popular around the holidays. They're delicious with cheese, lobster, crab and all the other rich things we like to eat. Problem is, they're super expensive. Here's an alternative:


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Greater Memphis Chamber picks its latest batch of 10 companies to watch
The Greater Memphis Chamber has released its latest annual list of 10 local companies to watch in the coming year.
The 10 companies – chosen for making big strides this year and for their potential for even greater things in 2014 – are:
– BioNanovations
– Highwoods Properties
– International Paper
– Kronos Energy Solutions
– Regional Medical Center at Memphis
– Memphis College of Art
– nexAir
– Prodigi Arts
– RedRover Sales & Marketing
– Victory Packaging
"These Memphis businesses were chosen for the tremendous strides they have made over the past year," said Amy Daniels, the chamber's senior vice president over membership and communications. "They add to our local economy, more importantly they bring jobs to our city. The Chamber is proud to give this recognition to our members and look forward to their future success."
The next issue of the chamber's Memphis Crossroads Magazine, which will be distributed at the chamber's Annual Chairman's Luncheon Dec. 10, will have more details about each company. A digital edition of that magazine will be available at the chamber's website in mid-December.


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1001 flavours of Paris
05 Friday Feb 2010
A Woman's Paris™ in Food
Angelina's Paris, Foods of France, France, French cuisine, French flavors, French food, French food flavors, Goumanyat, Hediard Paris, Paris, Paris grocery stores
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By Philippa Campsie
One of the many delights of Paris is the infinite variety of flavours available in everything from yogurt to jams to ice cream to spices. Compared to the depressingly limited array in North America (you can have any flavour you want as long as it's chocolate, strawberry or vanilla), the choices in Paris are dazzling.
Even in the most mundane of French grocery stores (Franprix, G20, or Monoprix), be prepared for a wealth of options. We like to buy yogurt for breakfast, and have been known to spend ages in agonized indecision over the possible flavours—pear? fig? kiwi? grapefruit? chestnut? One is equally beguiled by the containers. In France, yogurt does not necessarily come in throwaway plastic tubs; glass containers and little earthenware pots are common and fun to reuse (today we store Q-tips in a green ceramic pot and spare change in a glass jar—both once held yogurt).
Choosing a jam to spread on croissants is another dilemma. Apricot with almonds? Blackcurrant? Quince? One of at least three different varieties of plum?
This indecision no doubt contributes to the long line-ups at Berthillon, the ice-cream shop on the Ile St-Louis. Faced with a choice of everything from blood orange to honey nougat to passionfruit, the average tourist is likely to become completely unhinged.
Foods of France – ginger mustard, violet-scented sugar, saffron honey…
France is the land of specialization. The expressions "all-purpose" or "one-size-fits-all" really don't translate well into French. Last year, after an enjoyable afternoon spent at the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Philippa went in search of a café and stumbled instead upon a spice shop called Goumanyatin the third arrondissement that sold a seemingly infinite range of flavours and combinations of flavours. Ginger mustard. Violet-scented sugar. Lavender vinegar. Saffron honey. Pistachio oil. Just imagining what one might do with these extraordinary ingredients was enough to occupy the rest of the day.
One specialité de la maison is saffron, and she bought some to add to the risotto we made that evening. The shop offered saffron in powdered form or in threads, and in other products such as chocolate, caramel, or white icing. The knowledgeable and helpful young man in the shop gave us plenty of time to wander and sniff and stare and imagine.
Around the same time, Barbara was in Paris searching for petale de rose ice cream. A few days before she was due to leave for her trip, she encountered a friend as she was crossing the Hennepin Bridge across the Mississippi in Minneapolis. The friend, who had recently returned from Paris, raved about some ice cream she'd been served in a little shop in the 5th arrondissement. At first she had thought the pale pink concoction was strawberry, but a single taste told her that she had found something quite different. The rose flavour seduced her completely, and she urged Barbara to find it again. Trouble is, she couldn't remember the name of the shop or the street.
Barbara took up the challenge. She prowled every tiny street and alley in the 5th, looking for the shop her friend had described. When she didn't find it, she widened her search to other arrondissements. She explored a dazzling array of tiny shops and met patissiers, glaciers, and confiseurs (and visited Angelina's, shown above). Eventually her search led her across the river to the 8th and Hediard's near the Place de la Madeleine, a venerable house of gourmet treats, where petale de rose ice cream is a traditional product.
Perhaps for that little shop in the 5th, petale de rose was a seasonal flavour. The French still believe in the maxim "to everything there is a season." There are foods that are specific to winter, or springtime, or summer, or fall, and it is pointless to ask for a winter speciality in summer or vice versa.
In North America, alas, seasons have disappeared, and we eat strawberries in November (admittedly, they have no taste, but no one seems to notice) and hot-cross buns in August (which when we were growing up was a treat available only at Eastertime). One of the reasons that we love France is that not everything is available everywhere all the time. So when you find petale de rose ice cream, it is a fleeting and precious moment that may not recur. Things taste better when they are not available 365 days a year.
Paris has far more than 1,001 flavours to experience, and not everything you seek may be available when you seek it. That is as it should be. It simply means you have to come back.
Some of our favourite yogurt flavours include amande (almond), poire (pear), and figue (fig). We love jam made with myrtilles (blueberries), mirabelles (yellow plums) and coing (quince). Some of the unique flavours of Berthillon ice cream include réglisse (licorice), agenaise (prunes and armagnac), plombière (dried fruits and kirsch), turron de Jijona (nougat), praliné avec citron et coriandre (pralines with lemon and coriander), and Thé earl grey (Earl Grey tea).
VOCABULARY: French to English translations
Agenaise: Prunes and Armagnac.
Amande: Almond.
Coing: Quince.
Figue: Fig.
Marron: Chestnut.
Mirabelles: Yellow plums.
Myrtilles: Blueberries.
Poire: Pear.
Plombière: Dried fruits and kirsch.
Praliné avec citron et coriander: Pralines with lemon and coriander.
Réglisse: Licorice.
Thé earl gray: Earl Grey tea.
Turron de Jijona: Nougat.
Philippa Campsie teaches part-time in the urban planning program at the University of Toronto and runs her own writing and research business, Hammersmith Communications. Before starting her own business, she was editor-in-chief at Macmillan Canada. Philippa lived in Paris as a student and regularly travels to Paris and Normandy.
She is interested in stories of famous Parisian women throughout the ages and how they influenced the Parisian style we have come to love and know.
You may also enjoy A Woman's Paris® post, French Cuisine: Sensation and Pleasure, by French writer Laurence Haxaire who explains the "smart" education of the French child who is taught to recognize and describe the flavours, the feeling of taste, and most importantly, what they like or dislike. Hauxaire's introduction to the world of flavour is all about sensations and pleasure. She urges audiences to "tell what you feel."
Foie Gras: "Fatty Liver" — its name can be deceiving, by Alyssa Glawe, an expatriate living in Grenoble, France. Alyssa writes about her 'delightful culinary adventure,' trying foie gras for the first time at a friend's holiday party. Foie gras, yet another "French Foods to Try" on her list, follows Alyssa's previous stories about escargot (snails) and des cuisses de grenouille (frogs legs). Recipe included for Terrine of Foie Gras from restaurant Chez le Pèr'Gras, Grenoble, France.
The African Queen of Parisian Cuisine, excerpts from Kiratiana's Travel Guide to BLACK PARIS: Get Lost and Get Found, by Kiratiana Freelon about the "African Queen of Parisian Cuisine," featuring suggestions such as Le Petrossian 144, Paris, where the head chef is Rougui Dai, a Frenchwoman of Senegalese decent. There are more than 2,000 French restaurants in Paris. Of the 400 that the Michelin Guide found worth listing, only 77 receive one of their coveted stars. And of those starred restaurants, only one has a black, female head chef: Le Petrossian 144.
Des Cuisses de Grenouille: Frogs' legs, by Alyssa Glawe who brings to us another life-changing culinary experience from France. During her first extended stay in Grenoble, France, she experienced escargot (snails). This past year she mustered enough courage to try des cuisses de grenouille in Paris. Recipe included for Sautéed Frogs' legs: Cuisses de Grenouille à la Provençale, courtesy of Saveur.com.
For the love of yaourt (yogurt), by Michelle Hum who writes about her love of French yaourt: a tangy, creamy, dairy product that can stand by itself —although a dab of honey or handful of fresh fruit never hurts. Recipe included for Gateau au Yaourt au et au Citron (Lemon Yogurt Cake) by Ina Garten.
Escargot. Don't judge a snail by its shell, by Alyssa Glawe who shares this first time, life-changing culinary experience at Paris' oldest restaurant, La Petite Chaise, where she was overwhelmed by the taste of butter, garlic, and herbs. Recipe included for Escargot with Garlic Butter, courtesy of LifestyleFood.com.
Text copyright ©2010 Philippa Campsie. All rights reserved
Illustration copyright ©2012 Barbara Redmond. All rights reserved.


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text: Home Culture 'The Help': A Feel-Good Movie for Whites In an ArtsCriticATL.com review, Valerie Boyd says that The Help highlights the nation's racial chasm. By: Valerie Boyd Posted: May 24 2016 5:57 PM 0 Viola Davis in The Help (DreamWorks) Get what we're watching delivered to your inbox everyday! Sign up for our daily video newsletter below. Page 1 of 0 Powered by Livefyre 0


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The mow, blow and go guys hit our neighbourhood weeks ago now, scraping gardens clean and leaving vulnerable plants naked. Tall brown bags lined the curbs like sentries, filled with leaves, prunings and garden debris. As usual, my garden was the scruffy holdout, because I like to wait until the weather is quite settled before I expose my plants to the unpredictable elements. If you rake with a light hand and judicious eye, little harm is done by waiting, in fact, quite the contrary. So my woodland garden out front remained defiantly covered with leaves until last weekend, when I got out there because around the corner, the neighbourhood's best bluebell lawn was in full flower (below left). I use that as my fail-safe signal that spring–real spring–has finally arrived.
Out back, I thinned out the old, silver-edged, redtwig dogwood (Cornus alba 'Elegantissima') and the 'Diabolo' ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo'). It's much easier to shape these shrubs and remove the wildwood and suckers before they're covered in leaves. I lightly headed back a few other shrubs, removed old plant stalks and seedheads and spread leaf mould, compost and manure on the beds to add nourishment and texture to my sandy soil. I stashed the leaves I'd raked off the beds in old garbage cans out back, except for some of the ones out front that had been exposed to any salt or chemicals from the sidewalk or road. Some of these leaves will be layered in my composters, while others will become next year's leaf mould. I have some bags of bark mulch at the ready, but I'll wait for a bit to allow emerging plants to get more of a toehold and any seedlings and "found" plants to show themselves so I don't accidentally smother them. Before the mulch is spread, I'll give the garden a really good weeding and watering, too.
I also planted up a few spring pots with ranunculus (left), pansies and ivy. The sweetly scented pansies remind me of my grandmother, who planted some every year, too. The Lithuanian name for them is "broliukai," which means little brothers, and that's what they look like with their dear little faces.
We gardeners know what the phrase "full of the joys of spring" really means. Every morning yields a new treasure to admire–in my garden, it might be a double bloodroot flower; a bergenia; a checkerboard frittilaria; a species tulip; the signs of life in a dormant clump of ferns. When did that tree peony leaf out? How did the daffodils shoot up and bloom so quickly? And thank goodness the merrybells (Uvularia grandiflora, shown emerging below right) made it through another winter.
One of the head-turners in the front garden is the gorgeous, intensely blue hepatica (Hepatica nobilis, top), which blooms for weeks and weeks. In the back garden, two fragrant Viburnum carlesii standards are powering up to do their stuff.
I love going for walks to see what's happening in other gardens as well. The star magnolias and some serviceberries are in full bloom, while the saucer magnolias are just coming into their own. Big-bellied robins strut around, looking very pleased with themselves.
In his song "The Boy in the Bubble," the great Paul Simon wrote, "…these are the days of miracle and wonder." This song is not about spring–in fact, far from it–but to me, these words sum up what happens right around here, right about now.
Next: more reports on spring


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We saw some major celebrity couple breakups in 2010. Some were expected and some not so much. It seems as if it is really hard to hold on to mate in Hollywood.
PHOTOS: 2009 Celebrity Heartbreaks
Launch the gallery to read all about the top 10 choices. Please share this post by using the social bookmarking buttons below! Please follow us on Facebook and post it to Twitter.
All of our 2010 Year In Review posts can be found here!


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All reconditioned tools are inspected, tested, and cleaned by manufacturer trained technicians. They are then repackaged and distributed to our warehouse ready for sale – just like new!
Enjoy an average savings of 20-30% compared to new tools. Reconditioned tools are distributed to dealers like CPO after passing multiple inspections – allowing us to sell to you at amazing prices!
Along with the full manufacturer warranty, CPO backs all reconditioned tool purchases with a 60 day money back guarantee. We want you to have peace of mind with every order.
|0.8 lbs.
|Battery Amp Hours:
|1.5 Ah
|Battery Style:
|Battery Type:
|Recharge Time:
|40 Min.
Do you have questions about this product?
Get answers from real customers and in-house experts with AnswerBox.
Q:i noticed the B&D 20V max li-ion batteries look the same...can they be used in place of this PC battery...if not, why?
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A:It is not recommended to interchange manufacturers batteries.


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Latest News
- Research links heart disease with testosterone
21 April 2016
Vicky MacRae and colleagues find that testosterone may be linked to the hardening of blood vessels associated with heart disease
- Prions Matter
15 April 2016
Writing in PLoS Pathogens, Professor Neil Mabbott highlights the continued need to study prion diseases.
The Roslin Institute is a National Institute of Bioscience (NIB) which receives Institute Strategic Programme Grant funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). It is a part of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Edinburgh.
The Institute undertakes research within the framework of BBSRC Institute Strategic Programmes focussed on the health and welfare of animals, and applications of basic animal sciences in human and veterinary medicine, the livestock industry and food security.
The Roslin Institute is located on the University of Edinburgh's Easter Bush Campus and brings onto one site the research of the Institute alongside the teaching and clinical activities of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. The building now accommodates over 500 staff and students from The Roslin institute alongside Animal Science colleagues from Scotland's Rural College (SRUC).
The Easter Bush Campus is also home to the National Avian Research Facility (NARF) and will be the location of a new 8000m2 Bioincubator building currently in design phase.
Easter Bush Research Consortium
The Roslin Institute is a member of the Easter Bush Research Consortium (EBRC), which brings together The Roslin Institute, Animal Sciences researchers of Scotland's Rural College, the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Moredun Research Institute. The partnerships within the EBRC provide major opportunities for application and exploitation of the research of the consortium partners.
Together, the EBRC forms one of the largest groups focussed on the biology of companion and production animals in the world. It undertakes basic and translational science to tackle pressing issues in animal genetics and genomics, development, health and welfare and their implications for human health.
BBSRC Institutes
The Roslin Institute receives strategic funding from the BBSRC.
The institutes' research underpins key sectors of the UK economy such as agriculture, bioenergy, biotechnology, food and drink and pharmaceuticals. In addition, the institutes maintain unique research facilities of national importance.


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Ain't He Sweet?By Posted: Dec 21, 2010
With his impulsive "I love you"s and über-romantic gestures, BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL's Liam is pretty much the human equivalent of a basket of kittens. Is it difficult for Scott Clifton to portray? We playfully discuss the business of being cute!Soap Opera Weekly: Liam is just so gosh darn adorable. Do you see a lot of yourself in him, or is it hard for you to channel all that sweetness?
Scott Clifton: This is such an interesting question to me, because — and I'm not kidding — my girlfriend hasn't watched the show in a while, and recently, she was like, "I've watched five episodes of B&B. Can I give you some constructive criticism?" And I was like, "Oh, God, oh, no, oh, God…but yeah." She goes, "You look like you're cutesy. Why are you being all cutesy?" And I was like, "I'm not! It's the character! He's this cute, awkward, kind of precious guy." And she said, "Yeah. It's a turn-off. Sorry." [laughs] So I guess it's not entirely me. When I read a script, I can hear how [Liam would speak]. I have an image of Liam saying these lines in my head, and I just try to be faithful to how that seems. That could very well be a terrible philosophy for acting, but on paper, that's how Liam seems to me, so I just try to do that!
Weekly: He's incredibly earnest, particularly for soaps. It's rare to find someone who wears their heart on their sleeve the way he does!
Clifton: Yeah. I like not being a "tough guy" or a "badass." I also like variety; don't get me wrong. But I think that's an important role in the ensemble: the vulnerable one. There has to be somebody vulnerable. I mean, it's a soap opera; everybody's vulnerable, but to what degree and how often? When you have a character who has their guard up and, in one of these wonderful moments, you see them vulnerable, I think it's just as important to have the vulnerable character and then, once in a while, you get to see them assert themselves. I dig that, too.
Weekly: As earnest as he is, that's not to say Liam doesn't have teeth, because I think he definitely has a strength that allows him to go toe-to-toe with Bill.
Clifton: Right. It just means he's perceived as weak, which is interesting, in and of itself. It makes for good drama.
Weekly: It really does, and I think it's funny that your girlfriend is just not into Liam at all.
Clifton: I know. She's like, "Ugh, total turn-off. I would not date him."
Weekly: So, I guess that tells us that you're not all that similar to him!
Clifton: I must not be! I was just doing another interview where I told someone, "Oh, I'm very much like Liam." But what do I know? [laughs]
Weekly: Your girlfriend would be like, "Sorry, Scott, no, you're not!"
Clifton: "If you were, I'd dump you like a bad habit." [laughs]


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Edition: 7th
Author(s): Coyle, John J.; Novack, Robert A.; Gibson, Brian; Bardi, Edward J.
ISBN: 9780324789195 / Hardcover / 3/4/2010
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It's possible you didn't get that Mac game you wanted this holiday season. Or maybe you're celebrating a late Christmas with your family and still need a gift idea. Whatever the case, there are still some great deals on Macintosh software and hardware to be found. Many of the Christmas sales continue well into January, and we've rounded them up here.
- New – BundlesForMac announced the last day in the Web Development Toolkit Bundle. This toolkit consists of six essential tools for web development, at a spectacular value more than 85% off. This is an opportunity to good to pass up. The bundle runs from now until on December 31, 2010. These great apps include skEdit, Yummy FTP, Involer, Better Link Tester, Querious and Simon.
- New – To celebrate the great success of their Winter Deal, iUseMac has extended the special offer for a whole week. The iUseMac Winter Deal, featuring Apimac's Slideshow application for 75% off until January 7th. Slideshow for Mac OS X lets you create slideshows that can be distributed as freestanding programs for Mac and Windows or as movie files optimized for YouTube, CD-ROMs, the Web, iTunes, iPod, iOS mobile devices and computers.
- New – Keynote Themes Plus sends the best regards for each Keynote user and wishes everyone a Happy New Year. Based on requests from Keynote users, they now offer a great solution for winter and New Year related themes—two free Keynote themes for winter festivals: Snowflakes theme and Cheers theme. Additionally, they are offering a handsome discount for their Keynote Themes Package for the New Year holiday's period.
- New – SintraWorks has extended their end of year promotion for PDFClerk Pro, their popular PDF Document Editor for Mac OS X. PDFClerk Pro is an editor with unique capabilities, designed to make standard operations easy, while allowing ample adjustment to more complicated workflows for those with advanced needs. From now until the end of the month of December, get 50% off the regular purchase price by using the coupon code SWPDFX. Only three days left.
- New – Mariner Software's biggest sale of the year is finally here. They're opening the doors to their online store and cutting the prices of all their desktop software applications by 50%. It's their way of thanking you for a great 2010. But don't wait too long; this amazing sale ends at midnight, December 31st.
- New – BundlesForMac has announced there's one week left in the Web Development Toolkit Bundle. This toolkit consists of six essential tools for web development, at a spectacular value more than 85% off. This is an opportunity to good to pass up. The bundle runs from now until on December 31, 2010. These great apps include skEdit, Yummy FTP, Involer, Better Link Tester, Querious and Simon.
- New – People worldwide are watching their favorite TV shows, movies and sporting events on their Apple desktop and laptops. With the recent success of MacTVision HD, the team at MacTVision technologies is excited to partner with MacZOT for a new year 2011 promo starting Friday, December 31 through Sunday, January 2, 2011. MacTVision HD features searchable, updating, interactive TV listings, including over 13,000 programs with thumbnails and descriptions.
- Save 40% on any Roxio product bought from www.roxio.com and www.photoshow.com through December 31st. Visit their website and choose your product. Once happy with your purchase, go to the cart and enter "ROXIO40OFF" in the Promo Code box. Happy Shopping!
- Just in time for the Christmas Season, iSkysoft Studio has launched a sale for iMedia Converter Deluxe for Mac, their ultimate video and DVD tool. iMedia Converter Deluxe for Mac provides users with an integrated solution for easy video conversion, DVD ripping, DVD burning and online video downloading. Starting Christmas day, iMedia Converter Deluxe for Mac will be 20% off. This offer expires on Jan 16th, 2011.
- Visit my.smithmicro.com now through January 1, 2011 and save a whopping 50% off any of their software titles. Don't delay; this limited-time offer expires soon. Use coupon code SHOP2011 at checkout to save.
- IconBox 2 is now available for the warmest price. IconBox has been completely rewritten and features a brand new interface and lot's of extra features. Until December 31st, IconBox is available at 40% off. Drag icons from the finder into a box, create as many boxes as you like. Boxes can be arranged in folders and subfolders and you can re-drag Boxes and folders to change their order. Users can customize their system icons, dock icons, application icons and more.
- From now until December 31, you can save 20 percent off the purchase of Nisus Writer Pro. Just go to their store and use the coupon code "festivus10″ in the shopping cart to receive the discounted price. The coupon can be used on almost all versions of Pro (academic version excluded). That includes the Pro Printed manual.
- MacXDVD Software has announced its Christmas promotion by providing up to 60% discount on their best selling DVD ripping and video converting software, as well as the iPod ripper giveaway offer for Facebook users as a Christmas gift. The sales and giveaway last until Jan 10, 2011, valid for both Mac and Windows users.
- Are you still using an older version of Squeeze? Don't let 2010 slip away without upgrading to the ultimate workflow solution, Squeeze 6.5. Upgrade to the all new Squeeze 6.5 starting at only $199. Save up to 50% now. Offer ends December 31, 2010. Don't miss out on your last chance to save on Squeeze 6.5.
- Codewave Software has announced the release of MyTunesRSS 4.0.0. MyTunesRSS is your personal music and video server. Browse and listen to your music in any web browser from all over the world. You can also use other devices like Nintendo's Wii or Apple's iPhone to listen to your music. MyTunesRSS offers lots of features like smart playlists, user management, configurable and skinnable web interface, LastFM music community integration and on-the-fly audio and video transcoding. Codewave Software offers a license for the new version from December 6th until December 29th for only 5,99 EUR instead of 15 EUR.
- The Steam Holiday Sale is on now through Sunday, January 2, 2011. Gamers may save up to 80% on select titles, with daily and week-long savings on featured titles, publisher game packs, and compilations. In addition to the usual savings specials, each day of the sale will feature a special Holiday Bonus on one select title. The twist: Players must qualify for the Holiday Bonus by owning another Steam game. For example, the first Holiday Bonus is Portal—save an extra 10% if you own Half-Life 2. If you already own the title, Steam will automatically detect this and offer you the 10% savings during check out.
- Help Santa with this handy hint: Surprise your Mac with a TubeStick hybrid and turn your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch into a TV, DVR and mobile media center. With equinux's Christmas offer, you will save an unheard of $70 through December 31st.
- GelaSkins is offering free UPS shipping on all orders of $50 or more (U.S. and Canadian customers only). The special only lasts until December 31st, 2010. You have until the end of time, however, to take advantage of their buy three, get one free deal.


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(no subject)Date: 2012-09-17 04:38 am (UTC)
From: tim
I agree that this can be a problematic response, as it's basically making excuses for the speaker. I think it could be useful in some contexts. It's probably not what I would have said in this one, had I been there. Every situation has its nuances and sometimes, it can be useful to allow everyone to save face, even at the expense of being completely blunt. It's better than not saying anything at all.


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Baking soda solution for pretzels
Submitted by KitchenBarbaria... on April 30, 2011 at 3:41 am
From cooking science expert Harold McGee, a method of modifying baking soda to get a better pretzel
- Yield
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- bretzel, brezel, pretzels, soft pretzels
Baking soda
Just spread a layer of soda on a foil-covered baking sheet and bake it at 250 to 300 degrees for an hour. You'll lose about a third of the soda's weight in water and carbon dioxide, but you gain a stronger alkali. Keep baked soda in a tightly sealed jar to prevent it from absorbing moisture from the air. And avoid touching or spilling it. It's not lye, but it's strong enough to irritate.
Baked soda is also strong enough to make a good lye substitute for pretzels. In order to get that distinctive flavor and deep brown color, pretzel makers briefly dunk the shaped pieces of raw dough in a lye solution before baking them. Many home recipes replace the lye with baking soda, but the results taste like breadsticks, not pretzels.
Baked soda does a much better job of approximating true lye-dipped pretzels. Just dissolve 2/3 cup (about 100 grams) in 2 cups of water, immerse the formed raw pretzels in this solution for three to four minutes, rinse off the excess dipping solution in a large bowl of plain water, and bake.
Excerpted from the NY Times; see the originating link for more detailed information
NY TIMES link
Thank you so much for the information. You've been very helpful.


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The recent World Economic Forum on East Asia in Jakarta projected a transformation of Indonesia's economy from its present levels to be in the top 10 economies in the world by 2020. The government recognizes this potential, but is equally conscious of the climate change challenges in pursuing a fast-paced growth. In the words of Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, "We need solutions that will make economic growth and technology not the nemesis but the ally of our climate stability. And we need solutions that will serve the practical needs to slow, stop and reverse the process of climate change… I believe Indonesia can implement green economy to achieve seven per cent economic growth and 26 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from business as usual scenario in 2020."
In an effort to translate this vision, the Presidential Unit for Development Monitoring and Oversight (UKP4), headed by Dr. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, is collaborating with the United Nations and a cross section of stakeholders on the development of an action plan to facilitate a Green Economy transition and support the REDD+ Implementing Agency to achieve its mandate of reducing forest based greenhouse gas emissions in Kalimantan, specifically the pilot province of Central Kalimantan, while at the same time generating multiple benefits for people's livelihoods, the economy and conservation.
As a first step, a panel of eminent and world renowned experts on climate change mitigation and sustainable development converged in Jakarta on 12-13 August at a workshop to discuss possible scenarios, review successfully operating models elsewhere and explore possibilities of adapting these to the advantage of Indonesia.
Setting the context was the review of Indonesia's recently launched Economic Master Plan Framework (MP3EI) that rests on three pillars: Economic Potential; National Connectivity; and Capacity of Human Resources, Sciences and Technology. The plan outlines six region-specific activities in the form of economic corridors and 11 national priorities. Green Economy as a transformation goal would rest on the five pillars of Indonesia's REDD+ strategy: institutions and processes; legal and regulatory framework; strategic programs; cultural shift and stakeholder management. The challenges to the transformation goal include, unprepared capacity to handle the new concept; recognition of local and indigenous community rights; investment; strong regulations; and a paradigm shift.
The workshop was led by UKP4 and supported by UN-REDD Programme agencies, UNEP and UNDP, with participation from FAO, the UN's International Labour Organization, the World Wildlife Federation and other national and international organizations. It focused on the Threshold 21 (T-21) sustainable development model which is designed to support integrated long-term development planning using a variety of factors across sectors. T-21 works more effectively once a country identifies its vision and key goals and is customized to capture different elements critical to the country's development and the consequences of the proposed strategies. The model has been applied with varying degrees of success in countries such as Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jamaica, Bangladesh and others. Although Kalimantan is the current focus the development of the model, the aim is to make it replicable across Indonesia.
The initial output of this exercise is to develop a "roadmap for transformation", including process, timeline, budget, roles and milestones. The roadmap is expected to realize the transformation investment package, with pledges, institutional arrangements and capacity to deliver. The workshop succeeded in strengthening the enthusiasm participants have regarding the possibility of a green economy transition in Indonesia.
Participants in the recent Green Economy workshop in Indonesia included Pavan Sukhdev, McCluskey Fellow at Yale University, founder-CEO of GIST Advisory and head of UNEP's Green Economy team; Mr. Andrea Bassi from the US-based Millennium Institute; representatives from UNEP, FAO, UNDP, ILO, WWF; several donor representatives; national experts from various sectors including academia, NGOs, CSOs and other key stakeholders.
Copyright © 2008-2016 UN-REDD Programme. All Rights Reserved.


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That one was a bit of a stretch.
Anyway, remember my 30 day challenge? Well, a friend's birthday party wound up at Olive or Twist, which is famous for their martinis. I felt like if I didn't have one, I wouldn't have much of a chance to go back (it's very pricey), so I cracked. I feel like hell – so not worth it! So, I'm extending the challenge. Indefinitely. Alcohol and I don't get along well, it seems.
Has anyone else taken a challenge? How are yours going? I'll be back with links after work!


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New London - The City Council's Public Safety Committee is recommending the mayor support the police department's K-9 unit and maintain at least four police dogs.
"This resolution is nonbinding, but it is the council's will and desire to keep the K-9 unit,'' said Councilor Adam Sprecace, following a two-hour meeting Tuesday where several dozen people filled City Hall and another dozen or so spoke passionately in support of the working police dogs in the department.
The committee voted 3-0 to pass a resolution that "encourages the Administrations of the City and the Police Department to continue the proud tradition of the Police Canine Program in the City."
The full council will consider the measure on Monday. If the mayor does not heed the council's advice, it could pass an ordinance, which would require the city to have a K-9 unit.
Following a decision last week by Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio to retire one of the city's police dogs and donate another to a different police department - leaving only one active police dog - members of the department and retired officers asked the council for help in saving the program.
But during the meeting, they also described a police department that is dysfunctional and demoralized, with trained officers leaving for other jobs and morale at an all-time low.
"The mayor and the police chief have lost their minds,'' said David Hayes, a city resident who routinely attends council meetings. The mayor has a vendetta against the police union president, who handles the only dog left in the department, he said, and the chief is less than competent.
"It's bad for all of us. You have to turn this around. It cannot go on,'' Hayes said.
Union President Todd Lynch said 11 officers will leave the department by the end of June. The city, he estimated, paid about $1.1 million to train the officers. He said since 2009, when Chief Margaret Ackley took over the department, 40 officers have left the force.
The Day has a pending request for information on historical turnover rates in the department.
"Our department, your department is being destroyed," Lynch said. "The morale within the agency is at an all-time low. When you're a police officer and you fear being in the police station more than you do policing the streets, there is a significant problem."
Eric Brown, a union attorney involved in contract negotiations with the city, said New London has a "demoralized and beaten-down police force.
"It's beaten-down and demoralized because there is uncertainty on top and mistrust on top,'' he said. "Something has got to be done about it."
Several people, including councilor John Maynard, chairman of the committee, called for the chief to step down.
"If it's time to retire anyone, then maybe what we should be looking at is retiring the police chief and not the K-9 unit," said Kathleen Mitchell, a New London resident.
Among those who spoke in favor of the police dog program and of improving morale were Kenneth Edwards, a retired New London captain, and William Nott, who retired in 2007 from New London as a sergeant. Nott started the K-9 unit in the early 1980s.
"This is probably the worst shape I've ever seen the New London Police Department in, and I've worked for five police chiefs," Detective Frank Jarvis, a 34-year veteran of the department and its most senior member.
Others who attended the meeting but did not speak included former City Councilor Michael Buscetto III, who has long supported the K-9 program, and retired Deputy Police Chief Marshall "Chip" Segar.
City Councilor Anthony Nolan, who is a police officer, said because of the dysfunction in the department, he "feels more protected in the community that I do at the station."
"Obviously, there's something wrong. Obviously, there are problems,'' Nolan said. "There are some things going on. There are problems that may take outside help to fix."
Neither the chief nor the mayor attended the meeting.
Finizio said in a statement that he would not be attending because of police contract negotiations.
"We will not undermine the collective bargaining process and conduct city negotiations in a politicized public forum,'' he said.
Lynch said having no one show up at the meeting is part of the problem.
"They're afraid to hear from the public,'' he said. "For me, it's disgusting no one came."
Staff writer Greg Smith contributed to this report.
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Ominous signs
India Inc's results for the third quarter are disappointing, with the big boys failing to improve their performance. While growth numbers have been declining for the past five quarters, net profit numbers have shrunk in the third quarter registering a growth of only 1.06 per cent for Nifty companies. The overall numbers would have been far worse had it not been for some large software companies, what with almost 18 Nifty companies posting negative growth in their net profits on a year-on-year basis? Such below-par performance is not limited to one sector or two, but is visible across the spectrum. Even the net interest margins of banking companies have fallen, raising questions about the quality of assets in the banking system. This poor third quarter showing by corporate India indicates two specific trends. First, a demand slowdown has firmly set in the economy, and this is more than merely a calibrated slowdown. Not only capital goods and infrastructure sector companies have posted dismal performance, the domestic consumption story too has taken a severe beating. That is why auto companies, across their various sub segments, and FMCG companies have also seen slower growth in both their topline and bottomline during the third quarter. Topline growth in these two sectors has a declined far more rapidly than anticipated by most of analysts. Secondly, the trend indicates that a majority of companies carrying high debt burden are now facing bigger trouble of servicing their loans and the situation could turn worse if interest costs don't come down soon. Corporate topline growth is nothing to write home about. Barring Ranbaxy, third quarter sales growth of Nifty companies is barely 9.28 per cent, which, adjusted for inflation, means that sales of these companies have not grown at all. The decline in growth of overall net profit can happen either because of increased depreciation charges or higher interest costs. The first reason of rising depreciation charges is ruled out because it can only happen when companies add to their gross assets at the time of expansion through either greenfield or brownfield expansion. But, hardly any company has undertaken a major expansion in the past three years that could result in higher depreciation charges. So, higher interest costs should be the only other reason why growth in net profit has dipped sharply. Interest costs have been a consistent worry for Indian companies, as their balance sheets were over leveraged and interest cost were devouring their bottomline. Sales were reasonably strong until the past few quarters so as not to severely dent bottomlines. But now with sales too slowing down and companies unable to achieve productive gains from maximum capacity utilisation, India Inc's bottomline has been hit the most in the quarter under review. With large companies neck deep in trouble, the plight of small and medium enterprises can only be imagined. With their cost of funds still higher, their condition can only get worse than their larger peers. Yet, concerns remain that the economic slowdown is not going to go away anytime soon. This means corporate India will remain under sustained pressure in the coming quarters. Aggregate numbers reported in this paper on Monday throw light on the real reason why the midcap index has been under pressure since the start of the earnings season.
- India's engagement with Iran looks iffy without Farzad gas deal
India's quest for West Asian oil is not going to come too easy, anytime soon.
Stay informed on our latest news!


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Third quarter financials: Cisco leads the way with strong net income and revenue
With the third quarter 2012 earnings season coming to an end, FierceEnterpriseCommunications evaluates the performance of select enterprise communications companies.
Biggest winners
Telecom equipment firm Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO) led the way with a strong quarter, posting an 18 percent year-over-year increase in net income and reaching $2.1 billion for the quarter, one of the few companies tracked by this publication to report an increase in net income.
The high-tech behemoth also posted healthy revenue of $11.9 billion in the most recent quarter, up 5.5 percent from the $11.3 billion reported in the same quarter in the previous year. The company was able to generate $2.5 billion in cash from operations in the latest quarter.
Despite challenges in its core network routing and switching business, which saw a 2 percent decline in sales, Cisco was able to post a 5.5 percent increase in net income primarily through growth in its data center, wireless and video businesses.
"Cisco is at the center of the major market transitions--cloud, mobility, video--and yet we believe the largest market transition lies ahead of us, as the Internet of Everything becomes a reality," said John Chambers, Cisco's chairman and CEO.
Other enterprise communications companies that joined Cisco in posting higher net income for the quarter include 8x8 (Nasdaq: EGHT), Akamai (Nasdaq: AKAM), Logitech (Nasdaq: LOGI) and Extreme Networks.
VoIP provider 8x8 posted a net income of $1.7 million for the most recent quarter, up from a net income of $800,000 for the same quarter last year. The company also reported a 33 percent increase in revenue for the quarter, reaching a record $26.4 million.
Bryan Martin, 8x8's chairman and CEO, attributed the strong results to the "continued adoption of a greater number of 8x8 services by both small and mid-market customers, many of whom have multiple geographic locations and mobile workforces that are no longer served or supported by legacy premise-based or hybrid approaches."
Internet content delivery firm Akamai reported a net income of $48.2 million, a 14 percent jump from a net income of $42 million last year. Revenue increased 23 percent to reach $345 million.
"We continued to capitalize on our investments in cloud computing, web security, mobile services and online video by expanding our product portfolio, while effectively managing the cost and efficiency of our network," said Paul Sagan, president and CEO of Akamai.
Logitech, a maker of computer peripherals, posted a net income of $55 million for the quarter, up substantially from net income of $17 million for the same quarter last year. At the same time, the company reported a 7 percent decline in sales to $548 million.
Guerrino De Luca, Logitech chairman and CEO, blamed the sales decline on a weakened PC market as a result of buyers waiting for the launch of Windows 8. However, the company was able to post strong income by improving gross margins and operating results, he noted.
Extreme Networks, an Ethernet network provider, posted an eight-fold increase in net income, reporting $12.9 million in the most recent quarter compared to $1.6 million in the same quarter last year. The firm reported a slight decline in revenue for the quarter. Oscar Rodriguez, president and CEO of Extreme Networks, attributed the increase in net income despite lower revenue to a cost restructuring taking place at the firm.
Biggest losers
The biggest losers this quarter were Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU), Polycom (Nasdaq: PLCM), Acme Packet (Nasdaq: APKT), ShoreTel (Nasdaq: SHOR), and FairPoint Communications (Nasdaq: FRP).
Telecom equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent had a staggering net loss of €146 million ($186 million) for the quarter, compared to a net income of €194 million for the same quarter last year.
To curb the losses, the company is implementing a €1.25 billion restructuring program that includes asset sales and 5,500 job cuts. Alcatel-Lucent has seen its stock value drop close to 65 percent over the past year, and the stock is trading near a 23-year low.
FairPoint Communications, a telecom service provider, posted a net loss of $37.3 million for the most recent quarter. The good news is that this was down substantially from a net loss of $279.4 million in the same quarter last year, which the company attributed to a non-cash impairment of intangible assets and goodwill. Paul Sunu, CEO of FairPoint, said the company was seeing "positive momentum" in its business and broadband products, including data and internet services.
Videoconferencing firm Polycom announced a net loss from continuing operations of $15 million, compared with a net income of $20 million in the same quarter last year. The company attributed the loss to stock-based compensation, restructuring costs and other items.
"Demand for our best in class [unified communications and collaboration] solutions was solid in Q3, which allowed us to come in at the high end of our revenue expectations and exceed our earnings expectations," said Andrew Miller, Polycom president and CEO.
Acme Packet, a supplier of session border controllers, posted a net loss of $5.5 million for the quarter, compared to a net income of $7.9 million for the same quarter last year.
VoIP provider ShoreTel posted a net loss of $8 million in the most recent quarter, compared to a net loss of $4.6 million for the same quarter in fiscal year 2012. The firm posted revenue of $75 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2013, an increase of 39 percent from the same quarter in the last fiscal year.
So the third quarter financial results were a mixed bag. Two companies in the telecom network equipment space, Cisco and Alcatel-Lucent, were at opposite ends of the results spectrum, with Cisco topping the charts and Alcatel-Lucent in the cellar. In the VoIP market, 8x8 performed strongly, while ShoreTel struggled.
Perhaps the main takeaway from this quarter's results is that companies that are run well, regardless of what market segments they compete in, do well financially. Companies that are not run well, on the other hand, do not.
Take a look at our report of select enterprise communications companies in the third quarter of 2012 as well as our reports from the second quarter and first quarter of 2012.


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The world's leading venture capitalist of today shared the career advice below almost a decade ago. While the advice is targeted at the young, I think the experienced ought to pay heed.
Do cover letters matter? Do recruiters and human resources managers even look at the correspondence that accompanies your resume and job application? The answers vary widely even among career experts and HR pros, many of whom have strong opinions on the matter.
At one extreme: Susan Cucuzza, a business coach with Live Forward and formerly an HR executive at Textron, considers them a waste of time. "In my entire human-resources career of interviewing and hiring thousands of individuals, I may have read a few dozen cover letters at most, most of which provided no value. Most recruiters and human-resources professionals immediately put the cover letter to the side and jump into the resume itself. Why? The cover letter doesn't tell me anything more than what I will find on the resume."
In the other corner: Jane Angelich, the former vice president of human resources at Salomon Brothers investment bank, who says "the cover letter is more important than the resume. If the cover letter didn't grab me, I never got to the resume." She recalled an instance where a cover letter moved her enough to invite a candidate in for a job interview. "His resume, without the cover letter, looked like every other one that I received for the prestigious and high-paying training class we offered. He made me want to meet him because of that cover letter, and I hired him."
When I was the head of human resources at a Fortune 1,000 company I fell into Susan's camp — I never read cover letters. But as a career coach, I advise my clients to use them. Why? Because you don't know whether the recruiter or HR manager on the other side of the job application is like me and Susan or Jane.
"The truth is that some recruiters read cover letters and others do not," said Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio, Vault.com career-services expert. "But since you don't know which recruiters are reading them, you must write a compelling cover letter which makes the case for why you should be hired."
Those who advocate cover letters recommend that they be personalized to make the candidate stand out in a way that is relevant to the job being filled.
First of all, the cover letter must be addressed to a specific person, clearly indicate the job you are seeking and focus on the specific needs of the company.
How do you determine the individual to whom you should send your cover letter if the company doesn't list the name of the hiring manager? Heather R. Huhman, president of Come Recommended, an online community connecting the internship and entry-level job candidates with employers, suggested the following:
"Cover letters are only important to the extent that the candidate can make them interesting, or, better said, make themselves interesting," said Donna Flagg, founder of HR consulting firm The Krysalis Group.
But it's not all about you. It's about what you can do for the company and why you would be a good fit. Review the company's Web site and determine what skills and experience make you valuable to the organization.
Sharon Armstrong, author of "The Essential HR Handbook," suggested job seekers cut right to the chase and use the cover letter to demonstrate their qualifications for every requirement of the job. She recommended they use two columns: The first column, "Your Requirements," lists each requirement set forth in the job posting. The second column, "My Qualifications," details the candidate's qualifications for each requirement. The two-column format works, she said, because: "1) you never know who is screening interviews and you've done all their work for them; 2) if the company is scanning, you've used all their key words; and 3) you have already started to prepare yourself for the interview by reviewing your background and how it applies to the needs of that position and the company."


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