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Sotheby's to hold Fine Chinese paintings sale and exhibition of Zhang Daqian paintings
Painted by Xu Beihong in 1935, Buffaloes (est. HK$10-20 million) represents the pragmatism and austerity of people in China at that time. Photo: Sotheby's.
will present its Largest Fine Chinese Paintings Sale on 4 October, presenting over 360 lots expected to fetch in excess of HK200 million / US$25.6 million*. Several thematic sections will be featured, including Treasures from Afar Two Overseas Paintings Collections, Calligraphy Works by Dignitaries During the Republic of China, Works of Jincheng and Beijing Artists During the Early 20th Century, alongside exceptional works by masters such as Zhang Daqian, Fu Baoshi, Wu Guanzhong, Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong.
C.K. Cheung, Head of Sotheby's Fine Chinese Paintings Department, said: This autumn, we are pleased to bring together masterpieces by leading artists from private collections around the world that formed the largest auction of this category at Sothebys. Highlights include two valuable collections from both sides of the Atlantic, which boast superb artistic values and serve as a microcosm of the diaspora and market development of this genre over the past fifty years.
We have also carefully curated Calligraphy Works by Dignitaries During the Republic of China - a section which features the original calligraphies of several influential dignitaries, including Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek), to shed light on the sweep of historical events in their times. The section is poised to inspire viewers to reflect on the historical significance behind the writings.
Treasures from Afar Two Overseas Painting Collections
Two overseas painting collections, one from England and the other from the United States, are represented in this assemblage. Though started in different period, both collections exhibit the owners passion for 20th century Chinese calligraphy and art. Another similarity between them lies in the collectors high regard for artists of their time, particularly those who were influenced by Western or Japanese aesthetics. Fu Baoshi, therefore, holds such a prominent place in both collections.
Painstakingly assembled in the 1960s, the collection from England is made up of modern Chinese paintings primarily sourced from an art gallery in London. By comparison, most Modern Chinese paintings in the US collection were acquired from international art auctions. In the early 1980s, New York became the focal point of a booming Chinese art market where ancient Chinese paintings and calligraphy were most sought after. The collector made an early start amassing 20th century modern works, and the finest were added to the collection.
Of the many great masters of Chinese art throughout history, Fu Baoshi was most enamoured with the works of Shi Tao, also known as the Bitter Gourd Monk, from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Several of Fus artistic gems drew inspiration from Shi, including Pavilion in the Solitude of the Mountains (est. HK$12 - 15 million). The work was painted in the autumn of 1943, at the height of his career during his stint spent in Chongqing. Unveiling a panorama of mountains half concealed in clouds, the composition shows a pine forest with a humble hermitage tucked away in a remote corner. Seated inside is a recluse, reciting a text. With nobody else in sight, he seems to enjoy the solitude of a life free from worldly hassles, amid the company of pines and white clouds.
An orderly scheme of nature emerges from the thoughtful composition, with the visual details of magnificent mountains and lush foliage interwoven intimately with each other. While mountain contours are portrayed through abrupt, sporadic brushstrokes, the heavy landscape boulders are delineated in a manner to suggest substance. No less remarkable, though, are the fine visual details bestowed to the painting, including the cottage structure and the arrangement of literary texts. Even the recluses facial expressions, so subtly portrayed through his brows and beard to convey the appearance of undivided concentration, testify to the artists emphasis on details.
Calligraphy Works by Dignitaries During the Republic of China
This section features over 20 original calligraphies by dignitaries who shaped the course of history in the Republic of China era. Among them are the works by revolution forerunner Chen Shaobai, the nations founders Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren and Chen Qimei as well as educationist Cai Yuanpei and cultural leader Hu Shi. Equally precious is a rare calligraphy work by Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) in the album.
Calligraphy Album by Various Artists (est. HK$200,000 - 300,000) is a souvenir album so titled by Niu Kangmin. The identity and background of Niu, the paintings recipient, remain unknown. However, judging by the annotators status and honorifics indicated, combined with the chronological order of the calligraphies when they were presented, one could tell that Niu came from an illustrious family and his parents, who were leading figures of the cultural and education circles, were connected to Chiang Kai-shek by matrimony. The extensive web of personal connections they wielded might explain how Niu Kangmin, a possible secondary school graduate, could bring together the calligraphic writings of celebrities from the military, political as well as literary, education and publication sectors. A total of 39 calligraphies, along with two paintings, are collected in this album. The rarest of them is Chiang Kai-sheks own manuscript. As a personal document dedicated to his close relative, it was penned by Chiang himself, rather than by his secretary as was most other cases. Rare calligraphic works of respected literary and education stalwarts, including Xia Mianzun of Kaiming Bookstore and Wu Yifang of University of Nanking, are also presented.
Breathtaking vistas of the Three Gorges region around Yangtze River are a familiar theme in Wu Guanzhongs works. However, it was rare for him to have placed such a singular focus on the Wu Gorge, as he did in this painting. In Wu Gorge (est. HK$7 - 9 million), the majestic silhouette of an interlocking mountain range along the river is profiled by lengthy, continuous lines running through the composition. Flowing from unfettered brushstrokes, the lines are dynamically executed for a heightened visual impact, while revealing the artists grasp of natures spectacular glory. The composition and style of painting are similar to another magnificent work of the same title by Wu. Measuring 6 X 12 feet, the latter is kept in the National Museum of History in Taipei. Both works are believed to be completed in 1984 when Wu undertook a painting trip across the Yangtze Three Gorges region to Sichuan.
Painted by Xu Beihong in 1935, Buffaloes (est. HK$10 - 20 million) represents the pragmatism and austerity of people in China at that time. This painting features two buffaloes lazing under a tree in a meadow. The blissful and carefree atmosphere is a strong contrast to the artists anti-wartime sentiment, more commonly reflected in his work during that period. This painting marks a moment of content for Xu during a time of turbulence.
The earliest of Zhang Daqians self-portraitures could be traced to the late 1920s. Self Portrait in the Yellow Mountains (est. HK$8 - 12 million) was executed in 1961, as he turned 63. It also marked a turning point in Zhangs artistic approach as he shifted from the traditional style of fine delicate brushwork to bold splashed ink and colour in his late oeuvre. Most of his self-portraits lack a distinctive background; however in this painting, the artist depicts himself in a pine forest on Yellow Mountain (Mount Huangshan), being at peace with himself and harmoniously blended into nature. This artistic approach is rarely seen in his other works.
A frontal view of the artist appears on the canvas, both his legs engulfed in swirling fog. Behind him, a spotty ancient pine tree is set against rock layers covered with pine needles, offering a portrayal of Yellow Mountains geology. The lower part of the painting is dominated by white blank spaces to connote fog. This visual contrast between mass and void to recreate a scene from nature also provides the painting with a paradise-like backdrop. Despite the spontaneity of Zhangs xieyi (freehand) style, the portrayal of his own physical likeness, from the eyes to wispy beard, is rendered with realistic details.
Highly pleased with its artistic outcome, Zhang kept the painting with him for a long period until it was presented to his seventh son, Zhang Xinyi. In 1991, Xinyi generously lent the work for the exhibition Challenging the Past The Paintings of Chang Dai-chien held in Washington, and the work has since then never shown in public for two decades until now.
Two Overseas Paintings Collections
Calligraphy Works by Dignitaries During the Republic of China
Works of Jincheng and Beijing Artists During the Early 20th Century
alongside exceptional works by masters such as Zhang Daqian
Fu Baoshi
Wu Guanzhong
Qi Baishi
Xu Beihong
Today's News
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Sotheby's to hold Fine Chinese paintings sale and exhibition of Zhang Daqian paintings
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Fight Compilation Of The Week: Fight After The Club Ends With Man Being Ran Over, Boy Gets The Beats In A Classroom, Woman Beater Gets Dropped, & More!
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Condes course setting
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Dennis Hooton
Additional text
August 17, 2005 11:54PM
I have used the additional text to indicate that there is a crossing point after the control. However the same control is used on another course but then does not use the crossing point. Is it possible to select the additional text for certain courses only?
Finn Arildsen
Re: Additional text
August 18, 2005 07:25AM
Hi Dennis
Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to select the additional text only for certain courses.
If, however, you enter the crossing point into the course (just as any other control), it will show up in the control descriptions with the symbolic representation of the crossing point (as from version 7.5.1) - (Currently there is no textual representation available).
Claus Bloch
Re: Additional text
June 07, 2006 11:24AM
Does this mean that it is not possible to give every course its own text? Like plot "course 1" on cource 1 and "course 2" on course 2 etc...
Finn Arildsen
Re: Additional text
June 07, 2006 02:32PM
In the UK - and perhaps also in other countries - it is often used to interleave text fields into the control descriptions, for example "Take care when crossing road", or "Courses close at 17.00" or "Safety bearing North".
The "Additional text" is a field associated with each control, which allowas you to add a text for the control. This text will then be shown in the control description, underneath the control. This means that the text will appear on all courses that visit the control, and the text will be identical for all courses.
This does not mean that you cannot have a course specific text ("Course 1", "Course 2" etc) on the map. This text will appear in the control description header, or, if you configure that you don't want control descriptions on the map, as a separate text.
The menu "Course Overprints" / "Settings" / "Control descriptions" allows you to configure if you want control descriptions on the map or just the text that identifies the course.
In version 8, which I am working on, you will have more options to configure texts, and format these texts individually.
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This is the best water challah I've ever tasted.
The best part is, whether you prefer egg/water challah, you really enjoy this.
When I have more challah dough than I'll need for shabbos, I roll some out to form a big rectangle, spread on sauce, spices and cheese. Roll like a jelly roll, and roll like a snake into a round pan. Bake. I serve it for friday lunch. Like a pizza challah.
5-6 challahs
4 cup warm/hot water
2 Tbsp yeast
1½ cup sugar
½ cup oil
1½ Tbsp kosher salt
12 cup flour
1 egg (optional (for top)
- sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or other spices (optional)
Put yeast and sugar in bowl.
Add water and stir.
Look out for bubbling.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix.
Place in warm area to rise until double.
Preheat oven to 325
This recipe is large enough for a bracha. Make a bracha, take off a piece the size of kezayis and take a moment to ask Hashem for whatever you want.
Shape your challah.
Place on a greased baking pan.
Brush with egg.
Let it rise until double.
Then brush again with egg.
Sprinkle with seeds or spices.
Place in oven and bake.
Large challah needs about 35 minutes.
Small rolls need about 15 minutes.
Optional: Instead of rising a second time on the counter, you can proof it as follows:
Preheat oven to 200.
As soon as challah is shaped and brushed, Place into oven, close, then turn OFF.
Wait 10 minutes.
Without opening oven, turn back on to 325 and back as usual.


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
1. All activities have been peer-reviewed but not tested.
2. Some safety considerations are suggested in the activities.
For full safety information, consult the MSDS sheets (go
to http://msds.pdc.cornell.edu/)
before doin g the experiment.
3. A concise source book for further assignments, activities,
and background information is ChemSource, version
2.1 (Orna, Mary Virginia, O.S.U.; Schreck, James O. &
Heikkinen, Henry, eds.), 1998. Visit the Web site at http://intro.chem.okstate.edu/ChemSource/chemsource.html.
You'll need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the
files. Acrobat Reader is available free for download from
Workshop 8. Chemistry at the Interface
Glowing Pickle Demonstration: Veatta BerryUnit
Energy Levels Laboratory: Veatta BerryUnit
Flame Test Demonstration and Activity: Al
DeGennaroUnit 8.2
Identifying Solutions Laboratory: Felix
MuhigaUnit 8.3
Polymer Strength Laboratory: Al DeGennaroUnit
Discussing Chemistry and Advertising: Tom
PratuchUnit 8.6
© Annenberg Foundation 2017. All rights reserved. Legal Policy


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Posted by Our Troops on Feb 2, 2013 in Troops0 comments
❤ RED FRIDAY ❤ "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." -Elmer Davis troopsproject.com #heros #soldiers #SupportOurTroops #GrammysCookieConvoy
A photo posted by Grammys Cookie Convoy (@grammyscookie) on
Thanks for all the support our volunteers have put in to provide the strength Our Troops need. Also, thanks to all the donations we have received over the years in order to support our troops and send shipments overseas. Without the support of our volunteers and contributors we would not be able to send our appreciation to Our Troops.
We look forward to sending more shipments of cookies overseas as we continue to support those who serve our country and fight for us everyday. It takes over $10,000 to send a shipment overseas, so we appreciate any donations that you can give us in order for us to get these shipments out the door and over to our loved ones serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Design by Spacelutions


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When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But what do you make when life punches a hole in your eye?
When an on-farm accident put fifth generation farmer Nathan Legler on the sidelines three years ago, he built a website for farmers.
"I was putting new 2-inch points on our disk ripper chisels and was having to remove them by hammering out a rolling pin," he recalls. "The last one wouldn't come out with a hammer, so I had to grab the air punch, and when I went to use it I didn't have it pressed against the pin close enough, and a piece of the air punch broke off and flew up through my eye."
So what began as an uneventful day on the farm ended with a team of surgeons huddled over him at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.
The story has a happy ending – Legler kept his 20/20 vision against all odds. "It's a miracle, hands down," he says.
Even so, Legler was heartbroken during the aftermath of the accident. The twenty-something farmer had just graduated from Iowa State University and returned to the family operation just a month earlier. Now, as part of the recovery process, he was supposed to lay flat as much as he could for three months. That meant no farming.
What it did mean, however, was his fair share of restlessness. Watching television and movies all day gets old pretty quickly, he says. So Legler revived a hobby he started in college instead.
"Being stuck on the couch all day drove me nuts, so I started teaching myself to code and design websites to keep me occupied," he says.
The fruits of those labors, a website called OurAg.com, is something all farmers can enjoy today, he says. Legler, an avid Facebook and Twitter user, says although he enjoys those sites, they aren't always good at creating a farmer-centric community.
"Facebook is loaded with information that's interesting to me but also irrelevant to farmers," he says. "So much great information is gone in five minutes because it gets buried under cat videos and baby photos."
About Twitter, he adds, "There's so much more to say about agriculture than 140 characters."
With OurAg.com, Legler has tried to bring in his favorite elements from other websites. (The design feels like a blend of Facebook, YouTube and BuzzFeed.) And the focus is clear – the site is for sharing content about agriculture through news items, photos, videos and more. Legler says the website is easy to use, and you can register through your existing Facebook account.
The website is a work in progress, but Legler says he hopes other farmers will give OurAg.com a try and join this unique online community. His latest development has been launching an app for Apple devices that he's billing as "Instagram for agriculture."
"This is a chance for farmers to showcase agriculture so people better understand what goes into their food, clothes and other products they use daily," he says. "The app has tons of features for sharing on other apps, plus a ton of effects for photos and videos. Everyone on the beta launch has enjoyed it, and it will continue to get better."
Meantime, there's another happy ending to Legler's story. With his eye fully recovered, he is able to farm once again.
"I'm a farmer first," he says.
Want more? Talk about OurAg and other farm technologies on our discussion boards. Join the conversation today.


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Tamara Neitzke, assistant treasurer and corporate finance manager at Portland General Electric; Jared Holum, an audit shareholder with Perkins & Company; and Kurt Bruun, chief operating officer of Lorentz Bruun Co., have joined the PSU Foundation Board of Directors.
Neitzke, a CPA, has worked in the financial sector for 27 years and has been on the PGE management team since 2007. Prior to PGE, she was a senior manager at the Portland office of KPMG, a national audit, tax and advisory services firm. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and received a post baccalaureate certificate in accounting from Portland State.
Holum, also a CPA, joined the accounting firm Perkins & Company in 2003 after spending 10 years working for an international accounting firm and three years as a chief financial officer and controller in private industry. He has experience planning and managing financial statement audits of companies ranging from startups to multinational clients with revenues exceeding $750 million.
Bruun manages the day-to-day operations of his family's 66-year-old construction firm. He is also president of its sister company, Bruun Properties, which manages more than 750,000 square feet of industrial, office and retail properties in addition to several development projects.
The PSU Foundation is an independent tax-exempt organization that enhances the development of Portland State University (PSU) through relationships, resources, and guidance. Gifts to the Foundation advance PSU by providing scholarships for outstanding students, supporting faculty research and instruction, and enhancing facilities and program development and growth.
Members are selected for their business, civic, and philanthropic leadership, their professional expertise, their ability to provide representation from a broad spectrum of community interests, and their commitment to the advancement of PSU. Neitzke, Holum and Bruun will serve three-year terms on the volunteer board.
In addition, the board has elected the following new officers for 2012-2013:
President: Pete Nickerson
Immediate Past President: Tom Fink
First Vice President: Jon Mitchell
Secretary: Annette Mulee
Treasurer/Chair of Finance & Audit Committee: Les Fahey
Vice President/Chair of Committee on Directors: Jon Mitchell
Vice President/Chair of Development Committee: Ken Thrasher/Kimberly Cooper
Vice President/Chair of Gift Acceptance Committee: Erik Lawrence
Vice President/Chair of Investment Committee: Mark Rosenbaum
Vice President/Chair of Strategic Planning Committee: Annette Mulee
Vice President/Chair of Real Estate Committee: Jeff Reaves
Vice President At-Large: Peter Stott


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Ten-year-old killed in auto-pedestrian accident in Port Arthur
Ten-year-old Tyvone Joseph Washington of Port Arthur died as the result of a weekend auto-pedestrian accident in the 8500 block of Memorial Boulevard in Port Arthur on March 29 at close to 10 p.m.., police report. The boy was reportedly going home from the mall.
According to a news release from the Port Arthur Police Department, responding officers discovered that a silver Volvo SUV traveling southbound on Memorial Boulevard struck the boy as he was crossing the street. The driver told police she had seen several people crossing the street but did not see Washington, who was last to cross. Police learned that the group of boys had been to Central Mall and were attempting to cross the divided highway. All made it safely across with the exception of Washington.
Judge Marc DeRouen pronounced the boy dead at the scene and ordered an inquest into the incident.
PAPD Major Raymond Clark said the boys were not crossing at a protected intersection, which could have prevented the accident.
"The only intersection near there is about a quarter of a mile or so away," Clark said.
Clark also advised that the group of boys were without adult supervision at the time of the accident.


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VNC Fatal server error: could not open default font 'fixed'
I needed to use some GUI tools recently for testing hard drives in a large RAID group on a CentOS Linux server that I only have remote access to so I decided to install VNC temporarily. The server has never had a GUI installed so I first installed the Gnome Desktop Environment, then installed VNC, configured VNC, and last attempted to start VNC but I received an error. The error was complaining of the default fonts not being in the proper location however the error output was excellent and allowed me to create a quick symlink to resolve the issue. Below I describe the error in more detail followed by the one command resolution.


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Green Architectural Features Displayed by Holiday Villa in Thailand: Aqualina Residence
Embedded in a scenic mountainside and offering astonishing views over the neighboring island of Koh Phangan, Aqualina Residence is an unusal looking contemporary holiday villa in Koh Samui, Thailand. Every standing point reveals a great perspective, as the L-shaped building is wrapped around the swimming pool and overlooks the sea beyond. The triangular shaped main living area is reflected by the pool and features glass windows that open up the residence towards the landscape. A wooden paneled wall incorporating a black granite counter, a large flat-screen TV and an entertainment system is just one of the glamorous features of the living area. Cylindrical white pillars and white floor tiles visually mix with the leather sofas, complemented by colorful cushions. Aqualina has a total of three bedrooms, displaying an elegant and minimalist design. Sustainable features of the residence include a grass covered roof structures with cooling properties, plus a well adapted water preservation and collection system.


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Banks' profits rise on lending
Banks are making bigger profits from writing new mortgages today than at any time since 2004, putting intense pressure on lenders to cut interest rates independently of the Reserve Bank, new research suggests.
With recent earnings results showing strong profit growth from home lending, UBS analysts have predicted pressure from rivals and politicians will unleash ''out-of-cycle'' mortgage rate cuts.
UBS bank analyst Jonathan Mott, the report's author, argued that banks were generating 88 basis points of profit on a typical mortgage - equal to 88¢ a year for every $100 in mortgage debt.
It is the biggest margin since the UBS estimates began in 2004, and represents a rapid improvement from a year ago, when Mr Mott said the banks were probably losing money on new home loans.
But with bank share prices surging more than 15 per cent in the past three months, many in the market are wondering whether the growth is sustainable.
Mr Mott wrote that he was concerned the rally was overdone, and the market was not considering that such big profits would inevitably put greater competitive and political pressure on lenders.
''Out-of-cycle rate cuts and renewed competition are now inevitable,'' the report says.
''If the global economy continues to improve, funding markets keep rallying and deposit competition continues to ease, we believe banks will come under pressure to initiate out-of-cycle rate cuts.''
Given this increase in profits, Mr Mott also said there was a real risk of political interference if the banks did not pass a fall in costs on to their customers.
Macquarie's banking analyst, Mike Wiblin, also argued last week that profit growth caused by holding back official rate cuts was not sustainable in an election year.
The rapid turnaround in profits has come from falling wholesale funding costs and the banks' decision to only pass on official rate cuts in part.
At the same time, however, Mr Mott's analysis suggested banks were losing money from term deposits.
Clancy Yeates is a business reporter.


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AUSTIN – Revised curriculum standards for all fine arts instruction for kindergarten through 12th grade received preliminary approval from the State Board of Education today. The curriculum standards outline the topics to be covered in art, music, dance and theater classes.
The current standards, called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), have been in use in the state's classrooms since 1998. Final approval of the revised standards is expected to occur at the board's April 19 meeting. The updated standards will be used in classrooms beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.
The proposed revisions create standards for dance instruction in the middle schools. Currently, dance standards only exist at the high school level. The middle school TEKS, with these updates, will also now be based on a student's proficiency level, rather than grade level. For example, if a student took private violin lessons throughout elementary school, this change would allow the child to be placed in a more advanced middle school orchestra class, rather than in a beginning class. The proposal also increases the number of fine arts classes available at the high school level.
The TEKS given preliminary approval will be posted on the Texas Education Agency website athttp://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147499973 once they are updated to reflect amendments made by the board this week. The standards now on that web page reflect the draft proposed by TEKS review committees. That proposal was largely accepted by the board with only a few tweaks.
This week's board meeting was the first meeting of the board since all 15 members were elected in November, following a redrawing of boundary lines. During the first meeting after redistricting and an election, the board members must draw for terms of office, elect officers and be assigned to committees.
The board elected Thomas Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant, as vice chair and Mavis Knight, D-Dallas, as secretary. The chair of the board, Barbara Cargill, is appointed to that post by the governor. The three officers then made the following committee assignments:
Committee on Instruction
Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund
Committee on School Initiatives
Once committees were appointed, the members of each committee elected a chair and the chair appointed a vice chair.
After a redistricting year, state law mandates that eight members receive four-year terms of office and seven members receive two-year terms. In subsequent elections, all will run for four year terms.
Those members who received four-year terms, which will run from Jan. 1, 2013 to Jan. 1, 2017, are: Bahorich, Cargill, Dominguez, Maynard, Melton, Mercer, Ratliff and Rowley.
Those members who received two-year terms, which run from Jan. 1, 2013 to Jan. 1, 2015, are: Allen, Bradley, Cortez, Hardy, Knight, Miller, and Perez.


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WHEATON – For more than a year, local nonprofit Connection of Friends has been giving those with special needs the chance to meet new people.
The nonprofit was started last October by Sarah Donnelly, a Wheaton mother of two children with autism. The inspiration came after a long conversation in the summer of 2011 with her parents, Ginny and Terry Kline.
"We were in Sarah's kitchen, and it was sort of a down day for Sarah. She had obviously been thinking about the future," Ginny said.
Donnelly said she was worried about her children and what opportunities they might have – especially after they aged out of federally-mandated school programs at age 22.
"She was concerned about [her oldest daughter] Emma, what she might be able to do and feel important doing and feel comfortable doing," Ginny said. "And we had no answers whatsoever."
Later that week, the family heard about an organization in Wilmette called Our Place of New Trier. It offered programs for people of all ages with special needs and emphasized building friendships and social skills.
"As grandparents of special needs kids, we knew that down the road they would be facing this issue," Terry said. "There are some options that are available to special needs teenagers and adults, but we felt there might be something a little different."
By the end of the year, the family had filed paperwork to start their own nonprofit to provide services similar to the Wilmette group's in and around Wheaton.
Now, a year after opening, Connection of Friends has two full-time staff members with backgrounds in special needs, five part time staff, 13 regular volunteers and 30 program participants.
The nonprofit offers three hour blocks of programming from 12 to 3 p.m. on weekdays. These include an array of different activities for people ages 16 to 55 with special needs.
"Everything is embedded in socialization. For three hours, special needs adults can come here and learn how to make friends and keep friends," Donnelly said. "It's programming that is meaningful and engaging."
Diane Wheeler said that her daughter Jessica, 17, has attended Connection of Friends since its founding.
Though Jessica is involved in activities at Wheaton North High School and the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association, giving her the opportunity to simply have friends and be a "typical teen" has meant a lot for her and for the family, Wheeler said.
"As a parent with a child with special needs, we become their caregiver or become their social life if we want them to be actively engaged in something," she said.
Wheeler said that because of the parent and grandparents behind the scenes at Connection of Friends, the nonprofit sees things "from a different perspective."
Nita Newing's daughter Cheryl is one of the group's older participants at 46 and has been involved in the program for a month. Newing said that while Cheryl leads a busy social life, having a small and personal community to interact with on a consistent basis has offered a "wonderful atmosphere."
"The world is harsh and hard enough without adding to it," she said. "So I'm just tickled that she's in a situation that's safe and caring and compassionate and loving."


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- A socket can connect to a plain solid wire for quick connections to breadboards, etc.
- In rockets, the rule of thumb is if something is disconnected, the side that remains powered should not be an exposed pin to prevent an accidental short when wires are jostled around.
- Looks cleaner than the bare pins; no concern of something outside the circuit (eg. a meter) brushing up against a pair of pins and accidentally shorting them.
19 July 2010
Question for Readers
7 comments:
Female headers on board is a better choice IMHO. Contacts are protected and easy to connect bare wires.
I used to put pinheaders on board but that was only because others also do so. No better explanation.
- July 19, 2010 at 12:56 PM
Most Arduino boards have female headers on board. Except the one on the front page :)
- July 19, 2010 at 1:39 PM
- OCY said...
The advantage of using pins is that you can use ribbon cables (3M?) to connect to other boards.
But for LaunchPad, you will need two such cables and can only use half of the wires in each cable.
- July 19, 2010 at 1:55 PM
- David said...
Guess I should have dug a little deeper. Thanks for clarifying that!
- July 19, 2010 at 2:14 PM
OCY: If you want to use a ribbon cable then you can make a breadboard that has a two row male pinheader for the ribbon cable. This also uses both rows and all wires of the ribbon cable.
The breadboard can then use one row male pinheaders to connect to the female pinheaders on the LaunchPad.
- July 19, 2010 at 2:58 PM
Just use a female-female pin adapter if you need to. Or a male-male adapter. No big deal.
- July 20, 2010 at 2:19 AM
The professional way is to put the more robust part of a connection (socket / plug pair) where it is more difficult to replace.
In this case that would be to put the male header on the board. Because it is more robust. The female headers wear out more easily, therefore belong at the wire. A wire is more easy to replace then a soldered socket on a PCB.
The Arduino people got that wrong. They got quite a few things wrong, this is one of the more glaring things they got wrong.
- July 25, 2010 at 7:58 AM


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Romanian cave holds some of the oldest human footprints
Preserved Stone Age impressions were made about 20,000 years earlier than thought
D. Webb
Human footprints found in Romania's Ciur-Izbuc Cave represent the oldest such impressions in Europe, and perhaps the world, researchers say.
About 400 footprints were first discovered in the cave in 1965. Scientists initially attributed the impressions to a man, woman and child who lived 10,000 to 15,000 years ago. But radiocarbon measurements of two cave bear bones excavated just below the footprints now indicate that Homo sapiens made these tracks around 36,500 years ago, say anthropologist David Webb of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania and his colleagues. Analyses of 51 footprints that remain — cave explorers and tourists have destroyed the rest — indicate that six or seven individuals, including at least one child, entered the cave after a flood had coated its floor with sandy mud, the researchers report July 7 in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology


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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Dogs in the News
Many dogs enjoy going for a ride in the car. We've all seen them, head out the window, tongue flapping in the breeze! So cute! But, is it safe? How much thought do you give to the way your dog rides in the car? While no one is suggesting that you buckle Rover into a seatbelt (although such devices are available!) a new bill has been passed in California making it illegal to drive with a pet on your lap!
"If you have an animal that gets in your face or gets tangled up in your steering wheel when you're driving, you can't properly control (the car)," says Califronia Assembly Member Bill Maze, who proposed the bill. The bill prohibits drivers from "holding a live animal in his or her arm or arms or upon his or her lap."
Both houses of the California legislature have passed the bill. After minor tweaking, it heads to Governor Schwarzenegger's desk. The governor has not yet stated his position on the bill.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Dog Tags- Skidboot
If I was to make a list of inspiring names of great dogs, I sure wouldn't have thought to include a name like "Skidboot." That name sounds like something that gets in the way under your feet. Maybe not a very dignified name for a dog. But once I met Skidboot, I changed my mind. Maybe you will too.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Dogs in the News--Red Cross Rovers
Many of us donate blood. We all know the importance of a well-stocked blood bank to save lives in times of trauma. But did you know that dogs may become blood donors too? I didn't know either, until today, thanks to my Vermont cousin Judy, who read about this process in Best Friends magazine.
Without dog blood donors, veterinary surgeons couldn't perform life-saving surgical procedures. It's understandable how important this is. I also agree with Judy, who mentions one concern-- that the dogs have no say in the somewhat painful and possibly risky procedure. Like most things in life, there are pros and cons.
There is even a dog blood donor website, where you can register your dog and veterinarians can check for matches. No fee is charged for listing on the website, and they recommend that all blood donations be without charge. The idea for the registry was started after a nine-year old Golden Retriever needed a life-saving transfusion.
from http://www.dogblooddonors.com/index.php
>>The idea of creating a national blood donor database for pets came about after a nine year old Golden Retriever, Abi was diagnosed with auto-immune haemolytic anaemia. This is a disease in which the dog's own immune system attacks and destroys the red cells in the blood which if untreated will eventually result in death.
Realising the seriousness of her condition Diana, Abi's owner and vet immediately attempted to locate a blood donor or oxyglobin (a blood substitute) supplier.
Both were unsuccessful so it was decided to transfer Abi to Davies Veterinary Specialists, a specialist veterinary hospital for further treatment. Abi went along with three other Golden Retrievers belonging to the household. When tested they found, fortunately that all three had the same blood type as Abi.
Within hours Abi received her first transfusion.
The treatment continued for eight days, three transfusions in all. Along with medication, the blood donation worked. Abi returned home two weeks later and as of July 2006 is doing very well!
There is little doubt that without the second and third transfusion Abi would not have recovered. Diana is so thankful that she had the use of her own dogs to save Abi's life. Not everyone is that lucky. Everyday vets face the problem of finding suitable animal blood donors.
With this in mind Diana approached Dr. Clive Elwood with a proposal for a national animal blood donor scheme. As head of the internal medicine service at Davies Veterinary Specialists Clive has first hand experience of the difficulties facing vets in need of animal blood donations.
Clive is also responsible for www.vetspecialists.co.uk, the company website. His understanding of what is possible with the internet combined with his clinical experience places him in a unique position. With Clive's supervision the Animal Blood Register was created as a free to use resource, helping vets find animal blood donations.
If you would like to learn more about the actual procedure for drawing blood from your dog, click here.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Dog Tags #1
I love to hear what people name their dogs, and why. Did you consider your dog's physical appearance, or personality? Was he or she named after a famous person, pop icon, or perhaps relative? How does your name fit your dog? Do you prefer people names or not?
Kelly came from a rescue home already named. We considered changing it, but in the end it seemed to fit her auburn fur and spunky personality. Our yellow lab was named after a famous explorer, Henry Hudson. And our dalmatian was named Schuyler, after a local historical figure.
Unique or common, it doesn't matter, it's fun to see how our special names fit together with our pets. You can look up some ideas in this book, 1000 Dog Names from A to Z.
Here's a little dog name trivia.
What do you think are the most common dog names? I guessed Princess, Casey, and Lady.
The most popular puppy names in North American are:
Sam, Max, Lady, Bear, Maggie, Buddy, Brandy, Ginger and Taffy. Some other popular names are Duke, Rocky, Buster, Winston, Lucy, Sadie, Daisy, Bo and Coco.
I'd love to hear--what did you name your dog, and why?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Too Much Dog Food
This is Hudson -- before and after. We took good care of him, gave him a loving home, but sadly, we also unintentionally allowed him to become obese. As he grew older, arthritis limited his mobility and that's when most of the weight packed on. He passed away at age 12, but I often felt if we'd been able to help him slim down, we could have added a few more years to his life.
Do you wonder why our pets are overweight? The basic reason is obviously caloric intake vs. exercise. But the other day I made an interesting discovery. I was searching the pet store shelves for some canned dog food that might constitute a bland diet. I'd been cooking Kelly chicken and rice for her stomach ailment, but wanted a convenient back up for days I didn't cook. I looked at one can of premium quality "easy to digest" dog food, and read the back. Serving size: daily, one 13 oz can per every 10 lbs of weight. That would mean I'd give Kelly, a small cocker spaniel size dog, 3 1/2 cans of dog food a day! Compared to the amount of dry dog food my vet instructed us to give (1/2 cup, twice a day) that seemed exorbitant. I questioned our vet about it later and she agreed. She suggested feeding the canned dog food in the same volume as what we've been giving her.
If a small dog consumed 3 1/2 cans of dog food every day, they'd surely become obese!
I've been searching for a new brand of high quality, natural dry dog food for Kelly. What do you feed your dogs?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Prince Chunk
No fat dog story, but a fat cat story....
A 44lb cat was found wandering around Voorhees NJ, apparently abandoned. It was later learned that his owner lost her home due to foreclosure. The cat was turned in to the Camden County Animal Shelter.
Prince Chunk is mostly white, with orange markings. She became an overnight sensation, and even appeared on Live with Regis and Kelly, Good Morning America, and the Early Show.
Her weight is just 2 lbs shy of the record. Despite her obesity, the vet has given her a clean bill of health.
More than 400 families responded to adopt the fat cat! A New Jersey family with two other cats was selected to take Prince Chunk home. The shelter hopes that some of the responding families might consider adopting one of the cats in the shelter awaiting homes.
Monday, August 11, 2008
It's Raining Female Trolls
We are in a State of Emergency. My city is underwater.
Fortunately, my house is unaffected. The heavy rains caused rivers to flow down the street, hail pelted at my windows, thunder and lightning made Kelly hide in the closet. But at least inside, we're snug and dry.
Kelly does not like going outside in the rain. She sits on the threshold and stares out the open door. Nothing I say will bribe her to go out there unless I go out myself. Then she'll rush out to do her business and bolt right back for the door. But if I'm not standing out there too, forget it. The things we do for our dogs!
In honor of our soggy weather, here is a list of idioms for "raining cats and dogs" in other languages from Omniglot.
Afrikaans-- Ou vrouens met knopkieries reen
it's raining old women with knobkerries (clubs)
Catalan-- Està plovent a bots i barrals
it's raining boats and casks
Croatian-- Lije k'o iz kabla
it's raining like from a bucket
Czech-- Padají trakaře
it's raining wheelbarrows
Danish-- Det regner skomagerdrenge
it's raining shoemakers' apprenticies
Dutch-- Het regent pijpestelen
it's raining pipe stems
French-- Il pleut comme vache qui pisse
it's raining like a pissing cow
Gaelic (Irish)-- Tá sé ag caitheamh sceana gréasaí
it's throwing cobblers knives
German-- Es gießt Schusterjungs
it's pouring cobbler boys
Greek-- Βρέχει καρεκλοπόδαρα
it's raining chair legs
Hungarian-- Úgy esik, mintha dézsából öntenék
it's raining as if it were poured from a tub
Icelandic-- Það rignir eld og brennustein / Það er eins og hellt sé úr fötu
it's raining fire and brimstone
Japanese-- 土砂降りである (doshaburi de aru)
earth and sand are falling
Korean-- 비가 억수같이 쏟아진다
rain is pouring down like a torrential downpour.
Macedonian-- Паѓа дожд како од крбла (Pagja dožd kako od krbla)
it's raining like from a tub.
Norwegian-- Det regner trollkjerringer
it's raining female trolls
Polish-- Leje zabami
it's raining frogs
Portuguese-- Está chovendo barba de sapo
it's raining toads' beards
Slovak-- Leje ako Padajú traktory
Tractors are falling
Spanish-- Está lloviendo a chuzos
it's raining pikes
Estan-- lloviendo hasta maridos
It's even raining husbands
Swedish-- Det ösregnar
it's raining like ladles
Turkish-- Sicim gibi yağmur yağıyor
it's raining like long strings of rope
Welsh-- Mae hi'n bwrw hen wragedd a ffyn
it's raining old ladies and sticks
Friday, August 8, 2008
Kelly update
Excuse the topic of this post, but sometimes we just have to write about...poop.
Although we still don't know what might be troubling Kelly, she seems to be improving. She's eating well and acting comfortable. Yesterday I waited all day to check her stool sample (I know, fun) but she wouldn't oblige. Finally, success! And there didn't appear to be any blood. The same story today. Usually she has to "go" once or twice even every time I take her for a walk. Well, I got a good workout, walking her again and again and again. She didn't produce much, but from what I saw, there was no blood. I'm a bit worried about the lack of quantity now. Perhaps it can be chalked up to her new bland diet...medication...stress...performance anxiety? Anyway, she seems to be doing well and I'm feeling confident she'll recover fully. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers and support.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Great Moms
Here's another Mama dog with tigers! She looks so patient.
Mother Dog Of Little Tigers! -
Mother Dog Of Little Tigers! -
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Co$t of $ickne$$
Managing my dog's health...that is no easy task, when sometimes I feel it's difficult to manage my own health.
Today Kelly and I were out for a walk. I dutifully stooped with my little blue plastic bag to do some pooper-scooping, when I noticed blood in her stools. Not just a little, but it looked like a lot. So naturally, I called the vet's right when we got home.
I can never decide when to wait and when not to--she didn't seem to have a stomach ache. But what if she had some sort of intestinal emergency in the middle of the night? Knowing my propensity to worry, I figured I'd better get an appointment today.
Stool sample in hand (well, in a baggy in hand) we went to the vet's. They are all really, really nice and really concerned people there. I love them. I'm not implying they are doing anything wrong. But the medical expenses are astronomical. I believe it is a responsible pet owner's duty to give their pet the best of care and all advisable treatments. But sometimes it is difficult to determine what is warranted and what could wait or even be prudently skipped.
If money was no object, I'd probably do whatever tests were necessary, ruling out possibilities and calming my nerves. Also, some tests may put the dog through undue stress, or some medications may not be necessary. That is the problem. Although I keep informed about dog-related diseases and first aid, I'm not a vet. They are the experts, and I'm inclined to listen to them.
First the vet did a fecal analysis. Okay, so that was obvious. $21.
The "sick pet" exam (temperature, look in ears, poking and prodding) $51
Then the vet suggested stomach x-rays to make sure there wasn't a blockage of some sort. I didn't think Kelly had eaten anything unusual. She doesn't wander loose and our house is small enough that I'm generally aware of what she's doing. But when we considered a test that could show a potentially deadly blockage, I just couldn't ignore it. x-rays, 2 views= $126
We were, in the end, spared this expense, as Kelly did not cooperate with the x-ray procedure. My husband accompanied her into the x-ray room to keep her calm, but the moment he left the room (he said he was willing to take the dose of radiation, but state laws would not allow him to stay in the room) Kelly freaked. You might wonder how they restrain a dog for the purposes of x-rays. They do not use sedation, and for that I was grateful. But first they positioned her on her side with her legs stretched out. Then they placed sandbags over her to help hold her down. Finally, they taped her down with medical tape in a grid-like pattern. I know it sounds rather cruel, but to get a picture the dog has to lie still. Kelly remained still as long as Mike was in the room, but panicked the minute he stepped away. This was supposedly the easy view. The next position was to be on her back with all four legs sticking up. Not to happen.
So we weren't able to get that piece of the puzzle, and if Kelly should become increasingly ill I assume they may have to attempt the procedure again, possibly with sedation if it seemed like a blockage was likely.
Next, a blood profile. The blood was drawn from her neck, something that always freaks me out, but she never seems to mind. Considering the blood is analyzed in about 10 minutes in the office, I can't figure out why it was so expensive. $105.
Finally, Kelly was sent home with some medicine for her loose stools and possible stomach ache $26.
Add to that her Interceptor tablets, since she was out- $36
Grand total (without x-rays) $238
By the way, the blood tests were all normal. Not sure what caused the bloody stools. We are giving Kelly a bland diet. I boiled chicken and rice. She loved it. She's resting comfortably and hopefully whatever it is will pass, with only the vet bill as a reminder.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Dog in the News --Isabella
(AP Photo/The Daily Reporter, Rob Morgan)
Isn't this the most beautiful picture? I've been reading recently about animals who've adopted orphan babies of other species, and came across this touching case. Just looking at the expression in the eyes of this golden retriever mom makes me melt.
The mother tiger at the Kansas Zoo rejected the babies. Zookeepers found the cubs wandering around their enclosure, searching for their mother, but she ignored them.
Fortunately, Isabella had just weaned a litter of puppies. Zookeepers introduced the tiger cubs, and instinct took over.
Here is another beautiful surrogate mother story. This may be a c-a-t but still, this is amazing footage from National Geographic.
Isn't this the most beautiful picture? I've been reading recently about animals who've adopted orphan babies of other species, and came across this touching case. Just looking at the expression in the eyes of this golden retriever mom makes me melt.
The mother tiger at the Kansas Zoo rejected the babies. Zookeepers found the cubs wandering around their enclosure, searching for their mother, but she ignored them.
Fortunately, Isabella had just weaned a litter of puppies. Zookeepers introduced the tiger cubs, and instinct took over.
Here is another beautiful surrogate mother story. This may be a c-a-t but still, this is amazing footage from National Geographic.
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Tribeca Film Festival 2015: A Second Look at "The Cut"
Despite a slew of negative early reviews, the latest film from Fatih Akin is a stirring work worth seeing.
Tribeca Film Festival 2015: Three to See
The convenience of location makes this festival the best place to catch up on the films you might have missed elsewhere.
Festival Watch: Tribeca Film Festival 2015 Opens
Film critic John Lopez shares his picks for what to see at New York's premiere film fest this year.
James Bond Slept Here
For nearly 20 years, British author Ian Fleming lived at Goldeneye, his home in Jamaica, writing his spy series. But when Dr. No was...
Festival Watch Sundance 2015: Closing Thoughts
Soon Park City's indie spell will break and the real world will come flooding back—you know, that place where waking up at 7 a.m. to brave the...
Festival Watch: Dispatches From Sundance 2015
From top emerging talents to the best new documentaries and shorts, our reactions to the first weekend of this year's festival.
Festival Watch, Sundance 2015: Discovering What's Next
Beyond the festival's boldface names lies the chance to uncover new talent.
Festival Watch: Sundance 2015 Opens
Film critic John Lopez gives us his notes from the festival frontlines.


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Brock Radke: For better or worse, it looks like Eating Las Vegas: The 50 Essential Restaurants is becoming the essential Vegas restaurant guidebook. The 2013 edition has arrived, and there are some surprises in the new book, penned once again by longtime local critics John Curtas, Max Jacobson and Al Mancini.
The first thing that caught my attention was not which restaurants made the list, but which ones didn't: Strip stalwarts Aureole (Mandalay Bay) and Bouchon (Venetian) inexplicably got the axe, as did must-eat neighborhood spots DW Bistro, Sen of Japan and Settebello. I'm trying to keep in mind this is supposed to be the 50 essential restaurants of Las Vegas, a descriptor with much more flexibility than a simple "best of" guide, but … no Bouchon? It's offensive. Vegas maintains a handful of classic bistros these days, but are any of them better than Bouchon? Curtas, the snobbiest of the trio, writes that removing it "is a crime against all that is proper and holy about eating good food in America." Apparently Mancini disagrees; he vetoed the choice.
Which of their cuts rubbed you the wrong way?
Jim Begley: Some wrongs were righted with the new edition, while other egregious errors were exacerbated. Last year's exclusion of Comme Ça (Cosmopolitan)—a travesty!—was corrected this time around, apparently at the expense of Bouchon. Trade one French brasserie for another, I guess.
Frankly, the exclusion of Sen of Japan irks me. I actually asked Jacobson about that one, and he replied, "How many sushi joints should be in the book?" Sen isn't just a sushi joint. Apparently every French restaurant in the Valley can be included, but God forbid multiple Japanese joints make it in.
BR: Agreed. There's been a proliferation of great Japanese food here in recent years, so it would make sense for the Top 50 list to reflect that. These guys have the great Raku in their Top 10, and then Bar Masa (Aria), straight-up sushi joint Kabuto, and ramen house Monta rounding out their Japanese favorites. They could have found room for one or two more.
JB: What about the tradeoff of Settebello, out of the Top 50, for Due Forni? I love both pizza places, but once again, why are we dealing with quotas? Probably my biggest problem with the book is that essential is not clearly defined. Do that and it's easier to judge, but without a definition, the boys have more wiggle room. Settebello was revolutionary when it arrived with its VPN pizza and still continues to serve a great pie.
I hate to knock on local joints but I don't think Bread & Butter should be on the Top 50 list. I can think of numerous other restaurants that are more essential to the local dining scene. I know everyone else loves the place, but I find it average. I want to love it but…
BR: I love it, but I understand your point. When you're making a list like this, you have to draw the line somewhere between my favorite restaurants and the places that must not be missed, the places that really make Vegas such a tremendous restaurant city. That is what essential means.
JB: Another question: How the hell is Bartolotta not in the Top 10? Seriously? There's not another restaurant of its kind in the states, let alone the city. It's also the only Wynn inclusion on the list. Sure, Wynn doesn't focus as much on F&B as they used to, but still.
BR: I'm with you on this one, too. Bartolotta is too good and too unique to not be in the Top 10, especially when you consider that Cosmopolitan's Milos—which is in their Top 10—is pretty much a Greek version of Bartolotta's insanely fresh Italian seafood concept. And what about steak? Apparently, unlike the vast majority of Vegas visitors, our three amigos don't care much for beef. Only three steakhouses made their list: CUT by Wolfgang Puck (Palazzo), Carnevino by Mario Batali (also Palazzo), and the new Gordon Ramsay Steak (Paris).
Flipping through the new edition feels like the critics wanted to shake things up, to inject some fun into this year's book. I'll give 'em props for including great new restaurants like Le Thai, Kabuto, and Public House (Venetian), but it's still a pretty stuffy list, loaded down with fancy French joints and expensive eateries that might not be as good as they once were. What other restaurants would you have included in your Top 50?
JB: There are three that jump out at me: Andre's, Parma and KoMex. Not that I think the list needs any more French joints, but Andre Rochat set the standard in Vegas for a long time and continues to dole out great food in his Monte Carlo hideaway. Overlooking neighborhood Italian joint Parma is simply a travesty and methinks there are other forces at work on this exclusion. Anyone who has read anything I've written over the last couple of years knows how much I love KoMex. To me, its Asian-Latin fusion represents the amalgamation of cuisines that exemplifies Las Vegas. We don't have one style of our own but our borrowing and improving upon those of others is becoming quite a hallmark.
BR: Let's break down the critics' Top 10. They've picked Cut, Milos, Raku, Guy Savoy (Caesars Palace), Joel Robuchon and L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (MGM Grand), Le Cirque and Picasso (Bellagio), Marche Bacchus (in Desert Shores) and Valentino (Venetian). Besides the Bartolotta exclusion, do you have other issues here?
JB: The Top 10 reminds me of Sesame Street: "One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong ... " That would be Marche Bacchus. Don't get me wrong, it's an exemplary off-Strip restaurant, but in lieu of Bartolotta? I think you hit it on the head—they wanted to shake up the list and in doing so, have somewhat missed the mark. Any list of this length will have detractors but some of these are so blatant.
BR: I'm surprised two off-Strip restaurants are in the Top 10. But I believe Raku and Marche Bacchus are the two best off-Strip restaurants in the city, so it's nice to see them get such lofty recognition.
JB: One other criticism I have about the book is for the most part, it's fantasy. Journalist Steve Friess made an observation when the first edition came out a couple years ago regarding the acknowledgement and the thanks given to casino and restaurant PR people. These three critics can hardly walk into any of the places in the book—certainly not on the Strip—without being identified. As such, anything they write about service is completely out the window. Most of these restaurants have great service, but there are a few where most normal folks wouldn't get the same coddling. The $100,000 question is: Would they rank these restaurants this way if they were treated the same as Don from Dubuque? What do you think?
BR: Ah, Jim, always the idealist. Your integrity is what I love most about you. But you make a good point. We can only hope the critics' choices are based on multiple experiences in all of the restaurants they recommend and consider a nice, round balance of cuisine, service, atmosphere and value. My big question is why they haven't raised the stakes and written the 100 essential restaurants of Las Vegas. Maybe we should write that book. What do you say?
JB: I'm game. But can we call it something other than essential? How about The 100 Most Greatest Las Vegas Restaurants? That's got a nice ring, don't it?


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Lizard leather
Llizard leather texture
Lizard leather. The tegu lizard at first glance, they look very scary and because of their constant flickering of their tongues, they look ready to bite. Being in the class of retpiles, they sniff or smell around by flickering their tongues. They are not poisonous although the bite can be very harmful because they have sharp teeth. And of course, they are very big, adults being 4 feet at length.
Whatever the case may be lizard leather is a very luxurious kind of leather the likes of alligator and crocodile. The hide is usually taken from the belly and when finished, they have a warm, shiny gloss. Products derived from lizard leather are usually made into boots, wallets, and watch straps.
Stuff to Know
|Tegu Lizard (Tupinambis merianae)
Maximum size & weight:
|Almost 5ft in length. 15 lbs
Maximum age:
|Approximately 15 years.
Where it lives in the wild
|Found in South America; Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
Where is it farmed?
Not farmed, caught in the wild. Possible to hatch and grow in captivity.
Dangerous to humans?
Afraid of humans?
|No, usually curious.
People injured yearly
|They have powerful tails and legs. They can leap up to 4 feet. There are injuries from those who have handled tegu lizards the wrong way but no statistics available for now.
People killed yearly by
Lose of fingers from bites, bruises from tail slaps/lashes, scratches from sharp claws, but fatalities, unknown so far.
Is meat edible?
Taste of meat
|A delicacy in South America.
Living habits:
It has a hibernation pattern. Ah, now this is different from the rest of the animals featured here.
They like to dig, dig, dig, and enjoy it very much. Usually this digging habit comes from the need to feed on insects and rodents. When farmed, they should be fed adequatlely so to reduce the digging. But still, there is a tendency to dig.
Eating habits:
Basically carnivorous but eat almost anything. Hey, tegu lizards can icecream, too! Basically, their diet consists of insects, fish, mice and rats.
Farming style:
There are no records available as there are no commercial farming of the tegu lizard have not been officially recorded yet and the records are not available to the public The following are observations of captive tegu lizard cultures.
Tegu lizards can be kept in cages or given a space to freely roam. When raised together, they have a "pecking order"; which ones feed first. When young lizards stop feeding on insects, fruits are given. Adults are given calcium supplements when needed. Usually a diet of pinky mice is a complete meal in itself.
As reptiles, they shed skin. Have a "hide box" and maintain humidity for the tegu lizard to shed skin. Take careful note that they do not have problems in shedding and if there are, call in a specialist for treatment.
Tegu lizards need to have a heat source, a basking spotlight is a necessary item. Better yet, if there is a good source of sunlight, provide access for the tegu lizard to bask. Hmmm, thought only people like to "sunbath". Tegu lizards like it, too.
Harversting weight and size:
No official information available. Whatever the case maybe, a poor Argentinian farmer can make a great deal of income from just one hide, the income being comparable to a single harvest from his own farm land!
Skin processing:
The skin is taken from the portion of the belly. Usually the skinning process goes in hand with meat preparation. After the meat and the skin are separated, the skin is further cleaned of fat and connecting tissue. Salted and dried to prevent from decomposition and then tanned.
Leather durability:
|It is durable comparable to cow leather.
Leather softness:
|Soft and pliable.
Other Leather features:
|The leather becomes more beautiful and more supple as time passes, meaning it "ages beautifully".
Leather relative value (1-10) in finished products.


text:
It's 9:30 AM and I have already driven 85 miles today.
24 October 2007
Things that make me unhappy
Posted by shadowfax at 9:44 AM
1 comment:
My sympathies. Really. I absolutely loathe driving, unless its on a track, for fun.ReplyDelete
I am moving back to our country house until our place over here is finished, which means a 40+ mile commute to take the boys to school. That's each way, four times a day.
If you must do a lot of driving, though, I can't recommend the Valentine One highly enough. Still legal in Florida, though I'm not sure it is in your area. Still, if one gets stopped for doing a mere 10 over the limit here, it can cost more than $200 and load one up with points (and insurance rate hikes), and Florida is famous for speed traps (long, empty, open roads that one would assume carry 55mph speed limits, minimum, but which are actually 35 mph zones in order to supplement the town's income).


text:
Serius Jones "Got Bars" Freestyle Pt. 5 (Spittin Off Jay-Z's "D.O.A" Beat) (Addressing Rappers Callin Him Out) "Ima Legend Ask Goodz"
Serius Jones spits over the D.O.A instrumental
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text:
Newborn vomiting amniotic fluid
Our granddaughter is vomiting amniotic fluid. She is 19 hours old and hasn`t been able to keep much if anything down. The nurse is talking about draining it with a tube. Please explain this to me.
All babies (fetuses) before birth both swallow and inhale small amounts of amniotic fluid. This is critical to the growth and developing function of the baby's immature lungs and intestines. It also helps to ensure a that there is the right amount of amniotic fluid around the baby, neither too little nor too much.
It's not unusual for babies born by planned caesarean section or after a very quick labor to have excessive fluid in their stomachs and their lungs. It can take 6 or more hours for babies' lymphatic systems and intestines to rid the baby of these excess fluids. Draining the stomach with a thin tube introduced in the mouth, passed through the esophagus and into the stomach is the easiest way to assist the baby if the fluid is in the stomach. A syringe can be attached to the end of the thin tube and gentle suction applied to remove the excessive fluids from the stomach.
There is nothing to be done for the lungs other than to observe the baby for respiratory distress and provide extra oxygen or assisted breathing treatments if needed while the lymphatic system in the lungs pumps out the extra fluid.
Rarely, this also may mean the baby has a defect between the esophagus and trachea or food tube and windpipe. This occurs because these two separate tubes start out as only one single tube and this tube must fully divide and separate to form the trachea and esophagus. Sometimes there is an incomplete separation that allows fluids from the mouth and stomach to spill over into the lungs. This would be suspected if the baby has trouble feeding and feedings tend to come back up and cause the baby to choke and cough. Fortunately, this condition is rare and there are good surgical repairs that can be done for most babies.
By this time, I hope your grandchild has recovered from a bumpy entrance into her family and that all is well. Thank you for your question.
For more information:
Go to the Newborn and Infant Care health topic.


text: We know what you're thinking—why are those book nerds over at Kirkus pontificating about the best football books? Do they even watch football at Kirkus? Ahem—we'll bypass that question to remind you that if it's a book, we know whether it's any good. This week, we highlight 10 gripping, insightful stories about the big egos, big money and big bruises at the heart of America's national sport. You won't get all 10 read before Sunday's epic battle, but any of these titles will provide some nice perspective on why that little oval of pigskin—and the guys fighting and fumbling over it—capture our attention (even our attention).