text:
Presidential address delivered at the AHA annual meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, on December 28, 1897. Published in the Annual Report of the American Historical Association, 1897, 21–34.
A New Federal Convention
I feel deeply the honor of being chosen president of this association for the current year; and my sense of your confidence is all the greater since I am commissioned to lead the flock from the familiar pastures on the Atlantic declivity into this broad valley of the Mississippi. Surely, however, with the hearty welcome we have received, we can not long feel strange, any of us, in this charming and hospitable city, nor in this great State of Ohio, firstborn of the present century, and the first of those flourishing commonwealths which were reared in the vast Northwest Territory consecrated by the Ordinance of Freedom.
The past year of our association has been a progressive one, largely through the energy of one of our associates, Hon. Peter White, of Michigan, its membership has been increased by over 300 new and desirable names, so that the printed roll for 1897 now brings the active total to 928, which is half as large again, I believe, as the aggregate of any former year. To offset somewhat this substantial gain, we have lost the usual percentage by resignation and death. Twelve honorable names have been transferred to the list of deceased members since our last annual gathering: Caleb B. Bradlee, George S. Hale, and William Rice, of Massachusetts; J. Hammond Trumbull and Rowland B. Lacey, of Connecticut; William S. Baker, of Pennsylvania; Judge William W. Crump, of Virginia; D. W. Jackson, of Illinois; Henry Kelling, of the State of Washington; Hon. Horatio King, of Washington City, once Postmaster-General of the United States, and that loyal soldier and scholar of international fame, Gen. Francis C. Walker, at whose funeral and later memorial tribute at Boston this association was represented. But the death, the latest of all, which perhaps most comes to us with the peculiar sense of a bereavement is that of Justin Winsor, of Massachusetts. Renowned as a scholar, a man of broad views and strong personality, such as draws a large circle of constant admirers, he was in every sense one of our most active and useful members. As one of the originators of this association, named in its act of incorporation, he passed quickly through the grades of vice-president and president, after which, as a permanent member of the council, he maintained to the last his personal interest in the society, attending most of the annual meetings, including that held in New York last December. Our organization mourns his loss in common with others of a kindred character, for few men, if any, of his generation were so admirably qualified or so greatly sought after to preside over a learned assembly; be not only presided, but inspired by his helpfulness. And whether in historical production or the handling and arrangement of the two vast libraries at Boston and Cambridge, which be directed in succession, the grand achievement of his life was to lay open the treasures of learning in the amplest measure for all who loved to explore and investigate.
I have chosen, for my special subject on this occasion,
More than a century ago, when the first compact of American Union had proved inadequate to its ends, and the amendment of that compact by the unanimous consent of the thirteen states was found impossible, our forefathers made appeal to a general convention. It was their last resort; a drastic remedy, and yet the only one for the political ills they suffered. Well might a minority of the people, averse to radical change, still clinging to State sovereignty and the Confederate idea, have dreaded such a gathering; for from the throes of that general convention which met in 1787 at Philadelphia issued a newborn nation. There was in those days something ominous, something revolutionary, in the very word "Convention" It was the "Convention" that in France, not long after, held the torch to anarchy and misrule. On this continent, conventions in the several States had lately cast off the cords of colonial dependence and organized new republics. Of social, religious, or business conventions, such as posterity has grown familiar with, little was then known in a local and far less in a national sense. That political or party convention which in our own age puts forth platforms and candidates, had as yet no being; and by "Convention" was meant, rather, in the eighteenth-century parlance, a solemn gathering of the people's representatives; an assembly from the depths, freshly chosen, to change and supplant existing institutions. For that supreme function of the body politic our Declaration of 1776 had in the name of all the American colonies given warrant, by announcing that "whenever any form of government becomes destructive of its fundamental ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute a new government." That basic right was by 1787 fully recognized. Commonwealths like Virginia relied with confidence upon that popular fundamental right implied for future exercise, without the shadow of a written suggestion in the State instrument itself as to how practically it should in the future be amended.
What, therefore, the people of our several States might fundamentally ordain for altering the local organic law whenever needful, the good people collectively of these United States had equally an inherent right under Confederate safeguards to accomplish. Yet in this expanded sense the convention of Philadelphia was a novelty, and continues such to this day. State conventions have since met to frame and submit new amendments, new constitutions, but a Federal convention never again. Prior to 1787, and throughout the long and agonizing contest with Great Britain, the Continental Congress had been for these United States the only real convention. Congress was the convention throughout that long struggle, and the convention was Congress. Doubtless the sublime fame of Washington as commander in chief shone out the more resplendent in that simpler age because, in his own military person, he was throughout the Revolution the sole embodiment of a Federal Executive, to contrast with that single chamber, assembled as a legislature behind closed doors, that commissioned and controlled him. How different the aspect in our late civil war, when, under our reconstructed Federal system, we saw the fame of the greatest generals in the field eclipsed, partially at least, by that of a President of the United States, whose official guidance in full panoply, as political and military leader of the people, made him pre-eminent above all subordinate warriors or statesmen who cooperated in his success.
In a national sense, then, the convention of 1787 stands alone in our annals. Yet during the long intervening years, America has seen that marvellous scheme of united government extending its scope over a continental area and population such as the fathers could scarcely have conceived. From thirteen original States in 1787 and earlier, this American Union has grown in little more than a century to forty-five, and from a population of less than four millions to some sixty-five millions. And yet with all this wonderful increase of the nation in area and numbers, not only has revision of our Federal instrument been constantly wanting, since that first completion of the convention plan by the States adopting it, which was formulated in the first ten amendments, but for specific improvement in the plan there is absolutely nothing to show, save for two casual corrections in detail, which after the space of sixty years were followed by the three famous freedom amendments of civil war, written indelibly in blood.
One might almost suppose that constructive statesmanship, in a Federal sense, ceased with the eighteenth century; but when we turn to the experience of States and to State organic law, we are taught a different lesson. There we see the American political mind and American ingenuity still at work; and the spirit of organic change and improvement strong, constant, and irresistible. There we perceive new constitutional amendments, new organic instruments, proposed and adopted for States both old and new, until at the present time Massachusetts, alone among the thirteen original commonwealths, preserves a constitution of earlier date than our Federal instrument; and even that constitution is so patched with amendments that little of the original garment remains visible. From this State point of view we discover that America has advanced far beyond the age that gave birth to our Federal Constitution in ideas of practical self-government. Admirable, no doubt, was that common scheme, and high advanced in humane ideas; and in the general adjustment, as between State and Federal authority, as well as in the general poise of the three great departments, it can hardly yet be improved. Nor did the delegates who sat at Philadelphia show sound wisdom in any provision more than in that which allowed representation in the House of Representatives and in the choice of President to be shaped and regulated as opinion in the several States might conduct. For thus, as Mr. Bryce well observes, has a Federal scheme, of Government through State regulation of the voting franchise been gently moulded into a democracy, which equally well might have frozen into an aristocracy. But what our generation may claim by way of criticising this famous instrument is, that States have developed organic improvements of practical detail in government to suit our modern society, which well deserve to be nationalized.
Thus, a century or more ago all was "representation," "representative government;" we worshiped delegates—the legislature. "Taxation without representation," or, in other words, without the sanction of each colonial House of Commons, was the chief grievance that led to revolt against the mother country. But our later achievement of independence has been to establish, that all departments of American government rest fundamentally upon popular sanction, and that of these departments the legislature is but one. Contrast, if you will, the omnipotence of our political representatives, as first sent timidly out to legislature or convention, to manage the cause for the people a hundred years ago, with representatives under the constraints of our present State instruments. Take the Union through to-day and it is the referendum that gains constantly the upper hand. A hundred years ago suffrage and officeholding were much restrained throughout the Union on considerations of property, race, or religion; to-day there is scarcely a written disqualification placed upon the voter or officeholder in our States, except it be for crime or illiteracy. A hundred years ago the unfiltered choice of the whole people for President was deemed so dangerous a thing that a college of electors was created as the only rational alternative to a choice by Congress; department heads in a State, and State governors, moreover, were largely the choice of the legislators; to-day that electoral college for President is a mere registering machine, while the people assume the right, besides, to choose all the high functionaries of a State, executive or judicial, as well as their representatives and town or county officers as formerly. A hundred years ago a constitution was usually set in operation by the State convention; but in these days it is very rare that any new State instrument, or an organic amendment even, does not take effect by the direct suffrage of the voters; voters choose to the convention and they pass upon the convention product afterwards. A hundred years ago popular control of the third department, the judiciary, was forefended by appointment during good behavior, through legislature or governor; to-day the American rule—be it better or worse—favors a judiciary and court officers who shall be chosen at the polls for a fixed term of years. A hundred years ago the Senate or conservative branch of the legislature was placed beyond the direct reach of the voter, as much as possible, by various ingenious devices; to-day the people choose public agents in the one branch or the other in every State. A hundred years ago Americans were lenient to their representatives and trusted a delegated discretion to the utmost; but since then they have grown wiser than their servants, and not only incline to hamper legislation fundamentally, but so far as possible for the public convenience they wish to keep the legislature itself adjourned and out of temptation. While thus our Federal instrument has yielded but little to structural reform for more than a hundred years, the restlessness, the spirit of change, the activity and anxiety of our American life, now find full scope in improving, if not in radically changing, State and municipal methods. From simply a republican people we are fast growing into a confident and overruling democracy. And not content with selecting our own public agents, we incline as principal to reserve some ultimate determination to ourselves in the public business.
I have said that no Federal convention, for the merest revision, even, of our general system, has met since 1787. But something like an approach to such revision occurred in 1861, when leaders of the cotton States, experienced in national councils, undertook to organize at Montgomery a Southern Confederacy. In closely adapting the constitution of the old Union to their united wants they made various changes in the Federal mechanism, some of which we might, I think, judiciously copy. I shall not here provoke discussion of a cause overwhelmingly defeated, but merely emphasize by such a reference the fact that a body of men, ripe in public experience, can hardly, in this modern age, apply their minds together to our Federal scheme without discovering, from State example, alone, some parts of that system that are worth amending.
First of all, in the very methods pointed out for organic change we see in that Federal instrument imperfection. The door of amendment for so prodigious a system of Union may well prove difficult to open; nor do I deem it so practical an objection as many do that ratification of every Federal amendment by three fourths rather than two-thirds of the States is there enjoined, since experience shows that a basic change to which a decided majority of the States is once strongly committed will readily widen its impulsion to a greater number. But a more serious difficulty appears in the initiation of Federal amendments. Here, we find, there may be either initiation by States or initiation by Congress. Whenever two-thirds of the States, through their several legislatures, propose a convention, Congress must call it; and the danger then arises that changes so crude, so numerous, and so incongruous might proceed from any plenary convention of the kind, not intent upon gaining some special end, that the American people would run the instant risk of being launched, at length, into a worse rather than a better government. To this the alternative is that Congress shall by its own two-thirds vote of both Houses, propose specific amendments; and such, hitherto in our annals, has proved the only acceptable course for initiating organic change. But how can we expect both Houses of Congress to unite readily by such a vote in proposing amendments, however salutary, which would cut down the patronage and influence of either branch? Should, then, a convention be ever compelled by States under the former method, it would be well for those States in concert to frame concrete propositions of amendment carefully in advance, and for any Federal convention, moreover, to put forth propositions for a separate vote, so that all need not stand or fall together; for thus may the people, in passing upon the whole work, sustain the good and repel the bad. More than this, it would be well if our Constitution clearly authorized a limited general convention; and here we note that the Montgomery plan of 1861 made it obligatory on the Confederate congress, whenever a certain number of States concurred in proposing specific changes, to summon a Federal convention, which should consider and act upon the specific proposals alone.
Now, to subject to criticism the first and chief topic of our Federal Constitution—the legislature—our modern, American age may fairly ask, by way of specific change, that Senators of the United States be chosen by the people of a State at large. Such a change would conform to general political usage at this day, and State voters may well feel that a fundamental right is denied them so long as their representatives in either branch of Congress continue to be chosen otherwise than at the polls. That legislative practice, though originally commendable, proves pernicious in the course of a century. … Even now, little as we may hope to carry such an amendment through Congress for constitutional proposal by both branches, we may concentrate public attention upon Senatorial candidates pending each new canvass for the legislature which chooses. Such an example was set in the famous campaign of Lincoln and Douglas in Illinois, and I recall the expression of one of our State constitutions, framed since the civil war, which permits the people to vote their preference for United States Senator at the election of the choosing representatives, and declares that all such votes shall be tabulated and registered officially in the same connection.1 By some such means, should no better remedy offer, our people may hope to circumvent, if not change, the written law of the Union in years to come as they have already circumvented the Electoral College in the choice of President.
Next, to consider improved modes of Federal legislation. On all subjects within the scope of Federal authority Congress may enact by the bare majority of a quorum in both Houses unless the President chooses to arrest the measure at its final stage by his official veto. Such is and has always been the rule of our present Federal establishment. But this by no means conforms to later State usage, as shown in State constitutions. On the contrary, our American tendency is clearly to interpose greater barriers to legislation, on some topics at least, than the majority will of a bare quorum in each chamber. The number of States increases constantly where the fundamental requirement for the passage of all new legislation, or at least the most important part of it, is a majority of all elected to either branch. Nor to depend too much in a republic upon the Executive veto (a recourse which gains in popularity as time goes on, and yet might fail us) our State constitutions in various in stances constrain the legislature in its own original action by insisting upon a larger fraction to pass the measure than any mere majority. To apply such a rule in amending our Federal instrument, a two-thirds vote in each branch of Congress might, perhaps, be insisted upon, in borrowing and pledging the public credit beyond a certain limit, in changing the currency, or so as to restrain unlimited appropriations or the declaration of war. Under the Montgomery constitution, to which I have alluded, the Confederate Congress could not appropriate money, except by a two-thirds vote, unless the appropriation had been asked by an executive department, or was for the expressed contingencies of Congress, or for some private claim already judicially established in the Court of Claims.
In no respect, as it seems to me, is it plainer that more than our present bare majorities of a quorum should be required, than in such momentous legislation as disturbs our national equilibrium by admitting new States into the Union or by sanctioning the acquisition of alien territory with an alien population. In the latter respect we seem simply to have gone forward without clear warrant from our Federal charter at all. When President Jefferson gained by treaty the great Louisiana purchase, extending the Union by nearly half a continent, he candidly confessed his belief that a permissive amendment to the Constitution would be needful; but yielding his views to those of his party friends, he made for these United States the first real precedent of foreign annexation by treaty. Public approval here resolved whatever doubts might have arisen, and the Precedent was repeated, under Monroe as a successor, when Florida was purchased from Spain. Both acquisitions were peaceful and honorable. …
No readjustment or change under our Federal compact seems needful as concerns the general powers of Congress or of the Federal Government. In that respect, certainly, the fathers were eminently judicious; and all that posterity can yet do is to bring some suggested changes into the forum of discussion. It need not be thought surprising that men of some party affiliations may wish Congress prohibited altogether from allowing bounties or extra compensation, or from appropriating for internal improvement, or from passing tariff acts of a protective character, while those of some opposing sect will welcome broad paternalism. National divorce laws and a divorce system may on some grounds be highly desirable, yet Congress could hardly pass a bill on that subject which would not be thought too lax in some States and too strict in others. To turn from express powers to the express prohibitions of our present Constitution, it is curious to observe that, while in 1787 our Southern staple raisers caused the denial to the Union of all right to levy export duties on American products—whence it happens that our customs-revenue system is always one-handed—the posterity of those planters expressly authorized such a tax when creating the Southern Confederacy (though under the constraint of a two-thirds vote), and hoped much financially for their cause from such a revenue. Would it be possible, then, to remove at this late day that express prohibition of our Federal instrument? On the other hand, there are prohibitions which deserve to be added to those already manifest, in the organic text. For my own part, there is one express prohibition to the States which I would wish to see literally extended to the Union, so as to make positive and comprehensive what our people long supposed was the fundamental effect, and that is, equally with the States, to forbid the United States to emit bills of credit, make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts, or pass any law impairing the obligation of contracts.
Among miscellaneous clogs upon legislation that we find to-day in State organic law some might perhaps be fairly fitted to Congress. Thus, appropriation bills shall contain no "riders," no extraneous provisions; no law shall be passed on the day set for adjournment, but bills may then be enrolled; on some designated date all acts of the session not otherwise fixed expressly in point of time shall take effect, and all retrospective laws are forbidden.
To pass to the Executive: the foremost change of all to be desired in this department of Federal administration is in the mode of electing our Chief Magistrate. In these days, governors of the States are chosen once and finally at the ballot box, and where no one is found on the official count to have received a majority of the popular vote, a plurality almost universally decides the result. For political experience teaches plainly that the highest candidate among several should come in, rather than have repeated contests at the polls or refer the test to any umpire. But here the fundamental law of our Presidential elections is altogether redolent of the eighteenth century. In the first place, popular elections elect only an electoral college, and next, where no candidate for President receives an aggregate majority vote in those colleges, a plurality effects nothing, and the right of final selection reverts to Congress, or rather to a House of Representatives whose term has nearly ran out. Nothing can be more obnoxious to modern American sentiment, more unpopular. Until the people's will shall sufficiently establish the title and legitimacy of each Chief Executive, hidden perils are liable at every new four years' encounter. As for changing the present term of the Presidential office, opinions will differ. The Montgomery government set up a tenure of six years without reelection instead, but a large part of our people are doubtless well satisfied to leave the Presidential term as the fathers fixed it, with full right of reelection. For the time, moreover, of entering upon the duties of Chief Magistrate, and so correspondingly for the commencement of each successive Congress, our historical 4th of March became originally set by a casualty of legislation; that date ought, as it seems to me, to be shifted backward, and certainly not forward. And here again it is worth mentioning that, in the calendar of the Montgomery establishment, Washington's birthday, the 22d of February was substituted.
Nothing perhaps in our constitutional system has more generally commended itself in a national sense, or has been more widely copied by States, than lodging vast power in the hands of a Chief Executive, to offset that of the legislature. For if Congress must be considered as the assembled representatives of our people, arranged by States or constituencies, the President is himself the representative of the whole people, chosen differently, and responsible after his different fashion. In other words, executive and legislature act each as an important check upon the other. Thus the President's veto, which forces high argument, reconsideration, and a two-thirds vote to carry an act of legislation against his judgment, gains great favor in the States; for here the Executive stands forth a tribune of the people. State example, indeed, might induce us at the present day to enlarge that function of the President, by basic amendment, so as to allow him at discretion to veto separate items of an appropriation bill while approving the rest, or so as to leave him thirty days after the close of each session, to decide whether to approve or disapprove measures, instead of crowding his discretion in the last confusing hours before adjournment.
Impeachment, I may further add, as a means of punishing civil officers, Federal or State, is now almost a bygone remedy, for our modern legislature is too busy with other affairs to organize and sit as a court of justice, and the ends of justice are liable, moreover, to defeat where political interest is strong. States set now-a-days the example of a summary removal of civil subordinates by the legislature or executive on a two-thirds or three-fourths vote in each house. Or if such subordinate be thought guilty of crime, he may be prosecuted in the courts under the usual safeguards of a trial, and, if found guilty, disqualification from office may be entered as part of the sentence. Impeachment in practice, under our Federal Constitution, has been found mainly useful only for getting rid of some incumbent of the inferior courts whose honorable tenure of good behavior is justly forfeited by some offense not political.
God's kingdom is perfect in type; God's laws are unchangeable. The same human organism that received into its nostrils the breath of life, the spark of divine essence, still walks the earth fashioned physically as in the first historic age. But man's conceptions seek to fathom the mind of his Creator, and whatever he may invent, be it in matter or spirit, his first rude result yields gradually to a better sense of utility. How different the earliest printing press, the first steam engine of civilization, from the latest combined product of human brains that incubate in succession upon the novel idea! So is it, too, in human government. Politics is properly an induction. The philosophic mind when once aroused seeks ever how to conform by change and improvement the institutions of society to God's perfect plan. These are the pillars modeled by our Divine Architect, who teaches mankind to imitate in all things. There is no real statesmanship which is not conservative of whatever is good in past results, nor is there real statesmanship which is not on the whole progressive. "Applaud us when we run," says Burke, "console us when we fall; cheer us when we recover; but let us pass on—for God's sake, let us pass on."
America at the present day, our own loved Union, is full freighted with the highest hopes of democracy, of government by the people, for the whole human race. Our birthright is great and imposes a great responsibility; but prophecy has denounced the doom of those who cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts: "Their root shall be as rottenness and their blossom shall go up as dust." Nor is it in righteous laws alone that a nation advances vigorously; but they who administer its concerns in a republic must be well chosen, and they who choose must encompass all rulers, all administration, with their own ceaseless vigilance.
In geographical site and supremacy on this new hemisphere, and in the knowledge of self-government at the start, were grand advantages for this American mission to society. Foreigners said long ago that there was less philosophy among our people but a better application of it than anywhere else. Perhaps it should better be said that we have a philosophy of common sense clear enough to ourselves to be applied for immediate ends. No intelligence can on the whole be so safe for public guidance in affairs as that of millions of intelligent and honest freemen. For the wisest of statesmen in his own conceit is like the captain of a vessel who sets his helm by the compass, and seeks, in disregard of wind or weather, to reach port by a straight line. The true politician, it has well been said, is rather "the philosopher in action," who finds proper means to public ends and employs them with effect.
Our written systems of government, State and Federal, our organic institutions, are excellent. They furnish their own patterns of expression. Other communities, in the New World or the Old, may copy and adapt as they choose. Under them we are kings, kings by right of the majority, if we do but know it. No citizen need despond, nor suffer from tyranny, if he uses well the franchise bestowed upon him and fulfils his political duty. But good government is not a gratuity, for every citizen, high or low, owes something to the public subtracted from his private concerns and attention. Just as we see contemporary nations of Europe, with their vast standing armies, forcing able-bodied youth to give some years of his life to military service, so in our peace-loving Union opinion may well press conscripts or volunteers, as the case may be, into the public cause in early manhood, and teach men how to become, if not useful officials, useful voters. Public service, at all events, is not summed up in salaries and spoils, nor is true patriotism measured by a pension. Our young men should be taught that the organizing skill which masses for corporate effect in the mammon of unrighteousness may well be employed against bad politics and politicians; that political parties in this laud of freedom are not immortal, but new measures, new policies of administration, invite new bands of believers; that, however it may be, with the creed of a religion, there are no fixed fundamentals in politics except those on which men of all parties may in a great emergency stand together; that true representative government is a government of laws, not of men, and far less of machinery; and that where conventions and primaries, which are, properly speaking, the mere convenient agencies of the voters, become too masterful in the hands of evil managers, it is time to revoke those agencies and direct that nominations be made more immediately by the people themselves. Finally the true "Monroe doctrine" for the New World, as originally formulated by capable statesmen, was not for conquest but for self-conquest; that we should set before the poor and suffering communities of this New World, less favored than ourselves, the shield and spectacle of a noble national example.
For us here assembled, friends and fellow-members, it is an inspiring thought that, as education is the great public factor relied upon in this Union to lift our whole community to a just exercise of the franchise of freedom, so we ourselves, whose privilege it is to have gained the higher education, may by the right use of superior attainments and opportunity become in some sense the guides and teachers of society, and give right ideas and the right impulse to popular institutions. Not, indeed, that we should draw off as an exclusive aristocracy nor stand apart as a set—a remnant, so to speak, in the midst of dissolution; but rather that university men may light up by their superior radiance the devious course of republican empire, beset by snares and pitfalls, and leaven the immense and increasing mass of our political society by their wholesome influence.
James Schouler (1839–1920) was a lawyer and historian. He lectured at Boston University School of Law, the National University Law School and Johns Hopkins University.
- Nebraska (1875) proposition (2 Poore's Constitutions, 1235). [↩]


text: Pluto was the god of the underworld. One day, while he was riding through the field of battle, the goddess Venus had her companion, Cupid, playfully shoot an arrow into the heart of Pluto.Struck by Cupid's arrow, Pluto fell in love with the first young lady he saw, who happened to be Persephone. Pluto promptly carried her off into the underworld to be his bride.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This white 1.25 inch raceway piece is a flat elbow (90 degree), it is designed to lay flat on the ground and bridge two straight 1.25 inch raceway runs at a corner.
Use surface mount cable raceways to protect and tidy up cable runs around the home or office where running through walls is not possible or practical. These raceways are useful for nearly any type of cable from phone, network, USB, VGA, Audio/Video, Speaker and more. Some sample applications would be: office cubicles where walls are not available or the working space can change configuration or in the existing home where one wants to install surround speakers and hide/protect the speaker cables/wires.


text:
Disgruntled Employee Destroys Boss' Office With Bulldozer
We get it. There are many times where we've wanted to trash the boss' office. But that's not a good idea for your continued employment or for workplace relations. And if you use a bulldozer to do it, your arrest record.
Lynn Benson, formerly of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, had some form of dispute with his boss. So, being a rational person, he commandeered a bulldozer and flattened his office, causing $1.5 million in damage.
Nobody is really sure what drove Benson off the deep end. In fact, most of his coworkers are worried about him and are looking to pitch in any way they can. Just… don't offer him help in the form of heavy equipment.


text:
BUILDING BOARD Members Curt Alger Jon Luetkemeyer Rick Brueggenhohann Gary Scott Fred Flake Vacancy
A. General. Appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Building Official relative to the application and interpretation of these codes within the City of Warrenton, shall be heard by the Building Board of the City of Warrenton. This Board shall be appointed by the Mayor and be approved by the Board of Aldermen of the City of Warrenton and shall hold office at its pleasure. The Board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business.
B. Limitations On Authority. An application for appeal shall be based on a claim that the true intent of these codes or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of these codes do not fully apply or an equally good or better form of construction is proposed. The Board shall have no authority to waive requirements of these codes.
C. Qualifications. The Building Board of the City of Warrenton shall consist of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass on matters pertaining to building construction and are not employees of the City of Warrenton. (Ord. No. 1341, 9-16-03)


text:
Iraj Nouri, DDS
Iraj Nouri, DDS
Dentist, Iraj Nouri, DDS Inc.
Orthodontics & Dentistry
At Dr. Nouri's Office, we understand the importance of professionalism, expertise, and excellence. That is why our staff is committed to serving each patient with respect, attentive care, and thorough dental work. As a patient, you deserve nothing less.
Our practice provides general dentistry procedures including the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide variety of conditions and diseases that affect your teeth, gums, and oral health.
The mouth is a small aspect when it is compared to the rest of your body, yet it remains one of the most, if not the most, important parts of our body. Many doctors, physicians, and dentists believe that the mouth is connected to the rest of our body. Scientific articles have even shown direct links between our oral health and its relation to overall health.
We Are Committed to Your Oral Health
At Dr. Nouri's Office, we are committed to ensuring your mouth is in excellent condition. We make this possible through a variety of different procedures that all aim to improve or enhance your mouth's well-being.


text:
As seen on ABC's Shark Tank
Choose your series
Find your product and sell it today!
That you'd like to sell to us for cash
Thank you for your commitment to be a part of world change. Our planet needs young people like you. You will inspire the youth of the world and I as a grandmother cannot thank you enough. I saw your heart on Shark Tank. If you have a way for investors... let me know. You are being the change we want to see in this world.


text:
- Indoor/Outdoor rug designed for outdoor elements and heavy traffic
- Weather-resistant durability; made of 100% polypropylene
- High-Low Pile: Flat-woven to high pile creates a soft, texture-rich feel
Lead Time
White Glove Delivery Available
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Covered by the Jaipur Living warranty.
Contact us for assistance, a free design consultation or to order by phone.
The Belize collection is the perfect fusion of vibrant style and whimsical design for outdoor and indoor areas. The Tela rug's Mediterranean-inspired motif suits contemporary patios or high-traffic living spaces with a durable construction of soft, easy-to-clean polypropylene. The bright orange, green, and blue pattern accents the neutral cream background with an inviting high-low texture. This rug is available in 2 sizes: 5'3" X 7'6" and 7'4" X 9'6"
Weight | 8.20 lbs |
Rug Material | Polypropylene |
Rug Features | High-Low Pile |
Color Family | Red/Rust |
Collection | Belize |
Pattern | Floral / Foliage |
Pile Height | 0.40 in |
Construction | Machine-Woven |
Reversible? (Y/N) | No |
Country of Origin | Turkey |
Assembly Required | No |
Level of Assembly | No Assembly |
Jaipur Living is a luxury, global lifestyle brand that produces the most beautiful rugs, pillows, poufs, and throws in the most ethical of ways. Jaipur Living's mission is to create beautiful lives for its employees, customers, and artisans—all while preserving the age-old craftsmanship of handmade rugs. Through social initiatives and the Jaipur Rugs Foundation, Jaipur Living supports more than 40,000 artisans in 600 Indian villages by providing them with a livable wage, access to health care, leadership education, and opportunities for personal growth and development.
Nand Kishore Chaudhary (NKC) founded the idea of Jaipur Rugs in 1978 working beside 9 artisans on two looms. NKC started his business on the principle of dignity, employing "untouchables" and subverting centuries-old practices that had shunned the poor, women and artists. Today, Asha Chaudhary (CEO) and her sister Archana Chaudhary (COO) have shaped Jaipur Living into an innovator in the design world, in part by co-creating rugs with designers and artisans. They've expanded the reach of their father's vision, driving more awareness of our handmade products while also celebrating new construction innovation and the integrity of artisans.
AuthenTEAK proudly offers free shipping on Jaipur Living outdoor rugs and accessories, with White Glove Delivery available. Our experienced team of experts is also available for free consultations to answer any design questions—from product information to spatial planning. AuthenTEAK's award-winning showroom is located in Atlanta.
Every Jaipur Living rug is warranted against manufacturing defects for one (1) year from original purchase date. Jaipur Living may replace or repair at its discretion without charge. Customer is expected to inspect all claims from their retail customer. Jaipur Living representatives will only perform in store inspections, if applicable. Claims for damage arising from negligence or improper cleaning will not be accepted. The price of the product as charged to Customer will be Jaipur Living's maximum liability on any claim. Please contact customer service by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at 888-676-7330 for further information regarding the product warranty.
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Your feedback will help customers like you make informed decisions and will help us to improve our product offerings!
If you have any questions regarding the customer service you received, please contact us.
Let's Make it (Email) Official
Become an AuthenTEAK Insider and be first to know about new collections, exclusive sales, and special offers.


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The last Monsanto-owned patent for the original Roundup Ready trait in soybeans will expire in 2014, and the last applicable third-party patent will expire in early 2015. Does that mean producers will be able to grow soybean varieties with the original Roundup Ready trait (often called "Roundup Ready 1" varieties) in 2014, save seed from the production in 2014, and replant that seed in 2015?
Maybe – but it depends on several other factors. Varieties with that trait will no longer be covered by the original Roundup Ready patent, but other patents, such as varietal patents that cover specific varieties of soybean, are likely to continue for at least several years after the Roundup Ready trait patent has expired. And varieties can also be protected by plant variety protection certificates or other intellectual property mechanisms, such as a license or contract.
None of this is to say that it will be impossible to save seed from original Roundup Ready soybeans and replant it in 2015. But producers thinking of doing so will need to check with their seed supplier to see whether this will be permissible for each variety they are considering.
It may be possible for producers to be granted a license to replant seed from original Roundup Ready varieties in 2015, but this will be determined by each seed supplier.
There is a very good web site from Monsanto that provides very practical answers to questions about what will happen after the expiration of the patent on the Roundup Ready trait: www.soybeans.com
The FAQ section of that web site provides definitive answers on this issue.
Bill Schapaugh, Soybean Breeder


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Royals Reborn is a vibrant RPG community based in the 16th Century but spreads through the Medieval ages! Embark on historical adventures with a character of your choice and rewrite history!
royals, reborn, undead, tudor, anne, boleyn, elizabeth, free, forum, tudors, 16th, century, showtime, queen, king, princess, prince, duke, duchess, #jonathan, rhys, meyers, natalie, dormer, tamzin, merch
A place to find official news about Joss Stone and her music .
joss, stone, devon, free, joscelyn, stocker, wendy, #jonathan, joseph, mama, stones, music, introducing, soul, sessions, mind, body, antonia, janae, ellison, kendrick, lemar, carter, rock;, live, guitar
Alles rund um Robbie Williams!! aktuelle News und Fotos, großer Fotobereich , Gossip, umfangreiches Infoarchiv, Vip-Bereich und noch viel mehr!!Deutsch/englisches Forum!!Registrierung kostenlos!!!
robbie, williams, forum, rudebox, vale, angels, feel, rock, radio, news, #jonathan, wilkes, youtube, kylie, minoque, david, beckham, ayda, fields, myspace
Free forum : A place where Jonathan Brandis fans can come together peacefully and without judgement to pay tribute to the actor.
free, forum, jbcafe, #jonathan, brandis, fans, come, together, peacefully, without, judgement, tribute, actor
The first fan forum about the amazing band Enation. Everything is possible
enation, music, richard, jackson, michael, galeotti, #jonathan, daniel, sweatt, rock
For all your addiction needs, without the 12 steps
#jonathan, rhys, meyers, anonymous, your, addiction, needs, without, steps
Free forum : Jonathan Rhys Meyers and other interests.
Free forum : A Roleplaying site based on the broadway rock opera and film RENT written by Jonathan Larson. Both Cannon and orginal characters are welcome and loved
you're, what, rent, based, roleplaying, site, broadway, rock, opera, film, written, #jonathan, larson, both, cannon, orginal, characters, welcome
Free forum : A Roleplaying site based on the broadway rock opera and film RENT written by Jonathan Larson. Both Cannon and orginal characters are welcome and loved
free, forum, today, roleplaying, site, based, broadway, rock, opera, film, rent, written, #jonathan, larson, both, cannon, orginal, characters, welcome


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Gemstone Belly Chain
In stock
Only 5 Left
Delivery - Per Piercing Concierge™
Made-to-Order (2 weeks starting June 1st)
Care Instructions
Care Instructions
Best practices for caring for your 18k gold vermeil belly chains and anklets:
Care: To ensure you keep your jewelry looking its best, you need to give it a little (tlc) tender love and care from time to time.
1. Stick to mild soaps and warm water for the best results.
2. Gently rub your jewelry using a soft cloth or microfiber cloth. Make sure it is a clean, "un-treated" cloth. These contain polishing chemicals too harsh for the gold vermeil.
3. Do not use a brush on vermeil, as this can be too abrasive to the gold plating.
4. Do not use an ultrasonic cleaner on gold vermeil. Vermeil is a type of plating that is bonded using electro currents so the ultrasonic waves can be disruptive to the bonding.
5. When not worn, store your jewelry safely. We recommend using the Jolie Pouch to protect your pieces from scratching.
Please see FAQs section on 'Product Care' for more info.
The Tea
I'm a belly-jewelry "connoisseur" and I want you to be too! Come check out my blog for the latest posts on all things related.


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Do the preparation exercise first. Then watch the video and do the exercises to check your understanding and practise the language.
Ana: Hi! I'm Ana. Welcome to What to Say!
Do you know what to say when you talk about where you're from? Listen out for useful language for talking about where you're from. Then, we'll practise saying the new phrases – after this.
Emir: So where are you from, Vanya?
Vanya: I was born in Cambridge, but I live in Glasgow.
Emir: I've never been to Glasgow. What's it like?
Vanya: Oh, it's wonderful. There's always something interesting to do and the people are really friendly.
Emir: It sounds like a nice place to live.
Vanya: It is. I love it. What about you? Where are you from in Turkey?
Emir: I'm from Istanbul.
Vanya: Oh, I love Istanbul! I went once, but a long time ago. My favourite thing was baklava. I really, really love baklava!
Emir: Today's your lucky day, Vanya. I made it myself!
Vanya: Oh! These look delicious.
Yuna: Hi.
Vanya: Hi, Yuna!
Yuna: Can I?
Emir: Of course!
Yuna: Emir's baklava is the best. Thank you!
Emir: You're welcome.
Vanya: I love this place!
Ana: Hello again! Mmm, that baklava looks delicious! So, did you notice the useful phrases used for talking about where you're from? Listen to me and then repeat.
Where are you from?
I was born in London.
I live in Glasgow now.
What's it like?
It sounds like a nice place to live.
What about you?
I'm from Istanbul.
I love Istanbul.
Ana: Try and use some of these phrases the next time you talk about where you're from in English. Bye for now!


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Traditional Chinese medicine has long been used to ease pain, treat disease, boost fertility, and prevent miscarriage. Known in the Western medical community by its acronym TCM, these traditional remedies include herbal preparations and acupuncture. Now Tel Aviv University researchers have discovered that a combination of TCM therapy and intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a winning solution for hopeful mommies who are having trouble conceiving.
In the first study that measures the effectiveness of both herbs and acupuncture in combination with IUI infertility treatment, Dr. Shahar Lev-Ari and Keren Sela of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Tel Aviv Medical Center say that the results, which have been published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine, show a significant increase in fertility when the therapies are administered side-by-side.
When combining IUI with TCM treatments, 65.5 percent of the test group were able to conceive, compared with 39.4 percent of the control group, who received no herbal or acupuncture therapy. The method is as "close to nature" as possible and can be used by women employing sperm donors, or after a partner's sperm is centrifuged to enhance its motility in the uterus.
Age-old therapies, contemporary medicine
Dr. Lev-Ari, a cellular biologist and head of the integrative medicine unit, works with both medical doctors and TCM practitioners at Tel Aviv Medical Center's Fertility Research Institute. He and Sela, a TCM practitioner specializing in women's health, have long been interested in how Chinese herbal and acupuncture therapies could work to boost Western-style fertility treatments, contributing to an increase in conception and take-home baby rates.
In a retrospective study, Dr. Lev-Ari and Sela followed the progress of 29 women between the ages of 30 and 45 who were receiving IUI treatment combined with TCM therapy, and compared their results to a control group of 94 women between the ages of 28 and 46 who were undergoing IUI treatment alone. In addition to their IUI treatments, the 29 women in the first group received weekly sessions of acupuncture and a regime of Chinese medicinals, which consisted of powdered or raw Chinese herbs such as PeoniaAlbae and Chuanxiong, designed to meet each woman's specific needs. All herbal preparations were approved by the Israeli Health Ministry.
In terms of both conception and take-home baby rates, the test group fared far better than the control group. Out of the 29 women in the test group, 65.5 percent conceived, and 41.4 percent delivered healthy babies. In the control group, only 39.4 percent conceived and 26.9 percent delivered. The vast difference in success rates is even more surprising when the age of the average participant was taken into account, Dr. Lev-Ari and Sela note. "The average age of the women in the study group was 39.4, while that of the control group was 37.1. Normally, the older the mother, the lower the pregnancy and delivery rates," they explain.
Promoting balance and harmony in the womb
According to the researchers, TCM is aimed at correcting imbalances in the body's natural energy flow, promoting an overall sense of well-being. There are several theories as to why Chinese medicine can be beneficial to fertility rates, including the possibility that herbal remedies and acupuncture can affect the ovulation and menstrual cycle, enhance blood flow to the uterus, and enhance endorphin production and secretion to inhibit the central nervous system and induce calm – all of which can contribute to successful conception.
Now that the researchers have established that TCM can have a major impact on the success of fertility treatments, they plan to design randomized clinical trials, including placebos, to further validate their initial findings.


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Peanut Butter Blossoms
Rate this recipe • Read reviews
From the kitchen of pximon
This recipe has been on northpole.com from the beginning… since 1996! We hope you enjoy this classic North Pole recipe. Let us know your opinion by submitting a review!
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Recipe Details
Bake Time: |
minutes |
Tags: | Contains nuts, Fun to make with kids, Good for parties/potlucks, Kid friendly |
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
sugar (just enough to roll dough balls in)
Hershey's chocolate kisses (1 bag), unwrapped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk until creamy.
Add Bisquick and vanilla and stir. Roll dough into small balls and roll in sugar.
Place balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake for 6-8 minutes.
Place one unwrapped Hershey's Kiss on cookie as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Let cool.
Log in now to rate this recipe.
Val79 says:
Absolutely the best! I always get people asking for the recipe and am always happy to send them here. :) Thank you for another delicious recipe. This is by far the best one!


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It took Il Cavaliere 24 hours to prove us right. He told Canale 5 this morning,
The fact that the elections have been brought forward following Monti's resignation is irrelevant, because we are talking about [holding them] just over a month earlier. Therefore, there's absolutely no real reason for the markets to be upset.
With regard to borrowing costs, let's stop talking about this imbroglio, please. No-one had ever heard about the spread before. We have only heard about it during the past year. Who cares about how much interest we pay to people who invest in our [debt] obligations compared to what is paid to investors who invest in German public debt?
When the euro was introduced, we used to pay a 4.3% [interest rate on our debt], and Germany used to pay a 3.3%. Germany then decided to do one thing in its own interest. It ordered all its banks to sell all the Italian Treasury obligations they had in their coffers...The other American and international funds thought, 'Well, if Germany is selling [Italian debt] there must be something wrong with it.' So they started selling too.
What matters to us is that the interest rates [on our debt]...have gone up by 2% - which, in a year, means less than €5bn to be added to the €80bn [Italy pays] to service our debt.
Therefore, all the stuff that was invented about the spread is a real imbroglio. The truth is that the spread was used to try and bring down a majority voted by Italians.Enough German-bashing for one day? Nope,
I was one of the 2-3 most influential leaders in the European Council...[but] I continuously opposed German proposals and demands. I said 'no' when Mrs Merkel was demanding that Greece suffered cuts which, in my opinion, would have brought Greece - as it then happened - almost to civil war. I said 'no' to the Tobin Tax...I said 'no' to the fiscal pact, and I even used the veto...to flag up that Italy could not commit to reducing its [public] debt by €50bn a year.As we noted before, it will be interesting to see how receptive Italian voters will be to this kind of rethoric - and if the promise of an end to German-imposed austerity will make them forget about Berlusconi's trials and all the rest.


text:
CP6 - Ceiling Plate
Panel size: 2610 x 750mm
Panel size Sq/m - 1.96
Cost per Sq/m: £65.00 + VAT
Cost per panel price: £127.40 + VAT
Our ceiling plate options are designed to provide a completely decorative ceiling pattern and should be fitted in conjunction with a cornice. Although the principle of fitting these plates is a simple grid layout, the alignment and in particular the jointing is a very skilled task and we highly recommend our fitting service is utilised.
(excl. VAT)
Reproduction Plaster Company
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Email Marketing For Mobile App Creators
If you've developed mobile applications or have just started building one, then you probably realize that marketing should be as much of an ongoing concern as the product's design and development. After all, what's the point in creating a beautiful, valuable app if no one knows about it?
Assuming that promotion on Google Play or Apple's App Store will take your app from beta to bestseller is… well, magical thinking. In reality, most successful developers kick off their marketing efforts months before release.
In this post, we'll focus on how to get a head start with email marketing, not only by wrangling testers and staying in touch with users, but by successfully building hype for your app. Then, we'll move on to how to announce the launch and measure results. Along the way, we'll share techniques and code snippets from solid marketing campaigns, spanning different stages of an app's lifecycle.
While this article isn't heavy on coding and development, you'll find an assortment of practical suggestions that you can apply to your projects. But if all you get is a little perspective on how important it is to actively work on getting the word out about your app from the get-go, then still consider this time well spent!
Why Email Marketing?
First, why focus on email and not, say, social media or word of mouth? Simply put, email gives you the most bang for your buck. With a return of $40 for every $1 spent, email marketing stands head and shoulders above other methods, such as keyword advertising ($17 for every $1) or banner advertising ($2). Email also generates superior conversion rates, while giving you full control over your message. And we haven't even mentioned the big-picture goals, such as using it to keep your most valuable users in the loop — for example, when recruiting testers, announcing launch day or requesting feedback.
But HTML Email Is Hard, Right?
To be fair, creating and sending HTML email has always been a tricky sport. If your background is Web design and development (as it is for many app creators), then you're likely aware that designing, coding and testing for the inbox is significantly different from doing that for the Web. A skim of Campaign Monitor's "CSS Support" chart quickly reveals that providing a consistent experience across multiple email clients is truly a minefield.
Yet feel consoled that, if you're primarily targeting mobile users (for example, by encouraging them to download an app directly to their phones), mobile email clients such as iOS Mail are powered by WebKit. This offers the luxury of a browser-like experience — including solid HTML5 and CSS3 support — in the inbox. Secondly, a number of email service providers, including Campaign Monitor and MailChimp, offer HTML email builders that not only whip up campaigns quickly and painlessly, but produce templates that make the most of mobile email clients, with media query support. In the email marketing business, we call these responsive email templates.
While we'll touch on some of the code that goes into tailoring a better mobile email experience, we won't dive too deep into responsive email design. To get up to speed on both the concept and code behind it, I highly recommend reading Smashing Magazine's "From Monitor to Mobile: Optimizing Email Newsletters With CSS" and "Responsive Email Design."
But before all that exciting stuff, let's start with the fundamentals: building a mailing list of email addresses (i.e. subscribers). Without this, you'll have no one to email — and let's be clear, buying a list is never the right option.
An App Marketing War Plan
When you're elbow-deep in designing or coding a mobile app, it's hard to step back, change tack and focus on the equally important yet arguably less fun tasks of putting together a promotional website, a trailer and, yes, email campaigns. That's why it's best to make a marketing plan and execute it early on, instead of waiting until App Store approval anxiety has kicked in.
A marketing plan doesn't have to be complex. For email, it could be something as informal as the following.
- Choose an email service provider, and create a subscription list.
- Build a pre-launch page with an email sign-up form.
- Encourage people to visit the pre-launch page and subscribe for email updates.
- Build an email subscription form into the app.
Beta Testing
- One week prior to beta testing. Create an email campaign, inviting subscribers to a first look at the app in beta. Explain how they can download the app and provide feedback.
- Three days after beta launching. Email your beta testers to request feedback.
- One week before launch. Email subscribers to let them know the app is close to launching. Include positive reviews and encourage subscribers to spread the word.
- Launch day. Email subscribers to announce the launch, and link to the app's download page in the App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, etc.
- One week after launch. Thank your subscribers, and encourage them to leave feedback on the app's download page.
- After major updates. Email a summary of what's new and improved, and encourage subscribers to spread the word.
It's that straightforward — just jot down a rough outline of what you plan to do, on a napkin if need be. You can be as creative as you like with your email marketing strategy. Just make sure to make good on it!
Choose An Email Service Provider
If you've never fooled around with email marketing, choosing the right provider will likely be a touch confounding. Many services are out there for creating and running email campaigns, from Web-based ones such as MailChimp and Campaign Monitor, to self-hosted apps such as Sendy. My advice is to talk to other designers and app creators about what they've tried, and then open free accounts with some of the Web-based DIY services. The differences in the experiences (not to mention the features and pricing) between apps will soon become clear. Cheapest doesn't mean best in this game, so shop around and run a few trial campaigns.
The benefit of a Web-based email marketing app is that getting started is generally quick and easy. Remember that if your needs change, you should be able to migrate your lists to another service.
Pull Together A Pre-Launch Page
Even when your project is in an early stage, it really pays to create a simple pre-launch, or landing, page with a few details about the app, perhaps some concept art and, of course, an email subscription form. After all, if visitors to your website like the concept, they'll be keen to sign up for email updates and find out when your app is launching. These will also likely be your most valuable, passionate users for giving feedback and spreading the word when you launch. Below is the pre-launch page for the upcoming mobile game The Drowning, by DeNA:
I like The Drowning's pre-launch page for its sophistication yet simplicity. The artwork and trailer for this ominous first-person shooter are polished and persuasive. There's even a nice incentive to sign up to the mailing list: email updates and a free wallpaper. Above all, the entire page is geared to getting visitors to subscribe, and the subscription form is unmissable. You'll find a couple of other great examples in the post "Building An Effective 'Coming Soon' Page For Your Product."
Now back to your page. One thing your email service provider should be able to do is generate a snippet of code with which you can add a subscription form to your website and automatically push new email addresses to a list. Alternatively, a number of simple services and plugins not only enable you to build good-looking pre-launch pages, but integrate with some of the major email service providers. Popular ones include out-of-the-box apps like LaunchRock and Unbounce; if you're already running a CMS such as WordPress, then the Launchpad plugin for WordPress is worth a look. Or you could create your own self-hosted launch page using a template such as Launching.me.
With a pre-launch page up and running, you can get back to focusing on your app for a while. Or you could start communicating with your new subscribers, using autoresponders.
Add An Email Subscription Form To Your App
While it might sound a bit odd, nothing is wrong with boosting your ongoing marketing efforts by adding a subscription form to your mobile app itself. You could collect email addresses from early adopters to inform them of updates. Or perhaps you're planning a really great newsletter for your audience and feel that in-app sign-ups would give the app a real boost.
If Cocoa is your language of choice and you are using Mailchimp, then check an unofficial Objective-C wrapper for Mailchimp and Mad Mimi. If you are using CampaignMonitor, make sure to check the Objective-C wrapper on GitHub which can be used to create in-app subscription forms. With an extensive API, it's also well documented and comes with usage examples. Just something to think about.
Experiment With Other List-Building Tactics
Creating a pre-launch page and adding an email sign-up form to your app are both great ways to bring more people into the loop with your current mobile app and future ones. While these tactics tend to be rather set-and-forget, you could try other things to actively build interest in your title:
- Collect email addresses at events. Do you attend developer meetups or conferences? If you're going to be talking about your upcoming app, you might as well give attendees a way to track its progress. Pretty much every email service provider comes with a customizable mobile app to collect email addresses and push them to your lists. Campaign Monitor's is Enlist, and MailChimp's is Chimpadeedoo.
- Offer something valuable. One effective tactic is to offer teaser content via a blog, such as concept art or even posts on what you've learned during development. Smack a subscription form onto your blog posts or even in your videos (using a service such as Wistia), with the promise of useful content and updates via your email newsletter.
- Offer a discount on the app. If you're building a paid app, offering a generous discount to early adopters wouldn't hurt — if they agree to sign up to your email newsletter, that is. Slipping in an incentive is always a reliable tactic, especially when it demands very little effort.
Now that new subscribers are rolling in, let's look at what it takes to send out emails.
Create Your First Email Campaign
Some time has passed and, after a little promotion, your pre-launch page has collected quite a few email addresses. You might have some cool teaser artwork to share now, or you might feel it's time to invite some subscribers to join the beta phase — heaven forbid, you might be a week out from launch! Scary stuff.
At this stage, you might be tempted to obsess over the technical details of creating HTML email campaigns (which are important), but, ultimately, this is a marketing exercise. What matters above all is your message and ensuring that readers are hooked at first glance. Smashing Magazine's "How to Raise Your Email Above Inbox Noise" is a great primer on how to creating relevant and all-round "sticky" email content.
Another thing that folks regularly obsess over is figuring out the best time to launch a campaign. While some (albeit conflicting) evidence shows that the hour or day of the week you choose does make some difference, I think the advantages of emailing at 7:00 pm over, say, 10:00 am are marginal, especially if your subscribers are international. Even public holidays seem to work for some creators, so relax and follow a schedule that suits you. Your content will make the big difference, after all.
Having gone through all of this heavy stuff, let's take an inspiration break and look at a couple of email newsletters from app developers, sent at certain milestones prior to launch. Click on each design to see the large version and to view the source code.
"Visit Our Pre-Launch Page"
The Drowning, by DeNA.
Now that you've got a shiny new promotional website, what better way to drive visitors to it than by running a campaign for your existing email lists? As an established mobile game developer, DeNa is in the fortunate position of having an established community of dedicated gamers, many of whom would probably be interested in this title. This email's narrow format makes it comfortable to read on mobile devices, too.
"Invitation To Beta Test"
Echograph, by Clear Media.
I like this invitation to beta test Echograph because it's as clear as it gets. There's no waffling about this awesome animated GIF builder for the iPad — just a couple images that show beta testers what they need, a sample GIF and step-by-step instructions for installing the app during the beta phase.
"Thank You For Beta Testing"
Dropmark, by Oak.
Once beta testing has wrapped up, it's nice to say "Thank you" and offer a little something for the effort and feedback your audience has volunteered. Dropmark's thoughtful email campaign does this with class, by providing a discounted upgrade for beta testers. It's a great way to ensure that they keep using the service.
I hope you've enjoyed that visual interlude. Now, let's discuss how to announce your app's launch. Hold tight!
Launch Your App With Email
So, the big reveal is imminent. You've probably just submitted your app to the App Store or published it on Google Play. Either way, it's time to focus on getting the word out.
Whether you announce the launch in a newsletter or via a standalone email announcement, you need to do two things: first, make an impact, and secondly, make it very easy to download the app from the newsletter itself. To achieve both, you'll need to get the logo and branding for your app store of choice, as well as the link to the download page and, of course, some compelling content to get subscribers excited about the app.
At our company we announced the release of our subscription form app for the iPad, Enlist, via our monthly newsletter:
The images are crisp and inviting. But the real magic happens when you view the newsletter on an iPad. A "Get it from the App Store" link appears, allowing users to download the app to their device in two taps.
As you might have guessed, we are using media queries to reveal the App Store link when the email is viewed on an iPad. While I don't want to go too deep into code, this neat trick is worth sharing. Below is an abridged version of the HTML and CSS.
p.ipad {
font-size: 0px;
@media only screen and (min-device-width : 768px) and (max-device-width : 1024px) {
a[id="reveal"] {
display: block !important;
background: url('https://yourdomain.com/images/appstore.png') no-repeat center center !important;
background-size: 232px 49px !important;
width: 232px !important;
height: 49px !important;

You might be curious why we use font-size: 0px
to hide the App Store link when the email is viewed on anything other than an iPad. This strange choice is explained in the blog post "How to Display Content on Mobile Devices Only." It gives a taste of the quirkiness involved in designing HTML emails.
On to the content. Let's go to the second launch campaign for Echograph, which features a prominent download link, plus a video and animated GIF that walk viewers through the app:
Second launch campaign for Echograph.
Nicely done. Overall, the best thing you can do with your launch email is have fun and be creative — while staying concise. And before any of you mentions it in the comments, TechCrunch reckons that Sunday is the best day to launch an app.
So, What Next?
Once your app has launched, you might be tempted to take a break from campaigns, but then you'd miss out on a big opportunity. By continuing to grow your email lists and stay in touch with subscribers — whether to collect feedback, announce updates or simply share your successes — you'll find email to be a valuable tool in your marketing arsenal. If this sounds like work, consider going on autopilot with autoresponders, which are email campaigns that are automatically run when set off by certain triggers, such as a date ("send two weeks after visitor signs up") or an action ("send whenever a user upgrades"). To learn more, read Smashing Magazine's guide on "How to Market Your Mobile Application," and, of course, talk to your fellow developers.
This post hasn't been code-heavy, but it could have been — designing for mobile, let alone email, is a surprisingly demanding process, regardless of your aptitude as a designer or coder. However, I wanted to focus on helping you make the most of your marketing milestones by engaging with users via email.
If you walk away from this post with one thing, it should be a desire to get your planning in the bag as soon as possible. Otherwise, you risk missing out on the opportunity to build an audience that is as committed to your project as you are. Best of luck with your email marketing journey. We'd love to hear from you in the comments.
Further Reading
- Design And Build Email Newsletters Without Losing Your Mind
- An Introduction To Building And Sending HTML Email
- Typographic Patterns In HTML Email Newsletter Design
- Making Responsive HTML Email Coding Easy With MJML


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This beautiful ceramic mug, is perfect for enjoying your favorite hot beverage.
Available in glossy white, or with the rim, inside and handle enhanced with vivid color.
"Buddha (Shadows)" Coffee Mug
- Ceramic
- Gloss finish
- 11oz. Capacity
- Height: 3.85" (9.8 cm)
- Diameter: 3.35" (8.5 cm)
- Color rim, inside, and handle (Color enhanced option)
- Dishwasher and microwave safe
Additional charge for color enhanced options.


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Superhero Games - Play Super Hero Online Games
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Mouse Glasses White Ornament Size: 5cm (W) x 13cm (H)
Wipe with a soft dry cloth.
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GTA 5 second trailer dated for next week
Grand Theft Auto 5 will get a new trailer next week, Rockstar has announced at last, answering the fervent prayers of millions.
According to a Rockstar Newswire post, the new trailer is due on Wednesday, November 14, and will appear both on the blog and at the game's official site.
The trailer was expected this week but was delayed by problems at Rockstar's New York offices caused by Hurricane Sandy. Having expected a major news update this week, fans were vocal in their disappointment; Rockstar felt the need to issue a stern set down.
Grand Theft Auto 5 launches on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in northern spring 2013; pre-orders are now open.


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For more information, contact:
Woodrow Nelson, 888-448-7337
First Botanical Garden in the U.S. with a Nature Explore Classroom
Nebraska City, Neb. (May 2, 2007) - The Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis today announced the opening of its new Nature Explore Classroom in the Doris I. Schnuck Children's Garden. The official opening of the Classroom is planned for Saturday, May 5, 2007. Nature Explore Classrooms are part of the Nature Explore Program, a collaborative project of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation. The Missouri Botanical Garden's Nature Explore Classroom is the first to be constructed at a U.S. botanical garden, and it is the second to be constructed in the nation. The first Nature Explore Classroom is located in the Arbor Day Farm® Tree Adventure™ attraction, the Arbor Day Foundation's interactive conservation venue in Nebraska City, Nebraska.
Developed in response to the growing disconnect between children and nature, Nature Explore Classrooms are designed to help fill the void by educating young children using research-based principles for integrating nature into their daily learning. These Classrooms offer interactive elements - including climbing structures, musical instruments made of natural materials, wooden blocks, small waterways, and natural materials for building and creating art - that give children important and inspiring nature experiences. While connecting children with nature, such unstructured play and activities are shown to enhance concentration, develop creativity and problem-solving, relieve stress, and improve skills in many areas. Outdoor classrooms that are designed according to principles described in the Foundation's Learning With Nature Idea Book are eligible to become certified Nature Explore Classrooms. The Missouri Botanical Garden's space is one of the first among a growing network of certified classrooms that will be able to share best practices and ideas through an online forum.
The Missouri Botanical Garden's 3,000 sq. ft. Nature Explore Classroom is located at the south end of the Doris I. Schnuck Children's Garden: A Missouri Adventure, an area of the Botanical Garden especially focused on introducing children at their most impressionable age to the significance of plants and nature in fun and innovative ways. In the new Classroom, children can create visual masterpieces in a nature art area, climb and crawl on structures, build with natural materials, and practice their balance, agility, and creativity in areas designed for music and movement.
"We are pleased to partner with two outstanding national organizations, the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation," said Dr. Peter Raven, president of the Missouri Botanical Garden. "With the addition of the Nature Explore Classroom, the Garden continues to build its commitment to connect children to plants and the environment in ways that are fun and imaginative, as demonstrated by the construction of our new Children's Garden."
When reviewing the potential for adding the Nature Explore Classroom, Manager of Public Programs, Dr. Katie Belisle-Iffrig, found that the Nature Explore concept - and the philosophies of the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation - fit perfectly with the Missouri Botanical Garden's own focus on connecting young children with nature. "The Nature Explore Classroom is perfectly aligned with the Garden's mission of providing children with meaningful connections to plants and nature. The Classroom presents young visitors to the Garden with hands-on opportunities to form positive relationships with nature. These relationships are essential for the health and well-being of children and of our planet as well."
"The Missouri Botanical Garden has taken an important leadership role in a profoundly needed initiative to connect young children with nature - not only in Missouri, but throughout the U.S. - setting a wonderful example for botanical gardens across the country," said John Rosenow, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The Garden's focus on exposing young children to the wonders of nature makes it an ideal site for the first Nature Explore Classroom outside Arbor Day Farm. All of us at the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation appreciate their support of the Nature Explore program and role that nature plays in the lives of young children."
To construct the Nature Explore Classroom, Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation staff and consultants helped create a design specifically suited to the Missouri Botanical Garden's needs and to the setting of the Children's Garden. Working with the initial design elements, "We made a few adjustments that help blend the Classroom into the existing landscape and infrastructure of the Children's Garden. The end result is an intimate area that provides space for quiet focus, nature play, and creativity," said Dr. Belisle-Iffrig.
The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Boulevard in St. Louis. For general garden information, visit www.mobot.org or call 1 (800) 642-8842.
About the Missouri Botanical Garden: The Missouri Botanical Garden's mission is "to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment, in order to preserve and enrich life." Today, 148 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for research, education and horticultural display.
About the Arbor Day Foundation: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit education organization of nearly one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.
About Dimensions Educational Research Foundation: Dimensions Educational Research Foundation was formed in 1998 to study how science, math and literacy learning can be enhanced by the addition of more visual-spatial activities into classrooms and homes. For a number of years, the Foundation has conducted and collected research on how children best develop visual-spatial skills and how teachers and families can optimally support this development. Dimensions Educational Research Foundation's goal is to create and deliver unique educational programming to 1) Help people better understand and appreciate the natural world by developing visual-spatial skills; and 2) Improve science, math and literacy learning through visual-spatial skills.


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Require-Bundle has an intuitive appeal that is hard to deny. These are the artifacts on the class path during compile time and there is a clear advantage to have these same artifacts during deployment. Import-Package is cumbersome to maintain by hand and basically requires tools like bnd. Besides, the whole world seems to use the Require-Bundle model (maven, ivy, netbeans, ...). So, who would ever want to use Import-Package?
Well, have you ever had chewing gum in your hair?
The harder you try to remove it, the more entangled it gets? This is what Require-Bundle gives you. Import-Package is more like Play-Doh. It is still better not to have it in your hair, but you can ask any kindergarten teacher what she prefers!
So, now we have the right mental image, what is the technical reason for this stickiness? I see two reasons:
- Require-Bundle gives you much more than you actually use because your class files just do not refer to it, a key advantage of a static typed language. Now before you jump to the conclusion you do not care because it is free, realize that there is rent to pay for these unused parts. These unused parts have their own dependencies that need to be satisfied; so they've has just become your dependencies. Visualize the chewing gum in that strand of hair? Dependencies are annoying, and unnecessary dependencies are worse, but these kinds of tied dependencies can be a death knell if they turn out not to be compatible with yours when your code is combined with other bundles to create a system.
- You depend on the whims of the bundle's author. He usually has no clue what parts of his bundle are used and is already busy working on the next version. He will make decisions based on his needs, not yours. It is therefore likely that the constituents in the bundle will change over time. How can you be sure that this migration happens in a way that is compatible with your bundles? Not only can the next version bring quite unnecessary and unexpected new dependencies, it might actually remove the actual packages you depend on. Unfortunately, your bundle resolves because the bundle you require is present, but its changes were just not compatible with your expectations so you get a Class Not Found Exception in the middle of shutting down this nuclear reactor.
The underlying reason for this problem is lack of cohesion. Cohesion is the measure of how much the code in a JAR is related. For example, utility packages or bundles often have quite low cohesion. For example, the Apache Derby SQL database contains a very interesting file system abstraction that is highly usable without Derby. That is, the cohesion between the core SQL database code and this abstraction is very low. The core Derby uses it, but it is not pertinent to being a SQL database. This is common practice because we programmers really dislike to get lots of puny little artifacts.
It is a fact of life that the cohesion in most JARs is quite low while the cohesion in packages is very high. As an example, the Apache Derby file abstraction is nicely packaged in a specification package and an implementation package. Why not extract it one day? Well, I am fine with this improvement and it would not affect any of my bundles at all. Import-Package does not care what bundle provides the package. If I had not warned them so often, I would feel sorry for all my colleagues that just had their bundles broken by a lone programmer somewhere in the world ...
Two very practical use cases that illustrate these problems. Eclipse, who heavily relies on Require-Bundle, needed to support SWT (the graphics library) on the embedded platform and on the SE platform. The embedded platform needed to be a subset of the SE platform. Unfortunately, all users of SWT had been using Require-Bundle. This made the simple solution, refactoring the SWT bundle in two bundles, impossible because it would break each and every Eclipse plugin. Bundles that used Import-Package would have been oblivious of this change.
The other use case is described in a recent blog: Catch-22 Logging with OSGI Frameworks . It is a rather long story but it boils down to that he could not combine two libraries due to unnecessary constraints caused by Require-Bundle with respect to logging. If you have the masochistic desire for the same sensation as having chewing gum in your hair, I recommend to read this blog.
Peter Kriens


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Fri, 23 Jun
|Eric Liddle Centre
Puppy Yoga with Cavapoos, Poochons & Dachshunds : Friday 23rd June 4:45pm
Come and join us for some relaxing yoga and puppy cuddles with adorable Cavapoos, Toy Poochons and Dachshunds puppies! What better way to spend your Friday night than yoga and puppy cuddles!
Time & Location
23 Jun 2023, 16:45 – 17:45
Eric Liddle Centre, 15 Morningside Rd, Edinburgh EH10 4DP, UK
About the event
The puppies are SO excited to have you joining them at the class!
A Puppy Yoga Edinburgh will help you to destress and relax through puppy cuddles and yoga. Some class attendees say the serotonin lasted all week after the class!
The classes will also help the puppies to socialise and build happy confident personalities before they go to their forever homes. So the puppies will benefit from the classes as much as you will.
The structure of the class is as follows:
15 mins of puppy playtime and cuddles
30 mins of relaxing yoga led by one of our amazing instructors
15 mins of more puppy playtime and cuddles
We will provide everything at the class (the mats, the puppies and the serotonin!), so all you need to bring is yourself! The Crags Centre location does have changing facilities if needed but the other locations do not have any, so please come ready to go for the class.
To give back to Scottish charities which are at the heart of puppy yoga we donate to SSPCA and SAMH. Scottish SPCA who help animals in need and prevent animal cruelty and SAMH help people in Scotland struggling with mental health. Both charities are very important and so a portion of our proceeds are split evenly between the two charities: 1.25% of our proceeds will be donated to SSPCA via Work for Good and a further 1.25% of our proceeds will be donated to SAMH. Additionally our two main studios we host classes in: the Eric Liddell community centre and the Crags Centre are both charities. The rent of the studios goes to those charities.
Please note that tickets are non-refundable, but if you can no longer make the class you are welcome to resell your ticket. If you contact us we can try help you to resell the ticket.
Cavapoo,Poochon & Dachs 4:45pm
£29.50+£0.74 service feeSold Out
This event is sold out


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If you and your sibling have both been genotyped by 23andMe, there are two features in particular that will help you to identify whether and to what degree you are related each other.
DNA Relatives
This feature locates other 23andMe members that match your DNA. We sort people into likely relationships based on how much DNA is shared. When two people share identical segments of DNA, this indicates that they share a recent common ancestor. The 23andMe DNA Relatives feature uses the length and number of these identical segments to predict the relationship between people.
Your relationship to your siblings would be labelled as "Siblings" if full or "Half-siblings" if partial.
Full Siblings | Half-Siblings |
Your Connections
First, share your profile with your sibling(s) from the Your Connections page. Then compare your genome to that of your sibling(s) by clicking on their name from your list of connections. Full siblings will have some fully identical regions (purple) and some half-identical (pink) regions. Half-siblings will only have some half-identical (pink) regions.
Full Siblings | |
Half Siblings |


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yard sales for some reclaimed home decor on a budget...
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Gracie's Post " Mama's Reclaimed Style "
yard sales for some reclaimed home decor on a budget...
17 comments:
- Rosemary@villabarnes said...
Awesome post, Gracie! I'm sure mom is proud. Love your outfit.
- October 20, 2011 at 10:54 AM
- Ido said...
You are a cutie Gracie, good job goodwill hunting!! you're on the right track!
XXX Ido - October 20, 2011 at 11:06 AM
- Cheryl ~ ZanyMayd said...
Hello Sweet Kate & the Always Adorable Miss Gracie Girl ~ Love this post.... Really, Really Love all the Treasures, Love the bottles in the Old Drawer! I can see some Fab Peacock Feathers! I am loving Peacock Feathers at the moment, I always Dream about getting Re-Married again someday & I decided the Theme would be "Pearls & Peacock Feathers" {A Woman Can Dream Can't She!}
Thanks for the B-Day wishes ~ Lots of Hugs to You & Gracie Girl
Cheryl - October 20, 2011 at 11:43 AM
- It's me said...
Owww you are so sweet Gracie...just like your mom.......give her a big huge hug from me....love from me...xxx...Ria...
- October 20, 2011 at 11:48 AM
- Polly said...
Love your outfit Gracie Girl!! Your mama is teaching you how to be frugal at such an early age, which is just awesome! I bet you two have fun out yard saleing and thrifting together!! Great post Miss Gracie!!
Polly - October 20, 2011 at 1:43 PM
- blossoms vintage chic said...
Hi Gracie,
You are too cute for words and I LOVE~love~LoVe
your new fall outfit! Your post is wonderful and I hope we hear from you again soon!
Much love to you and your mama!
Debbie - October 20, 2011 at 2:22 PM
- Cottage and Broome said...
Love the old bottles and the the grey drawer, great times. And how cute is your little girl! Laura Cottage and Broome
- October 20, 2011 at 6:07 PM
- Cottage and Broome said...
That should be great finds! Laura
- October 20, 2011 at 6:08 PM
- Sue said...
As always, lookin' good Gracie! I loved your post, can't wait for the next one. And your outfit is pretty sassy as well, I love it!
Take care, Sue - October 20, 2011 at 6:37 PM
- Ivy and Elephants said...
Your mama sure knows a bargain when she sees one. That little outfit looks super cute on you and so stylish, too!
But that old chair frame with the suitcase and glass top from the previous post is beyond cool!
Love your style!
Patti - October 20, 2011 at 7:03 PM
- middle child said...
Gracie girl? You are most beautiful. And you are lucky mom takes you on these outtings. Fun, huh!?
- October 20, 2011 at 7:20 PM
- the old white house said...
hi Gracie ~ you sure look so cute in your new clothes and smart too for shopping at the GW. I can tell, you have your momma's good looks and her savvy style too! Great post... thanks for sharing! t. xoxo
- October 21, 2011 at 3:03 PM
- Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...
Hi Beautiful Girl...loving your outfit!
I also love how you and Mom have fun together...enjoy every minute!
Peace Out to you! - October 21, 2011 at 6:14 PM
- lisa Moran, Bilancia Designs said...
You look beautiful, Gracie.
I love your outfit...and you definitely have your mom's "style"!
Tell mom you need your own blog now... :) :)
Lisa xo - October 21, 2011 at 6:21 PM
- Faded Charm said...
Looks like Miss Gracie takes after her Mama in many ways:-). I really enjoyed this post and always love seeing all your vignettes of lovleies.
Hope all is well with you and your family Kate.
Kathleen - October 21, 2011 at 6:40 PM
- Unknown said...
Howdy Ms. Kate, Lil' Gracie looks adorable and your home is just lovely : ) You're such an inspiration.
~ Deanna - October 24, 2011 at 9:43 AM
- Rose Carey said...
Well, someone inherited her moms many talents! Love it all and I look at the photos over and over again.
Rose - October 24, 2011 at 4:35 PM