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< Piro >
Thursday - May 17, 2001
[Piro] - 09:21:00 - [link here]
This should be a fairly long rant today, so bear with me. ^_^
First off, as many of you have noticed, new shirt designs are available over at the Megatokyo store. Many of you requested the I.A.C. design, and i think that it came out pretty sweet. Sometimes simple is good. I have also put together two different j00 d34d f00 designs - mainly because i couldn't decide which one I liked better. It's also a sort of 'poll' to see who is more popular, Largo or Piro. So far largo is winning. figures. :)
I've also taken care of another shirt request. As you know, all the 'ph33r the cute ones' shirts say 'b4k4^2' on the front, except for the babydoll shirt, which has the BakaQuake image rather than 'b4k4^2' (to me, Babydoll designs shouldn't have anything on the back). Well, now a babydoll shirt that says simply 'b4k4^2' is available. you can find it here, with the piro version of the j00 d34d f00 design.
I'd like to thank everyone who has purchased MT goods over the past few months. As we've said before, largo and I aren't in this for the money - well, maybe largo is ("b33r money, g00d..." - to quote him) - we initially provided MT swag to stop people from bothering us. Frankly, I'm flattered that people like to wear MT stuff. :) I'm almost afraid to draw stuff on the shirts anymore - it usually leads to a flood of emails requesting 'make that shirt!' ^^;; Product placement is a common practice in today's media society. I would like to say, for the record, that I *really* don't plan these things. The '3V1L L33T' shirt was quite literally just a random sketch on largo's shirt on a bad art day. The popularity of this design continues to astound me. Go figure.
We've put the money we've been making on shirt stuff to good use. My trip to Anime Central, our trip to E3 this week, the new server (which is an amazing little box), and the ability for me to go into Michigan Book and Supply and treat myself to new art stuffs from time to time, etc. :) The other thing it does is help assure that MT will not only continue, but grow into areas that Largo and I couldn't do on our own. We do have evil plans, oh, so evil...
I feel kinda bad about last week and this week. I'm not one to take a break from things, i'm pretty happy working on stuff all the time. But between two trips, my schedule at work, and the fact that largo and I started bickering about things - a break was needed. The first thing the break did was give me the chance to work overtime at work to make up for the stuff i should have been doing last friday -_- (if you think my 'break' involves sitting around, watching anime and playing games, i'm afraid that's not the way it's been working :P) Freedom for a few weeks from the rigid schedule of the comic, however, has really helped me refresh my creative batteries - i've been doing a lot of freesketching, random drawings, sketching around into things that aren't MT related. This is *very* good for my creativity.
I think i know what was bothering me... i had lost some of my creative flair. It's nice to have it back. Duffin around at Anime Central, sketching things at random, finally reading the last volume of Nausicaa, watching the Replacement Killers on TV (i love that movie - don't ask me why... it has a really acute 'feel' to it. i know, there is no plot :P) And I've even learned a few things this week. Lee Martin, bless his soul, sent me the magic formula for cleanly masking out lines in photoshop so i can paint 'behind' them without the 'white artifacts' that i usually have to fight when making color images (take a close look at my 'experiment' in the screenshot above to see what i mean). Dude, you made my *year*. I've been trying to figure out that trick for ages. (yes, i know, i know. I'm sure anyone who knows anything about photoshop already knows this trick.) One of the things about art is that there are a lot of things I don't know - i have a lot to learn, i really do. Well, the side benefit learning this is that you will be seeing a LOT more colored work from me in the next few months. ^_^ I used to spend hours cleaning up the white junk around lines...
Lessee... I'm covering a lot of ground today, so bear with me. ^_^
My rant on monday was a pretty honest and un-edited reaction to my astonishment at our reception at Anime Central. In fact, it was going to be a simple, two line 'new comic should go up tuesday, thanks for your patience!' but, as usual, i blabbered on. :) Now that I've had some time to reflect, I have a better idea how i feel about the whole thing. :)
I'm pretty low-key about my work, as most of you know. I don't toot my own horn, I don't praise what i do. In fact, i tend to err on the side of self criticism. Don't confuse 'self criticism' with 'self depreciation'. Self depreciation is a passive aggressive technique people use to spur positive feedback from others. My comments about myself and my work aren't aimed at encouraging praise from people, it's really just a personality quirk. Above and beyond anything else, i always want to be *real* about what i do. We live in a world where things are overhyped and oversold. The whole dot.com fiasco is a excellent example of taking something really good and screwing it up by not being 'real' about it's potential. So, instead of it growing naturally and normally into something great, a lot of people got hurt because they were sold a bill of goods by people trying to milk it for all its worth. The whole dot com thing is a big joke now, and it shouldn't be. I don't ever want to be a 'joke'.
Hard to believe, but what people think of me and my work is very important. The problem that I see with people who are enamored of their own talent is that no matter how hard they try, they always have an air of superiority to them. To me, being able to draw what i want to draw has nothing to do with 'i can do this and you cant', it has more to do with 'i have this idea i want to express, and i want to share it with people'. It is VERY gratifying to me when people react to a drawing or a comic the way i want them to. So to me, it's not about how good a drawing is, it's about how effectively it communicates and evokes emotive response. Thats why i've been putting my art on the net for all these years. That's why i've been struggling and working so hard to improve my technical skills. I suppose I have a lot to say, and I'm amazed that people want to listen.
I suppose that's what was so shocking to me about my surprise as to the sheer number of people who tried to squeeze in to see Dom and I at the Megatokyo Panel on saturday. Sure, there are plenty of people who will cruise by a comic and read it at work, but how many people are going to take the time to actually visit us? I was amazed. For the first time I got a sense of the fact that I really was getting thru to people. It's not an experience i ever thought i'd feel, and i don't think it's one many people experience. Art is a personal thing, you put up a very large chunk of yourself with everything you make public. The more people that see it, the more open you are to criticism, attacks, ridicule (i think this is why a lot of people avoid art after the 3rd grade, but that's another discussion). But the reward for this exposure is that praise and respect, if you do manage to receive it, hits a lot closer to home. It's a far more personal experience than simply speaking in front of a large group of people. I do that all the time. This was just plain... hard to describe.
A long time ago I talked about the concept of 'emotional commitment' to anime shows and series. There are reasons we get attached to characters and stories. As much as people might like to say it's 'just entertainment', in reality it's far more than that. People need good entertainment. They connect with it, identify with it, commiserate with it and draw inspiration from it. Usually in small, comfortable ways that make you feel good, and sometimes it can help you just get thru a bad day. Often, it does even more than that. Growing up can be a struggle, and life is always complicated. Having something we can turn to that we feel is part of our own helps us deal with hard times. Entertainment inspires people to not only be creative, but sometimes just to jog along with everyday life. People who provide entertaimnent sometimes just love doing it. It makes you feel good to make someone 'feel' ... good, happy, touched, enraged, sad - whatever range of emotion you want to communicate.
Everyone who came to that panel, as well as many of you who are reading this, have in some small way become emotionally attached to the work largo and I do here with Megatokyo (otherwise why would you read such a long and pointless rant ^_^). I don't really know why, but for some reason you all have found something about Megatokyo that is worthy of attaching yourselves to. ^_^ To me, this represents an real responsibility, and one I'm happy enough to deal with. In much the same way that largo and I are very 'exposed' to public, you as a reader are exposed to the future course of our works. Anyone who's watched Evangelion knows that this can be a bumpy ride. :)
Largo and I often joke about the fact that the success we've had with Megatokyo says an awful lot about the failure of the entertainment industry in the US. The fact that two hacks like us can reach so many people in the face of so much talent and money spent to reach you... I think it has a lot to do with trust and respect.
I think that people respect us - and that, to me, is one of the most valuable things someone can give you. I don't think that people really respect the entertainment industry. For the most part, its because they have a tendency to not respect thier audience. They continually betray the faith of the public every single day in so many ways it's abhorrent to me. I watched a thing the other day on how the top 5 media companies in the US literally milk the young population for everything they can. Young people trust them, and when all is said and done, all young people get is a little older and huge credit card debts. And some people wonder why young people are so cynical and full of rage. If your emotions were in the hands of people who were only interested in making as much money off of you as possible, wouldnt you feel pissy too?
Largo and I talk about how we 'understand j00'. well, with that understanding comes one other thing - Respect. We understand, and we respect every one of you. Even the troublemakers i've had to ban from the forums ^_^ (hey, you had your warnings :P) Respect is a two way street. This mutual respect i think is one of the things that makes MT fun for me, and hopefully enjoyable to you. I know all the hard work is appreciated, and you know that largo and I work as hard as we can to pull it all together for you. And all of this is essentially happening in a non-comerce driven format. :) (er, ignore the megatsore banner at the top of this rant ^_^)
Back when we let Gamespy feature Megatokyo comics on their site, some people accused us of 'selling out'. The truth is, we never sold out - we just looked at it as a good opportunity to reach a larger audience. Basically, we are just average guys like everyone else. We never started this to create a product that we could sell. It's way too personal for that. That's why we've had the freedom to let it develop into this bizarre hybrid that is hard to put any kind of commercial value on. There is nothing between you (the reader) and us - not even an ISP charging us big bucks for bandwidth. I post stuff to the site like i always have. It's haphazard, its unprofessional, it's just like anyone else would. Sure, we have a unique situation that lets us get away with this... but it's not like we planned it this way ^_^
To me, accessability is important. I treat everyone the same as i always have. The problem i never anticipated was the problem of volume. Some people have suggested that i delegate my email to someone to review and pass on. it's a nice idea, but i'll never do it. If you email me, I *WILL* read it. I read everything. In fact, they help me get thru bitchy days at work sometimes ^_^. Same thing in person - If you come up to me i will talk with you. heck, thats what was so damn annoying at the panel. I wish i could have just sat there for another half hour and let people leaf thru the samples of Megatokyo art that I brought with me and shoot the breeze about stuff. Next time i'm at a public function, i'll try to arrange things better. i promise.
Thanks to everyone who emailed me who didn't make it into the panel room. I've responded to a few emails, gonna respond to more when i get back from e3. I have some fanart that Khymerion handed to me that i need to scan (I'm going to go thru my in box and link up some of the fan art i've received since MT started - i'll try to do this for the next few weeks). I saw some very imaginative 'adjustments' to some 'ph33r the cute ones' shirts in the audience ^_^, and a really sweet custom 'b4k4^2' shirt that someone made, just like the one piro wears in the comic (i swear that must have been a lot of work!) - and finally, i was blown away by the Kimiko cosplayer.
Do you guys have any idea how weird it is to see someone wearing an outfit that you sorta dreamed up while sitting on a couch sketching character ideas? I didn't catch her name, but she was wearing a pink version of the Idol outfit that Kimiko wears in this drawing. I believe she was working the Anime Pavilion booth, and gee, lookie here, there's pics of her very swell Kimiko gear on Fansview (be sure the check out the rest of Fansview for more Anime Central pics). ^_^ We talked a bit about the difficult physics of the digiko bells for earrings (she was wearing the bells in her hair) and she said she didn't have time to make the bow - but even so, it was an honor to see someone spend that much time to dress up as one of my characters. :)
Gee... maybe i can get Seraphim to cosplay next time... I'd love to see her cosplay as Makoto sometime. That'd be cute...^^;;
Uh... maybe not. ^^;;;; I have trouble getting her to wear cute pigtails. I tried out Yuki's hairstyle on Seraphim a while ago, and it was unbearably cute. :) I *wish* she'd wear them in public... :P
Oh! speaking of Seraphim, she managed to get into grad school last week. ^_^ It only took the grad school eight days to tell her she got in. tsk tsk, and she was worried about getting in. :P Omedetou, Seraphim!
Oh, and about the Acen Panel, Ed has a video of the entire thing - I'm looking into getting a copy and making perhaps a mp3 file of the comments and some screenshots. As much as i am nervous about pictures of myself around on the web, i feel i owe it to all the people who tried but couldn't get in to make this available to everyone. It's only fair. ^_^ Hopefully i'll be able to make something available next week. Oh, and if you have pictures of me and dom ... it's ok if you make them available for viewing. I appreciate the fact that people respected dom's request that you not spread pics of me all over the net, but... what the hell. I feel so bad about the overcrowding and missing talking to so many people that i'm giving everyone permission to post them. ^^;; In fact... i've got some pictures sitting on the Megatokyo webserver - three pics, to be exact, that are 4 years, 2 years and 4 months old in particular. I hope this makes up for missing seeing me there. The first one is of me in a Yakitori restaurant in japan Yes, those are Normal Rockwell paintings on the wall. The next is an old webcam pic of me and my evil evil evil kitten, Hime, and the last one is a more recent pic (you will note that Hime is a lot bigger now - tho no less evil) and yes, i am working on Megatokyo stuff in the pic - and the drafting table is long gone. ^_^ There. Please be kind. ^^;;
So, if you spot me at E3, feel free to stop me and say Hi. that's why i'm going, after all. I'll be walking around with my bookbag (same one piro has in the comic) and I've got a puchiko keychain hanging from it.
Largo is already there. He sounded like a man approaching Mecca when i talked to him a little while ago. I'm bringing my dartgun. I fully expect the overstimulation he will experience today will reduce him to a slavering zombie by the time i get there. One can hope.
See everyone on monday!


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Thursday, May 31, 2007
randmom stuff
Anyway, first thing-- the "directions" part on my Strong Man party page is now up.
Second--please throw out some favorite finger foods that you would like to eat at the party to be. I only like to eat chips and donuts so I'm not too good at picking stuff out.
Third--on to book talk. I THINK my book, which was once called The Astronaut Handbook, will now be called Astronaut Handbook. Why? Well, it's a funny thing. Sometimes there's just no room for the "the." This is what happened with my handbook. The designer, try as she may, couldn't find room for it on the cover. Believe me, I'm good at voicing my opinion, so if I thought there was a solution I would have stated it. But there really isn't room. In my own version that I gave her I left out the "the" unintentionally... I guess because there wasn't room. I mean, there IS room but it doesn't' look all nice and design like. I'm sure this may be a bit confusing and I wish I had the cover to show you but I don't. Perhaps I'll see if I can obtain it.
I have one other thing to talk about... and this is disorganization and the quest to reverse it. I've had plenty of time lately to flip through those lovely designer magazines while at work and I've seen a lot of cool stuff--laptop bags, keychain holders, office neatening tricks... and so I thought it would be fun to have a little segment on products here on the BRG. I don't have time just yet to start this off but perhaps I shall find a moment later tonight to show you some of my favorite finds.
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
selling out
I think this conclusion comes to me after watching mind-numbing tv day in and day out. Suddenly even the dumbest tv shows seem like smart marketing. A while ago, Chris Barton wrote on his blog about the artistic choice of NOT selling out--something which I applaud in theory yet find myself unable to embrace in practice.
But would it be so bad? Would your opinion of me and my work be diminished if say, my books were on the Kikkoman labels or Chinese take-out boxes? What do you think?
Monday, May 28, 2007
Alvina and Olvina
I've been a slacker about writing about the books I've edited that are out now, but I do mean to post about Eggs by Jerry Spinelli soon. Last year while we were working on that book together, Jerry emailed me and said he had an odd request, that he'd been struggling with the name of a character in the Stargirl sequel, that she had already gone through three names and he'd finally settled on one that fit--"Alvina." He said she was nothing like me, that she was actually a bit of a curmudgeon, and if I felt uncomfortable with that he'd find another name, but of course I was thrilled--what an honor! And now I've read the ARCs, and indeed, Alvina is quite an unpleasant character--in fact, another character says, "I hate Alvina" several times at the beginning of the book. But I love it. I love that I'm hot-tempered and scrappy and mean. And I know it's not "me"--it's a different person that shares my name, but as I don't get characters with the same name as me very often, I can't help but identify with her. My coworkers joked that this might spur a whole new generation of kids named "Alvina."
Speaking of characters named after me, there are two other books I should mention.
Some of you might remember Grace's picture book Olvina Flies that came out in 2003. It's a book about a chicken named Olvina who is invited to a bird convention and doesn't want to go at first because she's embarrassed about having to take an airplane there while all the other birds fly. Grace posted about the backstory behind the name on her website here--basically, I told her that a foreign publisher had sent me a fax at work addressed to "Olvina," and her first reaction was the laugh and say, "Olvina, that's funny. That's the perfect name for a chicken!" (Isn't it weird how creative people think?) And now, the sequel is out, Olvina Swims. I had known that the sequel was coming out soon, and a few months ago I asked Grace when exactly, and she said, "Oh, at the same time as Lissy's Friends." And I said, "WHAT?!? And you're having a whole big book launch party for Lissy's Friends and not for Olvina Flies?!" The other BRGs joked that Ki-Ki and I should hold up signs of protest at the book party, Ki-Ki because the doll/book are about the other sister, Lissy, and me because Olvina is being neglected. But we're bigger people than that. :)
But don't forget about Olvina Flies and Olvina Swims! I love how Grace draws animals. These books are reminscent of Richard Scarry books. Although I will say that, just as in the case with Alvina in Love, Stargirl, Olvina is nothing like me, either. I'm not a chicken, I'm not afraid to fly. But I will have to start training in my swimming soon if I'm really going to do a triathlon this year...I should take inspiration from Olvina.
And I'd also like to point out the last of the BRG interviews over at 7-Imp. Check out Libby's interview here!
Thanks to Jules and Eisha for doing the BRG series. It's been great! If you missed any of the interviews, they have a nice wrap-up with links at the bottom of Libby's interview.
Happy Memorial Day, everyone. I'm off to Coney Island today to ride the Cyclone!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
party information
I've put up the address for the party and will soon add directions.
I might even get a bartender for an hour to make some fun free drinks!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
What I look for in an editor is someone who understands what I'm trying to say and gives comments that help me say it better. Or say it, period! Alvina is brilliant at this; she doesn't tell me WHAT to say, but she is encouraging while pointing out – what shall we call them? Areas needing improvement? These are not always things that need to be taken out or rewritten – sometimes they are additions.
But the result is a better book. It's like having long floppy messy hair and then having someone shape it into a short (well, maybe not necessarily short: depends on the project, sometimes things get longer) cute flattering haircut. By the way I take the art of haircutting VERY seriously and this is not meant to belittle editing.
I edit other people's work for a living; but I'm not good at editing my own. When I write, I'm very self-absorbed, seeing everything how I imagine it, I don't really have a lot of control – things just pop out. And I don't know how they will strike other people.
When I edit, I'm reacting to what's on the page and responding to the author -- as a reader, not as a writer: it's his or her book, NOT MINE. If I don't understand something, I don't leap in with my own imagination – I ask, we talk about it, until the author (sometimes prodded by me) figures out how to solve the problem: and usually it's not figuring out – it's just ideas popping into his or her mind. That is really fun to see.
They're really, really different processes: when I'm the editor, I'm the midwife, when I'm the writer, I'm the mother giving birth; I can't do both at the same time! I think maybe picture book authors CAN (you write spare to start with because you have the pictures?) but maybe this is just one more instance of the proverbial grass being greener. Thoughts? What do YOU look for in an editor?
* PS Might as well name names: I don't think it will offend Grace if I say that she and I are the bad drivers -- and CONSTANTLY getting lost.
Friday, May 25, 2007
ALMOST finished stuff... and... the secrets behind strong man?
And here we have the typical case. The frantic painting me always gets paint on everything. I've ruined lots of clothes!
Lastly, someone asked about Strong Man juicy stuff. I have some. But I can't talk about it here. Strong Man was long in the making and LOTS happened before it found a happy home. If you want to here the gossip, come to my party and I'll tell you! Thankfully, my wonderful publisher snatched up my book after it had been badly beaten and happily published it. And it payed off! It got its first starred review out of the gate. No one can complain about that.
ps I might post the address and put a map on my website along with other strong man party info. If I do I'll let you all know! I just don't want anything showing up on google. If I put the address on my website and take it off in a few days google shouldn't find it.
POETRY FRIDAY: A Poem for Memorial Day
One of the poetry videos that touched at my heart was of Michael Lythgoe, a veteran of the Vietnam War, reciting Yusef Komunyakaa's Facing It, a poem about a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D. C.
I lost a good and kind friend in that war. Several years ago, my husband and I took our daughter down to visit the memorial. It was a truly emotional experience for me when I found my friend's name carved into the face of that black granite wall. It was as if three decades of my life had never happened and I was back in the late 1960s—a time when many young men lived in fear of being drafted and sent to fight in an unpopular war in a country many of us knew little about.
by Yusef Komunyakaa
My black face fades,
Click here to read a brief biography of Yusef Komunyakaa and for links to some of his other poems at the website of the Poetry Foundation.
Click here to read a more extensive biography of Komunyakaa at the website of the Academy of American Poets.
For a tasteful and touching picture book to read to elementary age students about a father and son visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I suggest the following book:
Written by Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Clarion, 1990
Thursday, May 24, 2007
It's my day to post but I've got a full schedule! I'm trying to finish up two paintings to bring to my publisher... I've got physical therapy... and a doctor's appointment... and then I must run 3 miles. Ugh.
So, tonight I will post. I will also show a picture from my astronaut book. I'm pretty please with it.
I don't want to post the address of it online (because it's not at my place) so if you would like to go, please send me an email and I'll give you all the details!
please send away! I want you all there!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Book release party!
The party will be Saturday June 9th (if this date changes I will announce it here ASAP) in the evening, starting around 8 or 9. The location and other info will be listed soon.
Things it will have:
A giant strong man cutout... the kind you put your face in... to get your pictures taken
an amazing strongman cake! (yup, I'm putting lots of pressure on my pal Julia)
the best music ever
videos to watch, which will be projected (if you have any great ideas for crazy videos, let me know!)
A BBQ - hamburgers, hot dogs, etc
lots of beer and wine and soda for the anti-alcohol types
some other things that I haven't come up with yet (ideas?)
Mark your calendars! Someone suggested the tagline for my books should be "not your grandmother's non fiction" or something like that... well, this party isn't for grandma either.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Yes, the party is over (or as they spell it in Boston o-v-a). It was only afterwards, while I was on a plane to San Antonio that I realized that I never publicly thanked all the girls for their behind the scenes help! So here it is:
Thank you, Alvina, for coming over straight after IRA, helping to make 144 cupcakes, paper flowers and being a book party bridesmaid.
Thank you, Anna, for helping to frost 144 cupcakes, chauffeuring me, the cupcakes and about a hundred million other things (including books and Robert) to and fro.
Thank you, Elaine, for being the other chauffeur and supplying the wine and the sandwiches. Very smart woman, Elaine is. I was going to have everyone make do with cupcakes and fruit but she said people would want something a bit more substantial…they did!
Thank you Linda and Libby for driving from Connecticut and manning the book and raffle table, selling oodles of goods with you magnetic smiles and personality.
Thank you, Meghan, for NOT coming and therefore keeping your job!
And thanks to the rest of you for celebrating my birthday and Lissy's Friends book release in person or in spirit, as well as your kind thoughts about Robert. And for your patience with this oscar-speech-like post (I'm starting to hear the music...).
Party and tonight
For those of you that missed Grace's book launch/birthday/boston blogger party on Saturday, don't miss the next one!! The afternoon was delightful. It was fun to see old friends in our little Boston book community, and also to put faces to names in this blog-o-sphere and meet new folks.
We got an exciting first glimpse at Grace's new books (complete with original artwork on display), there was an exciting art auction, and I got to buy my very own Lissy doll (above sitting on my desk), which is just the coolest thing ever! It looks exactly like Grace's illustrations, amazing. Oh and did I mention that I totally stuffed my face with cupcakes? I was high on sugar for like an hour after the party.
Anyways, a good time was had by all, so a big thank you to Grace and everyone who came and made it such a lovely afternoon.
So on to other events... tonight the Foundation for Children's Books is hosting the last lecture in their spring series, which has been fantastic. This week features Jacqueline Davies, Mitali Perkins and Jamie Harper. Details below. See you there!
PS. Allison Morris over at the Wellesley Booksmith wrote a great blog post about Jacqueline Davies at her Publisher's Weekly blog here. Totally inspired me to go to the lecture tonight.
New England Voices, the last event in our Conversations with...series is different from the rest: it features area authors reading from new works. This year's authors will be Jacqueline Davies, reading from The Lemonade War, and Mitali Perkins reading from Rickshaw Girl. In addition, Jamie Harper will read from Miss Mingo and the First Day of School. The event also includes the Foundation for Children's Books Annual Meeting, with a look at our author visits to under-served schools, as well as a book signing and reception featuring Jacqueline Davies' lemonade stand--a great night that you won't want to miss!
Book signing and reception
FREE and open to the public--bring a friend!
Where & When:
Vanderslice Hall, Boston College
Tuesday, May 22, 7:30 p.m.
Book sale and signing with books from the Children's Book Shop
For directions and more information, go to:
The Foundation for Children's Books
Sunday, May 20, 2007
IRA and Toronto wrap-up, Podcast, and Party Pics
And then I wrote a way-too-long wrap-up of Toronto and IRA on my personal blog here.
And finally, Grace's party was a huge success and a whole lot of fun. I'm sure Grace and the other BRGs will be posting wrap-ups, but for now I'll just post some pics. Check them out! We had bloggers, teachers, librarians, children's book authors and illustrators, friends, six of the seven BRGs (we missed you, Meghan!), and lots and lots of cupcakes. Thanks everyone for coming.
Decorating the 144 cupcakes the night before the party:
Preparing the gift bags:
Elaine and Eisha of 7 Imp:
Kitty of the Horn Book with Lolly podcasting in the background:
Friday, May 18, 2007
POETRY FRIDAY: A Tribute to Teachers
I had the great fortune to teach in a school where my co-workers were consummate professionals. I know this not only as a teacher who worked in the same building with these remarkable educators—but also as a parent whose only child attended the school. My daughter was well taught and her world enriched and expanded by her educational experience at this institution where I spent my teaching career.
The classroom teachers, the gym, music, and art teachers, the school librarian, the resource room teachers, the school secretary and nurse, and all the paraprofessionals and support staff—everyone at my school was topnotch. I loved working with all these people and have missed every one of them since my retirement in June of 2004. (I do stop by every now and then to do poetry-writing exercises in some classrooms.)
About a decade ago, I wrote a poem entitled Here Is Her Room for Bonnie, one of our first grade teachers who was retiring. I thought I would post the poem here today in honor of my three other colleagues who were feted yesterday during a gala party at which we celebrated their educational contributions to the Bell School and to its young students.
My poem today is for Leslie, Phyllis, and Kathy—and for all public school educators who are dedicated to their profession and to the children they teach.
Here Is Her Room
by Elaine Magliaro
Here is her room—
dark and dusty,
bare of bright pictures,
plastic bins empty
of thick primary pencils
and silver-scaled scissors,
its cardboard alphabet
hidden in a dim cupboard.
The painted whales
have swum away for summer.
Here is her room—
hollow and lonely,
its door shut tight
on uncounted memories.
Turn the brass knob
and enter softly.
Listen to the echoes
of downy chicks
cheeping in a corner,
merry young Pilgrims
celebrating the first Thanksgiving,
children singing songs
and reciting well-loved poems,
the snip of busy scissors
cutting colored paper
for a winter collage.
Here is her room—
four walls holding a happy history,
a world of words and wonder
she opened to boys and girls
before she gave them
Stop by Wild Rose Reader today for The Poetry of Mary Ann Hoberman.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Surprise best sellers
Greatest Mystery: Making a Best Seller
And anyone whose book has earned out its advance should find it encouraging!
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
a quick poll
I'm thinking about revamping some parts of my website. Is there anything you'd like to see on there that isn't present? Are there any navigational tools that would be helpful? Is there a better way that I could organize it... split up fun vs. work stuff?
I KNOW I'm going to regret asking because I'll most likely get a bunch of varying opinions... but... I'm hoping they will also be helpful.
p.s - I'm having a book party next month for Strong Man. I'll save the details for later. Grace's party will most definitely be better. For one thing, she's better at making food and she's better at organizing things. Wah. I want to go too!
celebrate with me!
It's going to be great--the Horn Book is going to try to podcast parts of it(I have a secret desire to spike the punch and have them record scandalous drunken gossip), the books and dolls probably will be there (though that has not been confirmed, I guess I scheduled a bit too close to the release date--things aren't really released on the release date, did you know that?), and I am making chocolate rats (in honor of The Year of the Rat, the ARC I'm putting in the bags) and blue chocolate roses (in honor of my girls here) for the goodie bags (though I may give up after a while and just start filling with M&M's).
So, you're coming right? You must be, because I have 98 who RSVPed yes! I better start making cupcakes.
P.S.: Some people have asked me if they could bring anything; but for my birthday, in lieu of gifts,I'd love a donation to Robert's Snow/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. There will be a donation tin at my party for your convenience, as well as the raffle for the original painting (I'll pick the winner at around 3:00 pm). If you are only coming in spirit, I'd be extremely thankful for this present.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Work in progress
Remember the kerchief painting I posted about here? Well now she has a different one on every page, problem solved!
Monday, May 14, 2007
I'm in Toronto now...
Toronto is beautiful. If you're here at the convention, drop by the booth and say hi! Tony Abbott arrives today, Peter Brown tomorrow. Alice Hoffman and Marc Brown are also here today. Come to their signings!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
a side project - family history
Anyway, this impromptu recording has given me an idea. What if I record all sorts of conversations with my family about our history? Of course I can't tell them I'm doing this or they'll hate me forever. What's worse is that I think it would be cool to put these conversations online... why not let the world hear all about it? Is this an insane idea? You betcha! Would my family disown me? Hell yes.
I mentioned to a few people that I'd like to someday write some sort of memoir. Perhaps this is my start?
p.s - I may very well post my sister's no-name conversation. It's short. I don't know if it's entertaining to anyone besides myself but I guess I'll find out!
Friday, May 11, 2007
POETRY FRIDAY: Poems about Mothers
A Poem by Christina Rosetti
To-day's your natal day,
Sweet flowers I bring;
Mother, accept, I pray,
My offering.
And may you happy live,
And long us bless;
Receiving as you give
Great happiness.
At American Life in Poetry: A Project for Newspapers by Ted Kooser, Poet Laureate of the United States 2004-2006
From What I Learned From My Mother
By Julia Kasdorf
I learned from my mother how to love
the living, to have plenty of vases on hand
in case you have to rush to the hospital
with peonies cut from the lawn, black ants
still stuck to the buds. I learned to save jars
large enough to hold fruit salad for a whole
grieving household, to cube home-canned pears
and peaches, to slice through maroon grape skins
and flick out the sexual seeds with a knife point.
I learned to attend viewing even if I didn't know
the deceased, to press the moist hands
of the living, to look in their eyes and offer
sympathy, as though I understood loss even then.
I learned that whatever we say means nothing,
what anyone will remember is that we came.
Read the rest of the poem here.
At The Poetry Foundation
From MOTHERS
by Nikki Giovanni
(These are the ending lines of Giovanni's poem.)
she was very deliberately waiting
perhaps for my father to come home
from his night job or maybe for a dream
that had promised to come by
"come here" she said "i'll teach you
a poem: i see the moon
the moon sees me
god bless the moon
and god bless me"
i taught it to my son
who recited it for her
just to say we must learn
to bear the pleasures
as we have borne the pains
Read the rest of the poem here.
From To My Mother
by Wendell Berry
I was your rebellious son,
do you remember? Sometimes
I wonder if you do remember,
so complete has your forgiveness been.
So complete has your forgiveness been
I wonder sometimes if it did not
precede my wrong, and I erred,
safe found, within your love…
Read the rest of the poem here.
At Wild Rose Reader I have posted a sonnet by Christina Rossetti for my mother.
Happy Mother's Day to all us mothers and to our daughters who may become mothers one day!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Is your tween dressing to sexy?
This brings me to the question--am I becoming a snob? Am I expecting too much perfection? Do people expect perfection from ME? I'm the queen of typos so I hope not!
I didn't post today as of yet because I was busy getting tape on my back... again. This time my shoulders are taped. I vacillate between being extremely frustrated by the tape (trust me, it's irritating!) and amused. I mean, I'm walking around with a giant X on my upper back. It's kind of silly... isn't it? I'm going running tonight. Can I run with tape on my back?
I really have no good reason for posting the tape thing... other than life is a constant work distraction... and work is a life distraction. It's super when I can do work and think about work when I'm supposed to and vice versa.
So every Sunday I've decided is my RELAXATION DAY. I need one day for myself damn it! Soon I won't be able to take the relaxation day because Astronauts is due and now... gasp... so is Seabiscuit? Again? Two books at once? I swear, I'm trying not to feel bad for myself but I do a little. Poor, poor pathetic me. Anyway, so... sundays... relaxation days. On these days I start the day off with a nice TV watching stint. Because of this I have stumbled upon something wonderful. On Channel 13 in NY they have been playing Uta Hagen's Acting Class in the early afternoon. Now, I am not an actor. I will never be an actor (I don't think) but yet I find it absolutely fascinating! If you can watch it at least once please do. Uta Hagen is a genious. She's so perceptive. She notices little nuances that make humans human. I'm sure you're thinking this is yet another rambling segment that has nothing to do with books... and it sort of is... but not exactly. Being perceptive is important as an author. Obviously. Especially as a novelist you have to know your characters--the little things is what will make them individuals. Therefore I highly recommend watching this program. It will get you thinking. It will inspire you!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
are those flames on my bike helmet or is it hot in here?
Why, yes, I did. During my regular haunt at my local bookstore, I saw posters advertising Scott Magoon's booksigning and party for his new book I've Painted Everything, realized my chance to meet my 2nd Hot Man of Children's Literature in the flesh (my first was, of course, Jarrett), and made a point of showing up (via bike, is that dedication or what?). Now I only have 36 more hot men to go!
No, no, no--I cannot tell a lie, I also went so that I could coerce #37 to participate in Robert's Snow and to check out how real authors throw book parties, hoping to pick up some pointers for my own. First pointer? Reading book to audience=good.
Pointer #2? Cute food is very popular. No sooner did I snap this picture of those cute bird cookies were they devoured by guests. It is making me wonder if I should rethink my wagashi decision.
Anyway, Scott had a great book launch (as only befitting one of his stature) and I was glad to be a groupie!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Tin can debate
Any guesses as to which one was the thinnest, and thus easiest to nail through?
Sunday, May 06, 2007
My new space
First, the building (picture taken from my coworker Ben's flickr site). Looks like your standard office building, doesn't it?:
And now my space. I have to say, I'm really happy with my windowed cube. Who knew that losing a door but gaining a window would be so nice. It helps that I'm set back from the hallway, so I have a lot of privacy, too.
I love the Chrysler building!
One great feature of the new office is that we have a center atrium. I'm not sure when the novelty will wear off, but for now, I'm fascinated with it. You can look across the atrium and see colleages hard at work across the way, you can see into some of the conference rooms, see into the kitchen. Here's another pic taken by Ben:There are also two glass elevators. Here's the view from one of them:
And a view of the atrium from the lobby:
As Annie sings, "I think I'm gonna like it here!"
Last week was unbelievably busy, both with unpacking and settling in, and all the usual meetings and work. I'm hoping this week will be a productive one, and then the following week I'm off to Toronto for the International Reading Association conference. If any of you are going, or live in Toronto, let me know! I'm staying an extra night to see the city, and don't know anyone who lives there, so would love a tour guide or someone to explore with.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
May Day, Part 2
Children of all ages did march -- even some teenagers.
I had thought afterwards everyone was going to grab a ribbon and dance around the Maypole, but I was wrong. One group of dancers had been allowed to use it before the parade - and when we got there, it was all tightly wrapped up.
I asked the woman in charge if the children could dance around the Maypole, or at least play with the ribbons, and she said:
"No, it took hours to wrap up."
Some enterprising children untied some before they were stopped -- but no one danced.
This seems to me SO typical of the way things are often arranged at public celebrations in this country. Mystic is usually pretty good at these things, but today, instead of getting to dance themselves, the kids were supposed to watch other people do it. What fun is THAT?
Maybe that's why they seemed to be getting such a kick out of marching or riding their bikes.
This post doesn't really have a point, except that maybe it was really predictable that the May pole scene I was imagining in such vivid detail didn't ever take place. This is the really down side of an imagination: hearing something, instantly picturing it in an ideal way, and then being disappointed when reality doesn't live up to it. This is so common that I probably wouldn't even have noticed it if I hadn't written that earlier post about the great May Day Celebration in Mystic. I did consider deleting it but that seemed like cheating. So -- a slice of reality instead of a magical mystic mayday.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Poetry Friday Potpourri #5
A Poem a Day #28: April
A Poem a Day #29: Thoughts of the Wolf as He Descends the Third Little Pig's Chimney
A Poem a Day #30: Full Of… (A List Poem)
A Poem about Poetry Withdrawal: The Morning After
April: A Poem by Janet Wong
Poetry Friday: Spring Is... (In this post, I provide suggestions for poetry to share with children to help inspire them to write their own poems about spring.)
Dragons Pulling Wagons: The Children's Poet Laureate on Karla Kuskin's Children's Poetry
This article, written by Jack Prelutsky, is about Karla Kuskin, a children's poet whose poetry I truly admire. The article includes the full texts of three of Kuskin's poems, including A Bug Sat in A Silver Flower, which was always a favorite with my elementary school students.
All three of the poems posted at the Poetry Foundation can be found in Kuskin's book MOON, HAVE YOU MET MY MOTHER?
From Blossoms, one of my favorite adult poems, was written by Li-Young Lee. It comes from his book ROSE, which was published by Boa Editions in 1986. Rose contains many fine poems, including Eating Together, I Ask My Mother to Sing, and The Weight of Sweetness.
The beginning stanzas of From Blossoms
by Li-Young Lee
From blossoms comes
this brown paper bag of peaches
we bought from the boy
at the bend in the road where we turned toward
signs painted Peaches.
From laden boughs, from hands,
from sweet fellowship in the bins,
comes nectar at the roadside, succulent
peaches we devour, dusty skin and all,
comes the familiar dust of summer, dust we eat.
You can read the rest of the poem here.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Yeah... I've made the gossip page!
The funny part is that I didn't know a lot of my friends read the gossip page of the post! Now I know. They've outed themselves.
I didn't post today because I've had a horrible stomach virus--vomiting... the works. This also means I haven't been able to get any book work done. I swear I get sick every time I have a book due! I don't know why but I really do.
Anyway, I did want to post something meaningful today but perhaps I can do so for tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Happy Asian-Pacific Heritage Month
Of course, I was happy to do so. But life got busy and crazy (it seemed like I was doing a school visit every day in April!) and I wasn't able to do the research I needed for the article I wanted to write. So instead,in order to make their deadline, I ended up modifying my multicultural author post for them.
The article I wanted to write was going to be inspired by these two comments made in the reviews of Lissy's Friends. This one by a wrung sponge:
Another thing I really like about this book is that although Lissy is clearly Asian, the story is not about being Asian. There is no reference to her ethnicity, which puts her Asian identity squarely in the realm of ordinary....
(entire review here)
And this one from MotherReader:
I liked that Lissy's way to make friends begins with doing what she likes to do and being herself. The theme of Lissy's Asian-American heritage is not the source of conflict or isolation, but it is her special knowledge of origami that helps her break through her shyness and connect with the people around her.
(entire review here)
Both of them touched upon the fact that in the story, even though Lissy is Asian, her race and heritage is not the crux of her problem. Nor does she even think about it. Which, when you think about it, kind of unusual.
Because most books that feature Asian Pacific characters tend to focus on racial identity. About fitting in or not fitting in, about being different or celebrating differences, accepting identity. There's nothing wrong with those books. It's an important issue to write and read and make books about. Heck, I make a lot of them.
But for multicultural books to move towards what we all really want--a place where that label is no longer needed--books have to start shifting from that focus. Multicultural books have to start depicting characters in situations and with problems that are not about the racial divide, but about issues and events that all kids have.
And here was where I was going to start making a list of books where the characters were of Asian-Pacific descent, but the stories were NOT about them being of Asian-Pacific descent. But nothing was jumping up (except Ruby Lu and one book does not make a list, even if I added the sequel) and I ran out of time to research.
So I put it to YOU. What books are there where the character is Asian but the book isn't about him/her being Asian? Let me know. Maybe I can get the article in by next May.
Getting crafty
Anyways, here are some pics of my crayon experiment. Most teachers out there know that you can recycle crayon bits into new crayons if you melt them down. Today I compared melting on the stove top, to the oven, to the microwave... some pics from my experiments and from the actual book (What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe?):

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Spencer Pratt Was Right, He Was Arrested
Every now and again, Spencer Pratt does actually tell the truth -- turns out he really was arrested in Costa Rica yesterday.
As we told you earlier, Pratt told us he was busted in Costa Rica for felony possession of a firearm on his way back to the U.S. yesterday. He was cited and released.
Now, we've gotten our look at an arresting document from Costa Rica -- and even though it's in Spanish, it does have his name on it and includes fun words like "guilty," "charged" and "prosecution" (thank you, Google Translate).
Heidi's name is in there too, listed as his spouse -- and his occupation is listed as "actor."
That word must mean something different in Costa Rica.


text:
Single-breasted jacket with a check motif, made from an exclusive blend of cashmere, silk and linen, in shades of blue and white. Finely crafted textiles have always been a cornerstone at Kiton: in our wool mill in Biella, Italy, constant experimentation has given rise to the creation of innovative textures and fibres, paying special attention to sustainability and the environment. The deconstructed nature of the garment and the use of soft yarn offer an authentic, personal experience of refined comfort that combines allure and freedom of movement with a focus on relaxed elegance. The cornerstones of the Kiton wardrobe change without losing their substance. The precision of haute couture blends with the comfort of leisurewear. Every Kiton jacket is a masterpiece of design, entirely cut and sewn by hand in Naples by 25 master artisans who carry out 1,800 steps to complete such fine architectural attire. Linen pocket square with a hand-embroidered red dot. Perfect for both leisure time and formal occasions, it will bring an elegant, sophisticated twist to casual looks. To maintain the beauty of your Kiton jacket, we recommend professional laundering and pressing.
- Button Arrangement: 2 buttons
- Lining Working: Partially Lined
- Rever: Notch
- N. Vents: 2
- External Pockets: 2 Patch & Cut Breast pocket
- Dry clean
- Regular fit
- Sleeve Finishing: Without Buttonholes and Button


text:
One of the goals of estate planning is to care for loved ones, particularly those who depend on us for care after we have passed on. Wills, trusts, life insurance and beneficiary designations are all used to provide support to people—but what about pets? There is something you can do to protect your furry companions, says a recent article from The Sentinel, "Elder Care: Estate planning for your furry friends."
We love our pets, to the tune of $103.6 billion in expenditures in 2020, including everything from pet food, toys, bedding, veterinary care, grooming, training and even Renaissance style portraits of pets. Scientific studies have proven the emotional and physical advantages pet ownership confers, not to mention the unconditional love pets bring to the household. So why not protect your pets, as well as other family members?
Many people rely on informal agreements with good friends or family members to take care of Fluffy or Spice, if the owner dies or becomes sick to take care of their pet. Here's the problem: these informal agreements are not binding. Even if you've left a certain sum of money to a person in your will and ask it to be used solely for the care and well-being of your pet, it's not enforceable.
We know all things change. What if your chosen pet caretaker has a child or a new romance with someone with a deathly allergy to pet dander? Or if their pet, who always used to play well during your visits, won't tolerate your beloved pet as a housemate?
The informal agreement won't hold the person accountable, and the funds may be spent elsewhere.
A better option is to use a pet trust. These have been recognized in all fifty states as a lawful way to provide for your animal companion's needs. A pet trust can be created to provide for your pet during your lifetime, as well as after you have passed, allowing for continuity of care if you become incapacitated and need someone else to have the resources and guidance to care for your pet.
A pet trust is a legal document, prepared by an estate planning attorney and usually includes financial accounts in the name of the trust. Note the pet does not own the trust (animals may not own property), nor do you as the creator of the trust (the grantor). The trust is a legal entity, managed by the trustee.
A few of the things you'll need to consider before having a pet trust created:
Who is to be the pet's guardian? Have more than one person in mind, in case the primary pet guardian cannot serve or changes their mind.
If all of your guardians end up unable or unwilling to serve, name a no-kill animal shelter or rescue organization to take your pet. They may require you to plan in advance to cover the cost of caring for your pet. Larger organizations may have a process for a charitable remainder trust (CRT) as part of this type of arrangement.
Give details about pet preferences. If they are AKC registered, use their formal name as well as their regular name. People often fail to use the correct name in legal documents, even for humans, which can lead to legal challenges.
Do you want the same person to serve as trustee, managing funds for the pet, as the guardian? This is a similar decision for naming a guardian for minor children. Sometimes the person who is wonderful with care, is not so skilled at handling finances.
Finally, include instructions about what should happen to the money left after the pet passes. It may be used as a thank you to the person who cared for your beloved companion, or a gift to an animal organization.
Reference: The Sentinel (Jan. 7, 2022) "Elder Care: Estate planning for your furry friends."


text:
This bible. I found this bible in my berth on the last day of my cruise to the Bahamas. That's right, I indulge in a cruise every now and then, a guilty pleasure, a release from stress, nothing I would call religious.
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there's a priest aboard these ships, maybe there's one or two walking around in mufti, but not to say mass. I don't even think there's a non-denominational chapel with a set of pews where pious passengers kneel in reflection every morning before the festivities begin.
There is, however, a gym equipped to the hilt with newfangled weights and machines to keep bodies tiptop while at sea.
Although you won't find me in this gym with someone throwing a gigantic medicine ball into my abdomen, you will find others making their bodies fit.
Meanwhile, I'm on the Lido deck, taking in some rays with a secondhand paperback novel in my grip and a plastic glass from the buffet with ice, water, and two splashes of vodka bought offshore, before the exorbitant prices, and kept cold in my berth.
It's my little way of making this whole trip financially tolerable. Free food, free drink, lots of ocean, and lots of sun for a week. That sounds a lot better than free food, ten dollar beers.
This bible. Here it is again, dormant, patient for a reader.
I found this bible in the top drawer of the desk that I meant to use for writing a short story, some words to round out this weeklong gluttonous debauchery, but of course the Gideons had to be there with their watchful eye.
In the spirit of the times, and so that the Gideon placer didn't work in vain, I opened the bible with the intention of reading about Lot's wife disobeying God and looking back at the ravaged city.
To teach her and everyone to follow a lesson, God turns the curious cat into a pillar of salt.
Quite the dramatic image. The destruction of Sodom in the backdrop and, in the fore, a curious statue of salt. The stuff paintings and Disney movies are made out of. The stuff of magic, whim, lore, dreams, and the bible.
It's intended to be a lecture, a fable, a story to learn from.
Don't look back, that's what God's punishment of Lot's wife says, don't look back at the destruction, don't look back at your origin, only look ahead at all that is promised.
Dylan and Vonnegut know it well.
For me it is only a reason to open the bible.
God does not exist!
I wasn't expecting this graffiti on the first page, usurping HELP IN TIME OF NEED. It gave me pause. I took a sip of vodka and traced its evolution.
God does not exist! –> God does exist! –> God does not exist!
It reminded me of debate, of futility. Like covering someone else's hand with yours. And then your hand is covered by someone else's. And then you cover someone else's hand with yours. And then someone else covers your hand. And then another person has to join the mosh pit because both of you are out of hands.
And like this the pattern repeats forever, building a tower of hands and fingers.
Is this what the bible promotes? Smothered hands and gnarled fingers?
Do the Gideon placers wake up in the morn, dress in suits, and trek across the world's hotels and motels encumbered with boxes of navy blue bibles thinking their purpose is all good, almighty?
Do the Gideon placers walk in peace, in harmony, with a clear conscience, oblivious to the seeds of discord they are planting and nurturing?
These are only questions.


text:
Over 80% of future deforestation confined to just 11 places
Posted on April, 28 2015
Eleven places in the world will account for over 80 per cent of forest loss globally by 2030.
Jakarta: Eleven places in the world – 10 of which are in the tropics – will account for over 80 per cent of forest loss globally by 2030, according to research released today by WWF.Up to 170 million hectares of forest could be lost between 2010 and 2030 in these "deforestation fronts" if current trends continue, according to findings in the latest chapter of WWF's Living Forests Report series. The fronts are located in the Amazon, the Atlantic Forest and Gran Chaco, Borneo, the Cerrado, Choco-Darien, the Congo Basin, East Africa, Eastern Australia, Greater Mekong, New Guinea and Sumatra.
These places contain some of the richest wildlife in the world, including endangered species such as orangutans and tigers. All are home to indigenous communities.
"Imagine a forest stretching across Germany, France, Spain and Portugal wiped out in just 20 years," says Rod Taylor, Director of WWF's global forest programme. "We're looking at how we can tackle that risk to save the communities and cultures that depend on forests, and ensure forests continue to store carbon, filter our water, supply wood and provide habitat for millions of species."
The report builds on earlier analysis by WWF showing that more than 230 million hectares of forest will disappear by 2050 if no action is taken, and that forest loss must be reduced to near zero by 2020 to avoid dangerous climate change and economic losses.
Landscape solutions vital to halting deforestation
Living Forests Report: Saving Forests at Risk examines where most deforestation is likely in the near term, the main causes and solutions for reversing the projected trends. Globally, the biggest cause of deforestation is expanding agriculture – including commercial livestock, palm oil and soy production, but also encroachment by small-scale farmers. Unsustainable logging and fuelwood collection can contribute to forest degradation, or "death by a thousand cuts," while mining, hydroelectricity and other infrastructure projects bring new roads that open forests to settlers and agriculture.
"The threats to forests are bigger than one company or industry, and they often cross national borders. They require solutions that look at the whole landscape," says Taylor. "This means collaborative land-use decision-making that accounts for the needs of business, communities and nature."
The report is being released at the Tropical Landscapes Summit: A Global Investment Opportunity, an international gathering of political, business and civil society leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia.
"The summit is an opportunity to advance green investment and build transformational public-private partnerships," says WWF International Director General Marco Lambertini, who will address the summit. "Indonesia has a major opportunity to transition into an innovative green economy that prioritizes human prosperity and well-being as much as a healthy environment. Choosing to retain healthy and natural forests for multiple purposes and to optimize the productivity of the surrounding land will be a compelling example of this approach. We need smart land-use planning that recognizes the long-term value of healthy forest landscapes."
Indonesia in focus
Despite a recent slowdown, deforestation remains a major issue in Indonesia. Sumatra has lost more than half of its natural forests due to paper and palm oil plantations, and the remaining forest is severely fragmented. WWF projections show that another 5 million hectares of forest could be lost by 2030. Forest cover in the Borneo deforestation front, including Malaysia and Brunei, could be reduced to less than a quarter of its original area by 2020 if current trends continue. New Guinea, which includes Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, could lose up to 7 million hectares of forest between 2010 and 2030 if large-scale agriculture development plans materialize.
"The Indonesian government and local policymakers can shift from development plans that yield short-term gains to land-use approaches that will safeguard forests and provide economic opportunities," Taylor says. "The moratorium on new forest conversion permits provides an opportunity to assess what can be done to halt these deforestation fronts and develop a greener, more inclusive economy."


text:
The U.S. Supreme Court opens a new court term Monday, while across the street at the Capitol, Republicans are seeking to jam through, before the Nov. 3 election, President Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the court.
Trump offered Barrett the nomination just two days after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. And since then, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has been leading the GOP charge to get Barrett confirmed before Election Day.
It's a race to the political finish line made more difficult by the fact that at least two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Utah Republican Mike Lee and North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis, have tested positive for the coronavirus and, on Saturday, McConnell said the committee will start the hearing as scheduled on Oct. 12.
Regardless of what is happening in the Senate, the Supreme Court is carrying on in its usual stately fashion. The court is an institution built on tradition, and the traditional opening day of the term is the first Monday of October.
This time, however, there will be just eight justices, not the usual nine, and because of COVID-19, once again the justices will gather by telephone hookup to hear the lawyers make their arguments. Because they will not be together, there will be none of the usual freewheeling debate; instead, the justices will ask questions in order of seniority, with each justice limited to just a few minutes. And once again, the public will be able to listen in.
A lot has changed since July, when the court concluded a tumultuous term, surprising observers with lopsided decisions favoring LGBT rights in one case and repudiating Trump's claim of total immunity in two others involving grand jury and congressional subpoenas.
In other more closely divided rulings, Chief Justice John Roberts, on some notable but rare occasions, broke with fellow conservatives to cast the deciding fifth vote with the court's liberals. His vote to strike down a Louisiana anti-abortion law infuriated some conservative politicians, but it was typical of Roberts. He wrote separately from the liberal justices, stressing that he had dissented when the court just four years earlier had struck down an identical law in Texas, but he said that 2016 decision was now binding precedent and he was obligated to uphold it.
Despite that "institutionalist streak," with Ginsburg's death and her replacement by the very conservative Barrett, Roberts may well have lost his leverage, observes University of Michigan law professor Nicholas Bagley.
"The chief justice is no longer going to be the center vote," he notes. In short, the hard-line conservatives on the court can prevail without Roberts.
Obamacare on the chopping block again
Just how far right the court will move could become apparent quickly in a case to be argued a week after the election. It is the third challenge to the Affordable Care Act, which in the past was upheld by votes of 5-4 and 6-3.
This time, the Trump administration and a coalition of red states are arguing that because the Republican Congress three years ago zeroed out the monetary penalty for those not covered by insurance (the so-called mandate), the whole law is now void.
If the administration were to prevail, there would no longer be protections for those with preexisting conditions; health insurance for some 22 million people under Obamacare would likewise be gone, and so too would be many other protections that people have gotten used to.
Trump's newest supreme court nominee, Barrett, has been highly critical of Chief Justice Roberts' reasoning in the previous Obamacare cases.
But even Paul Clement, who argued on behalf of those challenging the law in the Supreme Court the first time, thinks this case is a stretch.
"It's just hard for me to say that the mandate is central when it doesn't have any teeth," he says, noting that Congress has repeatedly refused to repeal the law in the wake of previous Supreme Court decisions and that the penalty no longer exists.
There is, he adds, "an air of surreality" around the current case. Indeed, sources say that top Justice Department officials tried and failed to talk Trump out of bringing the case.
The Obamacare case is just one of many controversies flashing red on the Supreme Court docket this term — many of them political.
Some cases are already being expedited. One involves how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives. The Constitution requires the "whole number of persons in each state" to be included for apportionment purposes. But Trump maintains he has discretion to determine the numbers and has said he intends to exclude noncitizens without legal status from the count. A three-judge federal court prevented him from doing that. Now the case is before the Supreme Court.
Another Bush v. Gore?
In addition, there are numerous cases directly involving the upcoming election, cases that are being teed up in the wings and that could determine who is the next president.
"Lurking in the background is the possibility that this could become the most tumultuous and divisive term since the Supreme Court decided Bush v. Gore," says Irv Gornstein, director of the Supreme Court Institute at the Georgetown University Law Center.
And that's just the beginning. Among the other controversies is a case testing whether a House committee conducting impeachment hearings is entitled to secret grand jury transcripts — a case that dates back to the Mueller investigation but has important implications for congressional powers in the future.
Then, too, there is a case that pits the rights of religious groups against state and federal anti-discrimination laws. On one end is Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia, and on the other, the city, which contracts with a wide variety of groups that it pays to screen and certify couples for foster care.
The city cut off Catholic Social Services because the group refused, on religious grounds, to certify same-sex couples, and that violated the city's nondiscrimination law. The lower courts upheld the city's decision, citing the Supreme Court's 1990 decision declaring that religious groups are not entitled to exemptions from neutral, generally applicable laws. The decision was written by conservative icon Justice Antonin Scalia. Nonetheless, four of the court's current conservatives have expressed an interest in overturning that decision, and with the addition of Barrett, there may well be a majority.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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The Cystic Fibrosis Trust
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust funds medical and scientific research aimed towards understanding, treating and curing Cystic Fibrosis. It also aims to ensure that people with CF receive the best possible care and support in all aspects of their lives. To do this we have set ourselves a fundraising target of £5 million per year. The CF Trust has established branches and groups throughout the UK to provide support and advice for those affected by CF, their families and their carers. They also campaign to improve the clinical and social care of those affected by CF, as well as raising public awareness of the condition.
Telephone Number: | 020 3795 1555 |
Helpline Telephone Number: | 0300 373 1000 |
Email Address: | [email protected] |


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Beginning Objective-C
Objective-C is today's fastest growing programming language, at least in part due to the popularity of Apple's Mac, iPhone and iPad. Beginning Objective-C is for you if you have some programming experience, but you're new to the Objective-C programming language and you want a modern—and fast—way forwards to your own coding projects.
Beginning Objective-C offers you a modern programmer's perspective on Objective-C courtesy of two of the best iOS and Mac developers in the field today, and gets you programming to the best of your ability in this important language. It gets you rolling fast into the sound fundamentals and idioms of Objective-C on the Mac and iOS, in order to learn how best to construct your applications and libraries, making the best use of the tools it provides— no matter what projects you plan to build. The book offers thorough introductions to the core tenets of the language itself and its primary toolkits: the Foundation and AppKit frameworks. Within its pages you will encounter a mine of information on many topics, including use of the file system and network APIs, concurrency and multi-core programming, the user interface system architecture, data modeling, and more.
You'll soon find yourself building a fairly complex Objective-C based application, and mastering the language ready for your own projects.
If you're new to programming altogether, then Apress has other Objective-C books for you such as our Learning and Absolute Beginner titles—otherwise, let your existing skills ramp you fast forwards in Objective-C with Beginning Objective-C so that you can start building your own applications quickly.
What you'll learn
- How to build your first Objective-C application or two
- What is OOP or object oriented programming and how it impacts Objective-C
- What are the Objective-C language features and the foundational APIs
- How to use the Filesystem, I/O and networking APIs
- How to build the graphical user interface and the user experience around and in it
- How to work with data and advanced data management
- How to work within the limits of the App Sandbox on OS X
- The use of XPC to split your application into separate modules within their own sandboxes
Who this book is for
This book is for programmers with some programming knowledge who are new to the Objective-C programming language and want a modern, fast, contemporary route towards programming the language by building upon their existing knowledge of programming. Existing Objective-C programmers can also benefit from the book's in-depth information on new techniques and technology and its strong emphasis on tried-and-tested Objective-C programming idioms.
Table of Contents
- Getting Started with Objective-C (with simple HelloWorld application)
- Object-Oriented Programming
- Objective-C Language Features
- Foundational APIs
- Using The Filesystem
- Using the Network
- User Interfaces: The Application Kit
- Advanced Data Management with Core Data
- Writing An Application (complex case study example)
- Wrapping Up
Book Details
- Paperback: 404 pages
- Publisher: Apress (November 2012)
- Language: English


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On Saturday, August 24, 2019 Tom and I participated in Operation Clean Stream sponsored by the Open Space Council and many other supporting organizations. I've done several of these trash cleanup floats before but this was Tom's first time. We had a blast because we love to get dirty, we want to do our part to keep our rivers clean and any excuse to get out and be on the water is a good one! We brought our kayaks to the beach on the Meramec River and met up with other volunteers who brought their own vessels. The people I end up floating with on these cleanup days are terrific and we hope we get to float with these folks again. I floated with leader Tim before in 2016 – here is an article I wrote about that day:
Fit and Healthy on Route 66: Two Sections of the Lower Meramec – Part I
I took a couple of videos too:
Tom bags a tire:
Some of the members of our group share their favorite finds on a sandbar near Highway 141:
I found some water hyacinth along the way and picked up as much as I could. I want to use it in our pond which should be finished soon, but even more importantly I want to get it out of the natural body of water because it's an invasive species. More info about water hyacinth here: http://stopaquatichitchhikers.org/hitchhikers/plants-water-hyacinth/
This is the first time I can recall seeing water hyacinth in a natural body of water in Missouri. Our winters should kill it – that may or may not mitigate the threat – I don't know. What if some floats downstream to a warmer state? That's why I grabbed as much as I could. Here is some Missouri specific information: https://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2008/01/not-state


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Sweet Baby-to-Toddler Adjustable Snap features woodland animals with the words "From Tiny Seeds... Grows Mighty Trees".
Bib measures 9 x 12 inches.
Two sturdy antique gold snaps allow bib to grow with baby into a toddler.
Absorbent cotton print with soft & thick terry cloth backing.
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Oct 8, 2023
Adorable! So excited to gift these at a baby shower this month!


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DoD Needs Shutdown Plan
(NAVY TIMES 28 OCT 13) … Editorial
The budget debacle that paralyzed Washington for weeks is over – for now.
But the ninth-inning maneuvering by Congress and the White House keeps the lights on only until Jan. 15, when the nation may be treated to "Shutdown: The Sequel." The roughly three months until then is a window of opportunity for the Defense Department to heed some critical lessons. Foremost among them: Fine-tune the contingency plan.
A particularly disturbing aspect of the shutdown was an information vacuum out of the Pentagon about which programs and benefits would continue and which would not – disarray that sowed unnecessary angst and confusion in the ranks.
This was not entirely DoD's fault – lawmakers passed a piecemeal law on military pay programs containing provisions that were not entirely clear. Some issues also required DoD to consult with White House budget officials.
But if DoD gets a partial pass this time, there are no excuses for any repeat performance.
Pentagon and service officials need to go through the entire roster of programs and decide what happens to each one if the government shuts down again.
What does the Defense Finance and Accounting Service do? Will commissaries stay open? Will military hospitals and clinics still make routine appointments? Will bonuses, danger pay and other special pays continue? What about PCS moves?
Equally important, DoD should put out the word on these contingencies ahead of a potential shutdown.
That way, everyone will know what to expect, and there will be no morale-torching surprises.
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LANGUEDOC (Hebrew, or ):
Ancient province of France corresponding to the present departments of Tarn, Aude, Gard, and Ardèche, with parts of Haute-Loire, Haute-Garonne, and Tarn-et-Garonne. It was divided into two parts: Higher Languedoc, having for its capital Toulouse; and Lower Languedoc, with Montpellier as its chief city. Two letters of Sidonius Apollinaris and the canons of the council held at Agde in 506 prove the existence in the province at that time of numerous and prosperous Jewish communities (Dom Vaissète, "Histoire Générale de Languedoc," i. 243; Sidonius Apollinaris, iii., Epistle 4; iv., Epistle 5). While Languedoc was a dependency of the Visigothic kings the Jews suffered much persecution, but in a far less degree than their brethren on the other side of the Pyrenees. Protected by the Christian inhabitants, who often rebelled against their kings, the Jews of Languedoc could easily evade many oppressive laws enacted against them. The edict of expulsion issued by Wamba in 672 provoked a general uprising of the inhabitants. After the province had been pacified, and the edict was enforced, the absence of the Jews was of very short duration. Nor did the barbarous laws of Erwige and Egica meet with greater success.
Under the Carlovingians.An era of great prosperity for the Jews of Languedoc set in with the accession of the Carlovingian dynasty. The loyalty of the Jews to the cause of the French kings in the struggle against the Saracens was highly appreciated and rewarded by many privileges. Pepin the Short conceded them the right of enjoying hereditary allodial tenure; and this right was respected by all the Carlovingians, in spite of the protests of some of the clergy. Large communities possessing synagogues and important commercial establishments existed at Béziers, Carcassonne, Lodève, Lunel, Mende, Montpellier, Narbonne, Nîmes, Pamiers, Posquières, Saint-Gilles, and Toulouse.
The happy condition of the Jews of Languedoc did not cease under the rule of the counts, especially under those of Toulouse, who evinced kindly feelings toward them. But the spirit of intolerance that pervaded western Europe in the eleventh century did not fail to leave its impress upon the province. Thenceforward the Jews were obliged to occupy special quarters, and a custom was established which permitted the populace to inflict upon them all kinds of humiliations during Holy Week. At Toulouse it was deemed expedient that at least one Jew should have his ears publicly boxed on the first day of Easter; while at Béziers the mob was allowed to throw stones at the Jews. Still their situation was relatively prosperous; and even these vexations gradually disappeared and were, on the intervention of the counts, superseded by yearly taxes in addition to the poll-tax common to all inhabitants.
Jews in Public Office.The good-will of the counts of Toulouse displayed itself far beyond mere toleration; they even entrusted the Jews with important public offices. Raymond V. about 1170 appointed a Jew as bailiff in his domain of Saint-Gilles, and, with the exception of the counts of Montpellier, his example was followed by many other counts and barons. The nomination of Jews to public offices in the dominions of the viscounts of Béziers and Carcassonne was a common occurrence under Viscount Roger II. and his successor Raymond Roger.
The crusade against the Albigenses at the beginning of the thirteenth century brought a great reaction in the condition of the Jews of Languedoc. Accused by the clergy of having fostered among the Christians a spirit of rebellion against the Church, oppressive laws were enacted against them in the various councils. At that held at Saint-Gilles in 1209 Raymond VI. was compelled to swear that in the future neither he nor his vassals would entrust public or private offices to Jews; and, except at Narbonne, where Jews served as brokers until 1306, this oath was strictly observed in the territory of the counts of Toulouse.
The condition of the Jews in Lower Languedoc became still worse when that province fell into the hands of Saint Louis and his brother Alphonse of Poitiers, who, the former from bigotry and the latter from greed, enacted against them oppressive laws—e.g., the prohibition to sojourn in small localities and to erect new synagogues—and crushed them with fiscal burdens. Everywhere the Jews were imprisoned, to be released only after having paid heavy sums. On the death of Alphonse of Poitiers his estates came into the possession of Philip the Bold, and the Jews of those districts shared the fate of their brethren of northern France.
Under Independent Lords.While the Jews were laboring under adverse circumstances in that part of Languedoc which was annexed to France, those who lived in the domains of independent lords continued to enjoy a high degreeof prosperity during the whole of the thirteenth century. In a letter addressed to his subjects in 1252 Jaime I., Count of Montpellier, declared that he would take the Jews of his territory under his protection, and he enjoined the inhabitants to do them no harm. The dukes of Foix granted the Jews in their domains many privileges, and vindicated their rights against the encroachments of Philip the Fair. In 1303 Count Gaston confirmed all the ancient privileges of the Jews and engaged himself not to claim more than the yearly taxes which had been levied by his father, Roger Bernard, and by his other predecessors. The community of Pamiers, which was under the jurisdiction of the Abbot of Saint Antonin, was treated with benevolence by the ecclesiastical authorities, while those of Alet, Béziers, Grasse, and Nîmes received a no less favorable treatment at the hands of the bishops. But the most favored community was that of Narbonne, which enjoyed special privileges and immunities. Among these the most noteworthy was that of being governed by a Jewish "king."
With the expulsion of the Jews by Charles VI. in 1394 all the communities of Languedoc, with the exception of several, like Montpellier and Narbonne, ceased to exist. See
- Dom Vaissète, Histoire Générale de Languedoc;
- Depping, Les Juifs dans le Moyen Age;
- Bédarride, Les Juifs en France, en Italie, et en Espagne, pp. 107 et seq.;
- Beugnot, Les Juifs d'Occident, p. 116;
- Saige, Les Juifs du Languedoc, Paris, 1881;
- Grätz, Gesch. vi. 175, 201; vii. 9, 37;
- Gross, Gallia Judaica, p. 311.


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Data Center Troubleshooting
Problem | Likely solutions |
| 'Database is being updated by an instance which is not part of the current cluster' Error Message |
| Add multicast route, Check firewall, Cluster Panic due to Multiple Deployments |
| |
Error in log: | |
Multicast being sent, but not received | Check firewall, Check intermediate routers, Increase multicast TTL |
App is unlicensed on some nodes after updating the license on one node. | Disable and re-enable the app in the Universal Plugin Manager. |
After an app update, strings appear in the UI instead of buttons and icons on some nodes. | Restart the affected node. |
Hazelcast CANNOT start on this node. No matching network interface found. | See Hazelcast CANNOT start on this node. No matching network interface found KB article |
Any issue not covered here |
- Which multicast address?
The multicast address and port used by Confluence can be found on the Cluster Configuration page, or in confluence.cfg.xml
in the Confluence home directory.
- Multicast address generation.
Confluence uses a hashing algorithm to take the inputted name during setup and it is then turned into a multicast address stored in the config file. Thus, once the initial setup is completed, Confluence will use the address this is the reason why user can change the address if needed, without actually changing the name. Consequently the additional nodes using the same multicast address specified in the config file are able to join the cluster.
Each node has a multicast address configured in the confluence.cfg.xml
A warning message is displayed when an user changes the address from the one that Confluence has generated by the hashing of the name. There is no way of eliminating the message any other way other than by returning the address to the one that matches the cluster name. Purpose of the warning message is to remind the user that the address has been changed - as it is not the hashed version any longer - consequently the node can not join the cluster just by using the name. It is also necessary to provide the correct address as well.
Mapping interface to IP address.
To ensure that the interface name is mapped correctly, the following tool can be used. It shows the mapping of the interface name to the IP address.
C:\>java -jar list-interfaces.jar
interfaces.size() = 4
networkInterface[0] = name:lo (MS TCP Loopback interface) index: 1 addresses:
networkInterface[1] = name:eth0 (VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet8) index: 2 addresses:
networkInterface[2] = name:eth1 (VMware Virtual Ethernet Adapter for VMnet1) index: 3 addresses:
networkInterface[3] = name:eth2 (Broadcom NetXtreme 57xx Gigabit Controller - Packet Scheduler Miniport) index: 4 addresses:
Debugging tools
Listed below are some debugging tools that help determine what the status of the multicast traffic is:
Tool | Information provided |
| Lists multicast groups. Does not work on Mac OS X. |
| Lists system routing table. |
| Captures network traffic on the given interface. Most useful on an interface that only receives cluster traffic. |
Add multicast route
Multicast networking requirements vary across operating systems. Some operating systems require little configuration, while some require the multicast address to be explicitly added to a network interface before Confluence can use it. If multicast traffic can't be sent or received correctly, adding a route for multicast traffic on the correct interface will often fix the problem. The example below is for a Ubuntu Linux system:
route add -net 22.214.171.124 netmask 240.0.0.0 dev eth0
To support multiple applications using multicast on different interfaces, you may need to specify a route specific to the Confluence multicast address.
Check firewall
Ensure your firewall allows UDP traffic on the multicast address and port used by Confluence.
Prefer IPv4
There are known issues relating to IPv6. You should configure your JVM to try binding to an IPv4 address first.
Change multicast interface
Confluence might have selected the incorrect interface for multicast traffic, which means it cannot connect to other nodes in the cluster. To override the interface used for multicast traffic after initial setup, edit the confluence.cluster.interface
property in <local-home>/confluence.cfg.xml
and specify the network interface. For example to tell Confluence to use eth1
<property name="confluence.cluster.interface">eth1</property>
Overriding Hazelcast Configuration
If the solution to your problem involves changes to the Hazelcast configuration, these changes should not be made to the Confluence configuration files. Instead, to ensure your configuration survives upgrades, make your changes by creating a Hazelcast override file.
Increase multicast TTL
The multicast time-to-live (TTL) specifies how many hops a multicast packet should be allowed to travel before it is discarded by a router. It should be set to the number of routers in between your clustered nodes: 0 if both are on the same machine, 1 if on two different machines linked by a switch or cable, 2 if on two different machines with one intermediate router, and so on.
To increase the multicast TTL by edit the confluence.cluster.ttl
property in the <local home>/confluence.cfg.xml
file on each node. For example to set the TTL to 3:
<property name="confluence.cluster.ttl">3</property>
Check intermediate routers
Advanced switches and routers have the ability to understand multicast traffic, and route it appropriately. Unfortunately sometimes this functionality doesn't work correctly with the multicast management information (IGMP) published by the operating system running Confluence.
If multicast traffic is problematic, try disabling advanced multicast features on switches and routers in between the clustered nodes. These features can prevent multicast traffic being transmitted by certain operating systems.
Didn't find a solution?
Check Related Articles from the Confluence Knowledge Base
Contact Atlassian support
We have dedicated staff on hand to support your installation of Confluence. Please follow the instructions for raising a support request and mention that you're having trouble setting up your Confluence cluster.