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I don't think that's true. The iPhone OS is nothing like a desktop system and people handle it fine. Microsoft tried replicating the desktop on the phone and it's a disaster.
The fact is that the current general desktop metaphor is confusing for regular users, has been since 1984 and continues to be so even today when I deal with customers buying new computers. Computers are simply difficult to operate.
You don't get in your car and expect it to operate like your desktop computer, or phone, or television?
A radically different OS can be, if designed right, easier than Windows. Nobody has found the universal formula that scales properly though.
You say it. Computers aren't easy, or at least they are not as easy as advertisement wants them to be. You often see this even in our "modern" time where users who operate PCs for several years cannot tell the difference from the PC ("modem") and the screen ("TV"), or the speakers ("brain").
People like car analogies, and I do like this one. But, allow me to mention this, people expect cars to follow some specific rules, even if they never drove one. For example, where is the steering wheel, how do you use it, where are brakes, where to shift gears, where to honk. This applies in a similar way to desktop environments. Due to specific "education" people got in their career, they expect the desktop to behave in a certain way. This of course differs from user to user. Those who grew up with CDE often find things ununderstandable in "Windows", and those who are familiar with using the keyboard as the primary input device -- we remember now that few decades ago PCs were operated by ordinary people through a keyboard where they pressed keys in order to communicate their "wishes" to the system -- may find problems in KDE or Gnome.
In order to operate a car, a phone or a PC, you need some basic knowledge. Without this knowledge, you will run into problems, sooner or later. All OSes and DEs seem to have this in common.
Following some standardization among all the different DEs often is a lot of help. On the other hand, it often limits functionality and productivity. Things like "focus follows mouse" and "focus doesn't imply foreground", as well as combining mouse and keyboard support come into mind. But finally, it's possible to admit that those things doesn't belong to the primary interests of the home users who seem to make up the main target group.
We can still wait (or hope) for it.
The worst experience I ever had driving was when I rented a Ford Mondeo in England this Summer. The rental company gave me a manual diesel. Not only was it a struggle to drive such a hulking car with poor visibility on the wrong side of the too narrow road, I was also expected to shift the blasted thing left handed.
If only the English would give us a proper driving interface.
There is a fair bit in common when using a point and click interface, partly because it wasn't developed by anyone who is still a player today. The point and click interface was developed by Xerox in the late 70s. Each later implementation shares certain basic assumptions. It's almost a language of movement. Hence, I can use Windows, the various Linux/Unix desktop environments, or Macs. I may not always use them gracefully, but I can get by.
We can still wait (or hope) for it. "
I'm still waiting for Apple to improve its interface some more. The underlying OS isn't bad, but Apple could sure improve OS X's interface by making it more like KDE 3.5, or something. Using Apple is as bad a driving in England.
There is something about this whole "using car analogies for computer related scenarios" that I always thought of as kind of odd:
What is the equivalent of the driving license in relation to computers in this picture?
I don't know about the situation in different countries, but where I live taking (and passing) theoretical and practical courses is mandatory in order to receive a driving license. This courses include a very brief introduction to the inner workings of a car, (e.g. ignoring the oil pressure warning light while you drive is not exactly a good idea, how to roughly evaluate the safeness of your cars breaking system, which type of fuel is for which engine, how to estimate the necessary time and distance for (emergency) breaks, etc.) a laughable short first aid course and of course a rather detailed introduction to the topic of traffic rules.
In the 12 years since I got my driving license, I had to deal with at least six different ways to shift into the reverse gear (VWs try-to-push-the-gear-stick-down-and-then-select-the-first-gear method proved difficult to figure out the first time using the schematic on the gear sticks head while standing downhill rather close to a concrete wall, for example). And just don't get me started on the airplane-like cockpits of contemporary tractors and harvesters.
My theory: With minimal - and proper - training, people can adapt to the surprisingly large number of variations that occur in the operation of vehicles.
Edited 2009-08-27 22:48 UTC
There is none. Every idiot (sorry) can buy a car (credit-wise) and drive it, causing traffic collapses and accidents... erm, oops, I wanted to talk about computers. So... every... can buy... cause accidents... you get the picture. :-)
The circle closes: With minimal - and proper - training, people can adapt to the surprisingly large number of variations that occur in the operation of a PC, its operating system and its application programs.
Do you remember DOS? Do you know that "ordinary people" had less problems using DOS in the past? Or go back to the mainframe era: "Ordinary people" sat infront of 3270 text mode terminals with 122 key keyboards - and could get their work done. It's hard to imagine that people have gotten so much dumber.
Today, they are often not able to change the margins of a printed report, or save their files in the directory they are told 100 times.
What I want to say with this: Proper education, done very early in the "IT career", should make the individuum able to see the fundamental basics in each OS or especially DE. For example, if you know WHAT something is called (e. g. the white stripe on the paper edges are called margins) and HOW to find the corresponding setting (e. g. by looking through the menues for the correct option, or using "handles" in the ruler of the word processor), then there are no problems. And it even does not matter which program you use to teach those basics! Even more, most of such basics are completely independent of the DE and even the OS.
I found that so many people who have "learned" word processing with "Office 97" do not have any clue how to operate MICROS~1's newest "Office" products. They don't understand concepts, because they are trained to click on certain pictures they know by mind, or search for specific menu or option names where they know the location by mind. Those are the same people that cannot use "Windows Vista" when they had used "NT" before - why? Because it has "different pictures" than they know. And they don't find the concepts they should be familiar with, for example after having used a PC for more than 10 years. You can even achieve a similar effect with re-arranging the icons on the desktop - it can stop the whole productivity process even if "nothing" has changed.
(The term "pictures" is often used by Germans to describe how a GUI looks like, such as in "I want the same pictures at home as I have them in the office.")
Spot on. It is somewhat ironic that most courses for the ECDL (European Computer Driving License) that I'm aware of teach the participants to operate the computer in the same concept-less way that you describe and that can be successfully applied in the process of training a horde of monkeys to play Mozart:
a.) hit the right key on the keyboard
b.) Profit! / Bananas!
a.) hit the right key on the keyboard
b.) Profit! / Bananas!
I'm not talking of conceptlessness, but of independence of specific concepts. This can also be achieved by integrating different concepts into the teaching process, such as different programming languages can be used to illustrate different programming concepts and paradigms.
Of course, people mostly don't learn for theirselves, but in order to achieve a positive confirmation right away. As you described: Hit the correct button and win a banana. For teaching, it would be more important to teach the advantages of WHY something should be learned. Even long term effects are possible, but people don't see them. Maybe they are unable to, I do consider this to be possible. Because PCs can be considered tools, it's obvious that they should be treated that way. Maybe if you have a look at some handcrafting tools: If you know how to handle them - and you learn this by working with them, handling them, and taking time to practice - you can achieve good results with them, you can produce pieces of art or get things fixed by yourself without paying an expensive repairman. It's quite similar with PCs: If you understand (!) how things work, then, no matter in which particular environment you are at the moment, you'll be able to find your way by yourself. For example, if you understand what hierarchical concepts are, including files, directories, and maybe references (symlinks), you do understand this concept on Linux, on Solaris, on OS/400 and even on VMS. Things that are useful AND universal should be emphasized.
if click(wrong_window) then play("ding.wav");
and then retry();
I could believe that the idea of exposing these models to casual end-users is outdated, but I highly doubt these things are going to stop being fundamental to the operation of (software on a) Desktop machine anytime soon, or that there's a superior metaphor just waiting to replace them. I'm all for making the computer my parents will use as brain-dead simple and intuitive as possible, but there's also a certain minimum amount of understanding of what the computer's doing that you can reasonably expect from users. You really can't expect to get away with putting absolutely no effort into learning how your computer works and what it's doing, and still being able to be reasonably productive with the thing.
As a note, my Mom doesn't understand what the file-system is; she thinks the save-dialogs for applications are "where" the files reside. If you ask her where she saved her Word document, she'll say, "in Word," meaning "in the MS Word save dialog." Her refusal to learn what a file system is causes her no end of trouble. But it's also the best way to do the job (of storing arbitrary data in a persistent and randomly-accessable and manipulatable form); the problem, in this case, is her unwillingness to learn, not that the file-system metaphor is failing her.
Sorry to ramble.
The fact is that the current general desktop metaphor is confusing for regular users, has been since 1984 and continues to be so even today when I deal with customers buying new computers. Computers are simply difficult to operate.
You don't get in your car and expect it to operate like your desktop computer, or phone, or television?
A radically different OS can be, if designed right, easier than Windows. Nobody has found the universal formula that scales properly though.
Just to play devils advocate; I would hardly call what Apple did as something revolutionary given that Sharp did something very similar using Qtopia.
The reason it worked is because it s a completely different device; it is a completely different device then the end user will have no expectations on how it *should* behave. If they have no expectations on how it *should* behave then they come to using the device with an open mind. The accept the basic premise of "new device, new way of doing things".
The problem is that people are used to laptops and desktops operating in a certain way - when you change the way they operate; they've already got a set of expectations and they're unwilling to change what their expectations are; no matter how good the alternative you provide. When people for example purchase a netbook, laptop or desktop, they expect it to operate in a certain way - the same reason why people are hesitant with using Mac OS X; they have an expectation from Windows, Mac OS X doesn't operate like that expectation, so they assume the device 'isn't for me'.
Unfortunately there isn't a lot you can do about those sorts of people - who regretfully make up the majority of end users.
Well, as Tess said in one of the podcasts, the iPhone OS would make a terrible desktop OS (for many of the same reasons that you can't use an iPhone as a netbook replacement: try writing code, or a paper, or even a long e-mail on an iPhone). The reason that the iPhone O.S. can get away with being very different is that it's running in a very different environment, for which it has been specialized, not because people are being tricked into abandoning their preconceptions.
You have hit the nail on the head, for example my brother does not like using Linux or Mac OS X as he expects Linux based Operating System and Mac OS X to behave exactly like Windows because he and so many people I know take Windows to be a standard. Microsoft rules the desktop market as of now and Windows is seen as a standard, anything else is perceived as non-standard by an average Joe user. Simple example would be the implementation of copy/paste in Windows and Mac OS X ctrl+c and ctrl+v on Windows as opposed to cmd+c and cmd+v on the Mac.
There are always going to be similarities too, KDE (haven't used KDE 4.x) used to remind me of Windows and Gnome of Mac (hence I use Gnome). I am not saying that KDE/Gnome are a copy of Windows and Mac environment, but familiarity makes it easier for a user to relate to and get his/her job done.
I agree with you. For once, a major Linux desktop, KDE, has diverted from the typical desktop paradigm and they have faced rabid opposition -- forcing several distributions to provide a KDE3.5-like desktop on default login (Mandriva, for example.)
It is hypocritical of the Linux community to ask for changes and staus-quo at the same time.
In nature, most mutations are maladaptive. Many are fatal. Think about it.
People expect computers to work in a certain way. The fact that Windows, OS X, KDE and Gnome share so many similarities in their basic interactions with the user is simply a reflection of that. To radically change the way things work just to be different would be an enormous mistake. How can people like the guy in the interview not see that?
I'm sure that I agree. As has been mentioned (phone UIs, PVRs, etc), people can adapt to user interfaces pretty quickly, especially if the UI is well designed. I think that the main problem comes from a lack of UI consistency, trying to ape commercial efforts too closely, and a general lack of design skill on the part of most DE devs these days. (That is to say, ignorance of the importance of such things as layouts, use of space, access to options, etc)
Microsoft steals more than anyone.
1) The logout/shutdown icons in vista are stolen from KDE...see the far right of the toolbar in this screenshot. KDE has had them for several years now, and suddenly the same RED and BLUE icons are in vista.
2)The new Start button is a copy of the very popular "Marble" icon theme for KDE.
3) The new theme for IE, is a copy of the same icons used in a Firefox theme. There is a theme that has the exact "shaped" same blue forwards/backwards icons like the new version of IE. It's from Everaldo's free and immensely popular "Crystal" theme for KDE.
Microsoft are a bunch of cheap hacks and provide ZERO innovation.. or original thinking.
These are just a few examples of Linux actually showing that OTHER OS's look like Linux...not the other way around.
Edited 2009-08-27 20:00 UTC
1) The logout/shutdown icons in vista are stolen from KDE...see the far right of the toolbar in this screenshot. KDE has had them for several years now, and suddenly the same RED and BLUE icons are in vista.
Those icons have been in Windows since Win95. You can see them in WinXP and Win2003 if you have the old-school Start Menu on. Good research though.
Ooh, a round button, never saw that before, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't have the windows logo in the middle.
I used to use that theme on firefox, and while the arrows are similar, arrows are arrows, and the IE ones are pretty similar to IE 6s as well. Perhaps Crystal stole them from IE 6?
That's right, be objective.
uh huh, There is rampant copying by all OS developers, not just Microsoft. If you took an objective look at the situation, I'd think you'd see that.
<quote>1) The logout/shutdown icons in vista are stolen from KDE...see the far right of the toolbar in this screenshot. KDE has had them for several years now, and suddenly the same RED and BLUE icons are in vista. </quote>
Hate to break it to you buddy but Microsoft used the red shutdown icon almost 2 years before KDE started using it in KDE 3.1. Next time try a little harder rather than spouting out bs that is blatantly made up and can be verified.
You are a twit! Those have been the standardized icons for power and sleep mode for decades! see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_symbol or http://eetd.lbl.gov/Controls/publications/switch5.pdf
Anyway, red has always been used as an danger/alert color or attention grabbing color. I have dozens of remotes that use red to denote the power button. And I don't think I need to explain why the lock function would use a lock for an icon.
It's a round button. I can point to lots of round buttons in life.
Or perhaps Firefox correctly followed the Windows User Interface Guidelines when they developed its Windows UI.
You've got it all figured out. Hey, Microsoft just recently demonstrated Project Natal for the Xbox360, which can perform rather sophisticated Live Motion Capturing with a single camera, without markers. I suppose they also stole this from Linux?
But yeah, I find it very innovative when nearly all audio players with a GUI on Linux resemble iTunes, even if they all suck.
One point missing thus far from the discussion is that GNU/Linux and BSD systems offer their users much more choice than Windows or Mac when it comes to desktop environments.
Don't like Gnome or KDE? No problem. There's also the following, each of which has a look and feel distinct from the two mentioned above:
Xfce (modelled on CDE)
WindowMaker (modelled on NextStep)
Wmii (tiling wm)
Rio (as part of Plan 9 from User Space)
Fluxbox (minimalist, but easy to use and configure)
twm (minimalist, but it may pleasantly suprise you once you master it.)
...and possibly hundreds of other window managers.
Edited 2009-08-27 20:02 UTC
True, that - the 4.x versions have been gradually migrating further and further from the CDE look, and yes, screenshots of the current versions greatly resemble the default Gnome setup. It's rather lost it's distinct identity, hasn't it?
Edited 2009-08-27 21:34 UTC
Not anymore. Xfce in its default setup looks almost 100% like GNOME.
KDE was initially also a CDE-inspired DE, btw. "
That's correct. I had some customers who came from a Solaris/CDR environment and wanted to have something similar, BSD based. My choice was XFCE 3, and with some tweaking, they didn't even find much differences. :-)
And it is this "choice" that I really love! Linux *is* KDE. It *is* GNOME. It *is* fluxbox and e17 and all of the others.
I don't want some "unified" desktop, if it means what some proponents of that cause state: pull development off of the 'side projects' and focus only on the "unified desktop".
Linux can be Windows-like or OSX-like. And, as mentioned before, it must be to give a comfortable environment for newcomers. But Linux can also be exactly what I want it to be - no icons on the desktop, no 'start' button.
If this means Linux won't get above 1-2% marketshare of the desktop users, that is fine by me. As long as it meets my needs perfectly!
I got a new computer and my choice of distros was between Debian, Slackware, and Arch. I went with Slackware -current because I needed a recent xorg server and Intel drivers, and Slackware -current seemed to be the easiest way to get these.
KDE 4.2 was just too unstable and unpolished. Dialog boxes needed to be resized just so I could see all the options. Basic applets like the calendar would crash. And, contrary to reports that QT 4 would speed up KDE, it was just as slow on this brand new computer as KDE 3.5 is on three year old hardware. KDE startup takes forever.
I would have tried GNOME but it's not in Slackware (I know one can get it, but this seems to be a bit of a pain.) I had heard of xmonad and gave it a try. I was instantly hooked. No more sitting around fiddling with the mouse to resize windows just because I want to split my desktop between a terminal and a browser, or two terminals. Configuring it makes you learn Haskell, though.
Xmonad looks nothing like Windows or Mac, and that's what's good about it. There is lots of innovation on Linux. It's not the sort of innovation that will make Linux take over the world, but so what? If a big company like Apple can't take over the world with OS X, why are people silly enough to think that Linux will take over the world?
Users want to choose? Isn't that too complicated for the average desktop user? :-)
No, seriously: I completely agree with you. It's this kind of choice that made me use UNIX for more than 20 years now. I could not imagine to handle it differently. But I have to admit that I do like Mac OS X a lot, but I'm not using it regularly, so maybe I'm just the wrong person to have an opinion there. :-)
A comment on your list: WindowMaker and Wmii are hard to imagine as a desktop environment (DE), they are window managers (WM), and, by the way, excellent ones. WindowMaker is my favourite one for many years now, but the magic of the tiling WMs didn't open up to me yet, but I often hear fellow users praise them.
It's worth mentioning that it's not a good idea to confuse a DE with a WM. A WM is part of a DE, but of course less functional. For a DE, I consider much more programs ("everyday software") to be part of, and maybe even tools for administration.
On Linux / UNIX, DEs are mostly independant from the OS. This means you can use KDE on some Linux distribution, or on a BSD, as well as you can use Gnome on Solaris. The "hard part" is to integrate OS and DE a bit, so you can, for example, use a GUI driven tool to administer your system (OS).
What started with WMs continues with applications. It's no problem to use Firefox with Wmii on BSD, and the same Firefox version with KDE on Linux. There is no barrier that prevents you from combining the best tools.
On "Windows", you are forced to use the WM (can I say it that way?) that comes from MICROS~1. You cannot use a different one. Sure, there are extensions and customization, but you cannot switch "Windows" into a tiling mode, for example, or remove the title bars.
Thanks for the clarification, as it made me revisit and refocus my thoughts on this issue. (While I'm aware of the distinction between a WM and a DE, by default I usually just think of a DE as simply a WM with some extra stuff thrown in.)
If someone chooses a WM, and then installs a file manager and extra widgets, and customizes/creates their own "themes", have they not arrived at a DIY desktop environment?
It seems to me that the pre-packaged DE's (KDE, Gnome, etc.), by buying into the supposed "desktop allegory", doom themselves to seeming very close to Windows or Mac. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, if it helps newcomers migrate from Bill's OS into the world of FOSS by giving them some measure of familiarity.
As someone becomes more advanced at Unix, however, and gets more used to customizing things at a granular level, the less they desire a DE that makes them say "I can't believe this isn't Windows!"
Edited 2009-08-28 14:11 UTC
That's debatable. One consideration I often hear is that a DE should be consistent, e. g. all programs should follow a common guide for style and operations, they should use the same libraries and UI toolkits and should interoperate.
Once upon a time, I had to create a system for a customer who wanted "CDE on a BSD system". I installed XFCE 3, did some configuration work (for look and feel) and added different applications, such as OpenOffice, Opera, Sylpheed, gv, xmms and mplayer. Of course, this mixture was very appealing to the customer ("Hey! How did you get this advanced CDE onto the BSD box?"), but I would definitely not call it a DE. It was a functional compositum, done by preinstallation and preconfiguration.
I've heared this already about KDE. I'm not using it regularly, so I'm definitely the wrong person to make a statement, but... I've been told that many users - not only "advanced" ones - don't feel well inside KDE. Most of them have migrated to Gnome, and few to "niche" DEs and WMs such as Xfce (4) or tiling WMs. Often, users expect a speed gain when they abandon "Windows" in favour of Linux or UNIX. The operating system basis delivers such a speed boost, but if it's immediately taken away by "bloated" DEs and "fat" application programs that "do everything", users will orientate elsewhere. And that's the great thing about Linux and UNIX: They are able to do so, and maybe find a solution that feels better to them.
DE choice isn't a bad thing in-and-of-itself; in my humble opinion, the problem is that it's a very significant choice, that effects a lot more than how your windows are themed or what key-combo maximizes them. It can effect what media players, editors, browsers, etc. you can use, and how integrated they will be, and it can effect your selection (and, again, the usability and stability of) your sound system, configuration storage system and network manager, for instance. I think that's the deeper problem, that DE choice effects things that really should be lower-level OS issues.
I think some true innovation has to be made. I am bored with all that copying from each other (.. yeah sometimes copying is a catalysator for innovation is good for the enduser). The open source community has to work more closely with artists and interface designers. There are so many cool ideas for next-gen interfaces. I have a complete concept for a new interface myself. For all those ideas to become reality we need some tool kit which enables artists to work in a way that suits them. That means full WYSIWYG. Everyone must be able to contribute in ones prefered field and has to be provided with the right tools for the job. For artists this would be some kind of integrated graphical editor like flash or similar.
Additionally it would be cool if web and desktop would merge in a way that doesnt cut down the desktop experience in favor of the web restrictions. Full integration of 3D stuff and composition is a must have.
Everything has to work everywhere! How about further extending HTML and SVG so be able to deliver everything we can think of in the field of interfaces?
Awesome, Ratpoison or even Enlightenment and Fluxbox, not so much.
Anyway whatever the DE/WM looks like, as long as I can customize it and it supports alt+drag, focus follows mouse, rise windows only on click and virtual desktops, I'm happy (and being able to roll up windows is also a nice plus).
Especially when I can combine this functionality with the keyboard. For example, I have functions like foreground, background, roll up, hide, maximize and so on on the left 2x5 keys of my Sun keyboard. It's quite easy to move the pointer into a window and then press the key in order to perform a specific WM action. (The "feeling" for which key to press can be learned very fast, I've learned typing, so it's quite easy, and you don't have to move your left hand up to the function keys or perform strange Ctrl+Alt+PF grips.) If I didn't mention it yet: WindowMaker works excellently here in such a setting. :-)
And lets me get "window-list" and "application" menus by right- or left-clicking in the background.
Every WM I've used, all the way back to OLWM on Sparc2 back in the early Nineties did that.
Except KDED 4.x. (Ironically, KDE3.x has the easiest/best customization I know of that way.)
And when I've tried to go through the appropriate channels on that one, I've been shot down.
Or told I should have made it a feature request right off the bat.
Should I also have made "support for 3-button mice" a feature request? You should be able to take some things for granted.
...and if KDE is so much like Windows, then why the heck do I start fuming with frustration every time I have to use the Redmond OS?
Not to disparage Windows or OS X in any way, but I am used to the way a KDE desktop works to the point that when I use other OSes it feels like I'm trying to run with my shoelaces tied together, and I immediately start missing the stuff I use on KDE. If KDE was a clone of one or the other, then that wouldn't happen.
Honestly, I would hope that simply in the course of doing proper research the different OSes and DEs end up getting inspiration from each other to some extent, because to show no interest in other people's ideas just because of NIH is pointless and self-defeating. If someone comes up with a good way of doing something and users get used to it, I don't see the harm in copying it, just so long as you don't end up blanket copying the whole of someone else's OS.
PS. No comment on GNOME, since I haven't used it recently to any extent.
The KDE project is trying all sorts of new things, while GNOME is more about gradual progress
Can't say I agree with that. Ignoring the KDE4 release as a one-off event, both Gnome and KDE have been very much about gradual progress. Both have been evolving over quite a long time, adding a few improvements with each new release, but without making many major changes (in core, at least - both have a variety of side projects playing with new ideas)
Code-wide, it was a big change. In terms of interface, not so much - as you say, the paradigm was mostly the same
In what way? Granted, 2.0 had it's bugs (like any x.0 release), but was otherwise quite an improvement over it's predecessor. Indeed, I switched *from* KDE sometime about then (probably 2.2 timeframe), being fairly happy with what they'd done.
As I recall, the early days of GUI atop Linux were very different from Windows or Mac OS. At that time, Mac OS was not Mac OS X.
As things happened, people apparently didn't like that GNOME and KDE in particular were so different and the window gadgets were changed to look more like Windows 95. I can only imagine the rest as I wasn't a Linux user at the time. Try as I could, I couldn't install mkLinux on my Mac clone, though BeOS 4.x worked quite well.
I think it's always better to take away any hint to another GUI. If you have to explain it in any case, it's not acceptable. Within reason, a person should be able to sit down to the GUI and figure a few things out without being able to crash the system.
Exactly. Have a look here, and compare how different GUI concepts looked like, and WHEN they looked that way:
Completely agree, but "figure it out" takes some time. Most users are not willing to invest time, no matter for what.
GUI hasn't changed since Alto, and it's because Alto works. NeXTStep? Bah. BeOS? I'm looking forward to Haiku but only out of curiosity. Other fringe Linux GUIs will remain other fringe Linux GUIs. Look at all the crap that Microsoft threw in Vista. Fail. They're reducing it for 7 but it's still a mess. OSX is improving upon the tried and true. Like someone above said, GUI is like a car. Sure you can throw the steering wheel on the other side and go drive in another country, but that's about it. 200 years from now we might be controlling the machine exclusively through touch or with our minds, but the screen is still going to look like a derivative of Alto. 2000 years from now when the aliens land, their navicomputers may be hooked up to their tentacles and operated by orbicular sucker compression, but the screen will be comparable to MacOSMM*.
*that's 2,000 in Roman, you plebs!
Edited 2009-08-27 22:44 UTC
NeXT I can see, that OS introduced a lot of fairly unique GUI concepts. But BeOS? The "weirdest" aspect was the yellow title tabs, and that was (largely) aesthetic. Be's stated philosophy was essentially "look at the approach that other OSes have taken, and borrow the best ideas from each."
I don't think KDE or GNOME behave similar to windows at all. When I use windows I miss (this is an abridged list):
1) Virtual desktops
2) GNOME's menu and organization
3) Customizability of just about everything desktop interface related
4) Ability to roll-up windows
5) Rotating desktop wallpapers (a new feature coming in Fedora 12 btw)
6) Speed
7) Stabilty
8) Simple security management
9) Simple software management
10) Better keyboard shortcut customizations
I have to say the biggest similarity is between KDE's menu and the windows Start menu. Other than that, Linux and windows behave in a similar fashion (in paradigms, like pushing the mouse around moves a little pointer on the screen) but are not the same.
Microsoft used its enormous marketing research resources to find out what the computing public really wanted and made it into what they thought the computer using denizens of the world wanted. Albeit for enormous profit....sigh.
Now desktop OS developers are stuck with a user interface scheme that has been adopted by billions of people. Unfortunately they see it as the "norm". In their day to day business, they require this familiar interface or something very similar. I guess it could be called a user interface standard?
For me, I switched to using Linux because I wanted an alternative OS that I did not have to pay an arm and a leg for. At the time, I needed something that looked and acted similar but was free. I had no idea what linux was other than that it ran on servers at big corporations. (what ever a server was?)
Anyway, it is 6 years later and I enjoy using Linux w/gnome because it is extremely customizable and I can make it look or work the way I need it to. The Linux desktop needs to look familiar so that newbies can learn to use the system. If the initial experience is completely unfamiliar, it will turn new users off completely.
... That was always intrigued by the fact that in "Star Trek" , series that depicts the pinnacle of technology of man in space, PC GUI are as spartan as they can ever be?
What do you have? Icons? Animations? Holographic interfaces? Zilch.
Multiple choice menues and submenues and that's it.
It's Unix Baby all over again
... wasn't that the slogan of the BeOS ?
I think there is a lot of choice. Not everyone is following Windows or Mac. Just take a look at ZevenOS for example:
It has a quite unique look (for people who don't know BeOS/ZETA/Haiku). But for some reasons this look isn't wanted by majority of people. They simply don't want something different.
Therefor there is also a ThemeManager in ZevenOS allowing people to change to a more familiar look and feel:
I think thats the major reason why GNOME , KDE, XFCE and LXDE are more focusing on a familiar look.
Edited 2009-08-28 11:45 UTC
The desktop is a dead metaphor. I think that handhelds are getting it right these days, howbeit in nascent fashion, as they've largely abandoned the desk for a virtual space which shows application icons and a few ghee-wiz items like local weather. While this isn't a drastic departure from a traditional desktop with icons, it's a step in the right direction.
As it is now, the average Windows user puts everything on the desktop, because it's a no-brainer to find things, even if it is untidy and unsightly. When a desktop icon disappears, a great majority of average users have no idea "where it went", etc.
I don't see any drastic changes coming for another 20 years. What I envision after that is voice activated computing being managed by A.I. (relax, I'm not talking about the sexed up Hollywood version), where the user could say, "Computer, check mail...", "Computer, start my instant messenger", or "Computer, display files that I've modified in the last two days starting with the letter 'p'." The interface would just be wallpaper with local time and username displayed on screen.
Edited 2009-08-29 00:43 UTC
I have been in IT for over 20 years.
Experienced the jump from DOS commandline to Windows 3.11 a gui, evolving in win 7 now.
A gui in the form of X existed before that and Apple had a gui earlier too.
What has actualy changed? You need much more hardware to run the new OS so the average speed is still not that high. We have a lot of graphic and video nowadays resulting in Youtube, a real "highlight" for human progress.
I like KDE 4.3 but for production remain with 3.5, like all human beings, I do not like to change too much at once.
But, there is no radically improved user interface at the moment, the differences are still minimal. I expect that only with a very new technique, yet to come (to be invented), this will change. It will probably evolve from the playingconsoles.
I remember the scene from Startrek where Scotty is speaking to a mouse trying to use an "ancient" computer, and we still use that mouse . . .
Or, what goes around, comes around.
I wrote about this at some length nearly 2 years ago, to a lot of flaming from people who didn't bother to RTFA.
Desktop and Desktop Environment are different things, in my opinion.
Desktop Environment is a problem of a GUI design, and Desktop is a problem of the user himself.
My computer desktop never had the default look of the desktop environment, neither on Windows, nor on Linux. Every time I needed a lot of tweaks and utils to be able to use my computer, even in command line.
It`s like your workplace: you choose a table but it`s not sufficient to work. You need a notebook, an organizer, calendar, pens, pencils, etc. to feel comfortable. Desktop Environments are trying to give us "all in one". But my pen choice is my own choice, sorry.
Desktop environment should provide a great notification system and great interoperation with custom utilities, and that`s all. But desktop environments try to provide email clients, office suites, web browsers for us, too, so most of them sucks. I want to choose my socks myself, yeah.
PS: I use Awesome WM and a bunch of shellscripts for notification purposes. KDE and Gnome are too fat for me. I'm not a GUI hater, but I've almost never seen a complete full-featured DE, so I prefer to build it myself. Maybe exception is an OpenSolaris DE, which is a polished version of the original not-so-userfriendly Gnome, but there are some reasons why I don't use OpenSolaris.
Forget about Windows and OSX. Do what works the best. Try different things, be innovative. Making KDE/Gnome friendly for Win/OSX users is a total waste of time. Nobody uses KDE because it's similar to Windows. They just want something that works. It's never going to be the same. Look after the current Linux users, not the wannabe users. "We" use it, "They" run LiveCDs poke around for a couple of minutes and reboot into Windows. Stuff 'em.
I started using linux around 1996. In those days Linux was exclusively for Geeks. Linux is a Unix clone. Unix is not supposed to be userfriendly for the masses. Unix is userfriendly but it is just picky on who it chooses to be friends with. Nowadays most Linux distributions (except say Slackware ) are destroying themselves in order to convert one more Windows user. Which means Linux is becoming more Windows everyday etc.. Linux today is lame. Linux is for bitches and dumb ones at that. OpenBSD, NetBSD, or FreeBSD are the way so pick one.


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website: Priteva Ultra Charge Hair Formula provides a rich, healthy source of nourishment to help your hair reach its maximum growth potential. This unique formula nourishes hair and scalp for optimal growth and retention. Each capsule of Priteva provides
- vital nutrition for longer, stronger, healthier hair.
- help promotes longer and faster growth
- visible results in thirty days
- fortified with organic herbs, aloe vera, natural DHT blockers and vital nutrition for healthy growth.
I came upon a thread on Long Hair Care Forum in early 2013 with a few ladies asking if anyone had tried or heard about this vitamin. A close friend of mine also was asking if anyone had heard about it because the company offered you a 45 days back money guarantee. I knew that eventually I wanted to get into taking a hair vitamin supplement because of the rave reviews of Hairfinity that I had came across but that 45 day money back guarantee pushed Priteva to the front of the class.
|Prior to Priteva
February 21, 2013, I purchased a 2 month supply. When they arrived. I was very pleased because it was in capsule form. I have a very hard time swallowing anything coated. The instructions stated you can take one capsule for 60 days or two for 30 days. I was currently taking a multivitamin and bamboo silica so I took two pills for the first thirty days and then one pill a day for the next 60 days.
|Less than 30 days later.
I was at the time in protective styles and for the duration of me initially taking these vitamins, I did not monitor my hair because I was in awe of how fast my nails were growing. In one month time, they were so long that I started going to the nail salon to get a gel overlay applied so they wouldn't break. Little would I know that the gel would be the downfall of my recently acquired length. I had no outbreaks taking the vitamin. I upped my water intake a little but nothing drastic. I continued to make sure I took the vitamins in the morning along with my other multivitamin and had no issues at all.
Fast forward to September and I started to notice how thin my nails were after getting the nail polish removed at the salon. I did a little research and overtime gel is not good for the nails , along with the filing and sanding tools that they used. So I stopped going. As it were I stopped taking the Priteva in September as well. Finally, I couldn't take the sight of my nails anymore, so I cut my nails down and ordered two bottles of Priteva at the end of November and said for 2014, "I'm going to hide my hair AND grow my nails back"
December 1st , I started back and will be taking Priteva until Febuary 21st 2014. After that, I will be trying out another vitamin , to see which one I prefer out of the two. Stay tuned in late February for information on what the next HSN will be.
The picture labeled on the left side for day one is Dec 1, 2013. I actually missed one day of taking month one 30 day pills, so my first 30 days ended on Jan 2, 2013. The picture labeled on the right side is January 9, 2014. Not bad right?
* I have not had any excessive breakouts at all.

subset: commoncrawl


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It was fewer than two minutes into the second half when Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl waved his arms and begged the fans to get involved.
The only problem was that at that time most of the 19,123 at Bridgestone Arena for the first of Friday's two quarterfinal sessions of the Southeastern Conference tournament had no rooting interest. The overwhelming majority of them were dressed in blue and content with the fact that their top-seeded Kentucky Wildcats already had advanced to the semifinals with a victory earlier in the day.
So it was that the Volunteers were forced to find their own inspiration in what was a back-and-forth affair with Ole Miss.
They got it not long after when Renaldo Woolridge made a 3-point shot. The only basket of the game for the sophomore forward – his only shot, to be exact – gave them a five-point lead, their first of more than a basket, and propelled them to a 76-65 victory.
"When your bench players come in and make plays, it's a boost to the whole team's morale," senior forward J.P. Prince, who had a game-high 17 points, said. "I'm real proud that he stayed ready and took that shot with confidence."
With its second triumph in as many days, Tennessee (25-7) earned a spot in Saturday's first semifinal opposite Kentucky. Tip-off is scheduled for noon (CST).
"When we play Kentucky (on Saturday), we've really got to be focused because they're going to have the whole arena," senior forward Wayne Chism (16 points, 15 rebounds) said. "You saw that (Friday) when they played. They had the whole arena. So we've really got to come out and be very patient against these guys because they're going to have the crowd on their side."
Woolridge did not even play in Thursday's first-round victory over LSU or in the first half against Ole Miss, when there were seven lead changes and the Vols trailed by as many as six.
With 14:45 to play in the game, 21 seconds after Wayne Chism had given UT 46-44 lead, Woolridge took aim and from the corner just in front of the UT bench and buried the first of the Volunteers' five second-half 3-pointers.
"It was a rhythm shot – I was in a good rhythm," Woolridge said. "Everybody on the bench was telling me to shoot it. That's what Coach wants me to do – go in and make shots.
"It is tough to stay ready, but that's what you have to do because you never know when you're going to get your opportunity."
He ended the ensuing Ole Miss possession with a blocked shot, and the led grew to nine, 53-44, before the Rebels finally scored again. Tennessee then repeatedly got to the foul line and stretched its advantage to as many as 12.
The Rebels (21-10) kept the pressure on early with their own 3-point shooting. They were 6-for-12 in the first half but made just 3-for-13 in the second half.
Chris Warren made five of 12 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 16 points. Zach Graham added 15 points, which included three 3-pointers.
Neither made any that had the impact of Woolridge's one.
Friday's other games at Bridgestone Arena
Mississippi State 75, Florida 69


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Artificial Grass Lawn – Preventive Measures
artificial lawn grass is becoming more and more popular these days. They look amazing and require low maintenance when compared to real grasses. However, they need to be given some tender touch of care and affection at regular interval to retain their beauty. There are several tools that are used for maintaining the lawn. Some of these tools are hard brush, garden vacuum, herbicide spray, and soft rake.
To clear the artificial grass lawn from dirt and debris, it is best to use a hand brush. After all, cleaning is necessary to make the place free from termite and debris. But it is not necessary to brush on a daily basis. Rather, brushing once a week will keep the artificial grass lawn clean and neat. Brushing against the pile is recommended. Debris, like leaves, if left on the lawn for long period, grows moss on it. So, it is necessary to clean the lawn at least once in a week to prevent moss from occurrence.
A garden vacuum is ideal to clean the lawn in the best possible way. Autumn is the season when lot of dry leaves will fall from the trees and make the lawn dirty. This is the time when vacuum cleaner can be effective in cleaning the area. Also, stop growth of weeds in the lawn. This will start spreading moss. Herbicide needs to be sprayed once in every five days. This is essentially required to prevent growth of germs within the lawn premise.
During house external painting, the lawn should be covered properly in order to prevent paint spill or drips from falling on lawn. Another word of caution: never go to the lawn with any flammable objects like cigarette or crackers. This can result in melting of the pile.
Julia Roger - About Author:
For more information on artificial grass lawn, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the artificial lawn grass!
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Directed by Bruce LaBruce
USA/Germany/France. 62 min. Not rated
With François Sagat, Rocco Giovanni, Wolf Hudson, Eddie Diaz, Andrew James, Matthew Rush, Erik Rhodes, Francesco D'Macho, Adam Killian & Tony Ward
This sometimes sexy, sometimes chilling horror-porn-art house piece has a strong message, yet it feels like Bruce LaBruce light. There's none of the raw energy that made The Raspberry Reich (2004) a revelation, and there's not enough of the thought-provoking, satirical humor that embodied his last one, Otto; or, Up with Dead People (2008). This time around it's a pretty straightforward (though anything but straight) plot in which a zombie emerges naked from the Pacific and stalks Los Angeles in search of hot, sexy, and recently dead men so he can reanimate them through stomach-fucking, chest-fucking, and other unconventional sex methods. As LaBruce has said, "Zombie porn is practical: you can create your own orifice!"
Played by the iconic gay porn star François Sagat, the muscle-bound zombie conceals his monstrous features (greenish skin, ghoulish teeth, and a gargantuan black, spiked sex organ) by shape shifting into a disheveled drifter type. By the end of the film, it's hard to tell whether the zombie is real or if it's actually all just the hallucination of a deranged—and possibly nymphomaniac—vagrant. What's clear, though, is a moral stance—a nice touch by LaBruce. A trucker killed in an accident, a conspirator double-crossed and shot in the back by his partner in crime, a troupe of gay S/M performers (or something like that) shot to death by vicious gangsters, are each killed unfairly and brought back to life by the L. A. Zombie. Whether it's actually happening, or it's just a part of a homeless man's psychosis, this story is really about an angel delivering salvation. An angel in the gruesome, unrecognizable form of a devil. A sexy devil with tight buns and an enormous uncut schlong.
Society's prejudices are too often based on image, and LaBruce carefully points this out, showing us a world that places such a benevolent force in the margins while allowing murderers and thieves to prosper. This homosexual wanderer isn't a monster, nor is the man who refuses to buy into the system, to run in the rat race, to seek an edge over the next guy. The culture's misfits aren't losers. They don't fit the cookie cutter mold, but they don't want to. Since George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, zombies have continued to teach us things about ourselves, and even in the modest, slow-paced L.A. Zombie, there is a lesson to be had.


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Happy Monday!
This weekend was pretty cray so I barely had any time to bake/cook, much less eat. However, on Saturday I did get to experiment a leetle bit while I had some down time. Originally, I planned to make banana oatmeal cookies. One problem: No butter. Second problem: "too lazy to go to the store-itis." So, I had to improvise, meaning, going vegan.
It is really, really, ridiculously hard for me to imagine a cookie without butter. However, I can imagine a cookie with coconut oil, which, to me, is like the butter of the vegan world!
Bada-Bing, Bada-Boom…
Vegan Banana-Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
Now, these cookies are pretty freaking delicious, and healthy…but of course, I made them tiny enough to have 4 in one sitting…so, basically you can just throw the healthy thing out the window.
Unless, of course you have what they call…"will-power." I only have the power to will these cookies out of the cookie jar and into my mouth.
Now, someone hand me a stick of butter.
Vegan Banana-Coconut Oatmeal Cookies:
1 ripe banana (medium sized), mashed
1/3 c. melted coconut oil
2/3 c. packed dark brown sugar
1 t. pure vanilla extract
3/4 c. plus 2 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
2 c. quick-cooking oats
1/2 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the banana. Add the coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla and mix well using a whisk.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and mix until just combined.
4. Using a spatula, fold in the oats. Then, fold in the coconut.
5. Using your hands, roll dough into tiny balls, place on the prepared baking sheets, and flatten each ball with the palm of your hand. These cookies will not get really big during the baking process, so you can place them fairly close together.
6. Baked until lightly browned on the bottoms. About 10-12 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.
Makes about 17-18 small cookies.


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Greetings all.
I have an issue with exporting a map as a jpeg from ArcMap. I have a nicely designed colour scheme, yet when I try to export it as a jpeg, the colours change.
I would post an example to show you the difference in colours, but unfortunately, even taking a screenshot results in the colours being mutated. Basically the built-in colour 'medium lime' (which is one of the muted pallete of colours to the bottom of the colour selector) comes out as a lurid pea-green in the jpegs. I also have the built-in colour 'lemongrass' in my map, which stands out just enough against the 'medium lime' to be visible, but as a background feature, however in the jpegs the two are indistinguishable.
As a professional photographer I recognise this as a colour-space issue, whatever colour-space ArcMap displays maps in, isn't compatable with jpegs, and this true of every other format ArcMap can export to, including AI files but excluding EMFs, which can be viewed in windows at the original colours. However an EMF file on its own doesn't have many uses, I need to convert it to something else to upload it to websites where I wish to use the map and when I do, the colours mutate again.
I know I need to access ArcMap's colour-space settings and get it to use a colour-space which doesn't require conversion, but I can't find these anywhere.


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Home > Jewelries & Watches > Jewelries > Beads > 10pcs 8mm Silver Plated Rondelle Bead Cap Spacers
Product Details
- Material: Silver plated metal
- Shape: Rondelle
- Size (Approx.): 8 x 4mm
- Hole ( Approx ): 2mm
- Quantity: 10
- The round beads are not included.
Note: Please be reminded that due lighting effects, monitor's brightness/contrast settings etc, there could be some slight differences in the colour tone of the website's photo and the actual item.Bead photos are enlarged to show detail- please note actual sizes.


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|Enjoy the occasion! We provide you with "Music For Your Most Memorable Moments!" with over 20 years of professional entertainment experience, quality service, low affordable rates, professional lighting & sound, and the top hottest hits of the present & past. Our friendly experienced D. J.s transform your event into an exciting cherished memorable moment. Schedule your event today!
Listen over the web to our online internet radio broadcasts "Best Of Hits Urban Radio" and "Ryl Gospel Radio" for your most memorable hits spanning Oldies, R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Reggae, and Gospel, past and present. Whatever your flavor, we have something for you.


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TSX Voting Machine Testing Circuit Clerk Deborah Hood Neal announces that the testing of the TSX (Touch Screen Voting) machines is being conducted at the Webster County Courthouse Nov. 1 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. If any error is detected, the cause will be determined and corrected until an errorless count is made and certified. The public may attend and witness the testing.
Anyone with questions may contact the circuit clerk's office at 258-6287.
Quick Bites Upcoming Quick Bites programs, which will be from noon-1 p.m., include: • Nov. 1, Lynette McDougald, MSU university florist, will present the program "At the Table: Centerpieces." The focus this month will be "at the table" and more specifically centerpieces one can create for family gatherings at Thanksgiving.
• Nov. 15, Dr. Wayne Porter, area horticulturist, will present the program "All About Camellias." Blooming from fall to late spring, there is a camellia to fit in everyone's garden. These programs will be at the Webster County Extension Office. Please call 258-3971 to register. Daylong benefit
in Houlka Nov. 3 A benefit for Jimbo Byars, longtime coach and teacher at Houlka High School, will be Nov. 3 beginning with a 5K run/walk at 8 a.m., registration at 7:30 a.m., $20 fee.
Alumni baseball/softball games begin at 1 p.m. in the Houlka park with $20 fee including T-shirt, $10 without T-shirt or $5 for 5K participants.
Inflatables for children will be available all day with a $5 wristband. Pulled pork and hot dog plates available at the Community center and auction will follow at 6 p.m.
Raffle tickets are also on sale for a rifle and a $100 bill. For information, call 568-2772 or 489-9787.
Absentee voting The Webster County circuit clerk's office in Walthall will be open from Nov. 3 from 8 a.m.-noon for absentee voting. This is the last day an individual will be able to vote an absentee ballot.
Registered voters who have any questions about absentee voting may contact the circuit clerk's office at 258-6287.
Concert at May's Corn Maze May's Corn Maze will present a concert Nov. 3 starting at 6 p.m. Performing will be Katie Leach, Jessica and Nathan May, Garrett Oswalt with Adam Suber, Jake Crow, Ben May and Justin Boatman, plus Don Pounds and others.
Come out and enjoy a great night of music, food and activities. May's Corn Maze is located at 3314 Webster-Lodi Road, Stewart.
Blood drive United Blood Services will conduct a blood drive at Eupora High School on Nov. 5. The bloodmobile will be at EHS from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Sewing programs A miniseries of sewing programs by Reba Bland of MSU Extension will be Nov. 7 and 14 at the Webster County Extension Office from 10 a.m.-3 pm.
These programs will equip participants with the tools necessary to complete any sewing project. They will learn the basics of sewing and how to sew on their machine. In addition they will learn by doing; all participants will complete a sewing project.
Call the Webster County Extension Office at 258-3971 by Nov. 1 to register for this event.
Catch-A-Dream Banquet Mississippi Sportsmen for Catch-A-Dream Annual Sponsors Banquet will be Nov. 20 at the Eupora National Guard armory. Doors open at 6 p.m.
The banquet will feature a seafood buffet dinner, raffle and auction. All proceeds will benefit the Catch-A-Dream Foundation.
Sponsor dinner tickets are $150 and child dinner tickets are $15 (ages 15 and under). All tickets are first come, first serve.
For ticket information contact Robert Ray at 552-0536, Bill Reed at 552-1112, Mac Fondren at 418-5302 or Springer Pawn & Gun at 258-5040.
Story Hour Story Hour at the Maben Public Library is every Friday at 10 a.m. Come enjoy stories, music and other fun learning experiences for ages 3 to 6.
Storytime Storytime at Webster County Public Library in Eupora is every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Children ages 3-6 are invited to attend and enjoy stories and activities.
AA meetings Alcoholics Anonymous meets Wednesdays from 7:30-8:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 5-6 p.m. at North Mississippi Medical Center-Eupora in the Education Conference Room.
Bingo at VFW Bingo is every Saturday at 6 p.m. at VFW Post 3806 in Eupora.
Longview Opry Enjoy music, refreshments and fun at the Longview Opry on Highway 12 in Longview every Saturday at 7 p.m. Talent is welcome. Admission is free. Church News
Maben Methodist Maben Methodist Church, 3999 Webster Street, will have a churchwide rummage sale Nov. 3 beginning at 8 a.m.
Items for sale will be on display in the church fellowship hall and outside.
The men of the church will be out back grilling hamburgers, and will have baked beans and other food for sale.
Bradford Chapel Baptist Bradford Chapel Baptist invites the public to come and share an evening of blessings, fellowship and food at its Harvest Supper at 6 p.m. Nov. 3.
Edwin Faughn, managing director of the Rainwater Observatory in French Camp, will present the program for the evening.
Operation Christmas Child First Baptist Church of Eupora is collecting items and donations for Operation Christmas Child through Nov. 11.
Anyone who would like to buy toys, school supplies or other items to add to a box, find out more about packing your own box or would like to sponsor a box may contact Gwen at the church office at 258-3491.
Learn more about Operation Christmas Child at www.samaritianspurse.org or go to the church Facebook group at www.facebook.com/Groups/FirstBaptistEupora.
• Relay Center: Collection week for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes is Nov. 12-19. Hours for the relay center at Mathiston First Baptist Church are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 12, 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 13, 1-6 p.m. Nov. 14, 9 a.m.- noon and 1-5 p.m. Nov. 15 and 16, 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 17 and 1-3 p.m. Nov. 18.
Community Thanksgiving Service First Baptist Church Eupora will host the 2012 Community Thanksgiving Service at 6 p.m. Nov. 18 in the FBC sanctuary.
The Rev. Trey Harper of Eupora's First United Methodist Church will be the guest speaker and special music from the choir of both churches will perform. The worship service is open to the entire community.
For more information about FBC Eupora, go to its website at www.fbceupora.com or go to Facebook.com/Groups/FirstBaptistEupora.


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Free Libby's Can Vegetable Coupon
Go here to print a coupon for a free can of Libby's Vegetables.
Note: This is a printable FREE Coupon. Many stores may not accept them. I currently use them at Walmart in my area, which still accepts free printables. Be sure to check with your store.
I imagine this coupon won't last long!


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The Macho Rhino 2011 Preseason Top 25 College Football TeamsJuly 7, 2011
We're putting out our college football poll with just under two months to go. It may be a little early, but I'm sick of lockout talk with the NFL and NBA so let's focus on a sport we're sure will be playing come Labor Day weekend 2011!
Just some random thoughts on the Macho Rhino Top 25:
- Alabama is No. 1 because they look to be the class of the SEC, college football's best conference that's claimed five straight BCS titles.
- Oregon looks like they'll have a tremendous offense once again, but have some holes on defense to fill. Will the recruiting scandal be a distraction or will it get resolved by their opener?
- There isn't a Big Ten team in the top 10 largely due to the Ohio St. turmoil. This is a team still with a lot of talent. Jim Tressel had great recruiting classes, but he's gone and can Luke Fickell keep this team focused this year? They could be the Big Ten elite, but I see the tremendous offseason changes as a distraction and making them a middle-of-the-pack team.
- TCU lost a great senior class, but has young players ready to step in. Gary Patterson is a tremendous coach and seems confident his young guys can keep things going.
- Boise State once again looks to have a BCS-caliber team. Will the move to the Mountain West strengthen their case? They have to hope TCU has a great season and sets up a showdown game for them this season.
Without further ado, here are our top 25 college football teams heading into the 2011 season.
The Macho Rhino Top 25 – Week 1 (Preseason)
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Oklahoma
5. Boise State
6. Texas A&M
7. Florida State
8. South Carolina
9. Stanford
10. Oklahoma State
11. Arkansas
12. Nebraska
13. Wisconsin
14. Notre Dame
15. Mississippi State
17. West Virginia
18. Virginia Tech
19. Arizona State
20. Michigan State
22. Clemson
23. Florida
24. Missouri
25. Ohio State
10 More Worth Watching
- Michigan
- Northwestern
- Arizona
- California
- Miami (FL)
- Auburn
- Georgia
- San Diego State
- Air Force


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Some information presented in this publication has been modified by the Supreme Court decision in Wisconsin Right to Life v. FEC (June 25, 2007) [PDF; 93 pages]. An updated version of this publication will be available at a later date. In the interim, please visit the FEC's searchable electronic rulemakings system and Litigation pages for additional information.
Portions of this publication may be affected by the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC. Essentially, the Court's ruling permits corporations and labor organizations to use treasury funds to make independent expenditures in connection with federal elections and to fund electioneering communications. The ruling did not affect the ban on corporate or union contributions or the reporting requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. The Commission promulgated new regulations regarding corporate and labor independent expenditures and electioneering communications on January 27, 2015; see this Record article for a summary and a link to the new regulations.
This brochure focuses on the rules pertaining to electioneering communications-television or radio communications that refer to a clearly identified federal candidate and are distributed to the relevant electorate within 60 days prior to the general election or 30 days prior to a primary.1 In general, these rules require that electioneering communications be financed using funds from sources permissible under the federal campaign finance law; but neither the funds raised nor those spent are subject to the law's contribution limits.2 Once an electioneering communication is publicly distributed, and payments for that electioneering communication exceed $10,000, the disbursements and the sources of the funds used must be disclosed within 24 hours.
If you have any questions after reading this brochure, please call, write or visit:
Federal Election
999 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
800/424-9530 (press 6)
202/694-1100 (local)
202/219-3336 (for the hearing impaired)
An electioneering communication is any broadcast, cable or satellite communication that fulfills each of the following conditions:
A communication refers to a clearly identified federal candidate if it contains the candidate's name, nickname or image, or makes any unambiguous reference to the person or their status as a candidate, such as "the Democratic candidate for Senate." 11 CFR 100.29(b)(2).
Generally, a communication is publicly distributed if it is disseminated for a fee by a television station, radio station, cable television system or satellite system. 11 CFR 100.29(b)(3)(i). Electioneering communications are limited to paid programming. The station is not required to seek or receive payment for distribution of the communication to qualify. Therefore, public service announcements, infomercials and commercials are all included within the definition.
The electioneering communications rules apply only to communications that are transmitted within 60 days prior to a general election or 30 days prior to a primary election for the federal office sought by the candidate, including elections in which the candidate is unopposed. A "primary election" includes any caucus or convention of a political party which has the authority to nominate a candidate to federal office. 11 CFR 100.29(a)(2). This condition regarding the timing of the communication applies only to elections in which the candidate referred to is seeking office.
Click for a list of the events in each state that triggered the 30-day period for congressional candidates for 2014.
In odd-numbered years the electioneering communications requirements apply only to special elections held to fill vacant congressional seats (including a special primary, general or runoff election).
In the case of Presidential and Vice-Presidential primary candidates, the communication is publicly distributed if it can be received by 50,000 or more people:
Click for a list of the events in each state that trigger the 30-day period for Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates for 2012.
The communication targets the relevant electorate if it can be received by 50,000 or more people in the district (in the case of a U.S. House candidate) or state (in the case of a Senate candidate) that the candidate seeks to represent. 11 CFR 100.29(b)(5).
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides on its website the information necessary to determine whether a communication can be received by 50,000 people.
The regulations at 11 CFR 100.29(c)(1) through (5) exempt certain communications from the definition of "electioneering communication":
As noted above, expenditures that must otherwise be reported to the FEC are not considered electioneering communications, even if they would otherwise qualify. 11 CFR 100.29(c)(3) and 104.20(b). Generally, political committees registered with the FEC are therefore not subject to the electioneering communications rules.
Corporations and labor organizations are prohibited from making or financing electioneering communications to those outside of their restricted class. 11 CFR 114.2(b)(2)(iii).3
Further, they may not provide funds to any person if they know, have reason to know, or are willfully blind to the fact that the funds are for the purpose of making electioneering communications. 11 CFR 114.14(a).
If a communication which otherwise fits the criteria of an electioneering communication is paid for by the separate segregated fund (PAC) of a corporation, it is reportable as an expenditure - not as an electioneering communication. 11 CFR 104.20(b).
Qualified Nonprofit Corporations (QNCs) may make electioneering communications. To qualify, the entity must be a nonprofit corporation incorporated under 26 U.S.C. §501(c)(4) 4 that is ideological in nature and qualifies for exemptions under 11 CFR 114.10.
If a QNC makes electioneering communications that aggregate in excess of $10,000 in a calendar year, it must certify that it is eligible for the QNC exemption. The certification must include the name and address of the corporation and the signature and printed name of the individual making the qualifying statement. It must also certify that the corporation meets the standards of a QNC, either by satisfying all of the qualifications at 11 CFR 114.10(c)(1)-(5), or through a court ruling pursuant to 11 CFR 114.10(e)(1)(i)(B). The certification is due no later than when the first electioneering communications report is required to be filed. 11 CFR 114.10(e)(1)(ii)(A).
QNCs can neither make contributions to federal political committees, nor accept any funds from corporations or labor organizations. 11 CFR 114.10(c)(4)(ii) and (d)(2) and (3). Also, these regulations do not supercede any section of the Internal Revenue Code regarding 501(c)(4) organizations. 11 CFR 114.10(i).
Generally, incorporated organizations operating under 26 U.S.C. §527 may not make electioneering communications.
However, an incorporated state party committee or state candidate committee operating under 26 U.S.C. § 527 is exempt from this corporate prohibition provided that the committee:
Unincorporated, unregistered "527" organizations may also make electioneering communications, subject to the disclosure requirements and the prohibition against corporate and labor funds.
Individuals and partnerships may make or finance electioneering communications, provided that certain conditions are met. Those that accept funds provided by corporations or labor organizations may neither use those funds to pay for electioneering communications, nor give them to another to defray the costs of making an electioneering communication. 11 CFR 114.14(b).
They must be able to demonstrate through a reasonable accounting procedure that no prohibited funds were used to pay for the electioneering communication. 11 CFR 114.14(d).
Persons who make electioneering communications that aggregate more than $10,000 in the calendar year must file the "24 Hour Notice of Disbursements/Obligations for Electioneering Communications" (FEC Form 9) [PDF] with the Commission within 24 hours of the disclosure date. 11 CFR 104.20(b). FEC Form 9 must be received by the Commission by 11:59 p.m. on the day following the disclosure date.
The regulations define "disclosure date" as:
Accordingly, the definition of "disclosure date" requires continuous reporting. After the first disclosure report, each time the direct costs of electioneering communications aggregate in excess of $10,000, an additional disclosure report is due within 24 hours of this new disclosure date.
Disbursements made at any time for the direct costs of producing or airing the publicly-distributed electioneering communication, or other unreported electioneering communications, count toward the threshold. However, costs already reported for earlier electioneering communications are not included.
FEC Form 9 [PDF] (or a Commission-approved, computer-produced form) must be signed and filed with the FEC and in the state where the candidate is running if that state has not qualified for a waiver.6 In the case of Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates, a copy of Form 9 must be filed in the state where the expenditure is made, except in those states that have qualified for the Commission's state filing waiver. 11 CFR 104.20(e) and 108.1(b). Click for a list of the qualified states and territories.
Electronic filers must file these notices electronically. 11 CFR 100.19(f). Paper filers may submit the notice by mail to the FEC but are encouraged to file by fax - 202/219-0174, or via e-mail - [email protected] to ensure compliance with the 24-hour filing deadline. Form 9 is also available via the agency's automated Faxline - 202/501-3413; or through the mail by calling 800/424-9530.
Each statement disclosing electioneering communications must include:
1 Citations contained in this brochure refer to Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations, contained in title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations (11 CFR) and to advisory opinions (AOs). The reader should not rely solely on this brochure, but should also consult Commission regulations and advisory opinions.
2 A payment that qualifies as a "coordinated communication" under 11 CFR 109.21 results in an in-kind contribution, and is subject to the contribution limits.
3 Generally, the restricted class comprises the executive and administrative personnel and their families. It also includes a corporation's stockholders and their families, or a labor or membership organization's members and their families. See 11 CFR 114.1(c), (e) and (j).
4 For further information on 501(c) and 527 organizations, contact the Exempt Organizations Technical Division of the IRS at 1-877-829-5500, or on their website.
5 The direct costs of producing or airing electioneering communications are defined as the costs charged by a vendor, such as studio rental time, staff salaries, costs of video or audio recording media and talent, or the cost of airtime on broadcast, cable and satellite radio and television stations, studio time, material costs and the charges for a broker to purchase the airtime. 11 CFR 104.20(a)(2).
6 As of March 2009, only Guam, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands had not qualified for a waiver.
7 Persons sharing or exercising direction or control means officers, directors, executive directors or their equivalent, partners, and, in the case of unincorporated organizations, owners of the entity or person making the disbursement for the electioneering communication. 11 CFR 104.20(a)(3).
This publication provides guidance on certain aspects of federal campaign finance law. This publication is not intended to replace the law or to change its meaning, nor does this publication create or confer any rights for or on any person or bind the Federal Election Commission (Commission) or the public. The reader is encouraged also to consult the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.), Commission regulations (Title 11 of the Code of Federal Regulations), Commission advisory opinions, and applicable court decisions. For further information, please contact:
Federal Election Commission


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Pure Beauty in Berlin – Weekly Travel Photo
One of my favorite things about Berlin is Museum Island. It embodies the type of cultural dedication to art and history that I wish all cities, cultures and nations shared and emulated. For those unfamiliar with it, it is essentially an island in the heart of Berlin which has a number of Berlin's finest museums situated on it. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Each has its own architecture, collections and focus.
This photo comes from the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) and is of one of my favorite marble statues. Not just favorite from the collection, but favorite among all of the various marbles I've seen around the world. There's just a beauty and elegance to her that I find enchanting. The piece is titled the Seated Victoria, Throwing a Wreath and dates back to the early 1830s. The sculpture was carved by Christian Daniel Rauch.
If you make it to Berlin, definitely set aside a day or two to explore the island completely. There's a lot to see and it is well worth the time!
Would you like to see previous Friday Photos? View past travel pictures here. This photo was taken on a Canon T3i (600D) Camera using a Canon IS 55-250mm lens.


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Landscaping Principles and Practices
Landscaping: Principles and Practices is an excellent examination of a complex and growing industry. In the section on landscape design, students will learn the valuable graphic skills needed to present ideas on paper. Chapters dedicated to landscape contracting expertly address the office and field skills professionals need to bring the landscape project to fruition. Students will be well-educated in critical landscaping skills thanks to complete coverage of such areas as planting, lawn installation, irrigation and interior plantscapes. They also will be well prepared to succeed as landscapers due, in great part, to discussions relating to the business side of the profession. Pricing, contractual agreements, technology use and human resource issues are addressed in considerable detail. The human resource component of the business is examined from both sides of the issue, including the training needed by someone desiring a career in the business, as well as advice on how a company can effectively recruit and retain skilled employees.
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Most of us, at one time or another, have suffered from a nasty hangover. The worst hangovers can take days to recover from and leave you thinking that you may never drink again! There is a simple solution to the dreaded hangover, and that is water.
Water is great for many other reasons of course, not just to cure a hangover. Water has a number of redeeming qualities that are even more important to your overall health and well-being than just as a cure for a headache. Read on to learn about why water is so important.
Water is a Hangover Cure (and Preventer)
Water is NOT ONLY a cure for hangovers, but it can also help to prevent them. A hangover is primarily your body feeling extremely dehydrated, as alcoholic beverages rid your body of water. Waking up feeling hungover is your body telling you that it needs more fluids. While you were sleeping off the booze, whatever leftover water was in your body was used up. It is time to re-fill.
When you wake up with a hangover, the first thing you should do is try to drink as much water as feels comfortable to you (maybe with some aspirin). But another key to avoiding the dreaded hangover is actually to drink plenty of water before, during and after you drink alcohol. If you drink water before drinking alcohol, your body will be hydrated from the start.
If you can alternate each drink with a glass of water, you will at least attempt at keeping your body hydrated, to counterbalance the effects of the alcohol on your system. And after drinking, make sure to drink several glasses of water, to help hydrate you before you fall asleep. Many people find that when they follow these tips, they feel significantly better in the morning than on the nights that they just drink alcohol.
By The Way…Water Is Not Just For Hangovers!
Water For Weight Loss
Another great benefit of drinking lots of water is that it helps to balance out your calorie intake. For those of us looking to shed a few pounds, this is music to our ears. If you make sure to be fully hydrated at all times, you won't find yourself feeling hungry as often throughout the day. Studies have proven that often, we are not actually hungry; we are thirsty when we feel those hunger pangs begin.
If you remain hydrated, you'll find yourself not craving snacks between meals, this will help immensely with your weight loss goals. And if you're not a big fan of water, not to worry. All non-caloric drinks will have the same effect as drinking water on the feeling of being full.
Water For Healthier Skin
Drinking water and staying hydrated is also one of the keys to good looking skin. If you are dehydrated, especially for extended periods of time, your skin begins to look dry, which leads to showing more wrinkles. If you are able to stay hydrated, you will find that over time, your skin will look healthier and more youthful. To make your skin look its best, also use a daily moisturizer which will help to lock in the hydration to help you hold on to that youthful look.
Water For Digestion
Water is one of the key factors in proper digestion. For many people, their bowel and digestive issues stem from a lack of hydration. Water keeps things flowing naturally through the body, so for those suffering from constipation or other digestive issues, water is the key to healthy functioning. If you do not get enough water, the colon will take it out of the bowel system to keep you hydrated, leaving you feeling clogged up and uncomfortable.
Water For Natural Balance of the Body
Water basically helps your entire body to function properly. The human body is made up of more than sixty percent water, and water helps you with digestion, moving nutrients around the body, and keeping your internal body temperature where it should be. When your body does not have enough water in it, your body will get a signal from the brain that you are thirsty. It is important to listen to that feeling and fill up on water as soon as possible. If you are feeling thirsty, you are already past the point of needed hydration. Grab a drink that will hydrate you: water, a sports drink, or anything besides alcohol, which will actually rob your body of water.
Additionally, water helps the balance of your body because it moves waste out of your blood cells. Most of this waste is eliminated from your body through your urine when you go to the bathroom. Your kidneys are there to excrete these bad materials and get rid of them. If you aren't getting enough water, the process can't function properly.
How To Test If You Are Getting Enough Water
If you are getting enough water it is easy to go to the bathroom, the urine is virtually colorless and odorless. On the other hand, if you are not getting enough water, your urine will be dark in color, usually a dark yellow or orange, and the odor will be strong. This is because your kidneys are pushing the waste out without the help of enough water. People who remain in a constant state of being dehydrated, who do not get enough water on a daily basis, often end up with problems like kidney infections and kidney stones, which are extremely painful and dangerous.
Water is the most important thing you need to ensure that you get enough of in your diet. With enough water, you will look better, feel better, and avoid terrible illnesses that can come from dehydration. Sure, water can help you avoid or get rid of that terrible hangover as we mentioned earlier, but there are many other important benefits of water as well. Make sure you are drinking eight glasses of water or more per day to maintain good health and wellness throughout your life.


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From the Back Cover
One of hip-hop's most accomplished and respected artists, T.I. now makes a bold leap into the world of fiction with the epic love story of Power and Beauty.
Adrift after the death of his mother, Charlotte, Paul "Power" Clay turns to Slim, a local businessman, for guidance. Slim always has the best of everything, and if Power learns his ways, perhaps he'll someday be worthy of Tanya "Beauty" Long.
Eleven years old when her own mother died and Charlotte Clay took her in, Beauty has always known that the only person she can rely on is herself. Now Charlotte is gone—and with Power being sucked deeper and deeper into a world of drugs, money, and violence, she turns her back on Atlanta . . . and on her growing love for Power Clay.
Making the difficult transition from boy to man, Power begins to question the wisdom and the motives of those who have taught him what he knows—while Beauty takes the New York fashion world by storm. But she cannot forget what—and who—she left behind. And when Power really needs her, Beauty will risk everything to save the man she loves.
About the Author
Tip "T.I." Harris is a Grammy Award-winning rapper, film and music producer, actor, and writer. He is the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records, and he launched his film company, Grand Hustle Films, in 2007. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife.
David Ritz is the author of the acclaimed novels The Man Who Brought the Dodgers Back to Brooklyn and Blue Notes Under a Green Felt Hat. He is the only four-time winner of the Gleason Book of the Year Award. He's also co-written the memoirs of many celebrities.


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Home · Listener's Guide · The Songs · Who's Who · Liner Notes · Selected Tracks · What's New · Search
- Born 8 March 1927, New York City
The ultimate musical chameleon. Dick Hyman's fame for being able to perform in virtually any musical style on any keyboard instrument has come to overshadow his accomplishments as a musician and arranger in his own right. Hyman studied at Columbia University and played with Teddy Wilson, Red Norvo, Benny Goodman, and other jazz greats, but he says his best musical education came from working as a studio musician on radio and television in the 1950s, when he had to shift from one style to another as shows came and went throughout the day, and exceptional sight-reading and impromptu composition were essential survival skills. No one has kept track of many different recordings Hyman made under how many different names--ragtime piano as "Knuckles O'Toole," polka, light classical, "Living Trio" Three Suns clones are only a few.
He also recorded under his own name, beginning in the mid-1950s for MGM. His cover of "Moritat," on harpsichord with his trio, sold over a million copies in 1956 and was the most successful recording of the tune until Bobby Darin did it as "Mack the Knife." He was the musical director of "The Arthur Godfrey Show" from 1958 to 1961. He was an early staple of Enoch Light's Command label, for which he recorded light classical, swinging harpsichord, funky organ, and "now sound" combo albums. He also demonstrated his continuing interest in new keyboard instruments, releasing two of the earliest Moog albums. Hyman has stayed in demand as much as any musician around, working for TV, scoring film soundtracks for Woody Allen, and, more recently, as a jazz pianist and organist.
Recordings (a tiny sampling)
- The Dick Hyman Trio Swings, MGM E3280
- The "Unforgettable" Sound of the Dick Hyman Trio, MGM E3329
- Beside a Shady Nook, MGM E3379
- Red Sails in the Sunset, MGM E3483
- Hi-Fi Suite, MGM E3494
- 60 Great All Time Songs, Vol. 1, MGM E3535
- 60 Great All Time Songs, Vol. 2, MGM E3536
- 60 Great All Time Songs, Vol. 3, MGM E3537
- 60 Great All Time Songs, Vol. 4, MGM E3586
- 60 Great All Time Songs, Vol. 5, MGM E3587
- 60 Great All Time Songs, Vol. 6, MGM E3588
- Rockin' Sax and Rollin' Organ, MGM E3553
- Dick Hyman & Harpsichord in Hi Fi, MGM E3606
- 60 Great Songs That Say "I Love You," MGM E3724
- 60 Great Songs from 60 Broadway Musicals, MGM3725
- Whoop-Up!, MGM E3747
- Strictly Organic, MGM E 3808
- Moon Gas, MGM E 4119
- A Zillion Strings, Everest ELP 1074
- Provocative Piano, Vol. 1, Command RS 811 SD
- Provocative Piano, Vol. 2, Command RS 824 SD
- The Dick Hyman Trio, Command RS 832SD
- Electrodynamics, Command RS 856 SD
- Fabulous, Command RS 862 SD
- Keyboard Kaleidoscope, Command RS 875 SD
- The Man From O.R.G.A.N., Command RS 891 SD
- Happening, Command RS 899 SD
- Brasilian Impressions, Command RS 911 SD
- Mirrors--Reflections of Today, Command RS 924 SD
- Sweet Sweet Soul, Command RS 933 SD
- The Electric Eclectics of Dick Hyman, Command RS 936 SD
- Pieces for Moog, Command RS 938 SD
- Concerto Electro, Command RS 951 SD
- Organ Antics of Dick Hyman, Command RSSD 980-2
- Cleopatra, Impulse
- The Sensuos Piano of "D," Project 3 5054SD
- Solo Piano Fantomfingers, Project 3 5057SD
- I'll Never Be the Same, Sunset SUS-5140
- Theme and Variations on "A Child is Born," Chiaroscuro
- Genius at Play, Monmouth Evergreen MES/7065
- Sullivan, Shakespeare, and Hyman, Monmouth Evergreen MES/7038
Search for Records and CDs
New CDs
Used Records and CDs
Search GEMM for old recordings by Dick Hyman.
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Sheet on Cell Tower Health Studies
Evidence of harmful health effects on persons living close to cell transmission base station antennas.
(2003): People living within 300 metres of cell antennas reported
the following disorders: "fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches,
feeling of discomfort, difficulty concentrating, depression, memory loss,
visual disruptions, irritability, hearing disruptions, skin problems,
cardiovascular disorders, and dizziness." (Survey Study of People
Living in the Vicinity of Cellular Phone Base Stations. Santini 2003,
Electromagnetic Biology & Medicine, Vol. 22 (1): 41-49.)
(Specific Symptoms
and Radiation from Mobile Basis Stations in Selbitz, Bavaria, Germany:
Evidence for a Dose-Effect Relationship, Horst Eger & Manfred Jahn,
February, 2010, Umwelt Medizin Gesellschaft 2010; 23(2): 130-139.)


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Found: one fabulous button for the 'O' Dress! From Button Button, where else?
It's vintage glass. (So of course I'm paranoid I'll drop it!) The textured surface reflects the blue colour, and little gold lines fill in the button texture. It looks beautiful and expensive!
Which of course, it was. $5 for one button! Some of you are going to think that's just crazy. Why spend that much on one button? Of course I can find a cheaper option. There are lots of great options for less, that would suit the style of the dress and save me a bunch of cash.
And then, some of you will understand. This is the best part of sewing, the fact that we can spend $5 on a button if we want to.
You'll never get a $5 button on your ready-to-wear dress. I know, I used to work at a clothing company. Buttons are cheap, cheap, cheap. You can buy buttons for a couple cents each. You can buy buttons for less than a cent per button. In fact, you can buy larger quantities of buttons to get the price down, so even if you throw away half of the buttons, it's still cheaper than paying more per button. Crazy, no?
It's worth it to be to love the button on my dress. Every time I see it in my closet, I'll smile. Probably reach out and touch the shiny, pretty button, and think about how it's over fifty years old, and how much fun it was to go pick out just one fabulous button.
Besides, like they say, $5 is the cost of a fancy coffee these days. What's a better use of five dollars? $5 for a mocha frappucino? Or $5 for a gorgeous piece of shiny glass? (Or do you think both are a waste?)
What do you think? Do you scrimp on trims, or do you splurge? Do you think I'm crazy for spending $5 on a button, or do my reasons make sense to you? I'd love to hear what you think!


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Technology is changing the way we work and live, and because of these changes, education is also changing. The learning demands of our students are not the same as they were many years ago.
Schools now need to concentrate not only on what students learn but more importantly how they learn so they can adapt to the rapid changes of our world today.
Instructional Technology in Liberty Public Schools focuses on using the benefits of technology as a learning tool to learn in a multisensory environment, and to help students critically analyze more in-depth information and connect with audiences across the world.


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When it was time for me to leave Japan, I knew it right away. Seeing how my colleagues acted so casually in the aftermath of the tsunami made me start piling up all the reasons why Japan made me unhappy. How I could never fit in. How I had terrible loneliness. How I started acting out when people were ignorant about non-Japanese people and culture.
Now, in Germany, it's not taken a tsunami to shift me out of love with my life here, but I know for sure that it is time for me to leave. I often think I'm crazy, since I have a job I feel passionate about, and I live a very good life here in Germany. But there are two main reasons why I feel I cannot go on here without becoming very unhappy.
1. Communication.
Tonight I was in the food section of a department store with a friend when an elderly lady fell back and crashed to the floor, knocking her head on a freezer as she went down. Blood was pouring from her head. A man and a woman nearby jumped to help her, and I did too. I helped the lady to her feet then was listening as the woman was explaining to the lady that there was blood coming from her head. I stood around helpless, wondering what to do, what to say. The lady needed to sit down, and the woman spoke with a member of staff but I didn't quite catch anything about getting her somewhere to sit. I said awkwardly to the woman "there are sitting places over there" but the woman looked at me as if I was a nuisance and turned away from me. In the end, I could do nothing. So I paid up and left.
Even though Frankfurt is an international city, where 99.9% of people speak English, I feel isolated. My German is coming along well and I understand quite a bit these days, but I would need to study German a lot more before I was in a place where it would take away my isolation. In Japan, I wasn't isolated by a language barrier – but I'd been studying it since I was 16.
I want to be in a place where I can make small talk with someone nearby. Or help someone in the street. Or be able to live with people who don't have to put any extra effort into speaking with me because they speak in English anyway. Although I have more English-speaking friends here than I know what to do with, the fact that my go-to language isn't the same as the majority of those around me makes me feel very limited in my world.
2. Information.
I'm in a supermarket in Germany and I pick up a can of soup. I judge it by its price, the design, the ingredients list. That's it.
Take that same situation in Britain and I have a lot more information to hand – perhaps I've seen an advert about the soup, perhaps I saw a review for it in a magazine, perhaps I remember eating this soup at uni and remember whether I liked it or not.
I feel that here in Germany – and, indeed, as an expat in many places – it can feel like such a one dimensional life. It's almost like being a child, with no prior knowledge on the things around you. This goes beyond a language barrier, it's an informational barrier. Of course, one could learn more about the things around them – watch the tv adverts, talk about things with locals. In Japan I can't read the words "ajino moto" or "biku camera" without singing the jingles, and simple information like that made me feel more at home there. But it's totally different when you're back at home in your own country and you are holding an item that takes you on a trip down a million memory lanes, sparking recognition in your brain. I want to go back to living around things that I know well, not things that are new and unknown.
Though I look around at the amazing people and the amazing life I have here and feel sad to be leaving it all behind, I get a pang of excitement inside me when I think of being able to live back in the UK again. I've been away for so long it's like a foreign country to me now and I'm even excited at the prospect of experiencing reverse culture shock. There's nothing like living abroad for understanding your own country and culture, but I feel that when I return and see everything with fresh eyes, I'll be able to understand what it is to be British more than ever before.
And then I can start writing a whole new chapter in my life.


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Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5 Beta 2
ActiveSync is the latest software release for synchronizing Windows Mobile-based devices with Windows XP.
Microsoft ActiveSync provides a great synchronization experience with XP-based PCs and Microsoft Outlook right out of the box. ActiveSync acts as the gateway between your PC and Windows Mobile-based device, enabling the transfer of Outlook information, Office documents, pictures, music, videos and applications from your desktop to your device.
In addition to synchronizing with a desktop PC, ActiveSync can synchronize directly with Microsoft Exchange Server so that you can keep your e-mail, calendar data, notes and contact information updated wirelessly when you're away from your PC.
Changes in ActiveSync 4.5 Beta 2 help resolve issues related to setup, partnerships, and connectivity with the PC and Microsoft Exchange. In addition, it includes a troubleshooter utility that scans your computer and device to identify problems and offers information and corrective actions to solve them.