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NFIB and Gallup Surveys: Government Is The Problem
Written by Syndicated Publisher No Comments
January 16, 2014
Each month I do a review of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business survey as it is a reflection of what I see as a small business owner/entrepreneur myself. Last month's report specifically discussed the lack of optimism by small businesses during the holiday shopping season (November and December):
The latest release of the small business survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) showed only a small rise in optimism following the government shutdown in October. As discussed previously in "NFIB: Optimism Fades"
'Two components, the outlook for business conditions and the outlook for real sales gains, accounted for 52 percent of the Index decline. A weaker outlook for business produced dissatisfaction with inventory stocks, and fewer plans to create new jobs. The average value of the Index since the recovery started is 91, 8 points below the 35 year average through 2007 and well below readings typically experienced in a recovery. The current reading is hardly something to cheer about.'
Unfortunately, the overall situation did not improve much in November as would have been expected by the onset of the holiday shopping season which did lead increases in employment needs but economic expectations deteriorated. From the NFIB:
'Owner sentiment increased by 0.9 points to 92.5, a dismal reading as has been the case since the recovery started. Over half of the improvement was accounted for by the labor market components which is certainly good news, lifting them closer to normal levels. Expected business conditions though deteriorated further – lots of dismal views of the economy coming next year. The Index has stayed in a "trading range" between 86.4 and 95.4 since the recovery started, poor in comparison to an average reading of 100 from 1973 through 2007.'
The January report showed that small business optimism did end the year slightly higher than November coming in at 93.9. Unfortunately, this is still well below the previous 3 mid-year readings of over 94 and 6 points below the pre-recession average.
The good news is that the report showed improvement in capital spending intentions which rose by by 9 points. Job creation also hit the highest level since February 2006. Unfortunately, all of these levels, included the percentage of firms expecting economic improvement, while improved are still below historical recessionary troughs. This doesn't say much about an economy that is five years into recovery.
Here is some more color from the NFIB:
"While there has been no sign that a real recovery has begun, we can be encouraged that the economy is at least crawling forward and not heading in reverse," said NFIB chief economist Bill Dunkelberg. "Some segments of the economy are showing improvement (manufacturing, construction, professional services), but consumer spending, especially on services (70 percent of consumption), has lagged. Spending on items such as automobiles has certainly increased, however a corresponding rise in hiring has not yet materialized."
However, the real headwind that is keeping businesses from hiring, expanding and increasing wages stems from one primary source. To wit:
"Two monthly advances could be the start of a more positive trend, but there are many threats to improvement, including the majority of respondents feeling the current climate is not 'a good time to expand substantially' blaming the political climate, something that may not improve in an election year."
The chart below shows the two single biggest concerns relating to small business owners from the recent survey: Government Regulations and Taxes.
The issue of Obamacare, as I have addressed several times recently, is going to continue to generate issues for small business owners as well as individual consumers.
"Increasingly, experts in health insurance are becoming concerned that many of these first-time buyers will be in for a shock when they get medical care next year and discover they're on the hook for most of the initial cost.
If we just assume that healthcare costs rise by just $100 per month, based on a national per capita income level of $47,585 as of Q3-2013, that will equate to a $73.25 billion dollar impact to the overall economy each quarter going forward."
Of course, it is not just the NFIB that is seeing that government is the impediment to future economic growth. A recent Gallup poll showed exactly the same concerns.
"Americans start the new year with a variety of national concerns on their minds. Although none is dominant, the government, at 21%, leads the list of what Americans consider the most important problem facing the country. The economy closely follows at 18%, and then unemployment/jobs and healthcare, each at 16%. No other issue is mentioned by as much as 10% of the public; however, the federal budget deficit or debt comes close, at 8%."
What is interesting is the recent push higher in the "Unemployment/Jobs" category. The 4 point rise may point to the fact that the rather dismal December job report may not be just a weather related phenomenon. However, as discussed above, the other rising concern is "Healthcare" with "Government/Politicians" topping the list.
What issues were at the bottom of the list? Welfare, Immigration and the Wealth Gap.
Ironically, while these issues all ranked so low that they barely made the list of concerns, there are the very issues that are the focus of the current Administration. Unfortunately, these issues are not the ones currently impeding economic progress, but they are the issues that will garner "votes" come the mid-term elections.
Bill Dunkleberg summed it up best stating:
"The President thinks the way to address the malaise in the economy is to give another $26 billion to the long-term unemployed, shown to produce new jobs by 'independent economists' (we know who that is) according to the President. If you borrow $26 billion from China and give it to consumers, it probably does have a positive impact, but does nothing to fix the economy or encourage labor force participation or improve the labor force. Servicing this debt will soon put a real crimp in the government budget.
Also proposed are tax breaks in some part of the country for hiring unemployed people (which only benefits employers who were going to hire anyway; it doesn't produce extra job creation). Add to that a proposed increase in the minimum wage to $10, alleged to create more spending and jobs, proven by real economists (and common sense) to be incorrect. This is further evidence (if we needed it) that economic policy is about politics and winning votes, not improving the economy.
Even with the improved outlook, more owners still expect the economy to be worse mid-year than expect it to be better (27 percent vs 17 percent). Small business owners will also come face to face with the reality of Obamacare as the year progresses. Since it is an election year, the main theme will be addressing the disparities in income and wealth (i.e. tax the rich and increase welfare programs) rather than promoting policies that would create jobs and raise incomes in a growing economy. This year, policy will be all about votes."
While economists are raising their forecasts for 2014, there seems to be little change in the real underlying fundamentals. As I stated previously in "Will Corporate Spending Save The Economy:"
"Corporate decision making is always based around profitability. This is particularly the case with publically traded companies whose executives are compensated through stock options and grants. The problem going forward is the topline revenue is likely to weaken for two primary reasons:
1) The majority of the benefits received from cost reductions has already been seen.
2) With wage growth stagnant personal consumption expenditures have been on the decline as cost of living has risen faster. The onset of higher healthcare costs from the ACA in 2014 and 2015 will likely impede that growth further.
The importance of the second point should not be dismissed. Corporate profits are ultimately driven by consumer demand. If consumer demand weakens, so too will profitability which will keep businesses on the defensive."
It is quite apparent from both individuals and businesses that the government is the real issue that is impeding economic progress. Maybe it's time that the current Administration did a little less talking and did a little more listening to what the real drivers of the economy are saying.
Images: Flickr (licence attribution)
About The Author
Lance Roberts – Host of StreetTalk Live
After having been in the investing world for more than 25 years from private banking and investment management to private and venture capital; Lance has pretty much "been there and done that" at one point or another. His common sense approach has appealed to audiences for over a decade and continues to grow each and every week.
Lance is also the Chief Editor of the X-Report, a weekly subscriber based-newsletter that is distributed nationwide. The newsletter covers economic, political and market topics as they relate to the management portfolios. A daily financial blog, audio and video's also keep members informed of the day's events and how it impacts your money.Lance's investment strategies and knowledge have been featured on Fox 26, CNBC, Fox Business News and Fox News. He has been quoted by a litany of publications from the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Washington Post all the way to TheStreet.com as well as on several of the nation's biggest financial blogs such as the Pragmatic Capitalist, Zero Hedge and Seeking Alpha.


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Nikon has a new 50mm lens, the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G. I apologize to the Niko-philes reading this, but at first I wasn't sure how this lens was different from the three other Nikon 50mm lenses. However, I did a little research and found that it is, in fact, different. The "G" designation is the key indicator here. It tells us that the lens doesn't have an aperture ring and the aperture is controlled via the camera's command dial. So the new 50mm f/1.8G lens won't work old manual cameras that don't have a command dial. Since most photographers these days are using recent digital SLRs, that's not really much of a problem. If you are a film shooter holding on to an old Nikon with a name that starts with F or N, then you won't be able to use the new AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G. I'd guess that it will be just fine for 90% of the Nikon photographers out there, though.
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If you go
General admission is $7/adult and $5/child unless otherwise noted with an asterisk (*). Members of Friends of Aullwood and National Audubon Society are admitted free. Please note that Aullwood walks are weather dependent and are cancelled if there is thunder, lightning or heavy rain. Aullwood Center programs are held at 1000 Aullwood Road. Aullwood Farm programs are held at 9101 Frederick Pike. Call 937-890-7360 for more information. Read more on our website www.aullwood.org.
BUTLER TWP. — March marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Look for the beginning of blooming wildflowers and early signs of spring at Aullwood! Enjoy a Sugarbush Walk learning the history of making maple syrup at Aullwood Farm or count birds during Project FeederWatch. Bring your friends and neighbors to our popular Friends of Aullwood Pancake Brunch at the farm!
*Project FeederWatch
Thursdays and Fridays, March 14, 15, 28 and 29 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Come count birds, drink coffee, eat donuts, share stories and count more birds. Our bird counts help contribute to scientific studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. No admission is charged to participants. Visit the Cornell website at www.feederwatch.org for more information. (Center)
Sugarbush Walks
Sunday, March 3 starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Farm Discovery Center. The sap begins to move in the sugar maple trees as the length of each day increases. This is a perfect time to be outdoors – the air is crisp and bird song is increasing. During this enchanting time, a broken maple twig will "bleed" sweet sap and a hole drilled in the trunk will quickly produce a bucket full of the essence of spring. The clear sap, if boiled, will turn into delicious maple syrup. Join us for an Aullwood Sugarbush Walk as we learn the history of making maple syrup. Stroll out to the sugarbush looking for sap flowing from trees and signs of animals. Discover the wonder of food making from trees as we walk to the sugar house and taste maple syrup! (Farm)
Morning Discovery Walks for Adults
Thursdays, March 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. Join Sam Romeo, Aullwood Environmental Educator, on this fun walk as we experience the warming landscape, birds and other exciting discoveries. Meet in the lobby of the Nature Center for the start of morning discovery walks. Bring binoculars! Members of Aullwood and National Audubon Society are admitted free, non-member admission is $7.00. (Center)
*Friends of Aullwood Pancake Brunch
Hungry for pancakes? Come over to the Charity A. Krueger Farm Discovery Center on Sunday, March 10 for a traditional pancake brunch prepared by our own gourmet cooks from the Friends of Aullwood Board of Trustees. There will be continuous serving this year from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Enjoy a tasty brunch at the Farm followed by a guided hike into the sugarbush.
Prices are $8.00/adult and $4.00/child (12 and under). Reservations are not required. (Farm)
*Chipmunk Adventures Classes for Preschool Children
There is always a new adventure around the corner when children join us in Chipmunk Classes at Aullwood. Growing up in nature develops a physically and emotionally healthy childhood while encouraging a life-long appreciation for our earth. Cognitive as well as hands-on experiences, stories, songs, and art work are enjoyed in each session. Please dress for the weather conditions. We will be outside for part of every session unless severe weather threatens. Chipmunk Adventures is for 2-5 year olds (with an adult). The theme for March is Blow Wind Blow on Wednesday, March 13, 10:00-11:30 a.m. This winter Chipmunk Adventures class will be held at the Charity A. Krueger Farm Discovery Center at Aullwood Farm. Individual classes: $15 for members, $17 for non-members. Class limit: 10 (5 minimum). For more information call 937-890-7360. (Farm)
It's Spring! Walk
Join us on Saturday, March 23 at 2:30 p.m. for a fun discovery walk as we enjoy a walk in nature to welcome warmer days of spring! Search for blooming wildflowers and look to the sky for returning bird migrants. Bring binoculars! (Center)


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Artisans color each plank of wood individually to create the look of aged patina — this unique color and matte finish gives a warm, slightly aged look to the flooring. The depth of color is created by the color processes reacting with the natural tannins within each plank, achieving a gorgeous, rich-looking floor that is unparalleled. Because the tannin content varies from plank to plank, the color created is unique to each board. Laid down together as a floor, the look is one that encompasses a breadth of color that evokes the inherent aging of wood as nature intended.
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Three questions for: Max Brück
The first objects that Max Brück built were weapons. In addition to bows and arrows, he also made technical weapons like peashooters and revolver slingshots in his childhood. Now, in his undergraduate research project at this year's graduation show at the Offenbach University of Art and Design, he managed a shed in which like-minded people had the opportunity to produce the weapons of their childhood. We present the results of the workshop in our series Take a Walk on the War Side in form 255. We also asked Max three questions.
1. Weapons can be found as toys in every child's playroom and also wield a huge fascination for many people in later years. Why do you think this is?
This question is the key motivation for my project. I see my work as a kind of research project to answer this question. My work is currently at a point at which I can largely only answer this question based on my own childhood experiences but I am able to already draw a few more objective conclusions. I grew up in a village of 900 inhabitants and always played outside a lot. In my father's workshop I could fashion weapons out of wood and other materials. I was generally interested in handicrafts and would specify this point as being the first motivation for tackling the subject of weaponry. I then played outside with the weapons I had made. We fought little battles, built strongholds and formed teams. It was always very exciting, wild and stirring. And sometimes I was also afraid. Building weapons always felt to me to be something that was forbidden. People looked at us mistrustfully; you could attract attention and release feeling with weapons. As a 10-year old, it is quite something to be able to frighten someone.
2. How have the visitors at the university graduation show reacted to your workshop? What do you say about the results produced?
Some people have completely opposed my way of tackling the topic. I think that my approach was somewhat provocative. The visitors were confronted with the direct experience of producing a child's toy weapon. I didn't exhibit any weapons that I had collected but tried to motivate visitors to engage direct with building weapons. Some people were of course shocked but primarily their curiosity was aroused. Many were suddenly reminded of their childhood weapons and could understand my observation of the strong presence of toy weapons in childhood. In my workshop, weapons were fashioned by children and people over sixty years old. Each age group could interpret the subject and particularly older generations who had experienced war at first-hand represented interesting viewpoints which were not always pacifist ones (which I had expected). The results were very different in their complexity but were often reminiscent of the shape of real weapons. There were often conversations on the topic, whereas some people without enquiring about the background went straight to the work bench and started making a weapon. It was particularly interesting when a family with children came into the room. Some children were not allowed by their parents to make a weapon; the opposite example however was a father who spent almost two hours in the workshop with his daughters and designed a mechanically complex weapon with them. In principle, I think it's wrong to suppress playing with weapons during childhood. My father helped me make weapons and yet, at the same time, I was brought up to be a pacifist. This means that I think I understood from an early age that war is a terrible thing. I went to political exhibitions with my parents and made a poster against the war in Iraq in my fifth year at school. This sounds as if I was a model child but that's how it was and it was done of my own free will. Parents should not forbid anything but explain things at the same time.
3. How will your project progress in the future? You are interested, for example, in how other cultures deal with toy weapons. Is a trip planned for the weapons workshop?
I can't see my workshop going on tour at the moment but there will certainly be other projects on this topic in which I can imagine working in other countries. As I have noticed during the graduation show, the topics of "weapons" and "childhood" are very strongly represented in society but not really reflected upon. We spurn tackling the topic direct rather than confronting it. I am interested to know if this attitude is more enlightened in other cultures and whether cultural background has an influence on interaction with weapons in childhood. I have collected old videos on this topic from my own childhood. I had a digital camera with a video function. Together with friends, I shot videos in which we played out little dramas in which weapons were frequently present. I would like to work with these recordings and plan to have a video installation. To do this, I will start to collect similar video material from other people.


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January 2, 2018 by Jeff Schnabel
Note: This post was originally published May 9, 2017 and updated on January 2, 2018 to reflect the latest timeline for the EU's voluntary CoC Tier 1 and Tier 2 standards becoming law.
To appreciate the full story of energy efficiency and standards, we have to understand the motivation, which very simply is about conserving energy. The concerted effort to reduce the use of energy, especially from non-renewable sources actually started in the early 1990s, when the US rolled out its Energy Star ® program as a voluntary labelling initiative, allowing buyers of computer hardware and white goods to make informed decisions regarding their energy usage.
It was then that a study, undertaken by the University of California's Berkeley Laboratory in 1998, revealed that as much as 5% of the total United States' domestic electricity consumption was being wasted as a direct consequence of the standby power draw of external power adapters. At that time, most power adapters used linear power conversion technology, whose efficiency could be as low as 50% during normal operation. When the end equipment was turned off or disconnected, the power supplies would continue to burn energy.
This is where our story really begins, with the first introduction of mandatory energy efficiency standards by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in 2004. With the fear that growing numbers of external power adapters could see standby power consumption grow to as much as 30% of total domestic electricity usage, other legislators were quick to follow as can be seen in our Energy Efficiency Standards Timeline. This depicts an evolution of regulatory standards through a number of phases, or what we now refer to as levels, from Level III to the current Level VI.
What will also be apparent from this timeline is how these efficiency regulations have been adopted in a rather jumbled way across different geographies at different times, with some being mandatory and others voluntary. This leapfrog style of progress inevitably poses challenges for equipment manufacturers, particularly those wishing to supply their products to global markets. Therefore, until the often talked about harmonization of standards is achieved, it means OEMs must constantly be aware of new energy efficiency proposals and quick to implement these into their designs.
Currently, Level VI represents the peak of mandatory regulation, which became effective in the United States from February 2016. This standard mostly subsumes the European Code of Conduct (CoC) Tier 1 regulations, which were introduced on a voluntary basis in the EU in 2014, with the exception of an extra Tier 1 efficiency requirement that is specified under 10% load conditions. As power adapters are notoriously inefficient at low loads, this poses another design challenge that must be solved by power supply manufacturers.
Unfortunately, the energy efficiency standards evolution does not end there. EU CoC Tier 2 significantly tightens the limits set by the US Department of Energy (DoE) with its Level VI legislation. These lower limits apply to the minimum average active efficiency (measured at 25%, 50%, 75%, and full load), the new 10% load efficiency measure, and the maximum no-load power draw. Limits are also defined for various classes of power adapter, as illustrated in the tables below for low voltage and basic-voltage types. As an example of how much tougher these standards are becoming, consider a supply with a nameplate rating between 49 W and 250 W – this currently has a maximum no-load power limit of 210 mW under Level VI rules and 250 mW under CoC Tier 1, but will now have to consume less than 150 mW to satisfy Tier 2. Please note, that an official date has not been announced for the CoC standards becoming mandatory, but regardless many manufacturers have already begun certifying their power supplies to the tighter regulations.
|CoC Tier 1 Single-Voltage External Ac-Dc Power Supply, Low-Voltage
|Nameplate Output Power (Pout)
| Minimum Average Efficiency in Active Mode
( expressed as a decimal )
| 10% Load Average Efficiency in Active Mode
( expressed as a decimal )
|Maximum Power in No-Load Mode (W)
|0.3 W = P out < 1 W
|= 0.50 x P out +0.086
|= 0.50 x P out
|= 0.150
|1 W < P out = 49 W
|= 0.0755 x ln(P out ) + 0.586
|= 0.072 x ln(P out ) + 0.50
|= 0.150
|49 W < P out = 250 W
|= 0.880
|= 0.780
|= 0.250
|P out > 250 W
|CoC Tier 2 Single-Voltage External Ac-Dc Power Supply, Basic-Voltage
|Nameplate Output Power (Pout)
| Minimum Average Efficiency in Active Mode
( expressed as a decimal )
| 10% Load Average Efficiency in Active Mode
( expressed as a decimal )
|Maximum Power in No-Load Mode (W)
|0.3 W = P out = 1 W
|= 0.50 x P out + 0.169
|= 0.50 x P out + 0.060
|= 0.075
|1 W < P out = 49 W
|= 0.071 x ln(P out ) - 0.00115 x P out + 0.670
|= 0.071 x ln(P out ) - 0.00115 x P out + 0.570
|= 0.075
|49 W < P out = 250 W
|= 0.890
|= 0.790
|= 0.150
|P out > 250 W
Clearly OEMs who want to be able to sell a single product across different geographic markets would be best served to "future-proof" their designs by ensuring that their equipment ships with external power adapters that meet the most stringent energy efficiency standards. To do so, it is important to partner with a power manufacturer able to employ leading-edge designs that can deliver the efficiency performance demanded by both current and upcoming standards. At CUI, we pride ourselves on keeping our customers ahead of the game. We have already adapted our circuit topologies to meet efficiency requirements at all load levels, having recently announced that the majority of our external ac-dc power supplies now meet the CoC Tier 1 and Tier 2 efficiency regulations.
Have comments regarding this post or topics that you would like to see us cover in the future?
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Sonarr (also known as NzbDrone) is a service for automatic media download just like Sickrage and SickBeard and it's preferred instead of the previously mentioned services because of it's ease of use, interface and features. We have already shown you how to install Sonarr on Ubuntu or automatically install Sonarr using AToMiC Toolkit. Continue reading to learn how to install Sonarr on Windows 10 in just a few minutes. [Read: SickBeard alternative: Sonarr aka NzbDrone vs SickBeard]
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Table of Contents
Why Sonarr?
Sonarr is preferred by beginners and advanced users instead of Sickrage and Sickbeard because it offers a friendlier interface and it a bit easier to install and set up on multiple operating systems. It is compatible with Linux, Windows and Mac OS X, and you can set it up in less than 10 minutes, so you can start configuring it and begin to enjoy hassle free media downloads. Besides that, Sonarr is also compatible with Jackett for multiple tracker provider support. [Read: How to install Jakett on Windows Server 2016 as a service]
Download Sonarr for Windows
In order to install Sonarr on Windows, we need to visit https://sonarr.tv/#download to download the appropriate installer. In our case, we click on the Download button from the Windows section and wait for the download to finish.
Install Sonarr on Windows 10
Next, we will need to go to
C:\ drive, and create a new folder named
Sonarr. Please note that you can use any drive, but it is important that the Sonarr drive should have write access on your chosen drive.
Copy the previously downloaded file named
NzbDrone.master file in the
Sonarr folder you just created, right click on the file and click on "Run as administrator". This step is important because by running the installer as administrator, the port and URL will be registered with Windows, which is required for remote access.
The Sonarr Setup Wizard will start, and you will need to click next to start the Sonarr setup with the default settings.
Make sure that the option Install as a Windows Service is ticked in for the Sonarr service to be started automatically after a reboot.
Launching Sonarr
After Sonarr Windows setup finishes, a Sonarr shortcut will appear on your desktop. You can double click on the Sonarr shortcut , or you can go to
http://localhost:8989 in order to open the Sonarr homepage in order to start the service configuration and begin creating your library.
Sonarr installed successfully. What to do after that?
There you have it! Now you can start configuring Sonarr. Add your TV shows and let Sonarr download, rename, organize and ping a Kodi library update for you. So the next time you open Kodi, your latest episode is download and ready for you to watch and enjoy. Go ahead install Sonarr on Windows 10 and add features to your HTPC or Home Server.
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When you have 10 jobs
This November, I will be speaking at the Worship Facilities Expo in Nashville. As part of the preparation for that event, I was asked to write a practical article for someone working in the church and decided to post it here as well. You can find out more about the conference here: http://wfxweb.com/2015/ Technology has changed the church in ways I don't think anyone could have ever predicted. Sunday services used to depend on a piano, singer, pastor and good acoustics and now have setups that rival some national production…read more


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"Verite is a lie," I pronounced yesterday over twitter. It wasn't the first time I had said it, and it likely won't be the last; chances are, when I promote this piece through twitter and Facebook and all the other happy smiling social networking thingamajigs, I'll do it again.
But I said it yesterday, and yesterday, the filmmaker Jarrod Whaley responded through Facebook: "So is every other style." And this is true: any method you use to tell a story or relate an experience, even and especially cinematically, shapes that story or experience. Things are emphasized or de-emphasized, elided or changed. Whether the film is a documentary, a re-enactment, or a wholesale fiction, the simple act of telling that story, of making it into art, changes its substance, makes it "not true", makes it a lie.
And that's not something that causes me any real consternation; shaping a story is not the unfortunate side effect of art but rather the purpose of it. More than that, it's how the human brain works; when we reflect upon an experience, we impose order on it, creating a narrative of cause-and-effect, omitting unnecessary details, drawing connections, finding meaning. To be clear: I'm not saying that art should be manipulative or that an artist should lead the audience by the nose, forcing them to cry here, laugh there, draw this conclusion. The best art contains a multitude of meanings; the very best art contains meanings that we don't have words for, meanings that can't be explained but only experienced. The shaping of a story-- structuring it, ordering it, creating moments of culminative power-- is an integral part of even the messiest of art.
All styles, as Mr. Whaley said, are equally guilty of lying; thus, all styles are equally valid approaches, with some perhaps being better suited to shaping this story or that one. So why do I single out cinema verite, why am I picking on it?
It's partially for the simple, silly, and vindictive reason that we've been told-- by, I might add, some of our dearest friends-- that verite is the only valid method for digital video. That the low-lighting shaky-cam rack-focus whip-pan this-is-happening-right-now aesthetic is what video was made for. And being that our films use lights and tripods, that our style is a trifle bit (but only a trifle!) more formal, utilizing creature puppets, non-diagetic music, and stylized performances, I bristle a bit at being told that we're working against the "inherently naturalistic" medium of video because we don't use this "naturalistic" style.
And there are two fallacies in that last sentence, the first being that video itself is naturalistic. When I related this particular line of feedback to another good friend of ours, who has shot exclusively on 16mm, he said that video is a language that computers speak; what's inherently naturalistic about that? And I'm inclined to agree with him. Video is not any more naturalistic than film. In fact, some of the beautiful peculiarities of video, such as its lower contrast ratio, makes it less naturalistic, less like the human eye.
Video is only considered "naturalistic" because lightweight and affordable cameras are associated with the verite style, with birthday parties and home movies, with in-the-theater bootlegs, with gonzo porn, with capturing some freaky occurrence outside your window and putting it up on YouTube. Which brings us to fallacy number two: the idea that cinema verite is "naturalistic", that shaking a camera about makes it more "real". Let me demonstrate my point with a series of questions:
One, do you possess Superman's telescopic vision-- i.e., the ability to magnify an object several feet across a room?
Two, does your vision go blurry at indiscriminate times, only to snap back to crystal clarity?
Three, is your head constantly wobbling back and forth and jutting to and fro?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should probably seek medical attention. (Well, maybe not the first one. The first one is cool.) But I think you get my point: these touchstones of cinema verite (frequent zooming, rack focusing, and shaky-cam, respectively) in no way reflect the normal operations of the human eye. For that matter, neither do the touchstones of the classic Hollywood style: images typically don't dissolve into one another, we don't glide along sideways in lateral tracking shots, and humans don't, at this point in time, have the ability to pull back and up from something like a crane shot.
They're all artificial ways to add emphasis, beauty, and meaning to a cinematic experience. No one disputes that; no one argues that a crane shot is naturalistic. But verite is just as artificial, just as virtuosic. And, to be clear, there's nothing wrong with that. It's not a style I prefer to shoot in, and it's not my favourite style as a viewer, but like any style the question isn't what it is but what you do with it. And there's been some great films made in that style, no question about it.
My problem isn't that the verite style is a lie-- because, once again, just as Mr. Whaley said, so is every other style-- but that the verite style has pretensions of Truth. I've actually heard directors say that going handheld makes it more "real" or "raw" or "gritty" or "honest". And it's horseshit, plain and simple.
My other problem with verite, as I've stated above, is the monopoly it seems to have formed around the video medium, wherein directors, such as ourselves, working in a different idiom are criticized not for how well or how poorly we work within that idiom, but for not conforming to the dominant style, a style that is not only visually codified but also seemingly codified in other ways as well: our dialogue is too sharp and should be dulled with a plethora of verbal placeholders; our characters are too well defined and should blend together like a bunch of passive-aggressive post-collegiate articulate inarticulates; our performers are too bold, taking too many chances, and should stick to naturalistic, improvised mumbles; our sequences unfold with too much verve and should eschew directorial comment, energy, or artifice.
I don't think I'm being self-defensive here, or trying to invalidate any criticism of the films. Lord knows they have their problems; we've made mistakes and are still in the process of learning from them. And I'm not saying, like some filmmakers on the internet, that every style is equally right for a given story, or that there's no such thing as a wrong choice. Boy oh boy, are there wrong choices! And maybe we made the wrong choice in making our films the way we did, and maybe we didn't.
But the choices aren't wrong because our style is the "wrong" style for video. Video is a medium. Video is a means; it allows us to make films, instead of wasting years of our lives trying to work our way up through a studio system, instead of compromising what we want to do, instead of making films just like everybody else's films. And so, when verite and (let us speak its name plainly instead of dancing around it) mumblecore become dangerously close to being enshrined as the dominant styles of no-budget independent filmmaking, when people start to expect us to make films just like everybody else's films, it gets my dander up. If video is freedom, than the conformity of verite is inherently anti-video.
Verite is a perfectly valid form of artifice, but it is neither any more truthful than other forms, nor is it any more valid. I'm only hard on it because some others deem it to be both.


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Music & Arts named Christine Belle Cumberledge as the winner of its 2017 Music Educator of the Year award. Cumberledge was selected from among approximately 1,500 nominees nationwide for the annual distinction, which offers recognition to a full-time music educator for his or her outstanding achievement in music education.
Cumberledge is currently the head band director for 250 students at Central Junior High School in Euless, Texas. She has been an educator for 20 years, and has received numerous accolades from her district and other educational organizations, including TMEA. Cumberledge was selected for her successful track record in measurable program growth and superiority in performance, and for her strong leadership and influence in the community. She is also a champion for her students, mentoring and motivating them to become the most productive citizens they can be.
She will be honored at the annual Music & Arts Midwest Gala Reception during the Midwest Clinic International Band & Orchestra Conference in Chicago on Dec. 21.
"We are so excited to honor Ms. Cumberledge as this year's winner," said Steve Zapf, president of Music & Arts. "Just as important as her professional qualifications, we were struck by her personal interest in striving to help each student be the best they can be, as well as her desire to win the award in order to pay tribute to her students, in turn, for their hard work and efforts."


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Real estate investment trust Redwood Trust embarked on its fourth and smallest private-label residential-mortgage backed securitization deal of 2013.
The platform Sequoia Mortgage Trust 2013-4 reported a total loan balance of $805.1 million, more than $200 million higher than the three previously priced transitions by Redwood (RWT). The unpaid principal balance is $576.4 million.
Kroll Bond Ratings pre-rated the deal, giving the majority of the deal's tranches AAA ratings.
Fitch Ratings also pre-rated Sequoia Mortgage Trust 2013-4, with the expected outlook slated as 'stable' with all the tranches also receiving AAA ratings.
Moody's Investors Service pre-rated the transaction as well, issuing the majority of the deal's tranches Aaa ratings.
The platform will contain 716 loans in the deal with more than 98% of the loans in the pool classified as 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages. The remaining loans are a mix of 20-year and 25-year fixed mortgages.
First Republic Bank (FRC) mortgages make up the majority of the transaction, or roughly 11.3%.
Other originators include Cole Taylor Bank, PrimeLending, United Shore Financial Services and Fremont Bank, Fitch said.
In addition, the weighted average borrower credit score is 773, higher than the average for recent Sequoia Mortgage Trust transactions as well within the 'prime' mortgage range.
Both credit rating agencies noted that geographic concentration remains a primary risk posted within the deal.
As a result, geographic concentration of the pool was labeled as 'high' with significant exposure to assets located in California, representing 42.1% of the entire pool.
Meanwhile, both Kroll and Fitch reported that the originators limited history is also a concern.
"These smaller originators were not meaningfully active in pre-2012 prime, private label RMBS securitizations and therefore, have a limited track record," Fitch stated.
However, as Redwood keeps meeting its monthly issuance goal, both credit rating agencies commend the REIT as an experienced aggregator, issuer and investor in RMBS securitizations.
"Historically, Redwood has generally invested in and securitized high quality jumbo prime mortgages, which have performed well relative to the universe of non-agency securitizations," Kroll said.


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Join the community to find out what other Atlassian users are discussing, debating and creating.
My account is currently on a monthly payment plan, but I requested Atlassian to Switch it to an annual payment plan yesterday.
As my site will be deactivated on 10th May, I would like to know how long does it take to switch between payment plans?
Thanks a lot,
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RULE, Margaret Helen, CBE
United Kingdom (1928-2015)
Last updated: April 9, 2018 at 2:46 am
Self-taught archaeologist; author; led the team that excavated and raised the Mary Rose, King Henry VIII's flagship, off Portsmouth, England in 1982; secured funding for the construction of the Mary Rose Museum (Portsmouth) which houses the excavated hull and more than 19,000 artefacts recovered by Rule and volunteer divers over hundreds of dives; accompanied Prince Charles on an exploratory dive of the Mary Rose, which convinced him to become a key patron of the excavation; was involved in Robert Ballard's search for the Titanic; chaired a committee supervising the investigation of the wreck of the first HMS Victory (1744); took part in the excavation of a Roman merchant ship off Guernsey; former curator of the Fishbourne Roman Palace; Director of the archaeological committee in Chichester (1961-79); Curator of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum (1968-79); published The Mary Rose: The Excavation and Raising of Henry VIII's Flagship in 1982; volunteered for excavation work on bomb sites around London during WWII.
Honours and Awards:
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE, 1983)
Honorary doctorate from the University of Liverpool
Honorary doctorate from the University of Portsmouth
Colin McLeod Award (British Sub Aqua Club, 2008)
Caird Medal (National Maritime Museum, 1995)
Mitchell Medal for Engineering (1983)
Comments are moderated: (1) Stay on topic (2) Be respectful (3) Refrain from vulgarity and abusive language (4) Do not publish materials that violate copyright. OFFENDING COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED.
HOYOS PADILLA, Edgar Mauricio, Ph.D.
CARDONE, Bonnie J.
WATERMAN, Stan
FRAZIER, Dottie May
HILDRED, Alex
BALDASARE, Fred
MURDOCH, Frank Nash
FLEUSS, Henry Albert
STÉNUIT, Robert
LINK, Edwin Albert
WESLY, Claude
FALCO, Albert
Jeffrey Gallant is the Editor-in-Chief and Records Keeper of the Diving Almanac. He is also a contributing editor of DIVER Magazine, and the scientific director of the Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group (GEERG). Jeffrey started diving in 1982.


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Follow these brilliant tips to make your makeup look more fresh and natural.
1. Wash your face with cleanser.
You should clean your face thoroughly before starting. Use a mild cleanser to clean your face and get rid of all the dirt, bacteria or any makeup residue. Don't scrub too hard while washing your face as this may damage your skin.
2. Go for matte makeup.
Too glossy or too shimmery makeup makes your face look very unnatural. So, go for a matte look if you want to look more natural. Be extra careful while doing your lips.
3. Use a BB cream or a tinted moisturizer in place of foundation.
If you do not wish to hide all the imperfections of your face but only some, try using a BB cream or a tinted moisturizer in place of foundation. This will provide you a natural look without making your face look cakey.
4. Go for waves!
Wavy hair adds to the beauty of your face making it appear natural. After washing your hair, spray a little amount of sea salt and let your hair dry naturally. You'll get gorgeous waves.
5. Don't forget to smudge your eyeliner a little.
Use a pencil eyeliner to line your upper lash line and then smudge it a little bit for a more natural look. Don't skip this part.
6. Say yes to brown mascara.
If you're using a black mascara, try replacing it with a brown one.


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Beats Dr Dre Studio Canada,Dre0358,consider a dynamic limit order market
Presented are the results of testing of psychological support program for adolescents with prominent aptitude for mathematics. Research select query comprised 120 adolescents with prominent aptitude for mathematics from several regions of Siberia, who were participants of special events for gifted children, organized by Tomsk State University. Psychological-educational technologies of giftedness potential actualization are described. Directions of implementation of the system of network psycho- educational provision of continuity and succession of cooperation between various educational institutions prioritizing Beats Dr Dre Studio Canada development of gifted children and adolescents are being discussed. We consider a dynamic limit order market in which traders optimally choose whether to acquire information about the asset and the type of order to submit. Cheap Beats By Dr Dre Canada We numerically solve for the equilibrium and demonstrate that the market is a "volatility multiplier": prices are more volatile than the fundamental value of the asset. This effect increases when the fundamental value has high volatility and with asymmetric information across traders. Changes in the microstructure noise are negatively correlated with changes in the estimated fundamental value, implying that asset betas estimated from high-frequency data will be incorrect.


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Quick note: This test is timed! You have N MINUTES to complete the test! All unanswered questions will be marked as incorrect. Good luck and godspeed!
Talk to us! Let us know how we did!
In addition to the CDL general knowledge permit test, aspiring school bus drivers must pass several different license endorsement exams, prior to sitting a practical driving test in a school bus. You can find high-quality learning resources to help you achieve each key theory assessment milestone, here on ePermitTest.com. As the name suggests, the South Dakota school bus endorsement practice test which brought you to this page has been specifically designed to target a particularly important endorsement exam: The School Bus permit test. While the SD CDL school bus test is the first license endorsement which springs to mind when most aspiring school bus drivers think about which qualifications they need, it is no more essential than any of the other license endorsement exams you will have to take. In fact, you cannot even consider applying for an S endorsement or using this CDL school bus practice test for South Dakota learners until achieving a pass on the CDL general knowledge test and two other license endorsements. Try to resist the temptation to start up this South Dakota driver's license practice test until you have finished reading this page and are certain it is the quiz you should currently be using.
Every school bus driver's education journey should begin with the study of road rules, highway signs and core commercial driving regulations, in preparation for the DMV general knowledge test. Our SD CDL general knowledge practice test can help you get up-to-speed with this material and through the general knowledge assessment quickly. You will also need to study basic passenger transportation rules which are then built upon with the School Bus endorsement information, though not before passing the Air Brakes endorsement DMV written test. Learning how to operate air brake-equipped vehicles is vital, as every school bus is legally required to use them. If you have passed the general knowledge test but have not taken any other assessments, you should start working with our CDL Class B practice test South Dakota air brakes quiz today.
Your penultimate hurdle will be the Passenger Vehicles permit test, which will give you the necessary passenger transportation base knowledge to start studying S endorsement material. Try out our P endorsement DMV CDL practice test SD quiz, if you have yet to obtain a passenger endorsement. Only when each of these milestones have been surpassed should you turn your attention to the School Bus chapter of the permit book and commence your work with this South Dakota school bus practice test for 2020 driving students. We strongly recommend using this quiz as opposed to any others you find on the internet, as the guidelines for school bus drivers vary from state to state and this resource has been constructed using only South Dakota-specific information. Consequently, it is guaranteed to be appropriated for the permit test you will be taking.
With guidance from this SD DMV practice test you should find that your understanding of pre and post-trip vehicle inspection, school bus danger zones, use of mirrors, boarding rules and emergency procedures improves rapidly. As the CDL school bus test questions and answers for South Dakota drivers included on this quiz have been sourced from real DMV tests and checked for on-going accuracy against the study material in the drivers license manual, they are exactly like the real DMV test questions you can expect to be asked during the actual assessment. When you can answer every question on this School bus CDL practice test correctly, try our school bus test cheat sheet on for size!


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A team of researchers from the Mass. Institute of Technology (MIT) has proposed a design for an affordable, robust compact (ARC) nuclear fusion reactor, they announced on Monday.
According to the report the proposed ARC reactor would be able to produce the energy of larger nuclear reactors that are currently in operation with advances in magnet technology. MIT researchers state that available technology is able to produce the necessary magnetic field to manage superhot plasma within a smaller device.
With this reduction in size now a theoretical possibility, researchers state that construction costs and the time necessary to build a reactor would be reduced.
The proposed reactor is detailed in a paper that was recently published in Fusion Engineering and Design and was authored by a group MIT students and faculty, including Professor Dennis Whyte and Ph.D. candidate, Brandon Sorbom.
According to Sorbom, increases in the capability of a magnetic field would increase achievable fusion power by a power of four, he explains that if the capacity of a field were to double the achievable fusion power would increase by 16 times. Current magnet technology would bring approximately 10-fold increase in the fusion power capacity.
"Fusion energy is certain to be the most important source of electricity on earth in the 22nd century, but we need it much sooner than that to avoid catastrophic global warming," David Kingham, CEO of Tokamak Energy Ltd. in the UK, said. "This paper shows a good way to make quicker progress."
The research team states that this reactor design could be realized in approximately 10 years.


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coil 32 object
The SkLO coil 32 object is a slightly smaller version of the coil 48. Twisting tubes of handblown glass with cut and polished ends, the SkLO coil 32 object showcases the inimitable clarity and thickness of Czech glass, embodying the ability of glassblowing to capture the kinetic moment in time. Coil 32 is sold in intertwine-able sets of three,
or intertwine-able pairs on a steel table stand.
Glass available in two colors (including clear).
Stand available in dark oxidized finish only.
All glass dimensions are approximate – hand blownglass dimensions vary by nature and intent.
Handblown in the Czech Republic.
- spec sheet (pdf, 371.36 KB)
- care instructions (pdf, 86.43 KB)
- scale drawing (pdf, 13.69 KB)
steel blue set of 2 w/ stand 36″W x 14″H x 9″D (91x36x23cm)


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Read more about Tomatoes HERE
Tomatoes are a must grow for all gardeners. They add zest to our daily lives and are some of the most expensive vegetables in the supermarket! So growing tomatoes is a wise move when you are crunching the budget. HRSeeds.com offers you a wide variety of tomatoes to choose from. Everglades tomato, garden peach tomato, gold medal tomato, indigo rose tomato, black cherry tomato, Cherokee purple tomato are just some of the tomato varieties we offer. We soon plan to offer tomato starts in spring to many of these varieties once we can expand our greenhouses. Feel free to contact us if you have a variety you want but don't see it here.


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Julia Widmer, April 10, 2018
Dr. Frank Lampe will lead Ubimax's global marketing activities, effective April 1st 2018. As Senior Vice President Marketing, the former Marketing Director EMEA & APAC of Imprivata and previously IGEL Technology is responsible for Ubimax's global marketing operations, reporting directly to Jan Junker, Chief Commercial Officer at Ubimax.
Bremen, April 10thth 2018: Ubimax, the global market leader for industrial wearable computing and augmented reality solutions, announces the reinforcement of its international marketing team. In the position of Senior Vice President Marketing, Dr. Frank Lampe directs Ubimax's worldwide marketing activities as well as the further development of its marketing organization.
Based at the European Ubimax Headquarters in Bremen, Lampe will focus on further increasing Ubimax's brand awareness and expanding its marketing tool set whilst supporting sales and channel activities. Lampe succeeds Leonid Poliakov, who in his new position as Vice President Customer Success accounts for the global success of more than 200 Ubimax customers.
Since 2004, Frank Lampe has been successfully marketing B2B IT solutions. Following his Marketing Director position at IGEL Technology, the market leader for centrally managed thin client software and hardware, he has most recently held the position of Director Marketing EMEA & APAC at the London EMEA headquarters of Imprivata, a US based software company and global leader in IT security solutions for healthcare.
Lampe looks forward to new professional challenges in the area of enterprise augmented reality solutions and states euphorically: "These technologies open up enormous potential. The efficiency gains and cost savings in production, intralogistics and maintenance are enormous. The high return on investment and short payback period convinces all along the line."
"Frank Lampe looks back on a longstanding expertise in strategic international brand building as well as sales and channel support. I look forward to a productive and equally exciting collaboration with Frank," says Jan Junker, CCO of Ubimax, adding: "With our multi-award winning, platform-based, augmented reality solutions, Ubimax serves 200 international customers today, including global companies such as Daimler, DHL, John Deere or Samsung." According to ABI Research, Ubimax is the world leader in wearable computing and augmented reality solutions in the enterprise environment, and xPick is the world's most widely used vision picking solution.


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text:
A doe was stuck in the Sonnenberg fence and between two trees
CANANDAIGUA — A young doe can thank local first responders who sprung her free from a double entanglement at the garden fence.
At approximately 4 p.m. firefighters responded to a call for a deer stuck in the iron fence at the entrance to Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park in Canandaifua.
Canandaigua Fire Chief Frank Magnera and firefighters Ben Cramer and Dan Speers, along with Patrol Officer Josh Raymond with the Canandaigua Police Department, all worked together to free to doe.
The doe had found itself pinned down in two places, with her body pinned between the bars of the fence and her neck and head in between two trees.
First the firefighters had to bend apart the iron bars, then they used a nylon strap that was placed underneath the doe's neck and lifted her free.
Once freed, the deer stumbled forward and into the woods, looking back at the ruckus before continuing on, banged up but appearing to be okay.


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Content Count111
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Hoppy Hollow's Annual Egg~Stravaganza! 2012
Squeakton replied to a topic in Blow MoldsI'm not sure I have words to express my admiration of you and your display!! The details are amazing in the Hoppy Hollow display, not sure what I love the best but I sure think you have captured the dreams and imagination of every child's Easter!! Wonderful!!! And the amount of work to take it all down and put up the Easter Sunday display is truly inspirational...the angels and the cross are a perfect homage to our Lord!!! Is the house next door to you for sale cuz I would LOVE to be your neighbor and learn from you and have some of your creativity maybe maybe rub off on me LOL
Pregnant And Still Decorating?
Squeakton replied to TealFreakOrganizer-Kayla's topic in Best PracticesI agree with Deeny Dine...gosh when my boys were babies and little guys I got more lights up and all of my stuff out. My hubby never helped back then although he was happy inside entertaining a baby. Now I will grant you, although I never counted, I doubt that I had 10,000-20,000 lights up...the neighbors and community all thought I was nuts anyway!! I was decorating before decorating was cool LOL I imagine, all things being equal, you will get your lights up and have THE MOST WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS OF YOUR LIFE...babies are such a blessing!Congratulations and Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy that baby!!!!
Talking Tree
Squeakton replied to THurrle's topic in WireframesAWESOME!!!!
Squeakton replied to a topic in Blow MoldsIt has been so windy or cold and rainy I don't have St. Pat's or Easter up!!! I do both blowmolds and inflatables for Easter so am hoping to get them up BUT Easter is my mother-in-law's 89th bday so will be 6 hours south for the weekend. Not sure with the way the weather is I can leave a display alone...seems like I never get my displays done anymore!! I'm dreaming of retirement in a more temperate climate
Did You Ever Wonder Why . . .
Squeakton replied to rjnitto's topic in Lights, Lights, Lights!I am shocked at all those different bases/bulbs!! No wonder I struggle so often Good idea to tape them, I try to just leave them attached as they come but that doesn't always work!!
Union Products Frog #6118 Purchased For My Collection
Squeakton replied to Thomas Steiner's topic in Blow MoldsThat will be sooooo cool, the frog and toadstool for Halloween...do you have a witch and handsome prince too??? Or can you play the handsome prince??? Thanks Elaine for the laugh--today is one of those days when I really needed that!!!!
Saved From The Trash.
Squeakton replied to Alpine's topic in Blow MoldsWOW!! So glad you got these...it would have been such a shame had they been destroyed!! You are lucky your friend spotted them...some things are just meant to be
The Valentines Display 2012
Squeakton replied to a topic in Blow MoldsThat is such a great display!!! I can't believe how creative you are!! Such darling ideas...perfect for Valentine's Day!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
A Tale Of Pure Stupidity!
Squeakton replied to thebaronn's topic in Best PracticesMakes me laugh cuz that could soooo happen to me LOL I am glad no one was hurt and hope there wasn't damage to the pumpkin mountain...thanks for the smile on a gloomy old day!!!
The Winter Display...
Squeakton replied to a topic in Blow MoldsLove It - Love It - Love It Awesome job on repainting and great use of the white and blues for that "cool" look. You really brighten a gloomy time of year!!!
Christmas In Dixie
Squeakton replied to cars06's topic in Showing OffWOW that is a GREAT display!! Love it all...the way they are grouped, the multiples, the windows...just super all around!!!!
Some Great Displays In Central Florida + Thanks!Enjoyed our trip to Florida and sure did enjoy the displays we saw!! The grandsons were in awe although they only lasted for 3 before Mr Goodnight hit A special thanks to Paul D for his help in finding displays to see....you guys do a great job! Can't wait till next year, the boys will be one year older and hopefully will stay awake longer LOL Thanks so much!!
I Got Water In My Snow Globe
Squeakton replied to firelite's topic in Inflatables/Airblowns/BalloonsI had that happen with one of my Halloween inflatables. Instead of snow it was bats but sort of the same problem. I moved it into the sun (back yard) and left it running day and night for about 3 days and they dried out. That was the first year I had it - probably 5 years ago and it has been fine. I fear mold soooo much as Missouri can be a little "moldy" anyway LOL
Mega Ball Tree
Squeakton replied to Kevin Easley's topic in Mega-TreesAmazing, ingenious design!! My grandsons would love the balls--I love it!!!
Amazing Find At Goodwill!
Squeakton replied to nmlights's topic in Showing OffCongratulations!! You got one heck of a deal...he really is cute and would be a great addition to any display!!


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Well this is not a Christmas image, but the fireplace in a lodge in Yellowstone, but looks cozy enough for a pre-Christmas snug.
Well this is not a Christmas image, but the fireplace in a lodge in Yellowstone, but looks cozy enough for a pre-Christmas snug.
We spent a lovely day walking from our cool AirBnB in Hell's Kitchen to walk the High Line and the from there to the World Trade Centre, City Hall and then we found ourselves at the Brooklyn Bridge. You can't shoot it without hundreds of people in the shot, so I just went with the flow.
Ride the free Staten Island Ferry and get this fantastic view of Manhattan
The Oculus reflected in the 9/11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Centre in New York.
I spent a few days in New York at the weekend. Love those towers of dreams and toil and consumption. I've only visited the city a few times but its energy is contagious.
So if you followed my last blog, you will know I've been playing around a new "darkroom" system and using USA pics to try it out. Here is a shot I took on Shenandoah's Skyline Drive at sunrise earlier this year. It was a truly remarkable drive and I hope I get back again sometime. I hope everyone has a happy weekend.
Here's a bonus shot taken the same morning.
Ever since I saw an image like this many years ago, I have been waiting for an opportunity where a number of ridges are lit showing each ridge slightly brighter to the horizon. I took this in Shenadoah NP in April.
I took this on a wonderful road/rail trip through the USA in Sept 2015. This was one of the many jaw-dropping vistas we were treated to on that trip.
I took this last year on a fantastic sunrise jeep ride.
Facing the Capitol Building is the Supreme Court, looking powerful under gathering clouds.


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Happy Wednesday everyone! In the spirit of trying new things on the blog (see my post on Top Ten Tuesday for more info on that!), I'm now going to be posting regularly for the Waiting on Wednesday memes!
If you're not familiar, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. The purpose of it is to highlight upcoming books that you're excited about, interested in and can't wait to read!
So, let's get into my first Waiting on Wednesday post!
Lost Crow Conspiracy (Blood Rose Rebellion #2) by Rosalyn Eves
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers | Release: March 27th, 2018
Sixteen-year old Anna Arden was once just the magically barren girl from an elite Luminate family. Now she has broken the Binding – and Praetheria, the creatures held captive by the spell, wreak havoc across Europe. Lower-class citizens have access to magic for the first time, while other Luminates lose theirs forever. Austria and Hungary are at odds once more.
Anna Arden did not know breaking the Binding would break the world.
Anna thought the Praetheria were on her side, content and grateful to be free from the Binding. She thought her cousin Matyas' blood sacrifice to disarm the spell would bring peace, equality, justice. She thought her future looked like a society that would let her love a Romani boy, Gabor.
But with the Monarchy breathing down her neck and the Praetheria intimidating her at every turn, it seems the conspiracies have only just begun.
As threat of war sweeps the region, Anna quickly discovers she can't solve everything on her own. Now there's only one other person who might be able to save the country before war breaks out. The one person Anna was sure she'd never see again. A bandit. A fellow outlaw. A man known as the King of Crows. Matyas.
About the Author:
Rosalyn Eves grew up in the Rocky Mountains, dividing her time between reading books and bossing her siblings into performing her dramatic scripts. As an adult, the telling and reading of stories is still one of her favourite things to do. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her chemistry professor husband and three children, watching British period pieces, or hiking through the splendid landscape of southern Utah, where she lives. She dislikes housework on principle.
Buy the Book:
Goodreads | Amazon CA | Amazon US | Chapters / Indigo | Book Depository


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Planning for holidays is tiring but very exciting. The biggest challenge that tourists face is finding the best accommodation. The hotels have very attractive marketing strategies. Apparently, most hotels never fulfill their promises of providing good accommodation and services. That disappoints their guests. Hence, know how to choose the best hotel.
The hoteliers know the value of earning a good reputation. Apparently, most guests tend to trust reputable hotels. They know that reputable hotels are under pressure to maintain their status. Hence, they cannot risk delivering poor quality services. Relying on reputation will enable you to make good choices. Hence, opt for a hotel that has a decent reputation.
It is hard to identify the perfect hotel on your own. Apparently, the number of available hotels is too big. You cannot seek in-depth info regarding their services, compare the facts and make choices. Using referrals is an easy way to make choices. The best business travel hotel Fort Davis TX will be referred by most people. That proves it is the best.
Book a hotel which is located near to all the major attractions including the McDonald Observatory, H.E. Sproul Ranch, Davis Mountains State Park, etc. if you are interested to go on Big Bend Motorcycle Tour going to organize in McDonald Observatory, then you can visit openroadjourney.com to know get details. For Fort Davis Cyclefest Tour, just visit wheelbrothers.com.
The hotels operate independently and their prices are not standardized by the government. Thus, the hoteliers have the liberty of charging any price for accommodation. That is why there are costly and cheap hotels. Shunning the costly hotels is a wise decision. That is because they will make your vacation very expensive.
Opt for a hotel whose charges are within your budget. Avoid spending more on accommodation with a tight budget.


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Through a series of panel events held in varying cities across the United States, Yale Divinity School is bringing a theological and moral perspective to bear on some of the most pressing public issues facing the nation and world.
Here are stories and videos of the events held to date:
March 12, 2019, Atlanta
"Beyond Despair and Denial: Facing Climate Change with Moral Urgency and Hope"
While not flinching from the enormity of the challenge—the greatest humans have ever faced, in the words of panel member Mary Evelyn Tucker—a YDS public forum in Atlanta on March 12 offered the audience reasons to hope and actions to take to address the climate crisis.
The panelists were:
- Clifton Granby, Assistant Professor of Ethics and Philosophy at Yale Divinity School
- Codi Norred, Program Director of Georgia Interfaith Power & Light
- Jon Sawyer '74 B.A., Founding Director of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, and
- Mary Evelyn Tucker, Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Scholar in Religion and Ecology at the Divinity School and School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.
September 26, 2018, New York City
"#HumanToo: Equity for Women in the #MeToo Era"
Before more than 150 Yale alumni and other attendees, on the eve of historic Senate questioning of Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, Yale Divinity School convened a panel conversation at the Yale Club in New York exploring equity for women and its absence in the #MeToo era. The underlying question at the Sept. 26 event—how can the best of our theologies and philosophies set a new trajectory toward a humane culture around gender, sex, and power—drew passionate and, at times, deeply personal responses from the panel and audience members.
The panelists were:
- Kaji Douša '06 M.Div., Senior Pastor at Park Avenue Christian Church, New York City - full biography
- Serene Jones '85 M.Div., '91 Ph.D., President of Union Theological Seminary and former Yale Divinity School professor - full biography
- Galen Sherwin '94 B.A., Senior Staff Attorney at the Women's Rights Project of the ACLU (moderator) - full biography
- Carmelyn P. Malalis '96 B.A., Chair and Commissioner, New York City Commission on Human Rights - full biography
- Josef Sorett, Associate Professor in the Religion Department and the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University, director of the Center on African-American Religion, Sexual Politics and Social Justice (CARSS) - full biography
Watch the video / Read the story / See the full playlist of highlights
March 12, 2018, Memphis, Tenn.
"Living the Legacy Today: MLK at 50"
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., Yale Divinity School and the Memphis chapter of the Moral Mondays movement hosted a panel at Temple Israel in Memphis on revitalizing the King legacy and advancing civil rights today. The panelists were:
Traci Blackmon, Executive Minister of Justice & Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ
Katie Bauman, Associate Rabbi of Temple Israel in Memphis
Gerald Durley, Senior Pastor Emeritus, Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta
Eboni Marshall Turman, Assistant Professor of Theology and African American Religion, Yale University Divinity School
Jonathan Judaken, Professor, Rhodes College (moderator)
Watch the video / Read the story
September 25, 2017, Pasadena, Calif.
"Humans at the Gate: A Faithful Approach to Immigration"
The panel took place at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, whose rector, Mike Kinman '96 M.Div., is a YDS alumnus. Making up the panel were: Isaac Cuevas, Associate Director of Immigration Affairs for the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Felicia Escobar, a Yale alumna and former immigration policy adviser to President Obama; Apolonia Morales, Political Director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles; and Lamin Sanneh, D. Willis James Professor of Divinity and Professor of History at YDS. Moderating the panel was Stephen Pitti, Professor of History and American Studies at Yale and Director of the University's Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration.
Watch the video / Read the story
April 3, 2017, Chicago
"Violence: A faithful response to the plague in our neighborhoods and nation"
Before an audience of 300 people at the Chicago Temple, Yale Divinity School convened a panel conversation on the scourge of violence in Chicago and around the country. Serving on the panel were Thomas Dart, Cook County Sheriff and justice reform advocate; Willie Jennings, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Africana Studies at YDS; Otis Moss III '95 M.Div., Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago; and Michael Pfleger, anti-racism activist and pastor of the Faith Community of Saint Sabina in Chicago. Robin Robinson, an award-winning journalist and broadcaster who is currently Director of Community Affairs at the Chicago Police Department, moderated.
Watch the video / Read the story
October 5, 2016, Washington, D.C.
"Faithful Citizenship and the 2016 Election"
One month before the 2016 election, Yale Divinity School brought together a leading Christian theologian, one of the country's pre-eminent pastors, and a U.S. senator for a panel conversation at the National Press Club on what it means to take a "faithful" approach to voting and citizenship. The panel was composed of Miroslav Volf, founding director of the Center for Faith and Culture at YDS; Otis Moss III '94 M.Div., senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago; and Chris Coons '92 M.A.R., a U.S. senator from Delaware. Indira Lakshmanan, a prominent Washington-based journalist, moderated.
Watch the video / Read the story
The events were organized in partnership with the Association of Yale Alumni and its chapters in the respective cities.


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Spooky Games Month update! I finished Super Castlevania IV. It was indeed super. Next: should I play Castlevania Circle of the Moon or Harmony of Dissonance?
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About Double Monoclesone of us since 6:48 PM on 04.17.2014
I've been reading destruction since 2012, but was too lazy to make an account for the longest time. I'm so glad I finally did. I love most genre's of video games, especially platformers, old school FPSs, fighting games, and exploration/story heavy RPGs. I also enjoy heavy metal, guitar, and potatoes. Super Mario Sunshine is my favorite Mario game.


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Sometimes it is convenient to associate one thing with another to achieve your objective. For example, something that brings good feelings can be associated with something that you are trying to sell. The good thing you are associating with it has very little to do with what you are selling, but the advertiser knows that associating them together helps nudge the potential buyer into opening his wallet. And as the saying goes, a fool and his money are soon parted.
KFC is known for deep fried chicken that is delicious, but terribly oily and fattening. Oily and fattening are 2 words that will never appear in KFC's advertisement, for they will only remind diners of what is bad about them. Instead, you will find other words such as delicious, finger-licking good and great taste. That is still ok, at least they are being truthful and attracting the customer with direct attributes of their product. But when they start mentioning that one of the secrets to a healthy lifestyle is to use fresh food in their ingredients, it seems that they are stretching it quite a bit.
Healthy lifestyle is one of the phrases I would not normally associate with fast food. When I eat fast food, I know that I am committing slow suicide, but I do it willingly and happily. They have found a way to overcome this stigma by linking their fried food to the freshness of the ingredients. How much of the nutrients in chicken will degrade in slightly less fresh chicken, I wonder. I only know that this is a more important issue in fresh vegetables and fruits, which are painfully lacking in a typical KFC meal. The only issues I know regarding fresh meat is taste, not nutrients. It takes a leap of imagination and creativity to link healthy lifestyle with KFC. Must have been one long brainstorming session.
Are there any who dig in happily thinking of the benefits to health that they are reaping from their deep fried fresh chicken?


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Hican nuts – Burton Nuts
Do you know of a supplier for Burton nut trees? I'm looking to obtain a few for a historic garden, Darts Hill Garden Park, in Surrey, British Columbia. So far, I haven't been able to locate any.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
I don't know of any suppliers. If you can find any Burton nuts sold online, you could try contacting the farmer or company selling them. Universities with plant breeding programs might be another place to check.
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I have to put a lot of iPads on a stantd on a tourist fair to show our web, and we don't want that people can use these iPads to play/enter facebook/etc. Is for this that I was searching an application that put the iPad on kiosk mode to show fullscreen our web, but that's ridiculous if the user can press home button an go to springboard...
Is for this that I start to develop a fullscreen browser without address bar, only show a URL that is selected programatically, and I think to deploy this app on our iPads (we have a developer account), but we have the same problem: if the user press home button, he can select Safari and enter to any website.
In conclusion, we need to disable home button to hold the user on our website (I know that if press and hold home button + power button, iPad reboot, but the power button will be disable physically on the stand), and I also know that this app will not be approved by Apple, but as I said before, this app will be only to the fair stand.
Four years after, I found the response.


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Closing Performance: Laura Wilsonperformance • 09 Apr 2016 4pm–6pm
Platform artist Laura Wilson presents a closing performance which marks the culmination of her residency – Fold and Stretch. Over four weeks (15 March – 9 April) Laura is working with choreographer Lucy Suggate and Martha Brown, Head Baker at Forge Bakehouse in Sheffield to investigate the physicality of dough and its relationship to the body, movement and dance.
I like this idea #dance & #baking how healthy is that! @NHSSheffieldCCG @SheffieldHWB @ForgeBakehouse @site_gallery pic.twitter.com/uEH4RLG8GZ
— Mark Gamsu (@markgamsu) March 24, 2016
#wilsonwednesday bright and early research time. #Repost @wilsonlaurawilson from @forgebak… https://t.co/843vBIoIhR pic.twitter.com/DDlN3zlpWk
— Site Gallery (@site_gallery) March 23, 2016
Brunch with Laura Wilson 19 Mar 2016 11am–1pm
In Conversation: Laura Wilson 16 Jan 2016 2pm–4pm


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Many professionals face tough schedules requiring long hours.
Despite the best intensions one might have to leave work at work their stress is obvious to those at home.
This level of stress is often obvious to one's spouse but, even though less obvious, is also very visible to the children of the house.
What does your family have to do to get quality time with you?
You are not so important to your job that you cannot make some time for family.
© 2020 Max Impact Corporation, Rochester Hills, MI USA


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We'll confine our discussion here to obvious weather differences, but we won't get into how coil coatings formulators accommodate those differences. That's a discussion for another day. Just know that steel and aluminum companies, pretreatment suppliers, and coatings chemists are working hard to formulate a coil coating system that provides the necessary performance for a particular region.Continue reading
Tag Archives: coil coated metal
Let's Reroof Your House
I know you had a 30-year warranty, but—after 15 years—those shingles simply must be replaced. Anyone can call a roofer, but why not take a shot at making your own shingles? But first you need a formulation—the recipe—and I've got just the one for you. And while we're at it, let's compare shingle manufacturing to metal roofing manufacturing.
What Makes a Coil Coating Line Continuous?
It goes by many names: prepainted metal, coil coated metal, prefinished metal. Each of these descriptions refers to the product of a coil coating line, sometimes called a continuous coil line (CCL). Prepainted metal is commonly used as a coated product in construction applications (metal walls and roofs are two examples), as well as appliances, HVAC units (air conditioners, furnaces, etc.), rainware products (gutters, downspouts, flashing, etc.), and many others. Prepainted metal is the product; a CCL is the application process used to produce prepainted metal.
Four Ways Coated Metals Improve Sustainability in Construction
These days, it's not uncommon to hear businesses from nearly every industry discuss "sustainability" or plans for a more sustainable future. As the term becomes more ubiquitous in today's business planning, its definition can be somewhat vague. For our purposes, sustainability refers to a company's efforts in reducing its environmental impact through the use of more environmentally-friendly building materials and less consumption of natural resources. While the coating industry works diligently in manufacturing products that adhere to high standards for sustainability, there are several ways to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious.
1. Reduce the use of volatile organic compounds.
For a long time, volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, played a large role in the coating industry because they contain properties that assist in applying coatings to a surface. Continue reading
Four Reasons to Consider Metal Roofs
Over the past few years, we have seen a significant increase in the use of metal roofs in the residential sector. In fact, the Metal Roofing Alliance estimates that more than 750,000 U.S. homeowners chose a metal roof to protect their families in 2015. According to their survey, the Metal Roofing Alliance identified eight reasons homeowners are making the switch to metal roofs. Here is a breakdown of the four most popular reasons people are using metal roofs to protect their homes.
1. Metal roofs have longevity.
Depending on the material, metal roofs can last anywhere between 40 and 70 years. That's a significant increase when compared to the life expectancy of a traditional asphalt roof, which may only last between 12 and 20 years.
2. Metal roofs are durable and offer strong protection. Continue reading
How Prepainted Metal Can Make Building Interiors Shine
We've seen the beauty and innovation prepainted metal has brought to countless exterior applications. But did you know prepainted metal can be an integral part of a number of interior applications? Here are five ways prepainted metals can spice up the interior of any building:
1. Interior Walls
Prepainted interior wall panels are available in a variety of profiles, including ribbed, insulated (foamed), composite and architectural shallow flat styles. These panels are lightweight and can be installed more quickly than traditional walls. They can also take on dramatic shapes with colors or laminates that create striking design elements.
2. Ceilings Continue reading
Benefits of Using Metal in Construction
For decades, metal roofs have been the preferred choice for architects and designers for their durability, versatility, eco-friendliness and many other factors. As the coated metal industry continues to innovate and inspire, we see an increase in the use of metal in nearly all aspects of construction, not just the roofs. Here are just some of the reasons we are seeing metal used more and more in the construction of today's most impressive buildings.
Coated metal today has the ability to be an endless selection of colors and can emulate a growing number of textures, including asphalt, stone, concrete, barn siding and other materials. There's been a huge demand in the market for the application of innovative color-shifting coatings, which offer an eye-catching, bilateral color finish. With textured metal products, architects can meet client demands for visual depth and designs that differentiate them in the market and give their buildings a unique look.
Interior Capabilities Continue reading