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Halfway down IPA - the classic heli-ski run at Mica, not the beer - our guide gave us the terrible news. The shuttle departing Revelstoke to come pick us up had been delayed. We'd have to keep skiing the thigh-deep pow for three more hours. Shucks. What a bummer. We were soooooo disappointed.
Interestingly, three days earlier on our first attempt to fly into the remote lodge we were also delayed due to a heavy, stubborn fog. Karma? Methinks so. Of course, that was two sleeps ago. The world had long since righted itself. The morning we finally did arrive the fog had morphed into snow (that's good).
And for three straight thigh-burning days we - each "tour" consists of 20 skiers divided into five small groups - had ripped through the tree-and rock-smeared double-black chutes in the Molson, Harvey and Dawson drainages. It was a classic backcountry adventure. And one of the most challenging, intense and memorable skiing experiences I've ever had.
Of course, at Mica, they don't have it any other way.
Thanks to its spectacular new $17-million fly-in boutique lodge - it's perched high above Kinbasket Lake, approximately 170 kilometres north of Revelstoke - Mica is rightfully positioned on top of the food chain when it comes to smallgroup heli-skiing operations. Known for its steeps and worldclass tree-skiing, Mica has a tendency to leave its guests "wowed" ... and, yes, somewhat humbled by the extremely challenging terrain in its 106,432-hectare tenure.
And, speaking of that terrain, it's not just powder-hungry skiers who love it. Their tenure - situated in the heart of the only inland temperate rainforest on earth - is also home to the mountain caribou, identified as a species at risk. It is believed that no more than 30 of the highly endangered animals are living in the area. Given this fact and the recovery plan initiated by the B.C. government, Mica is active in protecting the habitat so that the remaining caribou can survive.
For example, this past October, Mica gave back to the province a significant piece of its tenure that was prime caribou habitat. In exchange, the government granted Mica new terrain that was more conducive to great backcountry skiing.
"That exchange was a win-win," says Barbara Rose, operations manager at Mica. "However, we have many other measures in place to help the caribou. For example, if we see a caribou, we immediately leave the area. No questions asked. They have right-of-way. Also, any sightings of caribou or caribou activity are meticulously documented and a lengthy report is sent to the Ministry of Environment. "
On my trip, wildlife sightings were limited to a group of long-haired hardcore skiers from Edmonton, who, after pounding through pow for seven hours, grazed and gulped in the bar until the wee hours. The rooftop hot tubs, gourmet food, fantastic wines, and, yes, the crazy camaraderie were welcome add-ons.
Although this high-end lodge is stunning and state-of-the-art, Mica has a way of pushing you to your limits. Your gear, your body and your mind will be stretched literally and figuratively.
Every guest skis with a radio and avi gear, including a digital transceiver, probe, shovel and a special avalanche airbag that's manually deployed in case you're trapped in a slide. Trust me, if you've got a chink in your armour, Mica will find it.
In my case, I came to the realization that contortional manoeuvres are not my forte.
It was just one more reason why - after my inevitable, but unwanted departure - I'll have Mica on my mind for years to come.
If you go
Mica has a few seats remaining for multi-day tours in early April.
Three-day tours start at $5,490 per person (micaheli.com).
- Due to logistics, accommodation in Revelstoke is recommended the night before and after your trip to Mica. Your best option is the Sutton Place Hotel, located at the base of the Revelstoke Mountain Resort (revelstokemountainresort.com). With 5,620 vertical feet of skiing, the most in North America, RMR can also provide a more-thanadequate warm-up before your heli-skiing adventure at Mica.


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'When the River Runs Dry' is a familiar song in Australia. Some rivers in the arid center of the continent flow only after a stiff monsoon season, and smaller tributaries all over the country commonly shrink to puddled potholes and dry river beds during the dry season. But rivers also run dry in more temperate climes.
Much of the upper reaches and feeder streams of the great rivers of North America, and even the mighty Amazon, dry out seasonally.
Dry rivers are more than mere desiccated shells of their robustly flowing incarnations, says Australian ecologist Alisha Steward and colleagues. In the May issue of ESA's journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, they contend that dry river ecology is under-researched and under-appreciated.
"I was drawn to dry stream ecology from working on river health monitoring and assessment programs," said Steward, a PhD student at Griffith University in Brisbane, Queensland. "Many potential river monitoring sites turned out to be dry and couldn't be sampled. It was very annoying! It started to get me thinking that 'dry' wasn't necessarily bad or unnatural – some rivers were naturally dry at particular times of the year."
Dry river beds have qualities and inhabitants distinct from their adjacent riversides, as well as from their wet-phase communities, says Steward. They are places of isolation and re-connection: when rivers flow, aquatic animals, plants and microorganisms, organic material, and nutrients flow as well.
Temporary rivers are conduits for biota even when dry, sometimes guiding animals through human-dominated landscapes that lack other continuous habitat. They demand great resilience of their permanent inhabitants, which must be able to survive the swings from immersion to dry land to wet again. Plants, algae, insects, fungi, and even fish have adapted to ride out the dry spells, sometimes seeming to resurrect themselves miraculously from the dust. In the more ephemeral rivers of arid regions, the demands are extreme, the flows erratic, and often separated by years.
But in arid country, dry river beds are oases for animals and people alike. They are sources of water and greenery. Worldwide, human societies use the rich and episodically dry land for vegetable patches, orchards, and pastureland, walking and vehicle paths, hunting and hiking, and herding animals to market. We mine the beds for sand and gravel to build homes and businesses. We park our cars in the beds, and hold races and festivals on the flat river bottoms.
Land use changes, climate changes, and diversions to water projects are transforming historically perennial rivers into capricious or seasonal flows. Impoundment behind weirs and dams can completely dry a river course, or, conversely, turn an erratic flow continuous or cyclical through controlled releases. Steward thinks these are good reasons to learn more about the ecology of intermittent river systems.
"Aquatic scientists seem to ignore dry river beds because they don't contain water, and terrestrial scientists seem to ignore them because they are considered to be part of a river!" said Steward. But they are not typically recognized as "rivers" by government programs, she said, complicating monitoring programs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Traffic sucks, so why not start your morning off with some music? You provide the toast and we'll provide the jams.
Best concerts I've seen in the last few years? The Foo Fighters were surprisingly great. I always enjoy The Old 97s and Warpaint always kills that shit. Beach House is strange but that's part of the appeal. TuneYards opens with a woman in a De Stijl African battle dress screaming "DO YOU WANT TO LIVE!?!"
I still go back to Robyn, though. A few years ago I didn't expect to be in the market for Swedish pop music but holy fuck she's like Gozer at the end of Ghostbusters only singing and dancing. Dancing the entire night. Infectious dancing that makes you dance, too.
I'll admit I also may have done this song at post-Gawker Holiday Party Karaoke with the young woman from the third floor who has owned every single track I've ever seen her tackle and I'm not just saying that because I owe her $22. Anyways. Robyn. Enjoy it.


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402-463-2477 | 1010 W J St
Ayr Auto Repair
Ayr Auto Repair, Hastings, NE
Chappy's Auto Maintenance offers auto repair services to Ayr, NE
At Chappy's Auto Maintenance you will see that we are a local independent repair shop with the training and equipment to service all makes and models of vehicles. Be it a new car or truck, or one with some mileage, you will be glad you came to Chappy's Auto Maintenance servicing Ayr, NE.
Call 402-463-2477 or email us to have us put you safely on the road with NO surprises.
Come see why our customers keep coming back for all their automotive needs and services like Brakes, Car & Truck Care, Domestic Cars & Trucks, Electrical Services, Electronic Services, Engine Maintenance, General Services, Heating and Cooling Services, Import Cars & Trucks, Miscellaneous Services, Quick Lube Services and Undercar Services.
Call or visit today, you will be glad you did.


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When the FZ8 was first rumored, and then teased by Yamaha, there was quite a bit of excitement. The bike was introduced in Europe last year, and some of the excitement died when it was learned that the frame, and, to some extent, engine were shared with the existing FZ1. We just rode the 2011 FZ8 here in Southern California, and were quite surprised by its performance and value. The bike has a completely different character than an FZ1 and, in many ways is both superior and cheaper to own.
When the naked FZ8 (the only model we are getting here in the United States) and its faired sibling, the Fazer 8, were introduced in Europe, we provided you with most of the important technical information. That information is still valid for the U.S. model, with minor exceptions. Nevertheless, here are the highlights.
The 779cc inline four-cylinder motor has the same stroke as the FZ1 with a smaller bore. The relatively long stroke allows the power to come on lower in the rpm range, as does other changes from the FZ1 powerplant. The entirely new cylinder head raises compression to 12:1, and milder cam timing spreads, and flattens, the power curve. A significantly smaller throttle valve size (down from 45mm to 35mm) also provides snappier, and stronger, power delivery down low. A lower first gear, and a lower final drive ratio, complete the mix of attributes that make the FZ8 very comfortable at street rpm levels.
The chassis lacks the suspension adjustability found on the FZ1 (only rear shock preload is adjustable on the FZ8), but this is fairly common in this price range, and Yamaha has done an excellent job of finding a good compromise setting for aggressive street use and comfort. The lone exception is a shock that rebounds a bit too quickly.
One additional change that allows for a quicker steering, more nimble feeling motorcycle is a reduction in the rear tire size from a 190/50 on the FZ1 to a 180/55 on the FZ8.
All of these changes create a motorcycle that feels far lighter and more nimble than the claimed 15 pound weight reduction (versus the FZ1) would indicate. The relatively upright ergonomics, with ample seat-to-peg distance, provided a comfortable mount for the 120 miles, or so, that we sampled.
The FZ8 has excellent fuel injection with very little snatch, or abruptness, when opening the throttle. The power delivery is very linear and smooth, and comes on remarkably low for an inline four.
Decent acceleration out of corners can be had from as low as 4,000 rpm, and power increases seemingly all the way to the 10,500 rpm redline. Peak power doesn't feel dramatically high, although it should be close to modern 600cc supersports. This is more than ample, and the FZ8 is much easier to ride on the street with its usable power readily available in real world situations at real world rpm levels. The FZ8 has dramatically more torque than a 600 supersport, based on my seat-of-the-pants analysis, below 8,000 rpm where you need it on the street.
We had a blast carving extremely tight, twisty tarmac in the hills above Malibu where the FZ8 turned in quickly, but held its line through bumpy corners. Although it lacked the latest sportbike rubber (we were running on Bridgestone BT-021s), there was good feedback from the front end and confidence at significant lean angles. In short, the FZ8 is a blast through the canyons.
The nimbleness of the FZ8 is coupled with outstanding straight-line stability. The bike tracks where it is pointed without any argument, encouraging a very light touch on the bars. On occasion, the rear shock seemed to rebound a bit quickly while pushing the pace through bumpy pavement, but this did not slow us down.
The six-speed transmission shifted well, and reliably, and the R1/R6 derived brake calipers (earlier generation) offered strong, predictable braking that was very difficult to fault.
Overall, the FZ8 is a polished, refined package with a unique engine displacement that offers a much more usable powerband for street riding than supersport 600s. Even though it lacks the peak power of a full 1,000, and the FZ8 won't win many drag races, it might deliver you to the end of that twisty canyon road more quickly than the full supersports ridden by your friends. At the same time, it offers comfortable, upright ergonomics and, in our opinion, attractive styling.
The only color available in the United States is black (Yamaha calls it "Raven"). The MSRP is a reasonable $8,490 (roughly $2,000 cheaper than the 1,000cc competition, and $1,500 cheaper than BMW's less powerful F 800R). For additional details and specifications, visit Yamaha's web site.
Motorcycle Daily attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.


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A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
The founder of the modern idea that the destructiveness of war could be limited by law, Hugo Grotius, wrote his great work during the Thirty Years War. It was taken up again during the Enlightenment by theorists like Vattel and reached its pinnacle in the 20th century with the Hague and Geneva Conventions.


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The majority of CPUs from Intel inside servers these days are Xeon processors, server-specific chips that are typically derived from the same basic architecture the company uses in its desktop and laptop CPUs. There's another chip that lurks in its shadow, though: Itanium, Intel's first crack at a 64-bit processor architecture, which eventually floundered when AMD produced a 64-bit instruction set that didn't break compatibility with then-prevalent 32-bit operating systems and applications.
Intel recently announced its new 9500-series Itanium processors, codenamed "Poulson," and detailed future plans for the architecture. According to ExtremeTech, future Itanium processors will share chipsets, motherboards, and even processor sockets with the more popular Xeon chips—an exact timeframe for this switch hasn't yet been given, but according to the nebulous graphic provided by Intel, the switch should happen some time after the launch of the x86 Haswell Xeons in 2014.
One side effect of this move is obviously reduced costs: OEMs and retailers will no longer need to offer niche Itanium-only motherboards and servers; they can instead sell standard Xeon servers with an Itanium chip inside. It also gives both the OEMs and IT shops an easier out in the event that they want to abandon IA64 for the more popular x86 instruction set—OEMs can simply stop offering Itanium chip options, and IT shops can theoretically just perform straightforward processor upgrades without having to change any of the other hardware involved.
Though Intel apparently remains committed to the Itanium architecture, demand for the chips is slowly beginning to dry up: Microsoft announced a while ago that Windows Server 2008 R2 would be the last of its products to support Itanium, and HP had to sue Oracle to get the latter company to continue porting its software to the architecture. Itanium doesn't appear to have much of a future in the long term, but in the near-to-medium term these changes should at least make it less inconvenient to continue offering Itanium servers.


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If you're trying to conceive, you might be doing a number of things to track your fertility, like counting the days of your menstrual cycle and taking your basal body temperature. And now there's one more detail that might help you know when you're most fertile: The number of sex fantasies you're having. According to LiveScience, a new study from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada women may have more sex fantasies when they're ovulating.
Researchers got 27 heterosexual women (most of them were college-aged) to keep track of their daily sexual fantasies in an online diary for a month. The women weren't on birth control and took drugstore ovulation tests during each of the 10 days they would most likely ovulate. The average number of sexual fantasies for each woman was 0.77 a day, but around the time the women ovulated, those fantasies increased an average of 1.3 a day.
Very convenient, since if it's the right time of the month for babymaking, you're going to want to have an increased sex drive.
Do your sexual fantasies increase when you're ovulating? What do you think of this study?


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Ethan A. Huff
Natural News
November 30, 2012
Health freedom is under attack in Ohio, where a major Cincinnati-based healthcare conglomerate is forcing all of its 10,800 employees to take a "free" flu shot or else face termination. According to WLWT News 5 in Cincinnati, the 150 objectors who have thus far refused the shot have until December 3 to either comply with the company's demands, provide a valid reason why they cannot take the vaccine, or else get fired.
The non-profit group TriHealth reportedly sent out letters to all of its employees several months ago notifying them that vaccination for the flu was mandatory this year, and that all healthcare workers would have to get jabbed by November 16 in order to be in compliance with company policy. And on November 27, WLWT reported that 150 TriHealth employees had refused the shot, and that they were being immediately terminated from their positions.
After the scheme gained national attention, TriHealth changed the deadline to December 3, and added stipulations that employees refusing the shot were permitted to opt out for religious or health reasons, so long as they signed special forms and submitted them before the cut-off date. But as a punishment, these defectors will still have to wear face masks at all times while on the clock, even though such masks are meant to protect the wearer from flu transmission, not patients.
This authoritarian type of flu shot coercion is becoming increasingly common throughout the Western world, especially in healthcare settings where workers are being pressured to take the shot to protect patients. But missing from all this flu shot hysteria is any discussion of the potentially deadly side effects associated with taking flu shots, not to mention the fact that flu shots are scientifically useless according to the science.
"The flu shot is not a guarantee that you're not going to get [the flu], and if you don't take the flu shot, it doesn't mean that you are going to get [the flu]," explained Judge Andrew P. Napolitano during a recent Varney & Co. segment about the issue. Because of this, he added, workers who are threatened with termination, or who are actually terminated, may have grounds to actually sue TriHealth for wrongful termination.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!


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With fewer than ten days left in February and a firm denial by Apple that the Apple TV will be delayed until March, you would think there would be some evidence that the Apple TV is ready for sale. While those awaiting e-mail confirmations of shipped products will have to wait a little longer, there is some suggestion that release is imminent.
Via Mac Rumors, it's been reported that Logan, the company responsible for the Apple TV ad on Apple.com, has put up a few stills from the ad on their web site. Comparing the movie and the stills, the differences seem minor, but the fact that the ad has become a form of advertisement itself is interesting prior to the release of the product. More substantial, AppleInsider reports that visitors to Apple Stores have seen Sony Bravia displays, the same models used with the Apple TV at Macworld Expo. Finally, ifoAppleStore expounds upon the plans for displaying the Apple TV.
Now planograms have been prepared for the stores indicating that three computers will be removed on a right-side wall display counter to make space for the 32-inch LCD televisions and Apple TV. At most stores the space will be to the front of the right-side Genius Bar.
Separately, these facts and rumors may not mean much. However, when taken together it leads me to believe that we will finally get to fiddle with the mysterious Settings Menu that nearly got me booted from Macworld Expo.


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Spring to Summer Makeup: Pretty in Purple
Spring to Summer Makeup: Pretty in Purple
I ended up layering two eyeshadows in this look, because I felt like Da Bling was really just too pink/dark for the look — I put Digit on top of it to lighten it, and I liked it, but I think you could omit Da Bling and just use Digit instead. I also had to physically restrain myself from applying a bright fuchsia lipgloss on top of the lip combination, because that's what I always do. I'm not sold on the lip combo with this look, but I do like it alone at least.
P.S. — NARS Eyeshadow Base review coming tomorrow… I swear!
You will need the following…
- Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), MAC Da Bling Eyeshadow (pink), MAC Digit Eyeshadow (pale purple), MAC Stars 'n Rockets Eyeshadow (fuchsia-purple), Urban Decay Psychedelic Sister Eyeshadow (purple), Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Liner (purple), MAC Pro Lash Mascara (coal black)
- Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
- Cheeks: Illamasqua Nymph Blush (pink)
- Lips: MAC Funbathing Lipstick (berry), MAC Splashing Lipglass (soft pink)
- Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
- Substitutes: Funbathing = O; Splashing = Cultured
For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Da Bling eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease, then overlay with Digit eyeshadow. Lightly blend Stars 'n Rockets eyeshadow on the middle of the lid with the 239. Next, apply Psychedelic Sister eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending onto the outer lid. Blend Digit eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Ransom eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Pro Lash mascara.
For cheeks, apply Nymph blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.
For lips, apply Funbathing lipstick first, and then layer Splashing lipglass for a complementing lip.


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EXCLUSIVE: Film [pictured], also featuring Elodie Bouchez and Jon Heder, is currently shooting in Los Angeles.
Popular French comedian Alain Chabat is in Los Angeles for the shoot of Quentin Dupieux's latest production Réalité in which he plays a horror film director desperately searching for the perfect scream.
Chabat joins an ensemble cast also featuring French Elodie Bouchez and Jonathan Lambert as well as American Jon Heder and Eric Wareheim plus surprise guest appearances and cameos by the likes of Roxane Mesquida and John Glover.
'It's the tale of a lost director, played by Alain Chabat, who has 48 hours to find the perfect scream for his horror movie in order to get it produced," said Gregory Bernard of Paris-based Realitism Films, who also produced Dupieux's Rubber and Wrong.
The mainly French-picture, with some English dialogue, is at the tail end of a six-week shoot in and around Los Angeles, in various locations including Hollywood, Malibu, Simi Valley, Santa Clarita, Santa Monica and Burbank.
For full production credits visit
Dupieux wrote the first draft of Réalité before embarking on his 2010 debut feature Rubber and always had Chabat in mind for the lead role, revealed Bernard.
"We knew Alain loved the project since the start but he has been extremely busy the last two years so it was difficult to find six weeks of availability… but it was such an absolute dream for us to work with him that we decided to wait as long as needed, shooting three films before we got a yes. Alain Chabat is like a godfather to us: the freedom he brought to the industry in France is a model I would like to follow," said Bernard.
It has been a busy year for Chabat: aside from finishing and launching the French box office hit comedy Houba! On the Trail of the Marsupilami, the actor also found time to hit the set of Michel Gondry's upcoming Blue Indigo and Anthony Marciano intergenerational comedy Brats.
Realitism Films is handling international sales on Réalité directly. Film finance veteran Christine Ponelle, who recently joined Realitism as CFO, is at the AFM to drum up additional finance for Réalité and find a buyer for North American rights. Bernard is also in attendance.
Réalité was to have been Dupieux's first film set on French soil but after delays in securing finance back home, Dupieux and Bernard decided to lower the budget, originally set at $3.9m, and return to the US, where they have already shot three features in the last two years.
"We have a great team here that we've been working with for a while and the eco-system is kind of working for us," says Bernard. "We've secured the budget for the shoot with huge efforts from Quentin, the cast and the production, and as well as strong support from the CNC (National Cinema Centre) and SOFICA tax incentive funds Banque Postale Image and Manon and now we're organising the finance for post-production."
Dupieux's last film Wrong is screening at the AFI Fest on Friday (Nov 2) and Monday (Nov 5) after premiering in competition at Sundance and in France at the Deauville American film festival. Drafthouse Films will release the picture in the US in early 2013.
As well as Réalité, Dupieux is also completing his episodic feature Wrong Cops, starring Mark Burnham as a dodgy, music-mad cop alongside different guest actors such as Marilyn Manson. Ponelle is also handling sales on that title too.


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Solutions for pressure, temperature, force and level measurement, flow measurement, calibration and SF6 gas solutions from WIKA are an integral component of our customers' business processes.
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With integrated working pressure indication (DELTA-comb), with component testing
Monitoring and control of filters, compressors and pumps in:
The differential pressure gauges of the DELTA-line product family are primarily used for the monitoring and control of low differential pressures where there are high requirements in terms of one-sided overpressure and static pressure.Typical markets for these products are the shipbuilding industry, process heating technology, the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning industries, the water/wastewater industry, and machine building and plant construction. For these, the main function of the measuring instruments is the monitoring of filters, compressors and pumps. These instruments are primarily used as flow monitors in heat transfer oil plants.
Wherever a differential pressure must be displayed locally and, at the same time, electrical circuits need to be switched safely dependent on a defined differential pressure, the DELTA-comb finds its use.
As the pressure passes above or below a defined set point, the switching operation is triggered. The switch point is accessible from the front and can be set in the range of 10 ... 100 % of the full scale value via an assistant scale. Due to the mechanical indication, the differential pressure can be read securely, even if the voltage supply is lost.
The robust aluminium case and shatterproof window enable a long service life of the product, even under harsh ambient conditions. As a result of the low measuring range of 0 … 250 mbar, the instrument can also be used for applications with low differential pressures.
A special feature of the DELTA-comb with component testing lies in the large variety of approvals and certifications. These assure the suitability for use in each application.
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Guest Blog by: Bryan Jones, author of the Assets eLearning Blog and President of eLearningArt.com, a stock photo site for the eLearning industry.
How most people use characters
One thing I notice when hosting workshops is that the first time users try to insert character images, the end product looks about the same for all users: they use the character as an avatar and the full character (head to toe) is in the viewable area.
It's not that this is a bad way to use a character; it's just that it's only one way to use characters. And that doesn't leverage a lot of the power that characters provide. I've been building character-based eLearning courses for over a decade and I've tried to summarize what I've learned in this post. Hopefully this will inspire you to use characters to help your courses come to life.
Think beyond avatars; 7 ways to use characters
In general, I use characters in the following 7 ways
- Avatar: Guides the learner through a course
- Presenter: Presents information to the learner
- Conversation: Two or more characters talk with the lessons embedded in the dialog
- Scenario: Character interaction sets up a scenario, learner is presented with options, and learner receives custom feedback based on choice
- Story Telling: Characters play a central role that the learner can learn a lesson from
- Splash Screen: First intro screen to a course
- 1st Person: Learner sees the screen through the eyes of a character
What makes for a "good" character image?
Before we get started, it's helpful to know what you need out of your characters. You will want:
- Characters with the backgrounds removed so that you can put the characters on any background and mix and match to create your own scenes
- Many poses per character to be able to tell a visual story and for many options
- Multiple angles, not just facing forward, so you can have the characters interacting with more things than just the learner
Characters are available in CP6
For those of you with CP6, you have some characters embedded in the software. You can check them out under "Insert > Character."
Some free character images for you
If you don't have CP6 and need some files to experiment with, you can download free sample images here.
More to come
Over the next several weeks, I'll provide detailed lessons on the best practices for each of the character techniques listed above. In the next lesson, we'll teach you how to use avatars to guide your learners through a course.
Also, please join me in my session at the Adobe Learning Summit 2012 on October 29. I look forward to seeing you in Vegas!
Thanks Margaret. Watch this video to see step by step instructions to add additional characters to the library of characters:
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- The Earthfury
- 2427 Armor
+127 Stamina
+148 Intellect
+112 Spirit
+34 Fire Reistance
+24 Shadow Resistance
- Equip: Increases spell power by 78.
Equip: Restores 20 mana per 5 sec.
Equip: Increases your critical strike rating by 28.
- The Earthfury (8 pieces)
- [Earthfury Belt]
[Earthfury Boots]
[Earthfury Bracers]
[Earthfury Epaulets]
[Earthfury Gauntlets]
[Earthfury Helmet]
[Earthfury Legguards]
[Earthfury Vestments]
- (3) Set: The radius of your totems that affect friendly targets is increased to 30 yd.
(5) Set: After casting your Healing Wave or Lesser Healing Wave spell, gives you a 25% chance to gain Mana equal to 35% of the base cost of the spell.
(8) Set: Your Healing Wave will now jump to additional nearby targets. Each jump reduces the effectiveness of the heal by 80%, and the spell will jump to up to two additional targets.
- Combined stats.
The Earthfury is the Tier 1 set for Shamans.
All Tier 1 set items drop in Molten Core.
The set bonuses are geared towards helping the resto-spec shaman rather than an elemental/enhancement shaman.
See also: Set look alikes
Patch changes
- Patch 1.7.0 (13-Sep-2005):
- The Earthfury set bonus that increases the range of totems now works with the Mana Tide Totem.
- Totems affected by the Earthfury set bonus no longer have their effect flicker when players are outside their normal radius.
- Patch 1.6.0 (12-Jul-2005): Now has updated art.
- Patch 1.5.0 (2005-06-07): Statistics, effects, and set bonuses updated.
External links
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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|Posted: October 1, 2007
Mentor Graphics Announces TestKompress Xpress Technology to Address Manufacturing Test Requirements (...)
|(Nanowerk News) Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT) today announced new technology in its TestKompress® automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) product to address the industrys increasing demand for scan test compression. By providing compression levels exceeding 100X, Mentors new Xpress technology allows integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers to meet their most challenging quality objectives for advanced process nodes at 65 nanometers (nm) and beyond without driving up the cost of testing.
|Achieving high test quality for devices built on advanced processes implies an explosive growth in test pattern size, asserts Osamu Tada, department manager of System Level Design and Verification Technology Dept., Renesas Technology Corp., We see the high level of compression provided by TestKompress Xpress as a critical advance to enable us to maintain high test coverage at a manageable test cost.
|The latest integrated circuit manufacturing process advances have significantly increased the number of gates on an IC, and test pattern sizes continue to grow as a result. In addition, shrinking geometries introduce new defect mechanisms. To maintain the quality of product shipped, manufacturers need to apply an ever-expanding set of scan tests, such as at-speed and small delay tests, to identify subtle defects and keep DPM (defects per million) levels down. Adding new types of tests expands the test pattern size many times over, and this trend is expected to accelerate at each process node. Consequently, test pattern compression has become an important requirement for high quality manufacturing test. In fact, the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) predicts that by 2008 the industry will need 200X test data volume compression, with the requirement growing exponentially over the next five years. Mentors TestKompress product, which debuted in 2001 as the first commercial ATPG tool to offer on-chip test compression, is on a technology path to meet these future compression targets with innovations like the new Xpress pattern compaction technology.
|The latest version of the TestKompress product increases the achievable level of compression by providing a more efficient way to handle so-called X-states. Xs are unknown states that can arise during manufacturing tests. Xs can result in a loss of test coverage if not handled properly and tend to increase the test pattern size required to test a device thoroughly. The patented Xpress compactor innovation provides a more efficient way to deal with Xs by combining sophisticated embedded test data selection circuitry with an advanced software control algorithm. Because Xpress technology masks the effects of Xs more efficiently, test patterns can be smaller and more highly compressed. More compressed test patterns result in shorter test times, higher production test throughput, lower manufacturing costs, and can extend the life of existing test equipment. Using Xpress technology requires no change to the functional design and is completely transparent to the TestKompress user, so there is no additional learning curve.
|The industry demand for compression has not slowed down since we first introduced compression to the market in 2001. In fact, based on our customers rapid adoption of ever increasing levels of embedded compression, we believe that the ITRS compression roadmap paints an accurate picture of the industrys need, said Robert Hum, vice president and general manager of the Design Verification and Test Division, Mentor Graphics. Mentor is committed to advancing compression technology in order to address not only the current needs, but also the future requirements of deep submicron IC testing.
|TestKompress Xpress is available for beta evaluation and will be in production in the fourth quarter release of TestKompress, scheduled to ship in November 2007.
|About Mentor Graphics
|Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq:MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the worlds most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of over $825 million and employs approximately 4,300 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.
|(Mentor Graphics and TestKompress are registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.)
|Source: Mentor Graphics Corporation
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Mount Ararat Travel Guide
Few mountains west of the Himalayas have as compelling a hold on Western imagination as Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı in Turkish). Traditionally, Armenian monks considered this volcanic mountain holy, and nobody was allowed to climb it; it was not until 1829 that Dr Johann Jacob Parrot, a German academic, conquered the peak. Numerous other ascents have followed, though it was forbidden by Turkish officialdom until the 1950s.
Despite the efforts of American astronaut James Irwin and others, no reliable trace of Noah's Ark has been found. Locals, however, insist that the oval mound of earth spotted by a Turkish air-force pilot on a routine flight is the "Ark", which now boasts a visitor centre and is included in tours of the area. Genesis 8:4 reports the Ark as coming to rest on the "mountains of Ararat", but this is prone to misinterpretation, as Ararat was the Assyrian rendition of Urartu, the ancient kingdom centred on Lake Van, meaning the Ark could have come to rest anywhere within the bounds of the kingdom. According to the Koran, the Ark was deposited on Mount Cudi, hundreds of kilometres away near Cizre.
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Guide for navigating and using this zootopia
Kite posted a topic in General ForumI work in the library and information science field. I find the zootopia page is not user-friendly and is not easy to navigate. I posted my comments earlier this evening and I cannot easily see them or find them. I understand that you are overwhelmed with the #U2eitour ticket sale fiasco and that is another reason this site needs to be reconfigured, as it is difficult to follow the threads of all those who have posted about this issue. Hoping once things have settled down with the sale of tickets for the #u2eitour then you can perhaps create a user guide for navigating your Zootopia site. Just a suggestion.


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Colorectal Surgery – Professional Education
Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center are committed to establishing and maintaining high-quality Graduate Medical Education training programs.
Contact us
To learn more about educational programs in Colorectal Surgery, call
Our institution provides the diverse patient population, dedicated faculty, excellent clinical and basic science departments, and nationally recognized research programs required to create an environment optimal for learning and for the development of future leaders in the art and science of medicine.
Learn more about the Colorectal Surgery Fellowship program listed below.
Residencies and Fellowships
Find more information about all of our residency and fellowship programs.
Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency
The Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is a one-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one resident per year.
Surgery Clerkships
The Department of Surgery offers both third-year clerkships as well as fourth-year electives and acting internships. Elective information can be found at the bottom of this page.


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Travel India Photo Gallery brings to you pictures and travel photos from all across
India: view road trip photos, vacation pictures and holiday photos, and share your
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NEW YORK (AP) -- Call her Mrs. Beatz. Alicia Keys has married producer Swizz Beatz (Swiss Beats), with whom she is expecting her first child.
A representative for Keys on Sunday confirmed the wedding.
The Skanner News Video - Alicia weds
The Grammy winner and Beatz -- whose real name is Kaseem (KAH-seem) Dean -- announced in May that they were engaged. They were wed Saturday at a private ceremony. Deepak Chopra conducted the ceremony.
It is the 29-year-old singer's first marriage. Thirty-one-year-old Beatz has been married before and has two sons. Their baby is due later this year.


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The roads in Italy may have just gotten a little safer.
Following a recent car accident during the filming of the fourth season of "Jersey Shore" in Florence, Italy that injured two Italian police officers, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi has had her international driver's license revoked.
Officials say this is routine for any accident that results in injuries. Snooki must wait a minimum of 15 days before she can attempt to get her license back.
U.S. & World
The two police officers suffered only minor injuries and were not hospitalized. The official report also indicates that alcohol was not a factor in the crash. However, there remains a chance that the officers could file a civil charges against Polizzi and MTV.
After a great deal of resistance from local government and citizens that almost shut down MTV's plans for the fourth "Jersey Shore" season, filming commenced earlier this month.
Selected Reading: Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, US Weekly


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These courses are intended as guidelines. Speak to your guidance counsellor to see what courses are offered at your school.
Required courses: Chemistry 11 (67% minimum), Foundations of Mathematics 11 or Pre-Calculus 11 (67% minimum), Biology 12 (73% minimum within 5 years prior to the semester of admission to the NCBNP)
* The entrance grade may change from year to year. Please contact the school for further information.* We make every attempt to provide accurate information on prerequisites, programs, and tuition. However, this information is subject to change without notice and we highly recommend that you contact the school to confirm important information before applying.


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Free Classified Submission
These are the guidelines for the free classifieds program. If your ad does not fit these guidelines, you will need to place a regular paid-for classified ad. Regular classified ads cannot be submitted online at this time. Please call our office 641-456-2585.
1. The ad must be a private party for sale item only. That means the ad cannot promote a local business (brick and mortar, online, or home-based business) or its items for sale. Garage sales, thank yous, help wanted notices, fund raisers, etc., are not eligible under the program.
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I have some problems proving that a Differential Matrix Equation has a solution. I apologize if the question is too elementary, but I've found this theorem stated everywhere on the web without any reference or clue about how to prove it.
What I exactly mean with a Differential Matrix Equation is: $X'=AX+B$. Where $A$ is a matrix of size $n\times n$ and $B$ is a column vector. Both $A$ and $B$ have coefficients which are holomorfic functions in a convex open set $\Omega$ and continuous on the closure $\bar\Omega$. We also have an initial condition $X(z_0)=U_0$, where $U_0$ is a column vector of complex coefficients.
So far I know how to prove it when $A$ has constant coefficients. However the proof cannot be applied as it uses the trick of $(e^{Az})'=Ae^{Az}$ to find an explicit solution and in general $(e^A)'\neq Ae^A$ if $A$ is nonconstant.
I've also read about Magnus Series, but I don't fully understand them. Also I'm only interested in the existence, so I'd prefer an easier way to prove that there are solutions.


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How to Wear the No Makeup Makeup Look for Darker Skin Tones
A No-Makeup Makeup Look For Women With Darker Skin Tones
When it comes to achieving a natural makeup look on deeper skin tones, avoid reaching for something too neutral. While it might seem counter-intuitive, experiment with shades rich in colour to find something that enhances, all while blending seamlessly into the skin. Think of your colour palette like your favuorite Valentine's Day treats: grab up some roses and chocolates to achieve your most natural look.
- Because deeper skin is often prone to hyper-pigmentation, start by blending any lighter spots. For yellowish undertones, correct your light spots with a concealer, set with a powder, and then blend on a foundation that matches your skin tone. Red undertones can skip the correcting and just apply foundation, paying special attention to problem areas.
- Dust on a copper, amber, or tawny bronzer if desired, followed by a rose-coloured blush along your cheekbone for a natural flush.
- For eye makeup, soft, chocolate-toned shadows are the perfect way to define. Enhance your lashes by dotting in between them with a felt-tipped liner, and apply a swipe of mascara on the roots to create fullness.
- Accentuate your lips by applying a gloss or lipstick one to two shades darker than your lip tone. Or, keep your lips bare, adding a dab of clear gloss on the middle of your bottom lip for a pop of brightness.
Image Source: Getty


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FORT WORTH (AP) – A 29-year-old North Texas man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty in the 2010 beating of his girlfriend's young daughter.
Tarrant County prosecutors say Adam Palmer of Mansfield was sentenced Wednesday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and causing serious bodily injury to a child.
Palmer's plea deal comes five months after a jury sentenced his girlfriend, Ryka Hopper, to 40 years in prison for failing to seek medical attention for then-2-year-old Ahnnakha White.
According to testimony at Hopper's trial, Palmer shot the girl in the foot with a BB gun and removed the BB with a knife. Palmer also was accused of violently shaking the girl about two weeks before she went into a coma. She remains in a vegetative state.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The criminal case against Jeremy Johnson took a twist Friday, when a federal judge named Utah's most prominent defense attorney as his new lawyer and then warned the indicted St. George businessman to stop talking about his case to news reporters and on the Internet.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Warner appointed Ron Yengich to represent Johnson on a felony mail-fraud count and told the defendant he could not change court-appointed attorneys again.
Yengich has defended 1980s master forger and bomber Mark Hofmann; won a 1993 acquittal of Sam Kastanis, who was accused or murdering his wife and children; and, more recently, was on the defense team for Tim DeChristopher, the eco-activist sent to prison for monkey-wrenching a federal oil and gas lease auction.
Warner declined to rule on a motion by federal prosecutors to gag Johnson and halt his media campaign, which alleges government misconduct in this criminal case and a civil lawsuit.
Instead, the judge said that, because the government motion to muzzle Johnson's public commentary raises significant constitutional issues, both sides would be given the opportunity to file memorandums in the matter.
Oral arguments were scheduled for March 12.
Still, Warner warned Johnson and Yengich that court rules limit statements about the case outside the courtroom. Warner also told Johnson he was to have no contact with anyone who might be a witness in the criminal case or might be involved in the lawsuit he faces from the Federal Trade Commission.
Violations could land Johnson back in jail until a trial, Warner said. "I'm not a judge to be trifled with on this matter."
After Warner indicated he would not rule yet on the gag motion, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlie Christensen asked him to impose a temporary order on Johnson because he had been recently giving more interviews to reporters.
"Mr. Johnson has been involved with a reckless campaign," Christensen said. "That campaign has intensified in the last couple of days."
At the start of Friday's hearing, Warner granted Nathan Crane's request to withdraw as Johnson's legal counsel. In his motion, Crane said he had serious differences with Johnson that meant he could not continue to represent him. He declined to elaborate.
Warner said he had met privately with Crane on Friday morning to talk about why the defense attorney wanted off the case and was convinced that it was the right decision.
Crane and Johnson have had a strained relationship over the defendant's media push, which included allegations of threats by the chief prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Ward.
Johnson has said he acted against Crane's wishes because the media offensive was necessary to defend family members, whom he claims Ward threatened to indict if Johnson did not plead guilty.
U.S. Attorney for Utah David Barlow has said no threats were made.
Johnson had been scheduled to plead guilty last month to two charges, but the deal blew up when he insisted on a public acknowledgment that prosecutor would not indict members of his family, friends or business associates, including new Utah Attorney General John Swallow.
Johnson has since accused Swallow of being part of a scheme to pay Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in hopes the powerful Nevada Democrat could thwart the 2010 FTC investigation into Johnson's I Works company.
Swallow and Reid have denied those allegations. Swallow says the money was for lobbying, not bribes.
Johnson's criminal indictment, like the FTC's civil suit,stems from the operation of his I Works.
The FTC case, still pending in federal court in Las Vegas, alleges the company did not properly disclose to customers that when they paid a minimal fee for a product such as a CD about getting government grants their credit and debit card would be billed monthly.
Twitter: @TomHarveySltrib


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We congratulate Kevin Ashman...
Here you will find archived news items that, while no longer current, are nevertheless interesting enough to preserve for later perusal and reference.
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We congratulate Kevin Ashman...
... who is confirmed as the 2016 World Quizzing Champion, regaining the title from last year's winner Olav Bjortomt. And its a fantastic 1,2,3 for England - Kevin Ashman, Olav Bjortomt, and Pat Gibson, with their England team mate Dr Ian Bayley in 7th place. Top ten places were also occupied by Grands Prix regulars Mark Grant #4 (Wales), Didier Bruyere #8 (France), and David Stainer #10 (England). This is Kevin's fifth World title, having last held in in 2009. Congratulations all: full results HERE.
Chris Jones
Director, Quizzing Ltd., BQA and iQa
Director, Quizzing Ltd., BQA and iQa
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Sunday, November 13, 2005
Die LMS die! You too PLE!
I've been thinking about the PLE (Personalised Learning Environment) project, and Scott Wilson's recent presentation Architecture of virtual spaces and the future of VLEs
The PLE project recognises the fundamental flaws in Virtual Learning Environments or Learning Management Systems (VLE, LMS), but falls short in its vision of an alternative. At this stage in the project it is suggesting that the PLE be a desktop application for a student (sounds a bit like my old Perfect LMS idea) or a singular portal online.
At risk of sounding like a broken record, I'll have to repeat my defining question about Internet enhanced learning, but this time in response to the PLE.
Question to the PLE: Why do we need a PLE when we already have the Internet? The Internet is my PLE, ePortfolio, VLE what ever. Thanks to blogger, bloglines, flickr, delicious, wikispaces, ourmedia, creative commons, and what ever comes next in this new Internet age, I have a strong online ID and very extensive and personalised learning environment. Actually I think the PLE idea is better envisioned by the futurist concept known as the Evolving Personalised Information Construct (EPIC). I think we already have EPIC, so why do we need the PLE?
To extend the statement: We insignificant little teachers and our out of date schools and classrooms don't need to be investing in media projects like VLEs, LMS and even PLEs. Our dam walls of knowledge have burst! and no amount of sand bagging will stop the flood that is clearly discrediting our authority over learning. Media, and with it communications, will evolve (as it certainly has in the last 50 years or more) well beyond the limitations of our classrooms, with investments and broadcast influence we can't even fathom. Why waste our precious money and time on projects that only serve to suspend our true position within that media scape. The PLE makes me think of ELGG, and it all makes me wonder why it is we educationalists still think we are even relevant anymore. The people (yes that includes us) are learning how to read and write for themselves, and in an amazing act of collective generosity, the people are teaching each other - why do they even need our classrooms... is it perhaps only credentialism that we offer? Or is it also sense of security and safety? Is it false?
Photo by Charybdis
What is it I am missing here that everyone else seems to be getting. Why do we need a PLE? Why are ePortfolios so popular? Why are LMS still not dead? Why are teachers so afraid?
Scott Wilson is more cautious than I am. His presentation attempts to bridge this gap between the supposed radical position I take and the reluctant position of institionalised edcuation. He suggests that it is fear that drives current educational decision making in regards to the Internet. He takes time to explain the division between open and closed systems, but tries to balance between the two camps. And in the end he promotes the PLE with a gentle preference for open systems.
So while I whole heartedly agree with the PLE and Scott's reasoning for rejecting the LMS/VLE, I can't say I'm with them on their alternative. In my view, the VLE, LMS and PLE are the same. A suggestion that the Internet, and informal networked learning are not enough. That people still need to come to school to learn. That people need to distinguish learning from life, that people need to download and install an application that will solve their learning needs.
Photo by StefZ
My thinking is that we need to build media literacy in our institutions, and not prevent it by building replicas. If it is fare to say that the open Internet has liberated information, and to a large extent knowledge, and that media is all pervasive, then we need people working within education who are media and network literate. Such people understand what is meant by liberated information and knowledge, and should be able to comprehend the new relationships between teaching and learning. I would rather see more projects invested in firstly recognising this literacy need (honestly and openly), and then addressing it out in the real world Internet, not with replicas, desktop classrooms, or virtualised portals.
Perhaps teachers are not the best people to be teaching anymore!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons (Attribution) license.
10 comments:
Hi Leigh,
Another great post to spark the debate. I've put together a little response over on my blog... care for a little informal, connected debate?
- Sunday, November 27, 2005
- Lanny Arvan said...
Well, that was an interesting and impassioned post. And in many respects I agree.
But let me ask this. Where you work, is there a door to the room? Have you ever had a conversation with somebody else in the room where you closed the door so that somebody else would be comfortable opening up? For me, stronger than your metaphor about the Internet and openess is the metaphor that people will be open when they are safe and comfortable.
So, in teaching, don't we need to create our safe hermetic environments, so the people within will be open? As far as I know, classrooms have doors on them.
- Saturday, January 21, 2006
- Leigh Blackall said...
Safe and comfortable from what? Wouldn't a person be better off if you showed them that there was nothing to be afraid of, or that the things to watch out for are here, here, and here... not everywhere.
So is it a teacher's job to "create" safe environments, or to help someone to be safe in environments?
Where I work, its against the law to close the door, or at least to be alone with a student.
- Sunday, January 22, 2006
- Lanny Arvan said...
Safe and comfortable from the scorn and derision of their peers (and perhaps the professor too).
When I got started with this stuff in 1995 - the issue was getting the students to open up and ask questions in class. A few would ask question but many would just sit on their hands and wait. I interviewed a lot of instructors and many of them reported that was the main teaching issue. I think it still is.
I don't think you can really teach the kids anything till they open up so I was just trying to get at what the stage setting activity would be for that to happen.
- Sunday, January 22, 2006
- Leigh Blackall said...
Fare enough Lanny. Isn't it interesting that those same quiet kids, may just as likely be the loud and outgoing kids when in the safety of their home.
So my thinking is, to bring what is "home" to them, in their digital worlds, into the "classroom" or topics and subjects we teach.
Better still, to get them to take those topics home, or into their online network. Let them have their myspace, blogger, xanga, sites (and their network of friends that comes with it) but try to find ways for them to take what they are learning into that arena. Including you, their teacher.
But then, it all comes down to the sort of relationship the teacher and student have. I can see there'd be plenty of cases where that's not going to happen. Something to do with the power dynamics between a teacher and student prevents it I think.
So much has to change before this could work. That's why I commented "
Perhaps teachers are not the best people to be teaching anymore!"
Thanks for taking me up on this Lanny, and sticking around.
- Sunday, January 22, 2006
- Lanny Arvan said...
It is interesting to me that we agree the issues are fundamentally behavioral and that a lot has to change before we can even approximate this open exchange between students and teacher as the norm.
I am less absolutist about the technology and see a different path (at least at my University and University's like it) for getting there, but since I think now I understand your motivation would be happy if your approach proves the right one.
- Sunday, January 22, 2006
- Leigh Blackall said...
Thanks Lanny, but it is sad to realise that we have landed so far from the norm, and that the norm is headed still further away.
I guess that's why I used such a strong title for this post, it certainly had the desired affect - in that a larger number of people have read it and linked to it at least.
- Monday, January 23, 2006
I'm not sure I agree that the LMS is going away - at least in the context that we (University of Pennsylvania med school) are using it. We need to have a HIPPA certified server so that if the state comes into audit us, we will pass. With the vast turnover & school-wide need for HIPPA training & assessment alone justifies our LMS.
- Friday, June 16, 2006
- Leigh Blackall said...
Sounds to me you are talking about a student management system. I bet you have one of those too? I'm not saying we should ditch record keeping devices like SMS, but to propose that we should conduct our learning (communications around content) in an LMS... well, see above.
- Friday, June 16, 2006
Our team at the Gilfus Education Group just released this white paper to provide critical insights to practitioners while clarifying "Social Learning" as a concept.
Social Learning Buzz Masks Deeper Dimensions Mitigating the confusion surrounding "Social Learning" (Download Here)
It is our hope that by leveraging socially based technologies the education industry can shape a new educational technology paradigm that realizes the promises of true "Social Learning".
By understanding its applications we can create a unique opportunity to improve student engagement, student retention, academic success and overall educational outcomes.
– Stephen Gilfus, Gilfus Education Group
- Saturday, August 15, 2009


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2015 Reading Challenge, some more short review blurbs for a few books
Time for another one of these catch-up posts to see where I am with the 2015 Reading Challenge. I'm making progress and I'm a bit behind page-wise, but on point in terms of number of books.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling
The story continues about The Boy Who Lived and things are getting darker. Already at the beginning when Harry defends himself and Dudders against dementors and the subsequent trial, things are looking grim and it doesn't exactly get better after Dolores Umbridge turns up at Hogwarts. So far she's been the character I've disliked the most. Goddamn sadist. It's impressive how Rowling makes you despise a character so deeply. It was exciting to see more of the wizarding world and more of the more experienced wizards and witches of the Order of the Phoenix
Finished it on May 31st
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A banned book
American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis
This book starts out as a criticism against consumerism with Patrick Bateman ringing off brand names left and right and talking about status. It's always important to eat at the right restaurant and to even have the right seats in the right restaurant. It's all surface and skin-deep. Then as the novel goes on more and more of Patrick's psychopathic tendencies shine through. At the end he's gone off the deep end and it's really interesting to see how Bret Easton Ellis writes it.
Finished it on June 13th
Grade: 4 out of 5
Category: A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling
Now we're talking. In this one, everything is even darker than the last one. Seeing a pattern here. Seriously though, things get really grim in this one. What I loved the most about it was the trips into the memories involving Voldemort and his family. It made me wish for more books in the Potterverse where we get the perspectives of other characters. I love Harry Potter and all his friends, but I wouldn't exactly hate it if there were more stories for other characters. Harry actually gets a bit tiresome in this book, what with all his nagging about Malfoy. In the end I think I like this book the most because we get to see the most of my favorite Harry Potter character, Dumbledore.
Finished it on June 29th
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book you own but have never read
Tape, by Steven Camden
The Swedish title of this book is "Mixtape" which is a bit more fitting. It's a split narrative. One of them is about Ryan, a kid in England whose father has moved in with a new woman and her son after Ryan's mother passed away. That takes place 20 years ago. The other storyline is about Ameliah, a girl who lives with her grandmother after her parents passed away. Her story is set today. She's a bit behind the times compared to her friends and she likes sitting in the room where her parents' stuff is in boxes. She finds mixtapes in the boxes and starts listening to them. On some of them there's a boy talking. On the other end, 20 years ago, Ryan is recording audio diaries… It's a bit slow in places, but it has good emotional payoffs spaced out throughout the story.
Finished it on June 30th
Grade: 4 out of 5
Category: A book set in high school
The Big Book About Moomin, by Tove Jansson
My initials are TJ, so it was either this book or Thomas Jefferson's autobiography. I started out reading Jefferson, and while it was interesting to read all that old English about how the US was started, it was pretty boring reading about all the meetings and who wrote which draft of whatever document. So I went and found this book at the library. It's kind of a best-of book, consisting of a mix of different types of stories. A few comics, a few prose, a few picture book, a few songs/poems. My childhood never had much of any Moomin in it. It was more H.C. Andersen, Donald Duck and Transformers. Having no nostalgic bond to the Moomin family meant that I went into this completely blank and I have to say that it was quite underwhelming. A big shrug.
Finished it on June 30th
Grade: 2 out of 5
Category: A book written by an author with your same initials
The Martian, by Andy Weir
Quite possibly the funniest book I've read all year long and not because the subject is funny. It's just the way the main character Mark Watney is written that makes it hilarious at times. It's also a bit depressing and very nerdy, but I still laughed out loud many times when I listened to this book. The narrator is R.C. Bray and he does a phenomenal job. He's puts in just the right amount of sarcasm in his voice. I saw the trailer for the movie The Martian a while ago and just had to get the book into my challenge, because I want to read the book before I watch the movie. It'll be interesting to see how the moviemakers adapt some parts of the book, but judging by the trailer it looks like they're on the right track. The book has a lot of technobabble, but I enjoyed that, so if you know you have a bit of a nerdy side, I really recommend this book for you.
Finished it on July 3rd
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book that was originally written in a different language
Wool, by Hugh Howey
I love the Fallout games and this is probably the closest I've ever come to reading Fallout from a vault perspective. It apparently started out as the first novella out of five being published by Hugh Howey on his own and then it got really popular, so Howey kept writing. Then the first five novellas were published in an omnibus edition and that's what I read. There's a continuation of the story and I will definitely be reading that when I'm done with this challenge. It's pretty dark and depressing, because Howey is good at letting you get to know the characters. Then when quite a bit of bad stuff happens to the various characters, you feel very bad for them. Not always, of course, but a lot of the time.
Finished it on July 18th
Grade: 4 out of 5
Category: A book with a one-word title
Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn
I got this book almost exactly a year ago and I've really wanted to read it ever since then. It's one of the books that I haven't even considered removing from the list at any time when I've wanted to switch up books in the list. I've stayed away from spoilers and I haven't watched the movie yet. This is one of the most interesting books I've ever read in terms of style and narrative. Gillian Flynn plays a lot with the two different narrators of the books and uses different style tools to her advantage. It had me at the edge of my seat the whole way through and I know that's a cliché, but it really is true about this book. There are plenty of twists and you change your opinion about the two main characters many times. An excellent book that you really should read.
Finished it on July 18th
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book that became a movie
That means that I have 29 books cleared. 23 to go. 9851 pages read, 9351 pages left. That means I'll need to read about 1700 pages per month after July. The big challenge is still paper books, but I'll make it. I have all of the good books I really want to read left. Looking forward to my remaining books.
2015 Reading Challenge, short review blurbs for a bunch of books
Alright, let's see here. Clearly I've fallen behind on writing reviews for the reading challenge. Hardly a surprise, right? That means it's time for a catch-up post.
The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
Science fiction romp where a soldier goes back and forth between Earth and fighting placements against some alien enemy. He's in stasis on every trip, so centuries pass between every visit to Earth, highlighting the way society changes for every visit. Overpopulation leads to legislated homosexuality, etc. It was okay, but boring here and there. The ending was shrugworthy. Might have been because the narrator of the audiobook was boring.
Finished it on February 13th
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A book set in the future
Sex Criminals, Volume 1: One Weird Trick, by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
This is a comic book where the two main characters discover, on their own, that they can freeze time by having an orgasm. Then they meet and make sweet love and get the idea to rob banks with the help of this strange ability. It's funny, it's thoughtful and the art is beautiful. At some point I'm going to read the parts that follow volume 1.
Finished it on February 15th
Grade: 4 out of 5
Category: A graphic novel
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by J.K. Rowling
The first Harry Potter book. Doesn't really need an introduction. I had stayed away from these books for some reason. I really loved this first one, the great adventure of it all. So much so that I found a way to add books number two and three to my list. I listened to it as an audiobook and it was narrated by Stephen Fry who did a fantastic job.
Finished it on March 1st
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book with magic
Five on Finniston Farm, by Enid Blyton
I used to read a whole bunch of Famous Five books when I was a kid. I found three at my local library and picked this one to read, but I don't think it would have mattered which one I read, because these follow a set intrigue. The four kids are almost disgustingly proper and friendly. Everyone is friendly and hearty, except for the obvious bad guys and they are obnoxious to the extreme. It has some friendly parts, some exciting parts, the dog barks a bit, there's a big setback and then they squeeze through a win in the end. Same thing in every book.
Finished it on March 3rd
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A book from your childhood
The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made, by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell
I love good bad movies. The Room is the best of the bunch. It's so bad that it defies belief, but somewhere it twists around so that it becomes entertainingly bad. It was made by the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau. Greg Sestero is the guy who plays the best friend in the movie. This book is part Greg's tale about how he got to know Tommy in acting class and part how the movie shoot went down. It's mindboggling. I challenge you to find a stranger guy than Tommy Wiseau. Watch the movie and then read the book. Or listen to it as an audiobook because Greg himself narrates it and his Tommy impression is spot on!
Finished it on March 9th
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A memoir
Food: A Love Story, by Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan is a stand-up comedian who talks a lot about food. This book has a lot of stuff he already talks about in his various comedy specials, but there's also new stuff and I listened to him narrating his own audiobook, which turned it up a notch. He knows exactly how to read his own act, when to pitch his voice a certain way and whatnot. Had some slow patches, but also some damn funny stuff. I especially liked the part where he goes through the geography of the US and what food specialties you can find in different parts of the country.
Finished it on March 11th
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A funny book
The Birthday Party, by Harold Pinter
At first I was a bit apprehensive about reading a play manuscript. It's just not the same thing as watching a play or reading a book. You have to do a lot of mental gymnastics to visualize what's happening between the lines, how long the pauses are, what the characters are doing physically, the way they're saying things, and so on. But I really liked The Birthday Party. It's entertaining and sinister and the characters all have their own thing going on.
Finished it on March 12th
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A play
Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman
This was a looooong book. If at least a third of it was edited out it would have been a lot better. It had a lot of slow, cumbersome parts that felt redundant. Which is a shame, because the parts that felt fresh were very good and enlightening. It's about how our brains work in different ways, how they take shortcuts and how we can sidestep the laziness of our brains. Listened to it as an audiobook.
Finished it on March 27th
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A book with antonyms in the title
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling
Second one of the Harry Potter books and so far it's the only one that hasn't been a slam dunk 5 out of 5 for me. It's still very good, but it felt like it took way too long for the main plot to get going. The Harry Potter books should have a bunch of things going on, sure, but the main plot still needs to be clear and it just wasn't in this one. It felt tacked on and that dragged the book down. Stephen Fry was fantastic as a narrator, just like for the first one.
Finished it on March 31st
Grade: 4 out of 5
Category: A book by a female author
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling
Now we're talking. This book really had me from the first moment on to the very end and I was crying a lot at the end of it. This was exciting from beginning to end. Not much more to say, really. Solid adventure with, again, excellent narration by Stephen Fry. I kind of lost it whenever Harry's family was the center of the story. It was after I read this book that I had to make room for the rest of the seven Harry Potter books in my challenge list plan.
Finished it on April 6th
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book that made you cry
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens
This was a wonderful read. A true classic. I've watched the Disney animated version before and I know how this one goes, but I've never really read the original until now. Dickens' language is short but very vivid. It hits all the right notes and paints a very clear picture. The book I read also had wonderful illustrations that enhanced the writing. I think everyone should read this, but perhaps not in April, because it felt pretty strange to be reading about Christmas in the middle of spring.
Finished it on April 12th
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A book set during Christmas
Red Rising, by Pierce Brown
This book was a real surprise. I listened to it as an audiobook and the narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds is Irish, which he uses to great effect. He switches between his Irish accent and a more posh British one depending on what character is talking. The Irish makes the lower-class people sound a lot more gritty to me. Red Rising is about Darrow, a mine worker (a Red) on the planet Mars who loses everything and becomes a sleeper aristocrat (a Gold) and the goal is for the Golds to have their power usurped and for all the other colors to be part of a new, interstellar democracy. It's raw, it's violent, it just screams bloody, sinister revenge on every page and it's damn satisfying. The only reason it's not 5 out of 5 is because the military academy parts read like it's ancient Rome and that just wasn't my cup of tea. But it's still a damn good book. After reading it I made room for the sequel Golden Son on my list.
Finished it on April 12th
Grade: 4 out of 5
Category: A book written by someone under 30
Samlade tankar för natten: 2010 – 2013, by Emil Jensen
Emil Jensen is a Swedish jack-of-all-trades artist and about a month ago I got concert tickets as a birthday gift from my girlfriend. They were for this guy called Emil Jensen. I'd listened to a few songs of his before, but didn't know too much about him. The show was fantastic and wasn't just music. He also does some spoken word and poetry and he's right up my alley with his political leanings. After the show I bought his book, but he was out, so I gave him money and wrote down how he should sign it for me and my girlfriend. A few weeks later I got it and read it. It's pretty short and consists of everyday thoughts about everyday life, although he puts a funny spin on most of it.
Finished it on May 3rd
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A book with a number in the title
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling
Again a slam dunk by J.K. Rowling. Stephen Fry is again excellent and the adventure turns pretty grim in the fourth book. I was getting really angry at Cornelius Fudge for being so fucking thick-headed about Voldemort's return. Goddamn idiot. One thing that became very apparent in this book, that is a lot longer than the first three books, is just how much gets cut from the movies. My girlfriend is a total Harry Potter nut, so we've gone through the movies a few times each and now that I'm actually reading the books, it's astounding to me how much is left out or changed. The movies are still good, but the books are just so much more rich. Shocker, right?
Finished it on May 3rd
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book with more than 500 pages
The Information Diet: A Case for Conscious Consumption, by Clay A. Johnson
This book has the same issue that Thinking, Fast and Slow does. It just goes on for too long about some things. The last third of the book could also be cut, because it's only about the American political landscape back in 2011. But before that, the book is very interesting. Or rather, the part that explains how our information processing works. The part that suggests an "information diet" for you doesn't really do anything for me. Obvious stuff. But it was a quick read and funny at times. The first proper ebook I finished for this challenge. The other was Sex Criminals, but since that was mostly artwork, it's not the same thing.
Finished it on May 4th
Grade: 3 out of 5
Category: A non-fiction book
Golden Son, by Pierce Brown
The sequel to Red Rising and this book takes it to another level. The boring Roman stuff is gone and now there's some proper sci-fi going on with space ships and whatnot. Arms get cut off, people die in George R.R. Martin-like fashion and Darrow is still an interesting protagonist. If there is something I could possibly complain about, it's that Darrow is just too perfect for most of the time, so much so that it almost gets boring. But the ending was a big kick in the pants and I can't wait for the third book in the trilogy that will be released next year. Again the narrator was excellent.
Finished it on May 10th
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book with a color in the title
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
A punch in the gut. That's the best way to describe this book. Holy hell, it's depressing. It's pure misery on pretty much every page and Cormac McCarthy's short and unique narrative style is so very fitting for this story. I've always loved post-apocalyptic stories and settings and I love the Fallout games and a bunch of movies, but this one took it to a new level. I've avoided the movie version of The Road because I wanted to read the book first and it's been a long time since I read a book that gave me such a vivid image. Close to a perfect novel.
Finished it on May 17th
Grade: 5 out of 5
Category: A book that scares you
How about some numbers? According to my spiffy spreadsheet for this challenge I've gone through roughly 6500 pages and I have about 10900 pages left to read this year. I'm on pace to clear 50% of the pages before June is out, so still on pace. I need to read about 33 pages per day the rest of the year but that doesn't include the audiobooks, but I will get through the rest of the audiobooks no problem. The average grade for my books so far is 3.67, but considering that I've gone through most of the books I wasn't exactly thrilled about reading early on, I expect that average to go up before this challenge is over. I started out at a very low pace in January and February and since then I've picked it up, but I still have another gear or two with the paper books. It's going to be very interesting to compare the final list with the one I wrote on this blog at the start. A lot of books have been switched out for different reasons.
2015 Reading Challenge, "Old Man's War" Review
Audiobooks have become quite the help for me in this challenge. I started listening to them with this book, because I figured I could get some "reading" done in the car to and from work and whenever I was walking somewhere. I used to listen to audiobooks all the time a few years ago, but then I got turned onto podcasts and just kind of forgot about the books. Now I'm at it again and it's made up for like half of my books at this point. I don't think I would be keeping up with the pace without them, to be honest.
Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
This was the first book this year that I was really excited to read. I've been looking at John Scalzi for a while, been following him on Twitter and whatnot. He's a cool, thoughtful, funny guy and it seemed like his books would be right up my alley. That was correct. Classic space action is something I've read dozens of books about already, mainly in the BattleTech universe. It felt good to go back to that genre. I put the book in the category called "A book by an author you've never read before" after going back and forth a few times.
The quick rundown of the story is that John Perry turns 75 and enlists in the Colonial Defense Forces. He gets a new and heavily improved body and has all sorts of adventures. It's written in first person and there are no slow parts in the narrative. The story is always moving forward, either with action or witty banter. Perry has good things and bad things happen to him and I think Scalzi does a good job conveying the wisdom of a man who's lived a full life already, while also discovering a new world outside of regular, old Earth. He covers the sci-fi, nerdy stuff like space travel in a way that's easy enough to understand, making Perry not have "enough math" to understand the hardcore facets of it. And there's aliens in it, several different species too!
The main character is likeable and you sympathize with him through his ordeals. It's sad when it has to be, funny when it has to be and serious when it has to be. It strikes the right balance. The action parts of the books are descriptive and paints a good picture. I was never confused about what was happening. At the same time the emotional parts of the book are really spot on.
As I said, I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was spot on. That's really important for me. I actually removed another book from my originally planned list just because the audiobook version I had of it had a really bad narrator with an even worse audio quality.
This book has gotten a few sequels, with at least one more planned for release, and I'm definitely going to read them at some point in the future. I also got myself Scalzi's new book Lock-in recently just because this was such a good experience.
I rated this 5 out of 5 on Goodreads. Finished it on February 7th.
2015 Reading Challenge, "Söta pojkar är bara på låtsas" Review
For those of you who don't happen to know Swedish, the title translates into "Cute boys are only make-believe" and I guess that's a fitting title. This book was interesting in several ways for me personally, but that's mainly because of the reading challenge and the category this book is in. Other than that, it's fairly unremarkable.
Söta pojkar är bara på låtsas, by Moa Eriksson Sandberg
Now, let's get some basics done first off. This is a young adult novel and considering that I've read quite a few of those, it just doesn't stand up to its competition very well. Just like in Affektion, the protagonist girl just isn't very sympathetic. Again it's too much selfishness and whining for my taste. I know that's just how a lot of teenagers are, but it doesn't make for a good reading experience.
What made this an interesting read for me was two things. Firstly, I was reading this for the category "A book that takes place in your hometown" and it really fits the bill for that. The book is based on diary entries from the author's time in upper secondary school, which means that I recognize and visualize most of the locales in the novel when I read it. There's parties going on at pubs and nightclubs I've set my foot in. Here's the second interesting thing, or should I say VERY interesting thing: The author went to school in the same class as my best friend back then. I actually brought out my old school yearbook from that time and found her. I didn't hang out with his classmates all that much, but I know that I've met her at some point. That made things VERY interesting and transformed the book into a real pageturner. Sadly, I couldn't find any dirt on my friend.
It's a basic girl-coming-of-age story with various teenage drama bits sprinkled in here and there. She meets a handful of guys and there's drunken escapades, regretful sexcapades and plenty of "oh my god, is HE at this party???" moments. It doesn't focus a lot of friendships. They come in here and there, but the main focus is the protagonist and her crushes. Most of it was forgettable, because if it weren't for the fact that I've met the writer and the book is set in my hometown, the book is mostly a massive shrug.
I had another fairly strange experience after I finished this book. I had to check out what else Moa Eriksson Sandberg had written and found a couple of novels and a few erotica short stories. I had to read those, because the sex in this book was pretty tame and I wanted to see where she can go if she goes all out. Well, they were a couple of weird experiences as well (mythical semi-human creatures, etc), but mostly forgettable.
I rated this 2 out of 5 on Goodreads. Finished it on January 25th.
2015 Reading Challenge, "9-11" Review
Sometimes I go to the library and just browse aimlessly. I do this even though I already have MANY unread books at home, books that I really want to read. I'm just curious, I guess, and I figure that I will still have my own books after I'm done with the library ones. I don't always read all of them either. I bring them home to taste them.
9-11, by Noam Chomsky
This was one of those books that I didn't really plan on borrowing, but it caught my eye and then I just buzzed right through it, making it fit into the "A book you can finish in a day" category.
It's a collection of transcribed interviews with Noam Chomsky over the weeks immediately after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, Pentagon and the plane that crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Chomsky tries to talk about the attack, what led up to it, how and if it could have been prevented, but mostly why it happened. I've read other books by him and I've seen plenty of him talking and I know that he's a, from a US point of view, VERY leftist guy. He's quite open about his criticism of the US government and how it conducts its business around the world. To be fair, I agree with most of his viewpoints, but I also understand how he ruffles a lot of feathers in his homeland.
But yeah, his core argument is that as long as the US is all over the world, putting their hands all over everything, meddling in everyone's affairs, then there will be backlash and that backlash will come in a form that they can't really control. He makes this argument over and over in the book, because it consists of plenty of different interviews where he says a lot of the same things. I think it would come across more effectively and better articulated if it were an actual, written book, instead of just a transcript.
Basically this comes down to whether or not you're a fan of Chomsky. If you're a conservative, you're not going to be reached by this book. He's a bit heavy-handed, but that's a style I appreciate. So it's kind of preaching to the choir, at least in hindsight. That hindsight is also pretty interesting. He hits on a lot of points that were later on discovered to be correct, so Chomsky's world view has a lot of merit.
I rated this 3 out of 5 on Goodreads. Finished it on January 18, 2015.


text:
September 8, 1992
Release # 92-136
PRODUCT: The Dollywood Company "Plastic Rattle and Flute" toy model number 42979. The toy was sold at retail stores in The Dollywood Company amusement complex at Pigeon Forge, TN.
PROBLEM: The mouthpiece on the flute part of the toy and the black balls on the drum part of the toy may come off, presenting a potential choking hazard for young children.
WHAT TO DO: Consumers should immediately discontinue use and mail the toy back to The Dollywood Company for a full refund, including postage. The mailing address is: The Dollywood Company, 1040 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863. For more information, consumers may call The Dollywood Company at (615)428-9445.
WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), The Dollywood Company of Pigeon Forge, TN is voluntarily recalling 4,770 "Plastic Rattle and Flute" toys model number 42979. When CPSC tested the product, the mouthpiece of the flute and a black ball attached to the drum of the rattle/flute toy came off presenting a potential choking hazard for young children.
The product consists of a whistle at one end and a hand-drum at the other end. The complete toy measures 7-1/2 inches long. The whistle portion resembles a flute; a small puff of air at or near the mouthpiece of the flute causes a whistle sound. When the gray wand inserted through the clear plastic chamber of the flute is pulled up or pushed down, different sounds are made. The drum was sold in different colors with two black balls 1/2-inch in diameter each hanging on the end of a string secured to the side of the drum. When the rattle/flute toy is twisted back and forth or shaken, the balls hit the sides of the drum and make a noise. The word "Dollywood" is written on a white sticker in the middle of the drum; embossed on the drum are the letters "R.O.C."
The rattle/flute toy, imported by The Dollywood Company from China, was sold from April 1991 through June 1992 at retail stores in The Dollywood Company amusement complex in Pigeon Forge, TN. The rattle/flute toys sold for $2.49 each.
Consumers are urged to take the rattle/flute toys away from young children immediately and mail to: The Dollywood Company, 1040 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863. Consumers will receive a full refund, including reimbursement for postage. For more information about this recall, consumers may contact The Dollywood Company at (615) 428-9445.
This voluntary recall is being conducted to prevent the possibility of injury. Neither CPSC nor Dollywood is aware of any injuries involving this product. The potentially hazardous rattle/toy was identified at the Port of Knoxville, TN during a joint CPSC/U.S. Customs surveillance program.
CPSC is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
For lifesaving information:
- Visit CPSC.gov.
- Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.
- Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.
- Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).
- Contact a media specialist.
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800