text:
Spread That!: Further Essays from the Spreadable Media Project/
Spreadable Media: Creating Meaning and Value in a Networked Culture, my new book with Sam Ford and Joshua Green, is launching at the end of January. Each week, we are releasing new essays written by friends and affiliates of the Futures of Entertainment Consortium which expand upon core ideas in the book. You will see that these essays are an integral part of the book, even though they are being distributed digitally. We also see these essays as a means of sparking key conversations in anticipation of the book's release. So, in the spirit of this project, "if it doesn't spread, it's dead," so we are asking readers to help circulate these essays far and wide to as many different networks and communities as they seem relevant to the ongoing conversation.
Readers are already responding, including through the creation of "memes." Over the weekend, we received this "Slap Robin" announcement via Twitter from
Share with us your own creations and I will showcase this here as I am posting upcoming essays.
This week, we are releasing essays which are tied to the Introduction and first Chapter of the book. Before I do so, let me share some of the early responses to the book (i.e. the solicited blurbs):
"Something new is emerging from the collision of traditionIal entertainment media, Internet-empowered fan cultures, and the norms of sharing that are encouraged and amplified by social media. Spreadable Media is a compelling guide, both entertaining and rigorous, to the new norms, cultures, enterprises, and social phenomena that networked culture is making possible. Read it to understand what your kids are doing, where Hollywood is going, and how online social networks spread cultural productions as a new form of sociality."—Howard Rheingold, author of Net Smart
"By critically interrogating the ways in which media artifacts circulate, Spreadable Media challenges the popular notion that digital content magically goes 'viral.' This book brilliantly describes the dynamics that underpin people's engagement with social media in ways that are both theoretically rich and publicly meaningful."—danah boyd, Microsoft Research
"The best analysis to date of the radically new nature of digital social media as a communication channel. Its insights, based on a deep knowledge of the technology and culture embedded in the digital networks of communication, will reshape our understanding of cultural change for years to come."
—Manuel Castells, Wallis Annenberg Chair of Communication Technology and Society, University of Southern California
"Finally, a way of framing modern media creation and consumption that actually reflects reality and allows us to talk about it in a way that makes sense. It's a spreadable world and we are ALL part of it. Useful for anyone who makes media, analyzes it, consumes it, markets it or breathes."—Jane Espenson, writer-producer of Battlestar Galactica, Once Upon a Time, and Husbands
"It's about time a group of thinkers put the marketing evangelists of the day out to pasture with a thorough look at what makes content move from consumer to consumer, marketer to consumer and consumer to marketer. Instead of latching on to the notion that you can create viral content, Jenkins, Ford, and Green question the assumptions, test theories and call us all to task. Spreadable Media pushes our thinking. As a result, we'll become smarter marketers. Why wouldn't you read this book?"—Jason Falls, CEO of Social Media Explorer and co-author of No Bullshit Social Media
This week's selections include discussions of historical predecessors, Memes and 4Chan, the debates about free labor, co-creation in the games culture, and the power of consumer recommendations. Read the sample. Follow the links (....) back to the main site. Read. Enjoy. Spread. Repeat next week.
The History of Spreadable Media
Media have been evolving and spreading for as long as our species has been around to develop and transport them. If we understand media broadly enough to include the platforms and protocols—to use Lisa Gitelman's (2006) terms—that carry our stories, bear our messages, and give tangible expression to our feelings, they seem intrinsic to the human experience. Some people might even argue that the developments of vocal communication systems (language) and visualization strategies (paintings and carvings) represent defining moments in human evolution, demonstrations of man's social nature. Human mastery of media was every bit as important as the mastery of tools. Stories of the spread and appropriation of media run across our history, each shaped by the logics of social organization and production characteristic of any given era.
Early traces of the spread and reach of media abound, even if some historical forms of media fall outside our familiar categories. For example, our contemporary understanding of the reach and influence exercised by ancient empires owes much to discoveries of coins—a medium of abstract exchange if we follow Karl Marx's argument in Capital ([1867] 1999) and elsewhere but also a system of representation and meaning (from the value of the gold or silver to the inscribed monetary value, to the messages or portraits etched on its surface) with precise culturally defined borders. The coin, as a medium, spread with the state's citizens, enabling their interactions with one another and at the same time attesting to the state's reign. Ceramic dishes and tiles offer an example of a medium that was seized on for reasons of cultural exchange. The rich intermingling of styles and techniques characteristic of early-seventeenth-century Dutch, Chinese, and Ottoman ceramics speaks to the period's trade routes and export markets and the creative appropriations of these various cultural models by its artisans. But these ceramics were also platforms, complete with highly nuanced systems of signification, hierarchies of value, and attendant associations of taste. They were carried, traded, collected, and displayed by a surprisingly large cross-section of the northern European population. As the ceramics circulated within different social groups as the vogue for ceramics rose and fell and were handed down to our present as family heirloom or antique shop curio, the journeys they undertook, and the meanings accorded them as media, attest to the energies and interests of those who helped to spread them....
In Defense of Memes
Although I agree that the terms "viral" and "meme" often connote passive transmission by mindless consumers, I take issue with the claim that "meme" always precludes active engagement—or that the term has a universal, static meaning. As understood by trolls, memes are not passive and do not follow the model of biological infection. Instead, trolls see (though perhaps "experience" is more accurate) memes as microcosmic nests of evolving content. Contrary to the assumption that memes hop arbitrarily from self-contained monad to self-contained monad, memes as they operate within trolldom exist in synecdochical relationship to the culture in which they inhere. In other words, memes spread—that is, they are actively engaged and/or remixed into existence—because something about a given image or phrase or video or whatever lines up with an already-established set of linguistic and cultural norms. In recognizing this connection, a troll is able to assert his or her cultural literacy and to bolster the scaffolding on which trolling as a whole is based, framing every act of reception as an act of cultural production. Consider the following example.
Founded in the early nineties by rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, the Insane Clown Posse (ICP) is a Detroit-based hip-hop group infamous for its violent lyrics, rabid followers, and, as it was recently revealed, secret evangelical Christianity. ICP, which performs in full-face clown makeup, has always been a target for trolling humor. The 2010 release of the group's single "Miracles," however, opened the floodgates—in the video, Violent J and Shaggy earnestly extol the virtues of giraffes, rainbows, cats, and dogs, not to mention music ("you can't even hold it!") and the miracles of childbirth and the cosmos. The song itself, which is regarded as the group's evangelical "outing," is peppered with expletives and features the line "Fuckin' magnets—how do they work?" a question which inspired immediate and seemingly endless repurposing.
Within a few days of the video's release, dozens of remixed images and .gifs were posted to 4chan's infamous /b/ board, many of which merged with existing memetic content. A well-known image of a cross-eyed, bespectacled man captioned with the phrase "are you a wizard," for example, inspired a series of related macros, including one featuring a close-up shot of Violent J in full makeup. "are you a magnet," the caption reads, referring not just to the cluster of memes related to the "Miracles" video but also to all the permutations of the "are you a wizard" family of macros.
In short, trolls pounced on the phrase "fuckin' magnets" not just because it was memorable and amusing on its own (although that played a large part in its popularity, as did the thrill of a gratuitous f-bomb) but because it was easily integrated into an existing meme set. Once the protomeme had been integrated, its resulting permutations—"are you a magnet" being a prime example—became memes unto themselves, establishing further scaffolding onto which new content could be overlaid. By choosing to repost "are you a magnet" on 4chan or off-site, the contributing troll was able to assert his own cultural fluency and, in the process, ensure the proverbial (and, in some ways, the literal) survival of his species. In this sense, the creation and transmission of memes can be likened to the process of human reproduction—specifically the decision to have a child in order to protect one's legacy. The sexual act is decidedly active, but the resulting zygote is a passive (that is to say, unwitting) vessel for genetic information....
Interrogating "Free" Fan Labor
Over the past two decades, large swaths of the U.S. population have been engaged in copyright wars. On one side, copyright holders struggle to defend their property against what they perceive to be unlawful appropriation by millions of would-be consumers via digital technologies. On the other, millions of Internet users fear or fight expensive lawsuits, filed by entities far wealthier and more powerful than they, that seek to punish them for sharing media online. In this combative climate, fans who produce their own versions of mass-media texts—fan films and videos, fan fiction, fan art and icons, music remixes and mash-ups, and game mods, for example—take comfort and refuge in one rule of thumb: as long as they do not sell their works, they will be safe from legal persecution. Conventional wisdom holds that companies and individuals that own the copyrights to mass-media texts will not sue fan producers, as long as the fans do not make money from their works (for instance, Scalzi 2007 and Taylor 2007).
"Free" fan labor (fan works distributed for no payment) means "free" fan labor (fans may revise, rework, remake, and otherwise remix mass-culture texts without dreading legal action or other interference from copyright holders). Many, perhaps even most, fans who engage in this type of production look upon this deal very favorably. After all, movie studios, game makers, and record labels do not have to turn a blind eye to fan works; U.S. law is (as of this writing) undecided on the matter of whether appropriative art constitutes fair use or copyright infringement, so companies could sue or otherwise harass fan appropriators if they chose. But, even if both sides of the copyright wars consider the issue of fan labor settled, one aspect of the issue has not been sufficiently explored: can, or should, fan labor be paid labor?....
Co-creative Expertise in Gaming Cultures
Gamers increasingly participate in the process of making and circulating game content. Games such as Maxis's The Sims franchise, for example, are routinely cited as exemplary sites of user-created content. Games scholar T. L. Taylor comments that players are co-creative "productive agents" and asserts that we need "more progressive models" for understanding and integrating players' creative contribution to the making of these game products and cultures (2006b, 159–160; see also 2006a). Significant economic and cultural value is generated through these spreadable media activities. The usual phrases such as "user-created content" and "user-led innovation" can overlook the professional work of designers, programmers, and graphic artists as they make the tools, platforms, and interfaces that gamers use for creating and sharing content. Attention should also be paid to the work of producers, marketing managers, and community relations managers as they grapple with how best to manage and coordinate these co-creative relations.
The Maxis-developed and Electronic Arts–published Spore thrives on user-created content. Players use 3-D editors to design creatures and other in-game content, to guide their creatures through stages of evolution, and then to share their creations with other players. Since Spore's release in September 2008, more than 155 million player-created creatures have been uploaded to the online Sporepedia repository. Players can also upload directly from within their game videos of their creatures to the Spore YouTube channel. Spreading content is a core feature of Spore; the game is perhaps best understood as a social network generated from player creativity. This spreadability is not just about content, as the players are also sharing ideas, skills, and media literacies....
The Value of Customer Recommendations
With new channels of communication and old, marketers can deliver a dizzying number of advertising messages to consumers—by many accounts, the average American sees between 3,000 and 5,000 ads a day. Yet, perhaps in response to this fusillade, consumers have learned to better armor themselves against the marketing messages they encounter. The Persuasion Knowledge Model (PKM) describes the extent to which consumers develop a radarlike ability to discern content whose aim is to persuade and, further, how they develop a set of skills to deal with such messages (Friestad and Wright 1994). Some of my own recent research (with colleagues Adam Craig, Yuliya Komarova, and Jennifer Vendemia) uses fMRI technology to explore brain activity as consumers are exposed to potentially deceptive product claims. Our findings show that consumers' deception-detection processes involve surprisingly rapid attention allocation. Potential advertising lies seem to jump out of the marketing environment and rivet our attention like a snake on a woodland trail.
Advertisements are often informative as well as persuasive; consumers know this and don't dismiss ads out of hand. But they do assess the extent to which they trust or are willing to use such information. First, and most critically, consumers seek to evaluate the credibility of a marketing message's source. Source credibility is the bedrock of trust that precedes persuasion. People judge a source to be credible if the source shows evidence of being authentic, reliable, and believable. In the old days of marketing, firms sought to increase the source credibility of their ads by featuring the endorsements of doctors, scientists, and other authoritative experts. Once consumers became more aware that these experts were being paid handsomely for their testimony, the practice became less effective. Celebrity endorsers, who often were not product experts, provided warm affective responses but little in the way of believable, persuasive arguments.
Consumers themselves are particularly important endorsers via word-of-mouth (WOM) messages. Our past understanding of WOM (when one consumer recommends a product to another) was that consumers perceive other consumers as highly authentic but of dubious reliability. As when one's Uncle Joe touts the superior performance of the Brand X computer, the recommender is clearly a real person but may or may not be knowledgeable enough about the product category to make credible claims. Now, with WOM increasingly occurring through spreadable media, it is more difficult for a consumer to assess both the authenticity and reliability of unknown recommenders. The practice of rating consumers' online opinions and recommendations (e.g., Yahoo! Answers) is a direct attempt to resolve the audience's uncertainty about who really knows something worth knowing....


text:
IN HER SHOES: Beach Bungalow 8
One of the most exciting parts of my week is when the ladies of The Skirted Roundtable put up a new podcast. I love listening in on that week's topic and find myself nodding my head in agreement with the many things they say. How fun it would be to chat with those ladies! Perhaps one day I'll get the courage and honor to be a guest on their show! Until then I get to sit at my table (which is not skirted) and play along.
During one of my listening sessions I realized what fun it would be to see what these ladies are up on any given day. So I emailed them and asked if they would like to participate in my IN HER SHOES series. They all said yes!
At first I was going to combine all 3 ladies into one massive post, but in trying it out it just looked way too confusing so I decided to feature one lady a week!
I'm going from West Coast to East and will be starting out with Megan of Beach Bungalow 8. What's not to love about Megan. She is effortlessly stylish and chic, has that amazing red hair, an amazing family and killer design style.
California has always been a dream destination for me. Perhaps it was too many episodes of 90210, but I always wanted to move out. So sit back relax and enjoy catching up on a day with Megan!
6:00 a.m.~ My day begins. Ugh... I am NOT a morning person {I do my best work late night} but need to get kids up and off to school.
Crossword puzzle and Chai tea. { I quit drinking coffee about a month ago. For no really good reason except to see if I could }
My choice of shoes for the morning {as this post IS called 'in her shoes'!}
Off to schlep the kids to school.....
After kids are dropped off, I hop on my bike and head off down the strand to meet my Blog Out Loud business partner, Rebecca for a meeting.
we do have good scenery around here.
Note: I actually do have a cute beach cruiser, however, this rusted mountain bike, weighs nothing and I can get up and down hills much faster. It's not pretty, but it gets me where I'm going.
scenery from my ride to work.
{Note from HHFITD: Megan just emailed me this new pick and let me know it is actually Donna and Kelly's beach from 90210 the college years. It was just up the block from her! I'm amazed! Side note to that: Her hubby was actually on the show for 2 years! Ah what seasons? I must know!}
always loved this signage.
I'm not sure what most adults do around here. An awful lot seem to be playing.
I stopped to check out the cute beach cruisers for sale at Helen's bikes. Aren't they yummy? I'm in the market for a new one maybe that green one would work?
Rebecca and I spending the morning at Coffee Bean, hashing out the latest project and upcoming events!
oh crap, it's almost 2:00 have to go get kids. Back on the road again....
{this is where my rusty old bike that weighs nothing comes in handy, I have one big hill I have to crank it up in a hurry }
I'm sorry you have to look up my giant nostrils, but this picture was too funny to leave out.
first stop. Child number one. "Hi, how was your day, blah blah blah"
run back home for a bit.....
grab the mail with the help of George.
do NOT feel sorry for Fred in the background. He's chained up for a reason and gets lots of love {even though he enjoys running away from home whenever he's off the chain}
figure out what to do for dinner....
Borsch? Maybe? No. No way. No one would eat it. next.....
Much better, a bit of seared Ahi Tuna with Mango chutney....off to pick up child number 2...
off to Trader Joe's {which if I didn't have, would not be able to make a proper meal}
Oh look, I've changed shoes...
pretty flowers:
thanks Joe!
dinner made { food looks terrible if you aren't a good food photographer. This was actually delish }
Dinner, homework and kids to bed....on to The Skirted Round Table.
Joni, Linda and I chat with Brooke Giannetti {velvet and linen blogger} via skype.
And then I'm done! off to bed...or maybe to work on some blog posts : )
A huge thank you to Megan! If you already love Megan like I do then you should also check out her work at Balustrade and Bitters and Blog Out Loud.
Next friday I will be featuring Ms. Joni Webb of Cote de Texas.
Labels: In her shoes

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Pakistani ambassador rejected because his name is NSFW in Arabic
Posted By David Kenner Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 4:48 PM Share
Despite having served for years as a distinguished Pakistani diplomat, Akbar Zeb reportedly cannot receive accreditation as Pakistan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The reason, apparently, has nothing to do with his credentials, and everything to do with his name -- which, in Arabic, translates to "biggest dick"
Posted by The Kenosha Kid at 11:48 PM
8 comments:
- pansypoo said...
i always question if a man shortens richard to dick.
- Fri Feb 05, 03:48:00 PM EST
- オテモヤン said...
- Sat Feb 27, 07:08:00 PM EST
- pansypoo said...
oh YEAH?
- Sun Feb 28, 03:06:00 PM EST
Dear Kenosha Kid,
I just have a quick question for you but couldn't find an email so had to resort to this. I am a progressive blogger and the owner of the mahablog. Please email me back at firstname.lastname@example.com when you get a chance. Thanks.
- Wed Mar 03, 04:05:00 PM EST
- Fri Mar 05, 10:11:00 AM EST
- pansypoo said...
i am sure nobody had corey haim, did anybody have corey feldman?
- Thu Mar 11, 03:18:00 PM EST
- pansypoo said...
no jack lalanne? no susanna york?
- Mon Jan 24, 01:48:00 PM EST
- TONLOVE69 said...
Nice video, I look at it, thank you.
ทางเข้า maxbet
สมัคร sbobet
- Tue Jan 30, 03:48:00 AM EST
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Charles Jencks is an author, architect, historian, critic, and occasional soothsayer . He is synonymous with the concept of the Postmodern in architecture, as he was the first to extend those ideas into architectural discourse with his book The Language of Post-Modern Architecture . His numerous books are a perpetual mapping of the trends and paradigm shifts in the lexicon of architecture. Jencks' massive success as a writer and a historian comes not only from his brilliant mind, but also, his accessible writing style, which is a testament to his long-standing credo of pluralism.
His latest book The Iconic Building examines the phenomenon of the icon in contemporary architecture and the meaning of signature buildings in today's world of hyper trendiness and celebrity. Recently, Charles Jencks came to New York City for a debate versus Peter Eisenman at Columbia University, titled "The New Iconic Building." Archinect editor John Jourden followed Jencks to New York to find out what the implications of the iconic building are and what is its impact on the future.
John Jourden: Your latest book, The Iconic Building, explores the current condition and evolution of the icon in architecture and basically leads us through what has been termed as the "Bilbao Effect." Can you highlight the meaning of this event within architectural history, and where do you see this trend going?
Charles Jencks: It's linked to the decline of religion and the decline of metanarratives""that is, the belief in progress, socialism, democracy, freedom. Not that those things aren't believed: They're not believed in enough or with any conviction and passion. Weak belief reigns today. Everybody believes something weakly, despite the fact that they're dogmatic and they go out and kill people. You can say it's weak because it doesn't produce things of depth. Instead, they're thin.
Weak belief is a problem. Iconic buildings are caused by weak belief, because clients don't have the strong belief to say to the architect, "˜This is what the icon should be about.' Up to the Nineteenth Century, the client always imposed their taste, iconography, and meaning on the architect. Or they shared that with the architect, so they wouldn't have to tell them, but they knew what they were about. And they did, I think they did up until the Modern period even, to a degree. Today, clients are insecure and society is completely pluralist and insecure, and doesn't know what it wants. But they (society and clients) do know they want a landmark. Weak belief plus the desire to have a landmark, plus celebrity culture, plus globalized capitalism, plus the art market's desire for the new""all those factors together produce iconic buildings. This is why we're in an iconic building era, not because we want to be""people don't want to be.
You heard Peter (Eisenman ) pretend he didn't want to be, which ended up being a good show. But he wants to be (an iconic architect) desperately. Aside from that, I think a lot of people do. I have misgivings as you see in the book. I know how awful this condition is, and anyone who gives it a moment's thought knows its not good altogether. Though it produces every now and then a wonderful building, which would have never been produced ten or fifteen years ago? They would have been stopped! The Disney Concert Hall by Gehry was stopped, designed in '88, it wasn't going to go ahead til Bilbao""The Bilbao Effect had an effect on (Gehry), I mean he could build (the WDCH)! Now everybody wants one, and that's driving architecture. It's a real double-edged sword, as I was saying last night. You're in a double bind""you know, astonish me, excite me, show me something. Wow! That's never been done before! And make it cheap, efficient functional, da-duh-da-duh-da, and make it fit in...
JJ: And green on top of all that.
CJ: And green. You're given an impossible brief, and architects are really frightened. How do I do this? And they can't get out because they've got to compete for it. Renzo Piano , who I don't think can do it. I hate to say because I admire Piano on many levels. And he is certainly pretending to be an iconic architect, designing the "Shard " in London, which is a kind of obelisk building. He designed a waveform for Paul Klee (Zentrum Paul Klee ) and the shoe (Parco della Musica ) that I put in the book. And all of those buildings are stillborn at the level of iconic because they don't take risks. They're frozen gestures. Peter (Eisenman) didn't go into Piano, but had he I'm sure he would have...
JJ: Given him a lacerating critique? (as he did Calatrava the night before )
CJ: Yes.
This is the authority of the architect. It's not easy, but if you take this high risk and you fail, you've spent a hell of a lot of money, you've failed in public, and you've hurt the city. We've got to be with (the architects) because we're the ones who force them into these contortions.
JJ: One thing you said that struck me though, this notion of the "enigmatic signifier," does this come about because people want to maintain an apoliticallity [sic] about everything? You kind of create something that can be consumed, so you don't make a statement at all. So you (the designer) can constantly say, "˜Well I like it both ways.'
CJ: There is no doubt you put your finger on something I didn't say last night. But if you want to look at the enigmatic signifier as I quoted Louis-Philippe the king. The great busheller from the point of view of the architect is that it allows them to be evasive where as they could have been particular. No doubt it is a political neutrality and a cultural neutrality even more. In other words, if someone says, "˜Oh well your building is that,' you say, "˜Well how do you know?' You can wash your hands Pontius Pilate-like of the blame. This is a response to the first thing we clepe because people are confused about what they really value. And when they are, they don't want a strong statement, and the architect can't make a strong statement.
JJ: Yes, and when you're a public figure, you have to maintain a balance...
CJ: A balance and an evasion""it's political evasion!
JJ: Where before it was more about making a statement.
CJ: Exactly. Yes! Here is where I stand. Usually in the past, icons were statements: This is the meaning of that. You put your finger on something. I should have answered that, but you're dead right! I would have said that 20 years ago""I would have really gone in on the attack, but now getting older, I feel sorry for architects. [laughs]
JJ: So it's sympathy, not an apology? [laugh]
CJ: Well, I know they have to keep the jobs going, and this is kind of a protective coloration to get them through a very tough...Let's have the blame game""whose fault is that? That society doesn't know where it's going? Is that the architect's fault? No! Is it all right that society has gone and walked off the job? Rem (Koolhaas) and I are writing a book called How to Fire the Client . The client should be giving more to it.
JJ: This situation seems to promote the desire for the architect to become what Ben van Berkel has described as the architect as fashion designer or Koolhaas' position of architecture intensifying its mode of production to keep up with fashion, or better yet make fashion. Would this be the full realization of architecture within the context of Postmodernity?
CJ: No. I don't think that it's to do altogether with fashion. Celebrity more than fashion, but you could say they are connected. Fashion in the sense that you have to reinvent the enigmatic signifier again and again and again, and that has a fashion syndrome component to it. You have to stay ahead of the curve. Gehry is always complaining, "˜Am I repeating myself?' And people are saying, "˜Yes!' [laughs]
So it's hard. Rem (Koolhaas) and FOA (Foreign Office Architects) are devising tactics to always vary their production, precisely so they cannot be typecast, and so they can stay ahead. So fashion is becoming more pressing, but I don't think it's the most important thing you can say about it. I think Rem (Koolhaas) is slightly perturbed. Maybe he has had to run so fast to keep fashion away that he is just exhausted.
JJ: At the end of last night's debate, you and Peter (Eisenman) at the end were discussing different Italian post-Renaissance architects.
CJ: Yeah, he was mad.
JJ: Yeah, he was... [laugh]
CJ: Crazy, Palladio not an icon, get real. [laugh]
JJ: So were there always starchitects""celebrity architects""or is this a symbiotic relationship to the manifestation of iconic building?
CJ: No, I think there were always star architects. Vitruvius, if you read the second book (Ten Books on Architecture ), tells that amazing story of the architect""how to get the job. He opens the second book with the story of how Dinocrates gets to be the architect of Alexander the Great. Dinocrates dresses himself in leopard skins and oils his body, and he comes to the games and sits right next to Alexander. Alexander says "˜Gosh, here is a good-looking man. What do you do?' And Dinocrates says, "˜I'm an architect!' [laughs] To get attention from society and the ruler, oiling your body, imagine""I mean how humiliating that must be! You don't have to do that today""almost, but not quite. [laughs]
Then he suggests to Alexander, "˜Wouldn't it be nice if you had a city designed in the shape of your body?' And Alexander the Great says, "˜Yeah, that's not a bad idea, by god yes, please!' (Alexander) talks to his minions and they say, "˜It's not going to be functional.' Dinocrates produces this design of Alexander with a bowl, which is the water system""(Alexander) sitting on the side of a mountain. It's quite striking. Then the minions say, "˜We can't afford this,' and Alexander says, "˜Well that was a good architect. Let's hire him for another job' And that's how you get the job. Now if Vitruvius is telling you that story...
JJ: Then this is the way it has always been?
CJ: No, that would be wrong to say, because it comes in and out of focus, but there are moments when the architect is a star and has to be. I mean you can say under King Djoser in Egypt 2700 BC, the second most important person was Imhotep , the architect. Power and architecture have a long history. I don't think it's a happy one usually. It's extremely unhappy usually. We are certainly in a period when Lord (Richard) Rogers, Lord (Norman) Foster, lord-this, lord-that""socialists supposedly, are chasing power and money like everybody else, and without being cynical about it, because they have to work. That they have to get jobs is the logic of that situation. Let me say, I do think that there is great architecture that doesn't have to do this. People do turn down jobs. (James) Stirling refused work for Disney. There is architectural integrity. There is no determinism in history. There are great architects produced outside that system. So don't succumb, resist it, but know it's there. And I understand why most people give in.
Are you a young architect?
JJ: Yes.
CJ: Okay, don't give in. [laughs]
JJ: I'm not trying to, but I haven't been confronted with the temptation of that Faustian bargain yet.
What do you think about the new trend of the celebrity wannabe architects such as Brad Pitt and Lenny Kravitz?
CJ: Well, that's got to be one of the funniest inversions. Yes, I think it couldn't be funnier or better. Someone could write a very good play or skit, couldn't they? [laughs] How to whip a superstar; force them to do your models... [laughs]
JJ: Kenneth Frampton has stated that it's not enough to be just a good architect anymore. Do you think the role or position of the architect has changed? And what is the impact of this?
CJ: Can you give me the context of the statement, "It's not enough to be a good architect anymore?"
JJ: Well, I believe it would be in the context of what you discussed last night (at Columbia), where there is a list of the same 12 short-listed architects, which appear all the time. There are other people who are just as talented who just can't crack into that list. You also have to be part of the media, as Peter (Eisenman) rightly pointed out. So I guess, in terms of that symptom""should you resist this also?
CJ: Let's discuss this in two ways: One as a citizen, as a political person""one who acts according to the golden rule, so that their actions can be generalized. Of course you should resist it. Of course we owe something to architecture outside of our own success and our own ego, and it's important that we give it to architecture. I believe that Eisenman, Koolhaas and a lot of those good architects who are consumed by the media and allow themselves to be consumed, also resist it by giving something to architecture. So I think you can be both in and out of the system at once. And I would say those architects do that. So that's one way of behaving. Another way is to work on two levels that you work a lot of things that never are seen, and people don't know about them. You spend a lot of your life doing that, and you're a good citizen.
At the same time, if you're realistic about competing at the highest levels and in a way the logic of the situation is that you must compete at the highest levels at least some of the time, or you're not going to get the best jobs. So that logic means at a certain point you've got to be a media starchitect or you won't make those short-lists. If that's what the name of the game is, I don't believe that Constable Frampton can tell the traffic to turn around""put on the red light and hold up like King Canute , the whole world and have it go the way he wants. It doesn't work that way Constable. Yes, I understand that resistance is important, but let's not fetishize resistance because resistance, which is completely ineffective, is not true resistance. I have a respect for the people who have managed to take resistance through the door and give society another view of itself. I think Porto (Casa da Musica ), for instance, is a very good building which resists easy consumption. Of course this is why Peter (Eisenman) was going after me, and Calatrava because it (the critique in the book of Calatrava's work) isn't resistant enough. Of course I agree with Peter (Eisenman). Although Peter does quite well to have it both ways: I haven't been to Berlin to see his field (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe ), but for me it's not enough. For him it is, and he has his hands clean, but that's another whole story...
JJ: In 2004, you appeared on a VPRO documentary where you describe the Potsdamer Platz projects as "trophy buildings of the worst kind." Could you discuss the difference between what makes a trophy building and what makes an iconic building?
CJ: For me the whole development is a graveyard of the world's best architects. I believe I was making a political point about size. I have done these graphs of when does good architecture become bad architecture""over 72 stories and a million square feet of office space or 250 million dollars. With all of these graphs of money, size and volume produced at a certain rate, even if you're a good architect you have trouble. I'm not saying you can't do it, but size matters!
And my argument on size is like biologists when they argue""there is a very famous article on why there aren't very many large animals, why most animals are small. [laughs] It's a pretty interesting thing written in 1975. You know most animals are about the size of a small puppy dog, and the power law works here. So there is one dinosaur, two hippopotami, and there are three elephants and that's it. This forms a power curve, and the reason for that is ecological, but it's also structural/gravitational. If you're a dinosaur, not only do you eat a lot, but your bones are always breaking up. Most dinosaurs, I believe, just died because they were too big. [laughs]
And there are dinosaur buildings and dinosaur commissions, so my argument over trophy buildings in Potsdamer Platz is that you have seven great architects and they all produced their worst work. Piano did awful, for me. However, a lot of people love it there. I just think it's neither great architecture, nor great urbanism. I don't know how many millions""six hundred or eight hundred million square feet of work produced in six years""eight years? It's too much, too fast""inflation, inflationary architecture. There is always this tenacity in the icon, and a trophy building can be considered a failed icon, to dash off or do quick gestures""boom-boom. It's pretty obvious...
JJ: So if there are too many iconic buildings in a row it ends up looking like a wall of trophies?
CJ: In fact, they're (the buildings of Potsdamer Platz) self-important, heavy in this case, and they aren't so iconic. They both try to be background and heavy foreground; they're neither good urbanism, nor good architecture; the Mercedes building, with its huge Mercedes signature brand on it, is so vulgar, trite, and dumb, produced by one of the great minimalists who's trying to pretend that I'm very politically Framptonian correct. If this happens, why""why are these guys who are suppose to be background sober, decorate, having great propriety, clean-in-keeping, suitable, understated, da-duh-da-duh-da? Why are do they produce these pompous, heavy, dumb, big, in-your-face symbols of corporate late-capitalist power? Is there a reason? Yes. That's how the clients are commissioning, and they're commissioning fast, big""too big, too fast trophies. Again I sort of blame architects and society equally. Its tough, but conceptually there are ways out of it. They could have broken it down more, had better urbanism even within a bad paradigm. And I regard Potsdamer Platz as a bad paradigm.
JJ: Marx's critique of capitalism illustrates a commodity as a mysterious entity full of theological caprice""a particular object sufficing a particular need while at the same time promising to deliver something more""of an unfathomable enjoyment whose true location is fantasy. Isn't this the essence of the Bilbao Effect, with cities competing for the new architectural commodity that promises something culturally more?
CJ: I don't think motivations are ever pure. A utopia fantasy has to be what architects sell, the value added is to sell a better way of life""an imaginative leap! And that has its dark-side too, which is prosaic and kitsch. It would be absurd to not think that it works sometimes. It works at Bilbao. And when it works it can rejuvenate a city and it's perfectly valid. Why else go to an architect, if you don't want something better or best that changes your life? Architecture is the last utopian profession, the first and last and it has to be. The minute you get rid of utopia forget it. You might as well. You don't have an architecture profession.
I'm not sure from, a Marxist position, where this leads. It obviously can lead to conspicuous consumption and all of these horrors that come in the wake of the Bilbao Effect. In other words, most iconic buildings, I have argued, are failures. On the other hand, just because that's true doesn't mean they're going to go away. We have to bite-the-bullet, and say okay there will be failures. Okay, our society doesn't have strong beliefs. Okay, it destroys cities. These are not good things. But just because all of that is true doesn't mean we can turn away from it. We can't go into denial. That's what I'm worried about.
I'm worried the profession will become as it is in Britain: Angry, upset, and in denial that they simply don't get the jobs. [laugh] And they don't do the iconic buildings better""I keep coming back to this. If it's enviable let's do it better, not deny it. See it as an opportunity, this opening; because the great opportunity is that there is a lot of creativity in society at the moment allowing us to do things that were never allowed in the past. So in one sense this is the most exciting time ever in architectural history because it's like the art world: The wraps are off for the first time, and you can do anything""well almost. Arthur Danto said, anything can be a work of art today after Warhol. I think that has a terrible downside, but let's not underrate the upside. The upside is society, the client, and the profession""well, we can forget the profession""want something exciting, new, and creative. They want architects to be artists on a deep level, and they're giving them the ability to be that. In the iconic building their saying, take this chance, they're giving us that opportunity, and we have to step up to meet the challenge. That's my view.
Dangerous times...the Chinese have a famous saying: May you be doomed to live in interesting times. [laughs]
JJ: In The Iconic Building, you layout the trials and tribulations of Enric Miralles' embattled Scottish Parliament. Do you see the awarding of the Stirling Prize as a vindication of iconic architecture and the architects?
CJ: I think in a way it vindicates""although not politically. In fact, I just wrote a critique in response to Building Design . They said that it should not have gotten the award because it sends the wrong message, that the fact that such expensive buildings could be built messes up the profession. I think that's dead wrong! First of all, prizes should not be read or given as if they were indicators""public indicators on where architecture should go. You award a building for its architecture""not because it's politically correct or incorrect, ecologically correct or incorrect, or that's where architecture should go. No! If prizes are to have any integrity, they have to reward architecture that's a global judgment. It's a great building globally (The Scottish Parliament), it has great faults, but so does every other building. It was clearly the best building on the short-list .
I was on another commission which awarded the McLaren building (McLaren Technological Centre ) the best building of the year, and I objected like mad. I said, "˜You can't be serious, the Scottish Parliament is the most important building of its type in Britain for a hundred years, and not to give it the award you're crazy.' But they overruled me because the judges were all high-techers. So I was overruled and the McLaren got it. Now, the McLaren building is okay, but it's mid-tier James Bond""it cost 380 million pounds, so it was very expense, but no one brought that up because it wasn't public money. It was a private individual's money. So I don't think the prize vindicates it, although the Scots and people who support it, they do think it does. So for them it's a vindication, but I think prizes are prizes. The (Scottish Parliament) is a great building, and it should have won and did win. I really refuse to think a building because it won a prize, vindicates everything. It's a great building, that's it. You don't need to win a prize to be the great building""everybody who is a critic, who really gets into it, goes, "˜Basta (enough), it was the best!' It will live in architectural history that building, it has real faults, but the faults are very great.
JJ: Thank you very much
Interview by John Jourden (2005)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
John Jourden is an (a)rchitect and pathological thinker living in New York.
after reading other texts and books by jenks, i find this interview and the ideas preety shallow "iconic" does nothing for me
I think this is a pretty well-balanced interview. Congrats to John Jourden for getting a pretty good camaraderie going. It seems at some points that Jencks's responses unravel into witty tidbits, those last few lines a prime example? Which building is he talking about? Scottish Parliament? Is it to be understood that the faults are what make the building great, or is it to be understood that the building's faults are large? Regardless I think he has some good points, especially the first about the lack of deep belief and the equal and opposite reaction that reacts these pipe dreams of physical presence dubbed icons. Also spot on about Piano's lack of talent in the Platz project. Pretty bad stuff that. Has anyone read his book yet, and does he make significant connections between post-modernism and the icon? I think they exist to be made.
CJ says 'I understand that resistance is important, but let's not fetishize resistance because resistance, which is completely ineffective, is not true resistance.'
Part of his point (I think) is that pretending that this yerning for iconic buildings doesn't exist will absolutely result in ineffective resistance. Like the legions of jaded architecture professors producing endless installations that are quarantined inside art venues. If Ghery is pure capitulation to the rubber stamped iconic then these jaded people are pure refusal. The third way, as Jencks kind of says, is that architects use the momentum of iconic yerning to inject real contributions back into architecture.
I'm looking forward to the book about firing clients with great interest.
Emm, I just got this book in the mail and I think it's kind of rubbish after all. Anyone in the architecture world who hasn't been in a cave for the past 5 years needn't read this. There's nothing new, it's really a kind of wattery summary of the 'highlights' of starchitecture since '00. Who knew there was so little to the idea of commodity architecture ?
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?


text:
Men's 6" (15cm approx.) Training Shorts
Nike Pro
The Nike Pro Men's 6" (15cm approx.) Training Shorts feature sweat-wicking, durable fabric to keep you dry, comfortable, supported and mobile during your workout.
- Colour Shown: Game Royal/Obsidian/Black
- Style: 838061-480
The Nike Pro Men's 6" (15cm approx.) Training Shorts feature sweat-wicking, durable fabric to keep you dry, comfortable, supported and mobile during your workout.
Fast-drying Dri-FIT fabric wicks sweat quickly.
A snug elastic waistband holds the shorts in place while four-way stretch fabric lets you move easily.
Flat seams provide a comfortable feel that reduces distractions so you can focus on your workout.
More Details
Free standard delivery with your NikePlus account.
- Standard deliveries arrive in 2–4 days; we deliver 5 days a week.
- Click & Collect available at Nike stores and 100s of other convenient locations.
- You can return your order for any reason, free of charge, within 30 days.
Some Exclusions Apply. Learn more about Nike.com delivery options and returns policy.
2.8 Stars
AmirH180700002 - Jul 21, 2019
Comfortable, but upon wearing the first time it tore in the groin area. Very disappointed
Extremely disappointing!!!!
MixaelP159785685 - Apr 24, 2019
I've been a loyal Nike customer for decades and I have to say in highly disappointed in these tights. I ordered them in various colors and they all seem extremely flimsy. I have what i now know are the longer version of these and i would recommend those as opposed to these. Even though i would think it was just a difference in size but no its a complete difference in size and material ( the material is thinner and feels flimsy )which is the complete downer. I would recommend you order the longer ones anytime as i own a few pairs of those and the material and quality are way better. Nike you should fix this issue ASAP or at least note that on the description to say that they are not the same quality or material as the longer versions of these shorts.
Too tight
rjburn - Jan 01, 2019
It's ironic that they call these "training" shorts, but if you're someone that is relatively trained and have a developed lower body, these will fit way too tight. If you don't train or are a beginner, these should fit just fine. I've always worn medium shorts and pants by Nike, but for some reason when I buy these, they are way too tight. I know they're compression shorts and supposed to fit tight, but a medium in these feel like a small.


text:
It looks like your browser is out of date.
To use all features of KLM.com safely, we recommend that you update your browser, or that you choose a different one. Continuing with this version may result in parts of the website not being displayed properly, if at all. Also, the security of your personal information is better safeguarded with an updated browser.
Looking for a city trip to a charming Viking city? Book flights to Trondheim and admire the wooden Stiftsgården Palace, stroll along the main street Munkegata and sail to Munkholmen. The medieval Palace of the Archbishop is also certainly worth a visit. Admire the dazzling crown jewels and archaeological finds or visit the Army Museum. Are you exploring Trondheim's attractions by bicycle? Then head over to the Trampe. This bike lift will help you get up the steep Brubakken hill.
Read more
Read less


text:
Not to dump on the guy, who has done more than his share to keep the Jays' record at something just slightly less than respectable. But today's Towersesque disaster start (3.1 IP, 8 earned and three homers) is perhaps the best argument the universe could have made against J.P. Ricciardi's assertion that A.J. Burnett could be the fourth or fifth starter on the team.
Well...onward and upward!


text:
Christopher TrejoLic. Real Estate Salesperson
Christopher is motivated by the interests of buyers, renters and sellers alike. He is a New York real estate specialist, equipped with tools and resources that set him apart. He has an inherent understanding of the dynamics in real estate marketplaces that provides incredible insight to his clients. His expertise, combined with the support of Exit Realty, allows Christopher to deliver the best services to those looking for a great home.
Exit Realty Landmark is proud to have a team comprised of so many motivated real estate professionals. They look to go above and beyond expectations normally placed on real estate agents, and this shows in the results our clients experience. Exit Realty Landmark is based in Flatiron and has another location, Exit Kingdom Realty, in Forest Hills to service clients in Queens and Long Island. The company was established in 1988.


text:
Sanders Welcomes Obama Statement on Global Warming
WASHINGTON, Jan 22 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued the following statement welcoming President Barack Obama's support for action to combat climate change:
"The president is right to make action on global warming a central goal of his administration. The overwhelming scientific consensus is clear. Unless we take bold action soon the temperature of our planet could rise by up to 8 degrees Fahrenheit. That would be catastrophic. The Senate is about to vote on more than $50 billion in aid to help recover from Hurricane Sandy and insurers tell us that is only a fraction of the price we will continue to pay for extreme natural disasters made worse by our warming planet.
"While the president can, and must, move aggressively to use executive powers to reduce pollution and reject harmful projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, he also must help lead an effort to pass strong legislation that moves our nation away from polluting fossil fuels and toward energy efficiency and sustainable energy.
"Next month, I will introduce comprehensive legislation that will charge the fossil fuel corporations a fee for their carbon pollution. My legislation will end fossil fuel subsidies, and as the president called for, make historic investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass. This bill will also ensure that all Americans receive a rebate to offset any efforts by the fossil fuel companies to jack up their prices.
"The president and Congress have made some good progress in his first term, including significant investments in clean energy and strong new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. To put meaning into the words he eloquently expressed in his Inaugural Address, and to protect our planet for our children and grandchildren, we must do much, much more. We must do nothing less than transform our energy system away from fossil fuels into energy efficiency and sustainable energy. When we do that we will not only lead the world in a new direction but create millions of jobs in the United States."


text:
Suspected killer's ex-fiancee arrested in O.C. double slaying
The former fiancee of a community theater actor charged in the double slaying of an Orange Coast College student and his tutor has been arrested by Costa Mesa police.
Rachel Buffett, 25, of Long Beach was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of being an accessory to murder after the fact and is being held on $1-million bail, according to police.
Police said Buffett remained a suspect during the two-year investigation. "She was never out of our focus," Costa Mesa Police Lt. Paul Dondero told the Daily Pilot. "She's always been in focus, along with other aspects of the case."
Authorities did not detail her alleged involvement in the killings.
At the time of the crimes, Buffett and Daniel Patrick Wozniak, 28, lived in the Camden Martinique complex in Costa Mesa, as did 26-year-old Samuel Herr, one of the victims.
Police said Wozniak, a noted community actor, killed Herr in the theater of the Joint Forces Training Center in Los Alamitos before dismembering his body and leaving his head and hands in nearby El Dorado Park Nature Center in Long Beach.
In May, a prosecutor from the Orange County district attorney's office presented evidence that Wozniak lured Herr to the military base under the pretenses of needing help to move furniture.
Authorities allege Wozniak then killed Herr's friend and tutor, Juri "Julie" Kibuishi, 23, in Herr's apartment, then staged the crime to make it look like a sexual assault.
Wozniak then used Herr's cellphone to text Kibuishi, asking her to come over and talk, police said.
After Kibuishi's body was discovered in Herr's apartment, Herr became a person of interest for police. Authorities discovered Herr's ATM card was used at locations in Long Beach and found a 17-year-old boy withdrawing cash from Herr's accounts.
The boy led police to Wozniak, who was later arrested at his bachelor party in Huntington Beach. He remains in jail.
Police also arrested Wozniak's 38-year-old brother, Timothy Wozniak, on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact to the crime. Dondero said he wouldn't eliminate the possibility of more arrests.
San Francisco's ban on nudity sparks debate, protestsJury awards more than $8 million in shooting by sheriff's deputies
Judge again refuses to block Wal-Mart construction in L.A. Chinatown
--Lauren Williams
Photo: Rachel Buffett. Credit: Costa Mesa police


text:
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
"James Bond" star Daniel Craig has beaten out David Beckham to be crowned the Most Stylish Man of 2012.
GQ magazine annually compiles the 25 Most Stylish Men list, and Craig has been named the guy with the best fashion sense in 2012.
Zac Efron comes in second with soccer ace and model Beckham in third and R&B singer Bruno Mars in fourth spot.
Ewan McGregor rounds out the top five, while "Twilight" hunk Robert Pattinson makes the list at six.
Jay-Z, Jennifer Aniston's fiance Justin Theroux, Ryan Gosling, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine and Joseph Gordon-Levitt also make the 2012 style list.


text:
Sleep Apnea a Killer for Men Over the Age of 40
Severe breathing disorders during sleep, such as sleep apnea, can kill, a study in more than 6,000 people shows.
Men 40 to 70 years old with severe sleep-disordered breathing were twice as likely to die over an eight-year period as their peers without the condition, Dr. Naresh Punjabi of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and his colleagues found.
Sleep-disordered breathing is characterized by the collapse of the upper airway during sleep leading to numerous, brief interruptions of breathing known as sleep apnea. It is associated with high blood pressure and heart disease, Punjabi and his team note in the journal PLoS Medicine.
About one in four men and one in ten women have sleep-disordered breathing, but the condition goes undiagnosed in 70% of patients, Punjabi noted in an email to Reuters Health.
In the Sleep Heart Health Study, Punjabi and colleagues assessed nighttime breathing, sleep patterns and blood oxygen levels of 6,441 men and women aged 40 and older at the study's outset who were not initially receiving treatment for sleep apnea.
During follow-up, which averaged 8.2 years, 1,047 people died.
People with severe sleep-disordered breathing, the researchers found, were nearly 1.5 times more likely to die during follow up than those without sleep-disordered breathing, even after controlling for age, race, body weight, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and smoking status.
The risk was especially great for men 40 to 70 years old, who were roughly two times more likely to die during follow up if they had severe sleep-disordered breathing. While sleep-disordered breathing also increased men's risk of death from cardiovascular disease, it didn't affect women's likelihood of dying from heart disease.
"The relation between sleep apnea and higher risk of death seems to be from the repeated decreases in oxygen levels during sleep," Punjabi said. "Low oxygen levels during sleep can trigger a cascade of events...which can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes."
The current standard treatment for sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), in which a person wears an oxygen mask during sleep to help push air into the lungs. But 30 percent to 40 percent of patients can't tolerate CPAP, according to Punjabi. For these patients devices worn in the mouth or even surgery are options, he added, but aren't always effective, while surgery can be risky, too.
Weight loss is likely the best option, Punjabi added, because it usually leads to improvement of sleep apnea symptoms and in some cases a complete cure.
He and his colleagues are now planning to investigate sleep apnea and mortality in women, because the current study included too few women with severe sleep disordered breathing and too few deaths among women to draw definitive conclusions.
They conclude their report by calling for clinical trials to investigate whether treating sleep apnea will reduce mortality.


text:
Bicycle. - print on paper
Bicycle. - print on paper
from 30.00
High-quality prints on acid-free 130lb paper. An excellent way to share your love of Mary Bea Art! Two sizes available- 9x12 and 12x18. The images are sized to a 1/2 inch margin within the sheet. Depending on the proportions of the original painting, margin sizes will vary.
Click image to view in full
Add To Cart


text:
Thu, 02 Oct 2008
As part of your planning for the 2008 World Conservation Congress, the IUCN Forest Conservation Programme has just released The Forest Journey Brochure.
This is your guide to the forest related events that will be taking place. Inside, there is a special invitation to all our members and partners to spend time with us at our Members Corner in the Forest Pavilion so that we can learn more about our common goals. We look forward to seeing you in Barcelona!
Work area:


text:
Sign up to receive a $5.00 coupon
Sign up today for Instant Savings!
Your shopping cart is currently empty.
This colorful artistic card from Universal Designs® focuses on verses to encourage the believer to live for and walk with the Lord. A great way to keep Scripture in front of you throughout the day to help you memorize verses. It is also wonderful to keep on hand to give to friends as a small encouragement, or to slip in notes or lunch boxes. Buy one or many, this card is priced right and a great value.
Imprint reads: God's love is always with you. His promises are true. And when you give your cares to him, just trust -- He'll see you through. Cast your cares upon the Lord and he will sustain you. PSALM 55:22.
This item is no longer available.
Availability: Out of Stock


text:
Monday, April 6, 2015
About Endings And New Beginnings
Hey Blogland! I feel like I haven't been around here in ages, but I guess it was only a month. And it feels like I've been living in my current home forever but I only moved last December. That also means I started my new job only six months ago... which is insane. I can hardly remember my old life - it feels a lifetime away.
I guess it's remarkable how quickly the mind settles when all is well, and you have found a place in the world to call home again. It felt good not expecting anything of myself, and then making steps in the right direction anyway. These last weeks were filled with work, social outbursts, Dutch Comic Con, reading and binge watching, a colorful brunch slash housewarming party, early morning walks, a lot of creativity and even some crochet pattern designs of my own!
There are still pieces of myself missing, and some I will never get back - but that's okay. I'll fill in the blanks as I go along :)
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
GrillGrate 19.25-Inch Hard Anodized Aluminum 2-Panel Grill Surface Set With Grate Tool
Product Info Guide
Recommended Accessories
Key Features
- Panels fit over any grill surface or can be used as drop-in replacement cooking grates (panels connect together to fit any grill width)
- Raised rail design amplifies heat, evens out hot/cold spots, reduces flare-ups and delivers excellent sear marks
- Enhances food flavor as juices drip into the hot valleys, sizzling and steaming back into the food
- Hard anodized aluminum is durable, rust resistant and superior heat conductor
- Set includes two 5.25 X 19.25-inch GrillGrate panels and grate tool
Give your grill a makeover with GrillGrate interlocking panels that fit over any grill surface to amplify heat, even out hot/cold spots and reduce flare-ups. GrillGrates replace your existing grates or simply cover them. Use one set to cover part of your grill, or connect multiple panels together to cover more surface area. Made from hard anodized aluminum, GrillGrates offer more efficient heat conductivity compared to cast iron or steel, delivering fast, even cooking and perfect sear lines. Hard anodized aluminum is rust resistant, extremely durable and also able to withstand heat up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The underside pattern blocks flare-ups, preventing food from charring or drying out. Juices and drippings from your food fall into the hot valleys between the grates, sizzling and steaming into flavor. The fat drains off and burns in the bottom of the grill grate and not on the outside of your food. The GrateTool prongs fit between and below the rails to lift not scrape food on the grill and also doubles as a cleaning tool to clear the valleys of build-up. This grill surface set includes two 5 1/4 W X 19 1/4 D (10 1/2-inch total width) interlocking GrillGrate panels, grate tool, user guide and recipe booklet. GrillGrate products are made in the USA.
Legal disclaimers and warnings
Product packaging, owners' manuals, installation instructions, and/or operating instructions may include more information than what is shown on our website. The content on our site is intended to be used for reference purposes only. Please fully read all included manuals and documentation before installing or using this product. WARNING for California residents: this product may contain chemical(s) known to the state of California to cause birth defects, cancer, or other reproductive harm.
Product Information
- 684191863561
- Model Number
|19 1/4"
|Primary Color
|Extra Features
|Includes Grilling Tool
|Grill Type
|All Purpose
Manufacturer's Downloads
Learning CenterBack to Top
WarrantyBack to Top
GrillGrates offers a thirty (30) day no questions asked warranty on their products to be free of defects in material and/or craftsmanship.
Refer to manufacturers manual for full warranty details.
Customer Reviews (0)Back to Top
Be the first to write a review about this item.
Questions & Answers (0)Back to Top
Have a question about this item? Ask an expert.
Compare Similar ItemsBack to Top
Proposition 65Back to Top
Per the manufacturer, this product does not require a California Proposition 65 Warning.
For more information, go to www.p65warnings.ca.gov.
Shipping & ReturnsBack to Top
Ship your entire order to your home for free, especially the big stuff! * Continental US only.When Will My Item Arrive?
Once shipped, items usually arrive within 3 to 5 business days. If your item is large it may ship via one of our third-party freight carriers (18-wheeler). If your order has an item that is shipped on a freight carrier, you will be contacted to schedule a curbside delivery time.
Anything under $49. ships at one low price. If your order increases, your shipping stays the same!45 Day No Hassle Returns
Return all new, unused and unassembled items in their original packaging, and we'll give you a full refund minus the cost of the original shipping AND return shipping.No Restocking Fee
Most companies charge a restocking fee. We think that is wrong.
About UsBack to Top
At BBQGuys.com we pride ourselves on being the grilling experts. From expert product reviews to free outdoor kitchen planning services, BBQGuys.com is dedicated to being your go-to resource for all things barbecue. Based in Baton Rouge with over 500,000 happy customers nationwide, we stand by our wide selection of grills, smokers, outdoor kitchen components and grilling accessories. Call us with any questions - we're here to help.


text:
Sales organizations can now easily get an enterprise-grade CRM app up and running in minutes
Santa Cruz, CA. January 22, 2013. - X2Engine, creators of X2CRM, a compact, powerful customer information system, announced today its partnership with BitNami, a leading provider of ready-to-run installers. This collaborative effort enables users to deploy the latest release of X2CRM in native or cloud environments with a single click.
<div>BitNami-packaged applications are available free of charge as a native installer for Linux, Windows and OS X, in 64 and 32 bit packages, an Ubuntu-based virtual appliance, an AMI for the Amazon Cloud and an image for the Windows Azure cloud. BitNami Cloud Hosting provides a growing library of the most popular open source applications, ready to be launched with the click of a button.
"With BitNami packaged installers administrators can quickly and easily deploy X2CRM in minutes," said John Roberts, founder of X2Engine. "No more web server or database setup; BitNami makes it easy."
"We are excited to add X2CRM to our stack of packaged open source CRM applications," said Erica Brescia, CEO of BitRock Inc, the developer of BitNami.
Unlike other CRM systems, X2CRM was designed to be light and fast, while boasting an intuitive user interface. With X2CRM, users have the ability to capture leads from the web, nurture leads through specified workflows and track these leads as they return to your website, helping to accurately gauge interest and cue sales processes. The inclusion of marketing automation, including a rich campaign editor, into the CRM system ensures a comprehensive picture of leads, customers and everybody in between. </div>
Additionally, X2Engine announces their incremental Version 2.7 release. Most attractive about this release is the new Activity Feed, a comprehensive, real-time report of all actions in the software, including Contact touches, Social activity and Workflow advances. This release also includes UI and Web Tracker Listeners enhancements.
About X2EngineCRM
X2Engine, Inc. of Santa Cruz, California, was founded in 2011 by John Roberts, a SugarCRM co-founder and Customer Relationship Management software entrepreneur. The company provides software and cloud hosting services for X2CRM, a next generation open source, sales management system. X2CRM has been installed on over 3,000 public and private cloud servers across 120 countries.
X2Engine Inc. is headquartered in beautiful Santa Cruz, California, a short 40 minute drive from San Francisco International Airport. For a live demonstration, a detailed feature list and screenshot and video library please visit http://www.x2engine.com. X2Engine CRM takes advantage of the latest open source software including Apache, PHP, MySQL and Linux (LAMP).
About BitNami
BitNami simplifies the process of deploying web applications natively, virtually and in the cloud. BitNami provides a growing library of the most popular open source applications, ready to be launched with the click of a button. With BitNami, solution providers and businesses of all sizes can deploy and manage business applications such as Jasperserver, SugarCRM, Alfresco, Drupal and many more. BitNami is developed by BitRock, a leader in cross-platform application deployment.
Additional Resources


text:
Zoe McDonald - more of this model »
Stunners has the biggest and best collection of the finest women from all over the world! Always high quality content, always updated, always Stunners! Click here to watch the full length video!
Age: 29 Years Old | Astrological Sign: Aquarius | Breast size: D Cup | Country: Czech Republic
- · Huge Collection Of The World's Finest Woman!
· Incredible 720P High Quality HD Videos!
- · Updated 7 Days a Week With Hot New Babes!
· Matching High Resolution Photo Sets!
Copyright 2011 © Stunners.com. All Rights Reserved. | 2257 Compliance Statement


text:
Photo: AP Images
In a somewhat unusual press release Amazon announced that it sold out of its $200 tablet, the Kindle Fire.In the release, CEO Jeff Bezos says, "Kindle Fire is sold out, but we have an exciting roadmap ahead—we will continue to offer our customers the best hardware, the best prices, the best customer service, the best cross-platform interoperability, and the best content ecosystem."
He appears to be saying Amazon will not make any more Kindle Fires, at least not the current model.
Amazon is hosting a special media event one week from today where it's expected to announce the next wave of Kindle Fires and e-readers. If Amazon is sold out of Fires, it would follow that the next tablets will be available for sale right away.
In Amazon's release it says it captured 22% of the tablet market in the U.S. over the last nine months. Its cheap tablet was appealing to people who didn't want to pay $400-$500 for the iPad. But Amazon now faces competition from Google with the Nexus 7, and Apple is reportedly going to release an iPad Mini which will compete with the Kindle Fire.
Amazon will have to make the next generation of the Kindle Fire significantly better if it wants to compete with Google and Apple.
Here's the full release:
Less than one year ago, Amazon introduced Kindle Fire—combining 15 years of innovation into a single, fully-integrated, end-to-end service for customers. Kindle Fire quickly became the most successful product launch in the history of Amazon.com, earning over 10,000 5-star customer reviews, and is the #1 best-selling product across the millions of items available on Amazon since its introduction 48 weeks ago. Today, Amazon announced that Kindle Fire is sold out, and that in just nine months, Kindle Fire has captured 22% of tablet sales in the U.S.
"We're grateful to the millions of customers who have made Kindle Fire the most successful product launch in the history of Amazon," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. "This has been a big year for digital products on Amazon—all of the top 10 sellers on Amazon.com since Kindle Fire launched just less than a year ago are digital products. Kindle Fire is sold out, but we have an exciting roadmap ahead—we will continue to offer our customers the best hardware, the best prices, the best customer service, the best cross-platform interoperability, and the best content ecosystem."
Kindle Fire offers customers a vast selection of digital content—over 22 million movies, TV shows, apps, games, books, magazines and more—in one seamless, end-to-end experience, making it easy for customers to browse, discover and purchase. Since Kindle Fire launched last September, all of the top 10 products on Amazon—across all products—are digital products.
Business Insider Emails & Alerts
Site highlights each day to your inbox.
Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.


text:
Hi Folks,
I have just bought a second hand ( like new) Seaward Primetest.
It came with carry case,' kettle lead' and instructions.
No other kit was included, I have a Belkin Bluetooth dongle that talks to my PC from the tester.
A new battery charger was bought with new rechargeable batteries.
However on switching on there are only 4 options on the menu screen, I am unable to access
any test functions be them manual or automatic.
The screen has on it Boot 1.05 in top left corner under the date, is this anything?
Does this tester require an operating system to be installed before all menus can be accessed or
is it somehow locked out?
Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks, Gareth.


text:
The U.S.S. Enterprise returns to the planet colloquially known as "the Shore Leave planet," where a humanoid Keeper tends to an advanced amusement park where visitors' thoughts are transformed into reality.
Unfortunately, Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) is captured by the amusement park's master computer, leaving Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Mr. Sulu (George Takei), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) to attempt a rescue.
The landing party soon learns that the Keeper has passed away, and that the computer has come to believe that it has been "enslaved." It now wants to commandeer the Enterprise, go out into the galaxy at large, and visit with its "brother" computers…
If the first half-dozen episodes of Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973 – 1974) are any guide, it looks like a distinct pattern is emerging. Original episodes are good -- sometimes scary good -- while the sequels to popular Original Series episodes are barely adequate, or even downright terrible.
"Once Upon a Planet" is not nearly as bad as "More Tribbles, More Troubles," the series' low-point so far, but nor does it rise to the ecstatic, creative heights of such masterpieces as "The Survivor" or "The Magicks of Megas-Tu."
Here, the episode being sequel-ized is "Shore Leave," an early and popular first season installment of Star Trek (1966 – 1969). But in this follow-up, as Mr. Sulu succinctly opines "nothing's changed."
In other words, the planet is still producing hostile animatronic beings produced from human desires, wishes, and thoughts, and Mr. Spock still advises control and the careful "monitoring of our thoughts," lest the landing party give "ammunition" to the enemy.
"Once Upon a Planet" isn't a total failure, however, since it features a rare starring role for Lt. Uhura. The character gets to be the prime-mover of the story's "learning" arc, and that's refreshing.
I also like that this segment involves the idea of a machine -- a master computer -- gaining awareness of itself, and its treatment by humanoids. Indeed, this is a concept that would be important, in one way or another, to the Trek franchise in installments as diverse as Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), and "The Quality of Life," The Next Gen episode concerning sentient machines called "exo-comps."
Like, V'ger, the master computer in this episode sees the Enterprise as a kind of life-form ("the sky machine.") It also sees its life as consisting only of "servitude," a word which might describe the exo-comps' predicament, since they are used in hazardous, life-threatening situations.
The solution to the crisis in "Once Upon a Planet" comes when Captain Kirk (once more) talks down a dangerous machine and reminds it that it need not go anywhere. Instead, "the galaxy will come to it." The computer proves amenable to this suggestion.
The problem with the overall story-line here is that the colorful, fanciful creations of the master computer are no more than narrative impediments to pad out the half-hour. The fire-breathing dragons, pterodactyls, and even the Red Queen serve no other purpose but to slow things down, and, in point of fact, are not even avatars created by the landing party (as Kirk points out). They must be "pre-existing" amusements, and thus are present, essentially, at random.
To describe this another way, "Once Upon a Planet" is a familiar story about a world run by a computer, and Kirk reaching an accommodation with said computer. The bells and whistles from "Shore Leave" play almost no significant or meaningful part in this sequel.
So overall, the story isn't particularly exciting, or original. It's just average, familiar old Star Trek.
Next week, another sequel: "Mudd's Passion."


text:
Mrs. O Wows in Ruby Jason Wu
For a second time, Jason Wu has designed Mrs. O's inaugural ball gown. In some sense, it's bit of a surprise. If there's one way to describe the first lady's style, it's diverse. Over the past four years, Mrs. O has worn more than 50 designers, and that's a conservative count. While Jason Wu has remained consistently in the mix - most recently, Mrs. O has worn pieces from the designer's Miss Wu line - new names have emerged too. When polled last week, 10% of you thought Mrs. O would wear Jason Wu for this occasion. This choice indicates a lasting affinity for the designer, and a connection between Wu and Mrs. O that takes on new, even greater status.
As for the dress: the cut of the gown highlights Mrs. O's enviable arms, shoulders and back. The color reads power, and provides an energetic shift away from the subdued hues of the weekend. The lightness and movement of the fabric connotes an easy femininity. All in all, a winning combination.
Per a White House official via the pool report: "The first lady is wearing a custom Jason Wu ruby colored chiffon and velvet gown, shoes by Jimmy Choo, and a handmade diamond embellished ring by jewelry designer Kimberly McDonald. At the end of the inaugural festivities, the outfit and accompanying accessories will go to the National Archives."
Of note, I believe the Kimberly McDonald "embellished ring" is incorporated into the neckline of the dress, per the sketch below. To see more of the first lady's inaugural jewels from Kimberly McDonald, click here.
For further reading:
"Mrs. Obama's Inaugural Wardrobe by Many Designers" [New York Times]
"Picking a Winner Among a Field of Bold Theories" [New York Times]
"First lady Michelle Obama serves as fashion icon" [Washington Post]
A sketch of the gown via CNN's @AlinaChoCNN:


text:
Cleveland is, essentially, a C student in a UCLA economist's study of education levels in major American cities. The Washington Post takes a look at new data compiled by economist William Yu. "In a study set to be released in a few days, he constructed a 'city human capital index,' or CHCI, that measures the average amount of schooling attained in a given city, county or metropolitan area, as recorded by the Census Bureau," The Post says. For children and young adults under 25, Prof. Yu "measures how much education they are likely to receive, based on elementary and secondary school enrollment rates in the area and on college enrollment, for those over 18." Each year of schooling gets10 points. The D.C. metro area is No. 1, with a score of 140.5 (or 14 school years, two years of college), followed by Boston and San Francisco. In Prof. Yu's study of the 30 largest metro areas, Cleveland ranked No. 20 with a score of 132, or a bit more than 13 years of school. That's below peer cities such as St. Louis, Cincinnati and Detroit, but it's better than Orlando, Tampa, Phoenix, Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston and other places generally thought to be more conducive to knowledge workers and economic growth. The Post labels the performance of Cincinnati, Detroit and Cleveland something of a surprise. "The overall pattern is that the coasts, the plains and the Midwest all perform quite well, with the South notably less educated than the rest of the country," according to the newspaper. The correlation with unemployment rates "is rougher, but still statistically significant," The Post adds. "These figures alone don't show causation. It could be that more educated people just flock to richer places and don't themselves make those places rich. But given the evidence showing that higher earnings for educated workers is due to demand for their skills, it's not too big a leap to say that more education leads to richer cities or counties."
Editor's Choice
Cleveland's not at the head of the class, but it's not at the back, either
The Tax Foundation still isn't crazy about Ohio's business tax climate. The Dayton Business Journal reports that Ohio was No. 39 in business tax climate in a new study compiled by the nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that monitors tax policy. "In the foundation's newly released 2013 State Business Tax Climate Index, the Buckeye State scored good marks for unemployment insurance and its corporate tax rate," according to the Dayton newspaper. "However, it got dinged in areas such as individual income tax and property tax." Wyoming ranked No. 1 on the list, followed by South Dakota and Nevada. The lowest-ranked states were New York, New Jersey and California. Meanwhile, Forbes.com compiles a listing of the 20 best cities for working mothers, and Ohio fares really well. Columbus is No. 1 on the list, while Cincinnati is No. 4 and Cleveland is No. 7. The rankings are based on factors including the cost of living, job opportunities, earnings potential, average commute safety, health care access and education.
Bloomberg reports that the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal by two units of Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. "that sought to recoup $230 million they say they spent to acquire power for serving their Pennsylvania retail power customers." The court "left intact a Pennsylvania state court decision that said a 1998 settlement precluded FirstEnergy's Metropolitan Edison and Pennsylvania Electric from recovering the disputed money through higher rates," according to Bloomberg. The news service notes the costs stem from "transmission line losses" — the electricity that dissipates because of friction or resistance as power travels through lines.
A Cleveland Clinic researcher is mentioned in this New York Times story about a significant shift by the Social Security Administration to limit access to its death records amid concerns about identity theft. The change "is beginning to hamper a range of research, including federal assessments of hospital safety and efforts by the financial industry to spot consumer fraud," The Times reports. For instance, The Times says a research group that produces reports on organ transplant survival rates "is facing delays because of the extra work it must do to determine whether patients are still alive." That's important because the federal agency that runs Medicare "uses the data to determine whether some transplant programs have such poor track records that they should be cut off from government financing." The newspaper reports that 4 million deaths last year were expunged from a publicly available Social Security Administration master file. Jesse D. Schold, a health researcher at the Clinic, tells The Times that holes in the master file, which will only grow larger, already have compromised his investigation into mortality rates among living kidney donors. "Confirming deaths of subjects by surveying every state would be prohibitively burdensome, he said. And using the index compiled by the C.D.C., which pays states to submit refined data, would be unaffordable, costing perhaps $30,000 to $50,000 a year," the newspaper reports. "By contrast, an annual subscription to the Social Security file, with unlimited searches, can be bought for as little as $995. Genealogy Web sites make the data available on the Internet at little or no cost." Dr. Schold tells The Times, "It's very critical that we have an objective way to measure deaths. Otherwise we're getting the data from the centers we're measuring, and that's problematic" because they cannot track all former patients until death.
You also can follow me on Twitter for more news about business and Northeast Ohio.


text:
Moderator: Hitoru
by RYP » Fri Aug 16, 2013 11:48 pm
by skinz0021 » Sat Aug 24, 2013 6:14 am
by roach coach » Thu Aug 29, 2013 4:31 am
by RYP » Mon Sep 02, 2013 4:43 pm
by roach coach » Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:54 am
by SALTINE WARRIOR » Mon Oct 21, 2013 6:23 pm
by Hitoru » Fri Oct 25, 2013 6:09 pm
by SALTINE WARRIOR » Sun Oct 27, 2013 11:05 pm
Return to Guns, Knives, Gear, Tech and ....STUFF!!!
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest
Please note that the topics discussed, opinions expressed and/or information provided in this forum are those of fellow forum participants only. Neither Robert Young Pelton, nor ComeBackAlive.com Inc., nor Ingle International Inc., nor any other person or entity involved in the creation or maintenance of this site, takes any responsibility or provides any endorsement for the topics discussed, opinions expressed or information provided in this forum. Any advice or information taken from this forum is entirely at your own risk.