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When you need help, D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services is supposed to get there quickly.
According to medical experts, someone who isn't breathing has less than six minutes before brain damage or death.
Less than two weeks ago, DCFEMS Chief Kenneth Ellerbe claimed his units respond to calls in 6.5 minutes or less 92 percent of the time.
"We do try to keep the numbers very short and very tight so we do reduce our response time," Chief Ellerbe told the News4 I-Team.
For more than a year and a half, the I-Team fought a legal battle with DCFEMS for documents that would hopefully reveal the agency's true response times.
We finally obtained data for all 911 calls for DCFEMS service from January 2012 until this past May.
More than a quarter million vehicles dispatched to the scene of an emergency.
At first, we found the data matches much of what the city claimed.
But then we discovered some important details that might change the way you look at how the city keeps track of its emergency response times. It definitely surprised Edward Smith, the president of the DC Firefighters Association Local 36.
As Smith explained, "You call 911 and a fire engine or an ambulance shows up on your door. That's the time everybody wants to know."
When you call 911, a "call taker" picks it up at the Office of Unified Communication, or OUC, and sends it to a "dispatcher," who then tells the appropriate unit where to go. It's then up to the fire department to get to where it's going as quickly as possible.
But we discovered DCFEMS only counts the amount of time it takes from the moment a unit is dispatched to when it arrives at your door.
It does not include the minutes it takes for your 911 call to move through OUC.
"I'm calculating what we're responsible for," Chief Ellerbe told us, "which is the time of dispatch to time of arrival on the scene."
According to the chief and his staff, no one in the city keeps track of the entire length of the response.
Meaning response times could be minutes longer than previously reported.
The union's reaction? "Sad, sad," Smith said. "Public deserves to know the truth, and in this age of government they tout words like 'transparency' and 'being collaborative,' and we don't see it."
The News4 I-Team also noticed there were some very short response times, mere seconds, and incredibly long times, like six, seven and eight hours, in the data.
DCFEMS said these are obviously not right, claiming its "system didn't recognize a unit had arrived on a scene" or "a member didn't press the arrival button."
Chief Ellerbe explained, "We don't throw out so many outliers though that we skew the numbers, but some things are just so short or extremely long that they would not fall anywhere in the calculation."
So we asked, What do you count?
The answer? Any call between one minute and 30 minutes.
And that shocked the union. "It's disingenuine [sic]," Smith told us. "I would call it cooking the books."
Smith said no one ever told the union the city threw out calls - roughly 8,000 in our data.
"From the documents I've seen from the department, I've never seen that explained in their datasets," Smith said. "So why all of a sudden that comes out now?"
Smith said it is very rare for a call to take just one minute.
That's how long, he said, it takes a crew just to get into a vehicle - or what's called the "chute time."
He said the only way a call could take one minute is if someone walked into a fire house with an injury or a vehicle happened to be passing the scene on the way to something else.
As for calls taking more than 30 minutes, Smith said, "In rare instances, if you're going from one end of town to the other with lights and sirens in rush hour traffic, absolutely it's going to happen."
But Chief Ellerbe stands by the data.
"We don't skew the numbers that badly," he told us. "Those are very few and far between and I will say that our employees have responded to the response time, chute time challenge admirably. They do get out the door and they do get to the scene pretty quickly."


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As mentioned in earlier posts this week, the 2011 Pappy 15 Bourbon is 100% Buffalo Trace whiskey rather than Stitzel-Weller. This was stated by Preston Van Winkle in a podcast with David Driscoll of K&L Wine and Spirits. For more information on the Stitzel-Weller portion of this story and what all of this means, please check my post from Tuesday December 13, 2011. It gives more background about a great old American Distillery. For this post I will spare you the redundancies because lord knows I talked enough in the video. It's all in the interest of getting to the bottom of the hoopla. Is Pappy 15 better? Is it worse?
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Bourbon, 53.5% abv (107 Proof) $75.00
Color: Deep Amber/Copper
Nose: Deeper oak and a flintier opening than the 2009 Pappy 15, but still so familiar. Maple syrup, toffee, sweet vanilla, root beer, dried figs, caramelized pecans, and toasted wood. Less rummy and a notch spicier than previous releases, and gorgeous all the way around – masterclass stuff. Time and air serve to open this up even more – it gets better.
Palate: Syrupy textured and luscious. The front entry is sharper and spicier than the 2009. Otherwise we're again in familiar Pappy 15 territory. Sticky dried dark fruits, chewy toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, roasted nuts, big wood spices (nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon), sassafras, and a healthy dose of barrel char.
Finish: The finish is long with caramel, barrel, coffee, and warming spices (nutmeg).
Overall: Amazing bourbon! For me, few whiskeys achieve the depth, power, and richness that Pappy 15 does at that proof point. Sweet and soft in ways, but also well spiced. You can spend an evening discovering new aromas and flavors. The differences between this and the 2009 release are very slight. It's a bit bolder and drier on the nose and sip, the oak is a shade more pronounced, but again it's Pappy 15 through and through. I believe they've been working towards this release for a long time. It's just my opinion only but I have to believe previous years have had increasing percentages of Buffalo Trace whiskey integrated with them. And that's fine with me, because what we have here is still one of the finest whiskeys in the world, and certainly a candidate for America's best bourbon this year.
Sour Mash Manifesto Rating: 9.7 (Epic/Classic)

subset: commoncrawl


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Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry Dec 07
Critter Notices
P&E Has a New Caretaker!
I'm very happy to announce that P&E has been handed off to a new caretaker! Check out the site for news and such. Hurrah!
I'm being interviewed live on public radio for Critters 20th birthday. For those who want to listen, it's on the 10am (Mountain time) show on Thursday, 11/19/16, on Colorado Public Radio - www.cpr.org has streaming on the site or it's 90.1 FM in the Denver area. [Interview is done, you can listen on the site]
Free Web Sites
Free web sites for authors (and others) are available at www.nyx.net.
ReAnimus Acquires Advent!
ReAnimus Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of the legendary Advent Publishers! Advent is now a subsidiary of ReAnimus Press, and we will continue to publish Advent's titles under the Advent name. Advent was founded in 1956 by Earl Kemp and others, and has published the likes of James Blish, Hal Clement, Robert Heinlein, Damon Knight, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and many others. Advent's high quality titles have won and been finalists for several Hugo Awards, such as The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Heinlein's Children. Watch this space for ebook and print editions of all of Advent's current titles!
Network speeding up
I'm switching the connection over to a new, shiny 10X faster network because of all the load. There might be bits of downtime as your boxes learn new addresses and things. Should be brief. Let me know of any prolonged outages you see.
Preditors & Editors Changeover
With the very sad passing of Dave Kuzminski, who ran P&E, I've taken over the P&E duties. Lots of what I hope are improvements; check it out at pred-ed.com.
Critters Server
is Dying has been Replaced
See important details here in my blog. Let me know if you find anything that isn't working right. (Manuscripts are now available for this week, FYI.)
Book Recommendation
THE SIGIL TRILOGY: The universe is dying from within... "Great stuff... Really enjoyed it." — SFWA Grandmaster Michael Moorcock
Announcing ReAnimus Press
If you need help making ebooks from manuscripts or print copies—or finding great stuff to read—look no further! An ebook publisher started by your very own Critter Captain. (And with a 12% Affiliate program.) [More]
Welcome to Critique.org!
Critters is 23!
Yes, 23 years ago Critters was born. Wow! Thanks so much to all of you, who've made it such a resounding success!
Critters no longer accepting European Union members :(It's with a heavy heart that I have to announce Critters can no longer accept people in the European Union as members. This is a result of the "GDPR" privacy laws going into effect. I'm a big fan of privacy, and applaud the general idea behind the GDPR, but the way it's implemented forces me to close the door to EU writers. [read more why...]
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
The Sigil TrilogyIf you're looking for an amazing, WOW! science fiction story, check out THE SIGIL TRILOGY. This is — literally — one of the best science fiction novels I've ever read.
How to Write SF
The Craft of Writing Science Fiction that Sells by Ben Bova, best-selling author and six-time Hugo Award winner for Best Editor. (This is one of the books your ol' Critter Captain learned from himself, and I highly recommend it.) (Also via Amazon)
What is the Critters Workshop?
Critters is a member of the Critique.org family of on-line workshops/critique groups, and is for serious writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. You get your work critiqued in exchange for critiquing the work of others, both of which are invaluable ways to improve your writing. It's run by Andrew Burt, former vice-president of SFWA and his army of software minions. Critters is free (except for the work of doing critiques!) and funded by donations; if you find Critters useful, donations are appreciated .
What Next?
- Want to know more?
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- What's in it for pros?
What Others Say
If I were shopping for a workshop, I'd give Critters a close look.
Well run and quite stable
Critters has been profiled in Salon Magazine.
More Info
Check out a more detailed description of Critters and what it's like to send a manuscript through the workshop.
Our mission is to achieve a high level of participation in giving critiques on short stories, novel chapters, and entire novels in the genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. The focus is on providing timely, helpful critiques. Our Rules are what make this work.
(And a steady hand on the tiller from the Critter Captain.)
Note To Pro WritersProfessional SF/F/H authors are most welcome, and we have many in the group. For one critique a month, voting SFWA/HWA members get immediate reviews of their work. If you don't mind a little humorous coaxing, drop in here.
Ready to Join?
If you're ready to join, come on in.


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European consumers have the right to know whether some food products which claim to have beneficial impact on their health actually have such effect. The European Commission will present by the end of the year a list of permitted health claims on food products for all substances other than the so-called "botanicals," after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published today a sixth and final set of opinions on the matter.
The Commission welcomes the publication of the sixth set covering 35 health claims on food products (also known as "Article 13 claims"). This publication marks the conclusion of EFSA's assessment which started in October 2009.
"Ensuring accurate and reliable information on food labels is key to help consumers make healthier choices and strengthen their empowerment," Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner John Dalli said. "The assessment process, conducted by EFSA so far, is a vital step towards the implementation of the health claims Regulation and I thank EFSA for its valuable input to this difficult and challenging task that has no precedent anywhere else in the world." he added. "Now our priority is to adopt, as soon as possible, the list of permitted Article 13 claims," Commissioner Dalli concluded.
The Commission has already started preliminary work with Member States and aims to present the final measure before the end of the year.
Once the list of permitted health claims is adopted and fully operational, EU consumers will be assured that all health claims on the EU market are substantiated by science and are not misleading. This will help consumers choose a healthier diet. The list's adoption will also facilitate the work of enforcement authorities in ensuring compliance with the Regulation and will guarantee fair competition among operators.
The Claims Regulation aims to ensure a high level of protection for consumers, by facilitating the choice of products for a varied and balanced diet which is a prerequisite for good health. To do this, claims must not mislead consumers: they must be accurate, truthful, substantiated by science and adopted onto a list of permitted health claims. EFSA (European Food Safety Agency) is the body that assesses the science used to substantiate health claims.
At the beginning of the process, the Member States submitted, in total, to the Commission more than 44,000 health claims. The Commission consolidated these into a list of approximately 4,600. The six sets of opinions published by EFSA cover about 2,760 health claims of the approximately 4,600 submitted for scientific advice (1550 claims on "botanicals" have been place on hold by the Commission).
Due to the large number of health claims received and the delay in submissions by stakeholders to Member States, the deadline of 31 January 2010, stipulated in the Health Claims Regulation, for the adoption of a list of permitted health claims could not be met. With the aforementioned review of the adoption process the deadline for EFSA to finalise its evaluation of all claims, other than botanicals was extended to the end of June 2011


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Police stormed a motel room in a seaside town Tuesday evening and captured a Washington state man suspected of killing his grandparents, ending a multistate search and a tense daylong standoff at the motel.
Officers found Michael Boysen lying on the floor on his back with apparently serious self-inflicted cuts, Lincoln City police Chief Keith Kilian said.
The 26-year-old man was flown to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland.
Hospital spokeswoman Judy Pahl described his condition as critical shortly after he arrived late Tuesday night.
No officers were hurt in the standoff, which Kilian termed "very successful." Law enforcement officials in Washington state had described Boysen as extremely dangerous.
Michael Boysen has been the subject of a multistate manhunt since Saturday, when the bodies of his grandparents were found in their suburban Seattle home. Washington state authorities have said Boysen killed the couple the day after they threw a welcome home party for him after his release from prison.
After negotiations with the man holed up inside the Westshore OceanFront Suites in this tourist town went nowhere on Tuesday, police used three blasts from a water cannon to break a window at the motel because "the guy had been quiet for too long," said Lincoln City Police Chief Keith Kilian.
"There was a lack of activity going in there, so we did a strategic breach, which caused conversations to be continued," Kilian said. "We weren't progressing, so we stepped it up a little bit."
A state police negotiator used a bullhorn to try to persuade the person inside the second-floor motel room to disarm and surrender. The voice on the loudspeaker said, "There's a lot of people who want to see you come out OK."
At one point police officers were seen going into an adjacent room. Earlier in the day, police had sent a small robot up some stairs and onto a balcony of the motel.
Rooms at the motel were quietly evacuated and surrounding streets were closed off. Nearby residents were told to remain in their homes, and a growing number of officers converged on the motel.
Boysen checked into the motel Monday night under his own name, but the name wasn't recognized until Tuesday morning when a desk clerk saw a television story about the case and called the Lincoln City police, Kilian said.
A State Police negotiator used a bullhorn to talk to the man, but hadn't made headway.
"He asked for us to leave, that's about it," Kilian said.
Officers haven't seen the man display any weapons, he said.
Boysen, 26, made threats against members of his family and law enforcement while behind bars, Corrections Department spokesman Chad Lewis said Tuesday. But authorities didn't learn of the threats until after the bodies of the grandparents were found and authorities had started looking for Boysen.
"Sources went to our staff at the Monroe Correctional Center and told us he had been threatening to do all this," Lewis said.
The information was passed on to King County deputies, and that's why King County Sheriff John Urquhart called Boysen extremely dangerous at a Monday news conference.
Boysen just finished serving nine months in prison on a burglary conviction, Lewis said. He had no violent infractions in prison — "nothing extraordinary," Lewis said.
He served a previous sentence between 2006 and February 2011 for four robbery convictions. Those convictions were related to an addiction to narcotic painkillers, Lewis said.
Boysen's grandparents picked him up from prison in Monroe on Friday, drove him to meet his probation officer and to get an identification card from the Department of Licensing. They held a welcome home party for him Friday night.
The bodies were discovered by Boysen's mother Saturday evening. She had been called by a family member who became concerned that the couple hadn't answered their door.
Authorities haven't said how they died. Investigators determined that Boysen had been searching the Internet for gun shows.
The motive for the killings remains unknown, King County sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West said.
"Between the family and detectives we have no idea," she said. "It's just bizarre. The family loved and supported him the whole time he was in prison."
The King County medical examiner's office hasn't released their names. But family and neighbors told KOMO News they are Robert R. Taylor, 82, and Norma J. Taylor, 80.
Associated Press writers Jeff Barnard in Grants Pass, Ore., and Doug Esser in Seattle contributed to this report.


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Scroll below to see Dateline's travel photos of New Orleans, particularly, the devastation in the Ninth Ward.
• February 27, 2006 | 4:49 p.m. ET
New Orleans' best party at its historically worst time (Hoda Kotb, NBC News correspondent)
Video: Vlog: Back in New Orleans I was a local TV reporter in New Orleans for 6 years. As anyone who has lived here will tell you, the city gets in your blood, and its spirit is never stronger than at Mardi Gras.
But, after the city was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, everyone knew the world's biggest party, now just a day away, would surely be different. The only question is how.
I checked in with a Mardi Gras veteran Gene Lala, someone who has seen more than 70 of them. So far, this year he says something's missing. "The glitz and glitter is not exactly there," says Gene. "They are kind a rinkety-dink, most of them."
At 77 years old, Gene lost just about everything to Katrina. He's living in a shell of a house, still waiting for his FEMA trailer.
He hopes Mardi Gras, even a slightly diminished one, will be the right prescription for the Big Easy. "I think after any kind of trauma or disaster, you need a pick me up. Just like a cup of coffee in the morning… you just need something to kind of get you going."
It will take a lot more than a single carnival season to fix the huge problems that confront the residents of New Orleans. But one woman we found along the parade route, Denise Smith, says that Mardi Gras is simply about moving on. Katrina took away Denise's house and left her in a cramped hotel room. But she didn't lose her optimism. "Knowing what happened, we can all get together and have fun and forget about that one day. So many people have lost so much. Look at us—we are out here having a good time."
Meanwhile, Diane Barrileaux is doing what she's always done at Mardi Gras time: playing "beat the clock" to finish 12,000 parade costumes. With fewer parades, she'll make a little less money this year, but she says there is something more important riding on Fat Tuesday.
"I think it's a way to show the rest of the United States that we are here we trying as hard as we can to bring back New Orleans the way it should be," she says.
It's the best time of year at the worst time in the city's history. Mardi Gras and tomorrow's climactic celebrations are just another step in the long road to recovery.
- Mardi Gras vocabulary 101: The words you need to know to be a part of the party (As seen on the Nightly News Monday)
- Click here to read more of Hoda and Dateline blog entries during the immediate aftermath of Katrina.
• March 1, 2006 | 1:35 p.m. ET
• February 21, 2006 | 3:49 p.m. ET
A day in our life in Torino (Hoda Kotb, Dateline and NBC News correspondent)
Let me give you a little "day in the life": We're up at 6:30 a.m. Torino time— breakfast and the 30-minute bus ride to the NBC workspace. That's where I am as I write this: sitting at my computer. This is an old warehouse converted into our newsroom. It is cavernous— an acre and a half, I am just told from Joe Alicastro, who helps run things around here...
There are hundreds of computers, TV screens, edit rooms, and machines that do God-knows-what. And by now, worn out people. Today Show, Nightly News, all of the local affiliates are here.
We are walking distance from the speed skating venue. The rest you need a lift or you can hop on the tram (which is free).
So, I shoot during the day— in this case a spot on "Olympic Moms," moms who are participating in the games. We line up interviews with moms and their kids— shoot, write, and edit. While that's going on, we are shooting another story called "Why they fall," about ice skaters dropping like flies. We find former Olympian Dick Button and mic him up and go.
I grab a quick lunch upstairs in the workspace. Then I notice former gold Medalist Sara Hughes is here on a computer Googling something. On any given day around here, you will see Brian Boitano, Johnny Weir, you name it. They are doing interviews and hanging around. They seem to be having fun.
The day goes fast— one edit will happen overnight, the other, first thing in the morning. Sometimes, like a few days ago, I slipped out and to see an event — the last one I saw was Women's Hockey, the gold medal game between Finland vs. Canada. When we show up the score is 6-0. Canada beating up on Finland. In the bleachers, we catch the fever. You've gotta cheer... for the underdog. We do, and even do the wave in a sea of painted faces.
Later, I head out and meet Matt Lauer, Al Roker and company for a great dinner. We shared delicious steaks, wine, laughs, and a song. A Today show staffer (who shall remain nameless) belted out the finest version of "Old Man River" I have ever heard.
A word about the food in Italy: One dinner really said it all about the people here. On a recommendation from a guy in a chocolate shop, my husband and I strolled to this old Italian restaurant (he snuck over here for a few days). It was run by older wonderful Italian women. They, like the restaurant, had been there for 30 years. The place was vintage Italian, down to the menu, which we couldn't understand because it was also in Italian. We stumbled through it, and my husband said aloud, "I think I'll just get lasagna." A local woman sitting next to us said --"You CANNOT order lasagna or anything like that here. Let me help." She called the waiter over, talked to him for 5 minutes handed the menu back to the waiter. The waiter looked at us and said "I hope you like fish." The meal was wonderful-- She was wonderful.
I finished up dinner with the NBC crew at midnight but the day wasn't over -- not yet. I had to head back to the workspace. It was my "overnight," which meant I had to sleep close to the live location, in case news breaks. I had a pillow and blanket from the hotel room. I curled up on the couch in Brian Williams' make-shift office and closed my eyes.
Before I knew it, the alarm went off at 6 a.m. It's time to start all over again...
Click here for Hoda's video reports from Torino:
- Kotb: Partners on and off ice — On an ice dancing pair who met online... and fell in love
- Kotb: Olympic cheer dancers — On the Italians who are cheering for all Olympians
For the "Today in Torino blog," click here.
Dateline NBC is off this week so that NBC can bring you the Winter Olympics.


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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Pau Gasol had 23 points and 10 rebounds and was the last line of defense for Los Angeles, contesting Detroit's last-second alley-oop attempt and helping the Lakers hold on for a 98-97 victory over the Pistons on Sunday.
Los Angeles blew an 18-point third-quarter lead but went back ahead for good on Kobe Bryant's driving three-point play with 1:09 remaining. That gave the Lakers a 98-95 lead, and they held on despite missing four free throws in the final 16.8 seconds.
The normally reliable Steve Nash missed two with 2.7 seconds left, giving Detroit one more chance. Inbounding from midcourt with 1.2 seconds to play, the Pistons tried a lob to rookie big man Andre Drummond, but with Gasol contesting the play, Drummond couldn't convert his one-handed dunk attempt.


text: Hamamatsu, Japan, October 29 - Italy repelled an early challenge from Puerto Rico to run away with an opening-day straight-set victory (25-20, 25-11, 25-18) in Pool B of the FIVB Women's World Championship in Hamamatsu, Japan on Friday.While underdogs Puerto Rico went in front in the first set behind the blistering serving and spikes of Aurea Cruz, Italy's frontline eventually overpowered them and there was much less for Massimo Barbolini's side to worry about in the remaining two sets. FIVB Women's World Championship Japan 2010 official pageItaly seemed ready to blow Puerto Rico away when they won the first five points but Carlos Cardona's charges stormed back with six straight points. The Puerto Ricans maintained their challenge thanks to the strong spiking of Cruz, who also tested Italy's receivers with her sky-high tosses and top-spin serves. Puerto Rico held off Italy's attempted surges for a time and remained tied at 17 but the Europeans' greater experience eventually showed through. Eleonora Lo Bianco's service ace gave Italy a 23-19 edge, and they held on to win 25-20. In the second set, Italy gained an early lead at 4-0 and extended that advantage to 8-2 and 13-3, behind the strong spiking of Simona Gioli. The clever direction of setter Lo Bianco helped them move further in front at 16-5 and 20-7 and, with the Puerto Ricans overpowered at the net, Italy won the set 25-11. In the third set, Gioli blocked almost everything early on to give Italy a 2-0 lead. Puerto Rico fought back with two points of their own but Lo Bianco's arching set across the court set up a spike for a 3-2 lead for Italy. The Italians slowly built up their lead to 14-9, and they stayed consistently ahead by five points or more, coasting to a 25-18 win.


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Homer D. Babbidge Library
From EEBedia
The Homer D. Babbidge Library[1], located at the center of the Storrs campus, is the primary library for the University of Connecticut. In addition to books and journals, the library also offers copy and computer services. Some useful links follow:
- HOMER, the library catalog.
- Databases, including Scopus and Web of Science (both databases of life science journal articles), and WorldCat (an international library database).
- eJournals, the collection of journals that are accessible online for the UConn community.
- Document Delivery / Interlibrary Loan.
- Library materials not found at the Babbidge Library include archival books, which are kept at the Dodd Center, and some volumes of particular interest to the EEB Department that are shelved in the Collections Library.


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Art Prints Defined | The Definition of Art Prints
Understanding Art Prints Media and Art Print Terminology
The image of the serigraph above is simply stunning in person. As some serigraphs do, this one has a luminescent quality that cannot be captured on a photograph or computer screen. It took my breath away when I first saw it in a gallery in Carmel, CA, nearby his studio and atelier. The odd thing is I had seen a similar view the day before while driving up the coast highway en route to Hearst Castle, Carmel, and Monterey. The cows idling on very steep ochre, golden colored slopes throwing elongated, surreal shadows provided a momentary visual delight. To find Earle's image the very next day, where he elegantly captured such a view, was another mind blowing surreal experience.
How to Sell Art Prints
This post is a revised chapter on defining art print terms from How to Profit from the Art Print Market, 2nd Edition. It is a book with detailed inside information on how to sell art prints.
The Importance of Understanding Differing Forms of Art Prints
It is crucial to understand the various media in which original works are reproduced as prints. The goal here is to explore print media and the art print terms that describe them. Doing so will help visual artists determine what medium to use. It also will help with the other art career decisions such choosing self-publishing or seeking a publisher.
These decisions are driven to some extent by what kind of art print best suits an artist's work. For instance, if you create novel pieces that include teddy bears, you are best suited for the poster market with those images. On the other hand, if you create large abstracts, it is probable that serigraphs or giclees will be your medium of choice, although over-sized posters using this style is a growing market segment.
There are economics around producing and marketing different types of media. You will find it typical that publishers who sell posters most likely do not carry more expensive limited edition and higher-end works. That means you have different decisions to make regarding which method you think best represents your art or best represents your chances for success in publishing, and what companies to approach if you wish to collaborate with an established publisher.
The following list of art print terms is neither encyclopedic nor a complete technical explanation of print types, but rather a brief description of the types of prints that buyers at fine art tradeshows, such as ArtExpo New York and the West Coast Art & Frame Expo.
Serigraph or Silkscreens
Usually, serigraphs are reproductions from an original, but they also can be an original graphic. In reproductions, either the artist or a person known as a Chromist identifies in minute detail by shape on a separate screen each individual color in a piece of art. With an original graphic, you find the piece designed and created as a serigraph.
Although modern materials have replaced them, silkscreens were originally made from stretched silk, ergo the name. With each individual color separated, and with an opening on its screen to squeegee ink onto the art paper in a special press, the printing process begins. Some intricate silkscreens have 100 or more colors meaning that each print must pass through the press 100 times. To make a run of 350 prints in a limited edition can cost upwards of $50,000 or more. The price depends on the number of silkscreens used in the job.
Serigraphic work today has been largely automated, and as a result, it is a medium that crosses over between the top- and middle-tier shows. Hand-pulled serigraphs, often pulled by the artist, are still widely used by the printmaking community. Middle-tier publishers and artists also include automated serigraphy with digital printing to create mixed media art.
Just as the art community used serigraphs to counter the negative connotation of silkscreen printing, which is an inexpensive method used by commercial printers, the art term "giclee" entered the art lexicon. The idea was to overcome negativity toward using the common term of digital print, or computer-generated art.
"Giclee" (pronounced "zhee-clay") from the French language is a neologism or invented name. Giclee arguably is the most misunderstood and misused of all art print terms. It is used to describe the process of making fine-art prints from a digital source using ink-jet printing. The word in the French language is "le gicleur," which translates to "nozzle." Specifically the French term "gicler" is used to mean, "to squirt, spurt or spray."
This digital print format is the most widely used form of limited edition prints sold today. And, it is now, due to increased print speeds and lowered printing costs, making significant inroads into the open edition print and poster market. It took years for the giclee print to gain full acceptance in the industry. This was mainly due to the controversy surrounding its initial colorfastness reliability. And, because the images were computer-generated. New and continuously evolving equipment and archival inks, dyes, solvents, printing processes, substrates and finishes have all but eliminated the criticism. An inevitable initial resistance to technological advances contributed to the hesitancy for many in the art community to embrace the giclee as a legitimate medium.
The format warrants further study. Print-on-demand technology (POD) has become one of the most transforming developments for artists in our lifetime. Giclee printing is just one kind of POD. You see POD footprints in music and literature, and its sweeping effects have changed those fields, as well. It is a freeing technology in that it puts the ability to create fine reproductions in the hands of artists, without their having to resort to traditional methods of producing and distributing their work.
Giclee is a broad term that covers five different methods of creating reproductions on a variety of substrates. They are:
- Digital art created using computer-generated images (some use the term "original giclee prints," which I find confusing for the collector);
- Digital photographs output on a digital printer;
- Scans of original works created as reproduction giclee prints;
- Digitally enhanced scanned images or photographs, reworked or altered with software programs such as Corel Painter or Adobe Photoshop before being printed;
- Giclees, photographs, or any digital image that is embellished or otherwise reworked after being printed.
Due to the widespread use of the giclee art print term throughout the industry, rather than go into an in-depth look at giclees here, you will find that Chapter Sixteen of How to Profit from the Art Print Market. You can find numerous other articles on ArtPrintIssues.com on giclees and the print market.
The origin of the term giclee has passed into near folklore. For the best, most accurate, description of how it came about, read "What's In a Name: The True Story of "Giclee." It is an article from adapted from Chapter 1 of Harald Johnson's book, Mastering Digital Printing, Second Edition (Digital Process and Print. The book has long been considered the Bible of the digital print market.
Limited Edition Reproduction
This art print term is mainly used to describe art on paper via the traditional four-color offset printing process, although you will find some six-color press runs used today. While some publishers still use "limited edition reproductions" to sell offset limited edition prints, it has faded as a viable option in the onslaught use of giclee prints.
Incidentally, the record for largest limited edition print, "Sacred Ground" by Bev Doolittle, was an offset print. It has more than 69,000 prints in the edition. (An interesting side note is that Doolittle returned to the limited edition market for the first time in eight years in 2007. Her publisher, Greenwich Workshop, issued the new piece in (you guessed it) giclee format. The story goes that Doolittle was working in stone lithography to create this new image, but there were problems with producing in that format. The next step was to move to the giclee format as a replacement.
There were two sizes of prints made as separate editions of the "Beyond Negotiations" acrylic original. The total number of pieces in both editions was about 4,000, and they sold out at the publisher level, quickly, proving Doolittle's drawing power was still impressive, although not to the enormous extent it was the late '80s and early '90s.
Offset printing is not as dominant as it once was because the only cost-effective way to afford an offset print edition is print it all at once. The cost per piece for open editions is usually not practical for less than 1,000 copies. This means you, or your publisher is betting there will be enough sales to break even on the printing and marketing costs, other overheads notwithstanding. Time-limited pieces, as Doolittle's "Sacred Ground," abated this problem, but they are a rare anomaly to the normal process and are not an effective marketing tool these days.
The giclee printing process has eroded the limited edition on paper market segment for obvious reasons. All the same, on a cost per piece basis, offset limited edition pieces cost less to produce than giclees and still have appeal to some publishers and collectors. Spend time at any art tradeshow now and you'll be hard-pressed to find artists or publishers offering limited edition offset lithographs.
Open Edition Reproductions
In their heyday, you would find the editors of art trade magazines using art print terms "open edition reproduction" to describe offset lithographic prints as those images printed without any graphic or type on the surface, and sans the fly spec bold print acknowledging the publisher, while using "graphics" to describe original art made as prints. An example of the latter would be an etching. Today, the public and those within the industry use the term "poster" synonymously with open edition print. However, reading the following description reveals why using the term in this way is technically incorrect.
Here, the classic definition of a poster is an offset lithographic image with type or other graphic elements included as part of the print. A classic example is the vintage poster. Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and other French graphic artists of his day popularized this form. They designed prints specifically to "post" advertisements. It is from this use that the word poster came about. Thus, despite the lack of uniformity, there is a true distinction between posters and open edition prints in art lexicon. As you know, the term poster is widely used to describe art on paper in open edition, regardless of the distinctions noted here.
The "poster" moniker has stuck to the offset litho-medium with artists, publishers, and consumers. In this book, as per general usage within the industry, you will find the word "poster" used to describe both posters and open edition prints.
Canvas Transfers
Now here is a fascinating product. It has been around for decades. Thomas Kinkade was the most famous and prolific artist to have used canvas transfers. This format originally made up almost all of his limited edition prints, although he too succumbed to the lure of giclee printing. Canvas transfers are made for less than giclees and still create results that make it hard to believe they are reproductions. Kinkade used offset prints to diversify his pricing, offering them as a way to differentiate product sold through galleries, not in his gallery program.
Canvas transfers start out as usual offset prints. The first step is to apply a special clear acrylic coating that binds to the ink. After the clear coat hardens, the prints are bathed in a chemical-and-water solution until they soften so the paper can be removed from the bound acrylic and ink top layer. A transparent adhesive paper goes between the hardened layer and a canvas substrate. The final step is to mount the layers to the canvas using a heated vacuum press. There are other methods, such as binding the paper directly to the canvas, but the chemical bath process produces the best results.
The cost to make a canvas transfer and have it stretched on a frame runs from $0.50 to $2.00 per united inch. You calculate united inches by adding the outside dimensions of the length and the width of the stretched image area. Thus, a 16" x 20" canvas image has 36 united inches with a cost of $18.00 to $72.00. Even at the high price, it is less than the cost of a giclee printed on canvas and mounted on stretcher bars.
The result is something that looks like an original, especially when additional coatings are added to the canvas transfer after it is stretched. Sometimes clear gels are applied to create the effect of brushstrokes on the pieces. Other times, paint highlights are added. Kinkade, in his day, had van tours to galleries with his highlighters featured … go figure. An obvious benefit is canvas transfers, unlike prints on paper, require no glass or plastic to protect them. This way, they show well in galleries and on the walls of collectors.
Now that you are well informed with some basics on the different kinds of prints that are most commonly seen in the marketplace, you may have a clearer idea of which of these methods best suits your own art and needs. By coming to grips with the question of what medium best suits you and your art, you can proceed to other decisions regarding whether you should self-publish or seek a publisher. Should you decide on the latter, you would be better prepared to target publishers who use the medium you have chosen as ideal for your art.
Fine Art Photography
That photography is a fine art medium is a well-established fact. Practically from its first days, visual artists have used photography as a way to express themselves. American photographers Alfred Steiglitz and Edward Steichen were pioneers in making photography fine art, and efforts by the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art have been instrumental in maintaining this as a fine art medium.
Today, with the tremendous variety of digital equipment, photographers are better equipped than ever to develop unique artistic visions from their work. It is a fact that photography is a much more difficult medium to break into the print market with than painting. When asked why this was so, I used to say that most people didn't appreciate the art in photography. I believe they mistakenly felt if they had been standing in the same spot with an expensive Hasselblad or Nikon camera, then they might have gotten lucky enough to take the same photo. What they leave out is a critical eye for composition, and the training and experience required to turn photography into fine art.
In an interesting twist, with the availability of powerful and affordable digital cameras, I think more people now know it takes the eye of an artist to create a fine art photographic print. That is, they now have the resources within the financial grasp and realize it is not about the box that shoots the picture. Rather, the skill behind the camera is what creates fine art photographic prints. That is, in part, why I think photography as a fine art medium is growing in stature.
Digital Art
I met Bonny Lhotka [www.lhotka.com] when she was exhibiting at ArtExpo. Years have faded my memory, but my best recollection says it was in Los Angeles in the early 1990s. As a founding member of the Digital Atelier [www.digitalatelier.com], she is a pioneer digital artist. She was far ahead of her time then. I am sure the show was both an experiment and a disappointment as she was well ahead of her time in presenting such work.
Along with the other founding members of the Digital Atelier, Dorothy Simpson Krause and Karin Schminke, Bonny combines traditional studio and media techniques to create original fine art and variant editions using the latest computer equipment and imaging hardware and software. I have blogged about the Donnie Awards, which are awarded to winners of the Digital Art Contest sponsored by MOCA (the Museum of Computer Art. http://moca.virtual.museum/.
The point is that digital art as an art form has arrived. I predict as younger generations – who have been exposed to nearly everything digitally – grow older that their interests will make the art form progressively more prominent.
Digital Painting
According to Wikipedia, digital painting is an emerging art form in which established physical-medium painting techniques – such as watercolor, oils, impasto, etc. – are applied using digital tools: a computer, a digitizing tablet and stylus, and special software. Digital painting differs from other forms of digital art, particularly computer-generated art, in that it does not include the computer rendering from a model. The artist uses painting techniques to make digital painting directly on the computer.
Many photographers have crossed over to digital painting. Notable among them is Marilyn Sholin. She is the author of The Art of Digital Photo Painting. She is an internationally acclaimed master instructor on the Corel Painter software.
Convergent Media
I first used the term "convergent media" in a June 2008 guest blogger post for AbsoluteArts.com, which was then one of the most heavily trafficked consumer art sites. Here is part of the post:
The process of creating art using digital means is involved and multi-stepped. There is image capture, whether through digital photography or image creation using a Wacom Tablet or other hardware/software combinations. There is a manipulation of the imagery through any number of software programs, such as Painter, Photoshop, Illustrator and so on. Then comes the output onto a myriad of substrates, including paper, canvas, vinyl, metal, wood and more. To produce a final desired outcome, the artist must print or collaborate with a printer on calibrating the equipment to get the output desired. Often pieces are further enhanced post-printing to make them unique, one-of-a-kind and original.
To my mind, the term convergent media makes more sense. It reflects the use of mixed media, which is an ages-old and widely accepted art term. Mixed media describe a multi-stage process of using different techniques and media to deliver an original piece of art. Convergent media does the same thing but implies the use of technology not available to previous generations of artists.
I do not know whether convergent media will catch on as a useful descriptor for art made through a digital process involving cameras, scanners, tablets, software, and printers, but I want to think it will. The artists using these tools are every bit as creative as those who draw and paint, and they visually express themselves in ways traditional painters cannot.
It was only through the extensive use of digital tools that a box office hit such as Avatar (earning $1 billion worldwide in a week) could be made. Likewise, there is stunning digital art – convergent media if you will – that can only be made using digital tools. If you are a traditional painter, I do not advocate abandoning your tools or expertise in favor of a computer; but if you are so inclined, there are new vistas to be conquered with them.
There is much more to say about each of these and other art print processes. The goal here is not to worry you with more than you need or want to know but to give you some guidelines and basic knowledge of the overall commercial art market from a print-medium perspective.
There is no wrong choice here. Your decision about which medium to use often will come down to considering economics, subject matter, personal preferences, and competition.
- Giclee Prints Goodness
- Canvas Prints versus Art Prints | What Terms Are You Using?
- Limited Editions Versus Open Editions | Revisiting the Debate
- Secondary Art Market Revisited – Art Print Issues Classic


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Photo By: Wendy Chipman
Photo By: BRC Design
Photo By: Picasa
Photo By: Bob Narod
©Photo by Edward Duarte
Photo By: Photo Credit: Edward Addeo
© Gibbs Smith, Barry Dixon Interiors, Brian D Coleman, Edward Addeo (photographer)
Mosaic Tile Wall Art and a Splash of Deep Blue Brings an Ordinary Bath to Life
Homeowner Wendy Chipman couldn't decide on a single style to surround her tub, so she collected various colors of tile that appealed to her. Without a sketch to work from, Wendy created a free-flowing design straight onto the wall. The claw foot tub is painted deep blue inside to coordinate with blue wall tiles, and a custom design on the ceiling offers an object for gazing while relaxing in a hot bath. Not feeling quite as creatively confident as Wendy? Take inspiration from an existing piece art, or a photo from nature, to fashion your own creation.
Visit Original Photo
Classic Bedroom With Rich Wood Tones
Dark wood looks classic and traditional in this grand master bedroom, while tropical art and palm branches add a subtle tropical vibe.
Yellow Dining Room With Tropical Accents
Sunlight streams into this cheerful yellow breakfast nook via a large arched window. Rich wood furniture, a palm plant and nature-inspired artwork lend a tropical look to the space.
Aspen Home Geometric Desk
A distinctive modern-meets-traditional wooden desk becomes the striking focal point in this home office.
Ornate and Formal Eat-In Kitchen
Toile wallpaper and an ornate chandelier are among the glamorous details in this formal eat-in kitchen. Framed by a white mantel, the range boasts a patterned, gold backsplash. Pink Roman shades and pink chair cushions coordinate in this kitchen with decorative flair.
Classic Kid's Bedroom With Built-In Bookshelves
This classic white kid's room is based on the nursery rhyme Peter Rabbit. The fabrics, paint colors and accessories reinforce this fanciful theme. White built-in shelving provides ample storage for books and toys.
Modern Home Library With Lucite Shelves and Furniture
This sleek modern reading room seems bigger than it is thanks to the ghost furniture and Lucite bookcase.
Calacatta Marble Is Simple & Clean In Transitional Kitchen
White Calacatta marble countertops and subway tiles mix well with dark cabinetry in this transitional kitchen. Recessed general lighting and under-cabinet task lighting add to the room's bright and airy feel.
White Contemporary Galley Kitchen
The abundance of natural light from the gorgeous outdoor view highlights the beauty of this contemporary galley kitchen with crisp white cabinetry. High-end GE appliances, including a wine chiller, and two areas for food preparation make for easy entertaining.
Charming Country Kitchen Done in Yellow
Yellow cabinets enliven this traditional kitchen, which includes a kitchen island, white countertops, and pendant lighting.
Transitional White Kitchen With Subway-Tile Backsplash
White cabinetry complements the dark granite countertops and crackle-glazed taupe subway-tile backsplash in this transitional kitchen. Wolf appliances and built-ins offer ample storage and keep this kitchen casual and family friendly.
Modern Kitchenette
This bright white kitchenette opens up the small room. Wood trim around the cabinetry keeps the space from feeling too stark.
Traditional White Kitchen Offers Tons of Storage
This traditional kitchen uses all available space with floor-to-ceiling cabinets and a large island.
Organizer's Kitchen
This kitchen by Nadia Subaran has tons of cabinet space, marble top counters and a wood brown island.
Bright Blue Contemporary Kitchen
The blue cabinets and kitchen island drawers stand out against the white walls and countertops. The backsplash area behind the stove is made of white tiles, while the kitchen island countertop is made of white marble.
Coastal Open-Concept Kitchen With Large Island
Light blue walls and ceiling in this spacious kitchen transition beautifully into the adjacent dining room, which is painted the same color. A large blue island with a white quartz countertop features a built-in sink and hidden dishwasher for easy clean-up after meals.
Large Dark Wood Kitchen Island With White Barstools
Inspired by the clients' ideas and preferences, this transitional kitchen remodel is packed with custom features. They include a spacious island – designed for prepping and entertaining, dark chocolate cabinetry, light granite countertops for contrast, built-in Sub-Zero refrigeration and stainless pendants. The full height granite backsplash provides a dramatic look and is practical for easy cleaning.
Contemporary Gray Open-Concept Kitchen
Before the makeover, this kitchen was closed off to the dining room, living room and home office. The new kitchen is more open and spacious, with a functional layout and is designed around the center island for cooking and entertaining.
Arts and Crafts Cabinets With Wire Mesh Front
Wire mesh cabinet fronts conceal the shelf contents but add visual depth to these Arts and Crafts-inspired cabinets. Distressed containers provide more storage and add to the shabby chic look.


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And I'm alone
I got back from Fathers Day Free Fishing today. I feel guilty cause I am not a father. I did have fun being in the sun and playing in the water. I can't wait to see what happens next
Enjoy your Sunday
Enjoy your Sunday
I had a longer blog, but no one gives a fuck....even if you say you do. That being said you pretty much get the idea of the day I'm having. Here's some videos to explain my day.
Relaxing watching TheTransformers (1980's) I use watch up early every Saturday to watch this as a boy. Thank you Netflix it's a warm day cant wait for the sun to go down. The wind is blowing but it's blowing dust. I'm looking for a new book to read, any suggestions?
today is the best day of the week for me. a lot has happen that opened my eyes and made me see who it is that I came to be. I lost myself down the road, forget what I stood for and what I believed in. blaming a lot of people for my problems and now im facing them head on. this is who im...
Read More
Read More
I can't seem to go to sleep tonight. To many things on my mind.
It's because I'm fat isn't it. I should've known it wouldn't change.
An I just feel more like an asshole. Thanks
Fasho! It looks like we have the same taste in music my man!!! I've been slacking I'ma get it tomorrow!
Have kik messenger. Let's talk Demonic17
Hello world


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My father grew up in a coal-mining community in southeastern Kentucky, and every vacation, we would go and visit my grandparents there.
I always thought that charcoal was coal.
It's not.
Charcoal is made from wood, and I think the first time I realized this was not so very long ago. I believe I was watching some news story about deforestation somewhere on the Africa continent, and the reason they were having a problem was that large swaths of forest were being cut down and turned into charcoal.
The process is pretty interesting. Basically, it's: build a big fire, and then, cover the fire so that it smolders instead of burns. After some time, what's left is charcoal. This article explains the process in some pretty good detail, but better than the article are the comments that follow.
Charcoal can be used for cooking (outdoors), and if one lives in an area that has a warmer climate, and heat isn't as necessary, charcoal might actually be a better alternative to having a wood fire for cooking (outdoors), as charcoal requires less space for storage, and it produces a hotter fire, faster.
As a heating fuel, I wouldn't use charcoal in the house, but I've spoken, often, about using rocks heated outside as a way to warm a small space indoors, using something like the Japanese Kotatsu. Charcoal could be used to heat those rocks (outside, while one is cooking :).
In addition to being a great fuel for cooking and heating, charcoal has a number of other uses. It is one of the key components of water filters (!). It is used in incense making as the combustible material that allows the incense to keep smoking, which is how it gives off it's scent. It can be used in drawing (charcoal pencils), and some sources I've read indicate it is an ingredient in make-up (like mascara and eyeliner). Best, though, is that there is significant discussion around the Internet about using charcoal as an additive in one's garden to boost the nutrients in the soil.
Charcoal can also be used in making gun powder, but shhh ... I didn't say that.
There are a lot of low-energy fuel sources, and whatever we use will definitely depend on where we live, because things like deforestation would certainly do more harm than any good that might come from using charcoal.
One other comment about the potential of charcoal. There is some discussion that the process of making charcoal produces methane. If captured, it can be used to operate a generator, which can be used to generate electricity. It's important that we think about the most efficient ways of using our fuel. For instance, we make charcoal, the process of which emits heat, and we use that heat, while we have it, for cooking or heating or purifying water, and at the same time, we also capture the methane to make electricity to power our laptop computers so that we can go online and share our success story with the rest of the world. Then, we take the charcoal out when it's ready and grill some steaks ... or whatever. And when we're all done, we take the white ash that's left, filter water through it to make lye, mix with animal fat and make soap.
The point is not to waste, to think beyond the one-use mentality we have adopted as a culture. When it comes to fuel (especially) in a lower energy society, we will need to really heed Benjamin Franklin's advice: take time for all things: great haste makes great waste.
Fuel is only half of what's needed to make fire, and so this week, I would like to offer those who are interested a fire-making tool: a magnesium firestarter.
**Knife not included.
Magnesium firestarters are fun survival tools. I keep one on my keychain ... just in case ;).
As usual, leave a commment if you want to be included in the drawing. The winner will be announced on March 4.
The winner of the book: Green Remodeling is Steve. Congratulations, and please leave a comment with the address to which you would like the book sent. I won't publish your address.


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Caddywhompus – The Weight
I went certifiably insane for the last/debut Caddywhompus record, Remainder. Seriously, there are few records over a year old that still get that much playtime from me. Then two months ago, courtesy of Chinquapin & Community Records, they dropped a new single called "Age Of Wild Spirits" and it was killer. Got me totally stoked for the upcoming The Weight, which, just like Remainder is free of charge, meaning you should go download that shit STAT (or better yet, drop some $$$ on it and hold it IRL). Then when The Weight came around, I discovered it only has 4 songs, one of which we'd already heard. Mega-bummer. BUT WAIT this is Caddy-fuckin-whompus and The Weight is still one of the best mathy noise-pop albums to come out this year so fucking HOORAY.
I don't really want to recycle the same comparisons from before, but they're still quite approriate. There's Zach Hill drum love affairs, Dodos style vocals, the blistering nastiness of Oxes, and fuckit throw in some Deerhoof because what's a noise-pop review without mention of them. But what makes Caddywhompus BETTER than all of those bands is their absolutely brilliant songwriting, every song being a straightup earworm, and having the best fucking mix of abrasion & bliss. Every song has me simultaneously air drumming & guitaring while flailing uncontrollably during the massive breakdowns, where they're able to maintain a beautiful pop charm right alongside the thrashing & squawking.
I'm pretty sure The Weight is a step in a slightly more refined Caddywhompus sound, but I honestly can't tell you what that step is because I'm too fucking distracted by the unmatched awesomeness being laid down. Plus I'm wayyy too busy listening to this to bother to go back and compare it to Remainder. When The Weight is playing, everything else becomes second rate, including previous Caddywhompus records.
I wish there was something, anything I could do to make Caddywhompus stand out even more. They deserve the highest praise and arena sized audiences freaking out to their totally fucking killer anthems. It blows my mind that I'm trying to hype this band because that means they don't already have it. WTF is wrong with all of you? It is now your duty to tell every goddamn friend of yours about Caddywhompus and make sure they all own a copy of Remainder and The Weight.


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Photo Courtesy of Wreaths Across America
December 6, 2012 Washington, DC/Maine
Wreaths Across America Joins Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration
The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is pleased to announce that Wreaths Across America will become a Commemorative Partner and help a grateful nation to thank and honor America's Vietnam veterans and their families as part of the Vietnam War 50th anniversary.
Wreaths Across America is among the initial organizations to join a growing and wide ranging list of commemorative partners supporting the efforts of Congressionally chartered United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. In doing so, Wreaths Across America will have an important role as a grateful nation thanks and honors millions of Vietnam veterans and their loved ones for their service, valor and sacrifice, especially those made by America's Gold Star families, whose loved ones were killed during the war or were missing in action and remain unaccounted.
Vietnam veteran and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Mick Kicklighter, director of the Vietnam War Commemoration, said, "We welcome Wreaths Across America as a Commemorative Partner of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. Their support will greatly help America thank and honor our Vietnam veterans, and all who have served in the defense of freedom, their families and especially our Gold Star families who have sacrificed so much."
"We are so proud to have the opportunity to partner with this important Commemoration," said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. "The Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration like Wreaths Across America is committed to teaching the next generation the importance of our freedom and the sacrifices made to ensure it."
The Wreaths Across America mission is to Remember, Honor and Teach. Each year hundreds of wreath-laying ceremonies are held in December at Arlington National Cemetery and national cemeteries throughout all 50 states. Wreaths Across America also organizes a week of events including international veteran's tributes, ceremonies at State Houses and a week-long "Veteran's Parade" between Maine and Virginia where they stop along the way to spread their message about the importance of remembering our fallen heroes, honoring those who serve, and teaching our children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms.
When the convoy arrives in Washington, there will be a special ceremony Saturday Dec. 15 at The Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetary in Arlington, Virginia at 9:30 a.m. as thousands of volunteers gather to lay wreaths at the gravesites of America's heroes. At 11:00 a.m. there will be a wreath laying at President Kennedy's grave followed by an 11:30 a.m. wreath laying at the USS Maine Mast Memorial. The final ceremony will take place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at noon.
For Information on the Vietnam War Commemoration and events in your area visit: https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/
For information on Wreaths Across America visit: http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/about-us/who-we-are/
The schedule for 2012 Wreaths Across America trip from Calais, Maine to Washington, DC visit: http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/events/escort-to-arlington/
©2015 Vietnam War Commemoration. All rights reserved.


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Investors buying bankrupt Israel electric car firm
JERUSALEM (AP) — A group of investors has taken over the remains of Israel's bankrupt electric car venture, pledging to give the project another boost.
The electric car company Better Place filed for liquidation in May, less than six years after unveiling a plan promising to revolutionize the auto industry by reducing the world's oil dependency.
As recently as last August, the company was valued at $2 billion.
On Wednesday, an Israeli court allowed a consortium that included Better Place car owners and entrepreneurs to purchase its assets for less than $12 million.
Efi Shahak, who heads Israel's electric car drivers association, said the group was committed to maintaining Israel's 2,000 charging spots and its battery swap services. He said the takeover gives "Israel a second chance to get it right."


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Michael continues the discussion on Huntsman and Republican foreign policy:
I think Daniel is right to criticize the statements but I took them as the aberrations of trying to campaign in the GOP primary. You emphasize that all options are on the table for Iran to balance the dovish direction of your criticisms of Obama in Afghanistan. I didn't love the "nation-building at home" line he used. But I'm not the GOP electorate, am I?
Michael and I will probably continue to go back and forth on this without settling anything. I would be more pleased if I thought Huntsman's Iran position were an "aberration" and one driven entirely by the political demands of his presidential campaign, but even so it would hardly be encouraging that a would-be reformer felt compelled to pander so egregiously (and ineffectively!) on one of the most important foreign policy issues of the day. Huntsman's statements on Iran didn't so much "balance" his support for faster withdrawal from Afghanistan as they cancelled out whatever political and policy advantage the latter might have given him. He did emphasize that America's future wasn't in that part of the world, and then sabotaged his own message by proposing to take the U.S. into another conflict in the region.
"Nation-building at home" was and is a silly phrase, since it treats "nation-building" as little more than building infrastructure and spending money on domestic priorities. That greatly underestimates how difficult and coercive real "nation-building" is. Since it is really a call for increased domestic discretionary spending, it's an idea that's ill-suited to appeal to most Republican voters. Obama used the phrase as often as he did because it was a message much better-suited to the views of members of his coalition.
It was Huntsman's "massive and credible foreign policy experience," as Michael puts, that first made me think that he would be able and willing to break with Republican hawks on at least some major issues. Unlike other ambitious governors in the presidential race, he didn't need to depend on his advisers as heavily, and the presidential campaign wouldn't be the first time that he had spent any time thinking about foreign policy. That's why I remain skeptical that his position on Iran was an "aberration" rather than the policy that he genuinely favored at the time. I agree with Michael that "Huntsman is one of the only Republicans with anything sane to say on foreign policy," which is why it has been so unfortunate that on one of the most important foreign policy issues his statements have been anything but sane.
Michael is right that serving in Obama's Cabinet would only compound Huntsman's problems with his own party, but the damage there may have already been done. The problem for Huntsman isn't that he has been dismissed after failing in his first presidential campaign, but that he was dismissed by the vast majority of Republicans even before the campaign began. I have been as critical of Huntsman's campaign strategy as anyone, but in retrospect I can see how it was an attempt to make a virtue out of necessity. By the time Huntsman decided on running, his stock with conservatives had already plummeted because of his service in Beijing, and his campaign tried to make the most of support from groups of voters that might still be open to him. Huntsman's experience could be valuable for a future Republican ticket, but I suspect that if he were to end up on a presidential ticket it would have to be as the VP nominee.


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General Basics
Welcome one and all to our basics section. Here, you'll find information on various facets of Grand Theft Auto IV that will allow you to master the fundamentals. With the fundamentals fully mastered, your GTAIV experience will become both easier and more enjoyable. On this page, you will find all of our basics, while on the next page, you'll find our ten tips that will make your stay in Liberty City an overly-dangerous and successful one. Read on!
The Fundamentals[edit]
Grand Theft Auto IV, like all prior GTA games, has you living a life of crime. There's really no avoiding it. Some crimes are considered so minor in Liberty City (like running red lights) that you won't get in trouble for those. In fact, you can get away with just about anything that doesn't involve rampant killing (especially with firearms, which tend to draw cops' attention).
But there are many crimes in GTAIV that are necessary and much more difficult to get away with. Main character Niko Bellic, a dangerous ex-soldier from Eastern Europe, has committed his fair share of crimes back in his homeland. But when he comes to America, a whole new group of crimes become necessary to commit just to guarantee his day-to-day survival. This is when the nitty-gritty of GTAIV truly comes into play.
The game is mission-based, and almost every mission will have you commit a crime of some sort. You may have to boost a car, deliver some drugs, or even murder one or more people to get the all-valuable payout at the end of any mission. These missions come from contractors, usually friends of yours or friends of friends that need the assistance of a ruthless man like Niko. At the end of every mission, varying amounts of money will be rewarded. Committing these crimes is simply a means to an end for Niko.
There are also numerous side quests (such as "jobs") and relationships to nurture, both with females interested in Niko as more than friend, and with friends you meet along the way that will help you or hurt you depending on how you treat them. This adds a whole different layer to the GTAIV experience that requires attention to detail.
Ultimately, your progression through GTAIV is measured in-game by a percentage meter that can be viewed via the game's statistics. The more you do, the more you manage to accomplish, the higher your rating will become. That's the idea. But there's a method to the madness, and all of that is discussed below and in the subsequent "ten tips" page.
Stealing Cars[edit]
Stealing cars is simple. All you have to do is walk up to a parked car (or a car going slowly) and press the corresponding button on your controller set-up that will allow you to boost the car. Once in the car, be especially mindful of your surroundings. Try not to boost cars around cops so you don't draw attention to yourself, and be careful of aggressive crime victims who will fight back if their car is stolen. Because of this, you'll want to make a point of getting out of dodge as soon as any given car is stolen.
GTAIV introduces a complex and in-depth vehicle system, where all vehicles handle differently. Not only do various makes of car differ from one another, but the amount of damage they take will also affect how they handle. You can actually stall out cars that take too much damage, and if they take the ultimate amount of damage, they will be set ablaze. That's your cue to run the hell away before the car explodes, likely taking you with it to the next world.
As an aside, parked cars are usually easier to steal, but will require some extra effort. Most parked cars will need to be broken into, which takes time and draws attention to yourself. Cars stolen like this also need to be hotwired (which requires some simple button-tapping). Also be weary of stolen cars with alarms, as these will draw even more unneeded attention to yourself, especially when you're driving around Liberty City with your alarm blaring.
Protecting Yourself[edit]
Your arsenal of weapons will grow by leaps and bounds as you head through the game, and it's important to understand how these weapons work, and which weapons work best in which situations. Our Vehicles & Arsenal section will cover these weapons in-depth (including the game's ultimate weapons -- the cars themselves), but in the meantime, let us say a brief word or two about the weapons here for any new players.
You'll always have your fists available to you. These are the weakest weapons in the game, but work well enough against foes who are also equipped with their fists. Then, there are melee weapons like baseball bats that give you an edge in hand-to-hand combat. However, most enemies worth a damn are equipped with guns, and the best way to fight fire is with fire.
Pistols are the weakest firearm in the game, but the most readily-available. From there, you'll work up to semi-automatic and automatic weapons like Uzis, and then to explosives, such as Molotov Cocktails. It's important to learn the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon (for instance, Molotov Cocktails are incredibly powerful, but they're also especially easy to kill yourself with). With practice comes this knowledge, so keep an eye on the situation as you progress through the game, and as more and more powerful weapons become available you'll be able to use them with skill and ease.
Was this guide helpful?


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Bret McDanel, 9 Nov 2005 @ 2:18am
E-votingThis implies that test data was present when the system went live for voting. How many tests were run? How many fake names were used which skewed the results? I live in California, and like most people I know voted absentee, so I did not get to see or play with an E-voting machine ... I may revise my absentee policy in the future just so I can see one and play with it a bit. They may get upset if it takes me an hour to vote on 10 topics though :)
However, I am more concerned with the fact that if his name was listed as 'already voted' are there any cast votes that were from testing that stayed with the name alone. The mere fact that no one checked to see if the system was purged prior to live voting reaffirms my belief in state workers and also causes me *great* concern.
Less concerning was how does the system identify who already voted? It cant be simply by name, that would be far too easy to spoof, also what about the 50 John Smiths in a given district? So there must be more data, data which was accurately used for the test. Authentication information should be more than what is available from a page out of the phone book, although I fear given that the state put its best minds on this that it wasnt...
Personally I have no problems with e-voting machines provided they do little more than reciept printing. You select the various different things you want to vote for, when you are finished you press 'print' and out pops a paper ballot with a machine readable *and* human readable information on what you voted for. That way it can be verified by the voter before stuffing in a ballot box. If it comes down to a handcount the human readable information can be used to verify results. This should remove all concerns that everyone has with the system, reduce failure rates with the reader systems (see florida for dangling chad issues) and generally make the voting experience better.
But no one wants to make such a simple system, instead they want a network enabled black box that leaves no trail. While that may ultimately not be the worst thing, let the best geek win, in the short term I think that it will just cause more problems.
Tim Kimrey, 9 Nov 2005 @ 4:57am
Re: E-votingOver on slashdot.org this would get a 5 for insightful.
I agree with your receipt idea all the way. I would even like to see the source code and data tables for this system.
I just voted in Virginia via e-vote and it does come up with a confirmation screen at the end identifying your choice, but this is one case where I would like to have a paper receipt with time stamp on it.
The thought that CA's system still had test data in it amazes me to an extent, but then again the criteria for government systems seem to be a bit different from that of corporate systems.
aReader(), 9 Nov 2005 @ 12:37pm
Re: E-votingIf your receipt indicates what you voted for, it will be un-democratic and probably unconstitutional as this can facilitate the "buying" of votes. If you are following Techdirt, requirement of a paper trail (and not a receipt) was debated so that votes can be tallied if required and the vendors did not agree to that. Slashdot had a comparision of e-voting machines in India vs USA and it turned out that machines in India were much more reliable as they are simple. They don't have any networking capabilities (no remote attacks) and have to be hauled to a central place to get the votes "out of it" - sounds rudimentary but worked liked a charm!
Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2005 @ 9:23am
Re: E-votingI live in California, and like most people I know voted absentee...
Same here, but I didn't vote absentee-- they were nice enough to give you a paper ballot upon request...
Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2005 @ 2:29am
No Subject GivenOh shit, we were supposed to vote today?
jeremiah, 9 Nov 2005 @ 3:57am
voteWhat is this "voting" thing of which you speak?
Chris H, 9 Nov 2005 @ 4:50am
No Subject GivenFrom a programming perspective that is incredibly scary to see happen. Somebody F'd up BIG time and I'm sure they'll never know how extensive it is, unless the time of the vote is logged and they can dismiss entires made before a certain time period. But given this situation has happened I doubt there is anything like that in place.
Matthew, 9 Nov 2005 @ 5:38am
No Subject GivenSo you're telling me the thing goes by name alone and not something a little more secure like SSN or DL#???
Are we sure these were put together by sane people?
Eduardo, 9 Nov 2005 @ 6:00am
This is a incredible mess!!Helllloooooooooooo!!
Have anybody there??? Anybody with, at least, two neuronious?????
They make test at the same data behaviour of the real world??? They never had heard about "training" or "test" behaviour??
What a big mess. And, please it's not a tech problem, be honest this is a low intelectual issue!!! Do not exist computer system able to solve it!!!
nonuser, 9 Nov 2005 @ 6:03am
an achilles heelYou can expect these systems to be modified almost continuously up til election day due to bureaucratic indecisiveness, political pressure, bug fixes, etc. So there has to be a backchannel to allow the developers and administrators to test the system. We all know a lot of money is at stake in most elections, and some people can be bought, while others have brilliant but twisted minds.
I get somewhat of a warm fuzzy feeling when I see election officials carting away boxes of ballots from poll sites on TV. Obviously, paper ballots can be stuffed, but at least that can't be done from a laptop in an out of state hotel room ... you've got to have lots of people on the ground doing the dirty work.
giafly, 9 Nov 2005 @ 11:45am
Looks like those Testers "voted" Democrat
Alaric, 9 Nov 2005 @ 3:44pm
Ban E-VotingE-voting is and will always represent a huge security threat. It should be banned. That is especially the case with existing solutions which have centralized tabulators which could easily be hacked.
Democracy is worth waiting for counting and exit polls give us an idea of what happened well before that.
The exit polls are proven, except interestingly enough when mr. bush runs. The latter says more than anything else. The UN Actually uses exit polls to monitor elections. Only in america are people dumb enough to think that a new and vulnerable technology (e-voting) is more reliable than something which is proven over DECADES. In any case, We can wait a day and we can use machine like we have here in NY State which have never had hanging chads, etc.
Democracy is worth it. Ban them E-voting machines. By the way before someone starts calling me a lefty or something else let me make clear that i support the libertarian and constitution parties. I consider integrity of voting rather important and not a partisan issue.
Newob, 10 Nov 2005 @ 3:04am
Duh!Human beings are strange animals. They can electronically reproduce sound and transfer it across the planet, but they can't figure out how to electronically count votes. How many megabytes are in a sound file, and how many votes could be counted if they were notes in a song? In a presidential election, the highest number of people possible of voting in the US is not 200 milllion, but a small collection of mp3s (say about 50 4-minute songs encoded at 128 kbps) will carry that many bytes easily. 200 megabyes is a drop in the bucket of peer-to-peer file sharing, and the same song can be copied over and over without any loss of information. In fact, the more copies of a song, the less possible that an incomplete or fake version of the song will be mistaken for it. We take for granted that robust decentralized information-sharing systems can indefinitely preseve information, but we store all our votes on single centralized computers, where simple errors can infect the whole count. We report the whole voting process from start to finish on TV like a sporting event, but leave the counting to official bodies that cannot be trusted to follow campaign finance laws; when it would be simple to allow anybody to download the votes and count them on their personal computers, or even their cell phones, where it would be easy to compare tallies with everybody else, and no play-by-play by the talking heads and pundits on TV would be necessary. Stupid humans.
Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2005 @ 10:22am
Re: Duh!One word explanation: corruption.
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Category : Invoice.
Topic : Free embroidery invoice template. Author : Jeorjia Mcdaniel.
Posted : Mon, Sep 09th 2019 01:29 AM.
Format : jpg/jpeg.
Another significant benefit of invoice factoring is the professional debt collection service provided by the factoring company. The factoring company is equipped to handle debt collections professionally and efficiently, leaving your staff to focus on core activities such as creating more sales.


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While catching up with Literanista - the first blog I ever followed, and one of my constant favorites - I found out that the actress who played Wonder Woman is a Latina!
Linda Jean Córdova Carter is the beautiful brunette who played Wonder Woman. I remember being a kid and watching the weekly episodes, fantasizing about having special powers like hers. I had the long, flowing black hair, and I recall making wrist bands out of gold gift wrap which I wore a few times during long, wonderful hours of play with my sisters and neighborhood playmates. I think I even wanted a Wonder Woman costume one year for Halloween, but my oddly-shaped preteen body wouldn't allow it.
Now, as an adult I still love the idea of super powers! I encourage this kind of creative thinking with my students, and I look for books (like Super Cilantro Girl) where kids become super heroes.
So, what a sorpresa to learn that Wonder Woman was/is a Latina! Is that why I connected with her? I invite you to visit Literanista's blog, then follow her to another cool blog - Mulatto Diaries - and enjoy "No Wonder I Loved Wonder Woman".
By the way, I fancy myself Book Woman... more on that later. Stay tuned.
Bilingual thoughts on life, language, learning, and all things Latina.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Speaking of Super Heroes...
Labels: blogs, growing up, kids, Latinos, memoirs
1 comment:
- The Fearless Blog said...
Gosh! I didn't know she was Latina either. I loved Wonder Woman and even pretended to be Wonder Woman on more than one occasion. Actually I had two favorite super heroes: Wonder Woman and The Bionic Woman. If I would have had a daughter I would have named her Lindsey after Lindsey Wagner. Special powers...yes...every child deserves to dream of such things.
- June 1, 2009 at 4:42 PM
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Justin Timberlake, the "Take Back the Night" singer and recent GQ Man of the Year, will bring his world tour to Baltimore Arena on July 14. Tickets go on sale Nov. 18 at 10 a.m.
It was announced Tuesday morning that Timberlake, who released two No. 1 albums this year, had added 12 new dates to his "20/20 Experience World Tour." The Weeknd most recently opened for Timberlake, but no supporting acts have been announced for the new dates yet.
Ticket prices will range from $48-$178. Timberlake last came to Baltimore in August, when he and Jay Z shared M&T Bank Stadium for their "Legends of the Summer Tour." Photos from that night can be viewed at the top of this post.


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An all-purpose
An all-purpose
Sebastião Salgado has long relied on Kodak Professional Tri-X 120 Black & White Print Film to express the human condition as he sees it. This classic black-and-white film allows for maximum pushability when he needs it, while its wide exposure latitude lets him leverage even the most challenging
Delta 3200 professional allows photographers to take pictures under difficult conditions including fast action and poor lighting. With a measured speed of up to ISO 1250 (up to ISO 1600 when developed in Ilford microphen developer) the film has been designed to be push processed to achieve


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A Missouri Senate Committee has passed and sent to the full Senate a bill which would protect the conscience rights of Missouri citizens, employers and insurance companies from the effects of the Obama administration's sterilization, abortifacient and contraceptive mandate.
SB 749 by Senator John Lamping (R-Clayton) has been fast tracked and could be up for consideration as early as Monday. The bill's summary reads, in part:
This act provides that no employee or any other person, employer, health plan provider or sponsor, health care provider or any other entity shall be compelled to obtain coverage for or provide coverage for abortion, contraception, or sterilization in a health plan if such items or procedures are contrary to the religious beliefs or moral convictions of such employee, health care plan, provider or sponsor, or any other entity or person. No such employee, health care plan, provider or sponsor, or any other entity or person shall be discriminated against by any governmental entity, public official, or entity acting in a governmental capacity for failing to obtain or provide such coverage because of such religious beliefs or moral convictions of such employee, health care plan, provider or sponsor, or any other entity or person.
The bill further directs the State Attorney General to bring action in state or federal court is any of its provisions are threatened or violated. Below is the Missouri Catholic Conference analysis of the bill and the HHS Mandate situation in general (Don't miss the action item at the bottom):
The Missouri Senate is moving swiftly to respond to the Obama Administration's recent edict that employers, including the Catholic Church, provide health coverage for contraceptives, sterilization procedures and abortion drugs. SB 749, sponsored by Senator John Lamping (R-Clayton), won committee approval Tuesday and is fast-tracked and may be debated next week by the full Senate. (Click here to see the Fox 2 News video.)
SB 749 would place in state law a clear prohibition on government forcing employers, including the Catholic Church, to pay for contraceptives, sterilizations and abortion drugs. The bill would also ensure that individuals would not be forced to purchase health plans that include these items if they object to them on moral or religious grounds.
Congress has so far failed to enact revisions to the federal health care law (The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) that will protect rights of conscience and religious liberty. Leaders in the U.S. Senate in particular have stymied efforts to amend the law.
It is becoming increasingly clear that change will only come when there is a groundswell of protest from citizens. And that is most effectively mobilized at the state level. State officials are closer to the people and more responsive to their concerns.
The MCC has great hope that the Missouri General Assembly will pass SB 749. If Governor Nixon then signs the bill into law, this will send a powerful message to Congress that events are leaving them behind and they need to act.
Last Friday President Obama announced a so-called "accommodation" on a rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that required all employers, including the Catholic Church, to pay for contraceptives, sterilization procedures and abortion drugs. This "accommodation" requires insurance companies offering health plans to religious organizations to separately provide free coverage to the employees for contraceptives, sterilization and abortion drugs.
In fact, insurance companies are not going to offer this coverage for free. Someone is going to pay for it and that someone is the religious employer. The religious employer will pay a higher premium and thereby subsidize the use of these products that violate their religious and moral tenets. And religious employers that self-insure, that is, don't buy their health insurance on the open market, will have to pay for and provide contraceptives, sterilization and abortion drugs in the health plans they offer to their employees.
The "accommodation" also does not offer a private (non-Church) employer the option to refuse to pay for abortion drugs etc if they have moral or religious objections. Individuals (employees) will also be forced to pay through premiums for health plans that include abortion drugs etc, even if they don't use them or if they object for moral or religious reasons.
This deeply flawed "accommodation" has not been issued as a revised rule. That rule will not be issued until after the election. People are being asked to just trust that the President will take care of the problem, somehow, later. It's a sad day when our religious liberties depend upon some edict from the White House.
We got to this point because Congress, when they wrote the new health care law, failed to include provisions protecting rights of conscience and religious liberty. Instead, the law ceded broad authority to HHS to write rules and HHS proceeded to define the "preventive services" that employers must offer to include contraceptives, sterilization procedures and abortion drugs.
If we have learned anything in recent weeks, it is that we should not trust our religious liberties to federal regulators. Without clear guidance from the new federal health care law, regulators proceeded to write a rule that violates the moral and religious convictions of Americans.
Opponents (and much of the media) are trying to characterize this issue as one about birth control. But people get it: this is about religious liberties. Click here to view a short video prepared by the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
- Contact your state senator today.
- Forward this email alert to family, friends and others.
- Pray for wisdom and understanding by all our Missouri Senators.
- Report back to the MCC on what your senator is saying.
- Please don't delay in protecting our religious freedoms; pass SB 749.
- The President's so-called accommodation is flawed (cite reasons above).
- Missouri should send a message to Congress today; don't delay in protecting our religious freedoms.
- Government should not force churches or private employers to pay for abortion drugs or other things they morally object to.
- Individuals should not be forced to pay for health plans that include abortion drugs.
- It's about religious liberty; pass SB 749.


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Hey there, I know this isn't the right place for this, but I can't figure it out otherwise.
Can an Admin please contact me via PM? I require help with my account.
Thanks and maybe a help forum would be a good suggestion?
Admin Help Needed
Tell us what you think of this site, request features, make suggestions, or let us know what you would have done differently. We'll always listen to what you have to say, and sometimes we'll even change things accordingly!
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