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652cc, 52bhp, 105.6mph, Insurance group 9
BMW's sometime popular BMW 's F650GS single-cylinder range gets updated stable mates. Consisting of a road cum enduro motorcycle (BMW G650 XChallenge - £5,875), a supermoto motorcycle (BMW G650 XMoto - £6,070), and a dual-purpose soft trailie motorcycle (BMW G650 XCountry - £4,895), which is more akin to the Scrambler style motorcycle of yesteryear, all share the same frame and engine, but ride and ...
1130cc, 95bhp, 135mph, Insurance group 13
The BMW R1150RS is a motorcycle designed for the road not race tracks. It's a low glamour, high practicality sports tourer. The GS model BMWs grab headlines and sales figures but the The R1150RS shares its virtues plus has grippy road tyres too. A superb, versatile workhorse or plaything – the BMW R1150RS is not the fastest motorcycle out there ...
1085cc, 80bhp, 125mph, Insurance group 11
Often overlooked as a new machine, BMW's R1100R now makes tons of sense as a used bike. It's the naked version of BMW's twin cylinder 'Boxer' – undoubtedly their best range of motorcycles at the time. The R1100R is an incredibly versatile machine that does anything well except high speed work and track days.
1157cc, 152bhp, 165mph, Insurance group 16
The current BMW K1200GT, launched in 2006, is very different from previous generation BMW K1200GTs. It uses BMW's latest frame and across the frame four cylinder engine which is a much faster, more stable motorcycle with more luxury.
125cc, 15bhp, 65mph, Insurance group 6
A motorcycle with a roof that doubles as accident protection. Be the smartest commuter in the city or 'that twonk in the Noddy moped' depending on your perspective. The BMW C1's £4K price tag (it dropped by £600 when the 200cc version came out) was high for an overweight scooter – even if it did keep you dry. Few were ...
652cc, 50bhp, 106mph, Insurance group 9
Born as the baby to the BMW R1150GS (now 1200cc), the BMW F650GS has a long and credible pedigree, including a string of varients. The BMW F650 has off-road pretentions but, in the real world, is a sturdy and sensible road motorcycle (the BMW F650 Dakar's the one for the green lanes), it deals with most situations with predictable power and confidence.
Save money by comparing quotes. It's quick and easy
With over 18,000 products, MCN shop is the best place to buy your biking kit
Motorcycle Cover | Cheap Motorcycle Insurance | Moped Insurance | Scooter Insurance | 125 Insurance | Work Experience | Complaints Policy
Car Magazine | Empire | FHM | Parkers | LRO | Today's Golfer | Zoo
Bauer Consumer Media Ltd (company number 01176085, 1 Lincoln Court, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, England PE1 2RF)


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Introducing New Inside BlackBerry Blog Manager Donny!
Introducing the new blog manager for the Inside BlackBerry Blog, Donny H.!
Introducing the new blog manager for the Inside BlackBerry Blog, Donny H.!
myWorld by Wikitude allows BlackBerry 6 and BlackBerry 7 OS smartphone users to create their own locations within the augmented-reality world of Wikitude.
Looking in-depth at the new features in the upgraded BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0.
Looking back at the BlackBerry presence at 2012 International CES.
Watch a video interview with the Global Chief Marketing Officer for Zinio about their app, on its way to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.
Check out a video showing how the Porsche Carrera integrates QNX technology and the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.
An interview with Senior Product Manager Annu Dawar on the new BlackBerry OS 7.1.
Check out a video from CES 2012 demonstrating the new BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0.
A new video from CES 2012 demonstrating the BlackBerry Bridge technology included in BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0.
Cascades – the UI framework that TAT uses to create numerous advanced UIs and applications, such as Scrapbook will soon be available to BlackBerry developers.
Find out how to use a BlackBerry 7 OS smartphone to record and share great-looking high-definition videos.
A video interview conducted with the Director of Security Product Management at RIM about what the FIPS certification of BlackBerry PlayBook tablet means.
RIM welcomes cloud-based services and video editing provider JayCut to Team BlackBerry.
Watch two new videos to learn how the BlackBerry solution makes it easy to start and grow your small business.
A video from BlackBerry World demonstrating augmented reality using the upcoming BlackBerry 7.
Interview video with Alec Taylor, Vice President of Product Marketing at Research In Motion® (RIM®), about cloud services.
A video demonstration of the SAP Dashboard Applications on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.
Check out the BlackBerry PlayBook How To Demos website for videos that show you how to easily set up your tablet.
A walkthrough of how to use your BlackBerry smartphone to transfer a recorded video.
BlackBerry 6 multimedia feature overview. Includes new video, music, photo and podcast features, as well as media syncing with your desktop.

subset: commoncrawl


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I will listen to NO boring book. Old Fav's,Card, King , Hobb. New Fav's, Hill, Scalzi, Sawyer, Interested in Lansdale, Crouch, Konrath
"Too many Cooks"
Too many cooks spoil the soup. An old and true cliche that fits both the kitchen and writing books. Matter of fact few duets work well, with Preston and Child being the exception.
I am fascinated by all things Chinese. As a Sci-Fi fan and a fantasy fan, I find the Chinese past and present to be the fantasy for real. The are real, but so different from western society. I loved Conn Iggulden's Khan series and was hoping this would be a continuation of that. I am also a big fan of the game Romance of the Three Kingdoms. This seems to fit the time period between Ghengis and Romance.
This started out alright, but by the end I was bored out of my gord. There are some fight scenes in this that take hours to play out. There is no character development. There are no George R. R. Martin surprises.
I hope that one good writer takes up this project, cause I would like to hear the story and then I would really like to see a modern writer rewrite Romance of The Three Kingdoms. There are lots of exciting material that a writer could make a career out of it.
Narrator had a tough job with lots of characters to portray. He did make each one distinct although I doubt that the Khan spoke through his teeth 24 hours a day. The narration which is the biggest part of the book was very lack luster.
I use my left foot to type my reviews.
"Tightly Written"
Base on the first book, The Mongolid series is tightly written and I cannot wait to start the next book. One would think because of so many authors contributing in the writing process, the story would had been very frustrating and loose, but it is well written, as if all of the collaborators agreed to limit themselves and stay on the plot.
The best way that I can describe this series is a Chinese film maker, making their debut in the States, like Ang Lee and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or more like Yimou Zhang and Hero.
The Mongoliad feels like an ancient Chinese' tale that have been handed down for centuries.
The pace of the storytelling is a bit slow, but it really works. It would be interesting to have all of the authors for an interview to know who wrote which parts and how they put the project together.
"A Great Story About A Little Known Period"
Deals with a period of history that I knew little about - when the mogols were overrunning western Asia and even parts of Europe. From various points of view including the mongol as well as a small group of christian warriors.
"Without the authors' pedigrees..."
As a first book in a series, The Mongoliad packs in quite a lot, while still just hinting at the story ahead. Multiple plot lines probably suited the multiple authors and, luckily, makes for some good reading. The plot, however, isn't very inventive or even creative so far. The whole enterprise feels like a rehash of so many historical or fantasy novels already on the bookstore shelves. If not for the amazing talents of the authors in their other pursuits I probably would never have picked this up, but may very well continue listening to each book in the series. I would say the one creative and somewhat unique twist this book has is to tell the story from both the "good guys'" and the "bad guys'" points of view, which also makes those labels rather relative.
"Can't wait for the next installment"
Wow, grabs you from the start and keeps hold of you. I honestly couldn't stop listening.
The book is fun and informative, great characters and break-neck pace. You won't be sorry you listened,
Douglas P Wickert
"Well done!"
Big fan of Neal Stephenson's work, so no surprise that I found this a compelling and epic tale. Ready for the release of the next book.
I like to listen to books. In the car, while drinking Bourbon.
"I can never get enough of Neal Stephenson."
The interplay between characters and scenes was great. Neal Stephenson has some great writers working with him here.
"Really good a must"
Yes I love lukes performances and I got lost a little in the story
The enter tangled characters an events
Everything not many can give each character such life to the point u develops honest emotiomal connections to every person in the story. Truthfully his performances in other books is the reason I finally chose this story but I became hooked to the story
I loved so many too many to list


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32855302014-10-24T09:01:11.861-05:00Carol's Little WorldCarolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-20883633375562989442014-10-24T09:01:00.001-05:002014-10-24T09:01:11.881-05:00Back From Santorini - It's Laundry Time

I'm back now from Santorini. A Top Ten list coming soon, I promise. For now though, I have to contend with some of *this.* Yes, it's laundry time.

I swear, where does this stuff come from? It's like it multiplies or something. Like bunnies, that is, really. Before I left for my trip, I honestly packed one suitcase of clothing. One. I mean, how much can you really fit in one suitcase even? Heck, it's not even like it was a *big* suitcase. Nope. I travel now with those ultra light luggage sets, so I have one fairly regularly sized suitcase that's extra light when empty, even not all that heavy when stuffed to the gills. Honestly. Where did all of this laundry come from? Since I've been back, it's been nothing but laundry, laundry, laundry. Piles of it everywhere. Heck, I'm washing stuff I didn't even know was dirty. At this point, I even feel like I might be washing stuff that isn't even mine. I'm just washing, washing, washing. Phew! Mountains of this stuff, really, I'm surrounded. Some days I feel like yelling out the window, "HELP! I'm surrounded by laundry and the hits just keep on coming!"

I've started the process too that can best be described as "the great upload." I'm averaging about 8-10 images a day. I start by processing them and then uploading to a Flickr set and then, if it's lucky or just apropos, it might end up here (like this lovely laundry shot. Tighty purple-ese, anyone? Seriously. What's up with the purple undies? I guess it's the latest in what Greek fisherman are wearing these days. Either that or he washed it with the red pants one too many times.) I'm taking my time but trying to get through the mountain that is the Compact Flash pile. Sometime soon, I promise.

Meanwhile, over in Flickr land, people are already starting to hate me. I sense there are at least a few folks over there who are pricing trips to Santorini for themselves (sorry about that!) and at least a few who are more than sick of looking at churches with blue domes. Blue domes, blue skies, blue railings, blue doors, blue everything. I used to wonder why the Greek flag was blue and white. Now, since I've been there and all, yeah, NO. Wonder no more, for now I know. The truth will set you free (er, so long as it's blue and white, that is.)

And, speaking of freedom and such, should you happen across a giant talking pile of laundry, won't you loan me a ladder or throw me a rope so I can climb out and re-join in civilization? It's a bit difficult to shovel and fabric soften from down in this hollow. (We thank you in advance for your support. Donations of detergent can be dropped off should you be so inclined.)

Until next time...

Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-67224295722606377482014-09-16T20:31:00.003-05:002014-09-16T20:31:49.592-05:00Delicate

So it's raining here in River City today and I'm thinking, "Man, it's a messy, messy night." I've still got a ton of stuff to do before my trip, and somehow very little of it ever gets done. I always wait until the last minute, when everything always seems to happen anyway.

I suppose I should tell you that I will have one of my images up at the Austin airport. It's part of some art project, I've been selected for...to have this done. They are making some kind of a poster featuring my work and they are going to hang in somewhere, well I guess somewhere in the terminal areas. I'll probably poke around looking for it when I'm over at the airport to head out for my trip. Won't be surprised if I don't find it though, as they sometimes put these things in the men's room and such, but that's how it goes. (Good news, I guess, still feeling a little blah today, I suppose.)

In other news, I was approached about licensing one of my images. I'll probably do that but not entirely sure. I'm so not open to the entire stock photography thing. I've seen just too many people all but give away their work and it seldom amounts to fame or fortune, rather usually turns into a couple of extra buckets which, in the long run, doesn't seem to help matters all that much. Still though, I suppose, nice to be asked and all (don't you think?)

I guess I'm just feeling a bit delicate today. Kind of like this image. Here, present, in the moment, just not entirely sure if I can stand up to the winds. We all go through cycles. Sometimes, I feel like I own the moon (y'all owe me a bucket-load of money for those two recent "super moons" that were back to back last week, so pay up already!) and other times? Nobody here but us chickens (or us delicate trees, as the case may be.) Just not feeling the love...never feeling the love, if you know what I'm saying.

Delicate. I guess it's just one of those nights.

Until next time...

Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-37071532191080309362014-09-14T20:53:00.005-05:002014-09-14T20:53:50.160-05:00It's the Last (GASP) Mail Order Before I Go

Today I put in what will probably become the last mail order (B&H order) before my trip. Oh, what an order it was too. For starters, my Internet was running very slowly tonight. My Firefox kept jamming up and it was not happy. Then, I had to do a bunch of research, because I had been looking to get some ND Grads, and thinking about getting them for the trip. But, oh no, you can't just "get" ND grads. No, no, no, no, no. You have to get an entire "ND Grad System" complete with bells and whistles and little YouTube videos telling you why *your* ND Grad system is really the bees knees. It's like torture only a little more painful, really that is. (In case you're curious, I still have not gotten an ND Grad system. I've opted instead for a new lens, a couple of circular polarizers, and a bucket load of Compact Flash.)

I'm eying the Cokin ND grad system, but you can't just go and get the Cokin, no, no, no, no, no. There's the Cokin X, The Cokin P, the Cokin XP. (Really. Did I use the word "torture" before? And you thought that maybe just maybe, I might have been kidding? HA!) And all of these depend upon the size of your lens and the size of the lens that you maybe want to get one day because all of them, well most of them anyway, can go smaller but not larger, but then you have to decide if you want this big honking ND Grad system filter holder stuck onto the front of your lens while you are walking around the ten million steps of Santorini. Oh God, I need a drink! (For those curious, and frankly, I don't see how you could be at this point but, just in case, I am seriously thinking about either the Cokin X-Pro or the Singh-Ray. Each has there pluses and minuses, with Singh-Ray being very expensive and of the "threaded" variety, so they only really fit one lens, while the Cokin system is a bit like buying a razor blade-they give you the razor for free and then promptly yell out "Sucker!" while you're still waiting in line at the cash register, because they know they've now become your crack dealer of choice, only their "ND grad filter system" is actually legal, and so they can get away with this nonsense, and actually profit from it. And did I mention you will now be a customer for life, having to go back time and again for this and that-the textbook definition of nickel and dimed to death only more expensive. Oh the humanity!)

Did I mention that Firefox froze in the middle of all of this? Oh yes. While I had something like 23 items in my shopping basket at B&H (none of which they would let me save, by the way) my Firefox crashed so badly I had to restart my computer. While I was frantically running around looking for a pad and pencil (you do remember those, don't you?) to write down what I could remember from my two hour shopping excursion into the depths of ND grad filter systems, circular polarizers, and the like, I got lucky (and I use that term loosely, believe me) in that, when Firefox restarted, it had saved my shopping basket. Yay! (I mean, um, BOO! because now I have to pay for all of this crap.) After all of that, I so feel like I need a drink (or twelve.) But still, last big order before the trip and all. Yay! Now I really feel like I'm going, at least the Compact Flash will be showing up soon, so I must be leaving to go somewhere (isn't there a rule about that? If not, there should be.)

And, in case you're curious, yes, I'm still trying to workout (exercise as much as I can.) I'm in nowhere near good enough shape to handle the steps but I'll just have to hope and try and try to hope and just grunt and get up (and down!) somehow.

While I was deep in the bowels of the B&H ordering system (AKA "the Compact Flash Factory") I started to think about a couple of things. For starters, I still have Fry's and Precision Camera, so I can run out and get anything I might have forgotten (should I happen to have any money left.) Ahem, for those of you in the "drug trade" (by that I mean "camera dealers") these would be my "local suppliers." Oh goodie! I'm not entirely doomed yet. (Heck, I still have two weeks left. Two entire weeks! Go me!)

Then, I started to think about the mannequins. I wonder why kind of mannequins they might have in Santorini. I can only imagine. (Oh! And I'm about to find out real soon now too. Oh joy!) That and toothpaste. I wonder just where in the heck the toothpaste is going to end up. (I have to wonder about this because, as you know, I tend to think about these things.)You know, you just know (well, you would if you've read my blog before) there's always *something* involving toothpaste. (Somebody always forgets some, there's an international incident, some Japanese tourists attack, you know, it's all about the toothpaste, really it is. Coming soon, to a Greek Isle near you!)

All of this and British Air today wrote me and asked me (again!) what kind of meal I want. Don't they realize I'm a barefoot Hindu now and they don't even need to ask these things? (Geesh.) That's right. I'm soon to become a barefoot Hindu Compact Flash yielding photographer from the lowlands of Texas, without an ND grad filtering system to her name but enthusiastic none the less. You won't be able to miss me, should you happen to be in Santorini, as I'll be the one who can't make it up the steps or use Firefox without emitting some kind of primal scream. (Maybe with, or without, toothpaste, you'll have to speak Japanese to find out how that story ends.) Oh, and I'll be spending a lot of time checking out the mannequins while I'm there too. (Ah, Carol's Greek Adventure, I can hardly wait.)

Kidding aside, I'm seriously looking forward to this trip. That is, if it doesn't kill me before I even get into the airport shuttle.

Until next time...

Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-74615377419532577512014-09-07T17:25:00.002-05:002014-09-07T17:25:22.355-05:00Step It Up - The Steps of Santorini

As you know, I'm headed to Santorini sometime soon. One of the things about Santorini is that, since it's basically a series of little villages built into cliff sides, there are a lot of steps there. When I say "a lot of steps" I basically mean A TON of steps. There are steps, steps, and more steps. Everything is up two flights, down one, over there, up another two flights. It's like the steps mated and had more steps. They are all over the place, multiplied like bunnies in the springtime, those steps they did.

Something that's happened recently is that, well, I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I'm horribly out of shape. Yes, it's true, I can hardly walk up a flight of steps these days without getting winded, wheezy, and out of it. So, what's a girl to do? Lately, I've started using my exercise bike. Every day. Each and every day, I've tried to ride my exercise bike for twenty minutes or more. And, believe me, it's actually helping a bit. Now, mind you, this is not a "diet" of any kind, no, I'm not trying to drop pounds or look good for my trip, no, we're shooting for pure, raw stamina here. Maybe it's sort of working, a bit anyway. I mean, I feel a bit better. There seems to be a bit more of a spring in my, excuse the word, step since I've started doing this (or tried to do this.) At least I think I can get up a flight now without keeling over which, while still not very good, it's a bit of progress, no?

But, I've got a long way to go, not a lot of time left, and there are a lot of stairs there...a lot of stairs there (did I mention lots of stairs there? Mmm....thought I did.)

So, now I'm feeling really stressed over these stairs. I mean, what am I to do if I get there and I just can't make it up to my hotel room? (My hotel is actually situated on a cliff, overlooking the Aegean Sea. How many hotels in the world can say that about themselves? Wouldn't it be a disgrace if I couldn't make it back up to *that* hotel room? Oh the humanity!)

The wheels in my head have started to go 'round and this entire "step it up" thing has me thinking. Maybe I should make a photo project out of this? I could call it something like "The Steps of Santorini" and actually start shooting the steps, all the steps, any of the steps I see. Do you think this would work? (I mean, would anybody actually believe it?) On the one hand, it's better than letting the steps actually kill me. On the other, well, it sounds sort of like a kind of cheesy project, doesn't it? ("The Steps of Santorini?" Really?) But, it *would* give me something to do with those horrible steps. Well, something besides go up and down them all freaking day long.

For a while, I was thinking, "The Steps of Santorini" will not kill me, no, they won't. I won't allow it. I am going to own those steps. I am going to conquer those steps as the great Spartans did years ago. Those steps? Why, they are destined to be SCHOOLED by the likes of me. I'm not going down! (Well, actually, technically speaking, I am in fact "going down" but I'll be going down the steps and not "going down with the ship" as the saying goes. Oh, and I'll be "going up" too. So there!) Steps, I don't care if I do a photo project of you or not, I'm so going to *OWN* you. Do you hear me? As God is my witness, I'm going to own you and school you and you will NOT be getting the better of me. No, sir, you won't. I'm not going to take this. I'm not going to elevator and escalator anymore! I'm taking the steps, I'm owning the steps. Out of my way, I've got some climbing to do!

I'm really trying to step it up for my trip. I really hope I have enough time and I can make it up (and down) enough steps between now and then that I can actually walk around Santorini and I don't bog down the entire group with my wheezy out-of-shape self.

Yes, I've really got to step it up for this trip, and I'm trying, believe me, I'm trying.

Until next climb...

Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-62943188781405695312014-09-01T21:03:00.003-05:002014-09-01T21:03:56.583-05:00It's Greece For Me

Tonight I'm finishing off booking my next trip. As the old expression goes, "God willing and the creek don't rise" I'll be going to Santorini, Greece to attend a photo tour of the island.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "She's crazy!" (Well, I am actually.) "Why is she going there?" and probably even some of, "She never mentioned Greece before." It's true, I didn't. But, I'm going. It's one of those places that was always on my radar. As is typically the case, a trip popped up and I just could not pass it up. So, Greece it is. I'm Santorini bound! Wish me safe travels, good light, and all of that if you're so inclined, please, for I can use all of the well wishes I can get.

The next days will find me both excited about the upcoming prospects of photographing the Greek countryside and also taking on a frenzy of activity as I prepare for my workshop. I'm already tied up with things like booking travel, ordering flash memory, getting lots of last minute items together, plus a host of research and going over in my mind what type of work I'm inclined to do there. All of that plus, well, tonight I booked the Blue Van. (Exciting, I know, but that's the life of an international jet setter I guess. I mean, I have to get myself to the airport somehow, right?)

I'm so glad they have flights from Austin direct to London now. Makes it easier for me to visit places like Athens and Santorini. It's just one less flight hop I have to make, not to mention I get to fly on the dreamliner which, you know, it's nice.

As an aside, British Despair, I mean, um, British Air (yeah, that's it) offers some kind of service called "Premium Economy" which is not much more expensive than the seats in the back but offers you a large screen TV in front of you plus a bit more "wiggle room" for your legs. I've opted for this "Premium Economy" class, since it was only $100 more and, had I booked regular ole' generic "economy" I would have had to pay $75 more for baggage (or so.) For $25 and a 9 hour flight to and fro, I figured it would be money well spent.

One of the decisions I now face, thanks in part to this new "Premium Economy" foof, is that I get to decide upon a meal. One might think this an easy task, but, man, the page for meals is oh so confusing. They have ovo lacto vegetarian meals (I think this means eggs and milk but no meat) they have Muslim meals (no pork.) They have Hindu meals (no meat.) They have vegan meals. (You know what they call a fat free, gluten free vegan brownie? Compost....kidding, I'm kidding. Actually, maybe not so much.) They have an entire web page devoted to all of this meal foof, not to mention another web page where they tell us how we have to take off our shoes before boarding the planes (I think this is on account of being American but don't quote me on that.)

All of this shoe-less ovo lacto nonsense prompted me to tell my mother the other day, "You see, Mom," I said to her on the phone, "you thought you gave birth to a daughter but, in actuality, I'm about to become a shoeless Hindu on board a flight from Austin to London's Heathrow airport."

How much you want to make a bet they will still somehow manage to screw up my meal and give me a steak sandwich mid-flight? These things, why they always seem to happen to me, but I somehow manage to just make the best of it whenever I can.

But, Santorini bound I am. I've even got the Blue Van reservation number to prove it. British Despair or not, I'm flying away soon to Greece, Santorini to be exact.

Until next time...

Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-46235468655186478422014-04-24T08:18:00.002-05:002014-04-24T08:18:41.248-05:00It's Good to Be Back and in my New Chair

OK, so maybe I never left. But, I have to say, while I was gone a lot of stuff happened!

For starters, the ahem "good" folks at Flickr broke the "Blog This" button. I guess, in hindsight, they told me to go off and blog this. Yahoo! is sure going out of their way to ruin Flickr but, I guess, that's par for the course.

I did my taxes. Nothing crazy there. Just crammed about three weeks of work into one long weekend. It was crazy and I felt totally beat up afterwards. After all that hand to hand combat, what do I have to show for it? I'm getting back about $200. Oh joy! I wish I could trade all of the paperwork I had to endure for that $200, believe me, I wish I could.

I've been strangely fascinated with birds. This image here I captured from my car window. It's a murder of crows that I frequently see on the way home from work. Mmmm. Snapseed. Oh how I love Snapseed. Let me count the ways. Oh, and the crows are really cool too. My strange fascination with birds continues.

I'd had this horrible injury to my thumb that has made typing very difficult. It hurts to even type this. My fingers ache but I so continue to endure. I must press on for the fans. (Well, ok, all three people who still check in here once in a while to make sure I'm like still alive and all. Howdy, folks! Yup. Still here. Sorry, you don't inherit the crock pot just yet.)

Perhaps the best news in a long time. I *finally* got my chair. What chair? You might be asking, and I'd be here to tell you. Sometime, back in November, I ordered this spiffy new desk chair for my home office. It's grey leather and it's something called a "Stressless." Oh, let me tell you. It's stressless alright. I hardly want to get up and get out of it. It's....ah....oh so comfortable.

For a long time, you see, I had this really crappy desk chair. It was horrible, not to mention just really bad on my back and all. I had wanted a new desk chair for a long time and just couldn't bring myself to pick one out. They were all sort of....well....ugly, if I may be so blunt (and you know, you just know, how blunt I can be, don't you?) So, back in November, I happened upon this store that sells contemporary furniture and that's when I saw them. The STRESSLESS chairs. Oh my! They were oh so pretty. I just had to have one. I ordered one right on the spot, in leather even, because, well I could and I just did, ok? They told me back then that it would take a few months and that my chair had to come from Norway. It was specially made for me in Norway. A chair specially made for me was coming all the way from Norway. Oh joy!

Well, needless to say, Christmas came and then they had called me and told me there was a mix up with the order and yada yada. No worries. I was in no hurry. I had put off a lot of blogging and website design for so long, what's a few more weeks, right? At this point, I was putting stuff off because my desk chair was so uncomfortable I hardly wanted to use my computer. It was like OUCH in here. It was cramped and dark and the chair really sucked. Then, the chair came in. Finally made the trip from Norway. Oh what a chair it is too. It's *so* comfortable. Now, and I know you're going to laugh at this but I must confess, I have a completely different problem.

My chair is so comfortable I can hardly get out of it.

There. I said it. My chair is so comfortable, I've been avoiding sitting down at the computer because, instead of knowing I'll be uncomfortable, I now know I'll be so comfortable that it will take all but the house burning down to get me back out of this silly chair.

Seriously, the other day? I ordered pizza. I almost didn't order pizza. Not because I wasn't hungry, no, simply because I thought to myself, "My God, I'm sitting down! If the pizza dude shows up, I'll have to get up and out of the chair to answer the door." I was seriously considering going hungry, just because I didn't want to get up for one split second to go and answer the door. Oh the humanity! Oh, the chair! Ah, the chair. I'm all about the big, comfy chair these days.

So, you see....Flickr broken. Eh, what's new? Tax returns? Meh, I have to do them every year, why should this year be any different? Birds? Oh, they are migrating again or something like that. My thumb hurts like the Dickens. Ah well, that's nice. Please just don't ask me to do anything that requires me to get up and get out of my new chair, OK?

Welcome back, Carol! I'd tell you to come in and pull up a chair but so sorry I've already got the good one and I ain't giving it up.

Until next time...

Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-68137704638045413092014-03-01T19:37:00.001-06:002014-03-01T19:37:45.147-06:00A Carnival of New Lights

BlueAndOrange_5581, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

So, recently I purchased some new lights for my home studio. I went out and got myself a set of Fiilex P360 LED studio lights. These are dense matrix LEDs with full spectrum tuning, so that I can dial-in just about any color temp I could possibly want. How fun is that?

Still working on my home studio setup and doing some show preparations tonight, but I wanted to share the good news with you about the lights.

A funny thing about lighting too, nowadays anyway it seems like everybody is all into the strobes. Everything is Strobist this and Strobist that. I've always been a fan of continuous lights but what am I to call myself? A floodist? That sounds like somebody who loves springtime in Iowa when the winter snows melt and everybody is out playing with sandbags, not a photographer. A continuist? Is that even a word? Geesh. We have to do better than that, no? What? Am I like an anti-Strobist? That doesn't really sound like me either. (I guess I'll have to get back to you on this one with some kind of oh-so-clever name at some point. For now though it's safe to say I've just gone out and gotten myself some new lights.)

Also, we're coming up on carnival week so there's bound to be a lot of fun down in New Orleans this week as well. Really wish I were there but, sadly, I'm back at the ranch, getting things setup and toiling away.

And, it goes without saying really but, man, watch out for any "Floodists" you might find down in the 'Quarter this week.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-74724851929293904212014-02-10T23:47:00.001-06:002014-02-10T23:47:07.905-06:00The Year of the Horse

OrangeDragonNo1-1, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

Happy Chinese New Year, everybody! It's now the Year of the Horse. I was actually born in the Year of the Horse and my mother was also born in the Year of the Horse. In fact, when I was born, there was some kind of astral event so I'm actually (technically) what they refer to as a "Fire Horse." It's a bit whacked out in Chinese New Year speak, but both my mother and I are "Fire Horses." How fun!

They say the Fire Horses are almost like strong horses. I have always thought that "Fire Horse Studios" would make a great name for an encaustic studio. In fact, I should open one by that name some day. I think it would work, don't you?

I have always loved the Chinese New Year and the iChing even if I cannot always follow along with what they are presenting. It's fascinating to me and such an inspiration artistically. I love these puppets and the Chinese dancers (acrobats, really) and also tons of fireworks, plus the wonderful zodiac symbols. It really is a wonderful source of artistic inspiration, even if you don't really believe in all of the musings.

For this Year of the Horse, since it's my year (sort of) I am going to try to concentrate on making things better for the future. I hope that one day I can be an even more exciting, dynamic "Fire Horse" creature.

I hope you are having a great Chinese New Year. Happy New Year!

Until next time...
Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-16682399660463932502014-01-28T18:53:00.001-06:002014-01-28T18:53:22.533-06:00Dear Old Man Winter: B is for Bite Me!

FlyingBInTheRain_8172, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

OK, so I must admit. It's COLD outside. In Austin, we've had this weird freezing rain, sleet, ice-like crap falling all over the place. It's happened for two days now. First last Friday and now today. For two entire days now, it's been snowing, iced up, sleeting, whatever you call it.

Now, I know you folks up north are probably saying things like "Yeah, yeah, cry me a river!" since we here in Austin seldom get winter. But, it's very bad here. You see, we just don't *do* winter in these parts. We don't have sleds, mittens, warm kettles full of hot cocoa. Nope. We've got none of that. We have shorts and sleeveless T-shirts. What in the heck am I supposed to do with a sleeveless T-shirt when it's 29 degrees outside?!? Get my point? See where this is going? It's supposed to be a WARM climate and, frankly, we just don't understand all of this *winter* crap, not to mention our roads, why, they just can't take it.

You see the roads here are hilly, or at least a bit more sloped then what you are used to back east or even in other parts. We have slopes and ridges and odd medians and big hills and places where, once the road ices up, you just can't get to. Things get blocked off, people grow impatient and crashes start to happen. Lots and lots of crashes, in fact, Friday alone, there were over 200 crashes in Austin. Today, I heard on the news how there was a crash involving a school bus and two of Austin's police cruisers were involved in wrecks.

One of the main roads you might take when traveling through Austin is Interstate 35, or I-35 as the locals like to call it. It has these big fly-overs and places that just don't do well at all with ice. Today, it was deemed "impassible" due to the ice. For a brief period of time, it was completely closed today in a special ceremony. You see, it's been renamed "Ice-Thirty Five" on account of all the sleet we've been having. Mopac, another main highway through the city which is usually packed (hence its nickname: MoPacked) was like a skating rink, not to mention completely empty. Void of traffic because none dare venture out into the land of many crashes.

It's the strangest of conditions, really, since everything is covered in ice and yet nobody really remembers it raining. Not to mention this sleet stuff is doing nothing to help fill up our lakes and rid Austin of its pesky drought conditions. No, it's not helping with that, this crappy sleet is, rather it's just muddling up our traffic. Ugh! I really hate this crap. honest, I do.

Now I know I've been complaining a lot. "I'm sick!" "It's sleeting!" Yada yada. But, this really is the current state of affairs here in River City. Bad allergies gave way to the flu which is turn morphed into sleet covered broken dreams. I really hate this winter and I know that, in just a few months, I'll be complaining how it's too hot around these parts. I know, I sound like a cross between a broken record and a complaint machine, but there you have it. It's my blog and I'll rant if I want to. There's just too much winter for me to take this quietly. I know this is a season and we're all supposed to get this "winter" stuff and all, but, man, it's killing me! And, I know I'll get little sympathy from folks back east who have it worse, much worse, than I but I can still complain, can't I?

Old man winter, if you would, please turn it down a notch or two, OK? We're like all collectively kind of getting sick of you. (Enough said!)

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-50581906375816946112014-01-23T18:14:00.001-06:002014-01-23T18:14:06.062-06:00I Really Need a Cup of Tea

 , originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

Not only is this like the worst winter in 400 years but now, it would appear, I have come down with the flu. Oh the humanity! I really need a cup of tea.

As I sit and type this, it's sleeting outside too. It's the kind of sleet where it piles up and accumulates on the ground. Sleet that piles up and accumulates? Thirty degrees in Austin? What has this world come to? What are we destined to get like six inches of white crap on the ground, just because? Somebody, save me from this madness, please.

If all of this were not enough, Justin Bieber was arrested this morning. It's just been that kind of a day, OK? Wow! What can I say? (Well, things could be worse, I mean, at least I am not Justin Bieber, right?)

They say he might get deported. And I'm on new medicine that's supposed to un-stuff my nose (but isn't.) I've got this fever that just won't break and there's nothing on TV and my back hurts from trying to sit up in bed long enough to do any work (I have my computer with me and am trying to do some work from home, rather than infect everybody I know.) It's just horrible, quite the horrible day. Still, I know, it could be worse, I could be Justin Bieber. (And the police could have taken away my shiny new Ferrari. Oh the horror!)

As I load up the CNN.com page, I see two smiling young yellow-haired kids grinning back at me. One is a child who has been missing for a long time-the parents have almost given up hope. The other? Justin Bieber. Perhaps Justin should stop and reflect upon just how lucky he is, even in light of all that's happened to him today.

For myself, well, I'm content sitting here with Chase, yearning for a hot cup of tea, typing in a parka (because I've got a fever that just won't quit) wondering when in the heck old man winter is finally going to give up the ghost. Face it, old man, you're doomed. I can see the first buds of spring fighting their way 'round the yard and, like all seasons gone before this too shall pass.

Do you think Justin Bieber likes tea? (Probably not, eh? I mean, I guess it would not go with all of the booze, pot, and Ferrari juice he's been drinking as of late.) Still, you know, a flu-infected crazy lady typing in a parka can wonder, can't she?

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-45787875372186567462014-01-20T02:48:00.001-06:002014-01-20T02:48:45.307-06:00Happy Cedar Fever, Y'All

 , originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

It's cedar season. What's cedar season? Well, it's that time of year when the cedar trees release all of their pollens and start mating excessively. Taking in too much cedar can lead to cedar allergies. Cedar allergies, in Texas anyway, are often referred to as "Cedar Fever."

Basically, you get horribly, horribly sick when you have cedar fever. It's kind of like the worst allergy you can imagine, combined with a sinus infection (or the like.) It tends to last almost a month in these parts and it's quite horrible.

Usually, I don't suffer from cedar fever (I'm one of the lucky ones) but, this year anyway, I seem to really be having a doozy of a time of it. Cedar, it would appear, has really gotten to me. Now, it could just be too that I'm allergic to so many *other* things and our record (off the chart) high cedar count this year is just adding to my suffering, but there you have it.

So, I've been under the weather with this cedar fever. Trying to make myself well. Trying to take some meds for it. Just trying to get through the day. It's been quite a struggle this allergy season and, I must confess, I feel quite horrible.

I hope you manage to escape season allergies where you live. Heck, even with my allergies, I'm happy enough to recognize that, if I didn't live in Texas, I'd still be trapped in "winter" somewhere else (and, I'm told, this has been a horrible, horrible winter as well.)

I think we all collectively need to escape to some kind of a beach and sip some kind of a boat drink. Some kind of a boat drink with a really, really long straw and probably like at least one (or two!) of those little colored umbrellas.

Yeah. Right about now, one of those drinks is calling my name!

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-84384737379461542152014-01-11T00:24:00.001-06:002014-01-11T00:24:54.478-06:00Attack of the Webinars

 , originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

Since it's a new year it seems that a lot of artists and art coaches are all about webinars. Everybody is putting up webinars. Podcasts, new eBooks, and the like are popping up like mushrooms. It's everywhere!

I have to say that I love it. I've been eating it up. Over the holiday break, I listened to an entire Podcast called "The Thriving Artist Summit" and I got tons of good advice. Just today, I was futzing around on Facebook when I happened upon the Art Biz Blog lady's free webinar on "Income Boosting Strategies for 2014." I mean, this is tons of free advice and it's ripe for the taking. Phew!

The thing I love is that, in the old days, to be an artist you pretty much had to move to New York. You had to get an agent. You had to hire attorneys. It was tons of paperwork and the process took oh so long. Now, with the Internet, everything is simple. We really are living in the golden age of owning your own business and artists are profiting from this. It's never been easier to run the nuts and bolts part of the business, leaving you free to concentrate on the business of, well, making art itself. I love it. I love how there is the Internet with all of these vast resources. One can get inspiration easily from the digital archives. You can learn. You can grow. We no longer need agents and have to fuss over the business end of things. It's fantastic.

I hope you are making the most of these new year "freebies" because they don't always last. I'm sure that, by June anyway, much of this will be gone and people will be back to doing what it is that they do.

It's free Podcast season, folks, enjoy it while it lasts!

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-42593672557491604172014-01-04T20:12:00.001-06:002014-01-04T20:12:07.263-06:00Very Cool Sky

 , originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

We had this very cool sky the other day and I thought, "Must...Take...Photo." I was outside near sunset time and decided it would not be a bad idea to Hipsta another sunset. So, here we have it...my last Hipsta sunset from 2013 (as this was taken on December 30 of last year.)

Last year. It seems so last year ago, doesn't it? Why, almost feels too like it was only last week. (What's that you say? It was only last week? Yeah, I knew that.)

Still working on the house but gearing up for 2014 here. Getting ready to go out and do some shooting this week and learn something about lighting. Oh, and to upload the last of my Hipsta sunsets from 2013. I hope 2014 is treating you well, treating you well, my friends. Treating you well or, at least, treating you to some very cool skies in your little corner of the world.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-47847949684582662202013-12-27T21:41:00.001-06:002013-12-27T21:41:43.501-06:00Happy Holiday Season, Y'all

IcedTeaLemons_1900, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

It's the holidays, and I'm taking a bit of a break. I'm registered for an artist summit and have been listening to some handy dandy podcasts. I've also been getting the house in order and getting setup for some big plans next year. I hope to have the house done soon and be able to jump into setting up the studio in early 2014.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy the new year. Take some time to refresh, recharge, reload and get ready for 2014 to hit with a bang.

Heck, I know that's what I'm going to do.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-87398256375046448462013-12-04T07:22:00.001-06:002013-12-04T07:22:16.924-06:00Just Three Weeks. No? How about two?

UndertowInPink, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

So, it dawned on me the other day that, why, it's just three weeks until the end of the year. That's three weeks to get in all of the holiday parties. That's three weeks to do all of the shopping. That's three short weeks to survive all of the Black Friday nonsense (I guess I should not really call it nonsense as I sell stuff too!) Three short weeks. See where I'm going with this?

So, with all of this "OMG! There's only three weeks left and I've just got to...." stuff rolling around, what do I do? What is the one thing I decide I want to do now, right now, of all of the times I could have picked doing this? I've started to think about traveling. Ugh!

I really just want to go somewhere.

Did you ever have that feeling? I really just want to go and check out a beach or a mountain or a mountain next to a beach or a....Ugh! I can't go anyplace. I have too much to do. There's just too much to fit in between now and the end of the year. (Somebody, please save me from all of this!)

A beach. Here's a picture of a beach because, like, I've been thinking about one. (No other reason really. I mean, it is a perfectly good beach and all, and I'm sure you've seen lots of beaches, but I just had to have one. Today, by golly, I just felt like a beach.)

And me without my suntan lotion. Oh, the horror of it all.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-4513375418436285442013-11-27T16:16:00.001-06:002013-11-27T16:16:06.179-06:00CheersWent for margaritas and Tex-Mex for lunch today. Yum! Lupe's Cantina had it going on.

Yeah, I know...pics or it didn't happen. Here ya go!

Until next time...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:N Capital of Texas Hwy,Austin,United States
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-59814693251367202972013-11-26T20:16:00.001-06:002013-11-26T20:16:26.209-06:00Safe Travels

Blue2000_7955, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

For all of those traveling this holiday season (it's about to be a holiday season here in the US) please stay safe. There is a monster of a storm roaming around the center of the country. If you live along the east coast, please be prepared and stay safe. This thing already has a body count-having taken out at least 8 people in the west so far and it's just getting started, picking up steam, and all of that. Stay safe, please safe travels one and all.

Myself, I'm looking to stay at home and try to organize the studio a bit, try to work on the house, get the studio setup (some more) and do lots of stuff around here. Might take the camera out for some red leaf hunting (it's that time of year again too!) but then again, maybe not. We'll see if I get inspired to get hot and heavy with the old Baby Mark.

Until then, you'll just have to look at a photo from the car show.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-62285482763376204122013-11-25T11:44:00.001-06:002013-11-25T11:44:25.102-06:00Back to the Studio

HummusCelery_1849, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

I must confess...I have always wanted to setup and run a small photography studio. By that I mean setup a couple of lights, maybe a few softboxes, and have a nice setup in my home...a place where I could just go and play. It's always been a quiet goal of mine. I love, love, love, studio photography and have so many ideas of what I could shoot if only I had the setup available to me.

Now, I know you can rent such places but renting is not quite the same. I don't want to trek all across town, have to deal with somebody else's lights, a pocket wizard that isn't quite right for my camera, yada yada. No, my dream, if you will, is to have a sort of quiet little private studio space all setup in my home. In a spare bedroom, setup a small lighting rig and a small studio so that I could just go in there and play. I want to play around. I want to be able to leave it setup. I'd love to be able to buy a vase of flowers, leave it setup for a week or so, go in and shoot it again and again and again. Just, you know, just have fun with it.

All this work on my house and not blogging? Well, I'm finally working towards making this dream a reality. I've cleared out a room in my home. I've installed some shelving. I got a new chair. I have a setup. I'm getting some props and fabric and all. I've started taking courses on lighting to find out what's new and what I can use for my ideal, dream setup. I'm starting to make this happen. And, once it does...once it's all down and good, why, I'll be able to do more shots like this. I'll be able to do some of the studio work I've only been thinking about until now. And it will be all like "Carol's Little Playground" that's for sure.

I can hardly wait. I know I've been quiet and I know you're probably all wondering "Where the #$%^ is Carol these days?" but, I have to tell you, she's coming back. She'll be doing more stuff, fun stuff, stuff she wants to do starting really soon now. And, believe me, it's going to be so much fun, you won't want to miss it.

I guess this is the long-winded version of "stay tuned" but I can't help myself. I want to finally get my little home (read: dream) studio setup and going. Now is the time. The time is right and I'm finally ready, willing, and able to do it.

I promise, you won't want to miss it once I get it going and all. I plan to have a blast and, the best part? That means you can come along for the ride!

Until next time...
Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-41960417632388215632013-11-18T21:24:00.001-06:002013-11-18T21:24:51.372-06:00ChickenSaladSandy_1853

ChickenSaladSandy_1853, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

Today's post: more food photography coming your way. Good eats = good shots, eh?
Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-80870521498647170022013-11-18T21:22:00.001-06:002013-11-18T21:22:55.286-06:00More Food For Thought

ChickenSaladSandy_1853, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

Hey, that's a great title, isn't it? Too bad I don't have a fantastic blog post to go with it!

Funny enough, I'm just checking in, since I've been busy and have not had much time to post. I've actually been working on my house a bit, trying to get the studio in order, trying to do a bunch of stuff before Thanksgiving. My plans are, for the rest of the year actually, to try and clean up, clear out, and gear up for January, when I will start shooting some major projects again. I've got some plans and I want to get everything setup and ready to go so that I can just bang it come the new year. I know everybody always says that...everybody always has New Year's Resolutions and all...everybody always turns over a new leaf come the new year and whatnot, but that's what I've actually been planning for a while now. Trying to get the house in order, get everything setup, so I can just rock it.

The new shelves have come and were installed. Yay! I still have some tweaking to do in there, then I will fill, fill, fill them up. I got a new chair for that room too, and that's already in place. Waiting on a desk lamp and a chair for my front room, my "main" Photoshopping desk area. I ordered a super fancy "Stressless" chair from Norway (yes, they come on wheels!) for that room, in custom leather. It's actually going to be custom made and get shipped in from Norway just for me. Wow! Yeowza on that one, eh? (I feel so special.) Of course, this means I have to shovel out that room before it actually gets here and all of that. Been making progress on this front some but have *a lot* to do still. All that and then there's the garage. (There's always the garage. Ah, *sigh* the garage. Somebody, please save me from the dreaded garage?!?)

Shovel, shovel, shovel. Someday this too will be done.

Until then, why, here's more photography of food stuffs. Looks yummy doesn't it? (Well, heck, it beats the garage but then again *anything* beats the garage!)

Until next time...
Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-42063809342898619122013-11-10T22:20:00.001-06:002013-11-10T22:20:49.096-06:00Food Photography

Pears_1806, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

Went to a workshop today at my local camera store on food photography. I have to say I loved it! Had so much fun. Got to play around with some pears, some iced tea, some dip and some mushrooms. Wow! Who would have even thought of photographing mushrooms? But they look beautiful! Amazing how things can look with just some studio lighting and a little attention to them.

I met a chef too. I didn't have the heart to tell her I can't cook worth a lick. Doesn't matter though, as I am more than willing to eat up some mistakes.

I love the browns in these type of images. I love the brown, brown, brown, warm, warm, warm look. Makes me feel right at home, even if this place doesn't really even exist. Only in my dreams, right? (Heck, in my dreams I can cook well too!)

This one taken with continuous lighting, two lights one back and one side with barn doors (no softbox!) Used the Canon with the Canon lens too.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-67260752446970643722013-11-02T23:06:00.001-05:002013-11-02T23:06:47.672-05:00Spring Ahead, Fall Back

Some Halloween candy left after the big day. We lucked out and had some nice weather for my trick or tweeting. Sadly, now it appears to be Christmas time, without the benefit of Thanksgiving.

Had a busy day today-did some shopping and running around so tired now. Looking forward to an extra hour of sleep!

Until next time...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Cenizo Path,Cedar Park,United States
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-90929514172039531102013-11-01T22:11:00.001-05:002013-11-01T22:11:32.453-05:00More Manic Mannequins

Mannequins_1732, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

These are the mannequins from a recent trip to Salado, Texas. I've always had this theory about mannequins, about how they reflect the general area where they reside...about how they differ everywhere you go and yet, somehow, they are the same. I guess we're all the same on the inside, right? The mannequins? Ah, maybe not so much.

Many of the small towns in the area have the sorts of mannequins that were antique and hand-painted years ago. This was because they could not afford to purchase expensive mannequins from "the big city" (of sorts) so, instead, they made due with what they had. They fashioned their very own mannequins using materials they might have had on hand. Nowadays? I suppose mannequins are made in China. I guess that's no big loss, really, I mean, it's not like we were married to our mannequins or anything like that. Still though, they are now left as these sorts of ghosts, remnants of a bygone era (of sorts.) I mean, I can't imagine anybody hand-painting a mannequin these days. Heck, they probably can get them cheaper off of EBay (or some such place.) Come to think of it, I bet Etsy has some bad-ass mannequins. (Maybe if I'm bored one day, why, I'll have to go and check this out.)

I thought these ladies kind of cute in their shop window-y kind of a way. They have their baubles on display in full and even have the sort of manic type faces you've grown to expect from, well, manic mannequins.

These are the mannequins of Salado, Texas. I hope you like them.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-47006142162443881122013-10-31T05:09:00.001-05:002013-10-31T05:09:03.694-05:00Trick or....Fish?

PelicanBeak_1744, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

It's raining today in River City. I mean, not just like raining but heavy rains with potential flooding. It's really coming down out there. And, as luck would have it, today also happens to be Halloween.

Now, I thought about what potential this combination has to offer. For starters, there might be a few less kiddies out tonight. In the past, I've always purchased six bags of candy, this year being no exception but, this time, the bags have gotten a bit smaller. Now, this might work out in the end, since I might actually just have enough candy to go around, we'll have to see about that. I'm seriously thinking about handing out fish, since it's so wet out there. Think the kiddies would notice? (Why, yes I'm sure they would, actually.)

In other news, the Elfa stuff has been installed. I survived the great Elfa migration into my house and now have some serious shelving to show off. The biggest news here, and it's something I was not prepared for, was the boxes. When I say "boxes" I mean, actually, BOXES. There were boxes everywhere! It was like I was barricaded in my home. Euf! Here a box, there a box, everywhere a box box. I managed to get most of them either tucked away or stuffed into my recycling bin but now the recycling day cannot come soon enough.

Still though it beats getting a fish for Halloween, doesn't it?

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3285530.post-92207292902745913192013-10-26T20:56:00.001-05:002013-10-26T20:56:53.929-05:00Lady, You Can Drive My Car

BlackVirage_8020, originally uploaded by carolsLittleWorld.

In Texas, where I live, your driver's license expires on your birthday. This is actually true in many states. They do this for a reason, I guess, it makes you more likely to remember to renew it or some such thing. This year, as luck would have it, my license was set to expire tomorrow, which is my birthday.

Now, Texas has this nice little system where you can renew by mail if you haven't renewed by mail the last time you were up for renewal (or some such thing.) Don't get me wrong, the renewal process is actually pretty easy. It's about $24 to renew your license. They send you a pre-printed form, which you just sign and mail in, along with your check. Easy as pie, actually, this entire process is. You can actually also go down in person, to the Department of Public Safety (we call it the "DPS" around these parts) and renew in person and I think you can even renew your license on the web now. They really are working to make this renewal process as easy as possible.

Of course, me being lazy and the way I am, I could not decide if I wanted to renew by mail or if I wanted to go in and do it in person. The form also said you had to mail it 20 days in before your birthday and, of course, I got lazy and forgot to send in the form. Then I felt that time was running out, and I might not make it to renewal in time for my birthday so maybe I should go down in person and yada yada. Of course, I never make anything easy and this too, the way I would do it, required a certain amount of mental gymnastics. Eh, me being me, what else would you expect, right? I *finally* decided to mail it in but, since I did this at the last possible minute and the post office is known for being slow, not to mention there was some kind of government shutdown and all, I half expected it to not show up on or before my birthday.

As luck would have it, my new license came in the mail today. Yes, indeed, as I got the mail today, there was the big, splashy "Texas.gov" return address and, tucked neatly inside, was my new license. I already have it in my wallet, tucked nicely away. Yes, I'm street legal once again, new license and all. Good for another seven years, or so they tell me. I'm here to tell you that today, on October 26th, the great state of Texas has in fact issued me a driver's license, good for another seven years. This license, as you would imagine, allows me to drive on roads public and private, across all of Texas, as well as being honored in other States across the US. In fact, thanks to this new license, I can drive anywhere in the United States. Back and forth, up and down, there and back, on roads public and private, provided I obey the posted speed limits, follow any directives from the police, pay the involved tolls, and whatnot.

Meanwhile, off in Saudi Arabia, there were women driving today as well. These women were, in fact, breaking the law. Saudi law, you see, doesn't allow women to drive. They (these women) aren't allowed the opportunity to drive back and forth, up and down, there and back. Even if they follow posted speed limits, pay parking fees, tolls and all, they are still illegally driving. Nope, not allowed to drive, no matter what. Just because they are women. No driving for women, nope, not allowed in Saudi Arabia it would appear.

The irony of this was not lost on me. Here I sit, half a world away, too lazy to actually just renew my license. Even though I drive past the DPS office each and every day, I just couldn't be bothered to pop on in there and renew my license. Nope. Too much of a hassle. I had better things to do. Maybe I'm just too lazy. Meanwhile, half a world away, these women, no matter what they did, were not allowed to drive. Imagine what they would give to be able to walk into a DPS office and come out with a piece of paper (actually a little laminated card) giving them permission to drive? Imagine how far they would be willing to go for the privilege of driving? The thing I sit here and take for granted, why, they just don't have and cannot get, simply because they are female.

Today, on this day, October 26th, 2013, those Saudi women did something they weren't supposed to do. They got in their cars and drove anyway. They did that and they filmed themselves doing it. There was a movement on YouTube and Twitter and all of the social media places. We saw hash tags and things like #DriveOct26 and #Women2Drive. There were videos posted of women in burkas driving through the street of Saudi Arabia, an offense which carries a stiff penalty. One woman was jailed for more than a week in 2011 for driving. Another women, just today, was attempting to drive to the grocery store and back. Armed with freshly purchased groceries, she was stopped by police and forced to wait until a male from her family was available to come and drive her home. (She was given a warning not to drive again.)

I think back on all of the times I'm too lazy to go and get groceries. I just can't be bothered. The grocery store just "feels too far away." (Whatever that means.) I think back on all of the places I've driven. Dirt roads in New Mexico, the streets of New York, down California's coastal highways, to the Texas shore and back, heck even across parts of Canada. I drove in Hawaii on some lava rocks (that was fun!) and drove the turquoise trail, tracing steps of Ansel Adams down the back country of Santa Fe. I drove King's Highway, Route 66, I10, Interstate 95 between Maine and Florida. I drove on the beach, I drove to the lake, I drove to the ocean. I've driven up mountains, across deserts, towards the sea. I've had passengers. I've driven alone. I've driven at night on back roads and highways. I've driven through parts of Mexico and once even right up to the country's capitol building. Heck, I once even honked my horn and waved at the Texas governor (who also happened to be a women at the time and also happened to be driving. I saw Governor Anne Richards driving her convertible Cadillac in Austin and honked at her and waved once.) Women honking at women and waving to each other? Out in the open like that and not breaking any laws? Amazing really.

As I said, the irony of today's events is not lost on me. Maybe the next time I feel I'm "too lazy" to drive to the grocery store or "I just can't be bothered" driving over there, I'm going to think about this. At least I live where I am free and I can drive if I so choose to do so. I wish the women of Saudi Arabia had the same privileges.

So today, this day, October 26th, 2013, I say to them, "Go, ladies, go!" Drive you cars. Drive back and forth, there and back, across roads and bridges. Get your groceries, do your shopping, and live your lives as best you can. The women of tomorrow are counting on you to make this right and somebody has got to take a stand. There's no reason, in this day and age, women should be denied the privilege of driving.

Ladies, you can drive my car anytime. Drive on, please, drive on. Go, ladies, go. May the women of Saudi Arabia drive to see another day.

Until next time...
Carolhttp://email@example.com


text:
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text:
What Are the Characteristics<2000/strong> of Moral Virtues ? | eHow
What Are the Characteristics of Moral Virtues?. You can easily look at moral virtues as a series of internal statutes that define how you should behave in every ...From:http://www.ehow.com › Culture & Society › Cultures › Other Cultures
Characteristics of Ethical Business Cultures
Discussion and Recommendations for Practice . The purpose of this study was to identify general characteristics attributed to ethical organizational cultures.From:http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED501640.pdf
What Are the Essential Characteristics of Ethical Behavior ...
What Are the Essential Characteristics of Ethical Behavior?. Stealing from "the till" or cheating on an exam is corrupt behavior. Working in the service of others is ...From:http://www.ehow.com › … › Etiquette › Business Etiquette
Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
The American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct provides guidance for psychologists in professional, scientific and ...From:http://www.apa.org › Ethics Office
Key Principles of Budgets. 5 Characteristics of Effective ...
Key Principles of Budgets. 5 Characteristics of Effective Budgeting. Five Important Areas in Budgeting.From:http://smartmoneysuccess.com/2010/07/key-principles-of-budgets-5...
Statement of Ethical Principles | International Federation ...
3 March 2012. Statement of Ethical Principles 1. Preface. Ethical awareness is a fundamental part of the professional practice of social workers. Their ability and ...From:http://ifsw.org/policies/statement-of-ethical-principle
The mismeasure of morals: Antisocial personality traits ...
Brief article The mismeasure of morals: Antisocial personality traits predict utilitarian responses to moral dilemmas Daniel M. Bartelsa,⇑, David A. PizarrobFrom:http://leeds-faculty.colorado.edu/mcgrawp/PDF/BartelsPizarro.2011.pdf
Morality - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some observers hold that individuals apply distinct sets of moral rules to people depending on their membership of an "in-group" (the individual and those they ...From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality
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ethical - definition of ethical by The Free Dictionary
eth·i·cal (th-k l) adj. 1. Of, relating to, or dealing with ethics. 2. Being in accordance with the accepted principles of right and wrong that govern the conduct ...From:http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethical


text:
"Félicia Atkinson is a French artist, currently living Brussels. Though she's been making music for quite a few years, its only the past 3 years that her work got some broader attention within the underground. Her work, both released under her own name and as Je Suis Le Petit Chevalier, appeared on a string of releases from labels as Digitalis, Unread, Spekk, Shelter Press or Aguirre. 'Summer Eyes' is a bit lighter than Félicia's most recent output. The first track starts out with a very recognizable keyboard melody, but slowly turns into a powerful yet friendly sounding drone, with all the elements from the very start still recognizable in there. The second song is an instrumental -to her standards- popsong. These two tracks proved nearly impossible to split over two sides of a ten inch. Adding more tracks could have damaged the coherence of the EP. So we went for a one-sided 12". The artwork, with pictures of an installation made by Félicia during an artist residency in Finland, is printed in gold by the masters at Druckwerkstatt. All copies come with a download coupon." (label info)
Go back


text:
Rope (1948)
- Directed by:
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Starring:
- James Stewart, John Dall, Farley Granger, Cedric Hardwicke
- Studio:
- Warner Bros.
- Country:
Tags: 1940s, Warner Bros.
Directed by: James Neilson
Starring: James Stewart, Audie Murphy, Dan Duryea
Country: USA
Saga of the McLaine Brothers, who followed different trails, lived by different laws, but wanted the same woman!
Directed by: Andrew V. McLaglen
Starring: James Stewart, Maureen O'Hara, Brian Keith, Jack Elam, Harry Carey Jr.
Country: USA
Directed by: Anthony Mann
Starring: James Stewart, Rock Hudson
Country: USA
The greatness…the glory…the fury…of the Northwest Frontier!
➽ Universal Pictures Westerns
Directed by: Anthony Mann
Starring: James Stewart, Ruth Roman, Walter Brennan
Country: USA
Memorable in "THE GLENN MILLER STORY" and "REAR WINDOW"… now…as the Stranger with a Gun, driven by restless longings, challenging the Klondike's snow and sin and greed, where gold was the lure and the fanciest woman in Dawson, his for the taking!
Directed by: Anthony Mann
Starring: James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis
Country: USA
Directed by: Anthony Mann
Starring: James Stewart, June Allyson, Harry Morgan, Charles Drake, George Tobias
Country: USA
It was a time that changed the world. And one man put it to music.
Directed by: Henry Hathaway
Starring: James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb
Country: USA
It couldn't happen … but it did!
Directed by: Edward Ludwig
Starring: Edward G. Robinson, James Stewart, Rose Stradner, John Carradine
Country: USA
The Romance of a Gangster's Life told in GRIPPING DRAMA!
Directed by: George Seaton, Henry Hathaway
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jean Seberg, Jacqueline Bisset, George Kennedy, Van Heflin
Country: USA
The #1 novel of the year – now a motion picture!
Directed by: Otto Preminger
Starring: James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara
Country: USA
Title sequence designed by: Saul Bass


text:
Yes, these are dire political times. Many who optimistically hoped for real change have spent nearly five years under the cold downpour of political reality. Here at CounterPunch we've always aimed to tell it like it is, without illusions or despair. That's why so many of you have found a refuge at CounterPunch and made us your homepage. You tell us that you love CounterPunch because the quality of the writing you find here in the original articles we offer every day and because we never flinch under fire. We appreciate the support and are prepared for the fierce battles to come.
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Stop Becoming "the Evil That We Deplore"
Congress waited six years to repeal the Tonkin Gulf Resolution after it opened the bloody floodgates for the Vietnam War in August 1964.
If that seems slow, consider the continuing failure of Congress to repeal the "war on terror" resolution — the Authorization for Use of Military Force — that sailed through, with just one dissenting vote, three days after 9/11.
Prior to casting the only "no" vote, Congresswoman Barbara Lee spoke on the House floor. "As we act," she said, "let us not become the evil that we deplore."
We have. That's why, more than 11 years later, Lee's prophetic one-minute speech is so painful to watch. The "war on terror" has inflicted carnage in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and elsewhere as a matter of routine. Targets change, but the assumed prerogative to kill with impunity remains.
Now, Rep. Lee has introduced H.R. 198, a measure to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force. (This week, several thousand people have already used a RootsAction.org special webpage to email their Senators and House members about repealing that "authorization" for endless war.) Opposed to repeal, the Obama administration is pleased to keep claiming that the 137-month-old resolution justifies everything from on-the-ground troops in combat to drone strikes and kill lists to flagrant abrogation of civil liberties.
A steep uphill incline faces efforts to repeal the resolution that issued a blank political check for war in the early fall of 2001. Struggling to revoke it is a valuable undertaking. Yet even repeal would be unlikely to end the "war on terror."
At the start of 1971, President Nixon felt compelled to sign a bill that included repeal of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. By then, he had shifted his ostensible authority for continuing the war on Vietnam — asserting his prerogative as commander in chief. Leaders of the warfare state never lack for rationales when they want to keep making war.
In retrospect, the U.S. "war on terror" has turned out to be even more tenacious than the U.S. war that took several million lives in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Some key similarities resonate with current circumstances. Year after year, in Congress, support for the Vietnam War was bipartisan. Presidents Johnson and Nixon preached against unauthorized violence in America's cities while inflicting massive violence in Southeast Asia. Both presidents were fond of proclaiming fervent wishes for peace.
But unlike the horrific war in Southeast Asia, the ongoing and open-ended "war on terror" is not confined by geography or, apparently, by calendar. The search for enemies to smite (and create) is availing itself of a bottomless pit, while bottom-feeding military contractors keep making a killing.
Beyond the worthy goal of repealing the Authorization for Use of Military Force is a need for Congress to cut off appropriations for the "war on terror." A prerequisite: repudiating the lethal mythology of righteous war unbounded by national borders or conceivable duration.
What may be even more difficult to rescind is the chronic disconnect between lofty oratory and policies digging the country deeper into endless war.
"We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war," President Obama said in his 2013 inaugural address, after four years of doing more than any other president in U.S. history to normalize perpetual war as a bipartisan enterprise.
Repealing the Authorization for Use of Military Force will be very hard. Revoking the power to combine lovely rhetoric with pernicious militarism will be even more difficult.
Norman Solomon is co-founder of RootsAction.org and founding director of the Institute for Public Accuracy. His books include "War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death." He writes the Political Culture 2013 column.


text:
Indians Travel to Minnesota to Face Struggling Twins
We've reached that point in the season where a lot of teams are just hoping to play out the string, get their paychecks, and finish the season healthy. Fortunately for us, the Indians aren't one of those teams. At 6.5 games back in the Central and 5 games back in the Wild Card, the Tribe is still very much alive with 39 games left to play.
The Minnesota Twins cannot say the same thing.
Another season, another slow and agonizingly painful descent to the AL Central cellar. It's especially disappointing because for the longest time this season the Twins actually looked like they might have the gumption to make a run at least at one of the two AL Wild Card spots. They even went so far as to sign Kendrys Morales to bolster their offense.
Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. After a promising first half of the season, the Twins have seen the bottom nearly completely fall out. At 55-68, the Twins are 12.5 games back in the division and 11.5 back in the Wild Card. In looking for an explanation why, it's actually really simple. Talent-wise, the Twins just aren't on par with the rest of baseball.
Looking at the current make up of the Twins, there are significantly lacking when it comes to pitching. As a staff, they are among the worst in all of baseball. Heading into play tonight, they were 26th in ERA (4.39) , 26th in WHIP (1.36), and 28th in batting average against (.276). A lot of this is due to a lack of power arms. The Twins have never been known for having dominant starting pitchers. This incarnation is no different.
Phil Hughes has proven to be a spectacular free agent acquisition. His 3.76 ERA is the best among the Twins starters along with his 13-8 record (if you're into that), 8 k/9, and 9.33 K/BB. He's been even better than his ERA would suggest with a FIP of 2.61 and ERA+ of 104. He's basically become the pitcher the Yankees always hoped he'd become.
Meanwhile, the rest of the rotation has been god awful. Most notable of the underperformers has been Ricky Nolasco. Nolasco was one of the "elite" free agent starting pitchers available on the market this winter. All he's done is go 5-8 with a 5.99 ERA. You have to think the Twins would like a refund on the four years and $49-million they agreed to pay him.
The bullpen has been a different story, though. Glen Perkins has been his usual dominant self, closing out 31 games to date while compiling a 2.58 ERA and 10.7 k/9. It's a shame they can't get the ball to him more. Helping Perkins out is Casey Fien and Brian Duensing. Each has put together a spectacular season with ERAs under three in close 50 appearances apiece. That's something to build on.
However, it would be follish to place all of the blame squarely on the arms of the Twins pitching staff. The offense has also played a part in the Twins' struggles, but not nearly to the level of the pitchers.
First, let's start with Joe Mauer. Sure, he's a nice guy and a hometown hero, but let's be honest. Mauer has done nothing in 2014 to make up for the massive salary he is earning. Injuries seem to have played a significant role in his struggles. A concussion early in the season and an oblique injury later on seem to have robbed him of his offensive talents. Since returning from the DL this past week, he has looked like a different player, hitting .333 with 2 homers and 3 RBI last week.
Also not helping thing any was the injury issues with Josh Willingham. The Twins projected cleanup hitter played in about 60 games for Minnesota before being traded to the Royals this past week in a waiver deal. The Royals will hope he can do for them what he couldn't for the Twins – stay healthy and hit home runs. So far so good after the first week.
Trevor Plouffe was also being relied upon to provide power in the heart of the Twins lineup. Like mostly everyone else on the roster, save for Brian Dozier (more on him in a second), Plouffe was expected to be a run producer. Unfortunately, Plouffe still hasn't been able to duplicate the success he experienced in 2012. To date, Plouffe has hit only home runs and driven in 55 runs.
As for Brian Dozier, he's been one of the few bright spots for the Twins in 2014. While he his production has dropped off since his exceptionally hot start to the season, Dozier is still hitting .233/.331/.418 with 20 homers and 53 RBI. He has been, without question, the best the Twins have had to offer to the world in 2014. Along with his partner at short stop, the surprising Danny Santana, the Twins might be set up the middle for the next few years.
Here's the kicker, though. The Indians almost always find a way to lose crucial games to the Twins in Minnesota. We've seen it happen time and time again (Granted, the Indians did sweep the Twins in Minnesota last season to win the #1 Wild Card spot). It's almost as if Target Field has become the Indians own personal house of horrors. Hopefully this season will be different and the Indians can pull it together for a mid-August showdown in Minneapolis.
Pitching Match-Ups:
Trevor Bauer (4-7, 4.35 ERA/3.94 SIERA) vs. Kyle Gibson (11-9, 3.96/4.28)
T.J. House (1-3, 4.13/3.38) vs. Ricky Nolasco (5-8, 5.99/4.27)
Corey Kluber (13-6, 2.41/2.69) vs. Phil Hughes (13-8, 3.76/3.23)


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Created: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 10:42:00 CST
Updated: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 10:51:43 CST
After their first two game during the day against Florida Atlantic and McNeese State, the next five Nebraska football games are at night...
Starting with a 9:30 start on the West Coast against Fresno State, the Big Red follows that with a 7:00 game against Miami, an 8:00 game against Illinois, a 7:00 game at Michigan State and 6:30 game against Northwestern.
Game times for the final five regular season games haven't been set though the finale at Iowa will almost certainly be a day national TV Game.
So, coach Bo Pelini is having the team practice at night for this first week to get used to playing at that time.
The first day workout for the Husker football team will be this Saturday all leading up to the August 30th opener with those Owls of Florida Atlantic.


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Comment: Re:That works fine if you manage to nip it in the (Score 2) 381
Sent the guy home with antibiotics when he presented with a fever after travel to Ebola infected area.
THAT mistake I can understand. They've seen SO many cases of Ebola after all. But permitting scores of people to be in the room with the guy *after* they decided to test for Ebola was a preventable error. And failing to tell the folks involved in his treatment to stay away from public transportation for a safety period following their contact with a confirmed Ebola patient was total amateur hour. Seriously, WTF do we have a no-fly list for anyway?


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