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When I worked in Japan (Tokyo) 10-15 years ago, even just walking alone on the streets (in stores, subways, etc.), I'd hear 'gaijin' hurled at me with derision, under many a breath. But, like with any prejudice, in every country, I ascribe such invectives to a small, hopefully dying-off segment, wanting to believe the majority of the population were fighting to mend their ways.
Trip Start
Apr 28, 2010
Trip End
Oct 15, 2010
Where I stayed
About Woofing, well, we don't think we'd mind doing the 'pension' thing of dish-washing and bed-changing but 'real' Woofing of helping on a farm, um, we'll get back to you on that. Rie told us that her Woofers told her stories of 4 am wake-up calls, working all day in the fields and, on rare days off, discovering that you're living on a, well, farm; ie, in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do. Maybe, maybe, if a farm had a specialty I really wanted to learn about, I could do it but otherwise I think I can understand the complaint, as the WW1 song put it 'how you gonna keep them down on the farm, after they've seen Paree?'
So we're back to playing typical tourist. Yaya's become enamored of all the free samples on offer at tourist shops, little bits of tasty cookies and pickles offered to entice one to pick up an 'omiagi' for friends who didn't have the chance to travel. She was so busy making the rounds at the bus station that we almost missed our but to Takayama (a 3 hour wait) but came flying into the bus still licking her fingers at the last moment. I found it easy to forgive as she'd brought me an especially nice tidbit too. Whadda gal!
As has been the case throughout Japan, an English-speaking info office was waiting us at the Takayama bus/train station and their very complete English map showed us the way to 'J-Hoppers Hostel'. Yaya was even able to pick one up in Espanol and I noticed them in French, Korean and Chinese too to give you an idea of who visits the place.
As we trundled our packs, big one in back, daypack in front down the street, the resident Japanese seemed inured to the sight of foreign tortoises ambling down their sidewalks. I recounted to Yaya how 20 years ago, seeing a white person on the street, any street, would evince cries of 'gaijin, gaijin' from astonished school kids but now, clearly, we were old news. As usual, the streets were uncrowded and the people we saw were generally quite aged.
The hostel seemed to reflect the aging of Japan as well, I thought. Not really a typical 'youth hostel', the Japanese version is more of a 'shared hotel' where about $27 gets you a nice bunk but $33 per person gets you a 'double'. Our room, like others we've had, is Japanese style, which means tatami floors and futon for sleeping on the floor. Like most gaijin, we commit the faux-pas of leaving our bedding on the floor for our entire stay, rather than properly stowing it in closets during the day.
J-Hoppers is a slick operation that is sure to expand from their hostels here and in Nagoya and Osaka. As far as I could see, they have only one staff member, critical in labor-short Japan. Guests are told to drop off their dirty sheets at the front on their way out and rooms are cleaned only for check-in. But then, room rates don't get any cheaper than this in Japan.
Again, I think about Japan's population problem. I think a fair analogy would be to a very successful corporation. Imagine one that, because of their success, was reluctant to hire new people because the new-hires might be 'different' and not really fit in or understand the 'corporate culture', being outsiders. And so, employees simply age and retire, leaving a serious shortage of workers at the entry level. Japan is the only developed country I've seen where one doesn't encounter immigrants in service positions, starting modestly as they work their way up the economic ladder. My Russian friend, a legal resident, would be happy to work in a 'dollar store' but, she believes, is discriminated against for being 'different'. I myself noticed how Ten Gallon guests reacted when Rie presented Yaya and me as 'staff': a slight gasp of surprise.
Japanese young people aren't particularly interested, it seems, in getting on the system's hamster-wheel of hard work for minimal payoff. They are increasingly refusing to join companies where they're often overworked, underpaid and belittled by their superiors. Having children is an immense expense with the government only covering education through junior high school. Good luck making a living in education-crazy Japan with only that skill set. And so Japan, as a nation, borrows and borrows from its own people to keep the ship of state afloat, as it lazily drifts toward the rocks of unsustainability.
Yaya is along to keep me from dwelling too long on such morbid stuff and her delight in all things Nipponese keeps me out of the dark side. Dropping off our bags and pronouncing J-Hoppers as the best digs yet, we hit the 'old town', a beautifully preserved bit of 19th Century Japan, streets lined with wooden homes, most converted to selling gifts, knick-knacks and, of special interest to this gaijin, high-end sake.
The good stuff, you see, like the sake made with the spectacularly clear waters of Takayama, is only meant to be drunk cold. As was explained to us at a tasting in one shop, warming the sake is how one hides the fact that it's not very good. "Gekkeikan" (about the only stuff you can buy in the States) is thought of here as rot-gut, fit only for unsophisticated pallets. Do try to find another brand sometime if possible; the difference is striking and will spoil you forever.
Yaya and I decided we like 'karakuchi' which, as opposed to 'amakuchi' is of higher alcohol content and less sweet. ('Gekkeikan' must be off the 'amakuchi' charts; it's that sweet.) Asking around, we learned of some discount stores a few blocks away and set off to pick up some things, including what the 'Value Liquor' manager assured me was the most popular 'karakuchi' he sells. Good stuff indeed!
Also in the area was my personal favorite shopping option, the '100-yen store'. As mentioned in earlier entries, this has been our budget-saver, with a vast array of high-quality (well, OK-quality) stuff that otherwise would cost literally 5 or 10 times as much. Today's example: one of the first casualties of the trip was my good sandals which I conveniently forgot in the shoebox at Kimi Ryokan in Tokyo. Vowing not to pay Japanese prices for a replacement when we'll be in Hong Kong in a few weeks, I thought, hmm, might it be possible to find something at the 100-yen shop? I'm now comfortably walking around the streets of Takayama in plastic sandals that should hold up for, well, who cares? They only cost me about a buck. The cheapest made-in-Japan alternative: about $15. Now you see why China is eating Japan's export lunch?
I'm happy to see that Yaya is as taken by Takayama as I was, years ago when I discovered it and vowed to bring my lady-love here. Today, Sunday, should be even better as the weekenders head home to Osaka and Nagoya, leaving the tourist streets to us gaijin. The pricey handicrafts are just stunning in their detail and beauty. Yaya has announced that we should convert one room of our home into a 'Japanese room' with Japanalia and I happily comply; it's always been my intention someday. But how to ship the stuff over?
Yaya wanted veggies for dinner, lots and lots of veggies which, surprisingly, were in short supply at Ten Gallon which served us mostly great meat, chicken and fish. The discount grocery store had loads of prepared Japanese food which gave us a yummy repast for a fraction of what a restaurant would charge: sushi for her, noodles and grilled mackerel for me. An assortment of pickled vegetables gave Yaya her veggie fix.
Fortified by a couple of slugs of our excellent sake, I announced it was 'ofuro' time but Yaya decided instead to work on her own blog, which we know, many of you have been waiting to read. (Newsflash: it's now up and can be seen, if you didn't get an invitation, by searching for it at www.travelpod.com, username "Yayasime".)
One way J-Hoppers cuts costs is to offer only showers but I've been spoiled and must have my hot soak nightly. Fortunately, the front desk told us, a 'sento' or public bath was only about 3 blocks away. This dying breed was once common as rice in Japan as few homes could afford to heat their own bath or had the space for it. Today, everybody's got an 'ofuro' or tub at home; another loss for the Japanese culture I love.
The 'sento', like the resort 'onsen' (a deluxe ofuro usually featuring therapeutic minerals) insists that all washing take place outside the pool with the hot water being used strictly for clean relaxation. Nothing gripes a Japanese more than seeing a gaijin jump right into the communal pool without properly scrubbing himself before.
Plunking down my 400 yen with the girl at the counter who, ala the custom, sits between the men's and women's entrances, I muttered just enough Japanese to her to assure her that yes, I knew the rules. Still, eyebrows went up when I entered the changing room and disrobed.
One has the option to use the provided hand-shower or scoop hot water out of the pool to wash outside. Being fundamentally lazy, I usually opt for the shower, finishing the cleaning part in a minute or two, being sure to rinse off all the soap. (Japanese, on the other hand, can scrub away at themselves for literally half an hour. Why? You'll have to ask them.) 'Sento' are known for being on the hot side and this one was almost too much for me. Happily, I forced myself in and in a few seconds was pleasantly melted. Bubbles percolated around me, allowing the 'sento' to bill itself as a 'jacuzzi', something I actually didn't like, much preferring the stillness of a truly traditional Japanese bath which, in my mind, is intended to be serene.
I knew all eyes were on me to see if I knew how to behave myself but, satisfied that the white guy was OK, I was generally ignored. I noticed there was no conversation among the 8 or so guys in the bath, surprising, I thought, since I was fairly sure most were regulars. Maybe, I wondered, going to a neighborhood sento is thought low-class now, suggesting that one doesn't have the money to put a proper ofuro in one's own home? Or were all these guys just transients like me?
FYI, one finds very, very few mixed-sex ofuro, onsen or sento in Japan. Hey, despite what one hears about how 'enlightened' the Japanese are sexually, boys will be boys and ogling occurs. I've seen it, and Japanese women like it as little as do Western women. The only mixed-use sento I ever encountered was in a tiny village inhabited only by truly ancient oldsters who won't soon be getting invites from either Playboy or Playgirl. In my Takayama sento, as with most, a low (but high enough) wall separated the sexes, letting us hear each other but nothing more.
But this is Japan, land of complexity and so, even the same-sex bathing ban has its, um, exceptions. Here I thought I'd figured things out years ago when, to my surprise, into the men's locker room strolled a woman, oblivious of the flesh on display. On inspection, I saw that she was a cleaning woman, old, an quite uninterested in us magnificent specimens of manhood. She actually kept bent over, looking intently at the floor as she swept around the corners of the room and picked up the odd scrap. The men ignored her totally and she obviously expected to be invisible. So, I wondered, are old geezers allowed to clean the women's side like that? Umm, unlikely.


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Track List
Album Reviews:
Mojo (Publisher) (p.94) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "UNITY BAND is now a scintillating platform for Metheny's fretboard wizardry. 'New Year' is an elegant opener while 'Signals' has a freer, more experimental vibe."
Album Notes
Personnel: Pat Metheny (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Chris Potter (bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Ben Williams (acoustic bass); Antonio Sanchez (drums).
Audio Mixer: Pete Karam.
Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY (02/2012).
Photographer: Jack Vartoogian.
On Unity Band, Pat Metheny reveals that he can look in two directions at once. The group he's assembled here is an all-star ensemble. Drummer Antonio Sanchez has been with him for a decade, while double bassist Ben Williams makes his first appearance with the guitarist, as does tenor saxophonist Chris Potter (whose soprano and bass clarinet playing are on display, too). Metheny makes full use of this ensemble's possibilities. That said, he looks back through his catalog and composes for this band from some of the information gleaned there. One can recall the swirling melodic euphoria of the Pat Metheny Group in the guitar and guitar-synth interplay in "Roofdogs." On the ingenious "Come and See," Metheny's many-stringed Picasso guitar meets Potter's bass clarinet to create a tonal inquiry before Williams and Sanchez establish a deep blue groove. When Potter adds his tenor and Metheny his electric, we get a Latinized swinging pulse that is ever so slightly reminiscent of the 80/81 band with Michael Brecker and Dewey Redman (this isn't the only place that happens here). Fans of Metheny's more abundantly lyrical side will appreciate the breezy sway of "Leaving Town," though its melody -- twinned by his guitar and Potter -- is full of compelling tight turns, before the rhythm section evokes a deep, swinging blues and the guitarist gets refreshingly funky in his solo. On "Signals" Metheny uses his Orchestrion and guitar with live loops; the band employs live loops throughout the intro on top. Potter's tenor solo is emotive, grainy, and reaching, while the atmosphere recalls -- only generally -- the album the guitarist cut with Steve Reich. The nocturnal, smoky "Then and Now" has a torch ballad quality due to Potter's utterly songlike solo. Set closer "Breakdealer" begins at the boiling point and gets hotter. The title hints at what Sanchez does throughout the tune while pushing forward, but Williams not only keeps up, he adds propulsive shades of his own and rocks the arpeggiated changes fluidly. Metheny and Potter are free to sprint and they do; both dazzle with their lyric invention and knotty, imaginative, nearly boppish solos. The two front-line players are surely at their best in one another's company on the date; you expect them to be. Yet it's the rhythm section that astonishes thoroughly. Their interplay is not only intuitive, it's informative; it points to new corners for Metheny and Potter to explore. Given the guitarist's more compositional solo experiments of the last few years -- all of which have been very satisfying -- Unity Band is a return to what he does best: composing for, and playing with, a band of top-shelf players. ~ Thom Jurek
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- Hommage to Eberhard Weber (Burton, Gary (Vibes))
- Hommage to Eberhard Weber (Burton, Gary (Vibes))

subset: commoncrawl


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Track of the Day: Proofreader
Posted on 6/7/2013
June 7th, 2013
Proofreader - "Play Dead on the Internet"
Off of their debut album, Zero Squared, Play Dead on the Internet is a fusion of indie-pop and R&B. With hard beats and soothing lyrics, Proofreader is really dialed in on this track.
Tags: track of the day Proofreader Play Dead on the Internet Radio K


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Henry County Probate Records Office
Henry County, Georgia.
Will Book A, Page 339, Henry County
Photo taken with permission at the Henry County
Probate Records Office, McDonough, Georgia.
Digitized version of original - Copyright 2009 Joanne Schleier
Georgia, Henry County
In the name of our God amen, I, Sabra Brown, being of sound mind yet frail in body knowing the uncertainty of life & the certainty of death wishing to settle all my worldly affairs agreeable to my desire do make this my last Will & Testament in manner & form following (viz,)
In the first place, I bequeath my soul to God who gave it & my body after death to the dust from which it came to be decently intered in some family or church burying ground.
Secondly) I wish all my lawful debts & funeral expenses punctually & promptly paid.
Thirdly) I give & bequeath unto my three eldest children (viz) Baylons Brown, Eliza Richardson, & John Brown each Five dollar's as their portion to them & their heirs forever.
Item 4th) I give & bequeath unto my son, Archibald Brown, the Hundred acres of Land I now live on being the North half of Number One hundred & Eighty Six in Second District of Henry County also blue feather bed & furniture to him & his heirs forever.
Fifthly) I give & bequeath unto my two youngest daughters, Mary McVicker & Atha Brown, my negro boy, DemSe [Dempsy?] & all the residue or remainder of my property both real & personal not other wise dispostd of, the Nett amount after all expenses paid to be equally divided between my said two daughters, Mary McVicker & Atha Brown to them & their heirs forever.
Lastly, I do hereby constitute & appoint my worthy friends The Heart, William Kimball, William Adair & Richard B. Jones, Executors to this my last Will & Testament Given under my hand & seal
This 17th of Feby 1844. Signed, sealed, publish & declared, In the presence of us the undersigned
Sabra {her "+" mark} Brown
Wm. C. Farrell.
Wm. H. Kimball.
Benjamin F. Kimball.


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How long have you been working with Justin?**
I met Justin about a year ago, when we were shooting the artwork for his first album, My World. It's been a whirlwind ever since!
What do you guys listen to when you're working together?
When I'm cutting Justin's hair we usually have some music in the background, but I prefer it when he sings to me!
What's it like working with him?
Justin and I always have a lot of fun. He always has a clear idea of what he wants, and I get to ecute it and make it look better. It's always been a collaborative project.
Why do you think Justin's hair has become such a "thing"? People are obsessed!
I don't know why people become obsessed with something like a hairstyle! I think it's more about the entire package. He's so handsome, and such a talented young man, so who wouldn't want to look like him! Oh, and the swagger. He's got swagger.
What products do you use in his hair?
Believe it or not, I never use any product in Justin's hair. It just doesn't need it! But for guys wanting to get his look, I might suggest using a texturizer with shine, like Davines' Defining Texturizer or their No. 1 Finest Oil Non-Oil.


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You are hereThe Dolphin Hotel, Littlehampton
The Dolphin Hotel, Littlehampton
Ellie and Katie along with their staff have created a warm and friendly pub with a traditional feel and traditional values. They have worked hard to turn the Dolphin into one of the safest, cleanest and most welcoming pubs around. Between them they have nearly 30 years experience in the pub and catering trade.
The Dolphin Hotel dates back to 1735 when it was a coaching inn with large stables and worker's cottages within it's grounds. It was also a safe haven for smugglers, their tunnels can still be seen in the cellar today.
It is also recorded that the great poet Lord Byron stayed here on the 20th day of August till the 30th day of August 1806 and that the infamous actor Oliver Reed resided here too in the 1960s.
The Dolphin Hotel has also been the subject of many Paranormal Investigations from local paranormal investigating groups, but a visit from the highly acclaimed Living TV's Derek Acorah pronounced the building to have many spirits on his filmed visit. This being so, L.I.G.H.T. (Littlehampton Investigative Ghost Hunting Team, founded by the landladies of The Dolphin Ellie & Katie) use the hotel as their base. We also hold regular "LIVE" ghost hunts at the hotel with the public attending (tickets only).
There is a car park at the rear of the building for our customers and in the summer a beautiful, newly renovated large garden. There is also a smoking area with heaters.
We also have Bed and Breakfast from £25
This venue is ideal for all sorts of celebrations, it's a joy to see family parties and wedding receptions held there or just to try some of our famous home cooked food.
Bookings can be taken for functions all year round. There is also a large function room which can also be hired for a nominal fee, this room is ideal for meetings etc.
We also have extensive collections of World War II, Titanic & Elvis memorabilia.
The Dolphin Hotel on Mysterious Britain.


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Yesterday & last night, conditions here were heinous. To illustrate, in the Solent, it gusted up to 55kts.
Anyway, there's a news report that a boat broke, and 2 people had to be rescued, 170 miles off the Scilly Isles - so 210 miles from the mainland UK. Force 9 and 10 metre waves.
Reports mention the TJV, and that the boat was Rivages. Was the Bernard Stamm delivering back Cheminees Poujoulat? Looks like it.


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VST design (last) question
Hi there,
I'm looking for urgently the right framework to design VSTi & fx.
I'd need to create VST for win & osx
Juce C++ is amazing & powerful. Now I'm sure about that :)
BUT the big problem is: I have to reinvent the wheel at each corner of my journey inside VST design :p
I can deal with that but it is very time killing :-/
Synthedit or synthmaker are still in a corner of my head. . .!
but no VST osx compilation for synthmaker (not sure for SE)
I need to implement quickly some prototypes of my ideas about circular or spiraloid sequencer, drone machines etc …
m4L is ok for me but, for different purpose, I want to open the box to users outside of Live too.
Pluggo is discontinued I know that.
But, would you have any experience, ideas for me ?
Hi DEvo, and thans for your feedback :)
Juce C++ is very attractive because it is very multi-platform.
Indeed, I'm a windows man and this could be a nice alternative (juce I mean) to create vst for windows + mac.
The one you quoted cannot be used on windows but indeed, I could create 2 differents source one on each platform for each final platform.
Not sure it could be the better way.
I'll dig it :)
You know what, I even thought about creating max5 exe using soundflower & yoke & rewire as "external" module to use with your DAW… it would suck compared to real VST…
Because it is discontinued, I'd need a safer way :)
I tested Synthedit and am retesting it now.
It works fine.
There is a nice SDK.
But it kills the osx users branch and I don't like it for many reasons.
I'd dream to have an answer by mate inside Cycling74 about that :p
Still thinking about my best solution (the one that fits with my needs I mean)
prototyping with max is easy/powerful and I'm relatively comfortable with it :)
I guess the prototyping step is required before pure coding.
that annoying step named "pure Juce c++ porting from Max5 prototype" is the part that, before to have begun anything, kill my motivation.
Not because it is impossible to me, but because I really consider it as a waste of time.
I mean: in my case, with my need. porting patch to pure c++ isn't never a waste of time but my added value is more on pure sequencer concept than on implementing raw pointers etc.
Maybe I'm making a mistake here.
I'd like to discuss in that thread about that :)
In the long term it's worth learning c++
imo, i like iplug : https://github.com/audio-plugins/wdl-ce/
you could combine it with a dsp library, then you don't have to reinvent the wheel. I think the BSD licensed icst-dsp library is really nice. I hope to release my own c++ library one day
Endless Series v3 out now – A unique synthesis and effect plugin based on the Shepard Tone auditory illusion.
hi oli larkin,
if I choose a framework, I'll probably go with Juce C++
You're right about C++
I'm okay to code stuff with a Doxygen extracted docs as Jules (Juce's creator) did. I guess it would be the same with wdl-ce
But quickly prototyping with a graphical programming framework is easier.
btw, I guess I'll prototype stuff and after that, I'll port to C++
So the choice I have to do seems to be now: SynthMaker vs Max to prototype stuff before the C++
I know Max, I don't know SynthMaker ; but SynthMaker can export VST for win (which could help me to alpha test pre-release with my circle of friends)
I guess the final word for me here could be: Pluggo w/ Max5 would just be nice :)
Forums > MaxMSP


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Do you want to make Ohio.com your homepage?
XHillary Clinton enjoyed a good night last night. She won Ohio by 10% and Texas by 4%, even though the delegate differential, currently favoring Obama, didn't change much at all.
The sad part of last night is the implication, quickly to be fleshed out by the usual Knee Pad suspects, that going negative, getting down and dirty, was the reason Clinton won these two large state primaries.
Barack Obama, though virtually having a lock on delegates, having not gone negative while accumulating that lock, will now have to endure an intense sh*t storm of irrelevance, filled with gossip, half-truths and disinformation. The Clinton campaign will not be able to convince themselves of any other reason for Hillary's wins last night.
As they say, we ain't seen nothin' yet.
From Hillary while in Toledo, Ohio the other day.....
"I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. Sen. John McCain has a lifetime of experience that he'd bring to the White House. And Sen. Obama has a speech he gave in 2002." Source
Joe Lieberman, once the Democratic VP in 2000, now an Independent having been booted by his party in 2006, started his descent down into the neo-conservative Republican pit with comments similar to Hillary's.
The Reverend takes Hillary's words seriously, and therefore, will seek to deconstruct their wisdom.
From her comment, it's clear that Senator Clinton believes that she and John McCain have a "lifetime of experience". By stating it the way she did, it is also clear that Hillary believes the "lifetime of experience" that her and McCain have, automatically, qualifies either her or the Arizona Republican, to be president. At the same time that all that experience qualifies these two lifers to be president, Barack Obama can only make speeches. He has no experience according to Hillary, other than speechmaking. He doesn't have that "lifetime" of vast and extensive experience like she and John have.
John McCain, according to Hillary, is qualified to become president. She is qualified as well. Obama is not, he's only qualified to give speeches.
Hillary Clinton believes and states for the record that experience, like she and McCain have, qualifies them to be prepared to lead on DAY ONE. Obama, on the other hand, with only his speechmaking credentials, is not and will not be prepared to lead on DAY ONE. Unless America only wants speeches.
This veritable goldmine of experience that Hillary and McCain have accumulated, I presume, was the same goldmine of vast and extensive experience drawn upon as they both voted to send American troops into an imperialistic Bush war of choice. I also would presume that the Iraqi Intelligence Estimate wasn't read by these experienced Senators before they voted for quagmire because, after all, these two had a "lifetime" of experience from which they could draw the tremendous wisdom needed to decide such a crucial vote.
That "lifetime" of experience, found under the belts of John McCain and Hillary Clinton, but NOT Barack Obama, must have really come in handy before that crucial Iraq vote was taken. Experience like that, experience built over a "lifetime", is virtually uncanny in it's comprehension of world events. Experience like that is able to ignore the daily political noise swirling around any critical issue, like the Iraq war issue. Wisdom based only on a lifetime of experience in making tough choices is the only wisdom prepared for DAY ONE. DAY ONE won't know what hit it, when confronted with the wells of deep experience, the likes of which only John McCain and Hillary Clinton possess.
How has DAY ONE READY experience, like McCain and Clinton possess, but not Obama, paid off so far?
First of all, those lifetimes of solid, mature and broad experience resulted in giving the worst president in American history a blank check to pre-emptively attack a previously sovereign country which posed no threat to America. Without question, Obama doesn't have enough experience to make sound and righteous DAY ONE decisions like that. Only Hillary and John possess that type of experience.
This Oracle-like wisdom, only possible to accumulate over the course of a lifetime of experience inside Washington's Beltway, produced the positive results of 4000 dead American soldiers, hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis, the distrust of the world's other countries, and Israeli-like occupations of despair. Only a lifetime of experience, the kind of experience Obama is lacking, can produce glorious, America-strengthening results like that.
The inexperienced Barack Obama, while more experienced leaders plumbed their vast wisdom en route to voting for quagmire, could only give a speech. That speech, during a time when only the experienced could discern the wisdom of bogging America down in the middle east, rightly explained why the Iraqi invasion would be disastrous on many specific levels. But alas, Obama simply couldn't draw on his "lifetime" of inside D.C. experience to be equipped enough to see the wisdom in repeating yet another Vietnam mistake. He was too much of a rookie, a speech giving rookie, to rise up and embrace such serious and well thought out empire policy positions as the Wise Warriors of Experience, Hillary and McCain, were able to do.
The Maverick and Bill Clinton's wife brought the wealth of their experience to bear on their war vote. Even though it was very popular to be for more war in 2002, war against any Muslim looking nation, that political reality had nothing to do with these two lifetime-of-experience leaders votes. The fact that Obama gave his speech, all that he could do because he had no experience, during a time when being against the potential quagmire was extremely unpopular says nothing about Obama's sound judgment or decision making abilities. It was only a speech.
The question I'm left with, now that I've been reminded of John McCain's and Hillary Clinton's uniquely qualifying attribute of "a lifetime of experience", is, can this once proud nation of ours really afford more leaders with that much experience?
About This Blog


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Our complementary care programs include art and music therapy. Also available are classes in stress management visualization, relaxation techniques, and Reiki healing sessions. Studies show that patients do better when they participate in support groups and other complementary care programs.
Creative Arts May Help Cancer Patients Cope
Will Music Make Your Child Smarter?
Tuning In to Music May Ease Kids' Post-Op Pain, Study Finds


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Celebrity Style Emerald Cut Vintage Engagement Ring
Celebrity Style Emerald Cut Vintage Engagement Ring
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Details: • Emerald Cut 8mm Diamond CZ • 1mm Diamond CZ's on Band • 1.5 Total Carats
- Metal
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Reviewed by 2 customers
Displaying reviews 1-2
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- Just Because
Comments about Celebrity Style Emerald Cut Vintage Engagement Ring:
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- Good Quality
- Looks Expensive
- Dulls Over Time
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Comments about Celebrity Style Emerald Cut Vintage Engagement Ring:
I ordered this ring because I wanted something that looked expensive. This ring does that without looking too fake. I have had it for over a year and wear it every day. I work around vehicles and in a shop and none of the stones have fallen out and it hasn't gotten bent.
Displaying reviews 1-2


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Edward Green Galway
The Galway is a most classic English Country Boot, yet quite urbane by today's standards. Combining a shaft of supple Walnut Country Calf and the forefoot of smooth Dark Oak calfskin with Dainite soles and a smart tapered round toe, these shoes glide easily between dress and casual occasions. Wear them with a suit when the morning weather is sub-par or on a snowy Saturday stroll.
Zengara Men's Z30034 Boot
This boot from Zengara can enhance your look, whatever it may be. Whether you choose classic, office-ready apparel, or casual sportswear with a subtly hip edge, its fine-grained leather and elongated bicycle toe will be a fashionable finishing touch.
Georgia Boot Men's Logger 8" Black Non Steel
When you need to get the job done, you need the help of this Georgia Boot lace-up. Its lugged, oil-resistant outsole and ANSI-compliant safety toe help protect every step while pliable leather and a cushioned insole provide all-day comfort.
Georgia Boot Men's Diamond Trax Non Safety 6" Work Boot
Georgia Boot Men's Diamond Trax Non Safety 6" Work Boot
Georgia Boot Men's Mitchell Boot
Georgia Boot utilizes strong but pliable quality leather on the Mitchells uppers, a padded tongue, and super-tough lacing for a durable boot thatll get you through your toughest work days. Higher shafts on this model protect your ankles, while the gum rubber sole sports major traction on a non-marking, highly slip-resistant outsole. Leather linings are breathable and moisture-wicking for...
Georgia Boot Men's Hopper Boot
Durable yet pliable leather uppers. Strong welt construction. Non-marking and super slip-resistant gum rubber outsoles. The Hopper from Georgia Boot has everything you need in a practical pair of short boots, and theres an extra bonus good looks. Youll certainly wear these working but they wont look out of place under a crisp pair of khakis or on a night out with your best dark denim.
Georgia Boot Men's Flexpoint Work Boot
Designed for performance and comfort, the Georgia Flexpoint work boot has got you covered. Full leather construction and a traction-ready outsole protect hardworking feet from the elements and provide a flexible buffer to a variety of terrain. A padded collar resists chafing, while a moisture-wicking lining keeps each step dry and comfortable.
Georgia Boot Men's 8" Safety Toe Logger
When you need to get the job done, you need the help of this Georgia Boot lace-up. Its lugged, oil-resistant outsole and ANSI-compliant safety toe help protect every step while pliable leather and a cushioned insole provide all-day comfort.
Georgia Boot Men's Georgia Giant G6374 Work Boot
This is one tough work boot, which is why its foot-pampering fit may just surprise you. The Georgia Giant boot boasts the on-the-job features you need: a substantial, ankle-high design, protective steel toe, steel shank for stability, oil-resistant bumper, and traction-ready outsole. This dependable lace-up will also work overtime to keep you comfy with its cushioned insole, fatigue-defying EVA...
Georgia Boot Men's Renegade 6" Work Boot
Lace up and get to work in the Renegade from Georgia Boot. Full leather construction offers flexible support and protection, while insole and collar padding keep you comfy. A moisture-wicking lining keeps you cool and dry and a slip-resistant rubber outsole keeps your stride steady.


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John-B needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 95 designs submitted by 34 freelance designers.
Capacity Accounting & IT Services
(The strapline is : Building effective systems for growth)
So the focus of the business is : to manage and refine the accounting and IT processes for small businesses thereby releasing the managers to grow their business
The logo will be used with a flyer (99mm by 210mm) and business card, however preference should be given to the requirements of the flyer. I'll work out later how the logo could be adjusted to take in the smaller form factor of the business card.
This suggests that a 'Abstract Mark' type of logo will probably be more suitable than the other types.
I uploaded the top part of my current flyer. It includes the current logo and is intended to support the comments I made above about possible colours. Please note I am open to consider other possibilities.
The target audience is small business owners or managers of non-profits.
I should also add that between accounting and IT, accounting is the predominant focus.


text:
The silly season of journalism is upon us, producing a summer stew of media-driven myths.
Take, for example, the heroic-journalist myth of Watergate, one of 10 I address and debunk in my new book, Getting It Wrong.
The notion that the investigative reporting by Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein brought down the corrupt presidency of Richard Nixon is, I write in Getting It Wrong, one of the most cherished stories American journalism tells about itself.
"But," I further write, "to explain Watergate through the lens of the heroic-journalist is to abridge and misunderstand the scandal and to indulge in a particularly beguiling media-driven myth."
It is, though, quite a hardy and versatile myth.
It's sometimes casually asserted, as in a column the other day in a suburban Washington newspaper, the Falls Church (Virginia) News-Press. The column-writer flatly declared the Washington Post "brought down a U.S. president by its Watergate investigations in the early 1970s."
On other occasions, the Watergate myth is asserted with gusto, as it was yesterday at the online site of the French business newspaper Les Echos, in a feature article about Katharine Graham. She was publisher of the Post during the Watergate period and beyond.
Les Echos declared that the Post "played a capital role in the disclosure of the scandal," adding that Woodward and Bernstein, "after a meticulous investigation, were able to untangle the mysterious business of wiretappings, which led to the White House."
Les Echos failed to mention that Graham, herself, insisted the Post did not topple Nixon.
"Sometimes people accuse us of bringing down a president, which of course we didn't do," Graham said in 1997, at a program at the Newseum marking the scandal's twenty-fifth anniversary.
"The processes that caused [Nixon's] resignation were constitutional," she insisted.
Woodward concurred, albeit in earthier terms: "To say that the press brought down Nixon, that's horseshit."
Nearly 20 men associated with Nixon's White House or his 1972 reelection campaign were convicted of Watergate-related crimes and served time in jail. Nixon resigned in August 1974 to avoid certain impeachment.
As I write in Getting It Wrong:
"To roll up a scandal of such dimension required the collective if not always the coordinated forces of special prosecutors, federal judges, both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court, as well as the Justice Department and the FBI."
Even then, I argue, Nixon likely would have served out his term if not for the audiotape recordings he secretly made of most conversations in the Oval Office of the White House. The Supreme Court in July 1974 ordered Nixon to surrender the tapes subpoenaed by the special Watergate prosecutor; the recording of June 23, 1972, captured Nixon plotting the cover-up.
Amid the tableau of prosecutors, courts, federal investigations, congressional panels, and the Supreme Court, the contributions of Woodward and Bernstein were modest.
And certainly not decisive.
- What was decisive in Watergate's outcome?
- The Post 'took down a president'? That's a myth
- Yet again: Watergate and the Washington Post
- Shoe leather and 'All the President's Men'
- If not for the Post's digging …
- Myths going polyglot: An emblem of hardiness
- 15 movies about journalists: At least 3 boosted myths
- Media myths and their spinoffs: The case of Watergate
Twenty-one men associated with the presidency of Richard M. Nixon or his reelection campaign in 1972 were convicted of Watergate-related crimes, nineteen of whom went to prison.[i] Nixon himself resigned in August 1974, less than halfway through his second term, to avoid certain impeachment and conviction. By then it had become clear that Nixon had ordered senior aides to cover up the scandal's signal crime, the burglary in June 1972 at the national headquarters of the rival Democratic Party at the Watergate office-apartment complex in Washington, D.C.
To roll up a scandal of such dimension required the collective if not always the coordinated forces of special prosecutors, federal judges, both houses of Congress, the Supreme Court, as well as the Justice Department and the FBI. Even then, Nixon likely would have served out his term if not for the audiotape recordings he secretly made of most conversations in the Oval Office of the White House. Only when compelled by the Supreme Court did Nixon surrender those recordings, which captured him plotting the cover-up and authorizing payments of thousands of dollars in hush money.
[i] See Harry F. Rosenthal, no headline, Associated Press (22 June 197). Retrieved from LexisNexis database.


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Piper Cub 1/4 rolled on take off. PLS HELP
Hi Guys,
I have made a Piper Cub J3 1/4 scale with DLE 20 mounted on it. During my maiden flight plane was taxing well, ailerons, elevator and rudder were all levelled. As soon as plane took off, plane took a hard left turn and rolled left. Any expert guidance what needs to be checked. I have already balanced the plane with correct cg. Thanks & Regards, Anilesh |
It may be that you took off before reaching flying speed. It may have been a stall of the left wing exacerbated by engine torque. Who's Cub model? Would there be wash-in, in the left wing? Not having been there and seen what happened makes diagnosis difficult. Where you able to recover? If so how did it fly after the recovery? Is the angle of incidence of both wings consistent at a few locations on both wings? Maybe some wash-out should be introduced.
Not much help, sorry! However a little more information would be helpful. |
Thanks for your reply.
Model is 1/4 scale piper J3 cub from world models and dle 20 mounted on it went for a test flight Plane was taxing well on ground, as soon as it took of nose was pitched up, then suddenly it rolled to the left, plane was recovered had a harsh landing but luckily there was no damage..i cut the throttle and managed to level the plane. Now haven't tried it again. Please advise how to check wash in as i am new to gassers and scale planes? how to introduce wash out ? Also advise if i need to check the thrust line of the engine ? Thanks & Regards, Anilesh |
How is the airplanes balance? Wash-in/wash-out is a twist in the wing. Wash-out would be a downward twist of the wing at the wing tip (a good thing if port and starboard panels are equal). Wash-in would be an upward twist of the tips (a bad thing, as we need to keep the tips flying).
You should be able to find all the information you need on these details here on RCG. At any rate, you need to be able to check your wing's incidences. With a flat bottomed airfoil you can check the incidence by laying straight edges on the bottom of the wing and checking to see that they are parallel. Inducing wash-out can be performed by twisting the wing in the proper direction and running and iron or heat gun over the wing to induce some twist. |
You need to ease into the throttle, dont firewall it like a lot of sport planes or hit it too fast. Sort of like driving a clutch in a car. And stay on the rudder to keep it straight. A cubs nature is to want to swing left at least a little. Build up speed and take off with about a 30deg climbout. You have a lot of torque in that engine which is gonna want to swing left when throttling up. I have two busa 1/4 scale cubs which are comparable in size. They like a nice and easy transition for takeoff. The one and only world models cub I had was a 1/5 scale and was an absolute delight to fly. One of the few arfs that went together with no problems and flew perfect.
Edwin |
Thanks Edwin for your detailed information. Do i need to give any right thrust to counter engine torque?
Anilesh |
Not an expert, but my guess is that you had full up elevator and increase the speed too fast without loosing up the elevator. The plane took off, but stall instantly due to insufficient air speed. My suggestion will be to take it out and practice some taxiing. Try to keep it straight and progressively increase the speed till the tail lifts and come back. Do it a few times and see if you got the hang of it.
Cheers, MarLi |
While torque and a too steep of a climb-out are likely contributing factors, checking the wing incidences is a very good idea, too. Many of the folks involved in the hobby today, do not build and don't understand very much about aerodynamics and the various geometry checks that people who've built airplane models use as benchmarks for building. It doesn't hurt to familiarize yourself with this knowledge.
I flew my clipped wings cub today (electric) and I have tried to reproduce your problem. I could. Without up elevator (TX stick pulled towards you) as I increased the ground speed the plane nosed over. So, as you described with neutral elevator it is an expected behavior. Try taxing around with elevator stick all the way back and increase throttle till the tail lifts. Retract throttle at that point. Do that a few times and learn to release elevator as the tail lifts. At that point your rudder will gain authority and you will control direction. Pushing the throttle further will build ground speed and the plane will take off. hope it helps, MarLi |
The Seagull 80 inch Cub was the most difficult plane that I have ever flown. The wings and ailerons are so big, that doing aileron turns can yaw the plane, and put it into a snap roll or stall. When taking off, the tail doesn't start to "bite" until good speed is reached (the main wing will fly before the tail will grab, so you must keep the plane on the ground until you get up enough speed to fly the tail).
The tail is so close to the main wing, that it has trouble keeping the plane straight on the ground and at low speed. If you throttle up too fast, the torque can overpower the ability of the tail to keep the plane in a straight line. Right rudder may be needed on the ground, until speed gets up. Gas engines put out a lot of torque, and so make things worse on a Cub, taking off. A scale Cub is not a beginner's airplane! I don't know why people keep advising new pilots to try a Cub. A clipped wing Cub is much better. Or a Decathlon. Good luck taming the Cub. It will teach you a lot about flying planes that don't really want to fly. |
Thanks guys for your tips and suggestion. Today i was able to do successful flight, you were right guys, earlier i was not giving enough power, this time i kept this thing in my mind and was able to do maiden flight....
Thank you all for your suggestions and help. I am facing another issue with my DLE 20 as i am new to this gasser, i am not able to get linear throttle response i.e on my half stick open i am getting full rpm. I have tried hard to set my linkage and push rod and even tried my hands on throttle but this is not much difference. if anyone can help me further with that?? Thanks & Regards, Anilesh |
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text: THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Do you see this? Hey guys. My subscription's almost up. If I don't get a chance to fix my wiki before then, I just want to make it clear that this was 2014 DP's wiki. May or may not agree with 2015 or beyond 2015 DP's opinions. All contents subject to chicken soup. Yeah. *slaps you with a virtual pancake* Did you feel that? HOPEFULLY Oops, sorry. That pancake was for... *looks out at large crowd gathered to read wiki* ...you! *slaps you again with virtual pancake* Right. So I'm dp. Thanks for reading my wiki. There's a lot of cool things to see, and a lot of cool things in store. Most of the pages on here are currently being editing, due to my recent acquisition of a membership. (Thanks Ace!) You can tell if a page is being edited if it has a large notification at the top. I put those up there so people don't get freaked out when they see unfinished pages, incorrect grammar, or even nothing at all. UPDATES/NOTIFICATIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -As this wiki is under going major renovations, please ignore anything that is unfinished or whatnot. If you see something weird on a page that does not have the construction notification, please PM me about it. -Thank-yous to Ace (eighsse) for my subscription! -Ace will be holding a NFL Playoffs Game in the forums next year, and is offering a subscription as the prize, so please watch for that! -PROBLEM RESOLVED!!!! :) -If you haven't already, please check out my friends page and maybe even submit a questionnaire! Here is a list of [lie]ALL[/lie] the pages on my wiki. Enjoy! CHATZY!!! BOOKS!!! UNICORNS!!! ME!!! RANDOM!!! THANK-YOUS!!! ALL-MY-WTB!!! ALL-MY-TWG!!! FRIENDS!!! SIGNATURES!!! LA-MUSICA!!! Also, check out my new... awesome... WIKI-HUNT!!! This is the personal page of dangerouspie101 and does not represent the views or opinions of Braingle. |


text: Mike Unger - Assistant Executive Director Mike Unger is currently the Assistant Executive Director with USA Swimming. He has worked for USA Swimming since 1993, and in his 19 years has served in six roles, including Chief Operating Officer, National Events Director and Marketing Director. As part of his work with USA Swimming, he oversees all major events, including the U.S. Olympic Trials, the Golden Goggle Awards dinner, the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool, and the Pan Pacific Championships. Additionally, he supervises the Information Technology, Member Services and the Times and Performance departments. Unger is also involved with USA Swimming's international relations efforts. Since 1996 Unger has been involved with all of USA Swimming's television broadcasts, and has worked "on loan" with NBC Sports, the U.S. Olympic network. He has assisted with television production for the past five Olympics (Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London) and has won two Emmy awards as part of the NBC production team. From 2003 through 2006, Unger was the Managing Director for the FINA World Cup Swimming series, serving as the key liaison between FINA and the local organizers, broadcasters and the delegations attending the competitions. Unger has an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin, and a Master's degree in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts. He resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, with his wife, Lisa, and their two daughters, Nicole and Natalie.


text:
Breville Single Serve Charcoal Water Filters
- Summary
Brew the best cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate by replacing the charcoal filter on your Breville Gourmet Single-Cup Brewer or Barista Express machine every two months. These replacement charcoal filters remove impurities that affect the smell and taste of water.
- Designed for use with Breville models BES980XL, BES920XL, BES870XL and BES840XL.
- Filter Model #BWF100
- For best results, replace the filter every two months
- Set of 6 filters.
- Designed for use with Breville models BES980XL, BES920XL, BES870XL and BES840XL.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 4-5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $17.50 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams-Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners, and knife storage) please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable, and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams-Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Return Policy.


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All about making whisky
The Strathisla distillery is one of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland. Founded in 1786, it was for a long time the property of William Longmore, before being acquired in 1950 by James Barclay, an important figure in the Chivas Brothers company. Strathisla has been at the heart of the famous Chivas Regal blend ever since. With its magnificent buildings, including its working water wheel, it is the perfect ambassador for the Chivas brand, although sadly versions of its single malt are now released all too rarely. Strathisla is therefore better known under the Gordon & MacPhail semi-official label – Strathisla-Glenlivet Distillery – with this family-run, independent bottlers even acting as the sole bottler and distributor of this emblematic Speyside malt in the 50s and 60s.
This independent bottler is without a doubt one of the most highly acclaimed in Scotland. It stands out, not for its age (though it is the oldest independent bottler in Scotland), but for its complete mastery of cask ageing. Gordon & MacPhail is the only bottler to have its own casks - carefully chosen for the purpose - filled by the distilleries themselves, instead of simply buying the ones suggested to them by the latter. This allows it to determine, in advance and with great precision, exactly how many years a whisky will need to reach ideal maturation.
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- March 14: Environmental Protection Agency to be Investigated investigations | 8 days ago
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- January 15: EPA Targets Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee Emissions news | 66 days ago
- January 8: Fiat Chrysler Recalls Trucks and SUVs to Fix Takata Airbags recalls | 73 days ago
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1997 Chrysler Cirrus
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We have received your request and you will be notified as soon as this product becomes available.
Description: EZ Needle Gripper- Has locking handles with gripper teeth. It's perfect for touch hand sewing and changing serger needles. Also great for pushing the needle through the fabric and pulling it back out.
See more EZ Quilting Accessories.
Review this product and Enter to Win a $100 shopping spree!


text: DELTA F.A.R.M. FIRST TO ADOPT SYNGENTA'S OPERATION POLLINATOR ON U.S. COMMERCIAL FARMLAND Jun. 18, 2014 Source: Syngenta news release Syngenta and Delta F.A.R.M. (Farmers Advocating Resource Management) jointly will develop commercial farmland into pollinator habitats. Syngenta's Operation Pollinator is a global biodiversity program that restores native pollinators in a variety of landscapes by creating essential habitats. Delta F.A.R.M. has committed to establish at least five Operation Pollinator plots in 2014 throughout Northwest Mississippi, with plans to grow the program annually through 2016 on more fields and farms. The Mississippi sites will be the first commercial farmland in the country to establish Operation Pollinator plots. In Europe for more than 10 years, Operation Pollinator has transitioned from a research program to commercial implementation with producers. In the U.S., research efforts have been underway in several key pollination-dependent states with the cooperation of the University of California-Davis, Michigan State University and the University of Florida. In the golf sector, Operation Pollinator already has been incorporated into more than 50 commercial golf courses across 20 states. Under the new agreement, Syngenta will support Delta F.A.R.M. with grower training, seed choice and agronomic support to selected local farmers in Northwest Mississippi. Delta F.A.R.M. also will assess the effectiveness of the additional foraging habitat and nesting sites on marginal land or nonproductive farm areas, in an effort to enhance biodiversity, boost native bee numbers as well as promote sustainable agriculture practices. "Our farmers know how vital bees are to agriculture and the environment," says Patrick Johnson, Jr., chairman, Delta F.A.R.M., and partner, Cypress Brake Planting Company, Tunica, Mississippi. "We look forward to collaborating with Syngenta to protect and maintain these pollinator habitats." With careful site planning and management, Operation Pollinator also can play a valuable role in reducing soil erosion and helping protect valuable water resources. And in addition to for restoring vital populations of pollinating insects, it creates habitats for small mammals and farmland birds. "This native-pollinator habitat restoration program is a natural fit with Delta F.A.R.M.'s ongoing conservation efforts," says Jeff Peters, digital farming lead, Syngenta. "Our goal with Operation Pollinator is to showcase that agriculture and biodiversity can coexist. We understand the future of the environment and that the livelihood of producers is dependent on sustainable agriculture to meet the challenges that lie ahead." June 16 through 22 is National Pollinator Week, an effort to highlight concerns about bees. Loss of habitat and lack of nutrition are among the many factors that affect bee health, according to a report by the USDA. Managing habitats for bees and other pollinators significantly increases biodiversity and also contributes to one of six commitments Syngenta made in its The Good Growth Plan - helping biodiversity flourish. Syngenta has promised to enhance biodiversity on more than 12 million acres of farmland around the world by 2020. To learn more about Syngenta's efforts to improve bee health, visit www.BeeHealth.org. Tweet |


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Have you noticed that there are a couple high-value Starbucks coupons available at Coupons.com right now?
If you like Starbucks coffee, I highly recommend you print these coupons while they are still available! Here's an upcoming deal you can use with the bottled Starbucks coupon at Rite Aid:
Starbucks Iced Coffee, 4-pack $4.99
Use the $1/1 4-pack Bottled Starbucks Iced Coffee printable coupon
Pay at the register: $3.99
Receive a $2 +UP Reward (limit 2)
Bottom line: like paying $1.99 per 4-pack (or $0.50 per bottle!)
As you can do this deal twice, you may wish to print out the coupon 2 times.
Thanks, Common Sense with Money!


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the OP suggested that someone with a 90+ grade couldn't get in
That, and some very strong school involvement + extracurriculars.
And VINSON, she was in a Coast Capital Junior Banker's program. I'm not in VANCOUVER Vancouver, but in the Greater Vancouver area. You're from Vancouver; you should understand that no one really knows what Burnaby, Ladner or Surrey is. =P
For the gentlemen who actually got into UBC, Penn, Ivey or some other good university, what were your marks and extracurriculars list like? Please?
Thanks in advance.


text:
The Party House at My Place
29094 US Hwy 281 N.
Bulverde, TX 78163
(830) 980-3663
Bulverde, TX 78163
(830) 980-3663
About Us
The Party House at My Place is a 2800 sq. ft. facility that can accommodate up to 300 people for your special event. We are conveniently located close to San Antonio, Bulverde and Spring Branch areas on 281 North, just 8 miles outside loop 1604. We offer wedding packages and/or several different vendor contacts for any additional wedding day needs. We even have space available outdoors to have the wedding ceremony.If you have not found a facility yet, we would like you to come out and take a look at ours! Please don't hesitate to call us if you have any other questions or to set up an appointment to see our facility! We look forward to hearing from you!


text:
Americas Best Value Inn
- Free High-Speed Internet
- Wheelchair accessibility
- Free parking
- Pets allowed
- Free High-Speed Internet
- Wheelchair accessibility
- Free parking
- Pets allowed
TripAdvisor Reviews Americas Best Value Inn Mobile
Travel Blogs from Mobile
Good bye Mobile
... but since we planned on driving back to Cape Coral, we did a quick tour. We then visited the USS DRUM, which is also onsite. Thankfully I will never have to travel in a submarine. From there we headed back to Cape Coral almost non-stop. We had lunch at McDonalds and for dinner Eric had a Subway sandwich. We arrived at our house in Cape Coral at 9:45, but only after a stop at Publix for some breakfast ...
Sweet Home Alabama
The alarm went off at 5:00 am and we were off and running. Sandwiches were made for the journey,showers taken and bags off into the car. We left Cape Coral at 5:45 am. After an hours drive we stopped at the Waffle House for some breakfast, the food was good, the coffee....let's say you could see the bottom of the cup. So it wasn't quite helpful in waking up. We stopped in Brandon where we bought discounted tickets for Busch ...
More family
Yet another set of quiet days. We headed in the right direction to skip construction traffic. Also, after some looking we managed to find a spot to stop for Southern Food (family here always goes for chains, this time I wanted to actually have some so we stopped BEFORE hand). Mary's Southern Kitchen, I think was the name. Very good, and very happy we stopped, also managed to get a lunch for the next day out of it (thanks to the amount of food).
USS Alabama/Historic Homes Downtown
... House 1870 (the one stuccoed and scored with a brick front) is a two story home. The townhouse was very popular after the Civil War. It is thought that the elaborate two story cast iron porch was added on at a later date.
The Malaga Inn (the pink house) dates to 1862. Isaac Goldsmith and William Frolichstein married sisters. These men were also business partners and they both build mirror image homes next to ...
USS Alabama
... again. A lot of the tour is inside the ship so by the time we came out the shower had passed. It was very interesting and the girls who had been dubious at first agreed that once again Mum and Dad had been right. The rest of our drive was in and out of ...


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They've got muck; we've got rakes. TPM Muckraker
EXCLUSIVE: Son And Husband Of Ensign's Girlfriend Work For Company Run By Ensign Backer
And Doug Hampton became a vice president of government affairs for Allegiant in August 2008, according to the spokeswoman, Tyri Squyres. She added: "He was hired based on his experience and credentials."
In May 2008, Doug Hampton left his job as Ensign's administrative assistant. The Las Vegas Review-Journal had previously reported that Doug Hampton had worked as a consultant for Allegiant since leaving Ensign's office.
Politico reported yesterday that Brandon Hampton had been employed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2008 -- when Ensign was NRSC chairman -- to do "research policy consulting," and earned a total $5,400, through August of that year.
As we reported yesterday, Allegiant's CEO, Maurice Gallagher, contributed over $46,000 to the Ensign-affiliated Senate Majority Committee between 2005 and 2007, as well as smaller amounts to Ensign's Senate campaign and the Battle Born PAC. And Gallagher's wife Marcia gave another $20,000 to the Senate Majority Committee during the same period, as well as $6,200 to the Ensign campaign. Ensign touted Allegiant in an interview earlier this year.
Late Update: Allegiant is declining to say whether Brandon Hampton was hired through the regular hiring process. Asked by TPMmuckraker when Brandon was hired, under what circumstances, and whether he applied through the standard process, Squyres did not directly answer. She replied, via email:
Call center representatives are an entry level position that require no experience. It is also a position we hire for quite regularly.


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NYU's Department of Design for Stage and Film is happy to announce this year's MFA graduating class of 20 designers (7 set, 7 costume, 6 lighting) will be honored at an opening reception on Tuesday, May 6, 2008 from 5pm to 8pm with a preview on Tuesday, May 6, from 3pm to 5pm. There will also be an additional session when the graduating students will be present on Saturday, May 10, 2008 from 2pm to 5pm. The work is on display daily from May 7 to May 15, 2008 from 12pm to 8pm. In ...
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Ryan Lochte may find he will be returning home from the Olympics as one of America's most eligible bachelors. (This all despite his mom's comments that he only has one night stands.)
SwimmerSo when photographers caught him riding in a car with a woman on his lap, everyone took notice.
We've already lost Michael Phelps, can't Ryan Lochte humor us for a little while longer?
The woman was on the lap of the swimmer in the back of the car on their way to a nightclub, along with other passengers in the car.
She was identified as 31-year-old Megan Torrini, and some websites ran with it. According to Buzzfeed.com, the site SportsGrid was one such offender.
"SportsGrid, for instance, had linked Mrs. Torrini and her showy shirt to the swimming star after pictures were released on them goofing around in the backseat of a car with some friends," said the Associated Press.
But then someone decided to do a little more digging. Turns out Megan Torrini is actually Megan Lochte Torrini.
As in, Ryan's sister Megan.
"Sometimes a girl sitting on the lap of America's most eligible bachelor is there because there's no room in the car," said the AP, "not because she's an aspiring model looking for a career break."
Buzzfeed points out that the media who did run with the story must feel foolish now, because of the things they said. The site posted a picture which had been on TMZ.com with the headline "Ryan Lochte parties it up in London – breaststroke anyone?" and the caption "Nothing says party time like a pair of boobs in your face."
The sites that reported this may have caused a heart attack among female Olympic fans everywhere, but at least we know the truth now.
And if it's any consolation, we learned he is close with his family. One day we will get the report of Lochte's new girlfriend, but for now, we will still call him an eligible bachelor.
Buzzfeed.com says Lochte's rep names the other girl in the car as the swimmer's stylist.
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Holiday Guide: Today's Hot Gadgets Will Be Tomorrow's Landfill
This holiday season, Apple is on track to sell an estimated 14 million iPads, twice as many as it sold in that stretch last year. Wanting its own piece of the action, Amazon spent months with its foot jammed on the gas pedal to finish the Kindle Fire, a $199 tablet designed to let you haul your entire library of books, music, and videos around with you in an eight-inch package. It hopes to sell at least 2 or 3 million of them in the six-week stretch before 2011 ends.
By this time next year, most of those iPads and Fires will be coasters. December is prime shopping season for gizmos, but the gadget life cycle moves so quickly now that many of this season's shiniest toys will be outdated just months after they're unwrapped.
Take the iPad. Shoppers snapped them up by the ton last year—literally. Throw all 7 million iPads sold last holiday season into one big stack, and you'd have 5,400 tons of plastic, glass, and silicon. In pachydermal terms, that's more than 1,000 elephants' worth of iPads.
Holiday Guide 2011
Arts: Season Picks
Books: Readings to Feed Your Wintertime Fears
Dining: Heat-Seeking Victuals
Music: Yo La Tengo Celebrates 10 Years of Hanukkah Miracles
Tech: Today's Hot Gadgets Will Be Tomorrow's Landfill
But just three months after shoppers sunk nearly $5 billion on stuffing iPads into holiday stockings, Apple rolled out the iPad 2: thinner, lighter, faster, and in all ways snazzier than the immediately outdated original. Sure, those old iPads still run, but once we saw better, dedicated gadget fiends started craving an upgrade.
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Enter the holiday sales cycle, when all those aging devices can be cast aside. At gazelle.com, a recycling site that offers cash for used electronics, the stream of incoming devices jumps around 20 percent in January. Last year, it spiked past 1,000 devices a day.
NextWorth, another trade-in site, reports that its traffic surge begins around Thanksgiving. "The iPod market in particular sees a huge spike in late November and December," says spokesman Jeff Trachsel. "We start with sellers who are selling to fund their holiday shopping. Then in January, the story is that people got new gadgets as gifts and no longer need the old ones. Ipods are the big one because they're so giftable."
This year, Anthony Scarsella, Gazelle's "chief gadget officer," says he expects a wave of obsolete e-readers. Amazon's four-year-old original Kindle now looks like an archaeological relic, with jagged edges, Fisher-Price–style buttons, and an actual honest-to-God keyboard. Even Barnes & Noble's late-to-the-game rival, the original Nook—launched just in time for the 2009 holiday season—is painfully outdated.
One reason to expect an e-reader boom this year is that the devices finally fell to the magic price point: $99. That's what an entry-level Nook costs now, down from $149 this time last year. A bare-bones Kindle is even cheaper, at $79.
Gadgets you can get for a C-note inspire holiday shopping frenzies, as existing owners upgrade and new buyers race into the market. Exhibit A: The iPod. Apple's music player sold steadily but modestly for the first few years after its 2001 debut. Then in 2005, Apple unveiled the $99 Shuffle, and sales shot through the roof. Apple moved 14 million iPods that holiday season, three times as many as it did a year earlier.
In the land of antiquated devices, Apple castoffs reign supreme. They hold their value the best, so they command a premium on the secondhand market: Gazelle will pay twice as much for a used iPad as it will for a Motorola Xoom tablet in comparable condition. Like most trade-in sites, it resells many of the devices it collects on eBay, where bargain-hunters wait to pounce on aging-but-functional tech toys. Anything too obsolete or too broken to sell gets sent off to recyclers to melt down for scrap elements. Fun fact: There's more actual gold in a pound of cell phones than there is in a pound of gold ore.
An entire historical arc of extinct gadgets can be traced through the annual winter-electronics purge. "Personal digital assistants" were the first to go. Remember PalmPilots? Neither does Gazelle. They hardly ever show up in its mailbox anymore. "They really died back in 2009, when the tablets came out," Scarsella says.
Netbooks—those cut-price, ultra-portable laptop alternatives—are also fading fast. Consumers got tired of processors with the power of lethargic hamsters and flocked to tablets' sleeker design. Analysts at the research firm Gartner predict that Apple and its rivals will sell more than 100 million tablets next year. That's a pretty good haul for a market that didn't exist just 19 months ago.
But there's a darker streak running through our Cambrian explosion of rapidly evolving personal technology. As Blade Runner warned us nearly 30 years ago, "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long." The average life cycle of a cell phone used to be four years; now, it's down to 18 months. Apple didn't even make it a year between its iPad 1 and iPad 2 releases. Amazon spat out four separate versions of its Kindle in its most recent release cycle. Expect one or two to emerge, Darwinian-style, with enhancements within a year. The others will quietly fade.
Technology companies call it "sunsetting" when they banish their creations to the graveyard. It's a necropolis that stretches back decades and has swallowed up vinyl records, the Walkman, film cameras, answering machines, analog TVs, Betamax, and then the entire VCR category. As we cycle faster and faster through our gadgets, we're leaving a growing trail of digital detritus in our wake. Americans discarded 2 million tons of used electronics in 2009, according to an Environmental Protection Agency study. That's twice as much as we trashed a decade earlier.
With the latest tech trends only accelerating the cycle, expect the Grim Reaper to move even more quickly. And right now, he's got his eye on your shiny new Kindle Fire.
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It's Wednesday- here's 7!
~My parents are on an airplane headed to Panama! (OK- they're actually on a plane headed to Atlanta, but Panama is the final destination.)
~Enjoyed a Father's Day lunch with friends!
~As previously reported, Carson had a great time at camp!
~Camilla enjoyed a playdate with a new friend!
~Everything is mostly in place for the Surprise- definitely stay tuned for that!
~Cleaning helper was able to come yesterday and today so I have a clean apartment for my parents!
~The new grocery shopping strategies are finally making a dent in our huge grocery budget! Yay for saving money!
Follow our journey as my family of 6 become residents of Panama City, Panama, and I become PanaMOM. I don't know if it will be scary, ugly, funny, or embarassing. But it will be real.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
2 comments:
So...a post coming soon as to the new strategies? -A.
- June 22, 2011 at 1:32 PM
- Cindy said...
Yes, please! You know we love hearing about your money saving ideas! Rejoicing in your praises with you and continuing to pray for your parents' safe arrival!
- June 22, 2011 at 2:23 PM
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In any case, I came across a passage from Master Kong (Confucius) in the Analects this morning and it struck a chord with me. I would go so far to say that it encapsulates the modus operandi of this blog at least, and also my own approach to the theological task - at least as that approach takes shape in the present stage of my career. So, here it is:
"I once did not eat all day and did not sleep all night in order to think, but there was no benefit. It would have been better to study" (15.31).


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Story highlights
- Family must find a doctor who's willing to operate on body, hospital says
- 13-year-old Jahi McMath suffered complications after tonsil surgery
- She was declared brain dead, and a judge has agreed with that
- The family wants to transfer her to another Bay Area facility, uncle says
The family of 13-year-old Jahi McMath hopes to transfer the girl to another facility.
A judge has concluded that Jahi, who suffered complications after tonsil surgery, is brain dead.
"Yesterday we spent Christmas together as a family -- doing a lot of prayers and trying to have some fun, hoping for a miracle, and looks like we may have gotten our miracle. We found out that someone is willing to take Jahi away from Children's Hospital to a facility nearby here in the Bay Area to treat her," Jahi's uncle, Omari Sealey, told reporters Thursday.
"So right now, we're asking Children's Hospital to work with us to make that possible," he said, referring to Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland.
Sealey declined to identify the other facility.
Jahi was declared brain dead by doctors at the hospital on December 12, three days after tonsil surgery.
The case has drawn national attention and sparked protests from some local leaders who say the hospital should have provided better care.
On Monday, a judge appointed Dr. Paul Fisher, chief of pediatric neurology at Stanford Children's Hospital, to evaluate Jahi as an independent expert. Fisher testified Tuesday that Jahi meets the criteria for brain death.
Alameda Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo previously ruled that the hospital must hold off on any decisions regarding discontinuing life support until December 30, and the judge encouraged both sides to work together.
Family attorney Christopher Dolan told reporters Thursday that Jahi would need to have tracheostomy and gastrostomy tubes put in before she could be moved.
"The most logical people are the ones in the hospital where she's sitting who have the ability to do that. If they refuse to do that, and insist upon moving towards this deadline of pulling the plug, then we'll just continue to do what we've been doing," he said.
In response to the family's statement, the hospital "will allow a lawful transfer of Jahi's body in its current state to another location if the family can arrange such a transfer and Children's can legally do so," wrote hospital attorney Douglas C. Straus in a December 27 letter to Dolan.
"Children's is willing to cooperate in this regard even though Judge Grillo has confirmed that Jahi is deceased and that statutory patient transfer procedures do not apply here," Straus wrote.
The hospital asked the family's attorney for the name of the facility that would accept Jahi, a transportation plan for her, and consent from the Alameda County coroner for the "transfer since we are dealing with the body of a person who has been declared legally dead," Straus wrote.
The family will also have to "find a physician that would be willing to operate on the body," said hospital spokesman Sam Singer.
In an earlier response to the family, Children's Hospital Chief of Pediatrics David Durand noted that the judge didn't authorize a transfer to another facility.
"Judge Grillo was very clear on Tuesday December 24. He ruled Jahi McMath to be deceased and instructed the hospital to maintain the status quo. Judge Grillo did not authorize or order any surgical procedures or transfer to another facility.
"Children's Hospital Oakland does not believe that performing surgical procedures on the body of a deceased person is an appropriate medical practice. Children's Hospital Oakland continues to extend its wishes for peace and closure to Jahi McMath's family," he said.


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Here's a healthy treat that grandchildren are sure to enjoy. For convenient snacking, wrap the bars individually in plastic wrap.
30 Perfectly Sweet Snacks
- 1-1/4 cups chopped almonds
- 1 jar (2 ounces) sesame seeds
- 4 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup dark seedless raisins
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sunflower kernels
- 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
- 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Press mixture firmly and evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack at least 2 hours. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 18 bars.
Originally published as Fruit 'N' Nut Bars in Grandma's Great Desserts Cookbook
1992, p59
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AMG will be solely responsible for Mercedes V12 development for all future models. This does not mean the V12 will disappear from the Mercedes portfolio just that AMG will be hand building the low volume motors. AMG already builds the M275, M279, and Pagani V12's for example. 600 models will not be gone from the lineup but instead will feature AMG motors without the AMG badge.
The next generation S600 will feature an AMG built M279 V12 (same as in the new R231 SL65 AMG) that likely will just be slightly detuned through software. Makes us wonder though if the S65 AMG (which we assume we will see) will be significantly different or just feature different software. We will know soon enough.
Mercedes passes off all V12 engine development to AMG
This article was originally published in forum thread: Mercedes passes off all V12 engine development to AMG started by Sticky View original post


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British RoyaltySaying "I Do" in England versus AmericaThe U.S. and England share many wedding traditions making their differences all the more interesting.
Chelsea Clinton's wedding may have cost $3 million and brought Rhinebeck, New York to a standstill on July 31, 2010, but it was a small affair compared to Prince William and Kate Middleton's upcoming nuptials. Royalty aside, wedding trends and traditions in the two countries are strikingly similar. As of 2011, both countries are seeing a decline in marriages. When couples do get married, they tend to be much older. The average age in the U.S. for a first-time bride is 26, while in the U.K. it is 29. For men, 28 is the average age for Americans, and in the U.K., early 30s is the current norm. The average length of a couple's engagement is also similar, with American couples averaging 19 months and 18 months for British couples. Even the average cost is close to the same. In the U.S., the tab for a wedding is generally around $30,000 or £19,000. It's just a little more in the U.K., around £22,000 or $33,000. Trends Cross the Pond—Both Ways
Americans are still so enthralled with the wedding of Charles and Diana that her wedding gown has been touring the U.S. as part of the traveling exhibition "Diana, A Celebration." Americans are inspiring the British, too. The rehearsal dinner's popularity has spread from the U.S. to England in recent years.
Although many wedding traditions and trends are shared between the two countries, there are a number of differences. In the U.S., the bride traditionally walks down the aisle last, after the bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girl, and ring bearer. In England, the bride is the first down the aisle to emphasize her importance. Another key difference in the wedding precession is in America, the groomsmen walk arm-in-arm with the bridesmaids. British bridesmaids, however, follow the bride without escort, while the groomsmen, known in England as ushers, stand in the front. Younger Bridesmaids
British bridesmaids usually cover a wider age range than those in the U.S. Each wedding party in England typically has bridesmaids around the same age as the bride and groom, but also younger bridesmaids, from ages 10-12. In the U.S., the bridesmaids are usually close friends or family of the bride or groom and are around the same age. The younger British bridesmaids do not replace the flower girl. In fact, there may be more than one flower girl at British royal weddings, or at Victorian-themed weddings, especially if the bride has several young relatives to honor.
Let Them Wear Hats
Wearing an enormous hat to a wedding in the U.S. might cause people to stare—or snicker; however, British women traditionally wear hats—big ones—to weddings. At a Christian ceremony in the U.S., the bride is usually the only person with something on her head.
Wedding Breakfast
Generally in the England, weddings take place in the afternoon. After the ceremony, the guests attend a wedding breakfast.
At the wedding breakfast, a morning meal is typically not served. It is just another term for wedding reception.
There are a couple of theories about the origin of the term wedding breakfast. One theory is that the name comes from the tradition of the bride and groom fasting before the wedding, therefore, the reception would be when they would break their fast. Another is that the wedding breakfast is the first meal of the couple's married life, just as breakfast is the first meal of the day. In the U.S., weddings often take place in the afternoon with a reception immediately following, where dinner is typically served. The reception is not referred to by any other name.
The Ex Factor
Much has been made of Prince William and Kate Middleton's guest list for their 2011 royal nuptials, which includes their exes. Four ex-girlfriends of Prince William's are invited: Rose Farguhar, Olivia Hunt, Arabella Musgrave, and Jecca Craig. Kate Middleton has invited Rupert Finch, who was her first boyfriend at the University of St. Andrews. Prince Charles also had exes present at his 1981 nuptials to Diana, including Camilla Parker Bowles, who would later become his second wife. Years later, when Prince Charles and Camilla married, Andrew Parker Bowles, her ex-husband, was in attendance. This may be royal etiquette or royal excess and not typical of all British guest lists. In the U.S., one ex may make the guest list, but multiple ex-girlfriends at a wedding are far from common.
Other Differences
Pre-wedding bashes are called bachelor and bachelorette parties in the U.S., while in the U.K. they are referred to as stag night or stag weekend for the men and hen night for the women. Britain has more legal restrictions about weddings than America. For example, in England and Wales, couples cannot legally get married outdoors unless the location has been approved by local authority. In the U.S., wedding cakes—both the main cake and, in some cases, a groom's cake—are a major part of the reception. In Britain, the dessert is traditionally a fruit cake. The top-tier of the fruit cake is saved for the christening of the couples' first child. The top-tier in the U.S. is saved for the couple's first anniversary. Another difference is the American tradition of the bride changing out of her wedding dress after the ceremony, something rarely done in the England. There has already been much speculation on which wedding traditions Kate Middleton and Prince William will follow and which ones they will break on their big day. Will Kate choose a traditional or modern wedding dress? Will she wear a tiara or flowers in her hair? Will she change before or after the reception? One thing is for certain—the world will be watching.
Return to the British Royal History page. |


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The tips and tricks below aren't career methodology so much as small "what not to do" warnings. Still they are worth reading if you're on the cusp of securing a job or are proactively promoting yourself.
Proof, Proof, and Proof Again [Press & Dev]: Everyone is fallible. You may not have to be perfect on the job, but a potential employer expects your resume to be. It is absolutely essential that there are no spelling or grammatical errors on your cover letter, resume, or portfolio, especially if you're applying for an editorial position. I'd go as far as proofing your personal blog, Linkedin profile, and other publicly accessible social media portals. Get several sets of eyes on your work or you risk an immediate dismissal. This may not be quite as imperative on the development side, but is still a good practice.
Don't 1337 Speak [Press]: And by that, I don't imply you should only avoid annoying Internet slang. This in particular is a pet peeve of mine, but other gaming press professionals share the same sentiment. Don't write intelligently and articulately on your blog and then devolve into fits of tweeting without proper spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Not only is it unprofessional, but if you allow yourself to "slip" during your off hours, you're more likely to do it when on the clock.
Know Whom to Contact [Press & Dev]: If you haven't already secured a contact through networking events or social media, don't fire a blind message to an "info@" address. Do your research. Dig for the name of a recruitment specialist, HR lead, community manager, or senior editorial staff member. If you send a message without a direct recipient, chances are it will be lost in the ether and no one will take ownership over it. Whenever someone emails me directly with a personalized message, I won't skip over it. It may take me a month to find time to answer the email in full (often because it is an inquiry for advice, and the very reason I'm writing this FAQ), but I let it live in my inbox, because I genuinely intend to respond.
I'd like to clarify that the above is not the same as encouraging you to track down personal email addresses, or worse, phone numbers. I don't take offense to Facebook messages containing professional inquiries, but I don't advocate it generally.
Personalize Your Message [Press & Dev]: Don't share your life story, but a short personalized anecdote about why you want to work at a particular press outlet or development house doesn't hurt either. In fact, it may keep you from making one of the most common mistakes I come across. I've received dozens and dozens of emails – both at Game Informer and Crystal Dynamics – from applicants who write a generic message and forget to BCC the massive list of potential employers they sent the message to. Worse still, I've received messages where the individual copies and pastes the same message into separate emails, but forgets to swap out the outlet or developer name. I'm less inclined to believe that you've wanted to work at "Game Informer" since you were a teenager, when you accidentally left "GamePro" in the copy of your email. Copying and pasting is a dangerous practice and one best avoided. If you want a professional to take the time to properly read and respond to your message, invest an equal or greater amount of time preparing it.
Beware of the Google Search [Press & Dev]: This is sort of a no-brainer. If you're worried that a photo, angry rant, or careless tweet may reflect poorly on you in a professional capacity, reconsider publishing it. As mentioned prior, Google Search is a powerful tool and one that is being used more often to vet professional candidates. Keep that in mind. I'm not saying you shouldn't have opinions or a personality, just be sure you are comfortable with how they represent you.
Don't Overdo the Drinking [Press & Dev]: At the risk of sounding preachy, I really think it's important to avoid drinking in excess at industry events, mixers, or parties. As a member of the press you'll often be invited to events with an open bar and free food. It's important to keep your head on straight so you can cover the products properly, conduct interviews, and post coverage in a timely manner.
Conventions often cap off with mixers and parties with the tab covered by an industry sponsor. Time and time again I've seen professionals let secrets slip, be honest beyond professional courtesy, or start acting in a way that violates every HR policy in the book. Also, lowering inhibitions means you may try dancing, and no one wants to see that.
This is especially a concern when you're new in the industry and vying for a job. Be on your best behavior. Nurse a drink or two and be social, but try to avoid a hangover and regret the next day.
Career Portals:
- Game Career Guide [Link]
- Gamasutra Jobs [Link]
- GameJobs.com [Link]
- GameDevMap [Link]
- Game Developer Magazine [Link]
- GameDev.net [Link]
- IDGA [Link]
- Reddit Game Jobs [Link]
- VideoGameJournalismJobs.com [Link]
Similar Advice/FAQs:
(In no particular order)
"How to Get a Job in the Gaming Industry" by Game Informer's Andy McNamara" [Link]
"G4 University" [Link]
A series of posts detailing ways to break into the industry with advice from vets in nearly every field. Read them all!
"Getting a Job in Games" by Respawn Entertainment's Kristin Christopher [Link]
This one in particular is a fantastic resource for those looking to break into development. Christopher provides a breakdown of the types of jobs in gaming, ideal education, and what recruitment talent looks for in an applicant.
"Career Paths in the Game Industry" by Mark Baldwin for Gamasutra [Link]
"So You Want to Be a Games Journalist" by Aaron McKenna for GamesCareerGuide [Link]
I don't agree with every point made in this article – particularly that a game journalists' primary responsibility is reviewing games – but there are some solid nuggets of information to be had.
"How To Become A Video Game Journalist" by Dennis Scimeca for G4 [Link]
"The Secret to Getting Into Game Journalism – Sessler's Soapbox" [Link]
"How To Become A Video Game Community Manager" by Jonathan Deesing for G4 [Link]
"So You Want to Be a Video Game Journalist…" by David Radd for Industry Gamers
[Link to Part 1] [Link to Part 2]
"Eurogamer Asks: How do you become a games journalist?" [Link]
This piece is worth checking out for personal career anecdotes, even if I don't agree with the majority of the advice or the fact that they equate working as a games journalist to "wasting my entire twenties and having fun doing it" and perks being "getting free stuff, free parties, and free alcohol." Perhaps I'm glossing over the intended sense of humor.
"The GDC Survival Guide" by James Portnow for GamesCareerGuide [Link]
"Seven Reasons You Don't Want To Work In The Video Game Industry" by Andy Grossman for The Dorklyst [Link]
While funny, many in the industry will argue that a handful of the points made are true. Worth reading for the laugh, and perhaps to be aware of some industry pitfalls.
[Previous: Getting Specific: Industry Advice] [Return to Table of Contents]