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For years, electronics giant Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) has been the dominant seller of graphing calculators to middle and secondary schools and students. Now, a handful of high-tech challengers, boasting superior functionality and comparable prices, is giving educators a greater range of choices and threatening TI's grip on this multimillion-dollar market.
Big-name companies such as Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) and Casio Inc. are rolling out new standalone graphing calculators designed to topple the popular TI-83 in K-12 classrooms, and upstart companies, such as Oregon-based Infinity Softworks Inc., are exploring solutions that would do away with the calculator altogether, replacing it with comparable software that is downloaded onto a multi-functional handheld computer or personal digital assistant (PDA).
The onslaught of fresh competition is something TI, which estimates it manufactures three-quarters of the graphing calculators used in schools today, has had little of in the past. It also represents a whole new set of choices for school officials and curriculum planners, many of whom are just beginning to explore these options seriously.
Among the most powerful alternatives are a number of new graphing calculator solutions from HP. The company, best known for its computers, has long been the leading supplier of calculators to universities and professionals in the financial and scientific fields, but it has had little presence in middle and high schools–until now.
With a mid-October rollout planned for three new graphing calculators–the HP 48g II, 49g+, and 39g+–company executives are hoping to spur competition at the K-12 level, creating better pricing in the marketplace and providing more options to schools and teachers–potential customers HP says have been neglected in the past.
"HP calculators are coming back full force into this space," said Fred Valdez, general manger of the company's calculator division. "Our organization had gotten away from a true calculator product, but now has come back to it and is refocusing on the education market after seeing a need for calculators in the classroom."
According to HP, its new graphing calculator models are equipped with functionality and features that are similar and, in some cases, superior to the options available with the TI-83 Plus and the more advanced TI-83 Plus Silver Edition. Although both manufacturers address a rich selection of graphing and mathematical concepts–including standard functions for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, as well as more advanced commands for determining standard deviation and mean–they also offer tools for evaluating the slope of a line, creating charts and tables, using text, plotting graphs, and building scatter plots and histograms, among other things.
Despite these similarities, however, HP hopes to distance itself from TI's product line by providing solutions that boast greater memory and storage capacity and that allow for easier transfer of data between calculator and computer. For instance, while the TI-83 Plus–the company's most popular school product–comes equipped with 24 kilobytes of RAM and 160 kilobytes of Flash ROM memory, HP's 39g+ for high school math students is loaded with 256 kilobytes of RAM. Both machines have cables that run from the calculator to the computer, allowing users to upload data into spreadsheet format and download new software applications.
Longtime calculator maker Casio also offers products with similar functionalities to schools. For instance, its Algebra FX 2.0 graphing calculator has 144 kilobytes of RAM and the ability to download software upgrades, in addition to standard graphing features and the ability to create and store charts and tables. On the high end, its ClassPad 300 even offers a PDA-like touch screen monitor with a collection of applications to support self-study and more advanced, three-dimensional graphing. But that increased functionality comes at a price, selling for $180. The TI-83 Plus, which is listed at $100, can be found in stores for as low as $84, according to TI executives. At press time, HP had yet to announce pricing for its latest models but insisted that pricing would be "comparable" to that of TI.
One feature HP has over any of its competitors is its ability to do equations in Reverse Polish Notation (RPN)–a function that is exclusive to HP machines and is used often by professionals in engineering and scientific fields as a quicker, more efficient means of calculation. All HP calculators also offer the standard algebraic computational structure more commonly used in schools.
Despite how crowded the market for graphing calculators seemingly has become, TI executives contend the company has little fear of losing traction with its school customers, many of whom have long-standing relationships with the company, and accept the argument that TI calculators are not crossover tools direct from the business world, but rather built solely with schools in mind.
HP cites the dominance of its calculators in fields such as banking, engineering, and science as a key benefit for students. The calculators are drop-tested for durability and screen strength to ensure suitability in schools, Valdez said, but they are not billed as school-specific machines. HP builds its calculators under the assumption that students who learn to use them in the classroom eventually will take them into the workplace, where they will continue to be used throughout their professional lives. The idea, according to Valdez, is to establish functional familiarity at an early age and to encourage repeat buyers down the road.
Even so, HP says it is exploring ways to provide more school-centered applications. One possibility is offering add-ons similar to the study guides and downloadable quizzing features currently available on high-end machines from companies such as Casio.
"Education continues to be an area where we can bring forth different products," Valdez said. "We certainly believe there is space in this market for another player."
Software solutions
But how much space? As handheld computers and PDAs become increasingly popular in schools, makers of graphing calculators also find themselves competing against software programs that effectively transform these more versatile, one-to-one computing devices into graphing calculator tools.
Companies such as ImagiWorks Inc., maker of the ImagiMath software, and Infinity Softworks, which just recently began marketing its powerOne Graph version 4.0 to schools, both make products that turn Palm handhelds into functional graphing calculators.
Although TI and HP acknowledge the use of PDAs in schools already has taken a chunk out of the graphing calculator market, both manufacturers say there remains a continued need for the standalone graphing calculator in schools.
Still, TI has taken steps to bolster its products from the threat of PDAs, primarily by adding functionality so they more closely resemble complete handheld computing solutions. Makers of software-based calculator solutions challenge the comparison of TI calculators to true handheld computing devices, noting the far wider range of functions–from word processing to audio and video storage and playback functionality.
Tom Ferrio, TI's vice president of educational and productivity solutions, counters that standalone calculators such as the TI-83 still hold a distinct advantage over PDA alternatives. Although many standalone graphing calculators are approved for use on such standardized tests as the PSAT, the SAT, and the ACT, along with most Advanced Placement exams, PDAs–because of the potential for online communication and cheating–still are forbidden, he said.
Then there's the issue of price. While a high-end graphing calculator can be purchased for under $100, PDAs–even on the low end–generally are more expensive. Perhaps the most economical handheld computer on the market, the Palm Zire, sells to schools for just over $100, while its more versatile cousin, the m130, is listed at $179 and reportedly sells to schools in the $130 range. At press time, device maker palmOne (formerly Palm) was poised for a product-line announcement expected to alter significantly the pricing structure for PDAs.
Of course, once schools purchase the hardware, they also must buy the software. For instance, Infinity Softwork's powerOne Graph application sells for a list price of $60. Special school pricing and impending reductions aside, the lowest a parent or student could expect to pay in September for a PDA with graphing calculator functionality was $160. For schools, the prices could be lower, depending on the volume purchased.
Still, proponents of the PDA movement in schools contend the extra cash is money well spent. No matter how many add-ons and software applications calculator manufacturers such as TI develop for use in the classroom, they still are limited by the complexity of a one-color display and a keyboard interface that often demands at least three functions from a single button, PDA proponents say. This is not the case with handheld computers, they say, which rely on an electronic stylus instead of push-button technology.
"By utilizing the touch-screen capability and larger, color displays of handheld computers, powerOne Graph takes the emphasis off keystrokes and line-item entry," said Infinity Softworks Chief Executive Officer Elia Freedman. "Professionals and students tell us they spend less time learning their calculator and more time engaged in their work and classroom lessons."
Freedman did not dispute that a higher price point and the PDA's lack of acceptance on most standardized tests present a hurdle for the acceptance of software alternatives in classrooms. Still, it's a barrier that can be overcome, he said. Currently, handheld advocates are lobbying to get the machines approved for use on standardized tests.
Differing opinions
In schools, opinions regarding which solutions work best are mixed.
For example, in the San Diego City Schools–a school system supporting more than 140,000 students–Director of Mathematics Kris Acquarelli said she sees no reason why schools should give up their TI-83s for another brand of calculator, or even for a PDA-based software application.
Acquarelli said she has heard very few complaints that the TI push-button interface is too complex or difficult to operate. By now, she said, both the students and the teachers are familiar with it. In the event that educators do have questions about the technology, however, Acquarelli said TI offers excellent support packages and professional workshops designed to help educators integrate the tools into existing curricula.
But Paula Jameson, a technology curriculum resource teacher at Green Middle School in Green, Ohio, sees things differently. "I don't see why anyone would buy a TI-83," Jameson said.
At Green Middle School, students are using handheld computers with graphing software from both ImagiWorks and Infinity Softworks.
Jameson said she prefers handhelds to standalone calculators because of their versatility. With handhelds, students and educators get desktop computer functions in conjunction with their graphing tools. This way, she said, students can transfer information from their graphs over to Excel spreadsheets and other diagrams directly on their handhelds without having to download what's already stored on the calculator to a desktop.
Color is another benefit, she said. With color graphing capability, handheld software is able to offer something that no calculator can, allowing students to differentiate between different lines and graphs by way of color. That attribute has come in particularly handy for students in special-education classes, she contends, many of whom rely on different colors to understand and grasp key concepts. "It helps all the kids learn–not just the very brightest," she said.
But in Jameson's school, students aren't the only ones benefiting from the use of handhelds. Teachers have them, too. For educators, she said, the benefit is one of collaboration. Using handhelds, teachers can swap lesson plans back and forth and exchange ideas from classroom to classroom. While calculators allow for similar communication to an extent, they offer neither the immediacy nor the ubiquity of a handheld, she said.
Educators also make use of a free Palm emulator, which enables them to give demonstrations via computer or network-connected television in much the same way that TI's overhead projection device works in the classroom.
"With a handheld, there is so much more that you can do," Jameson said. "There is just so much versatility."
Regardless of which approach schools ultimately adopt, one thing seems clear: The multiplication of options only adds to educators' purchasing power.
Casio Inc.
Hewlett-Packard Co.
Infinity Softworks
Texas Instruments


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BahaaAbouZeid avait besoin d'un nouveau design de logo et carte de visite et a lancé un concours sur 99designs.
Un gagnant a été sélectionné de 338 designs proposés par 37 designers freelance.
Your Gateway to a Digital World
A technology solution that transforms restaurants from a physical entity into something like a website where all activity by users is being saved, analyzed, and communicated instantaneously.
FECE42 is a must in the logo.
Since the technology solution transforms restaurants from physical entities to digital ones, let us try a logo in which slices from physical restaurant buildings are being detached from the building and floating away
I have attached 2 business card designs that I like.

subset: commoncrawl


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GOLDING'S TAKE: Three in Fiat's bed better than two?
Did it slip out as a random thought? Or did Sergio Marchionne deliberately use Fiat's first quarter conference call to fly a kite?
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Agent Harris was always the "good cop" among the FBI personnel, starting when he knocked on the front door to carry out the first search warrant and politely offered Tony a minute to gather his family and explain what was going on. He was peacemaker when Grasso and Tony almost went at it, was quick to ensure that the broken dish would be cleaned up and replaced, and obviously did not approve of his boss' needling Tony while playing back the tape of Livia conspiring with Junior. He was the one who first approached Tony with a deal for immunity, comes by the Pork Store to eat, and most significantly committed what was certainly a breach of policy by warning Tony of the possible impending hit from the NY crew. So, for whatever reason, he's accumulated a track record with Tony that instantly distinguishes him from his colleagues and from the stereotypes Tony might otherwise hold with respect to FBI agents.
I've long thought that the two middle easterners that have been hanging around the Bing and doing business with Chris and company were red herrings. But it's appearing more and more likely that they are not. In his commentary to Luxury Lounge, writer Matthew Weiner specifically advises the audience to remember the mid easterner's connection to the credit card scam run by Murmur and Benny, obviously with the implication that it would prove important later on.
Now, with Agent Harris approaching Tony personally for help in nabbing terror suspects, given Tony's seemingly genuine disgust with terrorists, and with real, tangible signs to back up the subconscious signals coming out of Tony since season 5 about wanting "out" of the mob, the question has to be asked:might ratting on terrorists be Tony's "out" (and this assumes, of course, that the mid easterners are really funding terrorists with their illicit profits)?
Agent Harris' Appeal for Help: Is This Tony's "Out"?#1
Tony, his spirits crushed after b-lining to the fridge first thing in the morning: "Who ate the last piece of cake?"


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Russian opposition leader given 5-year suspended jail term
Prominent Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was convicted on Wednesday of embezzlement and given a five-year suspended sentence in a ruling that threatens his bid to challenge President Vladimir Putin in next year's presidential poll.
The judge in the court in the provincial city of Kirov found the Kremlin critic and anti-corruption whistleblower guilty on a charge that the 40-year-old lawyer insists is aimed at knocking him out of the vote.
Navalny in December announced his intention to run for president in 2018, while Putin has yet to confirm his expected participation.
The fierce Kremlin critic insisted he would keep on campaigning despite Russian law banning people serving such a sentence from standing for office.
"According to the constitution I have a full right to take part in the elections and I will do that," Navalny said after the verdict.
"I will continue to represent the interests of people who want to see Russia a normal, honest and non-corrupt country."
The court held a retrial case after the European Court of Human Rights last year quashed an original 2013 against Navalny ruling, saying that the politician and his co-defendant, businessman Pyotr Ofitserov, did not have a fair trial.
They had been convicted of alleged embezzlement from the Kirov regional government budget of 16 million rubles ($270,000, 253,000 euros) in a timber deal when he was working as a consultant to the governor.
The judge gave Navalny and Ofitserov exactly the same sentences as before.
"It's 100 percent the same," Navalny told journalists in court.
The judge however took into account the years that the men served from their suspended sentence before the ECHR verdict last year.
This means Navalny's suspended sentence will run out in about 18 months, his lawyer Olga Mikhailova told journalists.
Navalny vowed to appeal and continue his bid for the presidency regardless.
"There's no question that we will appeal," he said.
"We don't recognise this verdict, this verdict will be annulled," he told journalists in court.
- Legal confusion -
After Navalny appealed to the European court, Russia's supreme court ordered that Navalny and Ofitserov face a retrial.
A conviction for a serious crime would disqualify him from standing for president according to the federal law on elections, eliminating the most prominent and eloquent representative of the opposition to Putin.
However, in a legal confusion, the Russian constitution allows anyone who is not in prison to stand for election.
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov ahead of the verdict denied that Navalny's possible exclusion would make the 2018 polls look bad to international observers.
"As for how it will look, here we don't consider any fears to be appropriate," Peskov said.
The 2013 verdict in Kirov forced Navalny to step away from frontline politics and concentrate on digging up compromising information on the lavish lifestyles of top politicians and officials.
The lawyer came to fame with punchy oratory at mass rallies in 2011 and 2012 against Putin's return to the Kremlin.
He was runner-up in Moscow's 2013 mayoral race after taking to the streets with a Western-style campaign against a Kremlin-backed incumbent. At the time he was appealing against the Kirov verdict so was not formally convicted.
The end of Navalny's trial comes as another member of Russia's marginalised opposition, Vladimir Kara-Murza, is in a coma with organ failure after suffering an "acute poisoning" last week, his wife said.
So far there has been no confirmation of foul play over the incident, which comes two years after an earlier suspected poisoning nearly killed Kara-Murza.
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Search below for things of interest and places to visit in Britain by name, location, type, keyword – or just have a browse. New items are being added every week.
Beachy Head is a famous chalk headland and landmark, immediately to the west of the town of Eastbourne. There are fine views and walks along the cliffs, approx 500 feet above sea level. There is parking nearby and at Birling Gap further along the coast. Beachy Head has an interesting history and was used as a listening and lookout post during WW2. The cliffs are, however, extremely dangerous and the area has a high death-rate, through a combination of foolish accident and, unfortunately, suicide. Beachy Head lighthouse began operating in 1902.
The post code below is for the nearby pub.


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Published Jun 26, 2012
When the hardest choice is sweet or savory, you know you're in for a treat! Who has the best breakfast menu?
"The food is excellent you get what you paid for. The service is great the owners are great people. You are treated..."
via Vivian B.
"…The food is excellent you get what you paid for. The service is great the owners are great people. You are treated like family . They have a bathhous…"
"…Manasquan Beach? The Boardwalk...The Temptations. The Shore, the sand...& the Breakfast after....under the boardwalk...boardwalk. Good times in High s…"
"…My family eats at LBI Pancake House all the time and we LOVE this place. The food is amazing and the service is top-notch. If you're ever on LBI, yo…"
"…Love the atmosphere! The owners are always nice and they have the best oatmeal pancakes. Great Place to hear good music in the evenings too with a gr…"
"…This is a resaurant that has been in business for years & my mother to this day still praises it as being one of the finest restaurants of all times i…"
"…they are hand formed from fresh ground beef. not frozen or pre formed cooked by the best staff in sea isle!!!…"
"…Best Patty Melts and Fried Chicken! It's a traditional stop on the way to and from the shore!…"
"…great food and atomosphere for little Junior.
OR MomMom with a variety of food that can keep you trying new things vist after visit.…"
"…Uncle Bill's is a family tradition. We visit the one outside of Sea Isle by the Deauville Inn, great service, always smiling and well worth the wait.…"
"…Ive been going to the Vegas for 10 years and can honestly say I have never had a bad meal. Their dinners are great, the salad bar is awesome, the ser…"
"…Banana French Toast. Breakfast Wrap. Awesome Pancakes. Consistently delicious.…"
"…Great breakfast and quick friendly service…"
"…Samuel's has the BEST Carrot Cake Pancakes. I am looking forward to our next trip to Wildwood just so I can go to Samuel's for breakfast!! A trip to W…"
"…Whereas the portions are adequate, I am a firm believer of quality over quantity and, unfortunately, the quality is lacking. In addition, many items t…"
"…Great food and even better view!!…"
"…If you can find places to eat where the locals eat, you will always find good food. Loved the food at this little gem in Wildwood. Who need to wait ou…"
"…You are sitting outside on the boardwalk watching the ocean, many times I've been there seeing beautiful boats. Also the dolfins do a show. You woul…"
"…Nothing more can be said but you have to go there for breakfest and enjoy the food to appreciate what breakfast on a lazy day at the shore is all abou…"
"…Visited Valerie's place today. My husband, a diabetic of 28 years ordered a "diet" root beer.
After drinking half the glass quickly he became sus…"
"…If there's no one waiting on the sidewalk, then you're not eating at the right place...
Word of mouth is the best advertising, and Uncle Will's has…"
"…Home Cooking, pipIng hot & in about 15 minutes! YUM! Get there early. Any wait is well worth it!…"
"…Great value and excellent food that comes with friendly service.…"
"…This place is the best for price and food quality.Everything is good. They know how to cook breakfast the homestyle way. The service is good, the wait…"
The 2012 Jersey Shore HOT LIST awards are based on more than 22,000 votes from local Jersey Shore-area experts.
See the full results →
Connect with phl17 Jersey Shore HOT LIST
© CityVoter, Inc.


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Resources for Parents
Students should work closely with their academic advisor, the study abroad advisor, and the Registrar's Office to have courses pre-approved before departure. It is essential for students to make sure their classes are first approved by their academic advisor and then by the Registrar's Office before leaving for their study abroad experience.
- Students generally take 12-16 credits while abroad, including classes in their major(s), minor(s), general education, or elective requirements.
- Sometimes internships, student teaching, and clinicals done while abroad may count for Concordia credits.
- All Concordia Global Ed. Courses count for direct Concordia credit if the student is enrolled in the connected course.
- Upon return from Summer and Semester-long programs, students should have their transcript(s) sent to the Study Abroad Office in order to ensure that courses taken abroad are properly transferred.
Country-specific health information is available on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website. This resource provides up-to-date information about recommended vaccinations, local food/water conditions, and other relevant health information about the various destinations to which your student might travel.
In many cases, the most dangerous health hazards students face abroad are not those unique to their destination, but those that students bring with them, such as chronic illness, allergies, asthma, and other conditions. If your student has any chronic conditions or severe allergies, you should encourage them to see the Concordia Student Health Center, a travel clinic, or their primary care physician to create a personalized self-care plan to ensure your child's maintained health while abroad.
*Note: The Concordia Health Center (located at our Mequon campus) offers travel health services to study abroad students, including travel health consultations, vaccines, etc.. The cost for these services is dramatically lower than the costs of third-party travel clinics and most doctor's offices.
Any individual who travels in connection with a Concordia-sponsored study abroad program must have travel health insurance that covers them for the duration of their program. Many summer and semester-length programs include travel insurance, however for those that don't and for Global Ed. Courses, students are required to be covered by iNext Comprehensive Insurance. If you student needs this coverage, there is nothing extra that he or she needs to do, your student will be registered and billed automatically.
While the news media may sensationalize safety issues abroad, hundreds of thousands of American students travel and study abroad every year without incident. However, in the interest of ensuring the safety of all of our students, the Study Abroad Office conducts a safety review of the locations to which we send students. In determining this, we rely on the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory system, news reports, and most importantly, the advice of our on-site partners. Everyone's risk tolerance is different, so we suggest you review these resources and others as well when considering the safety of a study abroad destination.
Communication While Abroad
Lengthy phone calls can become extremely expensive while students are abroad. These cost-effective methods of communication can help families stay connected with their students while abroad:
- WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger, etc...- There are numerous smart phone apps that allow users to send and receive text, photo, and video messages over WiFi for free or very little cost. Some even allow audio and video calls over WiFi, like WhatsApp and Apple Facetime.
- Skype - Skype is a free, downloadable software application that allows users to make live video and voice calls over the internet. Skype users can also add money to their account and then use the service to call land lines and cell phones internationally at very low rates. For additional information and to download the application please visit Skype.com.
- Letters - Letters can be read and reread and are extremely appreciated by students while they're abroad.
- Care packages – Students appreciate their favorite homemade treats or American snacks. Keep in mind, however, that any package sent overseas will go through customs in the destination country, so avoid sending items that may be flagged, taxed, or confiscated.
- Emails – Email isn't always accessible abroad, but it's a good way to stay connected for simple check-ins.
When traveling, it's said that people should take half as many clothes and twice as much money as they think they'll need.
If you need to send money to you students, there are a number of secure ways to do that:
- Deposits to their home bank account. In order for friends or family back home to deposit money into a student's bank account, you simply need the name of their financial institution, their name as it appears on their passport, their account number and routing number. All of this information can be found on a personalized deposit slip, or a voided check. Deposits made by people back home into a student's account will make funds available to them, provided they still have a working ATM card.
- Western Union. If your child does not have a working ATM or credit card, services offered by Western Union are likely the next best option. The fees associated with Western Union and similar wire transfer services vary greatly based on how quickly the money is needed, so be sure to plan ahead to avoid unnecessary fees. To learn how to initiate a Western Union transfer, or find a Western Union location near you, visit https://www.westernunion.com. If going to a Western Union branch to send or receive money overseas, you will need an ID and your child will need their passport to claim the funds.
- U.S. dollars can be exchanged for foreign currency at most international airports, railroad stations, and banks.
- Money can be exchanged at stores, hotels, restaurants or retail shops, but it is not wise to do so as the exchange rate will not be in their favor.
- Banks usually post the current exchange rates and are the safest places for students to exchange their money.
- Every time they exchange money they pay a commission.
- Know the current exchange rate for the country your student plans to visit.
- They may want to have a little local currency with them upon arrival ($50-100 equivalent).
- They can purchase local currency at international banks, or they can work with a local bank that has international bank connections. Getting foreign currency from your home bank can sometimes take a week or more, so plan ahead.
- They can also purchase local currency at most international airports either before leaving the United States or upon arrival in the host country. The exchange rate may not be as favorable so plan to exchange only enough for a few days' expenses.
Student Support
The Concordia Study Abroad Office provides students with a high level of personal attention during the entire study abroad process: pre-departure, while abroad, and during re-entry. We assist students in finding a program that meets their academic and personal needs, guide them through the application process, and help prepare them for departure. Students are also encouraged to contact the Study Abroad Office with any questions they encounter while abroad. Upon re-entry, we also have resources available for students to learn how to maximize their experience abroad.
Passport & Visas
Every student is responsible for acquiring a passport prior to their study abroad experience. Certain programs/countries may also require students to obtain a student visa prior to departure. Please keep in mind the time that it will take to apply for and receive a passport and/or visa.
For more information on these issues, visit the U.S. Department of State website. Most programs will offer some level of assistance with the visa process as well.
Didn't find what you were looking for?Contact the Concordia Study Abroad Office and we'll be more than happy to assist you!
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 262-243-2020
Phone: 262-243-2020


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Many leading researchers and practitioners are studying the widespread interest in how the arts enhance learning outcomes and contribute to the children's cognitive and social development. Cognitive and neurological sciences studies suggest that children who participate in the arts have advantages in cognitive development and attention for learning. However, until recently, few neuroscientific studies have explored the influence of visual art, music, dance, theater, and creative writing on how children think and learn.
In March, 2008, the Dana Foundation Consortium on Arts and Cognition released a series of studies that advanced our knowledge of the relationship between cognition and the arts and, at the same time, shed light on the need for continued robust research. The release of this report coincides with the growing interest among scientists, educators, parents, educational publishers, and policy-makers to examine how learning can be enhanced through experiences in the arts.
Download a copy of The Dana Consortium Report.
On May 6, 2009, the Neuro-Education Initiative of The Johns Hopkins University School of Education, with support from The Dana Foundation, hosted its inaugural national Learning, Arts, and the Brain (LAB) Summit to explore the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, the arts, and learning. More than 300 educators, scientists, school administrators, and policy makers shared their perspectives on advancing the science of learning through the lens of arts training and its effects on cognition.
Download a copy of The LAB Summit Report.
In preparation for the LAB Summit, the AEMS Alliance convened arts teachers, teaching artists, and teachers trained in arts integration to explore interesting ideas and questions about how the arts engage the mind and brain. A Compilation Report was written to capture the findings from these meetings.
Download a copy of the Compilation Report.


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The meeting should finish just in time for me to attend the Italy-Paraguay game tonight, allowing of course enough leeway to make my way from the Radisson Blu in Sandton to the VIP section of the stadium, where I have a HRI sponsored ticket, as part of our campaign to fight trafficking during the world cup (as always when in South Africa, I will take the route less beaten, in this case sticking to the back-roads of the mock-European suburbs reassuringly surrounded by massive electrified walls, behind which discreet servants mend the lush tropical gardens around pools and tennis courts).
The more inexperienced of you may wonder how come my attending games out of the VIP section is related to fighting trafficking. well, it is our obligation as "counter-trafficking stakeholders" to approach the organizers of any large event with a well-designed guilt trips and that's exactly what we have done both with FIFA as well as with the relevant South African authorities. They need to be aware of the dangers of Trafficking and they need to be seen as doing something about it – it's just good business in the 21st century. And what better way to show commitment than to make tickets available to dignified representatives of important "partners", such as yours truly.
While at games I will of course keep my eyes open for any sign of trafficking and will take the opportunity to snap a few pictures of the crowd, which Nathan the intern can then put in our project report and newsletter with a random, ophraesque capture:
(while the world celebrates the world cup, thousands of vulnerable women and children are exploited by internationally networked ruthless hooligans)
As I was sipping Savanna Dry during the Ghana-Serbia game yesterday, in the ear-blasting sound of millions of vuvuzelas, I had a moment of nostalgia for the early days of trafficking and my formative years in what in those days we called "The Balkans". Like so many other
The transitions from UNPROFOR to IFOR to EUFOR with KFOR and 26 different other "FORS" in-between were all useful opportunities for hundreds of inexperienced HRI staff to become today's experts in fields as diverse as refugee protection and public health. There were also unique circumstances for bonding and networking, that remain beneficial until today. My old mate Gianluca for example, used to be our official supplier of Italian toilet-paper, vastly superior to the Yugoslav one, shipped in 20foot containers with the diplomatic currier straight out of Rome, with vacuum sealed packages of Parma ham in-between. He remains a close collaborator for HRI and, in exchange for reasonable fees, often produces "counter-trafficking manuals" for our affiliates, based on his experience in "The Balkans" - the world's trafficking capital.
His expertise was developed over many a "field research" in Pristina's and Belgrade's seedier strip-joints (further enriched by subsequent HRI assignements in SouthEast Asia, West Africa and Central America), as well as in several useful interaction with Montenegrin fake-cigarettes suppliers, a community often referred to in those days as "the only reliable people in the Balkans". With the help of a certain HRI affiliate based out of Vienna (HRIs official R&R location for "the Balkans"), we have established the absolute and universal assumption that all organized crime is inter-linked, which helped not only with "transferrable skills" in experts such as Gianluca, but also with the fear factor when fundraising – insinuating to potential donors that not doing anything about trafficking is the same thing with essentially supporting the illegal arms trade is a very effective fundraising strategy, we found.
This association remains relevant today, which is why HRI continues to be the recipient of very generous trafficking funding in places from Afghanistan to Brazil, Iceland to South Africa.
The failures of all these efforts to make even a visible dent in the world of organized trafficking, should not discourage anybody - it is not a symptom that our approach is wrong, but merely a sign that the respective crime cartels are very cunning and have access to modern technology, which is why our associates need more money for life-saving workshops, "toolkits" and "awareness raising campaigns" – all time-proven strategies to "address" not only trafficking, but pretty much any other "scourge", from HIV/ AIDS to poverty, child exploitation and environmental degradation.
Meanwhile, I am happy to hear that Holland has won the game against Denmark – tomorrow I do have a fundraising meeting with the EC Head of Delegation in South Africa, and he just happens to be Dutch, a detail that will probably make the meeting more pleasant. Along the same lines, I will root for Italy tonight – not only in honour of my friend Gianluca, but also because it has been a while since Paraguay has funded HRI to do anything.
And as we are talking about funding, i would like to encourage everyone to go here and buy a Talibannosaurus Rex poster - it is for a good cause, as 10% of all proceeds will go towards a worthy HRI cause (either overhead or admin fees, i am not decided yet).


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Inscriptions Near Madinah Of The Early Years Of Hijra: Inscription B
Islamic Awareness
© Islamic Awareness, All Rights Reserved.
First Composed: 6th September 2000
Last Modified: 6th September 2000
Assalamu ʿalaykum wa rahamatullahi wa barakatuhu:
Inscription B
c. 4 AH (or c. 625 CE)
The right-hand portion written in magnificent Qur'anic type script. It is translated as:
This part has suffered considerable damage due to disintegration of the rock.
The left-hand portion is a big inscription with scores of lines. Probably part of right hand portion has crossed this inscription and consequently they can't be dated from the same time. This portion is translated as:
Some feet below this rocky couch there are several other inscription that read as follows:
The inscriptions from Mount Salʿ, Madinah, bearing no date, attracted quite a lot of attention. The presence of the names of Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿAli along with the name of the Prophet is quite interesting. Hamidullah is of the opinion that it may be the handwriting of ʿUmar himself as he was known for his calligraphic skills.[1]
George Miles asserts that these inscriptions are from 1st century of hijra but associating them to ʿUmar's own hand is a bit tenuous.[2]
However, Safadi dates this inscription to c. 4 AH (or c. 625 CE).[3]
The monumental script (i.e., kufic) in the above inscriptions is quite fascinating. Grohmann compares the script of the inscriptions with those in the early kufic Qur'anic manuscripts. He says that the resemblance is "very striking." [4]
Mount Salʿ, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
[1] M. Hamidullah, "Some Arabic Inscriptions Of Medinah Of The Early Years Of Hijrah", Islamic Culture, 1939, Volume XIII, p. 438.
[2] G. C. Miles, "Early Islamic Inscriptions Near Ta'if In The Hijaz", Journal Of Near Eastern Studies, 1948, Volume VII, p. 240.
[3] Y. H. Safadi, Islamic Calligraphy, 1979, Shambhala Publications, Inc.: Boulder (Colorado), p. 15.
[4] A. Grohmann, "The Problem Of Dating Early Qur'ans", Der Islam, 1958, p. 221.
The images above are reproduced from the stated sources under the provisions of the copyright law. This allows for the reproduction of portions of copyrighted material for non-commercial, educational purposes.
With the exception for those images which have passed into the public domain, the use of these images for commercial purposes is expressly prohibited without the consent of the copyright holder.
Back To The Islamic Inscriptions


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The Ten Best Super Bowl Ads
By Dustin Rowles | Lists | February 4, 2013 |
By Dustin Rowles | Lists | February 4, 2013 |
There's always a little something weird about America's obsession with Super Bowl commercials. It's not that they can't be good -- in fact, there's usually a handful of really great ones each year -- it's that we're in an awkward position of appreciating commercials for products and brands that are ... well, let's just say there are no underdogs in Super Bowl commercials. It's multibillion dollar corporations vs. multibillion corporations, terrible product vs. terrible product. In fact, lately, the healthiest product advertised during the Super Bowl -- granted, in only one small market -- is Old Milwaukee. Will Ferrell's Old Milwaukee Super Bowl is not an official contender because it was a local commercial only, but how can you not root for this hilarious TV Spot? After all, Old Milwaukee is the healthiest, least destructive product advertised during the Super Bowl. I mean, canned skunk water is has to be better than Doritos, right?
I just love that Ferrell can still surprise us.
10. Time Warner -- Walking Dead -- Not really that exceptional a commercial, but where celebrity endorsements are involved, I'm going to get a lot more excited about Daryl from "The Walking Dead" than Kaley Cuoco.
9. Doritos -- Fashionista Daddy -- It was a cute commercial, and the guy with the beard was one of the few genuinely funny moments from last night's slate of commercials, although the fact that Dorito dust can so convincingly double as lipstick does not exactly make me want to ingest it.
8. Ram Trucks -- God Made a Farmer -- I don't know if it was the Southerner in me, or everyone is as equally romanticized by the idealized vision of a farmer, the one that politicians talk about during their stump speeches. I liked this commercial so much I didn't have the heart to tell Ram Trucks that these farmers they speak of are mostly mythical creatures. I mean, most farmers are either working for a huge corporation, or they are growing food for the farmer's market, in which case they're more likely to look like a hippie. Also, probably high, and certainly not driving a Ram Truck.
7. Jeep -- Whole Again -- Look: I tried to resist. I mean, Oprah? But hell if they didn't pull out every goddamn heart-pulling string in the book. It was manipulative and treacly as hell, and if this were being graded on the movie scale, it'd fare poorly. But this is the Super Bowl, and big crass jingoistic ads to sell impractical automobiles are always welcome.
6. Samsung Mobile USA - The Next Big Thing -- I'm glad the game turned around after the power outage, because it was plain dull up until that point. Many of the people at the Super Bowl party I attended (including myself) left during the outage. But the quick turnaround meant that there were probably 100 million people watching Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd pitch a product there's no way they use in real life (I mean, come on. They're both rocking iPhones). Great spot, but Bob Odenkirk stole it.
5. Cars.com -- Wolf -- Well executed, very funny commercial that managed to actually say something useful about the product. Well done.
4. Audi -- Prom -- My takeaway from this commercial is that 1) there's no way that kid couldn't get a date to prom, and 2) an Audi is just a really, really expensive Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt.
3. Best Buy -- Ask Amy -- Again, an instance where I appreciate a brand for eschewing a major Hollywood film star like Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt and going with someone in my wheelhouse. It helps that Amy Poehler is also hilarious in the spot. Next time I go to Best Buy to see what the electronics I'm going to buy on Amazon look like before I order them, I will buy a pack of gum or something to help Best Buy stave off its inevitable bankruptcy.
2. Coca Cola -- Security Cameras -- Truthfully, this was my favorite commercial of the night, although the Facebook and YouTube likes don't even put it in the top ten among the larger overall audience. I loved everything about it, except the creepy reminder that Big Brother is always watching us, which is why it got busted down to number two.
1. Taco Bell -- Viva Young -- Old people are the new talking babies, the new talking animals, the new flatulating bears! Next year's Super Bowl will be nothing but adorable old people doing crazy shit. It's appropriate that they were all hammered in this spot because that's the only time Taco Bell is edible.


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In Amsterdam, at the Van Gogh Museum, you can find the world's largest collection of van Gogh's paintings. You can see how the artist developed and changes his painting style. You can also find here some objects related to the art history, in order to have a better image about that period. You can visit [...] Read More »


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Hello World,
If anyone is around Dublin town next Friday or Saturday then pop along to this great piece of entertainment. It's a good laugh. It's in the Teacher's Club. See below poster – click to enlarge. 8.30 p.m. kick-off both nights.
Apparently, there's free hambags / beers for everyone that turns up to this one as well!
Sad news is that I was due to appear in this production but have now officially chickened out – so will only be in the audience on the Friday. My Oscar will have to wait. Hey ho.


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the wrong crowd
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the wrong crowd
A group of people, typically peers, who partake in and elicit immoral, criminal, and/or dangerous behavior and attitudes. Mary had been a model student all her life, but when she got to senior year of high school, she started hanging out with the wrong crowd, and her grades suffered as a result. Because there is no sort of network in place to keep young people active and engaged in this part of the city, it's all too easy for them to fall in with the wrong crowd.


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Cardiff Met News
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Cardiff Met Research Presented with Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education
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Cardiff Met Research presented with Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher And Further Education
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Cardiff Metropolitan University is delighted to have been recognised in The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London.
The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education for 2014-2016 have been awarded today (Thursday, 25th February 2016.) In this 11th round of the prestigious awards, Cardiff Met was among 21 UK universities and colleges awarded Prizes recognizing a wide range of innovative work across many different disciplines.
Prize Medals were awarded at a special by HRH Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen.
Cardiff Met's citation read:
'The University established a widely–recognised lead, going back over some fifteen years, in the use of design and related 3D digital scanning technologies as applied to maxillofacial reconstructive surgery in treatment of disease or following trauma.'
This pioneering work has enabled the rapid production of devices for use in surgical procedures. This has produced direct benefit in the making of prosthetics for individual patients and major advances in surgical training through improved accuracy in the use of simulation on surgery training and other educational applications.
The work is characterised by innovation. A particular breakthrough has been the use of haptic technology in the computer gaming industry – 'digital sculpting' – to create fine-tuned, naturally shaped skull plates by CAD (Computer Aided Design Systems.). This reduces the time involved and the number of surgical interventions needed to produce an optimum result. The application of these technologies has led to improved quality and dignity of life for over two thousand patients and significant savings in public funds.
Close partnership between design technologists at the University and surgeons and other clinicians in a large number of hospitals has driven the application of this approach, which continues to provide leading edge services to the NHS in the management of complex cases and internationally through connections promoting the work in, for example, the USA, China and Japan.'
The prizes are within the UK's national honours system and are one of the UK's highest accolades open to a UK academic or vocational institution.
University President & Vice-Chancellor Professor Antony Chapman said: "The team at our International Centre for Design & Research (PDR) continues to garner international recognition for the level of expertise and research established here. The team's interdisciplinary research is consistently pioneering and is making a real difference to the lives of service users and fellow clinical leaders. It is a great honour to receive this award."
Health and Social Services Minister, Professor Mark Drakeford said: "I would like to offer my congratulations to Cardiff Metropolitan University for being awarded the highly prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize. It truly is a fantastic achievement and clear recognition of the innovative work that has been undertaken. Applying digital scanning technologies to maxillofacial reconstructive surgery has brought real benefits to patients and to surgical training programmes."
"Applying digital scanning technologies to maxillofacial reconstructive surgery has brought real benefits to patients and to surgical training programmes."
For more information on the work of The Royal Anniversary Trust and to view films of previous winners visit
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Sometime in the early Nineties, I started to write a book about a kid and a bicycle. At the beginning, I had only a vague idea of what the story was, and an even vaguer idea of how to write a book. I got rid of the parents in the early chapters (first rule in children's literature – get rid of the parents so the children can become the lead actors in their own lives). The mother died in a horrible accident involving an umbrella, a can opener, and an English muffin; the father disappeared in a hot air balloon. I inserted some mean people (Aunt Inga, who makes our hero sleep in the basement of her home). Following my mentors' leads (Dickens and Dahl) I gave people compound names that reflected their personalities (Dickens had Thomas Gradgrind, I had Anthony Gritbun).
The book had promise. I sent it out and it got rejected. People said they did like it but not enough to publish it. (Hmm, maybe just being nice…) I rewrote it again. And again. I let it sit, neglected, for three or four years. I picked it up again and had friends read it and be as brutal as they could in their comments. I threw out characters, created new ones, rewrote the biographies and back stories of major characters. A couple of publishers nibbled.
Then, success, of a sort. Tim Wadham at the Maricopa County Library in Phoenix decided to publish it as a serial novel online. Simultaneously, Peachtree Publishers took it on.
The editors at Peachtree challenged every weak link in the plot. I had to rewrite again and again. Another year of rewrites. We changed the title from "Flyboy" to "The Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher."
Darius came out in 2006 – over ten years after I wrote the first draft. Fame and fortune? Not quite. Relief and a sense of accomplishment. Yes, those things.
It's had a pretty good life. At shows, I regularly run into kids who say, "This is the best book I ever read." Children are given to hyperbole, but hey, it works for me. A number of teachers have told me it's their favorite read-aloud book to their classes.
This fall, two new milestones – it's out in paperback, and it's printed in Japanese. I got the Japanese edition in the mail the other day. It is drop dead beautiful. Who knew my name could be written in kanji? The text is beautiful, it's a wonderful size, and it has a ribbon book marker in the spine. I wonder what "Anthony Gritbun" and "Colonel Crapper" sound like in Japanese.
And as far as a paperback edition, one of my joys is seeing a kid scrape together enough dollar bills and quarters to buy a book on their own. Paperbacks make it more possible.
I am not an incredibly patient person. I write something and I want it to be in a book or on a recording the next day. And I'm not as brilliant as I'd wish. It takes me a long time to figure things out. I guess if I were smarter, and more diligent, things would happen faster and I wouldn't have to be patient. But my experience with art (and life) is that things take a very long time to come to fruition, they sometimes ,can't be hurried and they usually don't look like what you thought they were going to look like when you started.
But Darius is alive and kicking. One of the questions I get regularly from teachers and parents and children about the book is, "What happened to Darius? Where is his father? When is the next book coming out?" I've put all those things off. But after all these years, Darius is reappearing regularly in my thoughts, and I think I know what happens to him.
I just hope it doesn't take another ten years.
Like Hippocrates said, "Life is short, art is long". I take that to mean it lasts, but it takes a long time to make it. You just hope that the art you're making gets a chance to live.
Oh, and by the way, I'd love it if you'd read the book. You don't have to get the Japanese edition.


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Tyler Cannon's current work revolves around his ongoing narrative project called Singleton's Epic. Cannon creates characters, bodies and systems within his other world which interact and live within a strange psychological economy or ecosystem. The central character of the narrative are the singletons, strange human like figures who loaf around the environment focused mainly on hedonistic pleasures. His newest work is in various states of completion which is tracked on his website and blog. Thematically these images orient around imaging states of the Singletons, enmeshed within their machine world as productive cogs, complicit, victims and rowdy fools.
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Thursday, October 10, 2013
One Room Challenge Link Party: Week 2
12 comments :
- Lisa - A Room with A View said...
I love your sketching! Artwork does wonders in any room.Look forward to seeing more. New follower.
- October 10, 2013
- Kim said...
I'm a sketcher and magazine reader on Sunday afternoons as well ... the football noise is comforting and allows me to focus!! Looking forward to seeing how you pull it all together! xo
- October 10, 2013
- Elisa of Fancy Free Me said...
Your drawings are great, i cant wait to see everything come to life! Esp those striped baskets ;)
- October 10, 2013
- Kerry Steele- Design du Monde said...
Sketches are such an invaluable tool in visualizing a space. Can't wait to see the real deal.
- October 10, 2013
- StagerLinda said...
I love a girl who preplans! Sketches and lists must be the key. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants girl and wish I had your discipline. Can't wait to see your room. Selecting art and accessories is my fav. Have fun!
- October 10, 2013
- Linda {Calling it Home} said...
You draw really well. I hate all sports, but I am a reality tv junkie. Those prints are beautiful. I love how your dad gave them to you. Great progress with the list....I always forget, but think I won't.
- October 10, 2013
- Jessica said...
Your sketches are great. That's what I'd do during football, too, lol. I love the vintage artwork, too.
- October 10, 2013
- Kimberly Lemmon said...
Love that you're re-using prints from your parents collection! So pretty and so meaningful too!!
- October 10, 2013
- Jessie said...
The prints are fabulous and it is so meaningful too. Love anything with a story behind it!
- October 10, 2013
- stephanie at Stephanie Kraus Designs said...
I love your prints what a lucky girl to have a dad like that!
- October 10, 2013
- Miss Charming said...
Beautiful prints! I especially love the flying birds.
- October 10, 2013
- Elizabeth @ The Little Black Door said...
I usually look thru design magazines while my hubs watches football. I'm with you, I don't get the NFL, at all. Love all the prints and it is so cool that they have a special meaning.
- October 11, 2013


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Researchers found that those women who had not breast-fed were much more likely to have calcification or plaque in their coronary artery, aorta and carotid artery. When calcifications and plaque build up in the arteries, blood flow can be reduced, and, if enough of these deposits build up, they can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Health Care had previously looked at breast-feeding's effect on older women. Their study found that post-menopausal women who had breast-fed were less likely to report having heart disease. Another study on breast-feeding from a different research group recently reported in the journal Diabetes that women who breast-fed were less likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a clustering of risk factors that indicate an increased risk for heart disease.
The current study included women who had at least one baby. At the time of the study, they were 45 to 58 years old, had never been diagnosed with heart disease and had no known symptoms of heart disease.
The researchers found that 32 percent of the women who had not breast-fed had coronary artery calcification, compared with 17 percent of the breast-feeding moms. The researchers found calcifications in 39 percent of the aortas of women who hadn't breast-fed, versus 17 percent of the women who had. They also found plaque deposits in the carotid artery of 18 percent of the women who had not breast-fed and 10 percent of those who had.
After adjusting the data for socioeconomic status, family history and lifestyle factors, heart disease risk factors and body mass, the researchers concluded that women who had not breast-fed were five times more likely to have aortic calcifications than women who consistently breast-fed.
Report prepared by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Check out the website for costs for critical illness insurance coverage.
Tags: american association for critical illness insurance, American Heart Association, breast cancer, critical illness, critical illness insurance, heart attack, heart disease, medical news, women's health


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- What should I do the night before and the day of my surgery?
- Who will manage my care?
- How long will I be in the hospital after my surgery?
- What happens after surgery?
- How long is the recovery period?
- What is the rehabilitation like after surgery?
- How can I manage once I go home after surgery?
What should I do the night before and the day of my surgery?
The night before surgery, you should not have anything to eat or drink after midnight. Ask your doctor any other questions you may have about medications or specific preparation for surgery. On the day of your surgery, please arrive on time as stated by the Pre-Admissions Testing Department.
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Who will manage my care?
In the days following surgery, your condition and progress will be closely monitored by your orthopaedic surgeon, nurses and physical therapists. Usually, a case manager is assigned to work with you as you move through your rehabilitation routines.
[ back to top ]
How long will I be in the hospital?
The length of your hospital stay will largely depend on your condition and the type of surgery that was performed. Many orthoapedic procedures are done on an outpatient basis and do not require a hospital stay.
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What happens after orthopaedic surgery?
You should plan to go home with a family member or friend. You will be sent home with detailed instructions regarding any medications, limits on physical activity, and a plan, if needed, for when and where you can receive physical therapy services.
Should your surgery require you to stay in the hospital for any length of time, your discharge from the hospital will depend, to some extent, on when you "graduate" from physical therapy. When you're ready for discharge, the decision will be made concerning whether you can best continue to recover at home (the usual procedure) or in a facility where you can receive specialized rehabilitation help. If you do go to another facility, the goal will be to return you to your home as quickly as possible.
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How long is the recovery period?
Each procedure is quite unique and recovery times will be different for each patient/treatment. Please consult with your doctor regarding your personal recuperation and its details.
[ back to top ]
What is the rehabilitation like after orthopaedic surgery?
For procedures that require a hospital stay, physical therapy usually begins on the first day after surgery. You will be encouraged to get out of bed and begin physical and occupational therapy, typically several brief sessions a day.
Regardless of whether you are receiving inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation services, you can expect your physical/occupational therapy to use some combination of the following treatments:
- Exercise
- Massage
- Manipulation
- Heat
- Cold
- Hydrotherapy (water therapy)
- Ultrasound
- Electrical stimulation
- Splints, bandages and braces
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How can I manage once I go home after orthopaedic surgery?
Your physical therapist will give you a list of activities, exercises, and "dos and don'ts" when you leave the hospital, and you may also have the assistance of an occupational therapist or nurse to help with special needs depending upon the nature of your condition.
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Northern Wyoming Mental Health Center Inc.
Looking for Help? Click Here for the Office Location Nearest You
Ever since I was about 11 or 12, I've been wondering if something is wrong with me. I grew up in a home where my parents fought all of the time. I remember being sick a lot. The way I was disciplined could be described as abusive. I was sexually molested, kids made fun of me, and I remember being very depressed from about the ages 10 and up. I have suffered from anxiety attacks in the past. I think I've been very paranoid for years. It has gotten better but I still have problems. I have had problems with being interested in any guy around. I have not been sleeping well. It's hard for me to socialize. Lately I am forgetting what I said a second ago, and I feel suicidal. I am living with my parents again and I hate it. My boyfriend is the only person I trust but my problems affect his life and I fear he resents me.


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The Engineers Club of NJ raised over $1,500 for the Hope for Veterans non-profit who helps homeless Veterans of NJ.
The winning numbers for the participants not present during the raffle are:
Winner number 1: 2389365
Winner number 2: 2389347
Please message the Engineers Club of NJ with a picture of the winning ticket!
Thank you for supporting NJ Homeless Veterans.


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Most Recent Cupcakes
Posted on | September 8, 2012
Chocolate-Pumpkin Black Bottom Halloween Cupcakes
Category: Chocolate cupcakes, Cupcake recipes, Halloween cupcakes, Pumpkin cupcakes, Spices cupcakes
Chocolate-Pumpkin Black Bottom Cupcakes are good Halloween idea. They are perfect fall treat with not only puree pumpkin, but also nutmeg, ground cloves and cinnamon. These pumpkin treat are black bottom chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate cream cheese center. The cream cheese filling taste similar to a pumpkin cheesecake.
Pumpkin and spices in nice looking cupcakes form are divine Halloween treat.
Find the recipe at : www.divaeatsworld.com


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Turbo Gin & Tonic
Espresso Martini who?, The latest caffeine concoction to hit the scene is the Turbo G&T. A delicious triple whammy of Cold brew coffee combined with the quintessential Gin & Tonic. Get Friday night feels any day of the week with this energetic refreshment.
What you will need
- Cold Brewed coffee (we used Danes Cold Brew)
- A good flavoured gin (we used Tanqueray)
- Tonic Water
- Ice
- Orange Peel to garnish
1. Fill a tall glass with ice
2. Add 35ml gin
3. Top with 75ml tonic water
4. Gently float 25ml of cold brew coffee by pouring directly onto ice
5. Garnish with orange peel
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Lately I've been trying to improve my skills in hopes that I can illustrate my own apps more skillfully. I've picked up some art books at the library, but one that has intrigued me the most has been Carla Sonheim's work. She has a few book (affiliate links to the right) filled with art lessons and she has online classes as well. At the beginning of this summer I signed up for her imaginary creatures class. Her style is intriguing and interesting and learning her techniques have been fun.
Here are some various things I have drawn, some from both the lessons in her books, some from her class, and some on my own. I really want to do her year long fairy tale class, but the $200 tag plus supplies is a bit much for me right now. I'll just keep hoping a large fortune comes my way before the end of the year. :)


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Find Savings with Webster MA Foreclosure Homes for Sale
Webster MA real estate foreclosure homes are an excellent source for cheap foreclosure real estate since Webster MA foreclosed homes are sold for below market prices. Here you'll find the best resource for Webster MA foreclosures available. Our foreclosure list will help you discover hundreds of foreclosure homes for sale in Webster, MA. Investments in foreclosed homes in Webster, MA pay off in the long term, so whether you're buying Webster bank foreclosures for sale or foreclosed houses for sale from government lenders, your properties will continue to earn value. Buying discount Webster foreclosure homes for sale also creates big profit margins for future Webster foreclosure house sales. Learn all about Webster real estate foreclosure investing and repossessed homes and search our home foreclosure listings today!


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What if? Mark Breland vs. Sugar Ray Leonard: An amateur showdown
It's fun to make mythical matches between two of your favorite boxers whom never met…but it's hardcore to create amateur scenarios. Enter John Lepak.
Tags: amateurs, boxing, dream fight, Emanuel Steward, John Lepak, Kronk Gym, Mark Breland, mythical fight, Olympics, Sugar Ray Leonard


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I have some very exciting news to share with you all. I found out yesterday that my felted scarves are featured in HARPER'S BAZAAR online 2009 holiday gift guide "Luxury gifts for women who have it all ". Click on the title and it will bring you directly to the gift guide.
Best wishes to all,


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Adorable And Extremely Embarrassing: Donovan McNabb's Mom Writes Song Dedicated To Her Baby Boy
Once upon a time, Mama McNabb was the NFL's favorite mom, handing out hearty Campell's Chunky Soup left and right. But those days are long gone, Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid atop the NFL. These days McNabb offers his take on football for the NFL Network, and Reid's the butt of self-congratulating fat jokes.
Mama McNabb, meanwhile, has quietly faded off into the sunset, Campbell's Chunky Soup glory in hand. (Okay fine, that wasn't really her. I know, right? I feel cheated too.) But in the interim she's had time to reflect on a career's worth of memories - the Donovan McNabb years - and watch from a distance. But what she's seen instead is the career of a once-prominent quarterback flail from team to team, all the while battling Mike Shanahan in a chorus of he-said-she-said.
Though Mama McNabb is a character in her own right, the real Mama McNabb, Wilma McNabb, is Donovan McNabb's mama. And that's her number one role, to support her son. If that means professionally producing a song called "When Your Heart Is On The Field" featuring Tené Williams, so be it.
Kyle Scott generously penned the lyrics to paper over at Crossing Broad, though Mama McNabb's production crew animated the words with some nifty graphic design for your visual convenience/stimulation. And while this entire exercise is sweet and cute and nice, we're not really sure how we got here.
But Donovan McNabb, for his part, is proud.
Twitter follower check this out and tell me what u think. Such a passionate song, it's a cant miss. You will love it. What u think?
— Donovan McNabb (@donovanjmcnabb) January 11, 2013
— Donovan McNabb (@donovanjmcnabb) January 11, 2013
His Twitter followers, well they're singing a different refrain:
@donovanjmcnabb how long have you had a twitter
— MONTE (@btaus6) January 12, 2013
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Once on youtube, they seem to read your mind, and suggest the most delectable tunes for you to sample. I cam across South Africa's gem, Die Antwoord, and a switch flipped. Visual stimulation at its best. Check out "I Fink you Freaky" and my personal fav "Baby's on Fire".
This outfit is inspired by pixie/garden-gnome cuteness that is Yo-Landi.
crop top, UO
floral shorts c/o urban1972
socks, American Apparel
floral boots, Dr Martens
choker, available here
cross ring, thanks to Toshiko's awesome giveaway
ps. I've hopped on ye olde technological bandwagon and am now addicted to one more pointless online thingamajig that is Instagram. Damn I love to waste time.
Follow me @ sevesnaps
(thats an alliteration folks ! you know how i love 'em)


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Monday, October 3, 2011
After the Global Crisis
The current global crisis was the consequence of financial de-regulation and the general dominance of hyper-liberal policies in the United States, in the UK and in the global economy. It started around August 2007 as a US banking crisis arising from toxic sub-prime assets in banks' balance sheets; it turned into a credit crisis that depressed enterprise investment; it spread globally through the decline of foreign trade and the slowdown and often reversal of capital flows, including Foreign Direct Investment; and then - with the large scale cost of rescuing financial institutions by government budgets, the rising cost of labour unemployment and the decline in governments revenue - it grew into a fiscal crisis and, ultimately, a widespread crisis of sovereign debt, particularly in the Euro-zone.
Initially the decline in industrial output, foreign trade volume and stock exchange values replicated the scale and the pattern of the 1929-32 crisis. Soon the impact of the crisis and cross-country contagion were mitigated by simultaneous, internationally co-ordinated, monetary expansion and fiscal stimulus, introduced at the end of 2008 and early 2009. But monetary expansion failed to re-launch economic growth, while concern about fiscal sustainability soon led to a simultaneous, premature exit from fiscal stimulus in most countries. Current prospects - apart from those of BRICS (China, Russia, India, Brasil, South Africa, now accounting for 18% of world GDP and the bulk of its growth) - are of widespread stagnation and double-dip, indeed of a second and even more serious recession.
The macroeconomic policies followed appeared to have a keynesian flavour, stimulating aggregate demand via tax cuts, monetary expansion and low interest rates. But keynesian remedies would have required public investment instead, whereas tax cuts temporarily fuelled private consumption, and the effectiveness of low interest rates - which mostly were not passed on to borrowers and simply involved higher profits for financial intermediaries - was limited by liquidity preference.
The rescue of financial institutions involved a massive transfer of wealth from taxpayers to bank creditors, including depositors and shareholders. This solution was clearly inferior to any of the alternatives, whether support for bank debtors, or partial nationalization of supported financial institutions, or outright loss-taking by imprudent lenders. Income inequality, whose depressive effect on effective demand had been reduced by credit expansion - one of the contributory factors of the crisis - increased further as a result of labour unemployment and continued payment of managerial super-bonuses awarded mostly to those responsible for the financial debacle not by markets but by a semi-feudal process of self-serving decisions by a managerial caste.
The current generalized advocacy of strict fiscal discipline, demanded by international financial institutions and often enshrined in national constitutions as a balanced budget obligation, is particularly anti-keynesian, and is bound to be counter-productive in the middle of a recession.
First, a balanced budget is neither sufficient nor necessary to the sustainability of government debt, because a primary surplus (net of interest payments) may or may not be necessary to debt sustainability - depending on whether the economy grows at a rate slower or faster than the average interest paid on government debt.
Second, the keynesian lesson has been forgotten or ignored, that the balance of government expenditures minus revenues, plus the balance of private investment minus savings, plus the external balance of exports minus imports, must necessarily add up to zero as a matter not of theory but of accounting consistency. Therefore the budget balance cannot be a policy instrument, but only a target that may or may not be achievable depending heavily also on the behavior of national economic agents and of global trade partners (including the elimination or large reduction of Germany's trade surplus vis-à-vis the rest of Europe, and China's gigantic trade surplus). Generalized efforts by all governments to balance their budgets simultaneously might actually result in a perverse combination of budgetary (and trade) imbalances as well as a lower level of employment and income worldwide than would be the case without such efforts.
By the same token, generalized efforts to promote employment and growth via higher international competitiveness - whether achieved by external devaluations or by domestic deflation of wages and prices - can also be competitively self-defeating: another clear keynesian lesson is that lower wages can raise employment through higher exports in one country, but cannot resolve unemployment as a world problem. Nor can world unemployment necessarily be reduced by a generalized reduction of employment tenure and other labour welfare provisions, or the replacement of collective bargaining by firm-level bargaining: the only certain effect of such policies, also very popular in anti-crisis policy packages under the pretext of "structural reforms" (e.g. see the European Central Bank's guidelines to the Italian government in their letter of 5 August 2011) is the deterioration of the quality of work and labour incentives.
Often it is believed that the impelling necessity of environmental improvements, required by the reduction of global warming and of general pollution, and the forthcoming exhaustion of natural resources, will create a new important opportunity for investment and growth. However - apart from the observably controversial nature of global warming - these are all opportunities for public or public-funded investment, desirable in itself (not absolutely but up to some point) but competing with alternative uses of scarce public funds whose expenditure today is supposed to be kept under control in the interests of fiscal sustainability.
The chances of world leaders suddenly learning keynesian lessons, and implementing them with the speed and on a scale adequate to propel the global economy out of stagnation are remote, indeed would amount to a miracle. Even those who would like to do it are prevented by the electoral challenge of populist competitors (as is Barack Obama by his Tea-Party Republican challengers). By comparison the prospect of Wealth Sovereign Funds coming to the rescue of highly indebted governments might seem a more normal occurrence, but this would be the true miracle and is simply not going to happen: it worked in 2008 to the advantage of financial stabilization, but now WSFs have run out of trust.
The fact that the US can always "print" the dollars it owns to pay its creditors does not make the US debt indefinitely sustainable: at some point the resulting dollar inflation will make dollar bonds unpalatable at less than crippling interest rates so high that they would necessarily involve eventual insolvency. Other countries face even stricter debt sustainability conditions, without the same initial room for manoeuvre. Where private wealth largely exceeds the difference between current debt and its sustainable level, it is always possible to apply a once-and-for-all or recurring wealth surcharge to achieve solvency. Italy, for instance, has a public debt of euro 1,900 bn, but in 2008 it had a household wealth of euro 8,600 bn, 45% of which was concentrated in the top 10% of households; but wealth taxation is unpopular and the political will to introduce it is scarce. Privatization of public assets is often considered as a way to reduce sovereign debt, but the potential revenue obtainable from this source is usually overstated with respect to the depressed values realizable during a crisis, when it is infelicitously timed.
An insolvent country, like Greece, has only three alternative options: 1) instant orderly default with significant "hair-cuts" negotiated with creditors; or 2) instant dis-orderly default; or 3) delayed default, whether orderly or dis-orderly, preceded by roll-over of debt with the assistance of international financial organizations (like the IMF, or the European Financial Stability Fund soon to become the European Stability Mechanism, or the European Central Bank with its controversial purchases of government bonds in secondary markets) followed eventually by actual default, as in all schemes of pyramid banking, to which such rollover of uncovered debt has been likened.
The three default options are ranked above in order of increasing cost. However it should be remembered that non-default by insolvent debtors is also very expensive, as witnessed for instance in the large scale fall (of the order of 25%-30% in just one quarter in mid-2011) in the capitalization value of stock exchanges in temporarily solvent Euro-zone countries with uncertain longer-term solvency.
Partly the probability of default, assessed by Rating Agencies (like the oligopolistic three: Standard and Poor's, Moody's, Fitch), reflected in the interest spreads with respect of bonds regarded as totally secure (like German Bunds) and in the price of insuring bonds against default by buying Credit Default Swaps, expresses political as well as economic judgments (as in the recent case of Italy, handicapped by a corrupt, disreputable and divided government short on credibility).
Of course Rating Agencies have proven to be highly fallible and often biased, for they have their own agendas to drive forward, have positions of conflict of interests ("issuer pays" instead of "buyer pays") and opportunities for insider trading. Alternative, public Rating Agencies have been advocated, for instance in Europe, but such institutions could not be regarded as independent and therefore their credibility would be low. Better still, "the use of ratings in financial regulations should be significantly reduced over time" (as was suggested in the de Larosière Report of 2009 under Recommendation 3, but never acted upon by European authorities).
In order to contain the unavoidable disruption and turmoil involved by a country's default, it would be essential to anticipate its adverse effects and counteract them beforehand, by re-capitalizing commercial banks exposed to the cross-effects of default, including central banks and above all the European Central Bank that has been acting (probably exceeding its mandate) as Lender of Last Resort to the governments of "peripheral" (meaning "high spread") countries. An experience of default is bound to depress the price of, and thus raise yields on, old and new government bonds for the whole area; therefore contagion would worsen the sustainability conditions of debt, and therefore slow down the speed of subsequent recovery.
Furthermore, a post-crisis global economy should have renewed efforts to establish some form of global governance rather than have in place the many and inadequate ad hoc institutions cobbled together to, at present, provide some semblance of governance. But in order to be established global government now would have to be universally accepted not only in its initial form, but also in all its rules for the continuous adjustment to future, unforeseen and unforeseeable, circumstances: such acceptance now is probably out of the question. Besides, the demotion of the nation state is not necessarily desirable. For the nation state provides a layer of authority that can protect citizens from global corporations as well as from a necessarily monopolistic global governance authority that could easily misbehave out of democratic control, and without any remaining territory to which one could run for cover.
Eventually the post-crisis economy - sooner or later - will begin to recover, thanks to the profitability of production and investment being raised by depressed wages (due to mass unemployment), the accumulation of new profitable technical inventions and opportunities, the progressive depletion of existing inventories and production capacity. Once started, recovery would tend to be amplified by indirect effects, such as the usual interaction between multiplier and accelerator, until potential capacity constraints are met again and some cyclical mechanism is set in motion again in reverse. Such is the inexorable logic of the market economy. But reliance simply on market self-regulation will most probably lead to recovery much later than possible with government intervention and jump-starting. It is unfortunate that the inadequate policy responses of 2008 and their premature withdrawal should have grossly diluted their effectiveness thus making the implementation of growth policies harder today.
Changes must also be attempted in order to prevent the operation of factors that facilitated the last global crisis, or to better cope with them. The increase in banks' capitalization, envisaged by the Basel-3 new rules, will have an initial adverse effect on the volume of lending but longer term benefits for financial stability. A new composite currency is bound to emerge, in place of the US dollar or the euro.
Regulations on the separation of credit and investment operations of banks (à la Glass-Steagall Act) are bound to be reintroduced, as already proposed in the UK by the Vickers Commission. The Over The Counter derivatives trade might be subjected to stricter regulations, such as the requirement of an underlying "insurable" interest for taking up a position in that market, or the prohibition of short-selling, temporarily introduced in the European Union on shares and government bonds. The traditional principle of Central Bank independence in the exclusive pursuit of inflation targeting - based on the now discredited theory of rational expectations and the consequent de-coupling of inflation and unemployment - is bound to change into the even more independent pursuit of multiple targets including employment and competitiveness. We might witness attempts to protect domestic industries and stop immigration - largely unsuccessful in view of the irresistible force of underlying trends.
Currently, by and large, the economic system emerging from the crisis is bound to be substantially very similar to the pre-crisis one, improved in some respects, but worsened by large scale cuts in welfare expenditure made necessary by the (debatable) purpose of achieving fiscal balance. The post-crisis system will be more conflictual and insecure, more unequal and less cohesive, less rather than more "green" - basically a more unpleasant world in which to live. It need not be so.
7 comments:
"...ultimately, a widespread crisis of sovereign debt, particularly in the Euro-zone".
At the moment, in turn, this is feeding back into a new round of banking crisis, with the reduction in the value of government bonds in banks' portfolio.
- October 5, 2011 at 4:22 AM
A very good point, Bob, thanks.
The first thing that Christine Lagarde did, taking office at the helm of the IMF in September, was to issue a stern warning on the urgency to re=capitalise European banks, to the tune of at least €200bn. She was greated by European officials' outraged denials.
The serious crisis of the Franco-Belgian bank Dexia - that is threatening to lose France the AAA credit rating and raised the spreads of both countries - yesterday persuaded Ecofin that perhaps there was a problem and something needed to be done. But "co-ordinated but separate" national rather than European interventions are unlikely to work (see today's FT and Eurointelligence.com).
- October 5, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Do you think Moody's downgrading of Italy's government bonds by three notches, from aa2 to a2, is justified by Italy's fundamentals?
- October 5, 2011 at 2:31 PM
- Jim said...
You have a long "shopping list", Mario! There have been such strong negative reactions to a lot of the things you favour (retail/investment banking split, derivatives regulation, short selling restrictions) that I fear the eventual extent of regulatory change will be much smaller than we really need.
- October 5, 2011 at 4:01 PM
Italy at present is nowhere near insolvency, Moira, given the stability of its debt/GSP ratio (though high), the only primary surplus in Europe after Germany's, the relatively low private debt of households and enterprises, the long term nature of its government debt (average maturity 7 years) and an average interest rate of 4%.
Italy's fundamentals are better than Spain's, but Zapatero has stepped down and called new elections, while Berlusconi - who has lost not only regional elections but four referendums and has reconstituted his parliamentary majority through corruption and criminal complicities, is not only maintaining his bad government but is actually threatening to stand for re-election in 2013. This is why Italy's spread rose by about 70 points and overtook Spain's, as recognised by the Treasury Minister Giulio Tremonti.
As the average interest rate on government debt will rise with debt renewals and new debt, Italy will undoubtedly become insolvent before its new 10-year bonds reach maturity.
Hence the rating agencies were right in downgrading not only Italy's government bonds, but also major companies such as Eni, Enel and Finmeccanica, banks like Unicredit and Intesa, and no less than 30 local authorities starved of funds by the recent fiscal package.
Jim, I am not optimistic about the implementation of the proposals I list, hence my prospect of a more unpleasant world than it was before the crisis. I only said that "It need not be so".
- October 8, 2011 at 12:09 PM
- jdat747 said...
"It need not be so." True indeed. Do we not have examples of countries that have been in similar situations? What have others done to get out of their problems?
Work hard and produce more than we consume for a while perhaps?
Good leaders of monetary policy would keep countries producing a little more than they consume all along. A country, business, or person should always operate from a position of power, not debt. Growth may be slower, but it comes with more stability.
- November 29, 2011 at 4:25 AM
- D. Mario Nuti said...
"Work hard and produce more than we consume for a while perhaps?"
For a while, yes, it would be likely to help. But as a general rule - following the advice put by Shakespeare on Polonius lips: Neither a borrower nor a lender be... - can be a poor receipe for prosperity. A more flexible rule, possibly averaging a zero deficit over the years but leaving room for anti-cyclical government policy is definitely superior.
The important thing is to avoid the danger area, of growing debt/GDP ratios up to unsustainable levels, where (approsimately)the interest rate on debt exceeds GDP growth rate.
- December 1, 2011 at 8:55 AM


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This article is part of our special report Mobile World Congress 2016.
The European Commission will unveil its strategy to develop the next generation of mobile broadband network (5G) on Monday (22 February), EURACTIV has learned.
In the coming months, the European Commission, tech firms, and various industries will demonstrate European progress on developing 5G.
A Commission official told EURACTIV that the intention is to come up with fresh ideas by July, in order to showcase the first results by 2018.
Key objectives of the 5G public private partnership (PPP), launched last year, are outlined in a Commission white paper on '5G: empowering vertical industries', that will be unveiled during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on 22-25 February.
The paper outlines "innovative" digital approaches in several industrial sectors in Europe, ranging from manufacturing, the automotive sector, health, energy, the media and entertainment.
It lists the most important performance targets 5G needs to achieve for supporting services in these five sectors. Those include a speed of data transmission below five milliseconds (latency), reliability and density (up to 100 devices per square meter) along with tight constraints on territory and population coverage.
The Commission's intention is not only to demonstrate the progress made by 2018, but also to come up with a credible plan to deploy the technology.
Commission officials say the EU wants to avoid the kind of mistakes made during the adoption of 4G. Though the previous generation of mobile broadband was mostly developed in Europe, companies and consumers did not immediately benefit from the new technology.
A 5G standardisation framework will be defined this year. The process will be driven by the needs of industry, in order to ensure a successful deployment, the official said. "We hope that the European technology will be the chosen one during the implementation phase," he added.
"Europe had a success story with 3G," said Spanish MEP Pilar del Castillo. Now Europe wants to tap its traditional industry dominance to lead in what is seen as the main technological revolution of recent decades.
One goal, two visions
The disruptions brought by 5G extend well beyond the realm of communications. By allowing to connect multiple devices and sensors, the technology is also expected to transform our homes, our cities and industries.
But in contrast with other regions, where development is very much consumer-oriented, European efforts are focused on supporting one of the attributes of 5G: machines talking to machines.
By 2018, Europeans are expected to showcase their first achievements in the so-called Internet of Things, bringing about what some have branded the fourth industrial revolution, the Commission official said.
The automotive sector is seen as a "prime candidate" for pioneering the technology, due to the fast advances made in driverless cars.
China and Europe share an interest in the industrial applications of 5G, including in manufacturing, connected cars, robotics and precision farming.
Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea are prioritising video and gaming.
South Korea wants to present its first results during the 2018 winter Olympics. According to media reports, South Korea's KT will offer 360-degree virtual reality viewing of the games.
Before reaching the demonstration phase, tech companies and researchers still need to overcome important technical hurdles to use the full potential of 5G.
One of the most challenging obstacles is to reach a latency target of 1 millisecond. "This is extremely difficult, it is practically the speed of light," experts said.
The 5G standardisation framework will be defined by 2016. The process will be driven by the needs of the industry to ensure a successful deployment, the Commission expert said.
"We hope that the European technology will be the chosen one during the implementation phase," he added.
The European Commission launched a Public-Private Partnership on 5G in December 2013. The EU will invest €700 million by 2020 in this partnership through the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. EU industry is set to match this investment by up to five times, to more than €3 billion.
Last september, the EU and China signed an agreement to bolster the cooperation in the development of 5G. The agreement included joint research actions in this area, and to facilitate bilateral participation of companies in 5G research projects in China and the EU. It also foresaw jointly promote global standardisaton for 5G, in parallel with the ongoing work in organisations such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The agreement reached with China was similar to other pacts sealed with South Korea and Japan.
The 5G PPP presented its vision on the technology and the infrastructure required for 5G during the 2015 Mobile World Congress.
Its implementation is closely interlinked with the reorganisation of the spectrum band. The executive recently presented a new proposal for the usage of the 700 Mhz band to pave the way the arrival of 5G.
- 22-25 February: Mobile World Congress (Barcelona).
- July 2016: Commission to come up with first ideas to showcase 5G technology.
- 2018: Expected date to roll-out 5G.


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Maybe, a frog
Had jump in that old pond;
Splash! Then silence again,
the moon rising.
Ps: you just missed the frog
Great shot! nostalgia… A Japanese Haiku
The night I shot "Rising Gold", the picture of the moon, I took this of Weeping Willows. We have several of them here near the lake outside our back deck and they really are beautiful. Standing there waiting for the moon to rise over the pines, I turned around 360 degrees to see what else could be captured. The willows have such a dreamy quality to me, so that's what I tried to convey here. I wish there had been a duck in the pond but sometimes we just take what we can get.


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