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Tuesday, May 17, 2016
The Two Faces Of Branding
A couple of months ago I read Eddie Huang's book Fresh Off The Boat: A Memoir. If you haven't read it, it's about his life growing up as an Asian-American in the US and doing all kinds of different high-intensity activities like getting into fights, going to law school, and opening a restaurant. The book was the origin of the TV sitcom with the same name, though as I understand it the book and the show are quite different.
Of the many interesting and funny things in the book, one topic that really got me thinking had to do with brands. Brands are a big deal in this book. As a kid, Huang discovers that hip-hop culture, and the clothing associated with it, give him a way to challenge Asian-American stereotyping and racism.
Huang grows up in Florida, where his social experiences are constantly reminding him of the fact that he is seen as Asian and thus seen as being a certain kind of person with certain kinds of qualities -- many of them qualities he does not have or want. He talks about how in American movies Asian men never get the girl, and how Asians are stereotyped as deferential and non-assertive.
The racial stereotyping take many different forms, many of them social and peer-oriented, some of them professional. When he expresses his dream to become a sportscaster on ESPN, his father says, "They'll never let someone with a face like you on television." Huang thinks his father doesn't know what he's talking about. But later he has an interview with a newspaper, to do sports journalism, and the "big white guy" doing the hiring takes one look at him and says, "Oh, wow, that face ..." which turns out to mean that no athletes are going to talk to him with "that face" because he looks "... so young." He doesn't get the job.
Huang is a wound-up aggressive guy who likes to scrap with other guys, get into people's faces, and get into all kinds of trouble, and at one point he realizes that his being that way is a big problem for people. He says, "I was a loud-mouthed, brash, broken Asian how had no respect for authority in any form, whether it was parent, teacher, or country. Not only was I not white, to many people I wasn't Asian either."
Early on, Huang gravitates toward hip-hop music, style and culture, and as he grows up and learns things, he comes to realize that connecting with black American culture allows him a way into a mode that is both embracing genuine identity -- not trying to be white -- and also outspoken and non-apologetic.
And wearing clothing brands associated with hip hop culture is a big part of that: it allows him to connect with people he wants to connect with and also show people he's not the stereotype they are putting on him.
That, of course, is part of what branding is all about. I mean, if you ever read the business section of the paper and you get a glimpse in to what companies are doing when they talk about "creating and and maintaining brands," that is exactly the kind of concepts they use. The idea is to create a set of feelings and ideas around your brand so that consumers will connect with it and see the brand as representing who they are.
Somehow, when I read about branding strategy from the corporate perspective, it usually seems so dumb. I mean, the idea that some company is going to use fashion models and ad guys to link up their brand of car or vodka or shirt or whatever with some set of impressions and feelings, and the idea that you would then use those brands to express yourself -- it all seems so cynical and ridiculous, like one of those debased aspects of consumer culture that is too stupid to enter into and yet in some ways unavoidable.
But then when I read Huang's book, using brands to express yourself didn't seem stupid -- it seemed clever and interesting. Of course, part of that is because what he's using brands to do is clever and interesting, and isn't your run-of-the-mill I-have-more-money-than-you. Still, the basic concept is the same.
I guess in a way it's not surprising that you can use the tools of capitalism to sometimes do cool things. After all, sometimes the tools of capitalism are the only tools we have.
Labels: books, culture, shopping, social equality
2 comments:
- Sarah Brown said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- May 17, 2016 at 2:45 PM
- Sarah Brown said...
In a similar vein -have you seen this post on Pajiba about John Cho? He's terribly overlooked and if it's not because of systemic racism I don't know what it is!
- May 17, 2016 at 2:47 PM
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T-Rex! Roar!
Like I mentioned earlier, I loosely followed the photo tutorial on Flickr I found when doing a google search for t-rex costumes. If I were really nice, I would write some instructions for you, but I'm not. So there.
Total cost for the head was $3.00. One large box, one small, thinner box, and three paper bags. Duct tape and hot glue. Random paint we had. One egg carton (eyes). Felt for the teeth. The body was about $10 for the fleece and zipper. Total cost, $13. Ta da!
Head supplies:
Fitting the frame:
I added paper bag "scales":
This green is the paint color in my bedroom. Nice.
He looks a little slap-happy. That is what late night beer + hot glue + husband help will get you.
The body was made from a McCalls pattern. This one.
The tail cracks me up. It'll be dragging down the street.


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Added more artist to the Art Project
We are continuing to add more talent to the Art Project. Most recent Lindsay, from Vancouver BC but also some amazing nudes done by Dan Fisher. We are always looking for more talent to add to the Art Project so check this like for submissions.


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The Liebster Award
A big thank you to Drea from Travels With Drea for nominating me for a Liebster Award! You can explore her fantastic blog right here. It is both an honor to be recognized and great chance to promote some fellow bloggers.
What is a Liebster Award?
The Liebster is an award given to bloggers by bloggers. It's an opportunity for new bloggers to introduce themselves and highlight their work by answering a few questions. They pay it forward by recognizing 10 others, and creating 10 questions for them to answer.
My answers to Drea's questions:
1. Why did you start your travel blog?
I had to start this blog, as I have been a travel addict for some time now and needed an outlet! I hope sharing our experiences will be inspirational and provide useful tips to our readers.
2. If you could go to any place in the world, where would that be and why?
Besides everywhere, the first place that comes to mind is Africa, to go on a safari. Other than a short trip to Morocco, we haven't been to Africa, and photos and stories of other travelers experiences there are so amazing.
3. What are your top 3 must have items when traveling?
iPhone, my Macbook Air, and lip balm.
4. What was your favourite place that you have visited?
Monterchi, a beautiful little hill town on the Tuscany/Umbria border. It was our first time in the region, and we were there with my parents and my brother and his wife. We rented a villa at the top of the hill which was built from the ruins of a former castle. At the end of each warm, busy day of exploring, we returned to the villa and cooled off in our fantastic pool with a stunning view of the countryside.
5. If money was not a factor, what would be your dream job?
Probably what I'm doing now, working as a graphic designer and travel blogger, except I would be delighted that money was not a factor! We enjoy what we do and much of the year we are able to work remotely. Have laptop, will travel!
6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?
I would like to "test drive" living in a variety of places. In Canada, if our home base wasn't Calgary then I would like to try Victoria, British Columbia. Southern Spain I love for the weather and Spanish culture, and New York City or Paris for big city life.
7. Who is your favourite travel blogger?
The first travel blogger I came across and who has inspired me is Chris Guillebeau. Even though we have been traveling for years, travel bloggers weren't really on my radar until I came across his website. His stories of his RTW travels and travel-hacking strategies really opened my eyes to the possibilities. Now there are many I enjoy, including The Planet D who are fellow Canadians, The Gypsynesters because I can relate closely to their stage of life and I love their sense of humor, and many other fellow Boomer Bloggers.
8. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who has never traveled before?
Stop dreaming and do it! If you really want to travel, it's within reach of most people if you make a plan and prioritize. Life is short and the world is such an awesome place.
9. What do you do to overcome writer's block?
I work better under pressure, so a deadline helps. Writers block isn't so much a problem for me, as is getting easily distracted by other things, such as social media or reading other peoples blogs. I'm a list-maker, so when I have a post idea I add it to a list, and I have lots of options if I'm ever stuck.
10. Who inspires you?
Our amazing daughters who have also inherited our curiosity about the world. I just dropped off one daughter at the airport this morning to visit the other daughter in Seoul, Korea. When we tell them our dreams they usually advise us to stop talking about it and do it. Also my wonderful husband Darrell, who is my willing travel accomplice, photographer, and supporter of whatever I'm doing. When I tell him about my latest plan to for us to go here or there, he usually answers "book it!" (sometimes followed by "I don't know where the money is coming from…" but still)
The following bloggers are my Liebster Award nominees:
- Susan from Solo Trips And Tips
- Emily from Lets Roam Wild
- Kay from Blonde Brunette Travel
- Natalie and Robson from Love and Road
- AnnMarie from Fate with Fernweh
- Megan from Wanderlust Megan
- Jay and Gretta from Traveling Islanders
- Will from I Will Travel
- Karyn from Not Done Travelling
- Jenny from A Thing for Wor(l)ds
And here are your 10 questions:
- Tell us something surprising about yourself.
- What's your favorite travel tip?
- What's the most memorable food you've tried on your travels?
- What's your favorite quote?
- Why did you start your blog?
- Where is your favorite off-the-beaten path location?
- Has a movie or book ever inspired you to travel?
- Have your travels taken you outside your comfort zone?
- Is your travel style luxury or budget?
- If you weren't blogging about travel, what would you blog about?
When you have answered the questions, please share the link from your blog in the comment section below. Thanks for participating and share the love!
Happy travels!


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Delivering broader business results while minimizing your financial risk
We deliver more than a project. We manage the design and construction of real estate projects from beginningto end – handling every detail on your behalf – in order to deliver the largest return on your investment.
From corporate office fit-out and move management, to the rollout of multiple retail sites, to the constructionof distribution centers, we deliver projects inspired by your business vision.
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Opportunities with SU Abroad
SU Abroad, one of the highest-quality international study programs in the country, prepares students for the world by immersing them in the world. The Department of African American Studies offers the following joint programs with SU Abroad:
From the SU Abroad page:
Paris Noir is James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, Aime Cesaire, Chester Himes, Richard Wright, Jessie Fauset, and Jake Lamar. Paris Noir is an amazing five-week program that involves its participants and exposes them to an unforgettable international experience. This program is intended for students of all disciplines, cultures and nationalities who wish to examine the strong influence Black cultures have had on Paris and the world. The seminar encourages you to explore the theme from a variety of disciplinary stances. You'll exchange ideas with some of the most influential Black artists, writers, scholars, journalists and community activists, as well as people from the world of politics, fashion, and music. Like a jazz composition, the seminar is arranged to convey variations and diverse interpretations of the Paris Noir theme. The Paris Noir seminar meets at the famous Café de Flore.
Find out more about Paris Noir: Literature, Art, & Contemporary Life in Diaspora at SU Abroad.
From SU Abroad's page:
The program will explore the complex relationship between civil society and cultural politics in contemporary Brazil with a focus on human rights, grass-root social movements, art and culture, and civil society (nongovernmental organizations). Students will explore how local advocacy groups and nongovernmental organizations work to promote and advance grassroots politics, cultural productions (art, music, and film), and education.
The main site of the program will be in Salvador (Bahia) with a five day visit to Rio de Janeiro. Salvador is a cultural jewel and is considered the Mecca of Africans in the Diaspora. Its streets overflow with vibrant black cultural life, street performances by renowned artists and open air capoeira demonstrations. In addition to the rich social traditions, Bahia has some of the best organized and vibrant social movements in the Americas. Against this backdrop, Salvador represents an important site of social, political and cultural investigation, as it stands at the cross-section of culture, vibrant grassroots advocacy and contested local politics. Students will also visit Rio de Janeiro where they will also interact with grassroots groups and speak with local activist.
Find out more about Politics in Contemporary Brazil: The Role of Civil Society and NGOs at SU Abroad.


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After spending some time with a representative from Simply Green Home Services, you found the ideal home heating and cooling system. All that remains now is to remove the old system and install the new one. The date is set, but there is some preparation that needs to be done before the installation team arrives. Here are some things that you can do to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Trim the Shrubbery
Take a good look at the shrubs around the current unit. Are they a bit on the close side? If so, take the time to trim the shrubs and make some additional room. Ideally, the technician should be able to walk around the unit without having to brush against the foliage.
Find a Place for the Family Pet
During the installation process, the team will be in and out of the house. That could be exciting for inquisitive pets, but their curiosity will slow down the work. If possible, arrange for a neighbour to take care of the pets for the day. If no one is available, choosing to board the pet is a good idea.
Protect the Floors
Since the team will be in and out, some dirt will be tracked into the home. One way to minimise the cleanup afterwards is to use something to cover the carpeting and the hardwood flooring. If you have old paint drop cloths stored in the garage, they will work fine for this purpose. If not, plastic drop cloths are available as discount shops for reasonable prices. Once the system is installed and checked, it will be easy enough to gather up those cloths and have very little cleaning to do.
Make It Easy to Access the Attic
The team will also need to get into the attic during the installation. That's because they will want to take a close look at the duct work and determine if there is the need to install another air return or make any other types of enhancements. Unlock the attic door, or lower the retractable steps the morning that the work is to commence. It also helps to ensure there is plenty of elbow room for the team to haul tools and materials up those attic stairs if necessary.
Move Furnishings Away from Vents
As you learned while reading some of the Simply Green reviews online, the team will not consider the job done until the new system is properly tested. That means being able to check each vent and ensure the air flow is at a reasonable level. Make the job easier by moving any tables or chairs that may limit access to those vents. The furniture can go back into place once the system is checked and the air flow is deemed acceptable.
The goal is to ensure that the customer is completely happy with the new system. Once the work is done and you see what a difference the new unit makes, feel free to share a Simply Green review with others. They may also benefit from considering the installation of a new heating and cooling unit, and be in the market for someone who will take care of the project quickly and efficiently.


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I'm using awesome-wm on Kubuntu 10.10. I like some of the KDE tools... like choqok. Thing is, that within awesome wm it seems to be impossible to set a default browser, because KDE4 settings overwrite the generally desired settings:
To illustrate the problem:
% xdg-mime query default text/html
And from
Which does in no way make sense to me. If I set Firefox as default xdg-mime should not have Chrome. In fact I want Firefox.
So how do I globally once and for all, across all frameworks, define Firefox as default?
Best, Marius
p.s.: I should probably mention, that clicking in Choqok starts Konqueror...


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Transform your son into his villain fighting, robot self with free printable Transformer masks from Hostess.
Allow the page to load, then click the "free printable" button on the right hand side. It looks like this:
You can choose from Bumblebee or Optimus Prime. These would be so much fun to use year-round or for those Transformer themed birthday parties. 😉
Thanks, Desi!


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- Research article
- Open Access
Modulatory effects of cAMP and PKC activation on gap junctional intercellular communication among thymic epithelial cells
© Nihei et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010
- Received: 24 August 2009
- Accepted: 15 January 2010
- Published: 15 January 2010
We investigated the effects of the signaling molecules, cyclic AMP (cAMP) and protein-kinase C (PKC), on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) between thymic epithelial cells (TEC).
Treatment with 8-Br-cAMP, a cAMP analog; or forskolin, which stimulates cAMP production, resulted in an increase in dye transfer between adjacent TEC, inducing a three-fold enhancement in the mean fluorescence of coupled cells, ascertained by flow cytometry after calcein transfer. These treatments also increased Cx43 mRNA expression, and stimulated Cx43 protein accumulation in regions of intercellular contacts. VIP, adenosine, and epinephrine which may also signal through cyclic nucleotides were tested. The first two molecules did not mimic the effects of 8-Br-cAMP, however epinephrine was able to increase GJIC suggesting that this molecule functions as an endogenous inter-TEC GJIC modulators. Stimulation of PKC by phorbol-myristate-acetate inhibited inter-TEC GJIC. Importantly, both the enhancing and the decreasing effects, respectively induced by cAMP and PKC, were observed in both mouse and human TEC preparations. Lastly, experiments using mouse thymocyte/TEC heterocellular co-cultures suggested that the presence of thymocytes does not affect the degree of inter-TEC GJIC.
Overall, our data indicate that cAMP and PKC intracellular pathways are involved in the homeostatic control of the gap junction-mediated communication in the thymic epithelium, exerting respectively a positive and negative role upon cell coupling. This control is phylogenetically conserved in the thymus, since it was seen in both mouse and human TEC preparations. Lastly, our work provides new clues for a better understanding of how the thymic epithelial network can work as a physiological syncytium.
- Forskolin
- Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide
- Calcein
- Thymic Epithelial Cell
- Lucifer Yellow
Intercellular communication mediated by gap junctions has been considered ubiquitous during the development, maturation, homeostasis and death of diverse cell types and tissues in metazoa [1–7]. These junctions are membrane specializations located in cell-cell contact regions, where intercellular hydrophilic conduits, assembled as dodecameric protein complexes, directly connect the cytosols of adjacent cells [8]. Each complex is composed by two hexameric hemichannels, the connexons, one in each cell [9, 10]. In vertebrates, members of the connexin protein family form these channels, which in rodents has at least 20 isoforms [11, 12]. Topologically, the connexin protein contains four hydrophobic transmembrane domains (M1 to M4), two conserved extracellular loops (E1-E2), one intracellular loop and intracellular C- and N-terminal domains [13]. With an estimated permeability limited to molecules below approximately 1 kDa, these intercellular channels allow cells to share metabolites such as glucose and nucleotides, buffer ions such as K+ and H+, and convey important intracellular second messengers such as calcium, cyclic 5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and 1,4,5-inositol-trisphosphate (IP3) [14–18]. Physiologically, gap junctions have been associated with diverse phenomena such as transmission of electrical signals (as electrotonic synapses) and intercellular calcium waves, metabolic and ionic coupling, and cellular synchronization [19–22]. In this respect, loss or dysfunction of gap junctions have been related to distinct diseases [23–28].
Gap junction channels may be modulated at different levels. Gap junction channel gating, i.e., shifting between open and closed states, is regulated by voltage, intracellular pH (pHi) and Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), and phosphorylation [29–31]. It has been suggested that the connexin C-terminal and the intracellular loop of the protein are associated with gap junction channel sensitivity to pHi and [Ca2+]i, while the M1 domain, the N-terminal and the E1 domain have been associated with the voltage sensor [13, 29]. The C-terminal domain exhibits diverse kinase recognition motifs, which allow channel regulation by threonine/serine and tyrosine kinases.
Functional GJIC has been shown in a variety of cell types of the immune system, such as T and B lymphocytes, dendritic cells, microglia, monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils and mast cells [32–38]. In vitro experiments have demonstrated Cx43 mediated functional GJIC between thymic epithelial cells [39, 40]. In addition, data obtained from Cx43-/- mice revealed that this protein is important to normal T cell lymphopoiesis [41].
Despite the multiple possibilities of regulation of thymic physiology by diverse neuroendocrine products [42], few previous studies have evaluated GJIC modulation in thymic epithelial cells. Head et al. [43, 44] demonstrated, by dye injection, that treatment of thymic epithelial cells with soluble factors such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), growth hormone (GH), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), steroid hormones and neuropeptides induced a partial inhibition of coupling and in some cases it diminished thymulin secretion.
The modulation of GJIC may also be evaluated through the activation of different intracellular signaling pathways by specific second messenger analogs, as well as agonists or antagonists of relevant signaling molecules. The importance of cAMP and PKC in mediating intracellular signaling of diverse extracellular messengers is widely recognized [45, 46]. cAMP activates cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) [47]; and PKC is activated by diacylglycerol and/or calcium (or neither depending on its isoform), as a result of phospholipid signaling pathways [48]. The effects of cAMP on GJIC have been investigated in systems such as hepatocyte primary cultures, cardiac myocytes, ovarian follicles, myometrium, carotid body and retina [15, 49–53]; and in cell lines derived from ovarian granulosa cells, endometrial and colonic epithelium, endothelium, osteoblasts, and mammary tumor cells [54–57].
The effects of PKC activation on GJIC have also been investigated [31]. In general, cAMP acts by enhancing GJIC while PKC inhibits it [49, 51, 57–59]. However, contrasting results have been reported for both signaling pathways [15, 50, 53, 56, 60]. Nevertheless, to our knowledge the effects of cAMP elevation or PKC activation on GJIC have not been studied in the immune system. Herein we investigated the putative modulatory effects of cAMP and PKC on GJIC between thymic epithelial cells (TEC). Our results demonstrate that inter-TEC GJIC is upregulated by cAMP and downregulated by PKC.
Evaluation of functional GJIC-mediated dye transfer by flow cytometry
cAMP elevation enhances inter-TEC GJIC
We observed the same effect when the intracellular dye microinjection assay was performed on IT76M1 cells.
cAMP elevation upregulates Cx43 at different levels
Phorbol ester induced PKC activation and down-regulates inter-TEC GJIC
Since the phospholipid signaling frequently induces both PKC activation and [Ca2+]i elevation, we also treated the mouse TEC line with both PMA and the calcium ionophore ionomycin (1 μg/ml). In these conditions, a partial but statistically significant inhibition of dye coupling was still seen (Figure 5G).
Inter-TEC GJIC is not modulated by the presence of thymocytes
Since thymocytes play an important role in TEC differentiation and organization during ontogeny of the thymus [70, 71], we investigated if the contact with thymocytes could modulate GJIC in the thymic epithelium.
In the present study we demonstrated, by various experimental approaches, that cAMP and PKC are involved in the modulation of inter-TEC GJIC: the cAMP agonist 8-Br-cAMP enhanced inter-TEC coupling whereas PMA-induced PKC activation triggered an opposite effect.
Using flow cytometry we first detected in a mouse TEC line, that up to 90% of DiIc18(3)+ cells co-cultured in 1:1 ratio with calcein+ cells became double positive, a phenomenon which was readily inhibited by the gap junction inhibitors 18-β-glycyrrhetinic acid and carbenoxolone. This result clearly demonstrates that the thymic epithelium spontaneously forms a GJIC-dependent functional syncytium in vitro. Under these conditions, 8-Br-cAMP and forskolin did not significantly modify this spontaneous percentage of coupled cells. However, both compounds enhanced up to 3 fold the calcein fluorescence intensity of the double positive cells, indicating an increase in the rate of dye transfer among coupled cells. Importantly, 8-Br-cAMP also induced an increment in GJIC in TNC-derived primary cultures of human TEC. These data clearly show that elevation of cAMP upregulates inter-TEC GJIC, similar to what has been reported for effects on cell types in other systems [51, 55].
Experiments performed with the mouse TEC line revealed that 8-Br-cAMP and forskolin treatments induced an accumulation of Cx43 protein at cell-to-cell contact regions, seen as punctate clusters. Furthermore, 8-Br-cAMP induced an increase in Cx43 gene transcription, suggesting that the protein accumulation may be a consequence of altered Cx43 protein translation. Such an alteration in connexin synthesis and accumulation in the cell membrane is in accordance with previous description of modulation of gap junctions by cAMP elevating agonists after long-term evaluations (2-24 hrs, and 7 days) [51, 52, 54, 57, 72–74]. However, short-term modulation also has been demonstrated, with description of changes in gap junctional conductance within minutes of treatment with 8-Br-cAMP [75–77]; in some cell types, changes in dye coupling were also detected within 2-10 minutes after this treatment [55, 56, 77]. In cases of both short- and long-term evaluations alteration in the degree of connexin phosphorylation has also been demonstrated [73, 76]. Interestingly, some of these reports have demonstrated that connexin isoforms other than Cx43 also may be regulated by cAMP analogs, such as Cx26, Cx40 and possibly Cx32 [49, 56, 76, 77]. Thus, we cannot exclude the possibility that other connexin isoforms, not yet characterized in TEC, might also be regulated by 8-Br-cAMP and forskolin in IT-76M1 cells.
We also investigated whether physiological stimuli, could signal through cyclic nucleotides, might be involved in modulation of inter-TEC GJIC. When we evaluated VIP and adenosine, we did not observe any change in the degree of cell coupling in the mouse TEC preparation in any concentration of each molecule used. Similar results were seen despite the various concentrations applied for each molecule.
We should mention however, that our finding on VIP is at variance with the data reported by Head and co-workers [44]. These authors reported an inhibition of GJIC in a rat TEC. Although by now we cannot explain such a difference, it may be related to cell line variations or presumably due to receptor signaling dynamics that cannot be merely mimicked by a single agonist [78], or may be related to differences in methodological approaches given that the authors treated the cells before GJIC formation.
In any case, adenosine, which may also signal through cyclic nucleotides depending on its concentration and the activated P1 receptor [67], did not modify the basal level of inter-TEC GJIC as well. These results demonstrate that VIP and adenosine possibly are not physiological modulators of GJIC among TECs. A recent review indicates that adrenoreceptor agonists mediate thymus homeostasis and local T cell development [79]. In addition, reports have suggested a role for catecholamines on thymic epithelial cells controlling proliferation and cytokine secretion [68, 80]. Our data demonstrate that epinephrine, and activation of cAMP, lead to an increasing dye coupling in TEC cells suggesting that this mediator could endogenously control communication between thymic epithelial cells and contribute to thymus physiology. We are currently investigating other endogenous molecules which also signal through cAMP, in order to evaluate its potential to modulate inter-TEC GJIC.
In a second set of experiments, we demonstrated that PKC activation (induced herein by the phorbol ester, PMA) significantly inhibits the dye coupling in both mouse and human TEC in vitro models.
The fact that the same inhibitory effect was seen in a mouse TEC line as well as in primary cultures of human TEC deserve further discussion. The study by Chanson et al. [56] demonstrated that GJIC inhibition was induced by phorbol esters in a liver-derived cell line but not in differentiated primarily cultures of pancreatic exocrine cells. Similarly, the inhibitory effect of phorbol esters on GJIC was observed in primary cultured developing lens cells, which express Cx43 and Cx49, but not in lentoid cells (differentiated lens cells), which express Cx46 and Cx49, demonstrating that the effects of these compounds might be dependent on the cellular differentiation stage and its pattern of Cx expression [81].
By contrast, the presence of thymocytes apparently is not involved in the control of inter-TEC GJIC, at least in the co-culture experimental conditions that we used. Nevertheless, further studies are still necessary in order to completely discard a role for thymocytes in the control of inter-TEC communication mediated by gap junctions.
In summary, our data strongly indicate that cAMP and PKC intracellular pathways are involved in the homeostatic control of the gap junction-mediated communication in the thymic epithelium, exerting respectively a positive and negative role upon cell coupling. Importantly, this control is phylogenetically conserved in the thymus, since it was seen in both mouse and human TEC preparations.
In a second vein, we showed that two other extracellular messenger molecules, which also signal through cyclic nucleotides, VIP and adenosine, did not mimic the positive action of 8-Br-cAMP, but epinephrine was able to reproduce this effect, suggesting a specificity control of cAMP in the mechanism of inter-TEC GJIC.
Overall, our work provides new clues for a better understanding of how the thymic epithelial network can work as a physiological syncytium.
Lucifer yellow, triton X-100, 18-β-glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA), forskolin, 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP), phorbol 12- myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin were purchased from Sigma Chemical Co. (St. Louis, MO, USA). Calcein-AM and DiIc18(3) dyes were obtained from Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR, USA), and heptanol was from Merk (Darmstadt, Germany). Collagenase A, dispase II and DNAse grade II were purchased from Boehringer Mannheim Biochemicals (Indianapolis, IN, USA), whereas fetal calf serum was from Hyclone Laboratories (South Logan, UT, USA).
Thymic epithelial cultures
The mouse TEC line, IT-76M1, was obtained from BALB/c-derived thymic stromal cells after continuous culture. The epithelial nature of this line was ascertained by the presence of desmosomes and cytokeratin filaments [82–84]. These cells were routinely maintained in culture with RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, at 37°C in a 5% CO2 atmosphere.
In addition to the mouse TEC line, we used in some experiments, primary cultures of human TEC, obtained after isolation of thymic nurse cells complexes. For that, fragments of human thymus were obtained from children subjected to cardiac surgery, following the guidelines of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation's ethics committee. Thymic nurse cells (TNC) are thymic lymphoepithelial complexes that harbor a variable number of thymocytes [85]. When settled in culture, TNCs gradually release thymocytes, and after 3-5 days, a thymocyte-free primary culture of epithelial cells is established. The TNC isolation was performed according to the procedures currently done in our laboratory [86]. In brief, human thymic fragments were minced (~1 mm3) and gently agitated for 20 min in RPMI 1640 medium. Released thymocytes were discarded and the thymic fragments were suspended in collagenase A solution (0.2 mg/mL) and further agitated at room temperature (RT) for 20 min. The supernatant was again discarded and the remaining fragments were dissociated enzymatically with a CDD solution (collagenase A - 0.2 mg/mL; dispase II - 0.2 mg/mL; DNAse grade II - 5 μg/ml) for 20 min at 37°C. The digestion product was centrifuged and the pellet suspended in PBS. These cell suspensions were carefully layered above 10 mL of fetal calf serum (Cultilab, Campinas, Brazil) placed in 15 mL tubes. The typically heavier TNCs were allowed to sediment. The TNCs obtained by this process were cultured, and after complete thymocyte release, resulting epithelial cultures were used in all experiments.
To evaluate connexin expression, TEC were cultured on glass coverslips until confluence. The cells were fixed in cold (-20°C) methanol and further permeabilized by a solution containing 0.2% Triton X-100. The cells were then incubated overnight at 4°C with anti-connexin 43 rabbit polyclonal antibody (Zymed Laboratories, South San Francisco, CA, USA). After washing, the cells were incubated for 1 hour at room temperature with appropriate alexa 488-conjugated secondary antibody (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR, USA) to reveal the specific labeling. The cells were washed twice, and the coverslips were mounted in PBS-glycerol (3:1) containing 0.1% para-phenylene diamine, an anti-oxidation agent. Cells were analyzed in a Nikon Eclipse TE-300 microscope with phase-contrast and epifluorescence optics, and photographed using a SPOT-RT digital camera (Diagnostic Instruments, Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA).
Dye microinjection assay
The evaluation of GJIC by intracellular dye microinjection assay was performed as previously described [39]. Human TNC-derived epithelial cells and IT76 M1 cells were cultured in small Petri dishes until confluence. Visualization of cells was performed with an inverted microscope equipped with epifluorescence optics (Axiovert 100, Carl Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germain). The glass microelectrodes were pulled from borosilicate glass (World Precision Instruments, New Haven, CT, USA) using a pipette puller (model PC-10, Narishige, Tokyo, Japan), filled with lucifer yellow (50 mg/ml in 150 mM LiCl) and positioned using a three-dimensional micromanipulator model (MMO-203, Narishige, Tokyo, Japan). Cells were then iontophoretically microinjected with lucifer yellow through brief current pulses. After 1 minute, the number of adjacent cells that acquired the lucifer yellow was quantified. To ascertain that the dye coupling was mediated by GJIC, in some experiments human TEC were also treated with heptanol (5 mM), a gap junction inhibitor.
GJIC was evaluated using flow cytometry as previously described [61, 87]. After confluence, one sample of the mouse TEC line was loaded with calcein-AM (0.5 M) for 30 minutes, while the other was labeled with the lipophilic molecule Dilc18(3) (10 μM) for 1 hour. Cells were then washed 5 times with PBS and enzymatically dissociated. Calcein+DiIc18(3)- cells and calcein-DiIc18(3)+ cells were co-cultured at 1:1 ratio, being treated (during the co-culture period of 6 hours) or not with drugs of interest. Thereafter, cells were dissociated and the double positive cells [calcein+ DiIc18(3)+] were quantified by flow cytometry, using a FacsCalibur device (Becton-Dickinson, Mountain View, CA, USA). Double-positive cells thus corresponded the functional calcein transfer from calcein+DiIc18(3)- to calcein-DiIc18(3)+ cells. At least 104 cells were acquired in each experimental condition. In some experiments, TEC were also co-cultured with freshly isolated thymocytes. For this purpose, thymuses were obtained from BALC/c mice, maintained at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Animal Facilities (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
RNA extraction and Northern Blotting
Total RNA was extracted from the mouse TEC line, using TRIzol Reagent (Gibco/BRL, Grand Island, NY, USA). For northern blots, 10-20 μg of total RNA was loaded in 1.2% agarose gel containing 0.12 mg/L ethidium bromide. Gels were blotted onto a nylon membrane and fixed by ultraviolet light. For detection of Cx43 mRNA, membranes were pre-hybridized for 1 hr at 65°C in rapid hybridization buffer. Then the membrane was hybridized for 2 hrs at 65°C with rapid hybridization buffer with a 32P-labeled cDNA probe for Cx43 or GAPDH. Membranes were washed once in 2× standard saline citrate buffer containing 0.1% SDS at room temperature, then exposed to X-ray film.
For statistical comparisons we applied the two- tail paired Student's t test, implemented by the GraphPad Prism software. Differences with p < 0.05 were considered significant.
This study and authors was supported by grants from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico and Tecnológico (CNPq), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz).
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Moving the veggies to the center of the plate
Everyone gets into a vegetable rut from time to time. We steam broccoli. We butter peas. We saute greens with garlic. And then, when our kids act bored with their vegetables, we wonder why.
Fortunately, every couple of years you can count on a really good new vegetable book to shake up this ho-hum cycle. This season's rut-buster comes from Fine Cooking's Susie Middleton. Like other vegetable books I have loved, "Fast, Fresh & Green'' shows a certain economy of gesture. In each recipe, Middleton somehow manages to celebrate two or three flavors that flatter or amplify the starring produce in interesting new ways.
This time of year, you may be eating some of your harvest raw, but Middleton has a number of intriguing alternatives. Boring peas pick up brightness and luster with fine increments of lemon, mint, and scallions. Fava beans with shallots and mint start with nearly the same profile, yet take on a savory dimension from the Parmesan, which completely alters the equation. Quick-braised green beans with pomegranate-balsamic sauce showcases a dramatic sequence that goes slap-kiss-crunch (vinegar and ginger, syrup and butter, nuts) and which I find hard to resist.
Greens recipes are constructed with careful attention to texture. Collard greens are a far cry from the long-cooked, softened collards you may know. These are rapidly wilted and lightly dressed, but still offer some resistance to the tooth. Stir-fried Swiss chard with pine nuts and balsamic butter hides a surprise. The butter is swirled in at the end, yielding a velvety emulsion (like a beurre blanc) that contrasts with the pine nuts. And Middleton shows you how to crisp and crumble pancetta onto Tuscan kale, sweetening it with maple and ginger (if you've ever dragged ham on the breakfast plate through a puddle of syrup, you know just how good this is).
Be sure to try grilled baby potatoes. You boil the potatoes first, coat them in a mustard marinade, grill them, then serve with creamy, lemony mustard dressing. Sesame-ginger shiitakes, which demand nothing more than a bath in a simple marinade before grilling, are the perfect, fuss-free complement to any kind of meat you've chosen to put on the fire.
If there was any slight letdown in the book, I'd have to say it was brown butter summer squash "linguine,'' which is julienned and sauteed squash. Even with brown butter and chopped nuts, it's just hard to galvanize squash, and this one's no exception.
If you've been reading attentively, it won't come as a surprise when I say that this is not a vegetable book for vegans. Middleton is fond of the small, rich gesture, whether it comes from butter, cream, or mayonnaise. Still, some 75 percent of the recipes are vegetarian, so the book remains a bargain for the meatless.
After several weeks with "Fast, Fresh & Green'' I remain puzzled by the ripe teaser on the back cover: "Learn the three secrets of cooking delicious, quick vegetables.'' Maybe I'm a sloppy reader, but nowhere do I find any three secrets. I'll have to make do with just the one. What is it, you ask breathlessly? What is the one secret to cooking delicious, quick vegetables? Simple: Buy the book.
T. Susan Chang can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Incredible growth and market expansion has created the need for strategic leadership in provider contracting and network development.
This is THE opportunity to be with a leading healthcare enterprise.
VP will lead all aspects of provider network strategy including access analysis and network operations. Engage with other decision makers for analysis related to reimbursement and unit cost management.
- Oversee network development staff and external consultants in the development of provider networks across expansion markets.
- Perform periodic analyses of the provider network from a cost, coverage, and growth perspective. Provide leadership in evaluating opportunities to expand or change the network to meet Company goals.
- Manage budgeting and forecasting initiatives for product lines to networks costs and provider contracts.
- Oversee analysis of claim trend data and/or market information to derive conclusions to support contract negotiations.
- Conduct periodic review of provider contracting rates to ensure strategic focus is on target with overall Company strategy.
- Support market expansion and M&A activities by leading provider contract analysis related to due diligence.
- Collaborate with senior leadership on key provider relations and strategy.
- Ensure provider compliance with ADA requirements, accessibility and accommodations
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
- 10+ years of current experience in managed care network development and provider relations/contracting management in a managed care environment.
- Previous management experience including responsibility for expanding and developing staff.


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Remember, you have zero cost or obligation until you accept a proposal from any recruiter.
Anna, how do you find all these people? Let's fly him out to Indy ASAP. He is an expert in HH Pharma (I learned a lot on the call). He could really hit the ground running.
One of your biggest advantages as a "small house" is your personalized approach. You "personally recruit and screen every candidate" presented. I hope other Managers realize the importance you place on finding the right candidate for the right position.
Anna, would you mind helping me find a candidate in Omaha - Sure enjoy working with you.
You've always sent me great candidates, you know the criteria... looking for your expertise for this next go around.
It appears that you have found a great deal of good talent in a difficult market. Nice Job.
You are an angel among the heavens! Thanks, ~Rick P., Hospital Rep – Northwest Indiana
I bet you are one of the most successful recruiters ever! You seem to be working all of the time and have such great leads. I do know a lot of people since I've been in sales for a long time, and you are right, networking is really the best way for anyone to find a job. I've actually helped a lot of my friends find jobs, which is so fulfilling to me. One of the hardest things is to find out about opportunities, and to find a good recruiter to work with, so I'm really glad that you contacted me! Thanks again!
You truly went the extra mile for me. Thank You. I will be one of the few you can proudly say that YOU recruited. Thanks again.


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Alright folks! Tyler here with yet another review for the 2011 Summer Film Challenge (yeah I know it's gone longer than summer). This time I get to critique the second and final Woody Allen film of the Challenge: Hannah and Her Sisters. It was interesting and fun, yet I really wasn't wowed by it. So, let's get into it.
This one is going to be a bit short, simply because I don't really have that much to say about it. It was an incredibly well done slice-of-life film which I really appreciated as a look at real life. On the other hand, I don't really feel like it stood out in any prominent way. It just seemed like a fun film that was enjoyable and a window into seemingly real people's lives. Not much more.
As far as the acting goes you can't possibly go wrong with a Woody Allen picture. Each player was interesting both as the person they were creating as well as for who they were themselves. What I mean is this – it was cool to see the character Carrie Fisher made in the story itself, AND to see her acting post-Star Wars era. I have seen each actor or actress in other films and it was interesting to see them as such normal people.
What I spent most of the film trying to figure out was this: what connects the three stories in the film? They were all about people living life but each one was interconnected with the other two in some way. The conclusion I came to is that each story involved Life and Love in various forms. It was interesting to watch how each person tried to find meaning in their life and to achieve happiness by themselves. Yet, it was when they came together (both emotionally and in each other's physical presence) that they discovered they were truly happy. In essence, it all works out in the end when you have friends. Or something like that 🙂
Overall, I would say that it is an okay film, but it's not particularly interesting or engaging. It explores a new avenue of film but really just lacks that "Umph" needed to make it stand out from all the rest. Any audience could enjoy Hannah and Her Sisters, but I highly doubt I will be looking back to this film for any reason anytime soon.
One final note: Woody Allen = Wittier Rick Moranis 🙂
Overall Rating: 6//10
There you go! Sorry to any serious Woody fan's out there but I "calls 'em as I sees 'em". Let me know what you thought of the film in the comments below and I might be persuaded to reconsider.
As we approach this Christmas season I want to thank you all for your readership and encouragement over this year. It has been a great start thus far to this and my Art of the Trailer blog and again I thank you for stopping by to check out my reviews every once in a while. I will be taking a break for the holidays to enjoy time with my friends and family, as I hope you will be doing as well.
When I come back at the start of next year, you can expect at least 2 new reviews from the Summer Film Challenge. Most likely it will be a Coen Bros. film and maybe another Kaufman flick if I can muster the determination for it 🙂 Anyway, thanks for stopping by, check out my review of the new Men in Black 3 this Friday on Art of the Trailer!
To you and all those you hold dear, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and I will see you all in 2012. God Bless!


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Wireless is the transfer of information over a distance without the use of electrical conductors or wires.The distances involved may be short (a few meters as in television remote control) or long (thousands or millions of kilometers for radio communications).
When the context is clear, the term is often shortened to wireless. Wireless communication is generally considered to be a branch of telecommunications.


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Oh, hey there! Long time no see! Today is a very special day in Boho Berry Land for a couple of reasons…
FIRST, today is my 2 Year Blog Anniversary (or bloggiversary as I like to call it), and it's inducing some major feels! Every time I look back at how far this "little" blog has come, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for all of those who have supported me along the way — that's YOU, by the way! :)
SECOND, I'm over the moon thrilled because today is the day that I finally get to announce to the world that my signature handwriting course, Positive Scribes, is open for enrollment!
Before we get into the course info, let's take a little trip down memory lane, shall we?
Two short years ago, I started the Boho Berry Blog as a way to share the design process behind my Boho jewelry shop on Etsy. I had been in the bar and restaurant industry for 15+ years, and I was itching to carve my own path in this world.
My first post here on the blog, And so it begins…, warms my heart every single time that I read it. Little did I know back then that I was embarking on the journey of a lifetime!
Not only did I CRUSH that goal of "owning my own business where I can let my creative side run free", but I achieved it in a completely unexpected way.
My vision back then was to create a completely product-based business around my jewelry creations and to eventually have my own brick and mortar store. I wanted to provide an income for my family doing something that I loved. What I didn't realize at the time was that spending hours per day making bracelets and necklaces was NOT my calling.
BUT, learning the ropes of online business did lead me to my next passion — the Bullet Journal.
In an effort to organize myself and make the most out of my blog and business, I started using the Bullet Journal® system in August of 2015. I soon found myself falling in love with both the simplicity of the system and how customizable it was to my particular needs.
The rest, as they say, is history. I began blogging about Bullet Journaling as well as my own personal development journey. As soon as I started writing about the things that I was passionate about, the Boho Berry Blog took on a life of its own.
Before I knew it, I started to gain a following online. I started my YouTube channel in November of that same year and watched in awe as more and more people subscribed to watch me talk about planning, organizing, and personal growth.
In May of the following year, I finally caved to the demand and started my sticker shop on Etsy – Boho Berry Paperie. I opened my shop on May 1st with one Silhouette Machine and a ream of sticker paper and soon found myself scrambling to order more machines and supplies as the orders came pouring in.
That same month, I invited everyone on my email list to join me in the Boho Berry Tribe Facebook Group. Now over 18,000 strong, the Tribe has become my absolute favorite place online. I feel blessed every single day to have such a caring and supportive group to call home!
When I look back on everything that I've achieved in the past two years, I'm honestly blown away by it! Never in my wildest dreams did I think that "little ol' me" could have an impact on so many lives.
I'm also reminded that I could never have made it this far without the support and friendship of a few special people. Please indulge me for a minute as I express my gratitude…
Lisa Jacobs – Lisa, you have been not only my mentor but my friend as well. I have learned SO much from you when it comes to running a creative business, and I will be forever in your debt! Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world!
Hal Elrod – Hal, your book (The Miracle Morning) absolutely changed my life! Creating a morning routine that allows me to better myself each and every day has been one of the single most powerful changes I have made in my life. You can bet your last buck that I'll be singing your praises to everyone who will listen. Thank you!
Ryder Carroll – I can't thank you enough for sharing the Bullet Journal system with the world so freely! Your system has turned this disorganized, forgetful girl into a productivity machine! You are changing lives for the better each and every day. Thank you for letting me be a part of that!
Brian Goulet – I can't remember how I discovered you on YouTube a couple of years ago, but I'm grateful every day that I did! The education and support that you and your team provide to the Fountain Pen community are unmatched. You inspire me daily with your commitment to leadership, education, and to your family. Thank you for not only your support but your friendship as well!
Kim, Jessica, and Dee – You ladies have been an inspiration to me since the very first page of my very first Bullet Journal! I'm honored to call all three of you friends. Thank you for putting your ideas, love, and art out into the world! The Universe is a better place because you are in it!
I could go on and on about all of the lovely people who have supported me on this journey, but I don't want this blog post to be TOO long ;) Just know that I appreciate each and every one of you for the role that you have played in my life and in my heart — no matter how big or small!
Now that I'm done being sappy (I think), I'm SO excited to announce that Positive Scribes is open for enrollment! I have been pouring my heart and soul into this course for the past three months. I've been working more hours than I care to admit in order to make this course the best handwriting course online!
Last week, I opened up Positive Scribes to an amazing group of Beta Testers. They've been providing valuable feedback and constructive criticism all week long, and I've been working overtime to tweak and improve the course before it goes live on Friday.
Here's what you'll get as a part of the course:
* Five course modules chock full of step-by-step videos, downloadable practice sheets, and more!
* Lifetime Access – This means that you'll be able to access the course at any time in the future, AND get all of the updates and improvements for FREE each time I update and relaunch the course… yay!
* Weekly LIVE Q&A's during each and every open enrollment of the course.
* A Slack community to connect with others going through the course, share your progress, and cheer each other on.
How it works:
Each Friday (starting April 14th), you'll gain access to a new module of the course. You'll be guided through letter formations, practice quotes, and share your progress with the rest of the class in our Slack community.
Throughout the course, you'll be learning three styles of handwriting – print, cursive, and my own style of slanted cursive.
You'll also be encouraged to branch out and try different styles on your journey to craft your very own unique handwriting style.
Enrollment is open from FRIDAY, APRIL 11th – FRIDAY, MAY 5th!
Of course, since it's my 2-Year Bloggiversary, I want to celebrate BIG! So…
I'm giving away TEN course packages valued at $279 a piece!
In addition to the entire Positive Scribes course, you'll also get a one-on-one Skype call with me to talk about all things handwriting. I'll be offering you personalized advice, tips, and encouragement along the way as well!
Please note that each entry option below will give you ONE entry. It is not mandatory to do both. I'll be drawing winners at 12:00 PM ET on Monday, April 17th! Good luck!
PS – If you have already purchased the course and are drawn as a winner, you'll be refunded the full amount :)
- Access to the Tribe Resource Library, chock full of FREE printables. New printables added every two weeks!
- Admission into the Tribe Facebook Group, where we support and encourage each other daily.
- An invite to my monthly Live Q&A exclusive to Tribe Members!
- A 10% off coupon for Boho Berry Paperie for each month that you remain a Tribe Member.
You will also receive the Boho Berry Newsletter every Friday -- chock full of motivation, inspiration, updates and more!
Kara Benz is the artist and author behind Boho Berry, where she inspires her readers to lead a more centered, fulfilled, and inspired life. Kara also runs a successful sticker shop on Etsy – Boho Berry Paperie.


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Persian rugs are an essential part of the Persian culture and art. These rugs constitute the major part of the exports of Persia or Iran. These are stylish and sophisticated material. They were invented four thousand years before in Egypt. These rugs not only add grandeur to the home decor but are also durable.
Weaving Style
These rugs can me made out of simple looms, either horizontal or vertical. Vertical looms are of three kinds, Tabriz, roller beam loom and village loom. Two basic knots are used. They are symmetrical Turkish or Ghiordes and asymmetrical Persian or Senneh knot. Persian knot is used for finer rugs. Other knots include Spanish knot
These rugs are divided into three types. Farsh or Qalii, Qalicheh, and Kilim. Art of weaving had undergone many changes from ancient to the modern times. Wool is the most commonly used material but cotton and silk are also used frequently. They are also classified as Persian city rugs and Persian tribal rugs.
Afshar rugs: These are designed with geometrical patterns. Wool is the main foundation, but can also be used. Colors used are dark red, reddish brown, burnt orange, and camel.
Tabriz rugs: These are designed with curvilinear patterns. Geometrical patterns are also used sometimes. Symmetrical Turkish knot is used. The foundation is usually silk and wool pile with silk highlights. Colors range from pink, peach, camel, blue, green, ivory, lavender, and orange.
Kashan rugs: These are of curvilinear design. The common background colors are usually navy, rich red, beige, and ivory.
Kerman rugs: These are also curvilinear patterns. These are popular for kerman pictorials which include floral, boteh, stripes, gardens etc. used from Persian and European themes. Colors range from rich red, red-blue, pink, lime green, ivory, and turquoise.
Baluch rugs: These are hand woven by baluch tribe. Colors are usually rich burgundy with navy, and ivory.
Shiraz rugs: These are hand woven rugs from Iran. Common designs are geometric motifs, animals, and plants. Red is the main color used.
Wiss rugs: These are tribal rugs with designs of rich floral patterns, gardens, vases, and foliage. Main color is dark shade of red or burgundy.
Persian rugs gained popularity throughout the world. They can enhance the beauty of the home. They can be used as wall hangings. They are mainly used floor coverings. They are simply inspiring. Increasing demand for the rugs create more excitement among dealers.


text: If you are lacking a method of organizing your cash, or you simply want to upgrade from a cashbox and a calculator, you should consider a Royal brand cash register. These cash registers are designed for small businesses to medium-size businesses and include a secure cash drawer, calculating capabilities, price look-ups (PLUs) and more. We even offer cash registers that can be completely run on batteries for portability purposes. All of our available cash registers include printing capabilities and an LCD display. Royal cash registers are known for their reliability and great looks. Regardless of what you are selling, your business can benefit from one of these cash registers. Lock in this low price and buy yours today!


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Dr. Basset's latest book, WordPlay
WordPlay is a compilation of the most salient research that pertains to language use. It is a layman's introduction to psycholinguistics. The emphasis is on how words shape behavior and become the substance of the mind. This is knowledge of those habits of mind that can interfere with straight, clear thinking.
The Manager's Craft
By Dr.Glenn A. Bassett
Available on demand in paperback or kindle at Amazon and Barnes and Noble
E-Book also available for download through Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Managers-Craft-ebook/dp/B007XH0UQW
Free, easy-to-download, e-reader App
software for PCs, iPads and mobile is available online!
About The Manager's Craft:
In a world where technology and globalization are transforming the business landscape at a dizzying pace, one thing will never change, and that's the importance of knowing how to effectively manage the people and teams that comprise your human capital.
Navigating the challenges and opportunities involved requires a high level of skill.
Enter The Manager's Craft -- an essential guide for working managers at all levels seeking sound, reliable, tested advice designed to support efficient, high performing operations.
The Manager's Craft is also written for:
* Business and management professors seeking supplementary reading for their students.
* Students of business and management seeking a better understanding of their courses.
* Employees who want a better understanding of the dynamic forces that shape their workplace and working lives.
* Working managers at all levels of organization who want to clarify their experience against sound management research and experience.
* Anyone interested in how workplace and organizational practices have evolved through the twentieth century.
FROM The New London Day, June 17, 2012:
....."Authority is the fundamental lever of control in the pursuit of business goals and objectives," Bassett said in his book, available on Amazon.com. "It gets the job done."
Bassett, who bases much of his book on scientific findings, pointed out that a boss's right to hire, fire and discipline stands behind every decision made, instruction given or rule enforced.
"More careers are stalled, more anger and confusion is generated, more time is wasted through the inept use of authority than from any other source," he writes. "A personal need to possess and exercise authority distracts and confuses the manager who fears appearing weak or lacking resolve in its use.
Bassett said the key for a manager is maintaining balance....."
To read more go to:
"The Manager's Craft should be part of every business management capstone course. This book takes an unapologetic look at the challenges that all managers face in the workplace. Dr. Bassett gives the reader a realistic analysis of manager's challenges, including a topic that has become taboo in today's business schools, reward and punishment. The book gives a critical analysis of many productivity studies of the past, and in so doing points out the strong and weak points of each study. Dr. Bassett applies the results of those studies and gives the reader an assessment that can be applied to today's work environment.
As an entrepreneur of a small company with fifteen employees, I wish I read this book before starting my business as it would have saved me considerable headaches and a lot of expensive lessons. The beauty of the Manager's Craft is its relevance to managers of both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies."
-- Leigh William Gesick, President, SMT International, LLC
"The Manger's Craft is a well written, thoughtfully presented book covering principles of successful management. Anyone involved in management in any way will be well served by reading and putting into action the principles outlined.


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Red Bananas, Nutrition Facts And Health Benefits
Bananas are the world's most famous fruits and the most consumed. You need to know that they will provide you the best benefits which you can't even imagine. It also presents the fruit with the largest tree in the world. It will re grows every year. They also contain three natural sugars fructose, sucrose and glucose which are combined with fiber.
Also it is constructed from 11 minerals, 6 vitamins. In case you didn't know there are 5 different types of bananas, not like the yellow sweet banana.
In this post we are going o present you the red banana. In case you haven't heard about these, now we will explain.
It is sweeter than the ordinary banana. It is similar to the ordinary banana, but they taste more like raspberries in the same time. They come from Costa Rica and the most favorite are in the Central America, Mexico and Australia.
They have purple skin and has creamy texture in cream to slightly pink color. They are rich n beta carotene and also have aroma which is just like strawberries.
They have dark red color, and has several brown spots. In case it is too soft you shouldn't consume it because it may have developed different types of bacteria which can be transmitted to you. This fruit is very rich in nutrients and have also large amounts of potassium, vitamin C and beta carotene.
You need to know that only normal red bananas contain 400mg potassium. One medium banana is full wth15% of the body's needs of Vitamin C, daily.
It has great anti-oxidant properties which will help you to keep yourself prevented from cancer, and different serious diseases.
Also they are rich in fiber which will help you to consume of 16% of the daily need of fiber, only in one medium sized red banana. You will eliminate the risk of developing diabetes type 2. Aromatic red bananas have a unique flavor, similar to the flavor of their cousin, yellow bananas, but mixed with the taste of some raspberries. This fruit is excellent addition to fruit salads, your favorite ice cream bowl or the popular banana split. You can eat it raw, but also it is very tasteful if you use it dried.
They are delicious fruits which are sweeter than regular bananas which we are consuming every day, and plus you can use it after 9 months.


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Kurt Warner wants to see Terrell Owens in the Hall of Fame someday.
After an incredible run to the hall himself, Warner has of course been asked about the most polarizing hall subject in quite some time—T.O.
Warner talked with PFT Live about Owens' candidacy:
"I believe, A, he's a Hall of Famer," Warner said on a Wednesday visit to PFT Live. "What he did between those lines you can't argue. There's nothing you can argue about, and I believe he will get in."
Owens, of course, hasn't been considered heavily by voters because of a perceived reputation as a guy who ruins locker rooms. Warner hit a bit on his experience in this area:
"That it's about the way you represented the game and the impact that you had on the game as a whole and I'm speaking just based on here say because every time I've been around T.O. I loved the guy. He's been great to me and I love his personality but I believe that's the perception or reality that's there is that the voters fully believe he belongs in due to his numbers and will get in.
The whole interview is worth a listen. But this too shows a disparity between former players, coaches and others and voters themselves. The voters seem to value his impact on a locker room more than most despite not experiencing said impact themselves, at least for the most part.
Alas, this is another chapter in the saga which has no clear end. Backlash to omitting Owens twice hasn't seemed to change much yet. Warner, though, seems to believe one of the best of all time will make it into the hall eventually.


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Ryman Healthcare | Edmund Hillary
Internal Communications Channel
The communication channel is also streamed within the residents in-room TV's through the villages MATV system.
Each screen displays customised content based on the location of the screen. This includes; daily and weekly schedule of activities and events, promotion of key events, important announcements, digital noticeboard, celebrations and much much more. Edmund Hillary staff and Ryman's Head Office staff have direct access to update the content and change what is displaying on the screens via our Contegro Cloud based software.
Dispersed within Edmund Hillary's communication content is our extensive range of managed content, such as; live news feeds, weather and fishing reports, daily quiz, inspirational quote of the day etc. This ensures residents, staff and guests remain engaged and informed.
A communication solution to be proud of
Internal Communication ChannelDesignCMS SoftwareEntertainment ContentHardwareInstallation
Various New World locations have recognised the value of getting a better vibe in their company... Read More
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Labyrinth furnished the video wall and other select screens with localised infotainment at mi-pad,... Read More
Labyrinth's Internal Communication Channel has enabled our client to reach staff and key... Read More
An Internal Communication Channel was developed for the flexible office space located at Smales... Read More
Our clients have discerning tastes in real estate and also their technology! We've given Property... Read More
An Internal Communication Channel of 15+ screens was created for multiple requirements at Edmund... Read More
A nationwide Internal Communication Channel was developed for the various locations of Hill... Read More
Customized and up-to-date content for both staff and community which includes the their Radio... Read More
We'll help turn your good idea into an impressive outcome!


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Voyage Fitness Retreats adopt an individualistic approach to your personal fitness plan. They tailor a programme around their clients goals and create achievable and realistic objectives.
The website has been designed to showcase the work they do and their professionalism.
ACE Academy is a growing academy trust that was in need of a rebrand. We designed this vibrant website, took some great action photography from all of their schools and made a video to really get across their passion for good education.
The website is designed to resize naturally through any screen size. The site is a picture lead portfolio website to show the very high stand of kitchens and bespoke furniture Winfreys of Helston produce. With a mobile optimised and touch enabled design for optimal performance on any portable device.
Concorde Group is the hub for Concorde Recruitment and Concorde Teaching Bank. Concorde Recruitment is one of the southwest's leading recruitment agencies, supplying both permanent and temporary staff across a range of occupational sectors, with a very comprehensive 'Job Search'. Concorde Teaching Bank is a professional recruitment service for the education sector throughout Cornwall and Devon.
We were approached by Energy Renewals to redesign their website to give it a fresh look whilst making the information clearer and easier to read as a consumer. We did this by using simple graphics and icons to get the message across. We've also produced an animated videoscribe for the site.
A creative website with animation and videos to enhance their corporate message.
With a simple and intuitive navigation the user can move around quickly and easily with no dead-ends.
Our client came to us wanting to create a website that was approachable and easy to use for people who wanted to sell their property fast.
We came up with their name, brand identity and website. It all came together to produce an instantly successful website and a happy client!
Ignis approached us to design and build a website to promote their new energy efficient power systems. The result was a clean and informative, easy to navigate site with interactive features including a counter showing the savings that could be made.
Property portfolio hub, including sales to property investors, purchasing properties and property rentals, with an easy to use database for the client to update with new properties as necessary.
The BBC site is built on the powerful Magento e-commerce platform. The expert build of the website has given the BBC team many advanced back-end capabilities and room for growth.
This duel language website was designed to communicate an array of alternative therapy. Elbury Design focused on creating a duality between emotional and functional elements to help lend an inspirational quality that is lacking across the competitive landscape. Loaded with beautiful photography.
The Uclaim site is designed to resize naturally through any screen-size. Elbury Design made no sacrifices to look, usability or content whether on mobile or cinema-display, while still optimizing bandwidth and user experience appropriately.
One of the best things about the Uclaim site is that it holds no punches on responsive designs. The images are just as vivid and engaging, the site is just as enjoyable to use, the product information is equally seen on any screen size.
This is a simple responsive wordpress website which covers all areas of expertise for PG Lakin quality heating and plumbing. Designed for the client to easily update so he can constantly update with his latest work.
The portfolio website was designed for a family-run construction company with a proven track record.
For many businesses a functional and well presented website is essential when engaging with customers on a range of devices. Each website we produce is unique in what it does and how it operates for our clients and there customers. From E-Commerce to portfolio we can create reactive websites and provide support to keep it dynamic and relevant.