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When we use our phones, we don't think about the internet, we just use them. That didn't used to be the case, though. Twenty years ago, home computers were just starting to use AOL, CompuServe and Prodigy to connect to the internet, and phones were still mostly connected to landlines and used for making calls and sending faxes. Remember faxes? Remember the early days of dial-up, when parents would have to ask their kids to get off the computer so they could make a phone call from their landline telephone? Today, however, we are in constant contact with the internet (except for those couple of seconds between zero and ten thousand feet). In the same way that the steam engine brought about the Industrial Revolution, the internet has brought us into the Information Age, where the answer to virtually any question is at our fingertips. The Internet of Things (IoT) isn't something new or separate – it's a continuation. And soon, just as phones followed computers, almost everything that has an on/off switch (and some things that don't) will be connected to the internet, and the Internet of Things will no longer exist. All that will live on is simply the internet.
Today, IoT has morphed from just an initial concept into real, tangible hardware and software solutions. One example of IoT that's been in your life for years is your wireless printer. At work, I can print to any company printer in the country no matter where I am. Even at home, my printer will predict when I am going to run out of ink and alert me before I actually do, so I can order it ahead of time. IoT isn't a technology of tomorrow, it's already here. Because of that, we are at a crossroads between manufacturing new "smart" products with built-in wireless connectivity and retrofitting existing "dumb" devices with sensors and RFID tiles. This is especially true of enterprises that are constantly finding ways to get more insight into and productivity out of their most expensive assets, but also know that simply replacing them would mean bad news for the balance sheet.
IoT is not a product being championed by a single company. Unlike how personal computers or even cell phones were initially introduced by one, maybe two technology giants, IoT is rather a sea change that is transforming our daily lives. Although there are literally hundreds of companies out there focusing on it, IoT is more a paradigm shift than a new technology.
When I think about IoT, that is to say, the internet, I'm struck by the unlimited potential that it has to completely transform the world around us, giving instant insight into any given situation. Consider that when everything is connected and all cars are self-driving, there will be no need for traffic lights anymore. In fact, why would we even have street signs? There will be virtually no need for us to take in and translate information of any kind that is related to an everyday task because our devices will do it for us at lightning speed.
You can predict the future in two ways: 1) what new things will be introduced and 2) what will disappear because of them. Here are a few examples:
- Everybody has a cell phone, and soon, no one will have a landline.
- Already, my phone recognizes if I'm on my way home from work and will let me know if there has been an accident on the highway and will suggest an alternate route.
- There will be no physical keys or keyholes anymore (many already own cars that use a fob to unlock and lock, with no keys or keyholes).
- There will be no light switches or any kind of physical on/off switch. You'll just walk into your house and say "lights." Or more likely your house will recognize when you're home and turn them on for you, because we all know that things are better when you don't have to ask for them.
Eventually, your devices, your "things," will know more about you than you do in almost every aspect of your life. But you won't think about all of these things individually. You won't have a smartphone or a smartwatch, you'll just have a phone and a watch, and everything else that you own will just be… the internet.
With its differentiated "Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast" methodology and its exceptional ecosystem of alliances, Deloitte can help organizations jumpstart their IoT journey. To learn more, contact Deloitte's Chief IoT Technologist, Robert Schmid at firstname.lastname@example.com or watch Robert's weekly coffee chats with leaders in the IoT space.
Robert Schmid is Deloitte's Chief IoT Technologist. Co-authors Ryan Manes and Mark Neier are practitioners in Deloitte's Supply Chain & Manufacturing Operations practice.


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How to Refinish Wooden Dining Chairs: A Step-by-Step Guide from Start to Finish
Wooden furniture is one of the most wonderful inventions, isn't it? Wood in and of itself is a gorgeous material, and when it's used for furniture, it's just perfection. Except, of course, when that furniture is dining room chairs…and it's old and beat up and not very pretty anymore. But there's great news, and that is this fact: wood can (almost) always be restored and refinished to become something you love.
This tutorial will take you, step-by-step, through the process of refinishing a set of wooden dining chairs; however, you can use this same process for virtually any wood piece you'd like to redo. The process takes quite a bit of time and lots of effort, but the end result is worth it.
This is the "before" photo of the dining chairs at the dining table. The shape of these chairs is great for this space, because they are low-profile, which makes the natural light more accessible visually. They are smaller scale, which is nice in a small dining room (which this one is) to keep things in proportion.
One downside to these chairs is that, in this state, they currently blend a little too closely to the floor. Like, they match…almost. But not quite. And this is not a great characteristic here.
Another sad spot for these chairs, which might be an instance for other dining chairs as well, is the sorry state of the legs. These are not filthy, although they look it. They are simply bashed and banged and scratched.
So, while they are a good shape and size for the space and are quite sturdy, these dining chairs could really use a refinishing job.
The first thing to do is strip the old finish off your existing wooden furniture. This could be paint, lacquer, varnish, polyurethane, or any number of other finishes. I recommend Citristrip stripping gel for its low fumes and effectiveness.
Brush the Citristrip generously onto your chair's surface. Get all the surfaces – inside, outside, backside, frontside, even down in the cracks and grooves where different wood pieces join together.
The Citristrip goes on pinkish but dries white.
Let the Citristrip sit for about 15-20 minutes. The instructions on the product states you can wait up to 24 hours before removing the Citristrip; however, I found it to be easiest and most effective to remove within about a half an hour. Waiting too long caused the Citristrip to over-dry (if that's a thing) and become quite hard to remove, which required another application of Citristrip just to get the first one off more easily. When you're staring down the gun that is eight dining chairs needing refinishing, this extra double-application is not welcome if it's not necessary.
Test a small area to see if the Citristrip has worked to remove the existing finish. Scrape away the Citristrip and anything that comes with it with a plastic scraper.
Where the Citristrip has dried in the cracks, use a toothbrush to brush the excess away after you've done the plastic scraper.
Citristrip worked very well for removing the finish on most of these wooden chairs. However, in some instances, the varnish was particularly stubborn. It was gummy coming off with the Citristrip and plastic scraper. No problem, though. Simply remove what you can on the first pass, then reapply a second coat of Citristrip, wait 15-20 more minutes (or until you can tell it's done working), and scrape off the second coat. Repeat if necessary, depending on the thickness of your particular furniture's finish.
When all the finish is removed and most of the Citristrip is scraped off, it's time to clean your furniture to remove the last of the residue. Use a stripping after wash and wipe it all over the chair.
I started with a scouring pad and dipped it in the after wash.
Rub the scouring pad over the wooden surfaces to be cleaned to remove all Citristrip residue.
Full disclosure: While the after wash seemed to be useful for its purpose, I realized that, because I wanted to sand the chairs before refinishing them anyway, it would save a step to skip the after wash and simply sand away the Citristrip residue. Use fine grit sandpaper, such as 220-grit.
Use the 220-grit sandpaper to gently sand all surfaces of the chair. If you opt to do this step in lieu of the after wash, make sure the Citristrip residue is completely dry so it will flake off easily.
As you're working through each chair, use pointed toothpicks for the hard-to-reach areas to clear them out completely.
Good job. You have now stripped the finish off your chair, removed the stripping agent residue, and sanded (times six or eight, if you're doing a dining set). That's a lot of work, I know. But now the fun begins, where you start to make the chairs really look great.
You may notice, upon closer inspection, variations in your wood. This spot here, for example, wasn't terribly noticeable underneath layers of clear varnish, but it could very well become an eyesore in the staining process. Wood tends to absorb stain differently, even the same piece of wood, which creates an uneven look.
To minimize this mis-absorption rate, use a pre-stain wood conditioner on your bare wood. Note: If you are going to use an oil-based stain, you should use an oil-based wood conditioner also.
Simply brush the wood conditioner onto the wood and let it sit for a few minutes.
You can see here the difference in tone between wood that has been treated with wood conditioner (the back of the chair) and wood that hasn't yet been treated (the front seat).
Use a clean rag to wipe off any excess wood conditioner before it dries.
Now that you've treated your chairs with pre-stain wood conditioner, they are ready for the staining process. This one, for me, is the most rewarding. Choose the stain you like (oil-based if you've gone with an oil-based pre-stain wood conditioner, although you really should choose your stain first and work backward from there), and stir it up thoroughly.
Following the directions on the stain, apply it onto your dining chair. Wait the allotted time (in this case, just a few minutes), remembering that the longer you wait, the darker the stain will likely be.
Wipe off the stain with a clean rag. (You'll want to have plenty of clean rags on hand, because they become quite dirty during this process, and if you have multiple chairs, you're going to need at least one rag for every chair, maybe more.)
If you find that you've wiped the stain off too soon, as was the case here, it's not a big deal. Simply reapply the stain and wait a little longer. Try to keep the total time under stain (before wiping it off) constant across all your wood surfaces, whether it's in one or two applications.
If you notice significant drips or streaks when applying the stain (such as will likely happen when you do the very top of the chairback), quickly brush other stain over those streaks. If you leave the streaks for a few minutes before adding other stain and wiping it off, those streak marks will have been staining the longest and will, therefore, be darker and visible. No, thanks.
Be sure you're working in a well-ventilated area when using all of these products. A garage works well, particularly to keep the breeze from blowing leaves and dust onto the wet wood.
After your stain is fully dried and cured, it's time to apply a couple protective coatings of Polyurethane.
Use a foam brush and wipe it all over the wood.
Although the poly is clear, it has a lovely satin sheen to it, so you can see where you've gotten and where you've missed.
After the first coat polyurethane has dried, following the directions on your container, it's time to sand with fine (220-grit) sandpaper and apply a second coat.
And a third and a fourth coat, if you want.
After your last coat, leave the chair(s) alone for at least 24 hours, perhaps longer, until the poly has dried completely and the surface is not at all tacky.
While you're waiting for the polyurethane to dry, you can utilize your time well by recovering the seat cushions. Remove staples from the underside of the seat.
While it's recommended by everyone who recovers things that you remove all staples and fragments of the older upholstery, I couldn't do it. There were just too many staples, and the chair seat wouldn't be any worse off by leaving them. I ended up just cutting the old upholstery very close on both sides of the staples and removing the bulk of the corner fabric.
Lay your seat onto the new fabric. This particular fabric – faux leather – is perfect for dining room chairs. Waterproof, subtly textural, tons of color options, faux leather is a fantastic choice for durability and maintaining sanity amidst the Dining Room Experience With Children. (Example shows Keller Style Catalina Faux Leather in Shadow.) Cut with a 3"-4" cushion to give you plenty of fabric to wrap over the edge of the seat and staple down on the underside.
Flip the fabric to be right side down, and center your seat onto the fabric.
Double-check to make sure you have enough fabric to come up and over the back edge of your chair, then staple the center of the front side (we'll call it A) about three times.
Leave it at this for a minute.
Spin the chair seat around, then pull the back side of the fabric taut (directly opposite what you just stapled; we'll call this B). Keeping the fabric tight, staple the center of this back side a few times.
Spin the chair seat 90 degrees to what we'll call side C; pull taut, and staple a few in the center. (I went a little crazy on side B, as you can see, but I'd recommend reigning in the staples at this point to just about three.)
Spin the seat 180 degrees to the last side (D). Pull taut, and staple this last center down.
At this point, you should have the centers of all four sides stapled down. The fabric should be taut, with no wrinkles or bumps or anything odd. If you're good to go, it's time to hit the corners.
For corners that are 90 degrees (as opposed to curved), you'll want to imagine there's a line from the center of the chair to wherever it is you're stapling. Always pull taut against this line. Staple from your center staples toward the corner on both sides.
Staple all the way until the corner almost meets up; you want to leave about 1/2″ between the final two corner staples here.
Pinch the excess fabric, and make sure the corner fabric (whatever will be on the top of the chair seat) is smooth.
Create a flat edge of folded fabric, about 1" wide, that hits directly at the center of the corner.
Fold the excess fabric directly back over the corner, making sure there are not extra bumps or ridges in your fabric. If you happen to find a bump, it's because you did not pull the fabric taut enough as you stapled up the side toward the corner. To remedy this, you can either try to hide the bump (if it's very small) under the folded fabric, or you may have to re-staple that half of the side, pulling the fabric much tighter this time to ensure its smoothness.
Check for a professional-looking corner and make any minor adjustments needed.
Staple the corner in place.
Viola! Looks beautifully professional, all tight and crisp.
For any rounded corners, your approach will be more fluid. Begin by stapling inward from the center of your two adjacent sides until you've reached the beginning of the corner's curve. Staple – once – directly in the center (point A).
Pick one side between A and the last side staple (red dot). Pull the fabric taut on your imaginary line from the center of the seat itself, then staple – once – in the center of this space (point B).
Pull the little bit of fabric between points A and B taut, then staple once more in the center (point C).
Repeat this process for all the other sections. Basically, you're dividing spaces in the curved corner in half and half and half again until you've stapled the entire curve, pulling the fabric to be tight and smooth each time.
It should look great when you've stapled them all around the curve.
Repeat this process for all the curved corners.
Trim any excess fabric to about 1/4″ to 1/2" away from the staples. Done with your seat cover!
When you go to cut out the next one, keep the same direction on the fabric for all your seat covers. In other words, have the front of the chair seats face the same direction on your fabric piece.
With your polyurethane completely dried and your chair seats recovered, you just have to reattach the seats to the chair frames.
Then you're done!
It's a good time to remember where you started, to see how far your wooden dining chair has come. Although many of the differences are subtle, the overall chair is so much better for the space.
The classic grey stain is still on the warm side, which is necessary for this dining space, but, being grey, it adds a nice cool tone.
It's hard to beat that low profile for a chairback, especially when the dining room is filled with young children and their friends.
The benefit of staining, rather than painting, is that the wood grain comes through beautifully.
With a stain like classic grey, for example, I feel like you get the best of both worlds – color AND wood grain. That's a win-win!
We hope you find this tutorial helpful for refinishing your favorite wooden pieces.
With so many pieces, it's easy to feel overwhelmed or hurried.
Just remember to take your time in the refinishing process, recognizing that you're crafting pieces that you're going to love for a long while.
Ultimately, we hope you love your "new" dining room chairs!


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We woke up a few days ago to be greeted by yet another news of corruption scandal in the erstwhile NDC administration, this time, alleged oil money of GH40.5 million surreptitious transfers to the presidency, via the then Chief of Staff (See: 'Group explains why Amidu must probe Mahama, Debrah in GH¢40.5m BOST payment'; myjoyonline.com/ghanaweb.com, 19/09/2018).
In fact, I have always maintained that a fantastically corrupt public servant is no less a human rights abuser than the weirdo Adolf Hitler.
This is because while the enigmatic Adolf Hitler went into a conniption-fit and barbarically exterminated innocent people with lethal chemicals and sophisticated weapons, a contemporary corrupt public servant is blissfully bent on suffocating innocent citizens through wanton bribery and corruption.
Consequently, the innocent citizens would often end up facing untold economic hardships, starvation, depression, emotional labour and squalor which send them to their early graves.
It would, however, appear that the political criminals have the licence to steal. And if that was not the case, how come the offending politicians and their accomplices often go scot free?
Since the birth of Ghana's Fourth Republic (from 1993 to present), the nation has regrettably lost billions of dollars meant for developmental projects through unbridled sleazes and corruption, and yet the methods employed by the successive governments in combating the apparent canker have been extremely disappointing, so to speak.
Dearest reader, tell me, if the rampant bribery and corruption, dubious judgment debt payments, stashing of national funds by some greedy opportunists , misappropriation of resources and crude embezzlement of funds meant for developmental projects by some public officials do not warrant criminal charges, then where are we heading as a nation?
Elsewhere, though, the laws and regulations are strictly enforced, and as such the vast majority of the citizens and denizens prefer the observance to the stringent fines and the harsh punishments.
In a grand scheme of things, the prevention and eradication of corruption should be a collaborative effort amongst governments and other interested parties to cooperate with one another with the support and involvement of groups outside the government such as civil society, non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations.
If, indeed, the prevention and eradication of corruption is a synergistic venture, why is it then that the successive governments and their Attorney Generals had woefully failed to cooperate with other interested parties to investigate, prosecute and retrieve the stolen monies from the impenitent nation wreckers?
"When public money is stolen for private gain, it means fewer resources to build schools, hospitals, roads and water treatment facilities.
"When foreign aid is diverted into private bank accounts, major infrastructure projects come to a halt. Corruption enables fake or substandard medicines to be dumped on the market, and hazardous waste to be dumped in landfill sites and in oceans. The vulnerable suffer first and worst (Ban Ki-moon, 2009)."
Corruption, to be quite honest, impedes economic development by distorting markets and collapsing private sector integrity.
"Corruption also strikes at the heart of democracy by corroding rule of law, democratic institutions and public trust in leaders. For the poor, women and minorities, corruption means even less access to jobs, justice or any fair and equal opportunity" (UNDP 2016).
There is no denying the fact that the revoltingly cyclical corrupt practices amongst the political elites have resulted in underdevelopment, excessive public spending, less efficient tax system , needless high public deficit and destabilization of national budgets, heightened capital flight and the creation of perverse incentives that stimulate income-seeking rather than productive activities.
It goes without saying that corruption is a global phenomenon which requires a collaborative effort to prevent and eradicate.
It was against that backdrop that in its resolution 55/61 of 4 December 2000, the UN General Assembly recognized that an effective international legal instrument against corruption, independent of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (resolution 55/25, annex I) was desirable and decided to establish an ad hoc committee for the negotiation of such an instrument in Vienna at the headquarters of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Subsequently, the international community adopted the UN Convention against Corruption in 2003, and came into force in 2005. Suffice it to state that the UN Convention against Corruption is the first meaningful universal instrument enacted to prevent and combat corruption with a view to networking and building on a broad international consensus.
What exactly is corruption?
"Corruption is the misuse of public power (by elected politician or appointed civil servant) for private gain.
"Corruption is the misuse of entrusted power (by heritage, education, marriage, election, appointment or whatever else) for private gain".
How are "offering", "promising" and "giving" a bribe treated under the law?
In fact, different countries have different responses to these questions, by definition as well as interpretation.
In some jurisdictions, for instance, the courts may consider an oral offer of a bribe not as attempted bribery, unless the briber takes further steps. An OECD report, however, suggests that broad definitions of corruption may be one reason why prosecutions are so low.
Apparently, the OECD, the Council of Europe and the UN conventions do not explicitly define "corruption"", but have establish a range of corrupt offences.
Take, for example, the OECD Convention establishes the offence of bribery of foreign public officials, while the Council of Europe adds trading influence and bribing of domestic public officials as well.
In addition, the UN Convention covers embezzlement, misappropriation of property and obstruction of justice. In fact, one mostly-cited mystery is distinguishing illegal trading in influence from legal lobbying.
Interestingly, however, the Council of Europe Convention criminalises trading of "improper influence", i.e., corrupt intent.
On the other hand, the UN Convention only covers peddlers who "abuse" their influence. While the OECD glossary notes that international definitions of corruption for policy purposes are common, and cites "abuse of public or private office for personal gain" as a useful example for policy development" (OECD 2007).
In spite of the fact that corruption is a serious economic, social, political and moral impediment to the nation building, some corrupt public officials are bent on siphoning our scarce resources to the detriment of the poor and the disadvantaged Ghanaians.
The fact of the matter is that Ghana's transgressed and incompliant politicians and other public officials often get away with murder.
As a matter of fact, the traditional exemption of heads of state from prosecution despite the evidence of a case to answer is wrong, so to speak. For if the bribery and corruption; dubious judgment debt payments; stashing of national funds by some greedy opportunists and misappropriation of resources and crude embezzlement by some politicians do not warrant criminal charges, then where are we heading as a nation?
The all-important question discerning Ghanaians should be asking is: will the day come when "Ghana's political criminals" find they have nowhere to hide?
To me, Ghana's 1992 Constitution has to be reviewed and the irrational and inexpedient clauses such as the indemnity clause are expunged and tossed into the dust bin accordingly.
How on earth can individuals commit unpardonable crimes (gargantuan sleazes and corruptions) against the state and get away with their misdeeds?
And how serious are we as a nation when we can only descend heavily on goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and let go hard criminals who hide behind political colorations and persistently dip their hands into the national coffers?
In sum, we hope and pray that the Special Prosecutor will tackle the rampant bribery and corruption cases head-on.
OECD (2007), Defining corruption: Glossary of International Standards for Criminalisation of Corruption, ISBN 9789264027404, OECD Observer. (www.oecd.org).
UN (2005), The UN Convention against Corruption.
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Florence + the Machine
One of the earliest success stories of the BBC Music Introducing platform, which was created to support unsigned and undiscovered UK musical talent, Florence + the Machine have gone from unknown indie duo to global megastars in just over a decade.
Tracks like 'Dog Days Are Over', 'You've Got The Love', 'Spectrum (Say My Name)' and 'Shop To Wreck' have earned the band chart hits across the globe, while awards and critical acclaim have also come throughout the last decade – from Mercury Prize nominations in 2009 and 2015 to multiple BRIT Award wins, and several GRAMMY nominations.
In the live arena, arguably the highlight of the band's story so far came when Foo Fighters were forced to pull out of their Glastonbury headline set, following an injury to frontman Dave Grohl. Florence + the Machine and their talismanic vocalist Florence Welch were given the opportunity to prove themselves as festival headliners on the biggest stage.
And after that blisteringly energetic performance at Worthy Farm there has been no shortage of festivals enlisting their services each summer - Sziget, Rock Werchter, Bilbao BBK Live, Roskilde, Governor's Ball and Bestival to name just a few.
Keine anstehenden Festivals
Wirf einen Blick auf andere FestivalsFestivals entdecken


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Pesky connectivity problems?
Wireless technology, or Wi-Fi, is a necessity in most organizations now. It's important that you have a Wi-Fi solution that will provide the needed coverage and reliability for all devices on your network.
Allowing your staff, students, or visitors the ability to work and connect effectively is key to a successful wireless infrastructure.
We provide wireless solutions that are optimized to address the challenges of the mobile explosion and BYOD. OXEN Technology has designed and completed many wireless projects for schools, medical facilities, manufacturers, and more.
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The complexity of your network will vary depending on the size of your facility and any obstacles within it.
Contact us today to discuss a Wireless Assessment that will ensure proper planning when designing and implementing your project.


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Fourth of July Table Setting
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
This is the place card and gift bag.
This is the treat container.
Hi Everyone! With the Fourth of July coming up, I created some decor projects that would make my table look warm and inviting. Enjoy!
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Ballet Blue
Ink: Brillant Blue
Stamp: Oval All, Alphabet Stamp
Accessories: Riding Hood Red Ribbon, Sizzix Stars Die, Big Shot, Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Envelope Die, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch
6 comments
Oh I love it. I need to get my butt in gear and get my decorations made. I just realized it is next week.ReplyDelete
I love the little goodie box. Are you having company coming over? Very cute!ReplyDelete
The gogdy bags are a nice addition. Your guest will LOVE them. Seems impossible that the 4th isn't that far away.ReplyDelete
Very nice! You're soo creative! What time should we be there!?!? lol (just kidding!) :)ReplyDelete
Those are perfect for the 4th. Can you do some for our neighborhood 4th of July party!! lol. I just think those are wonderful.ReplyDelete
I will definitely be scraplifting these! My bday is the fourth of July and we are going on a 4 day scrapping retreat! Woohoo!ReplyDelete
I love your blog! I gave you a ONE LOVELY BLOG award, so please jump over to my blog to get it!
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5 Questions with Choreographer and Costume Designer Jeff Hancock About Dance and Design
Jeff Hancock has a lot of experience with dance and design, and he's given it a lot of thought. He's seen the dynamic, multi-dimensional reality of design in concert dance from many perspectives, so we asked him about what it's like for a choreographer to be a designer, and for a designer to be a choreographer. Here's what he told us:


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Doe exhibit showcases Berkeley's
role in 1970s gay lesbian history
25 October 00 | In Spring 1970, a newly formed Gay Student Union announced Berkeley's first openy gay dance - in Pauley Ballroom, complete with light show and live bands Badwater Rising and Purple Earthquake.
Within 24 hours, a KQED reporter questioned then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan about this unprecedented event at a UC campus. Caught off guard, Reagan responded on camera, "I haven't been invited yet."
To the students, the governor's comment begged for a response.
"We realized we'd forgotten him in the rush," the group wrote in its newsletter, "and immediately printed up 100 invitation letters, complete with an apology, for passers-by to sign." Gay and straight people alike signed and mailed the letters.
A copy of Reagan's personal invitation is among the artifacts campus historians and a local historical society have unearthed for "The Personal Was Political," an exhibit that opened this week in Doe Library's Bernice Layne Brown Gallery.
Subtitled "Gay Liberation and Lesbian Feminism at Berkeley in the 1970s," the show captures the exuberance of the decade in which the gay liberation movement - building on pioneering efforts of homophile organizations of the 1950s and on tactics and rhetoric of the civil rights, anti-war and women's movement of the '60s - erupted across the country.
"There was a lot of serious political and social activism going on at Berkeley during the 1970s, but it was also a time of wicked humor and great fun," notes law librarian William Benemann, who curated the show along with campus staffers James Eason, Steve Finacom and Willyce Kim. Materials came from the Library, the San Francisco-based Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Historical Society, and personal collections.
Lesbian and gay T-shirts occupy one of the show's 14 display cases; another holds an array of flyers announcing campus dances.
A dance "was the gay response to anything," Benemann says. "There was no place to socialize except a few bars, so there was an attempt to build a community."
With photos, fliers, memos, letters, publications, political buttons and articles of clothing, the show documents the women's music scene, lesbian-feminist publishing, the development of a campus political/social community, gay-related counseling and medical services, bars and bathhouses, gay and lesbian elements in popular culture, and several significant individuals, including gay African-American writer James Baldwin, who spoke on campus twice in the '70s.
"The Personal Was Political" also brings to light the role of the campus and the East Bay at the forefront of the gay/lesbian struggle.
Two of the earliest gay liberation organizations in the country, Students for Gay Power and the Gay Liberation Front, were founded on campus in the months following the Stonewall Rebellion, the June 1969 gay uprising in New York City. The cover of an early issue of the Los Angeles Advocate, which later became The Advocate magazine, announces an "Update on New York and Berkeley" found inside.
The curators also have unearthed the 1970 founding charter of the Berkeley-Oakland Women's Union, as well as materials on two East Bay houses that have served as home base for local lesbian-feminist organizers for three decades, and the first lesbian press in the nation, the Oakland-based Women's Press Collective.
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The third in the DI Horton series (currently eleven) set on the South Coast of England in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight is on a special Kindle offer for August only £1.99 or $3.34.
As Horton is forced to confront his past he's faced with a dangerous adversary who will stop at nothing to prevent the truth from coming out...
DI Horton is called to investigate a suspicious fire on board a boat, but as soon as he arrives at the marina he experiences a premonition so strong that it's almost audible. As he views the charred remains of the dead man he knows instinctively that this investigation will be like no other. Soon Horton is forced to confront the past, not just the victim's, but the mystery surrounding his mother's disappearance over thirty years ago. As the pieces of a long ago puzzle begin to unravel, it becomes clear to Horton that this is one case someone is determined he should never solve, masterminded by a dangerous adversary who will stop at nothing to prevent the truth from coming out...
Selected as the "Best of British Crime Fiction" by The Book Depository
"A gripping, suspense-filled murder case...an entertaining read in an engaging series..." Booklist
"A nicely complex plot." Kirkus Reviews
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On June 12th, 2018, 27-year-old Lars Nick won $51,000 at the $1,600 Venetian PLO in Las Vegas. On the worst day in his career, at the World Series of Poker, he lost $12,000. Such dramatic wins and losses are just part of everyday living for a professional poker player.
"The biggest reward is certainly freedom," Lars says. "I can work whenever and however much I want, I can take as much time off and travel wherever I please. Freedom is worth so much, and only a few of us really get to experience it."
Without a monthly paycheck, however, you need to play for money. If you don't play, or you get unlucky or you can't focus, you end up not making any money or even losing it. Lars considers poker to be a mental sport, like chess. Although luck is a huge factor, skill, knowledge and strategy outweigh all else in the long run.
"I still have to play as I need to make money, so I'm not totally free yet," Lars says, "Planning for the future is always a factor."
Lars has been passionate about poker since he was 15 years old, but it took him years to convert his hobby into a career. He was studying e-business at a university when he realized that he was wasting his life and quit spontaneously to move to a poker house in Malta. He lived with three other players in an apartment right on the ocean, where his life consisted of poker and parties.
"I wanted to be my own boss and do something that I could possibly be great at."
When he started playing poker, he essentially had no money. He played freerolls until he eventually won $11.00, which was enough to start him off in cash games. He began humbly with mere 1/2 cent stakes. It took Lars 3 years to turn $11.00 into $10,000.00.
"The competition factor was always important to me, and moving up in stakes in a poker game was like playing a computer game and trying to reach the next level," Lars explains, comparing rising stakes to a promotion at a 9 to 5 job.
"On a regular day I wake up around noon," Lars says, describing going straight to work after a shower and a bite to eat. In his free time, he plays video games, travels, and spends time with his wife and dog. "I come home whenever I feel like it, sometimes I will stay at the casino and play until 5 in the morning or even later."
Despite living what seems like the dream life, Lars does not recommend becoming a full-time poker player and admits that he doesn't enjoy playing full-time anymore.
"I would enjoy playing less hours than I do, but since I realize that it's only going to get harder to make money in poker, I can't afford to do so," Lars says, explaining that other than his goal of retiring, a great accomplishment for him would be to win a WSOP bracelet.
"Everyone has a different opinion about what 'making it at poker' would mean, for me it means that I am able to support myself financially and make it to the point where I feel that it has been worth my time."
Lars Nick / Photo: From archive of Mr. Nick
Speaking of time, being a full-time poker takes up a lot of it if your goal is to truly excel. Lars works 200 hours on average per month in just playing time. But he puts many hours into studying in addition to his playing time, and is investing most of his time in his financial future.
"I think that studying up to a certain point is very important, just like in a regular job. There is a lot of content available nowadays, including paid coaching or self-study using the various programs that are available."
Lars believes that most forms of poker are much more 'stable' than a person would think. "What is stability really? If stability means having a low but stable income, then I'd rather be unstable and have more money at the end of the year. If you have a good sense of self-reflection, are willing to study and simply work hard enough, then I'd say that poker is not risky at all."
Although Lars has been a successful playing poker and has made a decent living this way, he doesn't recommend it as a career. In addition to the fact that the field does not offer regular salaries or other benefits such as retirement plans or health insurance, poker is also trending down now.
"Ultimately, my goal is to retire after I have created enough passive income to be safe in the future," Lars says, "I simply don't know if I will ever be able to retire completely from poker. Personally, I don't expect more than five more good years, so I'm stressed trying to make as much money as possible."
There are several ways to make money playing poker. Lars makes most of his income playing cash games in Los Angeles. He also participates in larger tournaments such as the WSOP. He points out that real-life tournaments are no different from online ones, except for the typically smaller buy-ins online.
"As I said earlier, I don't recommend starting out as a poker pro. I recommend really figuring out what you love doing and then working as hard as you possibly can on that," Lars concludes. "If you have something good going for you and you are passionate about it, you should just go for it. Young people should try to figure out what they really love instead of going the route that society has already planned out for them."
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People in all walks of life are eventually offered the opportunity to work without paying taxes at some point. In addition to being illegal, many have found out that this tactic can come back to hurt them in the long run.
Certain professions are more prone to paying "off the books" or "under the table" than others, including:
- Home health aides
- Waiters and waitresses
- Janitorial workers
- Mechanics
Individuals can easily conceal their income in the industries listed above; wages for these workers are so low that workers deem it necessary to avoid taxes in order to stay above water financially. And sometimes, it is not the worker who wants to work off the books. Some workers, who are grateful to have a job at all, feel it's necessary to work off the books because of pressure from their employers to do so.
The problem is that many people who have worked off the books throughout their 20s and 30s find themselves in trouble if they ever need to collect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If they are injured, and have not been paying Social Security or Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes regularly, they may find they are eligible to receive only a fraction of what a tax-paying claimant would receive. Or they may have difficulty receiving any SSDI benefits at all. This is also true with Workers' Compensation Insurance.
When you receive your paycheck from an employer, you will notice, in addition to the usual federal and local income tax deductions, a series of other deductions, including a Social Security or FICA deduction. Think of this other deduction as an insurance policy premium. If you work and have these payments taken out over a period of time, you are guaranteeing that, if the time comes, you will receive the maximum benefits to commensurate with your years of premium payments and hard work.
Whatever the reason, the best advice is not to engage in the practice of "working off the books". Report all your income "by the book," thereby ensuring that you would be eligible to collect your maximum SSDI benefits in the future.
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I have been involved with BNI since 2008, and became a Director Consultant a year after joining – this involves delivering trainings and helping the members in local groups to make more money and save time.
In the past I was responsible for helping a local BNI group to grow from twenty-two members to forty-seven within a year. In addition the group was the top ranked group in Surrey, as well as being ranked 15th out of all the 600 or so groups in the UK at the time.
The "What I Love About BNI" Video Contest was open to every director in BNI, throughout all of the 50+ countries in the world that BNI operate in.
The results have just been announced, and I was actually voted a Runner-Up out of all the directors globally!
You can see my competition entry below:


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(Dagny enjoying my cashmere blanket – via Instagram)
It's the last Monday of 2014. I try not to put much stock in the new year's being when you MUST start new goals, achieve greatness, etc., etc., BUT it can be a good arbitrary time to take stock of your life thus far.
And as my bloggy friend Debbie Roes did recently, instead of focusing on what I want to accomplish (or things I think I need to work on) in the coming year, I'm going to spend some time reflecting on the things I accomplished THIS year – what I achieved and what I'm proud of; I'd like to sit and just enjoy those things for a while.
I (we) don't spend enough time celebrating OURSELVES I don't think – giving ourselves credit for the things we accomplished, the trials we went through and came out of, and generally just feeling satisfied with what we've done; as soon as we achieve something important or special, we quickly move on to the next thing.
So, before moving on to the next thing – i.e. 2015 – here are some things I'm proud to have accomplished this year:
- My husband and I started our household austerity program in 2014 and we're moving along nicely. Slowly, but we're still mostly on track to be revolving debt-free by the end of next year.
- I started my push towards a more minimal closet in earnest this year, and was so proud to have my journey featured in the Wall Street Journal, alongside Grechen's Closet partners Everlane & Zady, two companies I admire very much.
- I kept the weight I lost in 2013 off all year (with a few-pound gains/losses along the way), which is really a very big accomplishment for me. Every other time I've lost weight, I've put it back on – plus quite a bit more – within at least a year. I credit my addiction to Pure Barre mostly, my determination to go as often as possible, and to eat the best that I can.
- I quit coffee for a little over a month this year. If you remember my posts about it, this was a big deal to me also, as I REALLY REALLY love coffee. But I wanted to try it, and was determined, so I did. In the end, I couldn't tell a significant difference in the way I felt (other than being really really tired around noon every day), so I started drinking coffee again, but I was quite pleased with myself that I was able to quit. Seriously. If I can quit coffee, you'd think I'd be able to do ANYTHING. Added sugar (candy) is next on my list…
- I moved beyond the pain of losing my beloved Ozzie in late 2013 and adopted a new dog, Dagny, this year. She has brought me so much joy, but I was afraid at first. Opening my heart back up was/is an important milestone for me; I tend to shut down when I'm hurt, or feel like I was wronged, sometimes never wanting to open up again – it's so hard for me to be vulnerable.
- 2014 was my 10th year blogging; the 8th year that blogging/writing is my full-time job. It sounds like a big deal, and I guess it is, but this is one of those things I never really think about as an accomplishment, or anything really significant. Although, I'm pretty sure it is. So, here, I'm acknowledging that acheievement and celebrating it. Thank you all for being here with me, some of you for at least half of those years!
Now, your turn, if you want. Tell us what you've accomplished this year you're proud of. What do you want to spend the last days of 2014 enjoying?
Happy new year 🙂