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Simulblast! Week 001 Of Summer 2014
Simulblast returns! It's a fresh new season with a fresh new set of changes to shake things up! Brand new Tokens, same great taste!
Samurai Jam ~Bakumatsu Rock~ (Episode One)
Player: Kanashimi
Class: Boss
I'm just going to be honest because I assume everyone thinks that I'm totally in for male fanservice, but I am not excited for this series. I love history, and media that explores older culture is fascinating to me. I highly doubt this will be the case after reading the plot outline for this series. Have you read it? You know what, don't. Just… let's experience this journey together. I've got a bucket of cookie dough ice cream to cry into, and I'll share.
So, apparently the Tokugawa Period totally has strobe lights, microphones, and glow sticks! Wow! How was Japan so advanced back then and yet still lost World War II?! Okay, that was low, but c'mon… don't insult my intelligence here. These fangirls in kimono are screaming for the government official idols or something, and we discover these are meant to be the Shinsengumi. Oh dear, my Hakuoki experience is going to get tarnished here, isn't it? So I assume we'll see names such as Hijikata, Saito, Okita, Harada, and so on.
We see a glint of our main protagonist with flaming red hair, guitar, and fiery kimono. He then licks his lips randomly as we cut back to the fangirls going nuts over pictures of the Shinsengumi. Oh wow, they had cameras, too! Interesting fact, since I mentioned WWII; the Japanese camera industry boomed before the war back in the 1930s. Their cameras became popular in the West due to the people stationed there. So hey, at least that's something that… totally isn't historically accurate whatsoever in this show. Either way, our protagonist jumps into the group of fangirls, knocking them all to the ground, and declares that they should all, "Listen to my song!" That's totally how you win fans: by possibly injuring them. The girls respond, rather upset, and chase after him, pelting random objects at his head. As he rushes by, a random boy with blonde hair notices his guitar.
Cue opening theme with explosions, audience members, practice jam sessions, and all that other stuff you'd expect from the Tokugawa Period! To be fair, I like the song, and visually it's awfully appealing. It makes the show seem interesting since these characters seem to fight and pull out their katana.
Oh look, our protagonist, Ryouma is ordering a pizza… Oh, no, this is his job. He just tries to eat customers' food. Now he's been ordered to chop wood in the backyard without a shirt. I guess almost seeing his crotch was my fanservice for the day. Anyway, Ryouma seems to have issues conveying his music to anyone. They don't understand his passion or drive, but instead the warriors who used to instill fear in people are sought after due to their singing and dancing.
Eventually, blonde-haired boy from earlier reveals himself and compliments Ryouma's guitar. He states that, in Edo, guitars are confiscated by the government, so you don't see them often. As the two talk, a friend of Ryouma runs up with a notice that there's an audition to play "Heaven's Song." This is an official song by the government, the only one permitted to be played if you will. Ryouma has deep disdain for the song however, but his friend tries to convince him that he could audition and then just swap music when he gets on stage. Sadly, he needs an invitation to audition, so there goes that.
Apparently a teacher can get you said invitation, but Ryouma had a master that called himself as such. He refers to him as the shaggy master, and gave our hero his guitar. Blonde boy appears again as Ryouma runs into two girls crying over not getting into the Shinsengumi concert. He claims Ryouma will play him a lovely song, but before he can, our two other fanservice boys meant to rock with Ryouma appear! A guy with blue hair and one with glasses claim he stole or took the guitar. The one trying to beat up Ryouma is Shinsaku, and the one with glasses is Kogorou.
The two declare the guitar belonged to their master, Yoshida. There's a flashback sequence where Yoshida gives Ryouma the guitar because he caught him singing it on the beach. He tells him to play with passion with his burning spirit! As the trio begins to discuss what has occurred, they begin to somehow converse over rock music. This music apparently came from the West, but how they know what the West is… well, that's beyond me.
Ryouma tries to play again, but Kogorou's "samurai radar"… I kid you not, goes off. It's essentially a PokeDex that detects random members of the government. Gotta catch 'em all! The samurai in question is called Heisuke, which leads me to believe it's Heisuke Todo, who was the eighth unit captain of the Shinsengumi. His departure and death are actually rather sad with some miscommunications all around. Read up on it for some fun learning, or let your brain melt by watching this! Anyway, he wants to take away Ryouma's guitar, and he also threatens to arrest him.
Haha, okay, here's the cleverest thing I've heard in this show thus far. They talk about how the concerts held by the government are only available for the rich, while commoners have to spend all of their money on raffle tickets to get in. This is a parallel to the idol market in Japan. The unique thing here is it's essentially showcased as evil, and the practice is rather controversial. For example, some people will buy 10,000 or 20,000 CDs just to get a chance to shake hands with an idol they adore. These two things are very much in the same vein, so whether it was attempting social commentary is really up for debate, but I do indeed like it.
They also threaten to arrest the girls who were listening, but they just seem excited to be arrested… so whatever. Okay, so I'm crying… wait, give me a second. He gives a passionate speech, and suddenly he's summoned fireworks and sparkles. Not only that, he begins to transform; like legit transform. Also, he forces glasses boy and blue haired man to also transform with him. They're suddenly playing rock together, because a bass and drum set materialized out of thin air due to his sudden transformation sequence. Also, their clothes exploded, so I got more fanservice, I think?
Some dude delivers a message to the Shogun and makes sure to mention this threat to the world. This dirty rock music from the West (even though I don't know how they know of the West)! Also, he activated something called a Peace Soul. It doesn't matter; the government has a Peace Soul as well. In this case, I think they should worry about shortage of clothing. Also, now the trio is friends because they shared an embarrassing transformation sequence together.
Oh, thank god, it's the ending. My stomach hurts too much to take anymore right now. I don't know… I legit don't know. I mean, this was hilarious, and I don't think it was intending to be. It had so much B movie cheese that I couldn't take it. My recommendation is watch with friends and get drunk to survive or make the experience better. I just don't know… I have no hopes or dreams anymore.
Watch Samurai Jam ~Bakumatsu Rock~ on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.
Captain Earth (Episode Thirteen)
Player: Bobby Henshin
Class: DJ
Oh my Glob! Time for a new season of Simulblast and the continuation of the Captain Earth reviews. That last challenge was hard as heck. And I still failed it! But now that there is no challenge, it's time to let you in on what happened to this point without the poor grammar.
Here is a quick summary. The new character, a green-haired teen named Baku, is a slave child to a mafia boss, and his daughter is supposed to
inherit his business. He makes her choose one boy from his underground prison to be her slave, and she chooses Baku. She has a constant nightmare about this every night. Baku fights in underground, illegal boxing matches to make money for himself and the family. The daughter is actually in love with Baku and hates her family. She is also engaged to this jerk who, if you remember, was the mafia guy that was trying to force Zin, the casino worker, to use his powers to help them get more money. The Midsummer Knights find the boxing matches and see the champion fight when Amarok and Moco show up to fight. They didn't use their powers to make him wake up and just leave.
Now for episode thirteen! The daughter is having another nightmare, this time about a yacht explosion that happened one year ago.
She tells Baku about the dream and that it has been reoccurring for the last year. Baku remains silent as she pulls out a deck of playing cards and asks if he
can preform this magic trick that he does. Turns out he has the power to restore broken objects by holding his hands together. She tore up all the ace cards and asks if he can only revive the ace of hearts. Baku says that his powers aren't that developed yet. A flash back shows him using this to restore a picture of the girl's mother that her father ripped up.
Outside, the man engaged to the daughter hears and sees their conversation and is not too pleased. He goes to the announcer of the fights and says that tomorrow is to be Baku's last match. At the evil Kiltgang truck, Zin is looking up news stories and finds nothing about the guy he killed last night with his powers. This raises a red flag for them. At the training base of The Midsummer Knights, the gang believes that the green-haired champion has to be the person they are looking for and decides to go back to the boxing ring. Finally! They are actually getting on track for once. I was starting to worry.
From my standpoint, it seems like the villains are the main focus of the anime so far. We hardly get any story about the main characters except for a few times. Like Daichi and his father who died fighting Amarok. Or Teppai being a clone child of a convict turned Kiltgang. And Akari being the boss's daughter and a hacker. Heck all we know about Hana is that she was a naked princess in a bubble with magic songs… That's it! A little more depth into the main characters of the story would be nice, please! Heck, in the last, what… five episodes? They have been hardly seen at all until the action starts. Sorry I went into a bit of a rage there. I'm fine now.
After Baku's match, The mafia guy and his men meet Baku at the locker room and hold him down. The mafia guy holds a gun to his head, says that he doesn't like how close he is getting to his fiancé, and is about to shoot him when they hear a girl's scream from the hallway. It was the daughter. Baku breaks free and gives chase after her. Amarok and Moco lead Baku out to a pier where they have the girl hostage. They agree to let her go if Baku (or his Kiltgang name Bugbear) lets them awaken him. The exchange happens and Baku (I mean Bugbear) is awakened. The girl is thrown aside, and Bugbear runs to her and helps her up… Wait a second! When the others were awakened, they didn't care about anything of their past selves and acted like completely different people. But now Bugbear still has feelings for the girl. Actual good character development!? Finally! It's so beautiful.
Anyway, as Bugbear heads for the girl, the mafia men show up and open fire on him. The girl leaps in front of him to block the bullet. But the girl is completely fine! Everyone is surprised to see this. But both the girl and Bugbear now the truth. Flash back to one year ago. The entire mafia family was having a party on the yacht. The daughter hates her family and her business so much that she is planning to detonate a bomb and kill everyone on the boat, including herself, to stop it. She goes through with it and the yacht explodes. Bugbear doesn't want her to die, so he uses his powers to fix the boat and everyone on board. His true power, though, is that he doesn't fix things, he actually creates an illusion of the object or person between his hands and makes it look like it is fixed or unharmed. Doing this, he creates a temporal space anomaly. So in truth, everyone died on that boat, and Bugbear's illusions were keeping them alive with his sheer force of will. The girl holds her hand on the crying Bugbear's cheek and says it is okay. Please let me wake up from this nightmare. That line actually struck a chord with me. I was almost in tears. The girl and the mafia guys start to fade away in a green light and then disappear.
Daichi and Teppai show up and see everything go down. Bugbear has made the decision that this world holds nothing for him anymore, and he will devour everything. He jumps in his Goodfellow, which is a melee-type mech that has extending fists and legs. Daichi jumps into the Earth Engine Ordinary (I can never get over that name) and starts to fight Bugbear. Daichi is being thrown around as Amarok hits a ring bell and is giving announcer-like commentary about the fight. A nice touch, I do say. Daichi can't keep up but he realizes that Bugbear is not giving any force behind his punches. Like he almost doesn't want to fight. The two back off and run at each other for one last punch. As the smoke clears, the head of the Goodfellow falls to the ground and Daichi is the winner. Everyone begins a retreat.
The sun rises as the Kiltgangs drive off in their boat. Moco comes to see Bugbear staring out into the sunrise. She notices the
bear keychain that the girl gave him in the last episode and says that it's cute. Bugbear yells and says not to touch it. She shrugs and says "Say goodbye to your town." Bugbear responds with "That's right…My town." And thus ends episode thirteen.
This episode had to be the best of the series so far in my opinion. Baku was such a well-written character that you felt for him as you learn more about his past. The love he felt for this girl, and even after he was reactivated he still felt feelings for this girl when the others cared nothing for the Earth after they were. Just to see the pain he went through just makes me want to tell him it's going to be okay. I just hope that in the future he leaves the Kiltgangs and joins the Midsummer Knights. Same with Sora. Those two don't seem so evil to me. Next episode we get to see Setsuna again! Stay tuned and enjoy the season.
Watch Captain Earth on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode Thirteen)
Player: Elk
Class: DJ
Elk has missed the deadline for his summary! He gains no points for this week, and has FOUR more chances to miss his summary before he is out of the competition.
Watch JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.
The Irregular At Magic High School (Episode Thirteen)
Player: Kayarath
Class: Content Provider
It's time to get back in the game! The Irregular at Magic School is a twenty-six episode series, so I'll continue to cover it for this season of Simublast. I'd rather be playing Final Fantasy 14. I'll be doing double duty for the next two weeks to catch up, so this is a review of parts five and six of the Nine Schools Competition, which is magical teenager olympics. Next week I'll do seven and eight, and that should work it all out because this isn't done in episodic plotting.
So it starts off with an accident in the magical surfboard race event. Someone literally crashes into Mari Watanabe at high speeds, which is still a bad thing. Tatsuya, of course, handles the situation like a boss, and she'll be all right, although unable to compete in the rest of the events. We then have a CSI: Magic mini-episode where the cast, lead by Tatsuya, deduces that the accident was no accident! It appears someone on the inside engineered it through a complex and well thought-out plan. Due to having one of their best taken out, the team tags Miyuki to compete in an advanced event. She's hesitant at first but can't say no to everyone and her brother egging her on.
We then start the rookie competitions. While the major events require the competitors to compete in school uniforms, the rookie events' dress code is far more relaxed. Since this is Japan, you know what that means… Cosplay battles! In such a serious show, seeing people in do events in kinomo and dramatic get-ups is a lark. As the events go on, it becomes apparent that Tatsuya's engineering skills are a huge boost to his team. One of the girls he assisted broke out in tears when she won a race. He's getting mobbed by girls by the end of it.
However, Tatsuya keeps his eyes towards the future prize; taking on his family. He can't take them on yet, but he's readying himself for the day he can. In the meantime, he has other issues to worry about. The mob was the one that caused Mari's accident, and it looks like they have more things in tow.
Watch The Irregular at Magic High School on Daisuki or talk about this episode on our forums.
Terror in Resonance (Episode One)
Player: Whiskahs
Class: Technomancer
The first episode of Terror in Resonance is an interesting take on an introduction to a pretty standard tale. The episode title, "Falling", is a callback to Alice in Wonderland in that our hero, Lisa, is thrust into a surreal world that exists in parallel to the one in which she was living. Terror in Resonance differentiates itself from the trope a bit by not dropping Lisa down a rabbit hole or having her find a magical portal, but by instead having her jump out of a bomb-blasted building into the arms of a possibly genetically enhanced terrorist below.
The terrorist welcoming Lisa into this somewhat violent tale goes by the name Twelve, and, in combination with his counterpart, Nine, seems to either make up the entirety of or part of a terrorist organization whose goals are not yet clear. Twelve seems to be the more light-hearted and carefree of the pair, seeming to prefer jumping into things head first with a sort of focused excitement. Nine is Twelve's opposite in many ways, being cold and calculating in addition to being more focused on whatever goal is on hand.
We're first introduced to Nine and Twelve at the beginning of the episode where they steal (what I assume to be) high-grade nuclear fuel from a storage facility somewhere in Japan. After a well-animated chase scene, the two escape before flashing forward to the two in Tokyo a few months later. It's revealed that they had just moved there and enrolled in a school as a cover for their illicit activities, with which Nine seems more preoccupied with than Twelve. During one of Twelve's lapses in concentration, he ends up smelling, finding, and then jumping into a pool fully clothed, which is how he first meets Lisa.
Lisa seems to be a bit of a troubled youth. We meet her at the pool mentioned above where a group of girls are attempting to force her to dive in while dressed in her school outfit. She obviously doesn't want to, but tries to convince Twelve otherwise when he happens upon the scene. Twelve's random dive into the pool seems to get Lisa off the hook, however, as we see her in the next scene completely dry. Lisa also seems to have troubles on the home front too. Her mother seems to text her more or less continuously throughout the day, and it's during one of these text streams that Lisa throws her lunch away and vomits from stress.
After a bit more of Nine and Twelve chatting, we're treated to a few scenes elsewhere before the resolution of the episode at the tower. The first of these scenes is a dream sequence where a very young Nine and Twelve scale a fence to escape some sort of facility, and another is where we're introduced to Shibasaki who appears to be a washed up detective working in the police's records department. We don't get to see too much more of Shibasaki in the episode, but I imagine he's going to play more of a role once the investigation of the bombing begins.
The tower scene is what brings the three main characters together. After knocking out the power to the building, causing the people inside to evacuate, Nine and Twelve begin to lay thermite explosives throughout the building disguised in stuffed toys. The bombs are triggered by phone, and after the bombs are laid in the first area, Nine begins to set them off from a safe distance. Just in case people hadn't yet evacuated, the thermite bombs trigger the fire alarm systems before exploding, which consequently gets Lisa's attention while she is sitting in the bathroom on her phone. On her way to the emergency stairwell, she runs into Twelve who gives her one of the bombs to hold onto before heading off, but not before telling her to make sure she holds onto it. It turns out that Twelve does this so that Nine can kill her if he decides that she's a risk to exposing them, but instead of just pulling the trigger he somehow calls Lisa and gives her the option to place the last bomb and join them or die. She joins them.
I'm feeling pretty optimistic about this series at the moment. While the character design and such are a bit trope heavy, the writing and animation appear to be pretty solid. The show definitely feels like the polar opposite of No Game No Life, in that I don't particularly expect to laugh much or see any fan service. Actually, I'm pretty sure about the only thing I'm expecting at this point is that a lot of people are going to die.
Watch Terror in Resonance on Funimation or talk about this episode on our forums.
DRAMAtical Murder (Episode One)
Player: Sho
Class: Content Provider
Time for the first episode of DRAMAtical Murder. I can't say I haven't heard about DRAMAtical Murder before, with all of the yaoi and drama that comes with it. It definitely looks interesting as a premise, though: an online cyber game that pulls a boy in who originally doesn't want to play.
So, into the actual stuff, it looks like a cool anime so far. The animation style is nice and reminds me of some older anime. The first episode explains some things, but not that in depth. For example, it's a futuristic Japan and there seem to be gang-like groups called "teams" that several characters seem to affiliate with. It goes through this first episode a little cliché, having the main character Aoba run into a bunch of people he knows, revealing information about them and a little about his backstory.
As mentioned before, the anime is about Aoba, an average dude with blue hair with a rough childhood. Unique, right? Get this, he's done with a life of crime and he's trying to live a good clean life. Not only that, though; all of his friends are trying to get him to join the thug life again. Backing up a bit, Aoba works at a junk shop running the register and sometimes delivering items. He's also got a few kids that like to harass him and his boss every once and a while. Little twerps.
When we meet Kojaku, a charismatic hairdresser, we get a glimpse into Aoba's childhood: he was ridiculed for his girlishly long hair. Kojaku comes into the scene, and he scares the bullies away, inadvertently misgendering Aoba for a girl and receiving an adorable girlish cry in the process—protesting that Aoba was indeed a boy. Aoba and Kojaku seem to be good friends in the show, but Aoba refuses to have Kojaku cut his hair.
The rest of the show revolves around a popularized and flashy cyber-game called "Rhyme" and the teams around the area that Aoba lives in. Aoba has no interest in either this team life or the hyper popular game. The teams around the island seem to engage constantly in hand-to-hand combat and fight for power around it. Mizuki, a member of a group called Dry Juice, stops some strange team from beating up Aoba, and we get some insight into the teams that control the island.
This game called "Rhyme" is strange. It doesn't seem to be MMO kind of game that we've seen with anime like Sword Art Online and .Hack// that are pervasive throughout the main character's interactions. It instead seems like a fighting surrogate for people and teams on the island for show and competition.
Towards the end of the episode, more interesting things start to happen to Aoba. A strange program downloaded itself on Aoba's uh… watch, and it seemed to be a Legend of Zelda 2 clone—a little out of place in the futuristic setting—that played itself for a short while before it showed "To be continued." Very cryptic and strange. Like someone is trying to contact Aoba! Maybe it's a secret organization. Or some sort of team trying to recruit or bait him. Well, whatever it is, it will probably show more of itself by the end of the next episode. Then when he goes to deliver stuff for his boss, he ends up trapped in a "Rhyme" fight against a slew of deadly bunnies. He gets physically damaged during this fight, just dodging and being confused, but then something snaps in his head. He displays an enormous amount of power, defeating the bunnies in what seems to be one hit. Kind of overpowered there. The episode ends when he defeats the bunnies and the screen fades to white.
So let's see, takeaways. It has potential of being interesting, although it's not that interesting yet. The opening and ending don't have me hooked, and the music isn't good enough to brag about. It's definitely a shounen anime, so the romantic boys love side that I've been hearing of hasn't shown itself yet, and it will probably hopefully focus on the plot and action of the show.
Watch DRAMAtical Murder on Crunchyroll or talk about this episode on our forums.
Week 001 Tally
- Kanashimi: 1255
- Bobby Henshin: 1190
- Elk: 1010
- Kayarath: 960
- Whiskahs: 950
- Sho: 680
- The Editor: 115
Week 001 Token Counts
- Kanashimi: 0 Tokens
- Bobby Henshin: 0 Tokens
- Elk: 0 Tokens
- Kayarath: 0 Tokens
- Whiskahs: 0 Tokens
- Sho: 0 Tokens
- The Editor: 1 Tokens
Next week's challenge: It's summer! Beach bodies! Bikinis! Hot dogs! Since it's too early in most of your series for a beach episode to have happened, let's improvise! Spend at least one paragraph of your summary imagining a beach episode of your show for thirty points. Want a little extra? Make it three decently-sized paragraphs forming a cohesive beach story (with a full plot and ending!) to earn a Token!
Make sure to vote for your favorite review below! You can give your favorite a Token!
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We continue our Q and A with Roman Lappat Aka "Jarhead"
The First Part of this Q and A can be found here.
Is there a Color which you seem to favor and like to add it to all your models where you can?
Can you pass on one trick or technique or tip that you think newer painters would find helpful or a technique that you wish someone had shown you when you were a new painter?
question is very hard. On one fact this know I could explain every tip or technique in some minutes sitting next to you or the readers of this interview. On the other hand finding hand I to explain a technique of painting with colors in just words is hard. right words
The best tip I got is: Open your eyes to everything. See what you want to paint in real life, think about how to achieve or copy it and learn from it. Go through the world with open eyes and your painting will grow from it.
hat does your work space look like?
Wet pallet or ceramic/plastic?
Wet Palette.
What paints do you use?
Acrylics mainly. Vallejo Model Color, Golden Acrylics, some Citadel, Hobby Line.
What do you use to thin your paints and to what ratio?
Water. Never think about ratios here. Just go with the flow. I quickly realize if I need a color more thinned or not. It happens as soon as I hit the miniature with the brush. Then I change if needed and dilute more or less.
What technique do you tend to favor when painting to Blend?
Well, blend. I think the word "Blending" is messing up a lot of painters brains. Everyone is just hunting for the right blending. In my translation "blending" is just a transition from one color to the other, brighter or darker or different tones.
I enjoy rough blendings, where needed, I enjoy smooth blendings where needed. I use mainly brushwork for creating blendings, of
my fingers, but you can do this with a sponge course sometimes or a tissue or a big brush or an airbrush or much more. too
From the aspect of painting technique I would say I use all known techniques I have on my chest to achieve what I want to achieve in the particular area.
What do subject or type of miniature do you prefer IE sci-fi or historical?
Depends on the sculpt. If the sculpt calls me, I'll answer.
Miniature painting can be very expensive and that could put off new people to the hobby have you learnt anything to cut costs?
Do not buy every new release you find looking cool. If you are a gamer buy what you need to play and buy the next model when you painted the last group or model. If you are a strict painter,
what calls you. buy
How long do you spend on a miniature from start to finish?
Depends on the size of the project. Can be
that I paint up for a diorama where I am in need of five hundred of these. One of these Zombies is painted in 15 Minutes from start to finish. The longest time single Zombie
I sat on a project was four hundred fifty hours on "The Last Light". (
of Work in Progress Zombies and Last Light attached). photos
What do you prefer metal, resin, or plastic models?
Resin, due to the good quality and the weight.
How do you know when you are finished with a miniature and when to stop before you have ruined the work?
I always paint until that moment. The moment where I have to stop and call it done. Works. Always keep in
miniature is ever finished 100%. mind no
And finally is
there anything you like like pass on to the noobs who are reading this hoping one day to paint as well as yourself?
Paint with joy and fun. You will learn much more. Accept your learning curve. Accept failures and mistakes, learn from them. Grow as the painter you are, not the one you want to be.
Questions asked by you.
Good Question, I'd say the things my eyes observe. May it be in nature, in my hometown, movies, artwork in real and
the internet. I am always trying to learn more and more by observing what is
happening, for example light situations, weathering, material aspects and so
on. I never stop to learn from this and I also try to teach such a view on
things. Speaking of Illustrators I would name Karl Kopinsky, Paul Bonner,
Enrico Marini, Frank Frazetta and Juanjo Guarnido (Black Sad Comic Books).
Updating older tutorials with content we learned during the last years. Offering an easier way to support us on what we daily create and teach on MV.
10100003 Asks: As someone just starting out it would be great to hear his thoughts on the type of things he would do in terms of practice, or learning areas, that are not apparent to a rookie, those unknown, unknowns.
3. Practice is most important. When I started painting miniatures I knew a) if I want to learn much that b) I have to paint much. I painted around 300 miniatures in my first four years, each year.
Mainly for the gaming table, but I tried to improve myself more and more. Challenge yourself with self-studies on different topics, like warm-cold colors, saturation-
Work by Roman.
We would all like to thank Roman for taking the time to answer our questions and if you would like to follow more of his work you can find his blog Massive Vodoo.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Cables & Memory > Cable Management StarTech.com Hook-and-Loop Cable Tie - 100 ft. Bulk Roll HKLP100 Manufacturer: StarTech.com Product ID: HKLP100 UPC: 065030867337 Our Price : $Price 34.41 Quantity Buy Now Description & Specs Reviews Warranty Description Condition: New Organize the cables in your server rack or cabinet, by bundling them together using this cut-to-size hook-and-loop wrap. This 100 ft. roll of hook-and-loop cable tie makes it easy to keep your cables neat and tidy by binding them together or binding them to a structure. The self-gripping fabric can be cut to any size and it's 3/4 in. (19 mm) wide which enables a slim wrap-around solution for any computer, appliance or electronics cable, in virtually any environment.Hassle-free cable managementThis roll of cable tie offers a quick and easy solution for bundling cables together and securing your cables for better routing. Properly routed cables help protect your equipment, by reducing cable tension and preventing excessive heat caused by unorganized cables restricting airflow.It uses a hook-and-loop fastening method to ensure a sturdy grip that's easy to apply. With the hook mechanism on one side of the tape and a loop mechanism on the other, you can easily wrap it around your cable bundle, and fasten the cable tie by draping it over itself.Customize the length of your cable tieWhether your bundle consists of two small-gauge cables or many large-gauge cables, you can rest assured this roll of cable tie will handle it perfectly. You can cut the hook-and-loop fabric to size using household scissors, meaning you can choose the perfect length for your specific application. Versatile fastening solutionThe versatility of the cable tie makes the roll the ideal tool for you to keep on hand in your office, server room or industrial environment.While the most common use for this hook-and-loop fabric is binding and routing cables, you can also use it for other materials in your IT environment such as tools or raceways. The ties are easy to remove, reusable and adjustable, avoiding the hassle and waste of traditional zip ties. This roll of cable tie is backed by a StarTech.com 2-year warranty and free lifetime technical support.Hook-and-Loop Cable Tie - 100 ft. Bulk Roll Specifications General InformationProduct Type: Cable TieBrand Name: StarTech.comManufacturer: StarTech.comProduct Name: Hook-and-Loop Cable Tie - 100 ft. Bulk RollManufacturer Part Number: HKLP100Manufacturer Website Address: http://www.startech.comPackaged Quantity: 1MiscellaneousEnvironmentally Friendly: YesEnvironmental Certification: RoHSPhysical CharacteristicsWidth: 0.7"Color: BlackLength: 100 ftMaterial: FabricProduct InformationCable Manager Type: Tie StrapWarrantyLimited Warranty: 2 Year Related Items StarTech.com Horizontal Cable Lacing Bars with 2 in. Offset for Racks - 10 Pack CMLB102 CMLB102 Your Price: 71.66 Qty: Buy Now Details StarTech.com 20 - Outside Elbow Connectors CBMCWD5020O CBMCWD5020O Your Price: 33.96 Qty: Buy Now Details APC Horizontal Cable Manager AR8606 AR8606 Your Price: 116.16 Qty: Buy Now Details Wire Organizer Systems - Grommet 00209 00209 Your Price: 3.58 Qty: Buy Now Details StarTech.com Cable Management Raceway w/Parallel Slots 78in CBMWD7575 CBMWD7575 Your Price: 35.85 Qty: Buy Now Details


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Institute on Teaching and Mentoring
The annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring was held in Arlington, Virginia on October 29-November 1. Doctoral candidates Pamela N. Harris, Sharon Kim, and Julie K. Marsh attended as awardees of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) State Doctoral Scholars program. The four-day conference, sponsored by The Compact for Faculty Diversity, is the largest gathering of minority doctoral scholars in the country.
The Institute focuses on providing minority students with information and strategies to pursue graduate studies and succeed as future faculty members. The Institute provides presentations and other opportunities for students and faculty to share their own research, network with other scholars, and join a larger academic community across various disciplines and fields. Workshops are provided over four days, and presenters focus on insights and strategies for doctoral work, finding and succeeding in a faculty position, and fostering a strong research agenda while building a career in higher education.
Ms. Harris, doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision, on her experience as a first time attendee of the Institute: "I had a wonderful time at the Institute! I heard impressive things about this event from previous scholars, so I loved being able to experience it firsthand. I learned valuable information that will facilitate developing my role as a future professor (especially after attending the session on negotiating my first faculty position). Additionally, I had the opportunity to network with individuals outside of my field, and received motivation that I can successfully earn my doctorate. I'm definitely looking forward to the next Institute!"
Ms. Kim, doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision, on her own experiences at the Institute: "The Institute was a refreshing and motivating experience for me - I enjoyed connecting with professionals in other disciplines, a rare opportunity. I loved hearing the stories of others' success and the grit it took for them to get where they are. Everyone there is so impressive."
Ms. Marsh, doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Educational Technology, on her experiences also as a first time attendee of the Institute: "I was unsure what to expect at the Institute, but I looked forward to the variety of sessions offered. I made the most of my time over the four days, and I found the session on discussing research the most valuable. The workshop helped me focus on the craft of delivery, and I learned different ways to approach presenting my research. This information will not only help me in my future dissertation defense, but also in any future job talks. Additionally, I found the CV session incredibly helpful. I was able to sit down with a faculty member who reviewed my CV and gave me recommendations on how to stand out when applying for jobs. Overall, the Institute really helped me take a step forward as a professional and future faculty member."
Harris, Kim and Marsh all look forward to continuing to work with SREB and attend future meetings to continue their preparation for future faculty roles as well as share their research and network with a larger academic community.


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Opening at Griffith University Art Gallery today (Thursday), Brutal Truths presents preeminent voices in contemporary Australian art, each with substantial international profiles — Vernon Ah Kee; the late Gordon Bennett; and collaborative artists Destiny Deacon and Virginia Fraser.
According to Angela Goddard, Director of Griffith Artworks and co-curator, the free public exhibition Brutal Truths, opening 19 November, showcases three major installations of provocative and politically engaged works.
"These works deploy images and texts bearing witness to Indigenous Australian subjectivities while harnessing artistic and personal agency across cultures," she says.
"Grounded in debates relating to Australia's Indigenous history, the works are also resonant with contemporary global contexts of displacement and oppression."
The earliest works in this exhibition are by the late Gordon Bennett, who has been at the forefront of contemporary Australian art for the last three decades, known for his interrogation of identity, culture, history and language.
The exhibition brings together Bennett's seminal video work Performance with Object for the Expiation of Guilt (Apple Premier Mix) from 1995 alongside installation elements.
Ms Goddard describes this as "a rare performance in which Bennett himself takes on a role of dominant oppressor."
Co-curator Naomi Evans says provocative interrogations of racism, ideologies and politics are recurrent in Vernon Ah Kee's works, which have encompassed drawings, paintings, text works, videos and installations – three new works will be seen in Brutal Truths.
"The incisive art of Ah Kee draws upon history and contemporary situations," she says.
"Ah Kee's series brutalities looks beyond specifically Australian contexts – as exemplified in his paintings that featured recently in the 14th Istanbul Biennial.
Destiny Deacon and long-time collaborator Virginia Fraser present an immersive installation where the gallery is wallpapered with images of towering public housing flats in Melbourne. Titled Snap out of it, the work includes Deacon's signature photographic vignettes with dolls and family members against an environment of brutalist architecture that has become synonymous internationally with failed utopian ideals and disadvantage.
Visitors to Brisbane for the opening weekend of The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT8) will also have the opportunity to view the exhibition during Griffith University Art Gallery's extended opening hours: 9am-6pm on Saturday 21 November and Sunday 22 November 2015.
Free entry. Griffith University Art Gallery. Queensland College of Art
226 Grey Street, South Bank
11am – 4pm, Tues – Sat.
Media Contact: Lauren Marino, 0418 799 544, [email protected]


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Simple Nautical Wall Clock Decor
The nautical decoration belongs to a quite modern decorative style. Basically, what is sought through this decoration is to give the house a touch of the high seas, closely related to other styles such as, for example, the Mediterranean decorative style. The color blue and the white color accompanied by the red color are the protagonists of any decorative work of nautical style. At the end of the day, they are colors closely related to the traditions of the sea. And a simple nautical wall clock can be turned into a custom design that is integrated into the decoration by surrounding it with a wooden frame or a vinyl, among other proposals.
Although technological advances allow us to see what time it is on numerous devices, wall clocks are still a practical tool both in the living room and in bedrooms, kitchens and other rooms. This article provides ideas to customize a watch with creativity and little money. It offers two options: on the one hand, decorate a wooden frame, and on the other, go further and design until the drawing of the sphere. In addition, it provides another possibility, that of decorating the wall with vinyl or painting around the clock.
24 Photos Gallery of: Simple Nautical Wall Clock Decor
Beyond the designs that are marketed, it is possible to customize a wall clock with ingenuity, creativity and little money. The simplest way is to acquire a basic clock model and then build a framework to surround it. A slightly more complex option, but one that gives greater possibilities, is to buy the clock device and assemble the entire structure. To continue; the details. The most practical way to create a frame for a wall clock is with a medium density board. It can be used in two different ways. One option is to hang the clock directly from the wood (as if it were on the wall).
The other, make a hole in the wood the same size as the clock, to introduce it there and that the frame is at the same level as the sphere. In the latter case, you must find the way to fasten the clock to the board, to avoid accidents. The size of the frame will be the taste of the designer, as well as the style of its decoration. Being wood, allows multiple variants: paint of different colors, varnish or techniques such as decoupage. The colors and designs have to be defined according to the decoration of the rest of the room where the clock is located.


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Devotional Thoughts for This Morning
Mk. 4:16-7 (NIV): "Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. [17] But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away."
I got to know Bruno when we were part of a short-term mission trip, but around the time his mother was diagnosed with cancer, he stopped coming to church. Tran, a Vietnamese student in the Bible institute I was teaching, was absent on my fourth visit to Vietnam, so when I asked around, he apparently left the church because of trouble (misunderstanding) with the pastor.
These examples point to a "shallow faith" (i.e., seed sown on rocky places) in which the initial joy of hearing God's word (the gospel) is short-lived because of trouble or persecution. Typically, having no root refers to Christians who lack knowledge of God's word, resulting in their faith being destroyed (Hos. 4:6). This doesn't necessarily mean having no biblical knowledge; rather, whatever knowledge they had was incorrect, therefore, their faith was utterly helpless to withstand trouble or persecution. It is as if they were caught by surprise because they didn't know or no one taught them that "in this world you will have trouble" (Jn. 16:33); or even if you are a Christian, "It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him" (Phil. 1:29).
At the root of our faith, what's crucial is not so much the extent of biblical knowledge but whether we know correctly the crux of God's will revealed in the Scripture. For instance, some know by heart numerous verses that allegedly back the health and wealth gospel. One prosperity teacher declared, "If I walk justly and according to the Word of God, I am completely convinced that I can be free of sickness and pain." Another declared, "God's top priority is to shower blessings on Christians in this lifetime." But when a loved one gets really sick, or you are barely making ends meet despite giving generously, the very teaching that appeared so promising becomes a stumbling block; you may fall as a result.
So, know your Bible correctly; don't have false assumptions about the Christian faith that will greatly disappoint you one day; heed the "whole will of God" (Acts 20:27).
Keep me safe, O God, as You ground me in your Word; may I be like a tree planted by streams of water through the Word. Lord, grant me wisdom so that every time I read your Scripture, my mind would be illuminated by the eternal truth of Your Word, for your Word is truth. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 18
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 Tim. 3:12 (NIV): "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
Jn. 15:18 (NIV): "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."
1 Jn. 2:15 (NIV): "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them."
Question to Consider
- What should Christians expect especially when they are sincere about upholding their faith through their confession and deeds?
- Why are Christians destined for trouble and hatred from the world?
- No one should seek trouble or persecution but if you really uphold your faith at work or school, what kind of trouble or persecution can you reasonably expect?
- The fact is, many Christian beliefs (e.g., exclusivity of Christ for salvation, intelligent design) and practices (e.g., waiting until the wedding day for sexual relations) are seen as outside of mainstream. So when we express these and other views in a public setting, you are bound to be criticized.
- In short, to love God is not to love the world; since Jesus was hated by the world, his followers should not be surprised if the world does not love them either.
- We should be prudent and not overly aggressive in disagreeing with those who espouse anti-Christian views, but it behoove s us to "always be ready to given an answer to everyone who asks [us] to give the reason for the hope [we] have" (1 Pet. 3:15).
Evening Reflection
Looking back, did you encounter any trouble or persecution because of your Christian belief? How did you fare? What does that tell you about your readiness? Pray about how you can be better prepared.


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https://www.santoshumaninc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-8.22.35-AM.png 622 840 Steve Beck https://www.santoshumaninc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SantosHuman_Logo_Final-1-300x117.png Steve Beck2019-03-18 08:30:242019-03-19 08:31:27Video Demo: Vision Trade-Off Analysis
Video Demo: Vision Trade-Off Analysis
The true value of Santos® predictive human models is the ability to provide the trade-off analysis your design teams can actually use at the earliest stages of product development. In this brief video demo, we show you how Santos® technologies can take the guesswork out of human-centric design through a contrived example focusing on seated operator sight lines. Task-focused prediction of human physical behavior and performance makes this possible in minutes instead of hours, weeks, or even months of trial and error and physical prototypes.
Let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.
Learn more about the SantosHuman difference.


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The goal of population spectral synthesis (PSS; also referred to as inverse, semi-empirical evolutionary- or fossil record approach) is to decipher from the spectrum of a galaxy the mass, age and metallicity of its constituent stellar populations. This technique, which is the reverse of but complementary to evolutionary synthesis, has been established as fundamental tool in extragalactic research. It has been extensively applied to large spectroscopic data sets, notably the SDSS, leading to important insights into the galaxy assembly history. However, despite significant improvements over the past decade, all current PSS codes suffer from two major deficiencies that inhibit us from gaining sharp insights into the star-formation history (SFH) of galaxies and potentially introduce substantial biases in studies of their physical properties (e.g., stellar mass, mass-weighted stellar age and specific star formation rate). These are i) the neglect of nebular emission in spectral fits, consequently, ii) the lack of a mechanism that ensures consistency between the best-fitting SFH and the observed nebular emission characteristics of a star-forming (SF) galaxy (e.g., hydrogen Balmer-line luminosities and equivalent widths-EWs, shape of the continuum in the region around the Balmer and Paschen jump). In this article, we present FADO (Fitting Analysis using Differential evolution Optimization) -- a conceptually novel, publicly available PSS tool with the distinctive capability of permitting identification of the SFH that reproduces the observed nebular characteristics of a SF galaxy. This so-far unique self-consistency concept allows us to significantly alleviate degeneracies in current spectral synthesis, thereby opening a new avenue to the exploration of the assembly history of galaxies. The innovative character of FADO is further augmented by its mathematical foundation: FADO is the first PSS code employing genetic differential evolution optimization. This, in conjunction with various other currently unique elements in its mathematical concept and numerical realization (e.g., mid-analysis optimization of the spectral library using artificial intelligence, test for convergence through a procedure inspired by Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques, quasi-parallelization embedded within a modular architecture) results in key improvements with respect to computational efficiency and uniqueness of the best-fitting SFHs. Furthermore, FADO incorporates within a single code the entire chain of pre-processing, modeling, post-processing, storage and graphical representation of the relevant output from PSS, including emission-line measurements and estimates of uncertainties for all primary and secondary products from spectral synthesis (e.g., mass contributions of individual stellar populations, mass- and luminosity-weighted stellar ages and metallicities). This integrated concept greatly simplifies and accelerates a lengthy sequence of individual time-consuming steps that are generally involved in PSS modeling, further enhancing the overall efficiency of the code and inviting to its automated application to large spectroscopic data sets.
FADO comes from the Latin word "fatum" that means fate or destiny. It is also a well known genre of Portuguese music, and by choosing this acronym for this spectral synthesis tool we would like to pay tribute to Portugal. The main goal of FADO is to explore the star-formation and chemical enrichment history (the "Fado") of galaxies based on two hitherto unique elements in spectral fitting models: a) self-consistency between the best-fitting star formation history (SFH) and the nebular characteristics of a galaxy (e.g., hydrogen Balmer-line luminosities and equivalent widths; shape of the nebular continuum, including the Balmer and Paschen discontinuity) and b) genetic optimization and artificial intelligence algorithms.
FADO v.1 distribution package, which contains two different ascii files, ReadMe and Read_F, and one tarball archive FADOv1.tar.gz. FADOv1.tar.gz contains the binary (executable) compiled in both OpenSuSE 13.2 64bit LINUX (FADO) and MAC OS X (FADO_MACOSX). The former is compatible with most LINUX distributions, while the latter was only tested for Yosemite 10.10.3. It contains the configuration files for running FADO: FADO.config and PLOT.config, as well as the "Simple Stellar Population" (SSP) base library with the base file list Base.BC03.L, the FADO v.1 short manual Read_F and this file (in the ReadMe directory) and, for testing purposes, three characteristic de-redshifted spectra from SDSS-DR7 in ascii format, corresponding to a star-forming (spec1.txt), composite (spec2.txt) and LINER (spec3.txt) galaxy. Auxiliary files needed for execution of FADO (.HIfbound_em.ascii, .HeII_fbound.ascii, .HeIfboundem.ascii, grfont.dat and grfont.txt) are also included in the tarball. By decompressing the tarball the following six directories are created: input, output, plots, ReadMe, SSPs and tables (see below for a brief explanation).
Publications making use of FADO (or derivatives of it) and its subsequent releases must acknowledge the presentation article of the code by Gomes & Papaderos (2017, A&A, in press).
This work was supported by Fundaçăo para a Cięncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) through national funds and by FEDER through COMPETE by the grants UID/FIS/04434/2013 & POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007672 and PTDC/FIS-AST/3214/2012 & FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-029170. We acknowledge support by European Community Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement No. PIRSES-GA-2013-612701 (SELGIFS). J.M.G. was supported by the fellowship SFRH/BPD/66958/2009 funded by FCT (Portugal) and POPH/FSE (EC) and by the fellowship CIAAUP-04/2016-BPD in the context of the FCT project UID/FIS/04434/2013 & POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007672. P.P. was supported by FCT through Investigador FCT contract IF/01220/2013/CP1191/CT0002. We thank Mayanna Gomes for the invaluable discussions related to the field of genetics and Leandro Cardoso for extensive tests of FADO.


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Creating A Tasteful HDR Image from Verona, Italy
Verona's Bottega Vini at Dusk
So much of what you find on line and even in galleries these days that passes for HDR or High Dynamic Range imaging is garish, so obviously HDR. Yes, it can be striking. The highly-saturated colors, the dynamic contrast, the haloing in skies and the overtly surreal quality is hard to miss. To me, the real challenge with HDR is to impart some of these qualities with a modicum of taste. I've tried to accomplish this with the image above taken just after dusk on a very narrow street in Verona, Italy.
This is one of my favorite images from our travels around Italy. I was wandering the streets and alleys of the old town of Verona just after the sun had set, stalking images. You never know where you'll find something. Up a short side street off the main pedestrian street, I found this lovely scene of what I understand to be one of Verona's finest wine bottegas.
The street lights and business lights had just come on. It was a very narrow street. I crammed myself and my tripod against the opposite wall as close to parallel with the front of the bottega as possible to cut down on the severe angle. Sure I could've used a wider angle than my 28-300 allowed, to cut down the angle more, but when I'm out exploring, I travel light. Besides, this angle is just fine.
Dusk or before dawn seem the best times to work with HDR. Balancing the exposure brackets at these times works better for me for the results I'm after. And of course, not every image lends itself to HDR. Here, where there is still some light in the sky and where the shadows on the street aren't too deep, the technique works beautifully. It conveys a feeling I can't accomplish any other way.
First, there are the brackets. I made five exposure brackets in one stop increments starting two stops over-exposed and progressing to two stops under-exposed. People walked through the scene, a car pulled into its driveway, some guy on a bike passed by during one exposure, and another guy stopped to look at the menu, so patience was necessary. But that's part of the game and provides a meditative component.
I start with getting a good, medium exposure. I set my camera on Aperture Priority so the shutter speed is what is bracketed. Bracketing the aperture is asking for trouble. Checking my histogram, I adjust my exposure compensation until I get as even a histogram as possible, as neutral an exposure as possible, as few blown out highlights and blocked up shadows as possible.
Then, I set the auto exposure bracketing to five stops and start shooting with a mirror-up cable release for as little vibration and movement from the camera as possible. A tripod is an absolute necessity for shooting HDR. I've tried handholding during the day and shooting on motor drive but it just doesn't cut it. There's always movement between frames. Maybe a camera that shoots a burst of ten or more fps could do it, but five fps is pretty hopeless.
After these exposures, I changed angles to the opposite side of the doorway but this angle was much more interesting.
To create the HDR image, I selected the three brackets below to take into Photomatix; the two outer brackets: -2 stops, +2 stops and the middle, neutral exposure. I exported them straight from Lightroom without any adjustments, just my default import settings. And of course, I exported them as 16 bit ProPhoto RGB images.
After importing and combining the now 16 bit ProPhotoRGB TIFs, Photomatix generates its 32 bit file and a series previews from very strong, through grunge, to black and white and then softer effects. Clicking each preview enlarges it so you can get an idea where to start.
Just for fun, I first went for a very strong effect. After Photomatix processed it and imported it back into Lightroom, this is what I got:
As you can see, the color's really oversaturated, really fakey fakey (that's a technical term), obvious halos run along the roof edges and the motorcycle handle and the building is pretty grungy looking.
I messed with the saturation, vibrance, clarity, black clipping and exposure in Lightroom but still it screams HDR!!! Judging from what you find on line or in Flickr if you search for HDR photography, lots of people like this look. But there's nothing very subtle about it. I feel that art has a lot to do with subtlety.
I again exported the three RAW images into Photomatix and started this time with what they call Enhancer Painterly, made some adjustments in Photomatix and re-imported it to Lightroom. This was more like it but still, l not good enough, it's pretty flat:
I messed with the clarity, vibrance, saturation, fill light, black clipping and contrast and came up with this:
I then exported it to Photoshop to use the Content Aware Fill tools and the Patch Tools to get rid of the motorcycle handle, some ghosts from the guy on the bike on the left and to clean up the street a bit this is the final image:
I tried exporting things to Photomatix again and making it a black and white HDR but I think I'd get better a tonal range and contrast changing the final HDR image to black and white in either Lightroom or Nik Color Efex but probably even better with Nik's Silver Efex, which I don't own:
Just for fun, here's a shot I did from the opposite angle looking into the bottega with a nice reflection of the chef in the door's glass:
Copyright 2012 Dennis Jones/Dreamcatcher Imaging


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The idea behind 'Sita ki Rasoi', which was part of Babri Masjid, gives us an ecological antidote to sectarian conflict
The three-decade-old Ayodhya dispute bypasses the significance of 'Sita ki Rasoi' a shrine that was part of the Babri Masjid compound long before it was demolished in 1992
For at least 30 years now the dispute in Ayodhya has been seen as a uniquely Indian problem—Hindu versus Muslim sentiment, secular India versus Hindu rashtra (nation). But there is a subsurface, much neglected, ecological narrative which reveals the global and civilizational implications of the dispute in Ayodhya. It transforms the conflict from identity politics to a reflection on what sensibility might enable humankind to thrive beyond the 21st century. In the midst of a frenzied election campaign, this narrative may seem incongruous but, in fact, promises to free us from false binaries of faith versus reason, tradition versus modern, and, above all, "us" versus "them".
In the Ramcharitmanas, Goswami Tulsidas vividly describes how Sri Ram, the epitome of balance and self-restraint, experienced a moment of violent anger. The incident happens at the close of "Sunderkand", as Ram and his army are poised to go to Lanka where Sita is being held captive by Ravan. For three days Ram waits for the sea to respond to his request for cooperation so that the army can somehow cross over to Lanka. When all appeals to the ocean fail, Ram becomes enraged and shoots a fire arrow into the sea which begins to boil—causing enormous suffering to all aquatic creatures.
This scene was depicted on a commonly deployed poster of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The image of a muscular Ram aiming his arrow at the sea was accompanied by the following lines about this episode in the Ramcharitmanas: "Bole Ram skob tab, bhay binu hoi na preeti". Roughly translated that means "Then Ram said, without fear there can be no friendship/love".
The quotation was accurate but the message of the poster, and the extensive narrative promoted by it, was grievously misleading. Ram's moment of anger actually leads to a revelation about the futility of rampaging aggression particularly when driven by a desire to control nature.
In the verses that follow, the ocean appears in the form of Samudradev and begs Ram to recognize that it, the ocean, is only following the rules of nature. If I dry up and break the rules, says Samudradev, it will belittle the rules and disrespect their creator—who is Ram himself as an avatar of Vishnu, the Lord of all creation. Are you telling me to break your own rules? asks Samudradev.
Tulsidas depicts Ram smiling when faced with this humble truth about the laws of nature. The fire arrow is withdrawn, the ocean returns to its balanced state and an innovative solution, harmonious with nature, gets the army across to Lanka.
It would be absurdly reductionist to dismiss this parable because it is a prelude to a war. On the contrary it derives its significance by bringing alive the complex challenges of conflict among humans, and between humans and nature. Ram's moment of rage and its resolution is made all the more poignant because at the heart of it all is the need to secure the well-being and liberation of Sita—the daughter of mother Earth.
This is why the 21st century dispute at Ayodhya is tragically ironic—for Sita both as consort of Ram and as a symbol of dharti mata, mother Earth, is ignored. All the legal wrangling and political manipulation bypasses the significance of "Sita ki Rasoi" a shrine that was part of the Babri Masjid compound long before it was demolished in 1992.
Philosopher Ramchandra Gandhi said the best way to honour the spirit of Sita ki Rasoi is to turn Ayodhya into an atonement venue not only between Hindus and Muslims, but also between humans and the nature. (above) A tattoo pattern popular among some tribes. The pattern in the middle depicts Sita ki Rasoi. Photo: Akhilesh Shukla
In his book Sita's Kitchen: A Testimony of Faith and Inquiry the late philosopher Ramchandra Gandhi described why he was struck by this shrine outside the northern wall of the mosque. The shrine consisted of nothing more than a rolling board and a rolling pin which Gandhi identified as symbols of nurturing love and regeneration. Above the shrine was a sign which said: "Janmasthan Sita ki Rasoi". Gandhi was moved by the fact that though Ram, as an avatar of Vishnu, is the preserver of all creation, his birth or birthplace could not fully be honoured without also revering Sita as Sakti, as mother Earth, the essence of plenitude.
In case this sounds too esoteric consider the following. At the same time that Gandhi's book was published, hundreds of thousands of people in the Narmada river valley were struggling to save their homes and fields from being drowned by the Sardar Sarovar Dam. In many of those threatened tribal villages there were similar Sita ki Rasoi shrines and the space around them was sacred just as the river Narmada has been sacred to countless generations of tribals and non-tribals.
Sita ki Rasoi is also one of the most frequently applied tattoo patterns among tribals of central India. It represents plenitude and abundance. Thus the presence of Sita ki Rasoi at Ayodhya, was a reminder that despite the turmoil and upheavals over centuries—across caste and religious denominations—the people of this subcontinent have worshiped nature itself as omnipresent divinity.
Sita ki Rasoi can also be seen as a symbol of the deep roots of Advaita, the rejection of dualism, not just by aboriginal spirituality but also more formal traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism. Therefore, Ramchandra Gandhi proposed that the best way to honour the spirit of Sita ki Rasoi was to turn Ayodhya into the venue for a subcontinental congregation of atonement not merely between Hindus and Muslims but more importantly between humans and the rest of nature.
However, atonement in this case would not mean redress or penance but "onement"—unity of human beings with nature as divinity. Then the environment cannot be seen merely as a resource or an externality which requires better management. Neither does environment then become something that must be left utterly undisturbed or untouched. Instead, the quest for onement brings questions about the meaning and purpose of life out of the far margins and onto centre stage of public life—possibly displacing caste, religious identity, nationalism and the money bottom line from the position of primacy they now occupy.
Quixotically, such a perspective would put both the secular and communal combatants of the Ayodhya dispute on one side—for both are profoundly anthropocentric, as in they give primacy to humankind. Modern industrialization and a "secularization" of nature have gone hand-in-hand for over 200 years. Secularization means that denying any notion of the sacred or divine in relation to nature is equated with "progress" and therefore with "development". This is why the villagers who revere the Narmada river as sacred came to be dismissed by policymakers as being backward, ignorant and anti-national because they opposed the dam.
The communal protagonists at Ayodhya are anthropocentric because of their obsessive preoccupation with sectarian religious identity. It is partly because the larger linkage with the rest of creation is broken that both the Hindu and Muslim protagonists at Ayodhya are unable to see the apparent "other" as a variant of themselves. However, it is only when we think of non-human life and non-living matter also as varying images of ourselves that we are fully alive. This widening self-awareness is also an antidote to sectarian conflict.
Since tribal society tends to be misrepresented as oddly uninterested in surplus accumulation, here is an illustration from within the farming caste-Hindu communities along the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh. It is common in those parts to find three trees, in fledgling form, growing close to each other—the banyan, the neem and the pipal. This is because the local people commonly plant these three trees—neither of which has a marketable fruit. But each of these tree species plays a crucial role in the larger ecosystem and provides indispensable materials for the healthcare of humans, cattle and the soil.
For some planting these trees is a good deed, a punya, done by rote. But for many the act of planting and nurturing these trees is a manifestation of the metaphysics which gives meaning to their life. As one such planter said: "We believe that if a person has planted one each of these three trees and brought them to maturity, he or she has fulfilled their reason for being—everything else we do or achieve in life is a bonus."
Till recently varied forms of this ethos were manifest, in different forms, across India. In the sphere of water and forests this gave rise to physical structures and community norms that enabled people to thrive across countless generations. Today even sacred groves are fast dwindling, including many that are part of temples. One reason for this is that in many locations the temple congregations tend to be more focussed on the grandeur of the temple buildings, including larger parking lots, rather than the ecological sanctity of the sacred grove.
Twenty years ago when the concept of triple bottom line emerged in the realm of business globally, it was expected to radically transform how human production systems intersect with nature's ecosystems. Despite many corporations claiming to adopt the triple bottom line, the actual implementation of this approach remains superficial and is far from adequate. This is because nature remains an "other" we are trying to manage rather than cooperate with.
It could be argued that in a country with an exponentially rising population density, 445 humans per square kilometre in 2016, human-nature conflict is inevitable. What, in this context, is the point of invoking Sita ki Rasoi as a sensibility? One, such a sensibility is an antidote to the obsessively short-term focus on human needs and wants which neglects how this affects the rest of nature and our long-term survival. This aspect is well acknowledged even by the modern, global environmental movement.
Two, Sita ki Rasoi is a reminder that only those societies have survived which focused on "oikonomia"—the Greek word for good housekeeping with a long-term perspective—and, kept in check "chrematistic", namely the manipulation of nature and surplus accumulation for short-term monetary gains.
Three, Sita ki Rrasoi enables us to celebrate abundance instead of endless growth and surplus. If abundance is the goal then sufficiency and self-restraint become values that enrich life. Perpetual growth is the objective today because sufficiency is denigrated and economics as a discipline claims that only when needs and wants are endless that we have a dynamic economy and society.
Above all, Sita ki Rasoi is a metaphor for freedom from false binaries. Perhaps this is why, for Swami Vivekananda, Sita was the ideal of India, because she never returned injury. For Mahatma Gandhi, Sita was the epitome of quiet, true strength and endurance—opposite of the weakness and self-doubt which cause people to be obsessed with some "other" who can be blamed for all their unhappiness.
The ultimate outcome of the quarrel in Ayodhya depends on choices each one of us makes in daily life. Will we see ourselves as embattled beings whose survival depends on taming the "other" be it people of another community or the rest of the natural world? Or will we cultivate a widening self-awareness that enables us to embrace the "otherness"—of those who are different and of nature.
When in doubt about the viability of such an exhortation in "real" life consider this story which the sociologist Ashis Nandy often shares, of a Yakshagana performance he saw recently. This takes us back to the episode of Ram and his army by the seashore. The bridge to Lanka has been built but it cannot be trod upon without first being consecrated—a task that could not be undertaken without a Brahmin. The only Brahmin in the vicinity is Ravan. A request is sent and Ravan is duty-bound to accept. So Ravan arrives and consecrates the bridge knowing fully well that it will be used by Ram's army to cross over to Lanka and challenge him.
At the root of a popular culture that crafts this story is a clarity that the "other" is not my opposite nor my enemy even if at a given moment there is disagreement and conflict. This is why Sita ki Rasoi, as an idea, a symbol and as shrine, was cherished across generations and will remain alive regardless of political wrangling.
First published by Live Mint on 6 May 2019


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Item Description: Item: LCD screen assembly Condition: New and 100% in good condition. Package Includes: 1 x Display Aseembly. UPC Does not apply Max.Resolution 2560X1600 Display Technology LED LCD Compatible Brand For Apple Aspect Ratio 16:9 Compatible Product Line For MacBook Pro A1989 MPN Does Not Apply Brand Unbranded/Generic Screen Size 13. Retina LCD Screen Display assembly for Macbook Pro 13 A1989 2018 2019 Grey. To most of the other countries.
UK, Australia, Germany, Spain, Swden. Thanks a million for your kind understanding on this. TV, Video & Home Audio. Laptop LED lcd screen extension cable/EDP 30pin connector converter adapter.
ZIF ribbon FLEX FFC FPC Cable 40pin for 1.8 Toshiba/Samsung ZIF SSD 56mm. 8 pin extension cable male to female video audio data for Iphone X 8 7 7 plus. 15.6 NV156FHM-N4B Lcd Screen 144hz for ASUS V551L W50JK ZX50 A550jk N551J/JM/JK. Silver Retina LCD Screen Panel Assembly for MacBook Pro A1707 2016 2017 NEW.SATA3 2.5 inch SATA 1TB SSD Solid State hard drive HDD for Laptop PC Desktop. NEW Kingspec 256GB MLC M. 2 NGFF 2280mm SSD for HP Lenovo MSI ASUS Acer. 2 NGFF 2280mm Digital Flash SSD for Lenovo Yoga 2 13. The item "Retina LCD Screen Display assembly for Macbook Pro 13 A1989 2018 2019 Grey" is in sale since Wednesday, August 19, 2020. This item is in the category "Computers/Tablets & Networking\Computer Components & Parts\Laptop Replacement Parts\Laptop Screens & LCD Panels". The seller is "battery918" and is located in shenzhen. This item can be shipped worldwide.
Resolution: 2560X1600


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Sunday, 17 August 2008
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Key cupboard
I purchased a key cupboard from a charity shop to alter. I sanded it and painted with primer. Then I stuck keys and the wooden letter K on with glossy accents. The whole thing had 3 coats of metallic pewter paint. Finally I adhered the grungeboard keys and keyhole that I previously painted with a gold dabber.
It looks so much better in the flesh though.
Posted by Unknown at 22:45 1 comment:
Fabric paper
Today I made fabric paper using a piece of cotton for the base and coating with watered down PVA to which I added scraps of paper, threads and a silk flower. Then more watered down glue to adhere tissue paper and finally colour using acrylic paints. I have to make something from it yet as part of a swap on New Generations Yahoo group. A fun project
Posted by Unknown at 22:32 4 comments:
Friday, 1 August 2008
Row Houses
Posted by Unknown at 11:43 No comments:
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- Enhanced professional imag
- Conference room space for client meetings, video conferences, etc
- Mail storage so your private life is not co-mingled with business affairs
- Potential to expand your business with large office spaces
Think executive office space is a good idea but maybe too expensive?
As small business owners, managing the bottom line is critical to staying in the black. However, the risk of stagnating your business


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Another update of photobooth news from around the world of the arts, from music to museums to found photos, plus a few cases of run-ins with the law:
- Beck's new album The Information features a lyric about photobooths, as reported in a recent review:
Take a little picture in a photobooth/
Keep it in a locket and I think of you/
Both of our pictures, face to face/
Take off your necklace and throw it away
The Melbourne Photobooth Project at the 2006 Melbourne Fringe Festival gets a review in The Age.
In the UK, artist Gillian Wearing's work is profiled in The Guardian:
In 2003, Wearing exhibited five eerie photos of members of her family. We seemed to be looking at snapshots of the artist's mother and father; a professional headshot of her smiling uncle; a snapshot of her shirtless brother in his bedroom brushing elbow-length hair; and a photo-booth picture of the artist herself at 17.
Across the Channel in France, photobooth (or should we say photomaton) photos are featured at the Centre Pompidou. Thanks to Pat for the tip on these anonymous 1929 photos. Check out this solo photo and this strip as well. (If these links don't work, search for 'photomaton' on the site).
Something we haven't noted before, a wonderful collection of found photos, more than 200 in all, at SquareAmerica.com, "a gallery of vintage snapshots & vernacular photography."
On a different note, we have news of more lewdness in the photobooth on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, New Jersey.
And finally, the story of a rejected passport application based on the photobooth photo the girl's family provided.
A five-year-old girl's passport application was rejected because her photograph showed her bare shoulders. Hannah Edwards's mother, Jane, was told that the exposed skin might be considered offensive in a Muslim country. The photograph was taken at a photo-booth at a local post office for a family trip to the south of France.
Photo: Photomaton, Anonymous 1929. Centre Pompidou


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WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has signed a law requiring him to report to Congress on where his administration would make some $110 billion in cuts to defense and domestic programs required by a deficit-cutting plan.
The law, signed Tuesday, requires Obama to report on the proposed cuts by Sept. 6, the last day of the Democratic National Convention. Obama and congressional Republicans have been sparring over who is to blame for automatic, across-the-board spending reductions set to occur Jan. 2 unless Congress figures out a way to avoid them.
The cuts were set in motion by the failure of the bipartisan congressional supercommittee last November to produce $1.2 trillion in spending reductions.
Lawmakers from both parties voted for the automatic cuts but now say they would be catastrophic.


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This is a correcting release that contains a fix for Dashboard UI crashes when using MSMQ (finally, thanks @yangman for this!), as well as some other minor fixes.
- Fixed – Dashboard crashing when trying to get the MSMQ queue length (@yangman).
Fixed – Add queue name validation to the
RecurringJobSchedulerclass (by @pzielinski86).
Fixed – Add missing transaction to
Please see the corresponding release on GitHub for linked issues/PRs.


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I really only have plans for the bow print, which is a Marc Jacobs remnant. I think it would look cute as Colette Patterns Hazel. The line of bows would work nicely with the v-shaped bodice in the Hazel.
The second fabric, is a also a Marc Jacobs cotton print, I only have 1.5 yards of. The print is so over-sized that I'm not sure how it will look as a blouse. I haven't seen what this fabric was originally used as, it would make a super cute sundress, but I don't think I have enough!
The third fabric, is a vacation print cotton, I bought at my local fabric store for $3.50 a yard and I got a little carried away and bought 5 yards of it. This will make a really cute sundress, I just have to find the right vintage pattern. I also might try to bleach it to tone down the colors a bit.
The cherry print Anna Sui I have used before, and the lovely Gail of Today's Agenda, found some more of it near her and was nice enough to send me 3 yards of it. I think she has some too, but I have no idea what to do with it. It is a lightweight silk, very drapey, need some help deciding what it would be good for!
The last fabric is also a silk fruit print, which was meant to be a lining in last years coat, but I thought it was too pretty just to be lining. So now I have 2.5 yards of silk and don't know what to do with it!
I'm sure some of you can relate, do you have plans for all of your fabric? Does some of it sit around forever just waiting for the perfect project? Any suggestions of what to do with the silks?


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Register for the Europeana AGM on 8-9 November in Riga, Latvia!
The trip of one representative from each aggregator will be funded by Europeana.
You can also propose a lightning talk.
Invited speakers include:
- James Boyle, Duke Law School
- Mia Ridge, British Library
- Markus Kröztsch, Technical University of Dresden and Wikidata
- Lora Aroyo, VU Amsterdam
- Effie Kapsalis, Smithsonian Institute Archives
- Joan Cobb, Getty Research Institute
- Shana Kimball, New York Public Libraries Labs
Vladimir Alexiev will attend as a Members Councilor. Please contact him at skype://valexiev1 if you'd like to raise some issue with the Council beforehand.


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Representing the best in web design, Ipsum Solutions connects your online presence with your market. We design websites with language and visuals that make your brand and message resonate with your target demographic. Our industry experience and marketing strategies ensure your message is heard loud and clear.
Content & Blog Management
Ipsum Solutions offers a wide aresenal of content management and blogging platforms to organize and update your your website, including the ever-famous WordPress.
Mobile Design
Do you have a mobile friendly website? We offer mobile-only and mobile-compatible websites! Use QR Codes? Ask about our mobile landing pages for better conversion rates.
The smart phone revolution is changing the face of everyday business. Ipsum Solutions app development offers you the opportunity to take the power of your office in your pocket. Our custom programming will let you access vital information, connect with clients, and revolutionize the way you do business.
Android or iPhone?
Android overtook iOS as the dominant smart phone platform in 2011, but it's still a close race. If you're considering a mobile app, talk to our market experts to help determine which platform you want to build on. We'll help you identify keey factors such as demographic preferences, costs, and functionality.
SEO, PPC, SEM, analytics, A/B testing, conversions, hotspots, blogs, inbound vs outbound, the list goes on. Let Ipsum Solutions translate online marketing for you. Our seventeen years of watching online trends and consumer habits gives us unparalleled insight in selecting the right mix of strategies for your market and budget.
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Use Google Adwords to put your message in front of your customers. It's a fast and efficient way to drive new traffic to your website, landing page, or order form. Ask about Pay-Per-Click campaign management.
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Don't have analytics yet? It's fast and easy to install. Get the essential information you need to manage your website.
Featuring globally redundant DNS, on-call administrators, friendly staff, high server up-time, hourly backups, isolated database servers, and experience managing some of the busiest sites on the Internet. Ipsum Solutions is increased reliability, security, and service for your hosting and business needs.
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Get Google Analytics installed absolutely free when you host with Ipsum Solutions. Our server technology can append tracking code instantly, find out what else it can do for your site.
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Ipsum Solutions hosting comes with free CloudFlare. Reduce bandwidth, help keep pages up when servers are down, and much more.
Online shopping is more prevalent than ever. Ipsum Solutions supports a wide selection of shopping cart platforms and payment gateways for processing your transactions online. For the e-commerce solution that fits your needs, from retail sales to event registration, our customized platforms can drive your online business model.
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Ipsum Solutions proudly offers installation and support of the popular open-source e-commerce Magento platform.
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Processing recurring billing and negotiating payment gateways can be one of the biggest roadblocks to a successful e-commerce site. Let our e-commerce experts optimize your transaction process.
Ipsum Solutions offers services in ASP, .Net, PHP, MySQL and API programming. Our developers have evolved over the past seventeen years into one of the most diverse and talented development teams on the web. We have the know-how to make your next project a success.
Since 1994 the Ipsum Solutions Team has evolved into a diverse, talented and dedicated group of professionals ready to help your company with its internet technology needs. We offer a wide range of support services to ensure your business runs smoothly and efficiently.
An On-Call IT Department
Get reliable support for your office. Ipsum Solutions offers comprehensive technical support contracts to ensure your operations run smoothly throughout the year.
Certified Gold Partner
Ipsum Solutions is a certified Microsoft Gold Partner with a demonstrated ability as a top operations solutions provider. We have full knowledge of Microsoft systems and suites, backed by live Microsoft support.


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Last week I wrote that No Employer wants a Stale CFO. While we can agree that a Stale CFO is not desired, staying Fresh takes hard work. The most important thing for a CFO to do to stay Fresh is to budget.
When I ask CFOs why they do not make staying Fresh a priority, the usual excuse they give is that they don't have the time, or they cannot get (or are afraid to ask for) approval for the expense.
A CFO needs to budget time and money to ensure that they stay Fresh.
How can a CFO find the time and money?
New CFOs are in the best position to find the time and money when negotiating their new CFO Employment Contract. As part of a new employment agreement, asking for a budgeted amount for conferences and other professional development gives a Chief Financial Officer the flexibility to find relevant learning and networking opportunities to stay fresh and further develop themselves as CFOs and as experts in their industry.
Employed CFOs that have not spent the effort to stay Fresh really need to get out of their rut. If you've been CFO with a company for 3 years but haven't spent the time and money on staying Fresh, convincing your CEO that you need to start spending time and money on this could lead to quizzical looks. You may want to use the argument that you've spent all this time applying your previous experience, and now you need to upgrade your skills to better service the organization.
Whether a new or incumbent CFO, you need to believe that staying Fresh adds value to your current employer, and that your employer needs a Fresh CFO to get the best value from you.
Now that you've committed to spending time and money on improving and developing yourself, what are your options?
Conferences – Getting out of the office and in front of other people is not only a good change of pace, it can provide you with formal and informal learning opportunities and networking that will can add value to you and your employer immediately. CFO focused events, such as the AICPA CFO Conference or CFO Rising or even specialized CFO Conferences for your industry (e.g. the CFO & Finance Managers Conference by the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers) are excellent opportunities for learning, development and thinking about how you can apply what you've learned. I also recommend that you attend Industry conferences that are not finance focused so you can better understand the business and industry you currently serve.
Training – Specific training, either on a new subject or as a refresher, whether in a class room or as a webinar, can certainly allow you to stay fresh. Proformative has excellent webinars on relevant CFO topics on a regular basis, as well as an up to date list of CFO relevant events across the country.
Peer networks – CFOs can learn a lot from their fellow CFOs. Groups such as The CFO Alliance (which has meeting in cities around the USA) as well as local FEI chapters can provide learning and networking opportunities that are worth your time.
Licenses – I tend to see too many inactive CPAs. If you've went through the effort to get your CPA in the first place, find a way to get your employer to agree it's valuable and pay for it. Make this cost a part of your Fresh CFO budget.
Coaching – Athletes do better with a Coach. So will you. Getting a CFO Coach can allow you to have the individualized attention and support you need to be the best CFO you can be. Putting this cost into your budget ensures you will continue to improve.
How much do you budget to stay Fresh?
Would you like to receive Samuel's CFO Blog directly in your email when he has a new blog? Click the SIGN ME UP! button on the right.


text: Steven Kozak has been an experienced and dedicated youth ministry and non-profit leader for more than 15 years. Steve has taught in the classroom, local church, and parachurch organizations. Steve holds a Master's degree in theology from Moody Theological Seminary and a Master's in Christian apologetics from Biola University. He speaks and writes on youth ministry, youth culture, and apologetics. He resides in northern Indiana with his wife and four children.


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It's Day 1 of the A to Z blog challenge and though I've written more than one thousand words in blogposts, the end effect was similar to a packet of crayons melted to a yo-yo string.
I'm off topic, nervous, void of any useful information, subject to waves of nausea and anxiety and for what?
There are hundreds of things I want to write about and they all seem beyond me today.
Today, I am beyond me.


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ThinkPad P40 YogaFeatures
Unlimited Creativity
The ThinkPad Yoga P40 answers all your creative needs in one. Sketch, animate, and even sculpt in 3D. Great for alteration and editing images as well as video and motion graphics – or, simply use the mobile workstation for capturing creative thoughts, note-taking, even doodling. Equipped with the ThinkPad Pen Pro featuring Wacom® Active ES™ pen technology lets you create with the accuracy and precision of traditional brushes and pens. Control line width and opacity based on how lightly you touch the pen to the tablet surface, enabling a new level of finesse, and bringing creativity to life.
Flexible and Durable
The ThinkPad P40 Yoga's multi-mode chassis lets you work and move between four different modes: Laptop, Stand, Tent or Tablet. Use it as a sketchbook or notepad in tablet mode, or flip it into laptop mode for emails and documents. Manufactured from carbon fiber and equipped with a durable magnesium-alloy frame for light-weight strength, the ThinkPad P40 Yoga has a heavy-duty, scratch and smudge-resistant display and is MIL-SPEC tested for ruggedness and reliability. It can handle tough treatment from even the hardiest road warrior.
Performance Defined
PC performance has never been faster. Intel® 6th Gen Core™ i processors with built-in security are designed to take your productivity, creativity, and 3D gaming to the next level. Intel® vPro Technology makes enterprise-level manageability even more convenient and efficient. And with Windows 10 Pro you can empower yourself and your business to do great things across many devices securely anywhere, with anyone, and at any time. Fitting a variety of budgets, it's also very easy to use. So you can get more done right from the start.
Superb Visuals & ISV Certification
Powered by an NVIDIA® Quadro® M500M GPU with 2 GB VRAM, the ThinkPad P40 Yoga is certified to run a full range of professional applications without compromise. Equip your machine with the optional 14" WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS high definition touchscreen display so you can bring all your designs to life in rich, vibrant colors, and create fluid, natural curves when sketching — without fear of blocking.
|Product Description
|Lenovo ThinkPad P40 Yoga 20GQ - 14" - Core i7 6500U - 8 GB RAM - 256 GB SSD
|Product Type
|Notebook - flip design
|Operating System
|Win 10 Pro 64-bit
|Intel Core i7 (6th Gen) 6500U / 2.5 GHz ( 3.1 GHz ) / 4 MB Cache
|256 GB - M.2 SSD TCG Opal Encryption 2
|Optical Drive
|No optical drive
|14" LED backlight touchscreen 1920 x 1080 / Full HD
|NVIDIA Quadro M500M / Intel HD Graphics 520 - 2 GB
|Input Device
|Digitizer, TrackPoint, digital pen, UltraNav, backlit keyboard
|Integrated Webcam
|Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
|3-cell - up to 8 hours
|Ambient light sensor
|Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2 and TPM 2.0) , fingerprint reader
|Dimensions (WxDxH)
|13.3 in x 9.3 in x 0.8 in
|3.97 lbs
|Environmental Standards
|ENERGY STAR Qualified


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AirRenew is a really neat new product developed by CertainTeed that actually works to reduce the volume of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in an indoor space. AirRenew cleans indoor air by metabolizing the aldehyde family of volatile organic compounds, making them inert and storing the compounds in its material for up to 75 years. It also incorporates CertainTeed's M2Tech technology that inhibits mould and mildew growth on drywall.
AirRenew is perfect for a variety of places including schools, hospitals and new homes where the indoor air quality can be less than stellar thanks to the volatile organic compounds off-gassed into the air from glues, adhesives, primers and paints, not to mention any new furniture and carpets. It's a great product for people with asthma, multiple chemical sensitivities and for children.
When AirRenew is installed according to specifications, it will absorb up to 70% of all aldehydes in the air in the room. Note that an entire room must be covered with the gypsum board in order for it to work to its maximum level of efficiency. For more information on the specifications, read the AirRenew FAQ sheet.
AirRenew gypsum board cuts and installs like standard drywall and can be painted with most water-based acrylic paints, and will maintain its effectiveness even through several coats of breathable paint. It can also be covered with breathable wallpaper. At end-of-life it can be recycled with standard drywall products. The gypsum board is available in standard 4 foot widths, and 8, 10, 12 foot lengths with thickness of either 1/2″ or 5/8″.
Indoor air quality has been in the news for the past several years as it's now understood that the air inside your home is actually more toxic than outdoor air. Given that Canadians can spend up to 90% of their time indoors, we could be breathing in a potential toxic soup of materials — particularly in newer homes where glues, adhesives and particle board are more prevalent. Pollution Probe has done some excellent awareness-raising campaigns on indoor air quality. In order to improve indoor air quality, there are several steps you can take, for example, limiting the kinds of products you buy that contain volatile organic compounds from furniture and carpets to household cleaners. It's also important to maintain a certain amount of ventilation allowing fresh air into your home. As building envelopes become tighter, the build-up of chemicals inside the home can become more of an issue. Heat and energy recovery ventilators and air exchangers are important pieces of HVAC equipment that allow for fresh air into a home while preserving indoor temperature.
AirRenew is available across Canada at select retailers. To find a dealer near you, use CertainTeed's contact information form.


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Shed Manual
The Haynes manuals are renown for their quality guidance on car repairs. In recent years they have expanded their range to include a wider range of topics. Some of these are more coffee table books than instruction. However, "Shed Manual"
Shed Competition
Attention all you shed enthusiasts. Waltons are looking for your favourite shed pictures and have a great prize for the best. Watch out though as they are quite strict on their definition of a shed, no bunkers or castles in
Building a new workshop shed
I caught up with Richard Fletcher from WhatShed and quizzed him on buying a new workshop shed. Workshopshed: Hi Richard, thanks for being interviewed, could you let the readers know a bit about WhatShed? Richard: WhatShed are the number one