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The first thing we budding photographers had to learn was a sequence of f-stops (aperture sizes) – f2.8, f4, f5.6, f8, f11, f16, etc – and that each was twice/half the size of its neighbour, with f2.8 being the largest, and f16 the smallest. Similarly, the shutter speeds were 30th, 60th, 125th, and 250th (on my camera anyway), and each was twice/half the speed of its neighbour. The final bit of information came with the film; a slip of paper that said something like this (for 100 ASA film):
1/125th and f/16 on a sunny day with distinct shadows
1/125th and f/11 on a slightly overcast day with soft shadows
1/125th and f/8 on an overcast day with shadows barely visible
1/125th and f/5.6 on a heavily overcast day with no shadows
1/125th and f/4 on in open shade or at sunset
All the camera settings were guesswork, and some shots would inevitably be incorrectly exposed, or blurry. The solution was to learn from mistakes (give it a bit more/less exposure in certain conditions) and gain more knowledge via and understanding of aperture/shutter speed combinations, and depth of field.
The correct exposure setting can be maintained by corresponding adjustments of shutter speed and aperture choices. For example 1/125th at f/8 is the same as 1/60th at f/16, and the same as 1/250th at f/5.6, and so on. The most obvious application is using a higher shutter speed with a larger aperture is elimination of motion blur.
Depth of field (hyper-focus) is the distance over which all objects are acceptably sharply in focus. Many cameras had a handy scale of the lens that illustrated the depth of field for each aperture setting. The concept to be grasped was that large apertures have a small depth of field (only the subject might be in focus), while small apertures have a large depth of field (the foreground, subject and background could also be in focus). As distances had to be guessed, the best method of ensuring good focus was to use smaller apertures. However, good photography demands that differing apertures should be deliberately selected to expand or compress depth of field, so that backgrounds can be intentionally sharp, or blurred.
This was the point at which I moved up to a new camera to eliminate some of the guesswork: an accurately focus-able SLR, which dispensed with the need to hyper-focus, and allowed a more creative use of shutter speed/aperture combinations and depth of field. My camera didn't have a built-in exposure meter, so I had to get a hand-held.
Taking a picture took a long time (composition aside). You had to take a light reading and transfer settings to the camera, think about the relative importance of freezing action and controlling depth of field, and adjust accordingly. Then the sun would go behind a cloud and you'd have to start over again.
Life was much easier when I moved-up to a camera with an integrated exposure meter. One of the joys of a simple viewfinder match needle metering system was that you could continually monitor the quality of the light, and easily make exposure compensations to over or under expose when necessary by not matching the needle pointer (when you knew better than the meter).
Better yet, the next development was shutter or aperture priority auto exposure (most cameras featured one or the other, but not both), where the user had to make one selection, and the other would follow automatically. While you still had to apply the same thought processes, there were a lot less knobs to twiddle, and most systems could be made to work backwards (e.g. manually changing a shutter speed would force a preferred aperture selection).
Automation started to get a grip on camera design, and not all of it was good. For example, exposure compensation might require changing the ASA setting to force a different exposure, or twiddling a dedicated exposure compensation dial. It wasn't really progress, and it didn't make operation easier. I was just a different way of doing things.
I guess increasing camera automation was largely aimed at new photographers. It allowed them to use the tool without knowing about shutter speeds, apertures, and depth of field, but for those of us who had started with a simple wholly mechanical camera, it felt like creative control was being lost.
The next big development was auto-focus. This was a very attractive proposition, since a necessary task could be performed by the camera freeing-up concentration on creative control. However, auto-focus came with auto everything else. Cameras had become the high-tech version of the point and shoot I started with in the 1960s.
My first auto-focus camera was a Pentax MZ-5n. This camera had various program modes, which essential addressed set-up decisions for the type of subject I was trying to photograph. Instead of thinking about shutter speed, aperture, and depth of field, I had to think about navigating menus to tell the camera what I was photographing so it could affect an appropriate set-up on my behalf. It wasn't easier to use; it wasn't better; it was just a different way of doing things.
My interest in photography (as opposed to operating a camera in the same way one might operate a washing machine or any other bit of electrical equipment) faded once I'd acquired the MZ-5n. I think it only ever had one film passed through it. More than that, film photography was dealt a death sentence shortly after when digital cameras came of age.
My next camera was actually a digital, and I easily acclimatized to the fact that it does everything for me, but I use it in a very different way. The digital camera is a tool in a multimedia age. I use it to captures images in a way that is factual, and unemotional. To be creative, I still reach for one of my old film cameras, and put some effort into capturing the moment.


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During the month of April I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. The challenge has each blogger select a theme and then do a post thematically from A to Z during each day of April , except Sundays. My blog is number 1337 out of 1670 participating blogs. This year my A to Z posts will take you across the back roads of America to many unique towns. To see what other bloggers will be posting about, check out the link: A to Z Theme Reveal List for 2016
The T Towns
Tightwad, Missouri
On a trip to Kansas City back in November 2011, I returned via some back roads in south central Missouri. My main destination of choice was Tightwad, Missouri. This is an unincorporated town of about 65 or 70 people. The village's unusual name is said to stem from an episode in which a store owner cheated a customer, who was a postman, by charging him an extra fifty cents for a better watermelon. Some sources claim the transaction involved a rooster rather than a watermelon. However, there is really nothing definitive. Nonetheless, the town is fun. Perhaps the biggest point of excitement was the Tightwad Bank, which at the time was a real bank (their website says that the closed on June 29, 2015 to become Tightwad Financial, Inc. and moved to Overland Park, KS). According to its original website, the bank was founded on September 5, 1900 as Reading State Bank, a Kansas chartered commercial bank. On March 27, 2008 the bank opened a full service branch in Tightwad, MO and changed its name to Tightwad Bank. You can see my 2011 post HERE.
Talent, Oregon
One evening a few years ago we were watching the well known TV Competition show "America's Got Talent," when they introduced one of the competitors and indicated he was from a place called Talent, Oregon. I knew then that I had to find a way to that town! In April 2012 I had that opportunity while on a business trip to southern Oregon. Called "The City of Talent", I am not sure how much talent there actually is here. With a Talent Police Department, a Talent City Hall and even a unique "Shoe Tree," it is certainly a unique place to go to find some Talent. See my full post about Talent HERE.
Toad Suck, Arkansas
On a road trip to Texas and Arkansas in 2007, we wound our way from Memphis into Arkansas and found a place called Toad Suck (after already visiting Booger Holler – see the B Towns post). Like many odd named communities, Toad Suck has a small population.
According to a local website, the town got its name as follows:
"What does "Toad Suck" mean anyway? Well, the answer is quite simple… Long ago, steamboats traveled the Arkansas River when the water was at the right depth. When it wasn't, the captains and their crew tied up to wait where the Toad Suck Lock and Dam now spans the river. While they waited, they refreshed themselves at the local tavern there, to the dismay of the folks living nearby, who said: "They suck on the bottle 'til they swell up like toads." Hence, the name Toad Suck. The tavern is long gone, but the legend and fun live on at Toad Suck Daze"
Check out my post of the entire 2007 trip including our visit to Toad Suck HERE.
Thermopolis, Wyoming
I first visited Thermopolis, Wyoming in 1972. As a 16 year old, I was disenchanted with things at home in Bozeman, Montana and decided to "run away" from home. I hitchhiked my way from Bozeman to West Yellowstone, where I helped a family move things into a truck. They gave me a ride as far as Thermopolis, where I continued on through Wyoming's Wind River Canyon, riding with a nice Native American lady, who got me into southern Wyoming. I eventually caught my final ride into Denver, where we used to live. Obviously, I got in trouble and returned back to Bozeman.
I again found myself in Thermopolis in the summer of 2014. This town is home to the world's largest mineral hot springs and the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. From the south Thermopolis is the gateway to Yellowstone Country, and coming from the north it is the gateway to the Wind River Canyon. See my full trip from Cody to Carhenge via Thermopolis HERE.
Teton Valley and Tetonia, Idaho
In 2013 I was blessed to make 2 trips to Rexburg, Idaho for work. During those times I made it a point to visit the Grand Tetons from different angles. One of the wonderful places to do this was in the Teton Valley and from Tetonia. The views are amazing and the mountains are splendid. Check out the entire trip post HERE.
Tuba City, Arizona
As I have noted in other posts on this blog, in the 1980s I was a tour guide for Nava-Hopi Tours in Flagstaff. As part of my work I took may tourists on excursions into Navajo and Hopi country. Heading north on US Highway 89 out of Flagstaff and then catching US Highway 160 east, the first major town is Tuba City. Next to Flagstaff, it is the second largest city in Coconino County (which in land area is the second largest county in the United States) and is located on the Navajo Reservation. Continuing east on US 160 the drive eventually gets you to Kayenta, the gateway to Monument Valley. Instead, take AZ 264 south and you head towards the three mesas of the Hopi Reservation. In fact, the name of the town honors Tuuvi, a Hopi headman from Oraibi who converted to Mormonism. The Navajo name for Tuba City, Tó Naneesdizí translates as "tangled waters", which probably refers to the many below-ground springs that are the source of several reservoirs.
Tuba City is also kind of the gateway for a spectacular canyon known as Coal Mine Canyon, which is accessible about 15 miles away on AZ 264 on the way to the Hopi Reservation. I have literally visited there a couple of hundred times. The canyon is one of many remote, little-visited sites in the Southwest where the main interest comes from the detail of the rock – the colors, forms and textures of the eroded sandstone – rather than the large scale appeal of such grand places as Zion and Monument Valley. Coal Mine Canyon is first sighted about 15 miles from Tuba City, and the usual viewing area is reached by a half mile drive along a dirt track – narrow and bumpy but fine for all vehicles – that leaves highway 264 between mileposts 336 and 337. This track leads to a new-looking 2 story residence, but the canyon rim is a little way to the right, at the end of a side track that passes an isolated windmill and water tank, ending at a parking area next to a rather forlorn picnic spot consisting of a few concrete tables & chairs surrounded by bare red earth within a fenced enclosure.
Tornado, West Virginia
In 2012 I made another road trip to North Carolina and took a side road through West Virginia for the sole purpose of driving through a Hurricane and a Tornado. Hurricane is a bit west of Charleston, WV. Once there, take US Highway 60 southeast and about 16 miles down the road you can drive through Tornado. Officially, Tornado is recognized as Upper Falls, WV. But there are still signs for Tornado. You can see my trip report about my visit to these two places HERE.
Tavistock, Ontario
During my 2008 time in Ontario, I was invited to the 10th Annual World Crokinole Championships by then Tavistock Mayor Don McKay, one of the officials at that year's event. I was greeted by Mayor McKay and also met Tavistock Gazette Editor Bill Gladding. Both were gracious enough to introduce me to this game. The championships are held in this small town as this is where the game was apparently invented in the 1870s. Crokinole (pronounced croak-i-knoll) is an action board game with elements of shuffleboard and curling reduced to table-top size. Players take turns shooting discs across the circular playing surface, trying to have their discs land in the higher-scoring regions of the board, while also attempting to knock away opposing discs. Historically, the game of Crokinole got its start near Tavistock. According to the Crokinole website, "the earliest known Crokinole board was made in 1876 in Perth County, Ontario, Canada. Several other home-made boards of southwestern Ontario origin. You can see my complete report of this June 2008 HERE.
Tomahawk, Wisconsin
The town of Tomahawk, Wisconsin is located on US Highway 51. We ventured into this colorful town during a 2012 visit to Wisconsin. We had just finished visiting Jurustic Park in Marshfield (see the M Towns Post) and were on the way to Rhinelander (in my R Towns post). Tomahawk has a nice big Moose, a BBQ Place called the Butt Hutt and a lovely Eagle sculpture in the downtown area. Read about the entire trip HERE.
Tripp, South Dakota
Tripp, South Dakota really offer s very little, but it has a great name for a Road Tripper!! Its all in the Tripp right? Located on South Dakota's Oyate Trail, which basically follows US Highway 18 across the state. It is between the town of Menno to the east and the lovely Lake Andes to the east. See more about the Oyate Trail Drive HERE.
Tunica, Mississippi
The summer of 2014 was a great travel year for me. I made four big trips, one of which was to Galveston, Texas via US Highway 61, the Blues Highway in Mississippi. If approaching from Memphis, then one of the first stops worth making along the highway is in Tunica. Tunica is huge resort town with a number of hotels and casinos. But it is also home to the Gateway to the Blues Visitors Center. The Visitors Center is built in a rustic train depot, circa 1895. It is filled with guitars, maps, souvenirs, etc. Definitely worth a stop. See the report on my first leg along the Mississippi Blues Highway HERE.
Tioga, Texas (Honorable Mention)
Tioga is a small town in Texas near Sherman and Denison on US Highway 377. It is the birthplace of country music legend and former California Angels owner Gene Autry.
Ten Sleep, Wyoming (Honorable Mention)
OK. If you found a town named Ten Sleep, wouldn't you include it in your post? This town is located near Ten Sleep Canyon which is on US Highway 16. It is located in the Big Horn Basin in the western foothills of the Big Horn Mountains, about 26 miles east of Worland and 59 miles west of Buffalo. I drove through here in 2013 on my way from Idaho to Dallas. I left Gillette, went through Buffalo and eventually made may way into Worland. See my full trip post HERE.
Torch, Ohio (Honorable Mention)
Finally, there is the small blink your eyes and you'll miss it place along the Ohio River known as Torch, Ohio. Torch is not too far from Coolville, OH (see my C Towns post). (Ironically, the first town north of Coolville on Ohio 144 is called Frost…I did not go there). I could not find anything to provide information as to how Torch got its name. As for the little chapel in Torch, I did some research and came to find that it was built by Lloyd Middleton of Coolville. The non-denominational small chapel (its only 10 ft. by 14 ft.) is open 24/7 and anyone can go in to pray and seek respite. A more detailed writeup of the church's history and the Ohio River drive can be seen HERE.
Did You Miss My Other A to Z Challenge Posts? Click on a letter below to see the others.

subset: commoncrawl


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Protect your Treo smartphone with this strong, lightweight, and practically invisible case. Made of durable polycarbonate, it's sleek and smooth, yet surprisingly strong. Plus, it includes an anti-glare screen protector that also keeps your Treo safe from scratches and smudges. Best of all, you can access all of your Treo's features while it's safely inside the case.
Palm Air Case with Holster
January 3, 2008 by Leave a Comment


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East-West College of Business and Technology:
East-West College of Business and Technology strives to be a leader in educating and training career-oriented learners to meet local and regional demand.
East West College will, at all times, endeavor to promote equal opportunities for enrollment and employment irrespective of religion, sex, nationality, age, disability and or sexual orientation. The College will prevent unlawful, direct and indirect discrimination including sexual harassment. East West College is committed to reaching underrepresented groups with information about programs especially in fields where women and minorities are not currently well represented.
East West College strives to create a diverse learning environment. To ensure this policy, the College adopts a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory selection and recruitment process.
All tuition fees and other charges are due and payable as per Alberta Advanced Education rules and regulations. The College would help the students applying for student aid from the Government of Alberta and Government of Canada in the application process. Students who are self-funded will pay either by credit card, debit card or cheque payable to East West College of Business and Technology. No cash transactions are permitted in the College premise. If you have any questions regarding finances our Student Financial Aid Officer and Career Counsellor will be happy to answer them. Please note: transcripts, certificates, and diplomas will not be forwarded until all fees are paid in full.
Notwithstanding anything in this Regulation, if a student terminates a student contract on or before the 4th business day after signing the contract, East West College would refund any tuition or other fee paid by or on behalf of the student.
It is extremely important that the integrity and accuracy of East-West College's learner outcomes be maintained at the highest level possible. To ensure this, the college employs faculty whose professional training prepares them to make fair judgments regarding student's performance. The College also provides a grade appeal process that offers students a reasonable opportunity to appeal results of particular academic assessments.
Students dismissed from East-West College would have the option to appeal the decision. A letter of appeal may be forwarded to the College management for review. Upon careful review of the situation a decision will be taken and rendered to the student. That decision may include: refusal of readmission, unconditional readmission or conditional readmission.
Students with concerns should make all reasonable attempts to resolve their concerns directly with the instructor or other member of the College staff. If the issue is unresolved, students should forward their concern in writing to either Vice President or the President. East-West College would make every effort possible to resolve the issue in a timely manner. This process may involve utilizing the services of internal or external persons (such as a counsellor). In the event that the complaint involves an instructor or a staff member, students should make all reasonable attempts to resolve the issue with that person informally. If the concern is unresolved students should contact East-West College management in writing. This will initiate a process similar to that outlined above. In case the student is not satisfied with resolution, he or she may contact with Private Vocational Training, 8th Floor, 10155-102 St., Commerce Place, Edmonton, AB T5J 4L5
If you wish to withdraw from the program and terminate the contract, you must provide written notice to the College in a way that you can verify the date the notice was delivered to the College. The contract is considered terminated on the date that the written notice is received by the College. You should be aware that the College may also terminate your enrolment in the program by providing written notice to you. The contract is considered terminated on the date that the written notice is received by you.
If you are receiving student financial assistance, you will notify your funding source of your withdrawal or the termination of this contract. You must review the relevant Regulation, and understand the Regulation with respect to the retention and repayment of fees (i.e. registration fees and tuition refunds) in the case where this contract is terminated. You understand that if you terminate this contract on or before the 4th business day after signing this contract, the College must refund any tuition or other fee paid by you or on your behalf.
These policies apply on campus and during all East-West College activities off-campus
Excessive absenteeism, in most cases, results in a student's inability to maintain academic standards as set by East-West College.


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Take a look at the keys in our logo. They represent who we are as ministers and counselors. The Keys is a safe environment in which to open doors, exposing light even to dark memories.
The Cross of Jesus is the Key that opens Life to you through forgiveness and acceptance of yourself and others.
The Dove represents the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Counselor.
The Book speaks of God's Word, His Voice to you.
The Flame is God's Truth that never changes, yet ever changes us.
We offer spiritual direction and help you to locate doors to your future that seem locked or closed to you. It is the Keys of God that unlock your destiny and potential as one of God's creations.
Info Posts:
Featured Posts
What to Expect
Never been to counseling before? We've got you covered. In this post, Sue explains what you can expect on your first visit to The Keys. Environment, attire, fees, etc. are covered.
"The Keys" is a safe place to go. Where you can bare your burdens with one another and allow the Father to heal every part of your heart."
"I would recommend the Keys because I feel there is a genuine integrity, concern, and love for people, and judging of situations without making you feel you have been judged. There is an openness and honesty that puts you at ease, that makes you feel that you are lovingly being guided and helped through all issues of the heart."
Going to the "Keys" is like getting the "Keys to the Kingdom" for your own personal life. The "Intercessory Ministry" not only releases captives; the "Spoken Prophetic Words and Declarations" teach, enhance, and release you further into your destiny in Christ. "Thy Kingdom come…Thy Will be done."
The Key's is a safe, non-threatening environment where all I can go to unload the burdens of life. Christian based principles are applied to finding ways to be uplifted. I know I am covered in prayer while I am being counseled and when I leave.
I know when I came to see Sue and Moe, I was lost. They pointed me down the right road, gave me the tools to work with, and showed me that I was worth something in Christ's eyes. I still struggle on days, but I will always go back to what I learned from them and I can make it through the day.
My wife and I have been in counseling with The Keys for nearly four years, and it's been a huge help to have a Christ-centered solution to the difficulties we encounter in our marriage relationship.
The Keys | By Appointment Only Please
2429 28th Street, Lubbock, TX 79411 Phone: +1 806 792 6154 Web: TheKeysCounseling.com E-mail: not supplied to ensure confidentiality Click Here for Google Map & Directions


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نوع مقاله : یاداشت فنی
1 کارشناس ارشد مهندسی مکانیک، شرکت پالایش نفت، کرمانشاه
2 استادیار گروه مهندسی مکانیک، دانشکده فنی مهندسی، دانشگاه رازی، کرمانشاه
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
The pump stations are on of the main energy consumers in urban water supply systems, Therefore, it is very important to minimize waste of energy in these stations. Today, pumps are running at their highest possible mechanical efficiency due to their matured technology; As a result, efficiency improvement should be considered in other elements of the network. Among the constituting elements of urban water supply systems, storage tanks play an important role and significant energy saving can be achieved by optimizing their design. In this paper, capacities and dimensions of water storage tanks in different operating conditions in an actual water pump station have been simulated by dynamic modeling in Simulink/MATLAB software. The results could be used as recommendations for optimization of energy saving in water storage tanks in pump stations, the number of operating pumps in the network, the volume of stored water and so on in different operating conditions.
کلیدواژهها [English]


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The Cashiers Area Chamber is proud to plan and promote Chamber Nosh Mob events annually once a month from February - April during the Cashiers Area "Secret Season". Nosh Mobs are a unique opportunity to support our communities' Chamber Member year-round restaurateurs. Find all our Chamber restauranteurs here.
Nosh Mob Calendar 2020
FEBRUARY | Tuesday, February 25
Whiteside Brewing Company Dinner Nosh Mob from 5-7 p.m.
Regular Hours: 11:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (closed Wednesdays)
MARCH | Thursday, March 19
Randevu Restaurant VIRTUAL Breakfast Nosh Mob from 9-11 a.m. Support this event by calling the restaurant to purchase a gift card to be used at any time.
Regular Hours: 9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (closed Mondays & Tuesdays)
APRIL | Tuesday, April 7
The Orchard Restaurant Dinner Nosh Mob
Reservations required, call 828-743-7614
Special Thanks to our past Nosh Mob Event Restaurateurs
Library Kitchen + Bar | The Greystone Inn | Winslow's Hideaway | Zookeeper Bistro


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Learn to Play Drums with Work, Beyond Talent
Over the years of teaching students how to learn to play drums, I've observed some students doing well and others not so much. The reasons are not always what you might think. So, I compiled this list of what it takes.
But before we look at the "11 Pillars," Let's just quickly talk about talent. Some people give up before they even begin because they believe they "don't have any talent." I think that's a mistake. I don't really believe in talent. I've read a lot on that subject and talked to a lot of knowledgeable people about it. You can read some of my thoughts on that if you check out the two articles linked to below. Read them, and you'll see, it's more about doing the work, and how emotion and passion is needed to fuel that work. Don't be fooled into thinking you don't have talent. Just do the work and you can discover how to learn to play drums.
One more thing before we discuss the specific 11 Pillars. It's important to zoom out and look at the big picture. When you do, you'll notice that all of the foundational elements of music education–and the 11 pillars–can be linked back to these three key larger functions:
1) Mind, 2) Body and 3) Emotion
Let's look at these three roots. I think of these like the "Big Picture" elements of your drumming life.
- Mind
This is where it all begins. You have a notion that drumming is exciting and appeals to you. So, you decide to pursue it. You decide what kind of drumming you like (metal, jazz, or any particular style of music). You have to make some choices about what music excites you so you can focus your drumming studies appropriately. There is a mental game in playing the drums as well: you'll have to calm yourself so you don't rush the time or tense up your body. Another example might be getting in the correct frame of mind to be able to play a good drum solo. You have to plan what you should practice and how much you should practice. You'll need to decide who to emulate and how to develop your own style. All of these are examples of the stuff that happens "upstairs."
- Body
Your body has to learn certain motions, and get coordinated and learn to play drum beats. Technique, coordination, relaxed muscles and all of the physical aspects are integral to playing drums. This is the body, the second big picture element of your drumming.
- Emotion
Are you excited by drumming? Are you passionate about music? If you are and you can open yourself up to your feelings, then your emotion will come through. If you don't have any emotion in your drumming or as part of your learning, you will be lost or what you do will be "flat." Like mind and body, emotion is essential and sometimes that is the missing link between someone technically good whose grooves are just OK and someone whose grooves feel amazing.
If you think of Mind, Body and Emotion as the roots and the trunk of the tree, then the 11 elements below are the branches; they all encompass parts of the first 3 Big Picture factors.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
The 11 Pillars of Drumming
- Technique
This is a deep and seemingly never-ending topic. Possibly the most difficult and time-consuming pursuit in drumming. It takes a long time and a lot of work (practice) to develop your hands and feet. This is the physical palate that we need to get sounds out of our instrument, so it's well worth the effort. The more technique you have, the more possibilities you have to express yourself. Technique also allows you to get a great sound out of your drums. Without technique, you'll just never sound that good. Crucial.
- Reading
This is the language. Imagine if you could speak a language but not read or write it? Doesn't that seem unthinkable to you? Well, it's the same here. This is the language of drumming. You want to be able to read and write and speak in "drum language." This will allow you to listen to something and write it down so you can work on it later, make charts for yourself so you can learn a bunch of music quickly or just jot down a fill idea while riding the subway. It also allows for great efficiency in your learning. Just open any drum book and you're off to the races. Essential.
- Independence
Independence allows you to play a repeating pattern with one or two limbs and vary what you play with the other two. It sounds insanely difficult, but there is a very logical method for working on this. In fact, anything is possible here, as long as you spend the time practicing. It's key to develop Independence because it is what allows you to have some freedom playing beats and grooves. When you've developed a lot of it, you'll be able to improvise your grooves on the fly.
- Multi-Limbed Coordination
As distinct from Independence, Multi-Limbed Coordination means playing various ideas between your hands and feet. For example, if you wanted to play 16th notes with your hands as alternating single strokes and then switch to 16th notes as single strokes between your hands and feet (right hand, bass drum, left hand, bass drum), that would be one simple example of Multi-Limbed Coordination. There are endless possibilities for things you can play using these types of hand/foot ideas. Another type of Multi-Limbed Coordination could be groove based; for example, playing grooves that are linear or based on paradiddles.
- Vocabulary
This works just like it does in the language you are fluent in speaking, reading and writing. It is the store house of things that you are comfortable playing. It could be a bunch of fill ideas that you have worked out and can play at will. For one simple example, check out "11 Trusty Rock Drum Fills." For more advanced vocabulary, check our long running series of "Nasty Drum Licks." Here's one example: "Nasty Lick #100." For obvious reasons, the more vocabulary you have at the ready, the better. You can also consider the types of grooves you are comfortable playing well as vocabulary. The more fluent you are with different types of independence, and the more grooves and styles of grooves you learn, the wider your vocabulary of groove possibilities.
- Musicality
To be a good drummer, you need to have good taste. This means playing what is appropriate for the music at hand. If you are playing with a folky singer/songwriter, you should refrain from using your double-bass grooves (yes, a little sarcasm…). Sounds obvious, right? You'd be surprised at the number of musicians out there who don't have the good taste or common sense to play appropriately for the song. You hear this so often that the advice seems trite. But the reason you keep hearing about this is that people don't always heed the advice. Musicality means knowing when to play quiet, when to play loud, understanding what kind of groove to play, what style of fills to use, and whether to play busily or simply. It's developed over time by playing music with a lot of people. Having a teacher who understands this will go a long way too.
- Genre
Much of learning how to play an instrument, including drums, is related to the genre of music being played. Rock, Pop, Blues, Jazz, Latin, Country, and Reggae are just a few examples of musical styles that have their own language and ways of playing appropriately. Spending time working on styles is very important to being successful as a drummer. You have to know what to play based on the genre at hand. Knowing what's right for the style comes from studying and listening.
- Groove
Even if you were to work on all the elements listed here in the "11 Pillars," you could not possibly succeed as a drummer if your groove was suspect. What does this mean? Groove is that combination of steady time and "feel" that makes the beats you play feel good. This is one of the trickiest skills to teach. It has two components: Time and Feel. Time is the easier of the two to teach: just work with a metronome. That's really all there is to it. It's not easy, but the method to develop it is simple. Feel is more elusive. The only way I've found to work on it is simply to listen to music and emulate the playing of the drummer(s) whose "feel" you like. So, again, it's trickier, but the method is fairly clear. Listen, absorb and emulate. Then repeat.
- Passion
This is the emotion in your playing. It's the fire. The urgency. It comes from what excites you. This is crucial because it drives everything else. The passion is like the drumming engine's gasoline. It pushes you to practice more, learn more, come up with more ideas and keep you moving along the path to develop your craft. I always ask my students what kind of music they like and who their favorite drummers are. If they have answers and speak with excitement, I can see they have passion. If they don't, I worry. This passion is also something you can see and hear when someone plays. Confidence and passion are part of your performance.
- Concept
Your concepts are your philosophies of playing. Your ideas. Your practice plans. Your technical goals and desired styles to master. What you imagine you can do with your playing. These concepts can take many forms. In the early stages, your concepts will be more about trying to develop some fundamental facility to allow you to function behind the drums at a basic level. But later, the ideas should progress; "how do I sound like [insert favorite drummer here]," "How do I sound unique?" Specific ways for you to sound unique will be key to develop your own voice and stand out from the rest. That is an advanced concept. But, you get the picture? Concept is important. Having no concepts for your drumming would be like sailing a boat that has no rudder; you'd drift around a lot and probably not get anywhere. For more on this check out: "Why Thinking About Your Drumming Is Just As Important As Practicing."
- Practice
This is the work. The other 10 pillars mean nothing without this. Really. No practice means you won't get good. Game over. Lots of practice means you could be great. It is very hard work and it takes thousands of hours. But overlook this and all is lost. For further reading on practicing, check out: "Great Drummers Practice A Lot," "An Introduction To Practicing" and "On Practice and Patience."
- Technique
- The Gift - December 30, 2021
- The Rock Drumming Six: A Simple and Solid Drum Fill Idea - December 25, 2021
- Avoid This Costly Mistake When Practicing Rudiments / Hand Technique - December 13, 2021


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Become an Investor
Millésime, the other luxury
Reviving places full of our history, defending our country's values of tourism values, and finally, creating lasting jobs…
Investing with Millésime means taking part in an adventure that goes beyond a simple financial investment. Our values of Authenticity, Sharing and Freedom are found in our financial partnerships:
- Restoring buildings from our heritage with the expertise of our craftsmen
- Highlighting the history of our Houses and rediscovering their soul
- Furnishing and decorating our Houses with a subtle balance between period touches and modernity
- Offering the guests of our Houses absolute comfort, where they feel at home
- Creating a motivated and committed team around Millésime and in each House
- Promoting your heritage in a concrete manner
Today, Millésime has decided to focus on its areas of expertise…
- Finding exceptional locations and properties at the best price
- Renovating and decorating its Houses with authenticity and modernity
- Using and managing our Houses
… and to offer its Investor Partners the opportunity to be full owners of the assets and business capital created. Millésime sources, renovates and operates them as hotel managers.
Having thus refocused on hospitality, we aim to be even more attentive to our guests, to give them exceptional experiences and thus ensure strong and lasting profitability for our Investor Partners.
If you are interested in participating in this adventure, contact us.


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Benefits for teachers
The Master Teacher Initiative is an SAISD initiative to develop, support, recognize, retain, and reward excellent teaching. It includes multiple measures of effective teaching that reflect the district's values for teacher development and performance to accelerate student achievement. Teachers can earn as much as $100,000 a year or more.
San Antonio ISD is committed to providing multiple avenues and ongoing support for professional growth for our instructional staff. Tuition-free leadership programs provide the training, coaching, framework, and real-world experience individuals need to build capacity for instructional leadership as a teacher leader or as a school administrator.
New Teacher Support
San Antonio ISD is proud of its Student Teacher and New Teacher programs. Student teaching is an invaluable experience for aspiring educators. Many of our student teachers go on to join the SAISD family, and we welcome the enthusiasm, innovation, and fresh perspective they bring to our schools.
New Teacher Orientation
Each year, SAISD hosts an orientation for all new teachers joining SAISD (including teachers with experience and those who are new to the profession).
New Teacher Academy
Teachers continue their induction through the New Teacher Academy. This is a blended-learning program with learning in the virtual setting and in synchronous settings.
Mentor Program
SAISD's mentor program provides support to teachers in their first two years of their career. Mentors meet weekly with their mentee to guide them in all aspects of induction as professional educators.
SAISD teachers in the spotlight
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are new to SAISD and in your first or second year of teaching, you will receive support as part of the program. If you do not know who your mentor is, please contact our office at 210-554-8521 or email@example.com.
You can access all of the details at the Organizational Learning and Support Services website.
Every campus has a Campus Mentor Coordinator who matches new teachers and mentors. You may also contact our office at 210-554-8521 or email@example.com.
SAISD requires that a mentor have at least three years of teaching experience and meet the objective hiring criteria for the district (i.e., 9 of 16 dimensions of T-TESS are Proficient with No Improvement Needed). Ideally, mentors teach the same grade level/content area as their mentee, but this is not always possible. All mentor assignments must be approved by the campus principal.
In general, mentors should support mentees with all aspects of becoming a professional educator. Specific mentoring activities are outlined in campus- and district-level mentor meetings. Email email@example.com with questions.
Mentors must complete annual training provided by the district. Training includes online modules and a face-to-face (or synchronous virtual) workshop accompanied by their mentee. Mentors meet weekly or bi-weekly (depending on the mentee's years of service) and submit weekly meeting logs. Mentors should contact their Campus Mentor Coordinator for more details or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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we are open till 31st of October
13 minutes driving time
every 30 minutes
30 minutes hiking time
145 m descent
51 m ascent
A prior notice of the cave visit is obligatory.
+41 41 761 83 70
|Elementary School
|School parties from Baar
|Free admission for one teacher or helper with each group of 10 pupils
|Teachers and helpers
Tickets can only be purchased on site. Accepted means of payment are cash (only CHF), EC and credit cards (except American Express) as well as Reka-Card and Reka-Checks or on account (prior registration by email is mandatory).
Duration of the tour 30 to 60 minutes
The temperature in the caves is constantly around 10° Celsius and it may drip from the ceiling. It is therefore advisable to bring warm clothes and a raincoat. The caves can be easily accessed by stairs and paths, but closed shoes are recommended because puddles and wet spots have to be walked through.
After buying the tickets at the kiosk, a path leads up through the forest for about 10 minutes to the entrance. Walk through the root, mane and fairytale grottos and the enchanted castle in the upper cave, then take an outdoor path to the lower grotto, where you can admire the lake grotto, cathedral grotto, fable grotto and coral gorge! The exit is at the kiosk. To the cave map.
1 to 2 hours
Along the Lorze there are many nice picnic places. Firewood is available.
40 minutes hiking time
93 m decent
44 m acent
9 minutes driving time
every 10 to 15 minutes


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Washington State law asks each county to set up a local Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC). The committee reviews the county's Comprehensive Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan and helps develop programs and policies for solid waste handling and disposal. Visit Recycle.Kitsap.Gov to learn about our programs.
The committee elects a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson at the beginning of each year to govern the committee. The Chair conducts all meetings, acts as a liaison between the committee and the county Solid Waste Division, sets the agenda, and arranges for prompt presentations. County staff support the SWAC by scheduling, advertising, and recording meetings; mailing materials to members; and keeping necessary records.
Mission Statement: The Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) assists in the development and
implementation of the Solid Waste Management Plan. The committee reviews and comments upon proposed rules, policies, and
ordinances related to solid waste handling and disposal prior to adoption.
Meetings are confirmed two weeks in advance. Email email@example.com to inquire.
Date: First Wednesday of even months (subject to change)
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: City of Bremerton Utilities Building, 100 Oyster Bay Avenue, Bremerton
The committee has fifteen members who represent many interests, including the Board of County Commissioners, local jurisdictions, tribes, the U.S. Navy, local business, and the waste management industry.
Updated March 2023
Stephanie Bailey, Chair
Krisha Begalla
Central Commissioner District
Douglas Chamberlain
North Commissioner District
Eric Lenius
South Commissioner District
Diane Landry
City of Bainbridge Island
Melinda Monroe
Wayne Hamilton (alternate)
City of Bremerton
Shannon Wood
City of Poulsbo
Josh Carter
Sam Phillips (alternate)
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe
Jaime Lawrence
Suquamish Tribe
Les Hastings
Heather Church
Dave Stanley (alternate)
Industry (Bainbridge Disposal)
Robert Hall
Industry (Waste Management)
Bill Rich
Commercial Representative
Erika Anderson
Jeff West
Stephanie Miller (alternate)
Organics Management


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A collection of articles and links showing how America and American companies need to stop doing business with, or trusting, China with just about anything. That country, especially with its Communist government, is willing to do anything to steal government and corporate info to further their own goals. They do not live by the historical western values of Europe or the United States.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Another Samsung (Chinese) supplier factory exploiting child labor
countries are no better, and even ignore the realities. It is so
disingenuous when scores of western "journalists" regularly attack Apple,
Inc for their "horrible supplier" when they are the only company that really
seems interested in doing anything about it. As is typical, the Asian
countries could really care less as they see people as not much more than
cattle in many ways.
"China Labor Watch (CLW) has carried out over a dozen investigations of
labor conditions at China-based Samsung factories and Samsung supplier
factories since 2012. These investigations have uncovered labor violations
including unpaid overtime wages, more than 200 monthly overtime hours, abuse
of labor dispatch and student workers, occupational safety concerns, a lack
of social insurance, and more.
One of the most serious violations has been the employment of child labor in
Samsung's supplier factories. In August 2012, CLW first exposed the use of
child workers in a Samsung supplier in Huizhou called HEG. Despite Samsung's
public statement that it found no child labor after subsequent inspection,
near the end of the end of 2012 CLW once again uncovered more child workers
in another Huizhou-based Samsung supplier called HTNS.
Before publishing the HTNS investigative report, CLW provided information on
three child workers at that factory to Samsung. Samsung sent a team of
inspectors to the factory to follow-up. The day that the inspectors arrived,
two of the child workers were suddenly let go. The one remaining girl met
with Samsung's team. Despite looking nothing like her ID-which belong to
another person called Liu Tiantian-Samsung denied that the girl was a child
In the second half of 2013, CLW was able to track down the real Liu
Tiantian, who confirmed that her ID had been lost in 2012 before the time
that it was obtained by the HTNS child worker."
Read more: http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/report/90
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Guest Post: Perspective and Intention + GIVEAWAY! (Danika Dinsmore)
First off, I would like to thank Holly Schindler and the other folks at Smack Dab in the Middle for hosting me on the first stop of my Narine of Noe blog tour.
If you aren't familiar with my blog, I enjoy using real life events, lessons, stories, etc as jumping off points for writing exercises. Life, as we all know it, can be stranger than fiction. But more than that, if, as a writer, I examine closely what it means to be human, where the messiness of being alive and functioning happens, it helps me to develop "believable" characters and situations, even while writing fantasy in a world where there are no humans!
Due to recent events in my life I have been thinking a lot about both perspective and intention.
My husband is a conflict resolution specialist. He once said, "The source of conflict is any time something that we care about is affected in some way. A consistent contributing factor to conflict is a misattribution of intent."
If we look at the world (and the people in it) as a place that intends to do us harm, and the people around us as people looking to be cruel and hurtful, then we will often perceive their actions as cruel and hurtful no matter what they do or say. In my house we call this "looking for evidence." And if we are really stuck in our story, even when someone tries to share their true intentions, we often don't believe them. The evidence speaks for itself, right?
(NOTE: this is not to trivialize nor ignore situations in which people DO live in places where they are literally physically at risk.)
As a writer, this idea of misattribution of intent is useful for plot and character development. I know that I personally hate it when my intentions are questioned or misinterpreted. How can I prove what my intentions were? All the other person has is my word and when someone doesn't trust my intent, it's a difficult space from which to untangle a conflict.
As a reader, I find that I greatly sympathize with characters whose intentions are misunderstood. Especially when the intentions are good-hearted and sincere. For example, your character could give a heart-felt gift to someone that they interpret as rubbing something in their face, teasing them, etc. and the cycle of hurt begins.
Another use of this idea in storytelling is to place an innocent into a dangerous situation (or humorous one, for that matter) in which they believe everyone's intentions are good when they are actually not.
In Narine of Noe, I take both of these ideas to the extreme. Narine is fairly innocent. She has no reason not to trust the intentions of those around her, in particular her best friend and the wise World Sages. However, the energetic balance of the world shifts and, save for Narine and a few others who were protected, no one trusts anyone's intentions any longer. The miscommunication and accusations grow until there are disastrous results. Most heart-breaking is that her own best friend now sees her intentions as selfish, vindictive, scheming – and no matter what Narine says, she cannot convince her otherwise.
So, here's a fun writing exercise. Take a scene you have already written and play with both the intentions of each character AND the misinterpretation of those intentions. Through a certain lens, have a character see the world as completely against her and each statement or action as proof. Can love look like cruelty? Can generosity appear as mocking? Can an innocent question appear as accusation or blame? What kind of tension and conflict can you create using misunderstanding of intention?
And if you don't have a scene try out this timed writing exercise:
1) Set your timer for 5-7 minutes. Using the start line below, write without stopping and without editing. If you get stuck, just write about being stuck (gosh, I'm stuck, my mind feels like a piece of cheese…) OR just keep writing the start line over with a different response each time.
Start line: My characters had such good intentions when he/she . . .
2) Set your timer for 5-7 minutes. Using one of the start lines below, write without stopping and without editing.
Start line: My character was completely misunderstood when she . . .
3) Set your timer for 7-10 minutes. Using one of the start lines below, write without stopping and without editing.
Start line: Feeling misunderstood, my character builds a wall around herself that looks like . . .
Happy writing and Happy New Year!
Anyone interested in writing a review for any of Books 1-3 can contact Danika at email@example.com for a free ebook copy of the omnibus edition. Just mention you saw the offer on this site.
Danika Dinsmore is an award-winning author, performance artist, and educator. Over the past 25 years she has developed content for the page, stage, screen, and web. Danika currently works and plays in speculative fiction with an emphasis on juvenile & young adult literature. Inspired by her children's fantasy adventure series FAERIE TALES FROM THE WHITE FOREST, she developed her interactive Imaginary Worlds Tours, performing and teaching world-building & creative writing at schools, conferences, and festivals across North America.
She writes about the creative life and posts exercises on her blog: danikadinsmore.com and shoots her mouth off on Twitter @danika_dinsmore
Also, Danika is hosting a giveaway of a print copy of Narine of Noe! Just fill out the form below; giveaway ends January 21.


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WINNIPEG — Flanked by party faithful, Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister launched his party's election campaign on Saturday in south Winnipeg.
"We will offer Manitobans a clear choice in the upcoming election, based on trust, compassion, common sense, inclusion and teamwork," he said to a crowd gathered at the Centro Coboto Centre.
Pallister echoed his previous promise to roll back the PST to seven percent, reducing ambulance fees, and investment $1 million annually in infrastructure.
"We've been listening to Manitobans. They want change. We have a new, fresh, exciting team we've put together with more women candidates than ever before," Pallister added.
Manitoba voters head to the polls on April 19.
"We are going to build this province up with team work!" –@Brian_Pallister #BetterMB #mbpoli pic.twitter.com/Li5udaRa9A
— Blue Crew (@PC_BlueCrew) March 12, 2016


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Box Semi-truck NEFAZ 9509-30
(Weight reduction 12%)
Strength calculation is made of the frame and body-dump NEFAZ 9509-30 in order to further increase its capacity and reducing metal.
The computational model of a body and the frame formed by the Customer sent by 3 dmodeli. Calculation was conducted on the following (with load) Load: moving on a rough road, the acceleration (acceleration, braking and turning), twisting and lifting the body.
Carrying out the static analysis of the frame and the body is made in the calculation module of the stress-strain state, stability, natural and forced vibrations of parts and structures using finite element method - APM Structure3D, which is part of the automated calculation and design of structures for APM WinMachine 12 industrial and civil construction .
As a result of calculations obtained card design stress and strain state at the body frame and the respective load combinations. Below is a part of them
According to the results of the calculations have been carried out to optimize the design of the frame and body. The recommendations on the most attenuated strengthening elements and reducing the thickness of the semitrailer underutilized elements.
After changing the model according to the recommendations, re-calculation on all the combinations of loadings were carried out. these calculations results confirmed that the frame construction and the semi-trailer body satisfies the conditions of strength and stiffness.
Thus, the task of reducing metal frame and body of the semitrailer has been resolved. Metal consumption decreased by 780 kg, which is 12% of the initial model of the semitrailer


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- Photo sizesSquare
XXS - tiny
XS - extra small
S - small
M - medium
✔ L - large
Home 5
Creation date / 2020 / All
- stvbb2020 week 3
@muri ''murisen'' murisdotter @Swordfern (Akal'jash) @Morgan/ShyWaterlilies(Urraz) @Kiga (Sekki) @Loira (Irielle) @FAWLUHN @Pypy (Shio the Shark) @Aaron (Eleeria) @-Tizee-GillblinsGrotto- @Tevrugos/Voidyboy @Stef-mad-arts @Granny (Charli) @Mama Monty @Local Bard (Talv) @Armentarius {Xathonydaahr} @Ela'thias | Ran'heldron @TheWarDancer
- Sculpture
Week 2: Sculpture! I just about lost my mind not liking this then basically redrew the whole thing, whew! Also I broke some timeline rules with my Tev density XD Thank you to @Tevrugos/Voidyboy @Blastflight @Nuka @Tezzla Trickfuse @SilverSoo (Zul'soo) @Ryarte who plays Varsha for letting me borrow their children for timey wimey chaos!
- stbb2020promt2
Ori made a sand-dragon. He just thinks it's neat! Revorus ( @PhotoWorgen I don't think they're in here so I used their twitter?) Clown ( @Clown / Lancelion (Saint Etzer) ) and Tevergos ( @Tevrugos/Voidyboy ) got dragged over to appreciate his fine work
- Week1 Menagerie
Week one: Menagerie done finally at the last minute! Thank you @Bishie Tael is (not) gone @Vae (Tyrvalin) ☠ @Goethia @Jasper!! (Archelaos) @chatell @Vhienna (Chickaburra) @Tevrugos/Voidyboy and A Random NPC for letting me borrow their lads. Seagulls are the best birds!
- prompt 1
Week One: Menagerie Just a group of friends flying around with their giant birds, a dragon and an angel with @Vae (Tyrvalin) ☠ and @Tevrugos/Voidyboy


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ASTORIA, Ore. — The reaction to Behman Zakeri purchasing the iconic Astoria house from the beloved 1985 film, "The Goonies," has been overwhelmingly positive, especially as the new owner of the 126-year-old house has made it clear he's thrilled to welcome fans of the movie who want to see the home.
Zakeri, a Kansas City entrepreneur who bought the home on the Oregon coast in December 2022 for $1.65 million, is a huge fan of the movie. He said he's seen it more than 100 times. Buying the house was a dream come true for him.
"Somebody had to buy it, preserve it, keep it so that Goonies can continue to come visit it," he said.
One person, though, is clearly unhappy about that, and they've plastered their displeasure all over the front of their house.
A neighbor who lives two houses down from the Goonies house hung a large banner on their house that reads, "GOONIES NOT WELCOME," in response to the large amount of traffic it attracts to the small private neighborhood.
That's in stark contrast to the open-arms approach of Zakeri. He placed a banner on the house in response that reads, "HEY YOU GUYS! GOONIES WELCOME!"
The neighborly spat didn't end with those two, though. A friend of the new owner who bought the house between the Goonies house and the other neighbor's house also hung a huge banner from their home. That one has a huge black arrow pointing to the "Goonies not welcome" neighbor's home that reads, "iGNORE KAREN."
"Karen" is a slang term used to describe someone who acts entitled or makes unreasonable demands. Whether that description applies to the neighbor or not is up for personal interpretation.
In 2015, the 30th anniversary of the film brought as many as 1,500 visitors a day to the house, leading the home's previous owner to temporarily cover the house in tarps and post "no trespassing" signs. She later reopened the home to the public.
Zakeri said while he openly welcomes fans of the movie, he hopes those who visit respect the neighborhood.
"Let's not go in the neighbors' yards. Let's not mess with their stuff," he said. "If they want to come take selfies, if they want to geocache or whatever and say, 'I was at the Goonies house,' and do the truffle shuffle, then go right ahead. Just be respectful, just like anything else."


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Attendance Matters
Encouraging regular school attendance is one of the most powerful ways you can prepare your child for success, both in school and in life. When you make school attendance a priority, you help your child get better grades, develop healthy life habits, avoid dangerous behavior and have a better chance of achieving their full potential.
Students who attend school regularly also feel more connected to their community, develop important social skills and friendships, and are significantly more likely to leave school with good qualifications, setting them up for a strong future.
The target attendance figure for all students is a minimum of 96% attendance. 96-100% is the 'Excellent Attendance' group.
At 96% attendance – 73% of students achieve five good grades at GCSE (9-4) including English and Maths, however even at 96% attendance a student would have missed 45 hours of learning.
19 days off per school year means that a pupil has approx. 90% attendance. At 90 % attendance your child will have missed 97 lessons in one year! If this trend went throughout the 5 years a child is at secondary school, this would equate to half a year of missing school time in total.
The research shows that for every 17 days missed from school a child is likely to drop one GCSE grade in EVERY subject. Only 35% of those with attendance between 80-90% will achieve five good grades (9-4) at GCSE including English and Maths.
We wish to work in partnership with parents and carers and seek your full support in ensuring that your child attends school every day and on time. We are always pleased to work together with parents and carers in resolving any difficulties as we are committed to improving attendance levels at school.
We offer a range of rewards for students who have good attendance.
You can see your child's attendance by checking Edulink.
If your child is absent for any reason we expect them to complete the classwork and homework for that period of time. Your child's form tutor will discuss this with your child and may also call you at home if attendance has fallen further, to discuss how to ensure your child does not fall behind their peers.
Please note this important information which will help you work with us to ensure that your child has the very best chance of success at Abbey College:
- Ensure your child comes to school every day, on time, equipped and ready to learn. Students should be ready to learn by 8.40am. Students should be in the building by 8.35am. Students arriving very late will be marked absent and will require an explanatory note or the absence will remain unauthorised.
- Ensure the school has up to date addresses and telephone numbers. We will contact you if your child is absent and you have not contacted the school. This ensures your child's safety and any truancy is quickly identified.
Key Points for Information
- Students should attend school for 190 days per year.
- If your child is ill, contact the school on each day of absence, before 8.40am by email ar call 01487 812352.
**Please note Abbey College does not operate a 48 hour return to school policy following an illness/sickness bug. Your child should return to school at the earliest opportunity**
- If no contact is received regarding the absence, it is recorded as unauthorised. Ultimately the school is responsible for deciding if the absence is acceptable or not. Only genuine absence will be authorised. You must provide medical certificates or evidence of appointments if you wish us to consider them, or if your child has a poor attendance record.
- Ensure that medical appointments are made outside of school time.
- Holidays should not be taken in school time (please see the case below).
- We will on occasion need to send you letters to let you know about potential effects of your child's attendance, should it drop below 96%. In each of these letters there is specific legal wording which has to be used. Please respond to letters or telephone calls regarding attendance and punctuality as required by the content of the letter or if you wish to discuss the impact of attendance further.
- Contact the Attendance Team if you are experiencing difficulty in getting your child into school.
- All requests for leave of absence in term time must be made in writing on the leave of absence request form at least two weeks in advance of the required date (see Leave of Absence below).
- As a parent or carer you are committing an offence if you fail to ensure that your child attends school regularly and punctually, even if they are missing school without your knowledge.
Thank you for working in partnership with us to achieve the highest possible levels of attendance and punctuality at Abbey College.
Court Case and the Law
In April 2017 the Supreme Court upheld the ban on parents taking their children out of school for family holidays during term time. We have been advised by the Local Authority they will be reverting back to their original code of conduct and will be issuing Penalty Notice Fines.
Delivering the judgment, the deputy president of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, said: "Unauthorised absences have a disruptive effect, not only on the education of the individual child but also on the work of other pupils.
"If one pupil can be taken out whenever it suits the parent, then so can others ... Any educational system expects people to keep the rules. Not to do so is unfair to those obedient parents who do keep the rules, whatever the costs or inconvenience to themselves."
Penalty Notice fines for unauthorised term time leave / holiday - updates
From 1 September 2013, the Department of Education changed the regulations regarding requests for family holidays during term time. The changes to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 mean there is no legal entitlement for parents to take their children on holiday during term time. The new regulations also make it clear that Head Teachers may not authorise leave during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Head Teachers would not be expected to class any term time holiday as exceptional.
The Local Authority have amended their Penalty Notice code of conduct to take into account the Supreme Court Judgement (Isle of Wight v John Platt) which clarified the meaning of "regular" school attendance as outlined in Section 444 Education Act 1996. Abbey College expect attendance at school to be 100%, unless there are exceptional or unavoidable reasons for absence, which would then be authorised.
In light of this judgement, the Local Authority have removed the criterion of "historical holiday taken" as one of the criteria used to issue a Penalty Notice.
In short, the change is that the Local Authority will now accept requests for Penalty Notices to be issued for single event absences of at least 3 consecutive school days or more where these absences are unauthorised because they are neither exceptional nor unavoidable. This took effect from 1st September 2017.
Further information can be found here.


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In conversation: Ubisoft's Steve Miller and Julius Witz on the business in Asia
Away from the packed bustle of Taipei Game Show 2019, behind a registration desk decorated with a Ubisoft placard and beyond PCs loaded with Far Cry New Dawn, sat two members of the publisher's business management team.
Steve Miller, managing director for Asia (left), and Julius Witz, general manager for Southeast Asia (right), were engaged in a small roundtable discussion with Singapore media on Ubisoft in this slice of the world. Cracking the SEA shell has been a tough endeavor for western companies, and the French independent company doesn't see itself exempt from the list.
From pop-up events and distribution, to esports and games as a service, we poked the two for their thoughts on various topics. Grab a cup and get comfortable, for this will be quite the read.
Note: The following has been edited for length and clarity.
We've seen a few Ubisoft studios cropping up across Asia but will we see a physical store in the region?
Steve Miller: We probably have other priorities than a store. If we're going to invest in Asia, we'd probably invest more in localization. There are a lot of languages that we don't localize into yet, like Thai or Bahasa.
Investing more money in, for example, local customer support or local servers, or local SNS influencers, or trying to communicate more with our local users. Right now, we do very little in Philippines or Malaysia or Indonesia. We have the studio in Singapore so we have kind of a close connection with some our Singapore fans, but again there's more we could be doing.
A store is not high on the priority unless… you think it would be successful? (Laughs) It's hard to do merchandise because you can't have just the store – you have to have the staff, the warehouse, the logistics, so it becomes quite expensive. Maybe an online store presence might be something: Shopee and Lazada are very active in the region so that might be something interesting to think about.
Based on all the expansions we've been seeing, will we see a similar trajectory for esports?
I hope so. Esports for us is also something we need to be investing more in Southeast Asia and other parts of Asia. We have a good Rainbow Six population in Japan so we do a lot of activities there. We have some events and we work closely with the teams that play it, and they've done well in semi-finals and finals around the world. So, yes, we would like to develop the Rainbow Six player base in other regions as well. It's something we want to spend more time and money on.
Have there been any opportunities for you to do that in Asia?
There's nothing I can announce right now. To tell you the truth, it's something that we're spending some time thinking and talking about this week at Taipei Game Show. Me and the boss of Southeast Asia, Julius, we're thinking about the next concrete steps to take in Asia for esports. We have a really special product with Rainbow Six. Not every game is suited for esports, even competitive games, but Rainbow Six works very well so it's an opportunity that we can't let escape.
You mentioned tapping into the local communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and so on. We've seen other studios overseas having weekly streams and such, so is that something you're looking into for the region here?
It's something we have to do. One of the big problems with Southeast Asia is that you've got three or four or five or six countries and languages and different population bases, different age rating regulations, what you can show on TV, what you can talk about, and how you broadcast. It's not as efficient as Taiwan or Japan, so we have to look at where it makes financial sense, frankly — we're a business, we're not a charity.
It has to have a big playing base, it has to be interesting for Ubisoft's long term, but yes becoming closer to our fans is part of Ubisoft's worldwide… mission. It's part of our worldwide philosophy. Social media and things like Twitch, getting direct feedback and responding to that feedback, is one of the best ways. It does cost money (laughs). We have to hire local emcees and people who can speak on camera, people who know the game, and people who can manage the SNS traffic, so it becomes complicated.
And there are different platforms.
The platforms are another thing too. PlayStation 4 works well in Japan, in Taiwan, but it doesn't work well yet in some of the countries in Southeast Asia.
Speaking of finances, Ubisoft has seen annual growth in player returning investments such as DLCs and seasonal content.
Sure, it's a worldwide trend, it's not only for Ubisoft. I think other publishers are also seeing good results with player retention and every company is getting better at understanding what content players want to buy or what they feel motivated to spend on. For us in the Asia region, this digital content is becoming a bigger part of our business. So, yah, we need to get better at listening to our consumers and getting content that they want, and we have to always watch our competitors and look at what they're doing, to borrow some ideas from them.
It's something that's always changing: what works well this year might not work well next year. A game like Fortnite comes along and changes the way players and companies think about video games, so that's very interesting and exciting. But if we try to copy that and come out with something similar, the market may change (laughs). It's always risky.
Based on the current portfolio of games, Ubisoft are moving towards more games as a service. Was that a conscious choice for the company?
For sure. Games are as expensive to make as movies, if not more, so putting a disc into a box and putting it on a shelf is not long-term – it's not a great strategy any more. If we spend tens of millions or a hundred million dollars making a video game, we want that game to have a long lifetime. And the games themselves are long, it takes 20 or 30 hours if you want to play the game from start to finish, and all the side missions. A movie is passive, you watch if for two hours and then it's done.
But we want you to become attached to the game and feel an emotional connection with the characters. After work or after school, to come home and spend some time with Ezio from Assassin's Creed or Father Joseph from Far Cry. So the games have to become long-term and they have to become services, and so we have to… forever come up with new content for the games to keep the players interested. It is a conscious choice to move in that direction.
Again, it's expensive because you need a live team to continue creating content and to continue servicing your online infrastructure. Not every company can make that commitment. It's a clear direction for Ubisoft, and our players, hopefully, should expect more of it.
I think you guys are pretty much on the right track.
I hope so! I look at us, particularly in Asia, and you know, Korean companies have been providing games as a service since the late 1990s and they're very good at it. Chinese companies have been doing it, Vietnamese companies have been doing it, and in many ways they are more advanced than us. Ubisoft is a western company so our headquarters is located in Europe – we're not as close to the Asian consumers as we should be, we don't react as fast as we should. And the innovations that happen in Asia… Its' easy for a company like Tencent or Netease to pick up on new trends, but it takes us a little while longer to pick up on it. In a sense, in Europe we're the champion but in Asia we're still the challenger, we're still up and coming. For me its exciting because it means there's always somebody to beat (laughs). "How do we beat "Nexon or "how do we beat Netease, how do we beat Tencent?" We can't be lazy.
Have you thought of partnering up with someone in Asia?
Well we did make an announcement that we're partnering with Tencent. I think a lot of people are interested: "What's going on with the Tencent partnership? What does Ubisoft have planned for China?" For the rest of Asia… well, when it makes sense to partner with somebody. We have a bit of an independent spirit and our founder, our chairman, Yves Guillemot, he likes to learn and do things and try things by himself. But, yes, partnering in Asia is one way to reduce our risk and learn so, if it makes sense, we'll do it.
Ubisoft is quite unique in that it has a ton of studios around the world. You have the lead studio in Montreal and the supporting ones in Kiev, China, and so on. What is the grand vision for Asia as whole?
The way Ubisoft is structured, you can think about it as two companies: there's the side that makes the games, the studio side; and then there's side that markets and sells the games, the business side. I'm on the business side so I'm not capable of answering for the studio, but I know that we're always looking for studio talent.
Creating content is going to become more and more important, and creating content means you need to have programmers, graphic artists, people who create the music, the interfaces – so we could always use more talent. Asia's interesting because it has a lot of good video game talent, so I imagine the studios will continue to expand its presence in Asia as it has been doing.
For the business side, I'm based in Japan so that's my specialty. I know we've been growing in Japan; we intend to grow more in Southeast Asia as well. Globally, I think– my personal feeling is that our future is in Asia. It's not a very risky prediction, it's not a very bold prediction, it's kind of obvious, but I think Asia will be a large part of Ubisoft's future. So it's super important that we know our Asian consumers better. And that means we got to be there, we have to have more offices there, we have to have more studios there, more closer interactions with our users. Maybe… you mentioned stores earlier – maybe it's pop-up stores, or retail, or events.
Being in Japan, I'm sure you were elated to hear about esports going official.
Yes. The situation in Japan was that we could not offer cash prizes to the general public; we could only offer cash prizes to professional players, but there was no way to identify or appoint a professional player. Now, there's a way where we can go, "OK this team is professional, this team is still amateur." That problem has been fixed so now we can be more active in esports in Japan. I'm not sure about the legal issues in all the countries in Southeast Asia but I think Japan was unique.
The problem in Southeast Asia is not the legalities, it's as I mentioned earlier: you have many markets, the player base is diffused among different languages and different… everything. Different standards, currencies, platforms. Where do we invest our time and money? Do we invest it in Indonesia right now or do we invest it in Singapore? It's about trying to find the best strategy in Southeast Asia. It's quite difficult for a western company but we're figuring it out slowly.
It helps to have offices in Asia.
Yes. You need to have killer content, so for many countries in Asia Rainbow Six is killer content. But for some countries it might be Just Dance. You might not consider it as an esport title but it's the kind of title that can be interesting. It's non-violent, its good for families, its good for kids, it makes you active – so if we do an esports event in a shopping mall using Just Dance it can be very exciting.
And it's the kind of thing that governments might support. Governments are interested in encouraging or developing esports but it's difficult for them to invest in a game that is violent or political. So Just Dance is something we might be able to get governments interested in.
A Just Dance thing in Singapore? That would be awesome – put it in Marina Bay or somewhere. Why not?
Probably the last question: You mentioned Southeast Asia being a complicated network. So in terms of distribution have you explored partnering with others like, say, Lazada?
Yes, its something we always look at and its something we need to go back to. Because again – I'm not sure, maybe two years ago — Lazada was not even big in Southeast Asia and Shopee was relatively new also, I think. So next year maybe there'll be a new way of delivering games to consumers. Maybe there'll be a killer app that everybody will have that they want to use to get Ubisoft's content.
So its something that we look at all the time. It's something that has inhibited the growth of Ubisoft in Asia and I think other companies too. How do you reach these tens of millions or hundred million consumers in Southeast Asia? We have been good at making physical boxes and putting them on the shelves, but this method doesn't work for us in Southeast Asia so well. We have traditionally sold at a high price and physical distribution is complicated. What do you with the language on the boxes, is it okay to use English or do you want to use Bahasa?
All of these complicates things, but everybody now has access to the internet. A lot of people have access to downloading platforms, Steam and Epic, and any of a million other ways to purchase games. So, yes, looking at how the games go from the studio to your pocket, or your home, is something that we're spending more time on.
Julius Witz: (Walks in) Hello.
Miller: You're just in time, we have to wrap it up!
Witz: I hope he did a good job. Whatever he said is true and I 100% agree (laughter).
Ah, so you're based in Hong Kong.
Witz: Yes, and I work for him and I try to take care of the Asian markets.
Miller: He goes around the region more than I do. Ubisoft retail in Southeast Asia, what do you think?
Witz: I would love to have a pop-up store, you know. If we can have an event for Rainbow Six or The Division 2, to have a chance to sell some merchandise or provide our fans with the collector's edition. Something that's limited to a dedicated event, but a permanent store? It just doesn't work. It's expensive and we saw– even the real monster companies in our industry tried it in the US and London and it didn't work very well. I think it's more fun to bring people together to an event, show them the game, and sell a limited-edition figurine.
Something like Ubidays.
Witz: Something like Ubidays! It's a service for our fans. Permanent is impossible but for local events, for pop-up stores, these kinds of ideas. Sometimes it's complicated but with a strong local partner it's possible.
Miller: And regulations too, because a lot of our merchandise is designed in Europe and made in China. For example, when we bring it to Japan, if it's anything electronic it needs to go through an electronics certification; if it's something you can eat or like a mug, you have to test it for dangerous chemicals. You can't just import a thousand mugs, you have to go through this complicated import process. If you have something for small children, we have to ensure that parts can't be ripped off and accidentally swallowed. It does make a retail store difficult.
Witz: Japan is a very strict country. But when it comes to ecommerce there is a good chance. Finding the right distribution partner could be an option to offer fans the games or collector's editions that they want. Singapore is easy, it's not that big, you just need a guy with a car (laughs). And to be honest, I think we have a very, very strong local partner in Singapore because the company we work with, they know the market, and when we have a collector's edition they really do lots of promotions in stores, they show it in different stores. It's more complicated for Thailand, for Indonesia, for Malaysia, because they're so big.
Going back to ecommerce, The Division 2 is now not on Steam, it's on Epic's games store. What do you guys think about that decision?
Witz: It's mainly driven from a European-US perspective. For us in our region, we try to focus strongly on the Ubisoft Store. We've developed it a year ago, we invoice it in Singapore dollars, we have local stores with local pricing, so I hope for our fans it's their first way to purchase a game.
Thanks for your time!
That Ubisoft Store they mentioned? You might want to check it out, for they're currently running a Lunar New Year sale with considerable discounts on their catalogue. Head there even if you aren't buying anything, anyway, as they're also giving away Assassin's Creed Chronicles — China and Splinter Cell Conviction for free.
In other related news, the private beta for The Division 2 has recently went live. Stay tuned for our impressions next week!
Disclosure: Ubisoft covered flight and accommodation to Taipei Game Show 2019.


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Most famous is Ümit Karan who takes charge at Shkupi, Momchilo Mitrevski is back at Sileks, Zoran Shterjovski will lead Bregalnica, while Darko Krsteski will have the hardest task at Pelister.
photo by FC Shkupi: Ümit Karan at his first training session
Four Macedonian teams this week announced their new head coaches. The biggest name among them is surely the former Turkish national team player and star striker of Galatasaray, Ümit Karan (42-year-old) who joined first league underperformer Shkupi. It will be the first job for him as head coach as so far he has worked as trainer at Malatyaspor USA for a year and director at Eskişehirspor and Büyükçekmece Tepecikspor. Shkupi is currently at the bottom of the table.
The other top flight side that has new head coach is Sileks. They decided to bring back at charge Momchilo Mitevski (57) who was already working within the club. Also, he has lead the Kratovo club on numerous occasions in the past. Sileks has been underperforming and is second-to-last.
Second league East team Bregalnica announced that Zoran Shterjovski (43) agreed to terms and will lead their club. He has been in charge of Miravci, Pelister, Pobeda and Sileks, at Greek side Agrotikos as assistant manager and most recently technical director of Chinese side Qīngdǎo Jonoon.
Biggest challenge will have the new head coach of Pelister. It is Darko Krsteski (47) who so far has lead only Pobeda in 2016. He will have a tough time to bring back life into Pelister who is stuck in the relegation zone of the second league West.


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Unless you've never known any better, you know that nothing beats the feeling of checking record stores for new music, making tough decisions as to what to buy immediately and what to put on hold 'til next time, compensating all involved for their efforts and taking home a brand spankin' new CD, tape or piece of wax. Lest you haven't noticed, your favorite online source for rap reviews, the conveniently christened www.RapReviews.com, is updated the same weekday as new records are usually being released. This reviewer, living far removed from the United States of America and their sometimes strange customs, has been oblivious to this connection for a long time. To him, Tuesday is the day between Monday and Wednesday. But he can sure as hell relate to the underlying message of the following bars:
"New music, Tuesday, it's the best day of the week
Lunch time, Best Buy, Circuit City on the creep
Your favorite artist released a CD on time
9.99 can't be beat, I'm coppin' mine
Don't want the bootleg, I need to read the credits
We used to quizz and search just to see if niggas read it
But things changed, we gotta take it back
Originality missin', man, that's a fact
SandboxAutomatic, CDBaby.com
got the underground music for the soul and the palm"
Actually I'm not sure if the last word there is really "palm," but it would certainly make sense and bring this argument full circle. I too need to hold an album or a single in my hands to really be able to appreciate it. And I don't want the bootleg either, I need to read the credits as well. I also applaud the efforts of online stores such as SandboxAutomatic and CD Baby to make independent rap music available to a worldwide audience. Not through dubious filesharing, but by engaging in a business that is now a vital part of hip-hop's support system. The above quote is from the appropriately titled "I'm Still a Fan," which offers a highly representative outlook on the indie rapper's mode of operation: "I'm still a fan, ain't a damn thing changed / I'm a artist in the crowd yellin' other people's names."
That said, "Diverse" is a record if you're lucky you'll find at selected stores in and around the nation's capital. With go-go being the dominating force on DC's urban dancefloors, the Disctrict was never particularly known for its hip-hop scene, as only a handful of acts such as DC Scorpio, Section 8 Mob, Questionmark Asylum and Nonchalant gained notoriety on a national level. Despite these odds, hip-hop does exist in Washington, as evidenced by the brotherly duo of Darnaye Hines pka DJ SE and Darnelle Hines pka DarnGood. Together they're known as Den'D Productions (pronounced D&D - no relation to David Lotwin and Doug Grama), and "Diverse" is their latest offering.
Things kick off with the single "Let's Ride," featuring singer Tyreke. I hate to dismiss a crew on the basis of a good-humored introduction like this, but the shortcomings just reveal themselves too quickly here. Rapper DarnGood can be excused for opening up with an oft-referenced Snoop line ("It's so much drama in the city DC..."), but when he describes Washington as "the place where Jordan played with 23," he's simply asking for objections. Washington Wizards fans might feel differently, but the only city to have etched itself in the memory of sports fanatics around the world in association with the legendary number 23 is Chicago, end of story. Chicaco is THE "place where Jordan played with 23," Washington is just ANOTHER "place where Jordan played with 23." If this seems like splitting hairs, it still points out a fundamental flaw in "Diverse"'s lyrical content. Lyrically, not much is to be excepted from a song entitled "Let's Ride," but if you offer the listener a ride around town, the sights should be a wee more spectacular than what can be found on "Let's Ride." DarnGood likes to reference fellow rappers, sometimes more cleverly ("'On the Road to the Riches' bumpin' Kool G 'On the Run'"), sometimes less ("Went to college like Kanye but didn't drop out"), a familiar gimmick that isn't any less stale just because The Game recently made half an album out of it. "Me and my brother change the state of the game," DarnGood describes Den'D's aspirations, but they still have a long way to go considering the rapper's timid vocal presence and the way they let a decent beat be ruined by a deflated bassline on the very first song.
Sadly, the rest of the album packs no surprises but exposes two artists without a proper clue as to how they want to sound like and what they want to tell us, the clear downside of wanting to be "Diverse." There's a song for the car fanatics called "Cadi's & Z's," not too bad an effort, with a lot of retro 808 boom to the beat and lines like "My tires are legal, they over 18 / you would think that I was beatin' 'em the way they scream." There's "The Business 2005," a track sounding more East Coast than anything coming from the East Coast in the past three years, complete with Inspectah Deck, Big Pun and Big L quotes. There's a wanna-be Timbaland track named "Let's Party" with lyrics likely to remind you of the Big Tymers and the fact that compared to these imitators, Baby and Mannie Fresh are actually quite listenable: "Blowin' out 16 bars like candles on a cake / Den'D the heavyweights, Donald Trump and Bill Gates."
Most of Den'D's efforts are simply too obvious and poorly executed, and I'm not even talking about the closing "go-go hop" hybrid "Yeah," which ends the album on a somewhat optimistic note. It's tracks like "Back it Up," crudely introduced with the commando "Back it up, girl, show me your thong / lift up that ass while you grind to this song," that test my patience. Don't talk to me about originality when you come up with calculated songs like these, thinking you "got the shorties on lock with the reggae hip-hop." Maybe it wasn't so bad if a certain Kandi Girl (showing promise elsewhere on the album) didn't embarrass herself with nonsense no self-respecting female rapper should ever be caught saying: "Beep-beep, back it up like a dump truck / Knee-deep up in my guts is where you wanna touch / Ooh-wee is what I say when you smack my butt."
As far as production goes, "Fly Brown Brother" is the only beat really up to par with contemporary beatmaking, an ass-kicking combination of proud, loud, natural-sounding drums, yells and horn stabs, sort of like Kanye West meets Edan. The first song of any real substance is "What We Do For Love," a heartfelt dedication from DarnGood to his wife:
"...A few months later turned into some years
A whole lotta lovin' and a little bit of tears
She my best friend, and I think I'm about to question
She know about my skeletons and all my true confessions
I love her family, and her family loves me
She supports my love for hip-hop and that goes for Den'D
Shortie don't care about the girls in the video
Callin' all her friends when our songs are on the radio
Like Whodini said, 'You're lucky just to have one love'
You know when it's right because it fit like a glove"
Like "I'm Still a Fan," "What We Do For Love" is proof that Den'D are capable of coming up with noteworthy material. Too bad they spend most of the album chasing pipe dreams of mainstream success. One notable exception is "Many Styles," a straightforward showcase for local mic-wreckers V-Pro, Pain, Frankly Speak.king, Aye-One and Multiple Man. Inspired by his underground guests, even DarnGood remembers his crew's credo:
"Fuck an A&R, they bad for your health
expire they ass like bad aspirine on your shelf
These sheisty-ass niggas fuckin' up the rap game
got MC's soundin' alike and lookin' all the same
It's a damn shame the way they lose their name for this shit
Fake cars, fake houses, fake chicks with fake tits
See, the whips and the clothes in the video, we own
We independent, fuck the politics, we grown"
Props to Den'D Productions for trying to roll self-sustained. Hopefully, in the future they'll stay away from mimicking song concepts we've already heard a million times. DarnGood best heed his own words: "It ain't a hook until the hook is done right / it ain't a song in your head until the pen and paper fight." Next time we wanna see some fighting.
Music Vibes: 4.5 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 4.5 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 4.5 of 10
Originally posted: June 21, 2005
source: www.RapReviews.com


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Olive Oil Times
Food & Beverage Insider
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Natural Colors: A Rainbow of Opportunity
Interest in Keto Diet, Products on the Rise
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Consumers' Sweet Preferences/>
Addressing Texture Challenges in Clean Label Prepared Foods
Snacks & Bars: Convenience Without Compromise
Formulating Dressings, Marinades and Sauces
Transforming Breakfast: From Bars and Bowls to Burritos
Bringing Freshness to Life in Packaged Foods
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Clean Label Snack Bars
Cargill (childhood-nutrition.com)
Pizza Crust That Kids and Dietitians Love
Schools Reduce Calories
Salt Preferences May Begin Early in Life
Refining Protein Needs for Kids.
Steviva Brands/Icon Foods
Formulating the Guilt out of Ice Cream
Cracking the Code on Clean Label Sugar Reduction
Nectevia – Enhanced Agave Sweetener
Stevia: A Naturally Sweet Choice
Food Product Design Features
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An Appetite for Snacks
Healthy Kids Snacks
Optimizing Flavors and Sweeteners
All-Natural Bars
Fiber Files
Heart-Healthy Formulating
New Generation of Fried Foods
Health Benefits of Spices and Seasonings
Reducing Added Sugars
Fruitful Beverages
Formulating All-Natural Beverages
Sugar-Free Formulating
Formulating With Gluten-Free Flour
Natural Colors – Going for the Green
Healthier Ethnic Entrees
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Sweet Options
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Mitigating Off Flavors
Deliciously Frozen Probiotics
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Innova Insights
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Are Flatbreads Really Flat?
Household Botanicals
Ice Cream Servings and Toppings
Pollution Free Personal Care
The Changing Face of Prepared Soups
Luxurious Valentine Collections
Seeds of Enjoyment in the Cracker Category
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Products for Aging Well
Mindful Choices in Meat and Poultry
Smooth Ways with Hummus
Creative Breakfast Ideas in the Freezer Case
Uplifting Laundry Products
The Ethical Household
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Co-Branding Beauty and Fragrance
Coming Clean Naturally
Boosting Nutrients in Skin Care
Lighter Entries in the Yogurt Sector
Cooking and Table Sauces for Ethnic Fare
Enhanced Appeal of Home Fresheners
New Entries in Beers and Ciders
Trends in Asian Skin Care
New Ways with Tacos


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Love Is a Many Splintered Thing
Especially between handymen and their clients
By Carolyn Strickland
Old houses have always spoken to me. And sadly, I tend to buy the ones that can barely put together a sentence. Termite-infested. Bad plumbing. Missing a kitchen. Sign me up. Over the years I have purchased nine houses that were in need of extensive therapy. While other women I know have fond memories of old boyfriends, mine are of handymen. Although I never felt any physical attraction for them, or even knew most of their last names, my love was no less real. Don't judge me.
My first handyman love was Kenny. He had no chin, weighed about 95 pounds and had twinkly blue eyes, and with a knack at stripping paint that was awe-inspiring. I loved him for weeks. I would wait for him each morning, coffee in hand, and watch the magic happen. I liked to think his hyper-focused work stemmed from a willingness to please me. Turned out it was methamphetamines.
Edward ripped out a wall of termite-eaten wood, reframed it and sheetrocked it expertly in three days. All while smoking thousands of cigarettes and blaring AC/DC on a portable paint-drizzled boom box. I've never been a smoker, but to this day, the smell of tobacco and the song "Highway to Hell" reminds me of progress. And termites.
Then there was Shorty. He was 4'11" on a good day so I fell in love with his self-deprecating sense of humor and his ability to fix plumbing while whistling. And he easily fit into a crawl space. My heart beat faster each time I saw him, until I didn't.
Rumor has it that he married one of his clients and moved to Argentina. Jealousy consumed me for about an hour.
Billy was an elderly interior painter. Despite his failing eyesight, he could cut a straight line into a wall with no need for taping. I worshipped him — until he showed up one day asking for money for a job he had never done. "I meant to do it," he explained, "so you should pay me anyway." We broke up after that.
There were hundreds of other crushes. Yes, dear reader, I was very promiscuous with my house renovations. If the handymen did good, conscientious work, I was instantly smitten. A bad tile job and things got ugly. I would kiss and tell all over town about any careless work.
The best, however, was Lewis. Lewis was able to fix an interior leak that no one else would even attempt. He was patient, focused and brilliant. In fact, he was almost perfect until one day he casually dropped into a professional conversation that he had pet ferrets. These are the meanest animals on Earth, the only ones who hunt for sport. The Menendez brothers who killed their parents kept pet ferrets under their beds, for God's sake! Lewis then mentioned that his ferrets raced around his house in their own remote-controlled jeeps. This was already too much information. But then the clincher — they were "show ferrets." One of them won first place in the softest fur division, he told me proudly.
At that moment, something changed. This was the strong, silent, handsome man whom I imagined spending evenings at home in his woodshop crafting artisan furniture. Not blow-drying ferrets.
Lewis had seemed like a lasting love. No longer. He might just as well have asked to use my bathroom because he had to "tinkle." Lewis, my favorite and best, suddenly felt like a distant memory. I could no longer be with him.
Love, like houses, is a complicated thing. Choose carefully, and know when it's over. I miss Lewis. I miss them all. Sparks will eventually fly again, I'm certain of that. "Just open your heart and remember to breathe," I tell myself.
The end. For now. I still need a good electrician.
Carolyn Strickland is a real estate agent at Leonard Ryden Burr in Winston-Salem.