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Regarding the Postal Service's decision to drop Saturday delivery, I wonder why the actual reason that the Postal Service is losing money and has to make these changes wasn't mentioned. Although it is true that people are using electronic media (email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) to communicate and pay their bills more often these days this isn't the sole problem as the media has been portraying it lately.
Regarding the Postal Service's decision to drop Saturday delivery, I wonder why the actual reason that the Postal Service is losing money and has to make these changes wasn't mentioned. Although it is true that people are using electronic media (email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) to communicate and pay their bills more often these days this isn't the sole problem as the media has been portraying it lately.
The Accountability and Enhancement Act legislation passed by the lame-duck Republican Congress in December 2006 forced the USPS to pre-fund 75 years of pensions in 10 years for its employees. This is the root of the problem.
The current postmaster general, Patrick Donahue stated on Feb. 6, "Of the $15 billion lost in 2012, $11.7 billion of that went to payments USPS was required to pay to the Treasury Department. USPS would have a $1.5 billion surplus if not for this requirement."
There is no such burden put on any other public or private institution in the nation! This is an attempt by Republicans to privatize postal service and further attack the middle class. Why else would Rep. Darrel Issa introduce a bill to restructure the Postal Service, capping the growth of its work force and cutting benefits and services?
United Parcel Service and FedEx have contributed at least $645,000 to Republicans in Congress and Issa alone has received more than $32,000 in contributions from UPS since 2006.
The USPS is one of the biggest employers of veterans in this country, and we shouldn't have to put their jobs in jeopardy or the jobs of any of the other hard-working employees of the Postal Service. Congress must rescind this law and keep people working. Don't let them privatize and kill the USPS!
Gene Gascon
In a Feb. 7 letter the writer labeled most gun owners and hunters as "paranoid extremists."
As a lifelong hunter, NRA member (gasp!), shooter, and gun owner who happens to belong to the "gun culture," not once have I heard fellow gun owners and hunters talk, or display behavior regarding "fearing vengeful people of color."
What we do fear is a tyrannical government (one that may use drones to kill U.S. citizens) to deprive us of our rights and liberties.
As for the writer, I am offended by what I perceive as his racist comments. Maybe the gun haters can review the Heller decision. Also, perhaps the California Department of Fish and Wildlife doesn't know it is aiding and abetting "paranoid extremists, afraid of people of color."
If we are talking about banning guns, then let's ban knives, cars, hammers - pick an object. All of these have been used to injure and kill. It is the person, not the object, that is responsible for violent behavior.
Kenneth L. Winchell
In reading Michael Fitzgerald's Feb. 8 column, "Refuge may fix 'shocking' neglect," I realized how uninformed our locals can be.
As stated by the Delta landowner in Fitzgerald's column, "I'm all in favor of the trail in the Delta, as long as all the bikers and hikers are required to wear respirators and hazmat suits."
This statement is a metaphor for the protections landowners/farmers must have to operate their business. The cultural practices of raising a crop are more stringent now than ever before; farmers must be cognizant of all potential exposures on or next to the property.
Unfortunately, some have fallen victim to frivolous lawsuits, prompting the need for inordinate liability insurance. Farmers must be accountable, just as any other business. However, just because their office is located in the great outdoors does not mean they must meet an obligation for recreation. Maybe, just maybe, common sense has left the building. That means we all lose.
Eddie Lucchesi


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1 Without The Beatles The Stones would still be playing in back street pubs in Kent
The Fabs even gifted The Stones their first hit single
2 The Beatles had an amazingly consistent run of brilliant albums
The Stones' 60s albums were a bit hit and miss. There is a reason why they got a reputation as a singles band
3 Mick's crimes against fashion
And it got worse
4 The Beatles were the innovators
The Beatles went psychedelic with Revolver. It too nearly two years for The Stones to catch up
5 The Stones in the 80s
Jarvis has a point. Some terrible albums
6 The Beatles invented the pop video
Again The Stones copied them, but not for a few years
7 The Beatles just had better songs
There's a lot of fodder on The Stones' albums
8 The Beatles released the best album of all time
And the second best one too
9 There are hundreds of amazing Beatles cover versions
Not so many good Stones ones
10 This
Not convinced? You'd probably prefer this.

subset: commoncrawl


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By David Ingram and Jessica Dye
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A grand jury has indicted a Saudi-born man accused of being an al Qaeda operative who from 2002 to 2005 conspired to attack American soldiers in Afghanistan and U.S. diplomats in Nigeria.
The indictment against Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun, also known as "Spin Ghul," was unsealed on Wednesday in District Court in Brooklyn, New York.
Harun, 43, was born in Saudi Arabia and claims citizenship in Niger, the Justice Department said in a statement. He is in U.S. custody, the department said.
Harun's lawyer, David Stern, had no comment. Harun was scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
According to the indictment, Harun traveled to Afghanistan from Saudi Arabia in 2001, arriving shortly before the September 11, 2001, attacks. While in Afghanistan, he received military-type training at Al Qaeda camps and, between 2002 and 2003, tried to kill American soldiers there, according to prosecutors. He then traveled to Nigeria where, with others, he planned to bomb U.S. diplomatic facilities, the indictment says.
The indictment does not say whether Harun killed soldiers. It charges him with conspiracy, supporting a foreign terrorist organization and illegal use of firearms and explosives.
Harun was indicted in February 2012 and extradited to the United States on October 4. He entered a plea of not guilty to all charges the following day, according to court records.
Harun is the second alleged al Qaeda figure this month to be cited in a plot against the United States.
Two weeks ago, prosecutors unsealed an indictment against Suleiman Abu Ghaith, a son-in-law of late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, charging him with conspiracy to kill Americans.
That move brought protests from Republican in Congress, who oppose bringing terrorism suspects into the United States for trial in civilian courts.
The Justice Department said Harun was detained by the Libyan government in 2005, while on his way to Europe, and remained in custody there until 2011.
The indictment does not describe any plots after 2005 but it alleges that Harun continued to try to support al Qaeda through September 2011.
Italian authorities arrested him after he declared his affiliation with al Qaeda and assaulted officers on board a refugee ship bound for Italy, the Justice Department said. He was indicted and extradited to the United States last year, the department said.
According to a letter dated October 4 from the Justice Department to the judge overseeing Harun's case, U.S. authorities interviewed Harun for several days in September while he was in Italian custody, in the presence of his counsel and a judge in that country.
U.S. authorities said they believed Harun had direct knowledge about top-level al Qaeda members, and that he had made contact while in Africa with numerous other members of extremist groups, including affiliates of al Qaeda and others targeting Westerners, the letter said.
The government requested that the charges against Harun be kept under seal until they determined whether he could provide additional information, the letter said.
The U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, Loretta Lynch, called Harun "a prototype al Qaeda operative, trained by al Qaeda in terrorist tradecraft, deployed to fight American servicemen, and dispatched to commit terrorist attacks throughout the world."
(Editing by Warren Strobel and Doina Chiacu)


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Opal Kirstein, 88 - January 17, 2007
Opal Alice Kirstein, 88, of Gothenburg, died at her home on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007.
Services were held on Friday, Jan. 12, at the First Presbyterian Church of Gothenburg with the Rev. Matt Coplen officiating. Burial was at the Gothenburg Cemetery.
Kirstein was born on July 11, 1918, to John and Etta (Rings) Kraft, in rural Wheeler County. Her early years were spent in Kansas, and after living briefly in Callaway, her family moved to Elgin.
On March 16, 1938, she married Everett LeRoy Kirstein. They lived on a farm near Elgin until moving to Neligh in 1940, where the couple had three daughters. The family then moved to Gothenburg in 1957.
Kirstein had worked as a nurses aide for many years in Neligh and then in Cozad and Gothenburg.
She was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Gothenburg.
Kirstein was a loving, gentle woman who enjoyed quilting, gardening, canning, cooking and baking as well as spending time with her family, according to family members.
?She was preceded in death by: her parents; her husband, Everett on June 12, 1985; a sister, Hazel Hauser; four brothers—Dale, Donald, John and William Kraft; son-in-law, Brian Wagenaar.
?Survivors include: her three daughters—Bonny (Thomas) Dunphy of Gothenburg, Janet (Richard) Ostendorf of Gothenburg and Alyce (Nick) Schaaf of Emmet; seven grandchildren—Daren (Karen) Knoell, Jennifer (Jeff) Kragh, Stephanie (Steve) Rucker, Matt (Sonni) Ostendorf, Thomas (Charity) Dunphy II, Falycia Wagenaar and Spencer Wagenaar; 10 great-grandchildren—Oliver and Chloe Knoell, Justin Kragh, Jordan and Cameron Rucker, Shaila, Mackinzie and Savannah Ostendorf and Avery and Bethany Dunphy; four sisters-in-law and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to the family at: 718 10th St, Gothenburg, NE 69138
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blase strauser.com. Arrangements have been placed in the care of Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel of Gothenburg.
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'A Lot of Misinformation'
Defending ObamaCare, Sen. Shaheen gets defensive.
Jeanne Shaheen, the senior senator from New Hampshire, won her seat by defeating a Republican incumbent in 2008. She was thought to have a safe seat this year, and most polls and observers still give her an edge, if a tenuous one, over likely GOP challenger Scott Brown.
But she has a problem. Like every other Democrat who was in the Senate in 2009, she cast the deciding vote that caused the so-called Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to become law. The Granite State is nobody's idea of an ObamaCare success story....


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April 23th through May 1st are Falmouth's Daffodil Days the town is blooming with all of these wonderful yellow flowers.
Spohr gardens is less than a mile from The Palmer House. There are thousands of daffodils to be admired. The gardens are open to the public from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM 365 days a year. You can take a leisurely walk in this beautiful six acre Cape Cod wonderland located on Oyster Pond. Come and sit by the pond, bask in the beauty of the flowers, listen to the song birds and enjoy the tranquility. Stroll the winding grassy paths while observing the many nautical treasures and other artifacts collected by Charles Spohr during his lifetime. For more information visit: www.spohrgardens.org


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The Missouri Valley's March Back to ProminencePosted by dnspewak on January 19th, 2012
Danny Spewak is an RTC correspondent. You can find him on Twitter @dspewak. He filed this report following Creighton's 66-65 victory at Missouri State in Springfield on Wednesday.
No need to remind Paul Lusk about the strength of the Missouri Valley Conference this season. During the past five days, his Missouri State team has lost three games by a total of four possessions. "It's just one tough game after another," Lusk said. "You have to go play good basketball in this league." That's a theme across the Valley in 2011-12, as the conference looks poised to earn multiple bids in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. Even in a 66-65 loss, the Bears' game against Creighton at JQH Arena Wednesday night serves as a prime example of the MVC's rise. Missouri State forced the Bluejays into 11 first-half turnovers, held the nation's second-leading scorer to just 15 points and kept an animated home crowd involved by playing the #19 team to the final possession. Had Anthony Downing's jumper at the buzzer fallen, a middle-of-the-pack team would have completed a sweep of the league's top contender and Wooden Award candidate Doug McDermott.
And nobody would have blinked an eye. "I think parity is a sign of strength in a league," commissioner Doug Elgin said. "Absolutely, I think the league is much better this year than it was a year ago. And I think if you look at the talent that's coming into the league, we're going to be stronger next year still."
The results from non-conference play support Elgin's opinion. Thanks to a strong performance against other leagues in November and December, the MVC ranks eighth in conference RPI right now, above the Pac-12, Conference USA and the West Coast Conference. Wichita State, the other main contender for a league title and an at-large bid, embarrassed UNLV by 19 points at home. Illinois State beat Rutgers on a neutral floor, while Drake and Northern Iowa both beat Iowa State. But the best example of the MVC's parity may be Indiana State, which lost again on Wednesday to fall to 2-6. Yet the defending tourney champs still won at Vanderbilt earlier this season and represented itself well on national television with two victories in the Old Spice Classic during Thanksgiving week.
The Valley may not have defeated murderer's row, but compared to the last four seasons, the league has orchestrated an impressive turnaround. Once America's darlings of the Midwest, the MVC had faded to a one-bid league since 2007, tanking in RPI and strength of schedule numbers. In fact, in 2010-11, the conference ranked #12 in RPI — the lowest in years. During the slide, attendance began to fall during "Arch Madness" in St. Louis, and national perception began to change. The Valley was in full crisis mode, which seemed impossible earlier last decade. Back in 2006, for instance, the league sent four teams to the NCAA Tournament. So excuse Elgin if he sounds a little enthusiastic about his league's modest success this season. "I think we're decidedly stronger than we've been since 2006," Elgin said. "Much more balanced… and [Wednesday's] game is indicative of that."
The numbers may support the argument for an improved Missouri Valley, but that doesn't mean that the rest of college basketball will take notice immediately. As a non-BCS conference, the league's teams are judged much more harshly once league play begins. So when a front-runner like Creighton stumbles at home to Missouri State and wins by a single point on the road, critics start to emerge. They start to say the parity simply means the league is equally bad, not good. Elgin even understands this perception, responding with a resounding "hell yes" when asked whether the Valley is penalized when teams beat up on each other. Still, with leaders Creighton and Wichita State starting to build separation from the rest of the league — as well as formidable NCAA tourney resumes — Elgin said he is not worried about the state of the Valley as March approaches. "I do think we've got two or more teams that are certainly in real strong position for at-large bids," Elgin said. "And I think it's anybody's ball game in St. Louis [for Arch Madness]."
Missouri State senior Kyle Weems, the reigning MVC Player of the Year, probably understands the league's balanced nature better than anybody. After coach Cuonzo Martin left for Tennessee, Weems turned down transfer invitations from several high-major schools to remain in Springfield and the MVC. After the Bears' third straight loss on Wednesday, Weems hardly seemed surprised about the unpredictability in this conference. "That's just Missouri Valley basketball," Weems said. "I know I say it a lot and I sound like a broken record, but that's just this league… that's just the greatness about the Missouri Valley. There's no nights off. You've got to be ready to play or you'll get beat."
Weems may graduate this spring, but several of his fellow stars will help carry on the Valley's turnaround next season and beyond. Doug McDermott, for example, is already an All-American candidate as a sophomore, and at least one NBA Draft website does not project him to leave school. Colt Ryan is a hidden gem at Evansville. Indiana State's Jake Odum might be one of the more entertaining sophomore point guards in college basketball. Other underclassmen guards like Rayvonte Rice (Drake), Anthony James (Northern Iowa) and Dyricus Simms-Edwards (Bradley) are also playing leading roles on their respective teams. This talent level is why 4-4 Missouri State appears even with top-25 Creighton both home and away, and it's why Indiana State can win at Vanderbilt one night and subsequently lose at Drake, Southern Illinois and Illinois State on another.
Don't think Lusk will forget that when he prepares to face 1-7 Bradley on Saturday. "I told the guys before the game the records don't matter. Our 4-4 record does not matter. I don't know what Bradley is, maybe they're 1-8. That record doesn't matter," Lusk said. "Doesn't matter." This season more than ever.


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Baby Shower for Katie
• 02 April 2009
For the shower we hung pom poms from the ceiling...a super fun idea from Martha. Next time I'd love to try these pom pom variations...see how the tips are shaped? So pretty. We also used a large scallop punch to cut out pretty circles from pink vellum paper. On the circles we all suggested a baby name to Katie and then placed it in the mason jar. Micron pens or fine sharpies would be ideal for this little "game".
We offered our two favorite Izzy drinks, peach & grapefruit. Yum. How did I miss the peach before that night I wonder? Once guests arrived we offered them a little tray of homemade goodies--chocolate bundt cake (add 1 c. good quality semi-sweet chips), lemon curd with whipped cream & berries, and fresh fruit. At the end of the evening, we sent each guest home with a few tulips, which also moonlighted as decorations during the shower. We tied a ribbon on each stem as a finishing touch.
29 comments:
- Alison said...
Great ideas and great photos. Now I want to plan a baby shower!
I love Izze and I have never had peach. Is it a new flavor? I love peach italian soda so I will have to search for it now. Thanks!
- April 2, 2009 at 7:12 AM
- Liz said...
That is really cute. Thanks for the ideas. I love the food containers and already having them put together. It helps people not feel bad about taking a whole piece of cake!
- April 2, 2009 at 7:17 AM
- Brooke Rane said...
what a beautiful shower and i love the plastic container idea!! you're always throwing such fun parties :)
- April 2, 2009 at 7:26 AM
- marta said...
thank you, steph. i am hosting a baby shower in a few weeks and have been craving new ideas.
- April 2, 2009 at 7:43 AM
- JENNIE! said...
really great ideas. love how the food is already in the containers.
- April 2, 2009 at 8:08 AM
- {natalie} said...
i love the diaper idea on the izze's. the whole thing looks great. and i want to try that cake!
- April 2, 2009 at 8:13 AM
- .caroline armelle. said...
what a lovely party! very, very cute ideas!
- April 2, 2009 at 9:08 AM
- Mary said...
I am in awe of people like you that can entertain so stylishly! Great ideas!
- April 2, 2009 at 11:01 AM
- Heather said...
It looks lovely! Great ideas!
- April 2, 2009 at 11:12 AM
- Virginia said...
it's so nice to see a real person put lovely ideas like these to use. inspiring! The poms are so pretty.
- April 2, 2009 at 11:13 AM
- Julie Pia said...
Holy Cow Steph! How does one get oneself invited to something like this? You are honesty EXTRAORDINARY!
- April 2, 2009 at 11:15 AM
- Leslie said...
gorgeous! my favorite is the dessert options. so simple and sophisticated. looks like y'all did a great job!
- April 2, 2009 at 11:49 AM
- Amy@OldSweetSong said...
Looks like the most stylish baby shower ever!
- April 2, 2009 at 11:50 AM
- viva b. said...
inspiring! love the colors and sweet ideas
- April 2, 2009 at 12:03 PM
- Kristin said...
Gorgeous! Makes me want to throw a baby shower!
- April 2, 2009 at 12:25 PM
- Darleen said...
Great ideas. I like the diaper wrapped drinks. I'll have to remember that for the next shower I plan.
- April 2, 2009 at 12:49 PM
- Fine Twined said...
Really cute ideas. But am I missing something? Didn't the napkins in the food container get soggy?
- April 2, 2009 at 1:11 PM
- Becky said...
very, very cute. Great ideas!
- April 2, 2009 at 9:39 PM
- liz stanley said...
looks amazing, good work!
- April 3, 2009 at 10:52 AM
- AlliSMiles said...
love the ideas. i have a shower next weekend and i plan to use some of your great ideas! i'll post photos when i do!
- April 3, 2009 at 4:32 PM
- Ashley said...
Great ideas. Thanks for sharing.
- April 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM
- cindy said...
I love what you did for the baby shower! Everything looks perfect! I'm helping plan one for next month and we're running short on game ideas. If you have any other ones, please let me know! Thanks! :)
- April 5, 2009 at 8:03 PM
- Amy said...
Such cool ideas. I have never been to a baby shower before - they are not so big over here in the UK. If they are all anything like this I hope I get an invite soon! x
- April 6, 2009 at 12:51 PM
- lynne said...
- April 6, 2009 at 2:40 PM
- Melissa and Ashli said...
Hi!! I just love the diaper wrap idea on the bottle drink:) so cute. Love your blog and all the creative things.
- May 1, 2009 at 8:19 AM
- The American Homemaker said...
Everything looks so cute! And I love Izze drinks. They are my fave! I've also never heard of peach.
- May 1, 2009 at 11:49 AM
- kirstin & jordan said...
wow- what a lovely shower...
incidentally, izze's are some of my favorite 'decorating' supplies. :)
I'll be linking from our blog- www.kojodesigns.blogspot.com- sometime in the next couple weeks!
- May 6, 2009 at 5:44 PM
- Duck Duck Moose Design said...
I love the diaper wrapped drink idea -- so cute! I almost wish I was throwing another baby shower. I recently blogged about some stylish baby shower ideas and resources that I discovered while throwing one for a friend recently: http://blog.duckduckmoosedesign.com/planning-designer-baby-shower/
- August 14, 2009 at 1:16 AM
- September 17, 2009 at 6:50 AM


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You can help meet the needs of a diverse group of users by designing applications that people with disabilities or impairments can use. In some cases, you might want to address specific accessibility needs of people with disabilities or impairments. For example, you might want to develop an application that supports assistive technology, such as a screen reader. In other cases, you might want to develop an application that can reach the widest possible audience. In this case, following the best practices for designing accessible applications can benefit a broad range of users, including the typical users of your application.
Best practice: Designing accessible applications
Guidelines for UI design
- Stay focused on users' immediate task. Display only the information that users need at any one moment. For example, simplify data selection and presentation by displaying information in a logical order.
- Group components according to common usage or common functionality to minimize the cognitive load for users.
- Provide enough space between components so that users can distinguish one control from another.
- Use UI components consistently so that users can recognize common UI components easily. For example, use buttons to initiate actions. Avoid using other components, such as hyperlinks, to initiate actions.
- If you are designing an application that supports an assistive technology device, such as a screen reader, and you do not use BlackBerry UI APIs or support the Accessibility API, expose the unique UI components in your application programmatically so that assistive technology can interpret the information.
Guidelines for navigation
- Indicate clearly the UI component that has focus. For example, use white text on a blue background.
- Where possible, allow users to use the keyboard to initiate the most frequently used actions in the application. For example, allow users to press the Enter key to select a menu item.
- Where possible, inform users of important events, such as calendar reminders, in multiple ways. For example, provide a sound effect and a visual notification for the reminder.
- Where possible, apply redundancy to provide users with multiple ways to interact with common actions. For example, use the Menu key to allow users to access the full menu and a trackpad or touch screen to allow users to access the pop-up menu.
- In each menu, set the default menu item as the item that users are most likely to select. The default item in the pop-up menu should be the same as the default item in the full menu.
- If a process or application requires users to complete a series of lengthy or complex steps, list all the steps or screens where possible. Identify the steps that are complete, in progress, and not yet started. For example, include a table of contents in wizards. If users close a wizard, they can use the table of contents to return to a specific location in the wizard.
Guidelines for text
- Provide specific messages. To support error recovery, use one short sentence that states clearly the reason for displaying the message and the actions that can dismiss it.
- Where possible, inherit the font settings that the user has set.
Guidelines for color and images
- Avoid using color as the only means of communication. For example, instead of using only red text to notify users of a critical action, consider placing a red symbol, such as a red exclamation mark, beside the text instead.
- Choose colors that have high contrast, such as black, white, navy blue, and yellow.
- To help users to distinguish between adjacent UI components (such as alternating messages in an SMS text message thread) and to distinguish between background and foreground colors, use colors that result in a contrast ratio of 7:1 or higher.
- Add contextual information to images, such as the image name, to communicate the meaning and context of the images.
Got questions about leaving a comment? Get answers from our Disqus FAQ.comments powered by Disqus


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StoryThe Pirates could deliver their decision on manager Jim Tracy and his staff today, general manager Neal Huntington said yesterday, but two factors could foil that.
One, Major League Baseball frowns upon teams making significant announcements during the playoffs, and clearance would have to come from commissioner Bud Selig's office. No permission was sought as of last night, and Huntington said he was uncertain how long it takes once the team asks.
"This all might happen later rather than sooner," Huntington said. "What the commissioner's preference would be and how long it would take to find that out, I don't know yet. ... And that's even if I'm ready to make a final decision."
That is the second reason nothing might happen today.
"I'm not there yet," he said. "If you ask me if I can rule out that it could happen [today], no, I can't rule it out. But I think it's doubtful."
If no announcement is made today, it would not happen over the weekend, thus pushing it to next week.
Huntington confirmed that his announcement could involve more than just the manager and coaching staff.
"There is a series of decisions to be made," he said. "Is there a possibility that other personnel could be involved there? Yes. Again, no final decisions have been made. But there are elements that are interconnected, and it is a big puzzle. It's not one decision in a vacuum."
Among the matters Huntington likely is weighing is the fate of the top two baseball men under former general manager Dave Littlefield, assistant Doug Strange and director of baseball operations Jon Mercurio. Each was bypassed by owner Bob Nutting upon Littlefield's firing last month, when director of player development Brian Graham was elevated to interim general manager.
It is possible that, because of the commissioner's restrictions, the Pirates are attempting to announce all major moves at once.
Tracy, who has not returned calls all week, has remained in Pittsburgh, as he lives in the South Hills. But most of the coaches are believed to have returned to their homes across the country.
Huntington acknowledged he has not met with Tracy or any of the coaching staff since Monday.
No one on the staff has received permission to speak to other teams in the interim.


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Friday, October 30, 2009
Project Valour-IT Fundraiser Begins
Are you onboard?
First off, if you are a blogger who comes here, you should be on #TeamNavy. Once you are added to the Blogroll, you should automatically be directed to the page that lets you add a widget. If you have any technical difficulties with the widget, email me, I've got people. And despite what SJS says....they are not chained in the hull of a ship.
Next, do you have a Twitter account? You can add a #Valour-IT Twibbon to your avatar to show support. Then please retweet #Valour-IT tweets and use the hashtag.
Ok, maybe you don't have a blog....but I bet you have a FaceBook account. That's great too! If you go to this page, select the FaceBook icon and fill in your FB info. It will post to your Facebook. We also have an event page on FaceBook, go and RSVP.
There is an official Valour-IT blog and of course, everything you could ever want to know is on their webpage.
So you've looked at everything above and you've decided that you are not comfortable with clicking through to donate online.....no problem, here's the mailing info
Soldiers Angels
1792 E. Washington Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91104
I would simply request that you mark your check as being for #TeamNavy.
OK, that was all the technical stuff. There will be posts below where I write about the accomplishments of the charity, post testimonials from Valour-IT technology recipients and link to other bloggers' Valour-IT posts. We have until November 11, 2009 to raise a pile of money to help bring this technology to our wounded military......raise awareness of the whole Project Valour-IT (it runs year round)......and to beat the snot out of the Army Team.
10 comments:
- Kanani said...
Okay, I suppose I really shouldn't be over here on Team Navy. However, Team Army cordially extends the mop of peace to you for enter the giveaway on The Kitchen Dispatch. It's just for people who have blogged about PV IT today.
Cool Joe has donated something nice and brand new!
- 26 October, 2009 09:42
- Steeljaw Scribe said...
I'd comment - but am mindful of the lash... ;)
- 26 October, 2009 11:46
- Squid Thoughts said...
Team Navy is Underway on Angel Power...hoo-rah!
- 26 October, 2009 16:18
- JihadGene said...
Great Reader, KIM Jong IL
Me have probbrem with widgetty thing...oh well...GO TEAM ARMY!!!
- 27 October, 2009 11:18
- JihadGene said...
I found you, Maggie!!!
It was great meeting you looong time!!! Good ruck Navy! GO ARMY!!!
- 27 October, 2009 11:24
- Sofia said...
Thanks Nice Blog
Good Post
- 27 October, 2009 15:53
- Suldog said...
Team Air Force here - via a friend - as you know. But, thanks for the kind words over at my place. Much appreciated!
- 28 October, 2009 09:09
- Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...
Navy 13 Wake Forest 10.
- 28 October, 2009 17:09
- Will "take no prisoners" Hart said...
Temple 27 Navy 24. Now that one hurts! LOL
- 01 November, 2009 18:04
I really like when people are expressing their opinion and thought. So I like the way you are writing
- 16 February, 2010 18:51


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Justin Berg to Chicago, Jeff Stevens to Iowa
After giving the Chicago Cubs 3.1 innings of (crappy) relief yesterday, Jeff Stevens was thanked, and sent down to AAA Iowa. Taking his place in the bullpen is Justin Berg, formerly a member of the pen last year. The predominant reason for the move is probably not the crappy performance of Stevens, but instead is the worn out bullpen. Berg has a 3.00 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP in 6 innings this year for Iowa, and got the call over lefties John Gaub and Scott Maine, as well as prospect Chris Carpenter.


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The highest form of flattery
Rearranging storage tubs in my garage the other day, I ran across one of the most prized possessions from my childhood: my Girl Scout sash.
Immediately, the words of the Girl Scout promise came to mind.
On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout law.
I couldn't remember the law, which I'm certain I was required to memorize. I know there was something about being friendly, honest and respectful and making the world a better place. I'm still working on that last one.
As I ran my fingers over the many satin-stitched badges and gold pins, my hand came to rest on a special cookie patch.
It's that time of year again, I thought. Thin Mints!
I spent a lot of spring days peddling cookies. Thankfully my best friend's mother drove a station wagon. We needed plenty of space for hundreds of boxes. That special patch came from being the troop's top seller at least one year.
You don't get to be the top seller without knowing exactly what you're promoting, so I tried them all.
The peanut butter sandwiches weren't my favorite but lots of people wanted them. I liked the peanut butter patties better because, of course, they were covered in chocolate.
Shortbreads were all right, as long as milk was available, and I took a liking to the Caramel DeLites when they came out because they had coconut on them.
But my all-time favorite and undeniable addiction has always been the Thin Mints. Who can argue with the perfect marriage of dark chocolate and peppermint?
According to the Girls Scouts of America, few disagree. Thin Mints have always been the top-selling variety.
When I closed the lid on the Girl Scout sash, I decided I didn't want to wait until the middle of February or later for a Thin Mint. My palate was set now.
I cruised through Pinterest (another undeniable addiction) and found a recipe.
After mixing, rolling and cutting the crispy chocolate discs, I baked them and then dipped the rounds in smooth, minty chocolate.
It was so hard to wait while the coating dried. They smelled just like the foil sleeve of real Thin Mints from the green Girl Scout box.
I held off just long enough and then popped a whole cookie in my mouth, hoping to fool my taste buds into believing they were authentic.
It has been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery.
Be flattered, Girl Scouts, but don't feel threatened. My version wouldn't pass for the real thing.
If you're selling Thin Mints, I'm still an easy target.
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|Winter Term 2018 Aural Skills 2 - 1673 - MUTH 212
Prerequisites/Notes: MUTH 211 Corequisites: MUTH 202, 222
Catalog Description : Ear training commensurate with MUTH 202. Melodic, harmonic, and contrapuntal dictation, error detection, and aural perception of basic formal procedures. Taken in sequence. Placement and section assignment determined by the Music Theory Placement Exam. Corequisites: MUTH 202, 222.
Attributes: Fine Arts Div GER (01cr), Foundation/Gateway Course


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Byrd Station (Antarctica), 10 December — The traverse team is preparing to leave and quite honestly, I am starting to get sad that I will not be going with them. We have all spent a lot of time together and we work well as a team, but I do have to get home. This will be my first time not collecting myself the field data that I need for my science, but the more I work with the team, the more certain I become that they will collect all the data necessary, if not more. Clem, Ludo, Jessica, Randy and Michelle are all excited to head out into the great white open.
Today, Clem and Ludo did a little science. They dragged the radar in a grid pattern around the ice core site from yesterday. This is important data because it tells us how representative the point where the ice core was drilled is of the larger area around it. When we compare ice core data to satellite data, we want to know if the larger area is homogeneous (similar) or not.
Randy made sure all the snowmobiles were ready and fueled to leave early in the morning. One of the choke leavers on a snowmobile broke off so he was working with the mechanic to get it fixed. Jessica looked at the electrical conductivity measurements from yesterday and took pictures of all of the log book pages to create a back up of the data. Michelle spent the day making sure all the gear was loaded well on the sled and that nothing was missing.
I spent most of the day watching the weather and talking with pilots. We cannot carry all of our gear on the sleds. A DC-3 Bassler aircraft is supposed to drop our fuel and ice core boxes and each camp site before the traverse. Due to the bad weather, the fuel cache has not yet been cached. So I have been talking with the pilots and rearranging the caches so the team can start out and not incur more delays. For now, the team will leave in the morning carrying two ice core boxes and one 55-gallon drum of fuel. This will allow them to get to the first camp site and drill. It will also give them enough fuel to get back to an established field camp if for some reason they don't get any more fuel. They will not go to Camp 2 until they know the cache of fuel is there. Hopefully the cache will occur tomorrow or the next day so the traverse team will not be delayed.
Everyone will go to sleep early tonight. Because all of Antarctica operates on McMurdo time, the time of the day at Byrd does not match the daily temperature changes. The coldest part of the day, which would generally fall from 1 to 4 AM, is usually between 6 and 10 PM our time. The warmest time falls in the morning between 6 and 10 AM. Tomorrow the team will get up at 5 AM and leave around 6 AM to take advantage of the warmest part of the day. By 6 PM they hope to be cooking dinner and in their warm tents.
I can tell the team is ready to go because this morning they were complaining about how warm their tents were, a quick adjustment from the first cold night in the tents. Everyone also took advantage of the last day in camp to take a few pictures.
Tags: Antarctica, Byrd Station, ice core, radar, satellite


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This season's Survivor: Redemption Island has brought us a lot of twist and turns, but one of the more memorable moments came when Steve Wright and Former Federal Agent? Phillip Sheppard got into a verbal showdown.
Steve called Phillip crazy, because you know, he kind of is, and Phillip decided the word "crazy" was racist and equivalent to the n-word. Here's to hoping Kelly Bensimon isn't reading this and getting any ideas.
In a new interview with PEOPLE following his elimination on the show, the 51-year-old (he's only 51?) former NFL Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle discusses his time on the show, how his faith helped him, and touches on the whole Phillip issue. Excerpts from Steve's interview below –
Did you ever play up your "weakness" for strategy?
No. I wear my feeling on my sleeve and if I was saying that I was feeling it, I was feeling it. But I'd also get out of it pretty quick; it just depends on when it was. It's an emotional, physical, and mental roller coaster the whole time you're out there. One minute you're starving and the next you are saying, 'Okay, I'm just not going to eat today.' And you just deal with it and get over it. It's pretty amazing just keeping the faith and setting short term goals and getting through it.
Does faith play a large role this season?
God's been a big part of my life and I attribute everything to God. Julie had walked away from God and was going through a really terrible time with her divorce and the foreclosure. Mike and I just spent time talking to her and she re-dedicated her life so it was a pretty big topic out there. Plus lying around all day and night, you really get in to what your soul is all about when you're around each other 24/7. We were going through some pretty crazy and difficult times together and having faith just really helps a lot so we talked about it.
Phillip alluded to being in on the joke that he is "crazy". Do you believe that?
Any great actor couldn't act it 24/7 for a month. The real you is going to come out sooner or later and its just really exposing him for who he really is. I highly doubt that he was a special agent or anything like that. I called him "crazy" and all of a sudden he thought that that meant the N-word. I just think he's mentally and emotionally unstable and I think Jeff did a good job exposing it. I've gotten great response from my family, friends, and teammates. The guy is who he is. I think he's just a few bricks short of a whole load. He's a bit loony.
Meanwhile on tonight's all new episode of Survivor, Andrea takes part in her first Redemption Island duel. Back at camp, one castaway plots making a big move that could prove to be costly. The episode airs at 8/7c on CBS.


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Johnson State isn't the kind of place where you come to the office, punch in, do your job and punch out. Of course we are consummate professionals who take our work very seriously… but we do our fair share of laughing, too! Johnson State College's faculty and staff are more than just employees — we're part of a community. We know our students by name, know their stories, support them when they're uncertain, and celebrate their successes. And we support each other too. Our faculty and staff receive generous benefits, a supportive and collegial community, and a professional environment that rewards innovation and dedication.
If this sounds like a place where you might thrive professionally, we encourage you to apply for one of our current openings.
How to Apply
All job applications and supporting materials must be submitted through our online system. Applications submitted any other way cannot be considered.
To apply for a job, select the link for the position that interests you, then follow the on-screen instructions to create an account, complete the application and upload any requested supporting materials.
Once you have created your account, you can update your materials by logging into the system with your email address and password.


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No longer will NHL referees need their protractors and compasses when it comes to making a call on a blow to the head.
Today the NHL Board of Governors removed the words "lateral" and "blindside" from Rule 48 and adopted a minor penalty for an illegal check to the head.
Here' how the rule now reads:
"A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was unavoidable, can be considered."
This rule change was partly encouraged by the hit by Vancouver's Aaron Rome on the Bruins' Nathan Horton in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final (which was a hit to the head, not shoulder-to-shoulder — sorry Vancouver zombies.).
The BOG also updated the wording on Rule 41 (Boarding):
"A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any player who checks or pushes a defenseless opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to hit or impact the boards violently or dangerously. The severity of the penalty, based upon the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee.
"There is an enormous amount of judgment involved in the application of this rule by the referees. The onus is on the player applying the check to ensure his opponent is not in a defenseless position and if so, he must avoid or minimize contact. However, in determining whether such contact could have been avoided, the circumstances of the check, including whether the opponent put himself in vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the check or whether the check was unavoidable can be considered. This balance must be considered by the referees when applying this rule.
"Any unnecessary contact with a player playing the puck on an obvious "icing" or "off-side" play which results in that player hitting or impacting the boards is "boarding" and must be penalized as such. In other instances where there is no contact with the boards, it should be treated as 'charging.'"


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Week is full of activities, culminating with football game and dance.
Homecoming Week is coming to Crookston High School, and the school spirit is nearly palpable! Student council has been planning and working hard on homecoming festivities, which will take place next week, starting on Monday, Sept. 30.
The Homecoming Court, after the school-wide vote for candidates, is as follows:
• Blake Bergeron
• Brandon Conklin
• Brady Heppner
• Michael Hefta
• Zack Sanders
• Taylor Reynolds
• Whitney Schear
• Amber Trostad
• Mariah Frisk
• Emma Wilder
Coronation will take place on Monday at 10 a.m. in the auditorium. The Homecoming Court will be announced individually, concluding with the crowning of the 2014 Homecoming King and Queen.
Spirit dress up days will take place at the school; a different themed day will occur each day, Monday- Friday. They are:
• Monday: Mix Match Day
• Tuesday: Beach Day
• Wednesday: Favorite Super Hero Day
• Thursday: Color War
• Friday: Pirate Pride
Students are encouraged to participate in dress up days as well as other homecoming festivities.
The Crookston Pirates will play Pequot Lake Patriots at Ed Widseth Field in the homecoming football game on Friday, October 4, with kickoff at 6 p.m. Following the game will be the homecoming dance, which will begin at 9 p.m. and conclude at midnight at the high school.


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Top Reasons to Visit Lamie's Inn
- Located a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean in southeastern New Hampshire, Lamie's Inn's colonial-style building dates back to 1740 and has long been a popular campaign stop for presidential candidates. Former guests include Dwight D. Eisenhower, who spent two nights here after his presidency with his family in 1963.
- Though guest rooms feature period decor, they're also equipped with modern amenities including private baths, refrigerators, microwaves, and cable TV.
- The inn is also known for The Old Salt Restaurant, a local favorite serving fresh boiled lobster, New England clambake, and award-winning clam chowder in a colonial setting. The restaurant's Sunday brunch buffet features a smorgasbord of fresh fruit, breakfast entrees, salads, seafood, hand-carved meats, desserts, and a 36-inch chocolate fountain.
- A pleasant onsite pub with a nautical theme, The Old Salt Tavern has flat-screen TVs and live entertainment, making it a welcoming spot to watch a big game.
- Each morning, guests wake up to a complimentary continental breakfast.
- Other free perks include WiFi and access to the nearby 24-hour Vanguard Key Club North Hampton.
- Just 5 miles south of the inn, guests can stroll along the pristine sands of Hampton Beach State Park.
Hampton, New Hampshire: New England Resort Town with Award-Winning Beaches
Hampton's namesake beach—Hampton Beach—is one of only four shorelines in the country named a "superstar beach" by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The award goes to those beaches deemed the safest in the United States thanks to a record of clean swimming water. Between catching and releasing sunrays, visitors can grab a bite or a beer at one of the many bars and cafés lining Ocean Boulevard.


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Gov. Rick Scott promised to cut property taxes that pay for schools by $1.4 billion during his first year in office, and then another $1.4 billion in the next seven years. (He repeated that promise as recently as four days ago.)
But in the budget released today, Scott's cut would be $656 million in the first year. Collections would increase the second year, but the two-year cut would be about $1.3 billion.
Property taxes have been a hot political issue since the high-drama show down in 2007 between then-House Speaker Marco Rubio and then-Gov. Charlie Crist, who famously promised property owners that he'd make their taxes "drop like a rock."


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How did it all start? What triggered the 1990s political corruption, its inequality in wealth and its stock market bubble? This is the decade that Kevin Phillips rails against in his historical epic of how the rich get richer and the poor get further in debt.
Arguably it all started in Silicon Valley, with a little help from the Department of Defense (which pioneered the epochal breakthroughs–transistor and Internet–that sparked the electronics revolution). Given the government's basic research, such private companies as Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Apple, Intel and Cisco generated creative, profitable products using new technologies. As the intellectual property of these well-managed companies began to rise, their stock prices began to rise, as did those of their suppliers, buyers, competitors, financial consultants, management analysts, lawyers and accountants. Even the stock prices of companies unrelated to high tech began to soar.
The frenzy struck executive salaries. Top-notch high-tech managers made a lot of money because their pay was tied to stock options. As their company's stock price skyrocketed, so did their salaries. Soon other corporate leaders–good, bad and indifferent–tied their own salaries to the price of their company's stock. The financial markets regarded stock options as a way to make managers more "efficient" using the litmus test of stock-price performance. In practice, some managers cooked the books and inflated stock prices by making risky short-term investments and acquisitions. Long-term investments in new plant, equipment, research and intellectual property, necessary for permanent jobs, became an afterthought.
As Phillips shows, the greed of corporate America was such that in the 1960s, the pay of corporate CEOs was "only" about twenty-five times that of hourly production workers. In the 1970s, the ratio was around thirty to one. It rose from ninety-three times in 1988 to 419 times in 1999. Between 1990 and 1998, the wages of ordinary workers barely kept pace with inflation or grew at single-digit rates. Meanwhile, top executives of America's biggest corporations enjoyed compensation increases of 481 percent! (Appalled by the eye-popping numbers on executive pay, Paul Krugman referred to Wealth and Democracy in one of his columns in the New York Times.)
With so much money sloshing around, contributions by business to politicians increased. With more campaign funding, deregulation resumed where Reagan left off, and upper-bracket tax rates mellowed. Phillips shows that the effective federal tax rate (income and FICA, or Social Security and Medicare) for the top 1 percent of families fell from 69 percent in 1970 to about 40 percent in 1993, with plenty of loopholes remaining. Over the same period, the tax rate for the median family increased from 16 percent to 25 percent. Between 1950 and 2000, corporate taxes as a percentage of total tax receipts fell from 27 percent to 10 percent while FICA (mostly paid by the middle class) jumped from 7 percent to 31 percent.


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US recon jet enters Swedish air to avoid Russians
BERLIN (AP) — The U.S. military says one of its reconnaissance aircraft mistakenly veered into Swedish airspace as it attempted to avoid an encounter with Russian planes over the Baltic Sea.
The Scandinavian country is not a member of NATO, and American military planes require permission to enter its airspace.
U.S. European Command said the Air Force RC-135 was incorrectly directed on July 18 toward Swedish airspace when the crew "detected the attempted encounter" by Russian aircraft and exited the airspace once Swedish air traffic controllers informed them of the error. It declined to give further details.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry said Monday that it has carried out discussions over the issue but wouldn't give details.
NATO has boosted its presence in the countries bordering Russia following the Ukraine crisis.
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An interesting story I found posted on Livemint.com yesterday brought to mind (again) the economic crisis and how it has affected all corners of the globe.
According to the article, the number of operators who are behind on payments on their trucks is growing, primarily because of deteriorating economic conditions. What's changed, however, is the number of lenders repossessing those vehicles. It's dropped.
""Our tolerance levels have increased as we see no point in seizing the vehicles," said R. Sridhar, managing director of India's largest truck financier Sriram Transport Finance Co. Ltd.
The reason for the increased levels of tolerance? The lenders can't resell the vehicles. In fact, according to the article, many lenders are now providing loans only up to 75% of the vehicle's cost. With a one-year-old used truck selling for just half its original value these days, it's easy to see why.
Given the reluctance in this country of banks to foreclose on homes these days, I assume the same policies are taking place with trucks as well. According to John Schultz, an analyst with Gerson Lehrman Group, there may still be more than 25% overcapacity in the U.S. market right now.
While acknowledging that allowing people behind on their payments to keep their trucks is good for the individual, I wonder if it's good the industry as a whole?


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For those that have not heard about the "Azure" platform, Windows Azure is a cloud based operating system that offers software as services - .NET Services, Live Services and SQL Azure.
SQL Azure, formerly SDS - SQL Data Services, is a cloud based version of on-premise SQL Server, albeit with a few limitations. The benefits are enterprise level availability, scalability and built-in disaster recovery.
Sign up for your copy of CTP1 of SQL Azure here: https://connect.microsoft.com/Survey/NominationSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=5719&ProgramID=2089&SiteID=547
MSDN Documentationon SQL Azure: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee336279.aspx
Zach Owens, who is a Microsoft Technical Evangelist has blogged about SQL Azure extensively. Check them out here: http://english.zachskylesowens.net/. He has also published...
SQL Team Forums..
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Dave DuersonRetired
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|NFL | Former four-time Pro Bowler Dave Duerson dies
Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:56:02 -0800
Former Chicago Bears S Dave Duerson, who also played for the New York Giants, passed away Thursday, Feb. 17, at the age of 50, reports The Associated Press. Duerson's body was found at his home in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., but investigators have not determined the cause of death.
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|NFL | Police and courts: D. Duerson
Mon, 03 Apr 2006 10:40:55 -0700
The Associated Press reports former NFL S Dave Duerson has been fined $950 plus court costs on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. He was accused of striking his wife during an argument last year in their hotel room in South Bend, Indiana. Duerson's lawyer, William Stanley, told a magistrate today that Duerson completed an anger management program and has been in counseling with his wife, Alicia.
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|NFL | Police and courts: D. Duerson
Tue, 17 Jan 2006 19:44:28 -0800
The Associated Press reports former NFL S Dave Duerson pleaded guilty Tuesday, Jan. 17, to a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. police report said Duerson pushed his wife out the door of their room and she hit the wall. She was treated and released from a hospital. Catherine Wilson, a spokeswoman for Prosecutor Michael Dvorak, said Duerson agreed to plead guilty to the domestic battery charge in return for three other counts against him being dismissed. He will be sentenced March 14. He faces up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine when he is sentenced.
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|Cardinals | Wilson sets NFL sack record
Tue, 27 Dec 2005 12:16:42 -0800
The Associated Press reports Arizona Cardinals S Adrian Wilson now has eight sacks on the season. Those eight are an NFL record for a defensive back. Chicago Bears CB Dave Duerson set the previous mark with seven in 1986, four years after the league began keeping the statistic.
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|Bears | Police & Courts: Former DB Duerson Faces Battery Charges
Tue, 08 Feb 2005 10:57:57 -0800
Art Golab, of the Chicago Sun-Times, reports former Chicago Bears S Dave Duerson is facing four misdemeanor battery charges after allegedly striking and choking his wife, then throwing her out of their hotel room on the Notre Dame campus last week. Duerson's wife was treated at a local hospital and released. Duerson, who played 11 seasons after being drafted by the Bears in 1983, said he apologized and that the family is working with law enforcement to resolve the incident.
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Mariah Montgomery
Style + Design
Hex Triplet
Archive for the tag "blogger"
M Equals Modern
September 5, 2017
be social :: @Mariah.Montgomery
Rodarte SS19
Rodarte SS19
Rodarte SS19
Mira Mikati's Spring '18 collection is inspired by 🌴Venice Beach, California in the '70s.🌴Cut in a loose shift silhouette, this mini dress is made from tulle and covered with scores of colorful sequins that catch and reflect the light beautifully. ☄Wear yours with sneakers, as the designer intended. I'd rock it with a pair of the new Air Jordan 1 x Off White 💣💸
💙💟Multicolored sequins on tulle 💛💚
The OFF WHITE x Air Jordan 1 in white is officially releasing on Saturday, March 3rd exclusively in Europe. The shoes were originally featured during Virgil Abloh's OFF WHITE runway show during Paris Fashion Week in January, revealing the all-white colorway with a light blue hang-tag. Jordan Brand confirms that the shoes are releasing in both men's and women's sizing for an MSRP of £160. Via Complex
Jason Wu
hand me my extra eye & LA bag plz #gucci #FW2018 📷= #theimpression
Exxxtra Eye Guard #guccigang
exxxtra eyes #guccigang
Embroidered Pansies Maxi Dress by Yuliya Magdych 💙💕
Mini Caftan w/ Embroidered Pansies by Yuliya Magdych 🌼🌸 #YuliyaMagdych @yuliya_magdych available via @modaoperandi
New Moon Organza Gown by Yuliya Magdych 🌜 Known as the woman who brought the fashion world the luxe caftan, the Lviv-raised designer learned the craft of Ukrainian embroidery from her mother (to whom it was also passed down) #YuliyaMagdych @yuliya_magdych available via @modaoperandi
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Having started programming in c/c++ i've always been used to casting between types using () operator:
int i = (int)x
With the coming of .Net framework ValueTypes and ReferenceTypes were introduced and we started hearing about boxing and unboxing.
if you're not familiar with these terms pick a link from this search and read up.
Also we've been introduced to System.Convert class and IConvertible interface.
But old habits are hard to break and i've been preffering the (int) to Convert.ToInt32.
For all thing considered i've been treating them as equals. But i've been reminded that they're not with a nice little
error message saying Specified cast is not valid.
This is the shortened code i was running:
object o = (Int16)55;
int convert1 = Convert.ToInt32(o); // ok
int convert2 = (int)o; // error
So why does this happen?
Well let's take it step by step.
1. 55 is Int32 by default as this line proves: 55.GetType().ToString()
2. By doing (Int16)55 we downcast the Int32 to Int16 since it's less than 32767 which is the max Int16 value
no boxing yet since both Int32 and Int16 are ValueTypes
3. object o = (Int16)55; boxes the Int16 into a System.Object thus making it a reference type
The thing about boxing and unboxing is that we have to know what type are we boxing and we must unbox it to the same type.
And when we have to explicitly unbox objects to their types. That's why we can't do simple
int convert2 = o;
And the difference between the two is:
int convert2 = (int)o;
tries to directly cast the object to Int32 but since this violates the rule that unboxing must be done to the same type
which is Int16 in this case an above error is returned.
int convert1 = Convert.ToInt32(o);
uses IConvertible interface to cast it. So it internaly unboxes the object o to Int16 and then directly casts the Int16 to Int32.
Isn't boxing and unboxing real "fun"?
But it's nice of the .Net framework to remind us of such things every now an then... :)
Print | posted on Monday, December 04, 2006 10:35 AM |
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The overall packaging and packaging ink markets are expanding globally, as the worldwide economic recovery continues. Segments such as flexible packaging and narrow web and label are performing particularly well.
Grant Shouldice, vice president marketing and technology, packaging inks, North America, Flint Group, said that it appears the market is bouncing back.
"Most converted packaging and label segments into which we supply ink appear to be bouncing back from the lows experienced over the last few years," Shouldice said. "Converted flexible packaging and narrow web label segments appear to be growing faster than paper and board as converters win in the marketplace with excellent graphic quality and cool form factor."
"With the U.S. economic recovery underway, Wikoff Color continues to see moderate packaging growth in North America," said Daryl Collins, vice president of sales and regional operations, at Wikoff Color. "Conventional litho on folding cartons is steady, energy curable litho continues to show progress, water and UV flexo on folding cartons is also expanding and flexible packaging growth is the most significant."
The packaging ink market has always been a strong point for INX International Ink, and 2013 was no exception.
"The growth in the packaging ink business appears to be consistent and getting stronger, and figures for 2014 may improve on what we did last year," said Mark Hill, vice president, research and development, INX International Ink Co.
John Copeland, Toyo Ink America's president and COO, reported that the packaging and packaging ink markets in North America had conservative single-digit growth. Toyo Ink is seeing growth in the flexible packaging markets with pouches, bags and with surface and lamination designs. "These markets were very stable and solid this past year," Copeland added.
Dr. Thomas Griebel, product and key account manager packaging inks, North America for Hostmann-Steinberg Limited, noted that the packaging market has been steady, based on solid GDP growth and increased consumer confidence.
"In food packaging (e.g. seafood) and beverages, we saw a trend to premium products at the expense of mid-price segments," Dr. Griebel added, noting that Hostmannn-Steinberg is seeing growth in solvent- and water-based flexible packaging and cigarette packaging, if the trend to smaller runs continues.
In terms of markets, Flint Group is seeing growth in the flexible packaging market.
"We're seeing growth in flexible packaging, especially the higher end laminate segments, as well as narrow web label continue to outpace other segments in terms of bouncing back to traditional CAGR," said John Gaber, product director packaging inks, North America, Flint Group. "Also growing is the shrink sleeve market."
For Sun Chemical, the flexo, folding carton and corrugated markets are growing.
"Additional growth comes from the narrow web, tag and label printing segments," said Tony Renzi, vice president, product management packaging, North America Inks, Sun Chemical. "Source reduction, a smaller number of packaging layers, along with decreased package size continue to be ways consumer packaged goods companies are looking for support in their sustainability efforts. Additionally, both major retailers and brand owners currently favor biodegradable and more recyclable flexible packaging materials."
Hill said INX is seeing the best growth in packaging inks for plastics. While most of the growth on plastic has been solvent-based inks, water-based and the UV/EB segment has also been strong.
Trends in Water-Based, Solvent-Based and UV Curing
While solvent-based inks remain a mainstay in segments such as flexible packaging, there is growing interest in water-based and energy curable inks.
"We are starting to see a stronger interest in water-based inks and energy curable inks, especially LED cured, for film substrates, which seems to be a second push for technology that is both environmentally friendly, sustainable and efficient," said Shouldice. "However, solvent-based inks based on bio-renewable content of up to 80% are only going to come down in cost as the feedstocks get to commercial scale."
BCM Inks has noticed that customers are moving away from solvent-based inks wherever possible.
"This is due to an increased awareness of carbon footprint/life cycle analysis by CPGs," said Robert Callif, vice president, BCM Inks, a specialist in the corrugated market. He added that the company enjoyed growth in 2013.
Collins said that energy-cure technologies, both UV and EB, would keep growing because of the benefits they offer a printer. "Solvent-based inks are entrenched in the rapidly growing flexible packaging market, and as we see the technologies of narrow web flexo presses, plates and aniloxes improve, we will continue to see growth in water-based flexo on packages," he added.
Dr. Griebel said there is interest in low migration inks, mainly driven by brand owners, not by printers, converters or legal requirements (North America). "In Europe, the food packaging market is moving towards low migration inks," he added.
The Market for Low Migration Inks
Low migration for food packaging is an important market focus for brand owners and printers alike, and ink suppliers are developing products to meet these needs. Toyo Ink has found that more customers are requesting formation on low migration products.
Wikoff Color has found that there is definitely growing interest in the field of low migration inks.
"It's all anybody is talking about, both in the U.S. and Europe," said Dr. Don Duncan, Wikoff Color's director of research. "It's not like the inks used for food packaging over the last decades have been 'high migration,' but this thinking of eliminating migration of all ingredients, even if they are known to be safe, is a much, much more conservative position than U.S. law requires. The pendulum on this may begin to swing back to a more pragmatic position at some point, but right now it is still swinging out."
INX has noticed growth, particularly on the UV/EB side.
"With conventional inks, there have been some interest and inquiries regarding migration, but typically conventional raw materials have been accepted over the years as being safe," said Hill. "Of course, the guidelines seem to be constantly changing these days, so what's acceptable today may not be in the future."
"Low migration packaging continues to be a market focus, but rather than describe the focus as low migration inks, it is more accurate to describe the interest as low migration packaging," said Renzi. "This means that all the materials in the packaging construction and process contribute to a low migration package."
Shouldice said that there has been a steady growth in demand for low migration energy cure systems across all print processes. He added that growth in this area in North America will be driven by regulations and further education of the printers and brand users – and consumers.
New Technologies
With the packaging industry enjoying growth and brand owners looking for new technologies to differentiate their products ink manufacturers are introducing new products for the industry.
Wikoff has made a significant investment in formulating and manufacturing inkjet inks with a state-of-the-art facility in their Fort Mill, SC plant.
"Inkjet technologies are not yet widespread in the packaging industry, but as the technologies improve, speeds rise and costs fall we will see more customized packages involving inkjet printing," Collins said.
INX has developed two high-speed flexographic inks for the flexible film market. Synergy and Innova can print at speeds up to 2000 feet per minute and they have also developed water-based inks with improved printability at high press speeds. On the energy cure side, they developed offset HUV and LED curable inks. The LED inks meet current low migration standards.
Dr. Griebel noted that Hostmann-Steinberg has launched CORONA label MGA, the first low migration inks for non-absorbent substrates with focus on IML.
Masa Nagatsubo, general manager of Toyo Ink's Liquid Ink Division, reported that Toyo Ink introduced REXTA, its latest retortable solvent-based flexo lamination Ink system at this year's Info Flex in Baltimore, MD. Additionally Toyo Ink introduced RIVET, a high performance flexo ink for solvent lamination.
BCM Inks has developed PCR Black which is a black ink made from leftover ink from recycled ink cartridges.
On the flexible packaging side, Flint Group is offering high speed/high definition ink technologies – Veloce and FlexiBase HDP – which enable printers to increase throughput and visual appeal.
On the paper and board side, Flint Group has launched a low maintenance/high performance strategy that allows printers to push the limits for graphics and efficiencies in the pressroom through its PremoCorr and PremoCup brands.
In sheetfed packaging, Flint Group has launched Ultraking XCURA LED – UV LED ink technology, and will soon launch Ultraking Shrink U.
In narrow web, Flint Group is growing its EkoCure UV LED brand – adding metallics, shrink whites, additional coatings and adhesives. In addition they have launched two new UV rotary screen whites to complement the CombiWhite line of products.
"Flint Group is constantly developing and launching new products to support the ever growing and changing market for packaging and labels," Gaber said.
Sun Chemical reports that its new SunUno Solimax multi-purpose ink system will maximize pressroom efficiency while simplifying the overall print production process.
"The SunUno Solimax ink system is the latest generation of inks providing a single platform that can cover multiple end use applications," Renzi said. "The ink system provides the shelf stand out and high quality packaging for today's competitive industry and is intended for surface printing and lamination for various end-use applications, such as lidding materials, medical laminates and food packaging for confectionery and snack food.
Renzi noted that narrow web tag and label (NWTL) printers that use water-based flexo inks can now decrease their overall bottom-line operating expenses in ink volume and ink costs by up to 25% with the new Sun Chemical Water-Based Flexo Dispenser Program.
"The newest version of Sun Chemical's highly successful Dispenser Program for commercial and NWTL printers allows NWTL printers to mix exactly the amount of water-based flexo inks that they need, reduce their inventory and waste, improve color-matching consistency and significantly decrease total operating costs," Renzi added. "The water-based flexo dispenser is unique in that it can make process, blending bases and spot colors all from the same machine. Color concentrates and technology extenders can be dispensed to make inks for more than one application, providing printers the flexibility to control color density and compensate for various anilox configurations.
Converters looking for inks that provide high print quality and color strength can benefit from Sun Chemical's SunVisto Advantage HS, a new ink that delivers both superior print quality and the pH stability needed for corrugated stocks.
"SunVisto Advantage HS inks provide for higher color strength for use with higher line aniloxes and eliminate the need for special GCMI color matches when added strength is required to hit GCMI color targets," Renzi said. "The Advantage HS inks are also 40% to 50% stronger than conventional mid-grade GCMI inks."
Raw Materials
Raw materials have had a major effect on ink manufacturers in recent years, but the past year has witnessed some stability. Diane Parisi, vice president, supply chain management for Flint Group, noted that raw material prices have stabilized somewhat, albeit at higher prices, which is now the new norm.
"There are a few areas of concern around pigments and pigment intermediates related to environmental and regulatory challenges in India and China that could effect the supply chain and result in price increases if they come through," Parisi said. "The consolidation of the TiO2 market is cause for concern by ink makers, but we will see how that plays out once the transaction is finalized. Many ink-based materials are still considered cheap or low value add and therefore have upward pricing potential, especially if there is any disruption in the worldwide geopolitical situation."
In 2013, Sun Chemical saw a more stable environment emerge for raw material supply and prices.
"Even with a moderate improvement in global economic activity in 2014, our expectation is that we will see a continuation of this trend," Ed Pruitt, chief procurement officer, Sun Chemical, said. "Although on average we expect relative stability, there are feedstocks and raw materials that will bear careful watching. Titanium dioxide producers experienced poor profitability last year and will continue to press for price increases buoyed by the expectation of improving demand. Pigments from Asia will continue to be impacted by the increasing and somewhat unpredictable enforcement of environmental regulations in China and India. Aromatic and oefinic petrochemical feedstocks are expected to be in reasonable supply. However, unplanned production issues can quickly place pressure on the resins and intermediates that are derived from these products."
Pruitt noted that the second half of 2013 saw a dramatic run up in gum rosin prices despite relatively flat demand.
"This run up had a major impact on the cost of rosin resins used in offset printing," he added. "Successful gum harvests in 2014 could help to bring these costs back to a more supportable level."
Ben Price, director of purchasing at Wikoff Color, said that while he is not seeing either sharply rising prices or significant risks to their raw material supply, areas such as rosin-based resin are a concern.
"There are areas within our broad range of raw materials that are requiring greater attention," Price noted. "Of particular concern are rosin-based resins for our oil-based inks. The supply of crude tall oil, which is used to make tall oil rosin, is being constrained by a number of factors. Additional pressure on rosin-based resins comes from the fact that the other source of rosin, Chinese gum rosin, is near historically high prices. These two influences are working together to create tightness in the rosin resin market.
"On another note, there has been upward movement in styrene pricing recently, which could affect our water-based inks and coatings, but that appears to be a temporary spike rather than a long-term trend, and we expect styrene prices to retreat by summer," Price added. "Pricing for titanium dioxide has been stable for some time after retreating from historic highs, but there is some evidence that these prices could increase in the summer."
As the printing ink industry reaches a more mature stage, Sun Chemical is seeing several strategic responses from their supply base.
"One of those responses is a move to increased consolidation in our suppliers' industries," Pruitt said. " A good example of that is the pending acquisition of Rockwood's titanium dioxide business by Huntsman Corporation. Another strategic response is the spin off and sale of our suppliers' businesses to private equity investors. This has been particularly popular among resin manufacturers, but there are also examples in carbon black and other markets.
"A third response we have seen is the diversification of our suppliers' product offerings into new markets, thereby reducing their dependence upon the graphic arts industry," Pruitt added. "While all of these responses are understandable in light of new economic conditions, they nevertheless present a set of challenges to the ink industry. Challenges such as fostering viable supplying markets; maintaining long term views and relationships; and, continuing to receive the high level of technical and customer support we value."
Toyo Group also sees supplier consolidations as challenging.
"We see supplier consolidations as troublesome when we are left with few manufacturers of certain products purchased in our supply chain," Copeland said. "This creates both supply and pricing issues for our industry as well as the Toyo Group."
BCM Inks also noted that it is seeing consolidation among its suppliers and customers.
"We see this trend continuing as long as private equity and individual companies have significant cash to invest," said Callif. "Consolidation could have a positive or negative business impact depending on your side of the equation."
"It has not affected us at INX that much, but tightness in the market due to consolidation of ink raw materials certainly had an impact on availability," Hill said. "We have also experienced increases in lead time and price."


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LONDON (AP) — Actor Jude Law has written to the World Trade Organization to urge it to uphold a European Union ban on seal fur.
The British actor was writing on behalf of animal protection group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which released the letter on Saturday.
The EU banned commercial trade in all seal products in its member states in 2010 amid concerns about the animal welfare aspects of hunting seals.
The ban is being challenged by the Canadian government, and the WTO is holding a hearing later this month to settle the dispute.
PETA has also enlisted actress Pamela Anderson in its publicity campaign against the seal trade.


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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowline sail away from the safe harbor and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore Dream Discover
Showing posts from October, 2017


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The puppies are doing better with their housetraining (or maybe I am getting better at taking them out every time they so much as sniff the carpet). They spend most of the day either tearing up the house chasing each other, or sacked out on their blankets.
Bumble trying to chill for a few on Christmas day.
This is a very unusual pose for Poppy. She is usually sprinting through the house, chasing after her brother. I think both Bumble and I cherish the quiet moments when she takes a nap!
On their best behavior – for about 30 seconds!
Check out my current contests! See the Contest Widget on the Sidebar to enter!
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews to share new additions to our library. Click here to learn more about it.
New Arrivals at the Café:
Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Earth Girl by Janet Edwards
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
Assassins in Love by Kris DeLake
A great big thanks to the publishers for their continued support!
What did you get? Please leave links and share!


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Ozzy Osbourne Launches New Official Website
The Prince of Darkness just got a digital facelift. Ozzy Osbourne's official website Ozzy.com was recently relaunched with a whole new look and feel. To celebrate the new design, he's also kicked off a couple of contests featuring limited edition Ozzy merchandise up for grabs.
The updated and fresh format on Ozzy.com is easily maneuverable and puts all the latest Ozzy news front and center along with a slideshow of his latest highlights. Current posts promote the 30th Anniversary Edition of 'Blizzard of Ozz/Diary of a Madman,' the 'Life Won't Wait' music video, and info on the new site design.
Buttons for tour dates, latest news, music and Ozzy's Twitter feed are front and center, with an extended menu allowing for more detailed options including a fan community and forum for fans to connect with one another.
Anyone that visits the new site can enter to win an Ozzy 'Believer' 7" picture disc and an 'Ozzy Live' 2LP set by answering a few questions about the design. Both collectible pieces were part of an exclusive Record Store Day limited edition run. Learn more about the contest here.
Ozzy's year is shaping up to be a busy one but that seems to be par for the course for Osbourne. After all, as Ozzy himself said many moons ago, there's no rest for the wicked. With a new granddaughter, the Black Sabbath reunion and his shows with Ozzy Osbourne and friends (featuring special guests like Geezer Butler and Zakk Wylde), Osbourne shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.


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The president downplays it. Insiders insist it doesn't stand a chance. Yet as negotiations between the Obama administration and Congress take form over a deal on taxes and budgets, the idea of a carbon tax is discussed with greater frequency.
Oddly enough, there's no high-profile leader out there championing a carbon tax, yet it's the subject of reports, conferences and a flurry of maneuvers by groups for and against it.
"We would never propose a carbon tax, and have no intention of proposing one," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said.
A day earlier, President Barack Obama was asked during a White House news conference about the prospects for a carbon tax to address climate change. The president outlined a number of steps his team had taken to lower carbon emissions, but said there was no consensus for a tax on carbon.
"That I'm pretty certain of. And, look, we're still trying to debate whether we can just make sure that middle-class families don't get a tax hike. Let's see if we can resolve that. That should be easy. This one is hard, but it's important because one of the things that we don't always factor in are the costs involved in these natural disasters," Obama said.
It was music to the ears of oil refiners.
"I applaud the president for recognizing that now is not the time for a new, regressive carbon tax that will hamper the nation's ability to get the economy back on track," Charles Drevna, the president of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, said in a statement.
Even with no one formally proposing a carbon tax and the leader of the free world opposing it right now, the group Americans for Prosperity, which advocates limited government, issued a statement boasting that the entire Republican leadership of the House of Representatives had signed its pledge to "oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue."
Also undaunted by the lack of any leader pitching a carbon tax, the environmental group Green For All issued a statement from CEO Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins that sounded as if a carbon tax were now inevitable.
"Yes, polluters will fight a carbon tax tooth and nail, just like tobacco companies raged against cigarette taxes. But far from costing jobs, a carbon tax will provide a net benefit to our economy," she said.
In the simplest terms, a carbon tax is a levy on fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas. They emit carbon dioxide when they're burned, which traps heat in the atmosphere and causes global warming. Such a tax is usually discussed in the context of climate change and global warming, but now it's also viewed as a possible way to raise revenue in a race to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff.
Congress is trying to forge a deal, or at least a down payment on a deal, that would address expiring Bush-era income tax cuts, stave off deep reductions in government spending and raise the government's borrowing threshold. While lawmakers are at it, potentially everything is in the tax mix, from a carbon tax to caps on popular income-tax deductions such as mortgage interest and charitable giving.
The idea of raising revenue from a carbon tax to protect the environment and to lower budget deficits and the national debt isn't farfetched. It almost made it into a widely praised deficit-reduction proposal from the Bipartisan Policy Center, a research organization that's home to former lawmakers and top staffers.
The center crafted its November 2010 blueprint called "Restoring America's Future" to provide a path for lawmakers who want to get the nation's fiscal house in order. The carbon tax was removed only at the end of the group's internal discussions.
"We had a majority of votes in favor of a carbon tax. At the last moment, we couldn't get the unanimity," said Steve Bell, a former chief counsel to the Senate Budget Committee who's now the economic policy director for the center.
The problem? The center's road map also called for a temporary national sales tax, and members didn't want to have two new taxes.
A carbon tax could raise $1 trillion over 10 years without touching income taxes, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. That makes it an attractive source of new cash, and the reason Bell thinks it may still be on the table even if no one is saying so.
"It's been alive. It's like a cat: It's had nine lives. It's back again," Bell said. "I would not be surprised to see a serious attempt to get that in."
In a sign of the times, the center-right American Enterprise Institute and the center-left Brookings Institution held a joint daylong conference on a carbon tax, exploring everything from its fairness to how much revenue it could generate before it started reducing carbon dioxide emissions – and consequently reducing the tax revenue.
Economists at the American Enterprise Institute don't dismiss the idea of a carbon tax outright, but they caution that its burdens would fall disproportionately on the poor. They concluded, using 2010 tax data, that the burden on the lowest 10 percent of income earners would be five times higher than the burden on the top 10 percent of earners when measured as a fraction of annual income.
Researchers on the political left and right have suggested that part of the revenue could be used to defray the costs of social welfare programs or to make up for lower corporate tax rates in a revamp of the tax code.
In fact, the CBO issued a working paper this month that looked narrowly at seven ways to defray the relative burden of a carbon tax on low-income households.
"Policies can be designed to achieve a mixture of outcomes," the CBO said in a study that made it clear that a carbon tax might be in the mix of any broad effort to overhaul the tax system next year.


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|Fall Term 2017 Balinese Gamelan Music - 5646 - MURP 171
Catalog Description : Open to all students. Gamelan is a type of traditional percussion and wind ensemble from Indonesia. This course offers study and performance of Balinese classical instrumental pieces, dance accompaniment, and contemporary works. May be repeated for credit.
Attributes: Fine Arts Div GER (01cr), Introductory Course


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Beer company Molson Canadian has released a set of plantable coasters in specially-marked can packs as part of the company's 'Red Leaf Project.' When planted and watered, the seeded beer mats will grow into towering Black Spruce trees! The coasters are part of the beer company's environmental initiative to clean up Canada's natural parks.
The Molson Canadian Red Leaf Project is a massive scheme dedicated to restoring green spaces across the country. Volunteers are rewarded with tickets to some of the best music festivals in the country as a thank you for getting involved.
"Participation in the program last year exceeded our expectations and it re-affirmed for us that Canadians care deeply about the environment and really want to make a difference," says Dave Bigioni, Senior Marketing Director, Molson Coors Canada. "That passion inspired us to expand the program this year, and we are inviting thousands of Canadians from over 100 communities to come out and get their hands dirty to make their backyards even better."
"The Molson Canadian Red Leaf Project at its core is about making our great Canadian backyard the best it can be," Bigioni added. "We take this commitment to our communities very seriously but, in true Molson Canadian style, we want to make sure everyone involved has a great time in the process."
The seeded coasters are part of the scheme where Canadians register to volunteer for a park project in their community by visiting Facebook. People can also support the Red Leaf Project through a PIN program at retail, where with purchase of a specially marked case of Molson Canadian, consumers will receive a PIN code printed on a seed-infused coaster that can be planted to grow a tree in their community.
The Red Leaf Project has already been a huge success. Last year, more than 2000 Canadians and employees participated in restoring community parks, planting trees, and cleaning up shorelines. Collectively, 100,000 trees were planted across Canada and 129,000 tonnes of litter were picked up across 1,678 miles of shoreline!
+ Molson Canadian Red Leaf Project
Via PSFK.com


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Celebrity chef Bobby Flay and fellow Food Network star, Giada De Laurentiis are developing a new TV show in New York City, currently working-titled as "Flay's Fillet" or "Giada DeLicious" or just "Gastro Garage".
Sources indicate that "Gastro Garage" is a cross between "Live, with Kelly & Michael" and Emeril Legasse's "Emeril Live" – so, the show pitches hot topics in between cooking segments appealing to 'MasterChef' quality cooks. What is interesting is that both shows it's modeled after contain the word "live" in their title- suggesting that "Gastro Garage" is going to be very live, complete with kitchen accidents, which sadly, Giada is no stranger to.
The show's format seems to be distancing itself from the dumbed-down cooking approach that Rachael Ray and the Barefoot Contessa have provided to viewers looking for cooking-meets-lifestyle TV shows, with dishes easy enough that even the Kardashians could master. "Gastro Garage" will be going after seasoned chefs that will know the difference between a whisk and a colander and don't need to be told about either. Comparatively, another TV show "The Kitchen" currently provides the high road for gastro fans, but lacks the electricity that exists between Flay and De Laurentiis that clearly transfers to TV beautifully – well in the TV pilot at least.
The show celebrates the collaboration between Flay's New American style to cooking and De Laurentiis's classic Italian approach. In the recently shot pilot, some sparks did fly on the set, with De Laurentiis setting fire to the souffle and the fire extinguisher was needed to calm the flames and the stars' nerves. It's expected that guest stars on the show will include many of Flay's and Giada's celebrity friends including John Mayer, Drake, Tyson Beckford, and Matt Lauer.
It's rumored that the show will operate out of Emeril's old Food Network studio in the Chelsea Market- this being an ideal central location for TV audiences to travel to and a wonderful array of fresh produce available in the food market below the studio. When Flay "runs out" of black pepper, it's anticipated that he will run down to the market with a camera and shoot the whole scene of choosing the perfect black pepper to adorn his culinary creation, all while talking lifestyle and politics. And all of it live.
No deal is in place yet with a production company, but it will almost certainly will be shot out of New York City given that the Flay restaurants need Bobby to continue to steer the ship; Bar Americain, Mesa Grill, Bobby's Burger Palace, and his new NOHO project, Gato, all need the captain at hand. Giada lives and works in NYC and given that she has a family here too, she has no intention of spending weeks away in Hollywood shooting the show, even the cost savings to The Food Network are huge..
Giada has a huge following herself with her "Giada at Home" show on Food network, her Academia Barilla premium pasta line, and her huge food and homeware deal with Target. She won a daytime Emmy award in 2008 for outstanding lifestyle host and she has become a mentor to the Food Network's other up-and-coming chefs. Originally trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, De Laurentiis famously cut her finger on a live TV show on Thanksgiving 2013 and then started feeling dizzy. She starting losing copious amounts of blood and passed out off-set. A couple of hours later she was all stitched up and ready to shoot the next show. She also has written a children's book and loves to spend time with her husband, Todd Thompson, and her daughter Jade.
Flay is no stranger to TV either. As well as his Iron Chef appearances he did a stint on HBO's Entourage where he played Mrs. Ari Gold's love interest. His restaurant was also featured in the show. He reportedly received no payment for this appearance, but his businesses received a great deal of publicity.
Michael Tubbs
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2017-18 Fleming Scholars named: Kevin Weyant and Zhu Cheng
Kevin Weyant of the DeLisa Group and Zhu Cheng of the Paszek research group have been named the 2017-2018 Fleming Scholars. Their research descriptions are provided below:
Kevin Weyant (DeLisa Group)
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are liposomes of variable size (20-300 nM) that are produced constitutively by Gram-negative bacteria. Previous studies have shown that OMVs can be engineered to express recombinant protein or carbohydrate antigens. These OMVs can then be administered in mice to generate protective immune responses. However, frequent difficulties expressing complex antigens on OMVs limits their utility. Moreover, immune responses to recombinant OMV vaccines are not sufficient for some pathogens. Kevin aims to enhance the versatility of OMV vaccines both by facilitating the display of multiple antigens for broader protection and by targeting OMVs to specific cell types to modulate immune responses. Specifically, he is engineering a system in which purified antigens or receptor-binding molecules can be bound to a protein scaffold on OMVs. His work may provide tools that will facilitate the production of a wide range of vaccines for infectious diseases and cancer.
Zhu Cheng (Paszek Group)
Zhu's research focuses on elucidating how mechanical properties of biomaterials can regulate cellular functions, with the aim of programming complex biological processes and tissue assembly through biomaterial design. Cells physically probe their extracellular environment to inform decision making related to cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and other critical processes. Recent studies have illustrated that solid surface stresses can have a dominant role in the mechanical behaviors of soft materials with vanishingly small elasticity. Zhu hypothesizes that these surface stresses can direct complex cellular behaviors. In future work, Zhu will study whether cells coordinate their movements through surface tension gradients (i.e. Marangoni effects) generated by cell contractility on the biomaterial substrates. Overall, Zhu hopes that her work will help to better understand cell-matrix interactions and aid in the design of biomaterial scaffolds for cell and tissue growth.