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The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is dealing with a real PR problem right now. There have been a number of photos and videos taken by transit riders and posted on the Internet showing TTC workers sleeping on the job (such as in the photo below) or otherwise doing things that did not provide a positive image of the transit commission.
Newspapers, television and radio news programs have reprinted the images and run articles and news segments on this story.
Many employees of the transit commission aren't pleased.
Background on the TTC
Here's a bit of background for those who are not from Toronto. The TTC operates all of the public transit buses, street cars and subways in the city of Toronto and has the 3rd highest daily ridership of any transit system in North America. Only New York and Mexico City (both significantly larger than Toronto in population) have transit systems that carry more passengers. The TTC is an integral part of people's lives here.
There have been a number of issues in the last few years such as transit worker strikes, fare increases, ticket and token shortages, and service issues that have led to growing negative attitudes towards the TTC and the services it provides. Most people would probably say that the TTC does a good job in general, but there are certainly many areas for improvement, and the TTC hasn't appeared to be the most responsive organization.
Now there are 3 parties with stakes in this situation. There is the TTC management, the TTC workers (drivers etc.) and the public.
The public have legitimate gripes with both the workers and the management. Now, it is only fair to state that the recent pictures such as the one above are not the key problem here, and it is clear that only a very small number of workers are behaving this way. But for an already frustrated public, these images — and they are powerful — are what is putting the frustration over the top.
The TTC has made a number of mistakes in handling this situation.
1. They have not come out and openly acknowledged the problems that their customers (the general public) faces regularly
This is the first step that any company should take when dealing with problems such as these. Acknowledging the problems does not mean accepting the blame, but it does begin a communication process about the grievances. It also starts to frame the key discussion points so that constructive dialogue can occur. Otherwise the result is increasing distrust and frustration from the customers who become further entrenched in their views. This can quickly lead to customer attrition.
2. The TTC itself is embroiled in it's own (rather public) conflict between management and the workers
This is probably one of the biggest problems facing the TTC and it is the customers that are punished through drops in service, striking unions or other issues. But management keeps their jobs and the unionized workers focus even more on their own grievances.
The net result is that not only do customers suffer, but their needs are basically ignored while the two groups fight it out.
Here's part of a statement from TTC chief general manager Gary Webster to workers. This is excerpted from this article in a local Toronto paper.
In a memo sent to all TTC employees on Saturday, Webster says, "I am becoming increasingly tired of defending the reputation of the TTC; tired of explaining what is acceptable and what is not; and tired of stating the obvious: that much of the behaviour being reported is, indeed, unacceptable."
"Two weeks ago I said that the vast majority of TTC employees care about the organization and do a good job, but we can all do better. I asked everyone to respond well. Some of you did. Clearly, some of you did not."
He is referring, of course, to the bus driver filmed taking an unscheduled coffee break in the middle of his route about a week ago, not long after a pair of ticket collectors were snapped sleeping in their booths.
The resulting video and photos have incited a maelstrom of discontent among riders already familiar with poor service from front line TTC workers.
"The culture of complacency and malaise that has seeped into our organization will end," Webster warns.
"I hold all of management responsible to make this happen. Reviews and plans are under way to address systemic issues regarding customer service, but real change starts with you."
Now the response from the union went something like this:
But (Bob) Kinnear (head of the union representing the TTC workers) blamed some of the issues frustrating both the public and TTC workers on transit managers and the commission board, which consists of politicians.
He also blasted chief general manager Gary Webster for his statement over the weekend that appeared to brand all TTC workers as deficient in their work ethic and attitudes.
"The worst thing for a good union is bad management," Kinnear said. "If you have strong management and a strong union, you meet in the middle."
Kinnear did ask for calm on all sides and to try to work together to solve the problems, but the finger pointing on all sides, particularly publicly just exacerbates the problem.
3. Some TTC workers started a very poorly thought through social media campaign
In a tit-for-tat move, some TTC workers created a Facebook group, called Toronto Transit Operators against public harassment.
The organizers of the group describe it's purpose as follows:
This is a group where Operator's [sic] can give suggestions on how to fight back to the recent photo and video harassment from passengers just looking to make trouble for us. And post photo's [sic] of your own of passengers breaking the rules.
The "just looking to make trouble for us" line shows a complete inward mindset with no attempt to understand the real issues at hand. Also, the irony of the group name and that last sentence in the description seems to be lost on the group's creators, although one group member, Mary Bruno Tidona, pointed it out quite plainly. See the image here for more info.
There were many people in the group who clearly supported the transit workers, but there were also a lot of responses from people pointing fingers at politicians (local, provincial and federal), at the public, at their management, at "the system", but rarely if ever at themselves. One comment that suggested that the few workers who do sleep on the job etc. get the boot was met with this response.
(click to enlarge)
If you're going to use social media, at least understand that you're engaging in a conversation with others and not an excuse making or brow beating exercise. That may work in broadcast media where the few control the message to the masses, but in a Facebook group, for example, you're only inviting ridicule.
4. TTC management have responded with old school thinking — repeat the obvious and add more features
On January 27, 2010, the TTC proudly proclaimed their commitment to customer service excellence. Is there anyone who would openly state they are NOT committed to customer service excellence? The web page on their site looks like a well crafted communication piece that announces a lot but doesn't really indicate that they understand the core problems.
Front and center is the creation of a panel. The description is the following:
This panel will have representation from customers, the private sector, TTC employees and the public transit industry. The panel will review and approve a terms of reference then begin the work of assessing existing plans to improve customer service, advise on where the TTC should seek outside expertise to achieve its objective, conduct public consultations, and draft a customer charter or "bill of rights." It is intended that the advisory panel will publicly report its recommendations by June 30.
Honestly, this is the best they can do in 2010? Create a panel and report back in 5 months? How about something more inclusive, using social media (effectively!), involving community groups in a series of TransitCamps starting at the end of February? Nope. Just old school thinking.
Beyond the panel, the web page also lists a number of new "features" they will add to the system. These include:
- a beta of a new trip planning application
- 50 new ticket vending machines across the system
- improved plans to help customers and employees during subway delays
- a new SMS messaging capability at all 800 streetcar stops
- new video screens and better system status communication with ticket collectors and employees
- a review of training programs for new employees and those going through re-certification
Now this is a nice list, but it's simply a list of incremental features being added to the system. How will any of this – with the possible exception of better training — address the core issues of the public?
Incremental changes to the system, like incremental changes to a product, are not game changers. And while it is very difficult to make major changes to something as complex as a transit system in a short period of time, there is certainly a lot more that can be done to make the system more efficient and better address passenger needs.
I grew up in Toronto and used to love the transit system and it was only after I got married that I stopped using it regularly. And the few times I have used it since my marriage, I've found it excruciatingly painful and time-consuming.
I think the Toronto Transit Commission needs to understand there are alternatives for people and they will use them when the TTC fails to deliver appropriate value. I've found an alternative to the TTC — same initials though — Take The Car. It does have it's downsides, but it gets me where I'm going and I always know when it will depart and arrive.
Tweet this article: @onpm – Toronto Transit Commission – How not to handle bad PR – http://bit.ly/9swydU – #ttc #marketing


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Using Data to Evaluate Home Listings
Buying a house is intimidating. Understanding my local housing market proved to be more challenging than expected because online articles and resources were disappointingly generic. Beyond some basic questions like "how much house can I afford?" I wasn't sure how to evaluate whether the price for a listing was a good deal. So, I did my own analysis of housing data.
Step 1: Google
To start, I found that Trulia and Zillow have a portion of their sites devoted to real estate trends. Trulia had a sexy-yet-mysterious map while Zillow had a teasing assortment of graphs. I don't really care about anything besides 2–4 bedroom single family homes, so looking at aggregate data for all types of housing is not helpful. I can only assume Trulia included everything in their maps and graphs since they didn't provide that detail, and Zillow has some options for single family homes that are only available for Zillow-specific metrics. Frustrating. I wanted more information before letting myself be channeled into the sales funnel.
Step 2: Novice to GIS Pro
I was overjoyed to find that the City of Madison has an open data initiative. The Assessor Property Information data set has nearly 80 thousand listings and was updated 8/2016. This is a gold mine of information, yet unfortunately I have to leave out all the surrounding suburbs because they do not have this kind of information available as of this date.
Mapping the Madison data was my first priority. I used the program Tableau Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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Hello, I have made a card using Deputy Christopher from Inky Impressions.
I have used a embossing folder for the clock then cut it out. I then inked & spray it with some glimmermist to give it a aged look. I have placed a piece of plastic on the clock face (not that you can see it in the photo), to hold the plastic on I have used a pearl brad in the centre of the clock.
I have also used a die to cut the stars.
I have used stickles on the clocks number for a bit of sparkle. I coloured Christopher using copic's.
I used a digi sentiment from Inky Impressions. I have also added some charms to the card, the cowboy boot is from Inky Impressions.
I hope you like my card & that I have inspired you to made your own Inky card.
To check out this stamp & more visit the Inky Store HERE
All the best


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Saturday, July 28, 2012
God WAS There.
Where is God in the most horrific and painful times of our lives? When something bad happens, what happens to the God that is good?
I believe He is right there, if we look for the unexpected ways He shows up.
After the painful trial our family went through last weekend, I'm more convinced of this than ever!
It had been a long week as my husband, a youth and children's pastor, had been away at youth camp for five days. But Friday had arrived at last and my heart was elated at the thought of seeing my best-friend any hour. Our five month old, Daniel, had just woken from his nap and after feeding him, I held him close to me and headed downstairs, something we did a hundred times a day.
Only this time, I lost my footing only two steps down and in one of the most surreal and horrific moments of my entire life, I was flying (head-first) down the stairs (all twelve of them!). In that split-second, my one and only thought was, "Protect my precious baby!!" and I tried frantically twisting in the air so I would fall on my back but couldn't turn fast enough. All of the sudden, we were crashing into the landing face-first, Daniel hitting first and a sick thud filling the air that felt so terrifying I couldn't suck in another breath.
A cry of pain erupted from his tiny body and I began shouting for help, my heart pounding in my ears and every part of me shaking uncontrollably. Without even thinking, I began to pray and ask God to protect this child that I desperately loved and would die for without hesitation. Although my husband, Bob, was not supposed to arrive home for another half an hour, he had made it back early. In fact, it was just a moment after he walked in the door that he heard the loud thud and my cry for help. When he rushed to our side, I felt like God had sent an angel just when we needed one.
God was there.
After a quick evaluation of Daniel (who was now vomitting), Bob called 9-1-1 and instructed me to care for the rest of our crew. I'm not exactly sure why, but I dialed a friend that I knew was in town that day running errands. She and her children were in the grocery store with a full cart in that she quickly abandoned (the cart, not the kids!) in order to rush to be there for our family. She arrived before the ambulance did.
God was there.
I drove in the back of the ambulance with my baby, tears streaming down my face. The EMT sitting next to me looked at me with tearful eyes of his own and said with one of the kindest faces I'd ever seen, "He's going to be okay. We have two daughters of our own and this kind of stuff just happens. You're a good mom."
God was there.
As they rushed Daniel into a room, me following close behind, my husband's sweet aunt who was also an ER nurse happened to see us and her eyes widened in surprise. She also just so happened to be finishing her shift and immediately joined us in the room, holding our son, holding me and being a steady support through the entire night, a night that was a journey through the valley of death.
God was there.
As Daniel continued to throw up, a CT scan was ordered and the doctors planned to sedate him, a procedure that would be risky in his current condition. We prayed for little Daniel (who had been crying and distraught) to fall asleep and laid him on the CT table. Suddenly, he inhaled a shaky breath and fell fast asleep...for the entire procedure!
God was there.
A short time later (which, of course, felt like years!!), the CT report came back at about the same time I noticed Daniel's right side of his head was starting to swell up as he slept in my arms. The initial report took our breath away and made our knees feel like jello: a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain.
The Er room was suddenly swarming with doctors and nurses as they rushed our baby to ICU where a team of neurologists quickly convened to go over his situation and make the tough calls on what to do.
Meanwhile, I was left standing alone in the ER room where I fell to the floor, crying for the Lord to spare my son's life and take my own. Bob's aunt pulled me up and prayed with me as there were no words for that moment, one of the darkest moments of my life.
Even then, God was there.
Bob's aunt and I hurried to ICU where my baby was hooked up to IVs, monitors and was being carefully evaluated while my husband got on the phone to notify everyone he could to start praying for our little guy.
And I just know, people were praying. All over our town, throughout our state and I'm sure even throughout this country and beyond, people prayed (thank YOU for petitioning God on Daniel's behalf at that time too, dear friends and family!!). I know that God was listening, a miracle was in the works and in the way only God can, He takes something devastating and brings something good out of it. In the bustle, in the fear and in the darkness of that ICU room, a light began to shine.
God was there.
Through this whole ordeal, I forgot to do something that helps us to stay alive: breath! After passing out for the second or third time and having a small panic attack (well, my husband begs to differ on using the word, "small"!), Bob picked me up and I vaguely remember the doctor saying, "Get that mom out of here!" as my husband carried me out to the hallway. I was shocked, "Who is that crazy mom in my son's room?!" Then it hit me: Wait...I'M that crazy mom!
Yep, even in that embarrassing moment of weakness, God was there!
I forced myself to get a grip so I would be allowed to remain by my son's side. Right about then, some friends and fellow pastors we were planning on meeting with for our Friday date night showed up (dressed to go out as they had just got the message about Daniel). They were a strong and quiet support, laying hands on our baby and joining with us in fervent prayer for him to be completely healed.
God was there.
Our aunt, a seasoned veteran of the ER, informed us that we had some of the best neurosurgeons working on Daniel that one could hope for! A light of hope shone on my heart when one of these gifted doctors smiled at me and said,
"Daniel is going to be okay, I'm sure of it. We have four kids of our own and one of our son's had a brain tumor when he was two..." his eyes filled with tears at the memory and my own eyes did as well knowing the unbreakable love-bond between a parent and child, " but he is six now and healthy and strong as you could imagine!"
Through the gifted minds and hands of this talented team, of doctors and nurses we saw their Creator shining through.
God was there.
The team of doctors had come to an agreement and their assessment was the best news one could hope for in this situation, "The fracture has actually been a blessing as it's allowing his brain to safely swell while he heals. And the bleeding on the brain is only a wisp, the smallest amount you could imagine! We are admitting him to PICU and this next day is crucial but we think he will be just fine."
I felt like I had just been flung onto Cloud Nine! I started hugging EVERY nurse and doctor in sight (I think I might have even kissed someone too, hopefully it was Bob but I don't remember for sure...).
Without a doubt: GOD WAS THERE!!
The journey was not yet over but I knew we were not alone. Even in our darkest hour, God's light had never stopped shining.
A few days later, after another CT scan was performed on Daniel, the doctor was shaking his head in wonder,
"Your boy is 98% healed. This is...well, it just doesn't happen."
He looked at Daniel in his hospital bed, a big smile filling his chubby cheeks and making his double-chin grow even bigger...and cuter! It was contagious: the doctor couldn't keep from grinning and neither could me and Bob!!
Where is God in the horrific and painful times of our lives? When something bad happens, what happens to the God that is good?
I believe He is right there, bringing something good out of something bad...if we look for the unexpected ways He shows up.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Blood, Sweat and NO TIME for TEARS!!
The morning he backed out of the driveway, my six-year-old son declared, "Daddy said he'll be gone six days and five nights and that I'm gonna be the man of the house while he's gone. That's a LONG time to be the man of the house!!"
Little did I know just how LONG it would feel (and I'm only halfway through, what a pansy!!)...
Even if my husband is working in town, it's reassuring to know he's nearby if anything happens. And when he is home and working, I know "The Doctor is IN" sign is always hanging on the door. He's never too busy for me to collapse into a chair in his office, box of Kleenex in hand, and lament all my failures and frustrations! This happened just last week and his words of encouragement are still ringing in my ears and lifting my spirits!
"You know how I know you're a good mom?" he replied to my tearful confession that I mess up A LOT, "You're raising good kids." (Granted, he's probably pretty biased as he contributed the Y chromosomes...ha!)
My man is my rock, my gravity to keep me from flying off the handle some days! There is definitely one thing I've grown in during our week apart,
Whew, you all ROCK!!
It's two o'clock and the kids are all napping so here I sit on the kitchen floor, drinking right out of the bottle of my kid's Juicy Juice (shhh, don't tell) and in a semi-state of shock that five people shorter than me (a pretty rare thing) can truly kick. my. butt.
I'm exhausted.
Today began with a beautiful sunny morning run that ended in tragedy for my four-year-old's toes when he momentarily forgot how to brake his bike going down a hill and dived over the handlebars. The fallout from his flip-over (other than MUCH weeping and gnashing of teeth) included me carrying home his bike while pushing the triple-jog stroller (now seating FOUR kids). When we finally got home, Judah on his bike wasn't the only thing that went flying downhill! Fights, upset tummies, crying babies, overflowing bathtubs and dinner-time spills (including baby D's first major spill when he grew go-go-gadget arms and dumped over a flower vase that created a Niagra Falls off our dining room table!) kept me unable to catch my breath.
By dinnertime, carrying a bike over my shoulder while pushing a triple stroller was starting to look EASY!
I'm trying to remember a time in my life when I have been this overwhelmed. Even though I have done many different jobs (including working double shifts waiting tables where I was on my feet, rushing about non-stop for over 12 straight hours!), I honestly can say it doesn't compare to how hard this motherhood thing is.
I'd take a tray full of pizzas and a table of angry customers over a messy house full of crying babies any day! At least the shift at the restaurant eventually DID end, I could walk out into the sunshine and BREATH again. Somedays I feel like the only light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train...or my son shooting his new (and LOUD) light saber-gun!!
Motherhood is really stinking hard sometimes.
I always smile when I recall a funny little story a friend once shared about her own struggles, "I remember one day, after someone had unplugged the vacuum cleaner I was using for the tenth time, saying to God through clenched teeth, "Lord, why did you give me all these stupid kids anyway?" Yup. Godly motherhood right there!"
I so relate to that, sometimes I think, "I'm TOO blessed to handle it all!"
It is blood, sweat and no time for tears! Or, if you do cry, just try to keep it under 3 minutes.
My husband will be home in two days and I think. I. can. make. it. It helps to know I have "two men of the house" (my four-year-old and six-year-old that were left large and in charge!) in case I need them but more importantly, it helps to know that GOD (not the hubby!) should ALWAYS be my rock. Even though it's not the easiest lesson to learn, I NEED to remember that no one and nothing in this world should be my ultimate support and strength except for the One who made me.
Thank God He has given me a wonderful support system while I raise all these blessings (including great friends!) but when I need that breath of air, I must remember: HE alone is the giver of life (and sunshine!). It's also nice to remember I'm halfway there! Look out, Dear, when you come pulling in our driveway I'll be running out to jump into your arms.
Monday, July 16, 2012
This is my Confession
This is my confession.
It happened the day of my oldest son's birthday party that was scheduled to kick off at my in-law's house at 6 pm, on the dot.
It was around 4:00 pm that I realized a BIG communication break-down had just occured between me and my better half. I had thought he was going to be back from work by 3:00 to drive me and the kids (in an air-conditioned vehicle as it was over 100 degrees out that day) to his parent's place so we could set up for the party. He had thought he was supposed to meet me there when he got back from being out of town...after 5 pm!!
So there I was at 4:05 (slightly panicking!!), loading my babies in a diesel truck (with NO A/C) and balancing a 6-layer cake on my lap as I said a prayer and rumbled down the road towards my in-law's house. SInce I had never driven my husband's truck with my one-year-old in the backseat, I didn't know until her door swung up that she could reach the handle so easily! Thankfully, that was also the time I was slowing down for a stop-sign but I still nearly had a heart attack and slammed on my brakes. Of course, this caused the aforementioned cake to topple off my lap and attempt a nose-dive for the floor but by some genuine miracle, I caught it as it was falling and only a small chunk of the cake went MIA.
At 4:09, I was covered in rainbow-cake, my heart pumping huge doses of adrenaline from the door-opening scare and sweat pouring off my forehead. As I was still parked at the stop sign, I jumped out to securely close the door by my daughter's car-seat (with plans to lock ALL the doors afterwards!) when I noticed that a lady driving around the corner was glaring at me.
I think what happened next occurred in slow-motion as her window rolled down just enough for her to holler out an obscenity not fit to write in this G-rated blog!
Really?! As if I was just taking a stroll or doing a Chinese fire-drill in the middle of a busy intersection for kicks and giggles! C'mon, lady, I am saving the life of my baby girl...and saving my son's Star Wars rainbow birthday cake too, of course!
These are my confessions,
Just when I thought I said all I could say,
My chicks in the car going nuts, things not going my way,
These are my confessions,
Man I'm thrown and I don't know what to do,
and what I did on this day will really surprise you.
Now this gon' be the hardest thing I think I ever had to do,
Got me talkin' to myself askin' how I'm gon' tell you...(Thanks for that, Usher!)
I don't remember actually thinking before it happened (though I must have in that split-second of decision making!) but right then and there, I gave her the old bird! Yes, it shames me to admit: lover of Jesus (you know, the guy who said to LOVE your enemies and do GOOD to those who hate you?!), pastor's wife and aspiring role-model to my children flipped someone off in the middle of a busy intersection (in a small town) for ALL to see (including my children, ahhh!)!
I'd like to say that was my reaction but had NOTHING to do what was in my heart but I know that's not the truth. It's definitely not HIS Truth, "...out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (or the finger flips!)." (Matthew 12:34)
Oops. So THAT anger...that JUNK was already IN me and the circumstances of the moments simply brought it out of me.
My hope is next time you are driving through our small town and happen to see someone randomly shouting obscenities at me, that I will be the cool-headed mom (even if I am covered in rainbow cake) smiling back at them and saying, "God bless you too!!".
It's moments like those that I know I REALLY need to renew my mind with God's truth. I need a change of heart. I need Him.
This is my confession.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Catching Butterfly Moments
Whether we are headed off on a walk, an outing to the beach, or just in our own backyard our six-year-old can usually be spotted with his trusty side-kick, a blue butterfly net. Each butterfly he catches is miraculous and few things in life bring him more joy than his collection of canned butterflies in my old mason jars!
After an unexpected conversation with one of my other sons tonight I realized I need a trusty side-kick to catch things I could easily miss with my children as well! I'm slowly learning (that seems to be the only way I do learn!) the best way to catch these small but important little details of their life is a brief but VERY meaningful one-on-one interaction with each of them. Since most days I hit the ground running with my young and active crew, I'm discovering the bedtime hour when their eyes are sleepy and their hearts are tender is too precious of a time for me to ever waste.
During the buzz of noise and laughter as four little people pull on pajamas and brush their teeth, I try to grab one kid at a time and pull them into my lap. When I clasp their little faces in my hands and look them in the eye, it's the perfect moment to affirm them.
I remind them who they are and Whose they are.
I'm often surprised at what gets "caught" in this quiet one-on-one time with each child.
"Do you know we love you very much and that we are proud of you, Judah?" I asked my four-year-old who shook his head and furrowed his brow in response.
"If you do," he replied, "then why did you leave me at the beach today?"
Before you call freak out, let me quickly explain that his version of "leaving him" meant that we all headed (very slowly) up the hill towards our car (all the while watching him carefully out of the corner of my eye!). This was only after I had called to him to get out of the water maybe five...or five HUNDRED times. This finally motivated him to burst out of the lake and run with super-speed after us, wailing, "Don't leave me!!"
"Judah," I squeezed him in a hug, "It's BECAUSE we love you that we discipline you and teach you there are consequences to your actions." After this, we had a great conversation (as great as possible with a kid who has the attention span of an excited puppy!!) about unconditional love. A moment later, once again secure in our love, he bounded off to join his siblings without a care in the world.
Everytime I see my son's butterflies in those mason jars, I'm going to remember this night. I'm going to try and not forget how important face-to-face encounters with our children can be. When we encourage them and listen to any concerns and fears weighing on their little hearts, God helps us catch things as miraculous as His beautiful butterflies!
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Amanda's Nocturne
The year is 1789, and pools of light from finely worked iron lanterns reflect off the waters surface in the canals in Venice. The way the rivers glowed, it seemed as if they were alive; the city itself, excited. The wind carries the smells of October, and an army of masks marching in the streets speaks of Carnival. Loud music is drown out by even louder laughter barging out of every window and door in the town. The entire city seems to be drunk, and enjoying themselves.
A large white building with big red doors in the rich district sounds awkwardly muffled as compared to the rest of the city. Windows and front doors both tightly shut and covered from the inside, this is a party for the upper class. The secretive nature of the party only appears to be under the guise of social elitism at first. Watching the mannerism of the people behind the female masks, we can tell not all of these are women of nobility. It's quite common for the wealthy and bored to invite pretty young peasant girls to parties in order to seduce them for a night.
These poor girls were drunken sheep, never feeling the puppet strings being wrapped around their wrists by all of the wolves. They would dance about, and take the drinks offered to them, before one of the male masks would take them by the arm to a back room. The band inside played loud enough that none could hear, but through the haze of the wine and the elevation of the noses, no one would have worried anyway. This goes on for an hour or two, before the alcohol starts to fade, and the rich take up their positions for a group dance. The music turns to discord for a second as the large red doors fling open to allow a couple draped with black cloaks.
An overweight man, who probably owns the estate, throws his hands up in the air a few times, and the music hesitantly starts back up. Walking with their heads to the ground, the onlookers can only see the gold and silver of their masks reflecting in the dim light from under their hoods. The portly man starts to throw his hands up in anger, and the band starts to play a song of faster pace. Still stuck between curiosity, the other people dance hesitantly, as they watch the couple proceed to the middle of the ballroom.
Arriving at the middle, the couple cast of their cloaks, and the crowd explodes into a symphony of exclamation. The male wears an off-white mask with a long protruding nose, decorated with music notes. His eyes are completely black, much like the suit he wears. Black paint drips from his mouth down his chin, and his hair is messily slicked back to his scalp. The woman wears a smaller mask of silver an elegant vinework, with the same matching music notes. Her white dress is form fitting, and her dainty body distracts the men from her equally black eyes, and the black paint running out from them down her face. They gently touch hands, and the man flashes an inky grin.
They start to dance around the room, and the crowds voices shrink as their eyes grow in size. Sometimes seeming suspended in air, the couple dances more beautifully than anything these people have ever seen. Spinning her lightly in his strong arms, and her circling him with a mysterious grin, the couple never miss a beat. Watching in ecstasy, the collective crowd starts to froth and bubble as they nervously giggle and twitch as if being hit with sensual pangs. A sea of arms reach out from the wall of masks, and reach towards the dancers, but they gracefully sidestep the tearing fingers and continue their dancing. Both smiling with black covered teeth, a hysterical laughter is heard from the woman as the man pulls her to his chest. Roaring his head back, the man joins her in laughing.
The people are vibrating now, screaming and yelling, trying to reach the couple. The reverberating sound of an instrument string snapping is heard for a second before the crowd turns into a mob, and charges forward, foaming from the mouth. The woman claps her hands, and the lights blow out. As shadows rush to take their places in the lack of light, the couples rise up like waves and crash into the darkness, merging, and disappearing. When the lights come back on, the rich and the poor alike look around in confusion, returning to their senses, and flustered by the feelings in their stomachs. Not knowing what to do, half begin to cry and half begin to laugh. They sit in mass hysteria for a few minutes before coming to their senses, and getting up to leave. They walk to their homes defeated, and sleep off the shame from something they cannot remember for the night.
They say on some nights, in the beautiful city, if you find yourself on the right bridge in the right kind of moonlight, you can see them dancing on the water, feet so graceful they don't even produce a ripple. For just a few fleeting seconds, you can witness both true beauty and horror, as the two are only different by a hair. I warn you dear reader, to look away and run if you can, for if not, you'll end up like me, walking the bridges every night for just one more taste of what I experienced at that masquerade ball.


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Assessment of Public Comments for 11 NYCRR 381 (Insurance Regulation 198)
A trade association of approximately 450 surety and fidelity bond insurers is the only party that submitted comments on the proposal within the 45-day comment period.
The association commented that a net worth requirement is not a sufficient substitute for a surety bond under proposed section 381.1 because a surety bond provides prequalification services and it provides financial protection in the event the life settlement provider defaults.
As previously stated in the Department's regulatory impact statement, an outreach draft of the proposed rule was posted on the Department's website for a two-week public comment period and was discussed at a meeting with interested parties in April 2010. The outreach draft originally only provided two options to demonstrate financial accountability – purchase of a surety bond or placement of securities on deposit. The Department received comments indicating that these options would create a financial barrier for some providers wishing to enter and operate in the New York market. In response to such comments, the Superintendent added a third option that provides a less costly and less capital restrictive compliance alternative. The third option allows a life settlement provider to satisfy the financial accountability requirements by demonstrating that its assets exceed its liabilities by an amount no less than $250,000. The three financial accountability requirements provided in the rule are on a par with the requirements in many other states. The Department has determined that additional changes to the rule in light of the foregoing comment are not necessary.
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text:
The cost of life insurance premiums are set to rise for Australians over the next two years. But what is causing this rise?
The rise is expected to be around 5% for the next two years, making a typical premium $265, and this is to meet the demand for stress and depression related payouts by white collar workers.
Experts claim the pricing for superannuation insurance sector is playing catch-up with the broader retail insurance sector as its margins are being eroded by the rise in claimants.
"Over the previous four to five years prices have fallen by about 15-20% and this has seen a flood of people sign up with almost five million super accounts now including insurance," Rice Warner Actuaries Thierry Bareau told news.com.au.
"And as a result we now expect premiums to rise annually by about 5% over the next two years."
However, chief executive of life insurance specialists TAL Australia Jim Minto estimates the yearly premium increases may be closer to 10-15% over the next three years for some funds.
"In some funds, particularly aimed at office workers, this can be as high as 50%," added Minto.
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Businesses have many reasons for providing a product at a loss. Some are just desperate for a quick fix with cash, some see it as a way to capture clients and then adjust the price later to return to profit. Some see it as a way to get rid of a smaller rival, or it can be a combination of all of these.
Pricing needs to be approached responsibly and sustainably to ensure that all insurers are around to pay claims when needed most. Price driven market share plays won't help address underinsurance or promote professionalism.
MT's comment is quite right. Perhaps if the retail market stood up to the industry funds and made them pay a TRUE cost instead of chasing growth at a cost to their other business then the whole market would be better off.
Well if TAL had not taken on Ausralian Super Group Life with rates 50% cheaper than retail then maybe they wouldn't have to remedy the premium imbalance now.
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I've seen a number of waxwings since the Cobh flock in December. Most are part of a group found at St.Finbarr's cathedral a few weeks back. It's a great location even allowing the occasional eye level shot with distant background, exactly what you want from a songbird. The only downside is that the weather generally has forced me to compromise a fair bit of quality. Here's the best of a rather grainy lot.
|Just to prove that there where in fact multiple waxwings ;)
Also checked some of the other sites around the city, Atlantic pond, Lough and the canals, but despite the Iceland gulls and the ring necked duck that where present this time last year; all that turned up was a couple of ring billed gulls.
In other news, I went for a trip to Kinsale last week. I was hoping to photograph great black backed gulls, as they tend to be a bit shy and harder to photograph then other Larus species. I found none! But the rare day of sunshine did allow me to photograph some crow species in full light. I do love the colours that a rook can reveal on a sunny day!
|Jackdaw, love the eye colour
|Hooded crow
|Young rook
|Rook finds some bread, displeased gulls!


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I was an undergraduate at Oregon State University, where I began my life as a philosophy major. I have always been taken by the big questions in life-- What in life is ours to control? What is the path to lasting happiness? Why do we do the things we do? I spent many late-night hours debating these issues with anyone who was around. I was fortunate to complete a post-doc at the Character Project at Wake Forest University, which let me further engage in this sort of questioning, this time in daylight and at a table with philosophers and other psychologists.
I became (and remain!) interested in the field of psychology because it allows me to explore the answers to some of these questions using the empirical method. More than that, though, psychological investigation can shed light on how people answer these questions for themselves in their everyday lives-- at home, in the workplace, and in social situations. I am particularly interested in understanding how people's beliefs about themselves and their place in the world affect their happiness and well-being, as well as the well-being of the people with whom they interact.
Growing up in Oregon instilled in me a great appreciation for beer, wine, food, and nature. I love playing the piano and I'm a great music enthusiast. I play fantasy baseball every year and usually lose because I tend to favor underdogs. I still read philosophy. My wife and I have a cat named Elmer, whom we adopted from the local SPCA where we volunteered during graduate school. Elmer plays fetch as well as any dog can.


text:
Last night I dreamed that I was back home in Texas and when I opened up the back door to my dad's truck, bags and bags of chips started pouring out. All of my favorites were there-- Fritos Scoops, blue tortilla chips from Trader Joe's, Cheetos, the thin homemade chips from my favorite taqueria (what can I say? I love a good chip). I'm going to mark this one up to not having a single chip for the past month. And it's not like I eat chips on the daily, but I guess when you miss something that you really enjoy, you miss it mind, body and spirit.
One night last week I dreamed a dream that I actually remembered having had before. I was at the church (only it was the church I grew up in, not the church we'll be married in) and I could see everyone seated inside. My hair and makeup weren't done and I was in pajamas and everyone kept telling me that I couldn't go inside the church and that I only had twenty minutes to get ready. So I ran around crazy, trying to run through doors but the doors kept leading to nowhere. I threw some makeup on, put my hair in a done-bun, and put on my wedding dress (but not really my wedding dress-- my dress trumped my dream dress). And then I woke up.
Kindly do not analyze my dreams-- I am 17 days away from walking down the aisle and do not need to hear "Well those doors leading to nowhere mean that your marriage is DOOMED!" so just send over a note if this brand of crazy visits you on the regular too.
On the bright side, I've hit the downhill slope of planning. This is my remaining list:
Final dress fitting (tomorrow)
Hair/makeup trials (next Wednesday and Friday)
Print ceremony programs and menus (tomorrow)
Package favors once delivered (Wednesday before the wedding)
Welcome Bags (putting together with my parents when they fly in next weekend)
Finalizing entrance songs and play/do not play with the DJ
Finalizing must-take photo list with photographer
Seating arrangements (sweet Jesus, this one is a gigantic pain in my ass)
Wrap bridal party and attendant gifts
Finalize day-of itinerary for everyone
Pack for the HONEYMOON!
Reading that makes me feel a bit better-- it's all stuff that we're finalizing in the next couple of days, which is good! I've definitely hit the point of just wanting the planning done, the day to be here, and to be MARRIED. Oh yes, and to spend a week on the beach in Mexico, please. Off to run more wedding errands on my lunch break, in a downpour no less. At least it's Wednesday!


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I know some would get extremely furious with me for this, well guess what, if someone nuked your entire family, and all of your friends and relatives, you'd be real f'in pissed too.
Originally posted by TsukiLunar
reply to post by xacto
I know some would get extremely furious with me for this, well guess what, if someone nuked your entire family, and all of your friends and relatives, you'd be real f'in pissed too.
What are you talking about? Japan is possibly our closest alley. And they have nothing to do with Iran, so that does not justify I ran geting a nuke.
I've heard countless times in the myriad of Iran threads that the wests reluctance to allow Iran nucear weapons is invalid because only Amerca has actually used them.
Originally posted by TsukiLunar
reply to post by beezzer
Nukes are dangerous.
Religious psychopaths have no business deciding how to use a nuke. Iran's leaders are religious psychopaths. Therefore, Iran has no business having a nuke.
Just common sense people.
Originally posted by mileslong54
reply to post by beezzer
Whether your the first to use a nuke or the last, it's wrong. So many innocent people died from Hiroshima that had nothing to do with any war and not to mention the suffering of those that didn't die from radiation and the tumors and cancer they got. It's a dirty weapon that affects everyone eventually with fallout and cancer.edit on 18-1-2012 by mileslong54 because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by xacto
reply to post by beezzer
If I was President during WW2, i would have dropped the Nuke 5 miles down wind off the perimeter of Hiroshima along with an immediate request for treaty with Japan, stating that the warhead was our doing, thereby showing the strength of our weaponry with minimal, if even any casualty.
Case closed, America essentially murdered hundreds of thousands of people and the same lame ass excuse crops up. I know some would get extremely furious with me for this, well guess what, if someone nuked your entire family, and all of your friends and relatives, you'd be real f'in pissed too.
Iran is justified in feeling like they should get a nuke, and no one should have nukes in the first place. It frustrates the living #e out of me...edit on 18-1-2012 by xacto because: Confusion in following responses ]edit on 18-1-2012 by xacto because: (no reason given)
War isn't about scaring an opponent.
It's about kicking their asses between their shoulders!
War is about killing.
Patton once said, "The object of war is not to die for your country. It's about making the other son of a bitch die for his." extra DIV
Originally posted by bekod
North Korea
what do they all have in common? they all have nukes, only one has used it to end war.
how many have said they will use it?
to defend their rights? and then how many would use it to get their way? which of them would use it to prove a point? who is seeking to get one? power or weapon?
Originally posted by Mapkar
reply to post by beezzer
Trust me, I wasn't implying that it's impact is lessened. I think the fact that the number of nuclear weapons has drastically increased is only an indication that the impact would be increased by an equal or greater magnitude.
If you'd like to see what I believe is a fairly accurate representation of a post nuclear event, even with just a few small bombs, I'd suggest having a look at the series Jericho. It has fictional moments, but it does a fantastic job of covering the impact beyond the actual bombs.


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Y Tu Mama' Mexican Stars Fight Injustices At Gala Event
Y Tu Mama Tambien co-stars Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna staged a gala dinner in Mexico City on Saturday night (11 Aug 07) in an effort to raise funds and awareness about poverty and injustice in the country.
The two actors and friends teamed up with rocker Peter Gabriel's Witness human rights organisation and Mexico's Commission for the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights to stage the $300 (£150)-a-head event.
At a press conference before the gala, Bernal congratulated filmmakers for bringing light to terrible acts: "Documentaries show us the injustices in the country where we live, that this problem exists. We can't escape it."
Luna and Garcia Bernal have launched a new production company, Canana, and plan to make a series of documentaries aimed at raising awareness about failures of the Mexican judicial system


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Low Sodium Szechuan Green Beans
Szechuan green beans are classic Chinese takeout fare, and usually packed with sodium. You love this low salt version- ...Read more
Balsamic Roasted Green Beans
A nice, light, and easy-to make side. The sweet and tangy flavor of the balsamic vinegar adds flare to ...Read more
Tangy Garlic Edamame Dip
This tangy dip is fresh, lemony, and packed with a garlic punch. We love the simple fresh flavors ...Read more
Spicy Giardiniera (Mixed Pickled Vegetables)
This no-salt take on an Italian classic is sure to be a hit. Use these pickled veggies in salads, ...Read more
Strawberry-Jicama Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
This salad is perfect for entertaining. It is light, fresh, and a snap to make! The jicama adds ...Read more
No-Salt Dill Refrigerator Pickles
These dill pickles will cure your pickle cravings. Unlike bread and butter pickles, these pickles are not sweet, and ...Read more
Green Tomato Salsa
Fresh, tangy, and delicious. You can serve this salsa with home made or store bought unsalted corn chips, or as ...Read more
All-Purpose Italian Seasoning Blend
This is a great seasoning blend to keep on-hand. It makes a great marinade, rub, or Italian dressing. ...Read more
LoSo Tomato Soup
A tasty and filling soup that isn't loaded with salt. A dab of low-fat sour cream adds a light ...Read more
Fried Green Tomatoes with Garlic Aioli
These fried green tomatoes have a crispy crushed pretzel crust and are served with a garlic aioli dipping sauce.Read more


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To understand how time works it is helpful for kids to follow a calendar for a couple of years. It not only helps them conceptualize time better, but it helps them learn the months, days of the week, and more.
This free printable calendar was made to be used with kid favorite bingo markers, although you could use it with stickers or crayons too.
I highly suggest using this with your Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten, and 1st grade student.
Bingo Marker Calendar for KidsMy kids love using bingo markers so I whipped up this 2015-2016 calendar with them in mind. Again, this could easily be used with stickers or crayons if you prefer.
How to Use it:
- Color the picture at the top (optional)
- Have child say the date (Today is Monday, March 16th, 2015.)
- Ask your child what day of the week yesterday was or tomorrow will be
- Ask your child what month comes next or you just finished
- Point out any special events like birthdays or holidays coming up that month
- We use one color for weekdays and another one for weekends
More Kids Activities
- 40 Zoo Crafts for Kids
- Band Aid Art
- Pop Rock Science Experiment
- 14 Amazing Egg Science Experiments
- 25 Farm Activities
- 20 Dental Health Activities for Kids
- 400+ FREE Worksheets for Kids
Download 2015-2016 Bingo Marker Calendars
- By downloading from my site you agree to the following:
- This is for personal use only (teachers please see my TPT store)
- This may NOT be sold, hosted, reproduced, or stored on any other site (including blog, Facebook, Dropbox, etc.)
- All downloaded materials provided are copyright protected. Please see Terms of Use.
- Graphics Purchased and used with permission from Scrappin Doodles License #94836
- I offer free printables to bless my readers AND to provide for my family. Your frequent visits to my blog & support purchasing through affiliates links and ads keep the lights on so to speak. Thanks you!


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It's funny I had a talk with my family and they have made it clear that I have not been myself since the injury. My O says that "mad mommy is not fun!" I almost cried but it was very eye opening because I've alway been passive aggressive. Which is something I'm still learning to improve from. So my goal for now is to do my best to be "fun mommy!" I wonder if anyone goes thru the same changes like I do. Well until then live well, love much, and learn to be Happy. ☺
Pinktutus, Lil bunnies, & sassy hair
Live love and learn!!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Turning 4 Wednseday show and tell
This is the last Sunday before she turned 4. How time goes when your busy taking care of business. Can't really tell but you could probably see the scare from my surgery on my ankle. I sometimes wonder when will I be able to walk or run without all the pain. I mean I can barely walk without the swelling up later. That is why I am so glad that with all the stress of limited mobility I have hope and faith that Jesus is healing me inside and out.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Discovery Museum and Tuesday Roots
They even had this branches that was twisted together that form a small little "tree" house. I tried walking thru but my O got in and out so fast I kind of lost sight of her for a minute.
Posted by Pene T at Sunday, April 14, 2013
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Labels: Tuesday Roots
Friday, April 12, 2013
Organic "Grill-cheese sandwich Day" with Family, food, and Fridays # 7
So today is Grill-cheese Sandwich Day! What better way to spend this Friday. Unless it's Saturday, if you live in NZ:) (I wonder if there is a pizza Day or ice cream Day? Hmmm! Hehehe!)
Well, besides that I've been trying out some organic spring mix which I got from Costco. Been using it in our grill-cheese beef sandwich & raw carrots. O & I like it better that way. Beef seasoned with taco seasoning is delicious. I mean I couldn't eat red meat, just doesn't settle w/me, but I made some with ground turkey. YUM! You need to try it! Don't forget to top it off with organic berry smoothie drink ;)
Okay, In or out of weather... just make the day a day to SMILE! Some pictures of our day out and O's recycled hair bow.
Blessed Friday everyone!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Nachos with ground turkey Family, Food, & Fun
Ground turkey with potatoes, beans, and heart shape nacho chips. Who said cookie cutters where only for cookies! O got a Easy Bake kit from Ross a few weeks ago that came with small cookie cutter shapes, molds, stencils, and more fun stuff. The only thing about it is that it comes with cookie mixes that was a little questionable. Plus it didn't say if it was organic or not. Since I've been on this change for better quality foods I just wasn't comfortable letting her eat food that wasn't organic!
Instead we used the cookie cutter to make fun shape nachos. Don't you just adore heart shape! Well, I do and so does O. Not only are they cute but they taste waaayyyy better then the store bout ones.
Of course we got out to enjoy Spring. Hope your enjoying Spring this Friday. Until next time live, love, and keep learning:)
Instead we used the cookie cutter to make fun shape nachos. Don't you just adore heart shape! Well, I do and so does O. Not only are they cute but they taste waaayyyy better then the store bout ones.
Of course we got out to enjoy Spring. Hope your enjoying Spring this Friday. Until next time live, love, and keep learning:)
Posted by Pene T at Friday, March 22, 2013
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Labels: Organic Nachos
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wednesday Show and Tell
Thanks for stopping by today! Hope your enjoying the beginning of Spring. I've been get more fresh air and checking out all the beautiful colors of bloom, like in the tree in the picture below. O is pushing her stuff animal in the baby swing. I remember when I was pushing her in one not to long ago. Well, if you live in the Bay you still take caution because it's still chilly out. While we were out I stopped to pick up some sesame oil for a little dinner later. It came out pretty good. It's my first sesame chicken dish I've ever made. I don't know why I never tried it before because I am a fan of soy sauce. Well, here is my favorite new dish, for now! Okay off to make some mochi rice:) Very excited!!
Posted by Pene T at Wednesday, March 20, 2013
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Labels: Sesame Chicken, Spring
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Numi organic tea chamomile
|Love love love this tea!!
Just want to rave about how much I Heart this tea. I got it at Walgreen... Yes Walgreen! Now I've had this tea at different cafés and specialty coffee shops. This one is the "Best" I ever had! I don't know if it makes any difference but I would like to think it does... Ingredients are from Egypt and the coast of Australia. Organic Chamomile flowers and lemon myrtle leaves. I mean that already sounds "super" luxurious and inviting. Right! And if you like drinking tea then you will love this Chamomile tea from Numi.
Here is their vision statement: Numi inspires well-being of mind, body and spirit through the simple art of tea. Our company is rooted in the principle of creating a healthful product that nurtures people and honors the planet. In all of our company initiatives, we strive to foster a healthy, thriving global community while bringing you the purest, best-tasting organic tea.
Now it was very pricey, if that is a word. I mean maybe for you it may or may not matter much but I paid about a little over seven dollars for it. So for me that is a lot of money. But the great thing about it is that part of its profits goes to family in need. So I didn't mind putting that amount to help others in need. Oh and did I tell you it's made with materials that are biodegradable and recycled.That is why I put three times love for this tea.
The smell of this organic chamomile tea has a potent intense fragrant. I mean it's such a beautiful smell and the taste is delightfully sweet with organic honey. It's package individually in this bright mustard yellow color, which is very refreshing. Great for packing inside your bag for a late afternoon break at work or school or in my case appointments. I thinks this is going to be my new addiction besides the Bakery Story. Don't judge me... I love everything cute and sweet. If you got an account add me YBsweets!
Today is my day 8 :0)
Well your having a great week until next time and I'm having another cup of tea. Stay blessed everyone. Live, Love, and Learn!
Posted by Pene T at Wednesday, March 13, 2013
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Labels: Organic Tea
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Out of weather
Happy Thursday! Hope your have a better one then I am. I've been feeling a little ill all week. Is it crazy or is it just my luck, I get better now my little one starting to have a runny nose. Still not sure if it's her allergies acting up or because the change of weather. Loving the warm weather here right now! What ever it may be I'm going to be adding some needed vitamin C for our berry drink, to help my toddler.
Here is a recap of my, going on to two, miss in action week. Last week Big brother had a school basketball game. Thought it would be good to support him and since we haven't in months now. It was fun and O had a great time with her cousin. We also got to see the Chinese New Year parade.
As always stay happy, laugh till you cry, love unconditionally, and keep learning. Have a blessed week!
Here is a recap of my, going on to two, miss in action week. Last week Big brother had a school basketball game. Thought it would be good to support him and since we haven't in months now. It was fun and O had a great time with her cousin. We also got to see the Chinese New Year parade.
As always stay happy, laugh till you cry, love unconditionally, and keep learning. Have a blessed week!
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Art Crime is part of the "New Wave" of 15mm figure ranges and is making some truly superb miniatures using modern CAD techniques, and I am very proud to have them as a sponsor for this competition.
The figures are painted with Citadel and Vallejo paints and mounted on 20mm plastic slottta bases.
The 39th Gemini Orbital Rangers (Or "Gorillas") are a veteran urban combat unit. Months in the field on the harsh surface of Planet Brighton-5 have whittled down the original drop platoon to an ad-hoc mixed squad. Their tactics revolve around the use of mechanized suits. The "Gorillas" eschew the use of vehicles, finding them too cumbersome and vulnerable in the hellish labyrinths they are accustomed to fighting in.
|The 39th Gemini Orbital Rangers
|1. (L to R) Burner, Tactical and Anti-Tank Suits
|2.Alpha Squad- Close Support
|3.Bravo Squad- Fire Support
|4.Charlie Squad- Anti-material detail


text:
From the 1970s on I tried incidentally to create what was felt like 'art'. From 2013 onward more energy is spent. Follow my way from almost zilch. Wood, cement or stone or metal: together or alone. Often demolition material: via the third dimension searching for border crossings. The road is long and I'm not even half-way..
dated 1979 until 2013
(click on an image to enlarge an artwork)
send a message to the artist


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Here are the Young Adult novels under consideration for this year's Locus Award (a list that is the result of a poll of Locus readers)
The Hotel Under the Sand, Kage Baker (Tachyon)
Going Bovine, Libba Bray (Delacorte)
Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; Scholastic UK)
Liar, Justine Larbalestier (Bloomsbury; Allen & Unwin Australia)
Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse; Simon & Schuster UK)
Winners will be presented during the Science Fiction Awards Weekend in Seattle WA, June 25-27, 2010
I wonder if this is the first time a married pair (Larbalestier and Westerfeld) have been nominated in the same category. Looking for more information on this award, I learned that in this case, it's the publisher who gets a certificate, not the author. So perhaps it won't effect their marriage...and I bet it goes to Catching Fire anyway.
And I guess I really do have to read Liar now. I'm surprised that it is sff enough to be on this list...I had the impression that it was pretty straight YA.


text:
The video below implies that, before the bombs went off at the Boston Marathon, Boston police received a bomb threat that included the bombs' approximate location as being near the "finish line". Even so, the police failed to find the bombs before they exploded.
Perhaps the bomb detection unit was informed too late to make a difference. Perhaps they underestimated the legitimacy of the threat and failed to make a sufficient effort to find the bombs. Perhaps they were merely incompetent.
It's easy to play Monday-morning quarterback and criticize the police. Still, legitimate questions remain: Why weren't the runners and other participants in the Boston Marathon at least warned and possibly diverted from the finish line? What if they'd just moved the finish line 50 yards closer to the starting line? Yes, it wouldn't be a "complete" Marathon, but on the other hand . . . .
video 00:01:59


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The Next Step for Behavioral Targeting: Social Media?
How behavioral marketing works on one social advertising network that serves 100 million ads a day.
How behavioral marketing works on one social advertising network that serves 100 million ads a day.
Social media offers an online outlet for people to connect to each other and an opportunity for marketers to leverage the power of trusted recommendations. This opportunity has grown dramatically as technology and providers multiply to support a broader and deeper set of users. In social media's early days, the advertising opportunities to reach this highly engaged audience were limited. It has also been challenging to incorporate effective ad placements in social spaces without violating real or perceived privacy firewalls or simply annoying users who claim the space as their own. Today select providers have incorporated some of the same behavioral targeting aspects that create efficient mechanisms for advertisers in display ad networks and other online ad placements. With the growing percentage of ad impressions committed to the social outlets, it pays to take a closer look at how to reach and motivate users in this important space.
I recently spoke with SocialMedia CEO Seth Goldstein about this growing phenomenon and his business. SocialMedia offers an innovative model that brings together the efficacy of behavioral targeting and the wealth of consumer data available on the social networks. The company targets ads to users based on the actions they take within applications on Facebook and the other social networks.
Robin Neifield: Tell me about SocialMedia. What do you do?
Seth Goldstein: We are a social advertising network. We turn developers of social media applications into publishers so they can make money from advertising via their applications on Facebook. We have over 1,000 developers in our network, which represents about 3,000 applications, which touch more than 20 million unique users each month. We provide a monetization service not unlike [Google's] AdSense does for Web publishers. The applications are made available to users of social networks, mostly Facebook although we are on Bebo and expect to hit MySpace this year, and they get installed based on relevance, viral nature and so on.
RN: How does the way traditional ad networks use BT [behavioral targeting] differ from your approach?
SG: We look at it slightly differently. There have been several generations of advertising: display; then search; Google followed up with contextual like AdSense, and then with behavioral targeting, which is based on individual users' behavior across the Web, and the history built there. We focus on the next level, which is social advertising. We can take advantage of the power of all the prior generations and the information that goes with it, but then we can also factor in new data about how these people interact with each other in a safe, sharing-based environment. This is a capability advertisers have never had before.
RN: What behaviors can you target or factor in?
SG: I like to use a term called "peerfluence," which is essentially influencing people based on what their peers are doing or have done. We can see people interacting with each other within the network or in an application, then derive a sense of which friends are more influential than others to that particular user. For example, certain friends interact with a travel ad, others interact with an electronic ad, others interact with an automotive application. Based on those behaviors, we can rank, filter and target ads.
RN: From the advertiser's perspective, what kind of segmentation can they do?
SG: They can get the general age, gender, etc., demographic information. We can also drop cookies and segment based on what people are doing across our network, which, of course, is the hallmark of BT.
RN: So if I want to reach heavy users of applications in a certain vertical or interest range, you can do that on your network?
SG: Absolutely. If I want to reach 28-year-old females, living in the U.K., who use travel applications a lot, I can do it. The hallmark of social networks is that, obviously, they're social. Contextual and behavioral advertising look at the individual in a vacuum; they don't factor in how commercial choices are motivated and filtered by people they do or don't trust. We have 20 million people on social networks, and this is an audience not watching TV or reading papers. They're spending their time on Facebook. So we give advertisers a means to interact with them in a meaningful way.
RN: What are the additional advertising opportunities? Can they buy button or banner space?
SG: Yes, they can do buttons or banners; in fact, we serve 100 million ads a day. There are also opportunities for sponsorship, as in sponsoring a product inside someone else's application. Advertisers can even build their own application or do screen takeovers inside an application. One interesting option is advertising within a sequence-based application such as a quiz. If a user has to take 15 steps before getting to the payoff, placing an advertisement on the thirteenth step, where it can't be overlooked, will yield some high returns.
RN: Beacon was a major privacy issue for Facebook. Is the fallout impacting your business?
SG: The challenge there was that Beacon was predicated on bringing in third-party data from outside Facebook. They were crossing two channels and people weren't comfortable with that. But people feel comfortable sharing personal information within the network environment, which is where all our targeting takes place, so we don't run into that issue.
RN: Where do you see this going? What is the next step in your model?
SG: True social advertising. How do you educate advertisers on how to spread their messages between two people? If I'm an advertiser, I want to enable users to bring my message to someone else, or many other people. People have been talking about word-of-mouth marketing for years, but turning it into something people can actually use takes a lot of time and trial and error.


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Headquarters, Washington
WASHINGTON -- NASA researchers will present new findings on a wide range of Earth and space science topics at the 2011 fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union. The meeting takes place Dec. 5-9 at the Moscone Convention Center, 747 Howard St., in San Francisco. Media registration for the event is open.
Media briefings during the meeting will feature topics such as new results about the asteroid Vesta, the future risk of major droughts, new discoveries at the edge of our solar system, and the 2011 Japanese tsunami. In addition, NASA scientists and their colleagues who use NASA research capabilities will present noteworthy findings during scientific sessions that are open to registered journalists.
For a complete list of NASA-related news briefings at the meeting, visit http://www.nasa.gov/agu.
The website contains detailed information about how reporters can participate in the briefings, both on-site and remotely. The site will be updated throughout the week with additional information about NASA presentations.
For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit http://www.nasa.gov.
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"It really took off last year," says Saudi journalist Rasheed Abou-Alsamh to the BBC.
There are now between 500 and 600 Saudi blogs - in English as well as Arabic - and the bloggers are women as well as men.
"I think young people see the internet as a way of expressing themselves easily and in an uncensored fashion," says Mr Abou-Alsamh.
This means it is not too difficult to open a dialogue with Saudis.
In Blog Relations terms this is an opportunity for PR and the rest of the world.
There are some links in the BBC site.


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I'm a big fan of Google, I think they do some great things that impact hugely upon teaching and learning. We've used loads of their tools at Kellett... Earth, Sketchup, Maps, Docs, Picasa, and sometimes students even use it for searching!
However, their recent decision to shut down Google Lively at the end of December has caused dismay amongst many in education who see the opportunity to extend classrooms into virtual environments as an important strand of 21st Century Learning. Whilst it's true that major virtual grids exist elsewhere, such as Second Life, the ability to create your own rooms and customise them for your own students offers huge potential.
Education is still only just dipping it's toe into the possibilities that virtual worlds afford us, but it's companies like Google with it's track record of creating innovative tools for educators that should be leading the way, not bailing out without giving leading innovaters time to experiment and share their practise."
If you speak out, leave us a message and let us know so we can share your thoughts.
Will Google listen to educators who think they've really done a GREAT job with Lively or will they move ahead and make a decision that will impact their future profitability?
I wonder if perhaps Google will look back in 5-6 years on this moment like the Big 3 automakers look back with chagrin on their decision not to invest in eco-friendly cars in their Research & Development.
Virtual worlds are the emerging future - how is Google going to search and index them without some sort of beta test bed to work on those algorithms?
This is a great tool for education, speak out!


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DC sustainable mobility street signs
I think I have seen this Neighborhood Bikeway ("bike boulevard") bike route sign elsewhere in the city. This is off Nebraska Avenue. I can't say I like it all that much. I think that bike route signage needs a more coherent identity that should simultaneously market cycling. E.g., see Joseph Prichard's Better Bikeways signage project.
And I saw this sign on 34th Street NW by the Cathedral. I was really surprised because this is virtually identical (but slightly different graphically) to the same sign used in New York City to denote their special 20 mph neighborhood slow zones.
I don't know if DDOT put these up. In any case, in DC, such signs do not denote a zone with speed limits less than 25 mph. Also see "A Vision Zero agenda for DC."
Neighborhood slow zone signage in Brooklyn.
Labels: bicycle and pedestrian planning, neighborhood transportation planning, traffic engineering, traffic safety and enforcement, urban design/placemaking


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In this video you will learn a little about Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa) and how you can purchase it. Kratom comes in all types such as Bali Red Kratom Powder orLeaf, Maeng Da Green Powder or Leaf and Borneo Super Red Kratom Powder or Leaf. Visit www.KratomMarket.com for more info or to purchase.
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Kratom comes from a large tree called Mitragyna speciosa. Kratom plants are fast-growing and produce large leaves even as seedlings. There are different types of kratom such as the Bali kratom, Cajun kratom, Golden kratom and Borneo kratom depending on their origin. Perceived to be herbal by the natives of the Southeast region, kratom is said to be both a stimulant and depressant. Fortunately, these plants are easy to grow. For instance, this video showcases a healthy two-year old rifat strain kratom tree. The factors? Just sunlight and sufficient amount water.
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|Moel Famau (monument series 1)
|Moel Famau (monument series 2)
|Moel Famau
With snow in short supply this past winter I have had to make the most of every dusting before it disappeared. Drawing the monument and note-taking in a sketchbook was the easiest and quickest way of getting all the information I needed. A roll of masking tape came in handy to anchor the pages and stop them flapping in the gale force wind!
Back in the comfort of a slightly less draughty studio the drawings were enlarged with watercolour and pastel applied for the sky effects and shadows.


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My "Third Eye"
Why "third eye views"? I think of my camera as my third eye, capturing images that my 2 eyes frequently miss. I am legally blind in one eye and very limited in the other. I got my first SLR camera when I was 18 years old and have been a hobby shutterbug ever since. I learned to shoot around the blurred vision and blind spots that developed over the next decade or so (meaning I can seldom use manual focus!) When a resulting shot turns out to be "successful", sometimes I am shocked and sometimes see elements in it that I didn't even know were there when I composed it. I hoped to aquire mad skills over the years and have learned a lot by trial and error. It's a great feeling when I carefully set up a shot and it turns out just how I envisioned it but sometimes I have to credit my successes to some intuitiveness on my part (or possibly by sheer accident!) In Eastern medicine, the third eye chakra is associated with inner sight, which surely must at times be kicking in where my literal sight leaves off. Enjoy the pics and know that for every good shot, there are a dozen bad ones and that good or bad, I have enjoyed every single click of the shutter.
click on the tabs below to view my gallery. You may click on any image to enlarge it.
click on the tabs below to view my gallery. You may click on any image to enlarge it.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Think Like a Tree
Soak up the sun
Affirm life's magic
Be graceful in the wind
Stand tall after a storm
Feel refreshed after it rains
Grow strong without notice
Be prepared for each season
Provide shelter to strangers
Hang tough through a cold spell
Emerge renewed at the first signs of spring
Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky
Be still long enough to
hear your own leaves rustling.
-by Karen I. Shragg
I LOVE this poem!
I took this photo just north of Eureka, CA near sunset on a misty overcast evening. As we drove north, with glimpses of the gun-metal grey Pacific thru the trees, I was getting more excited knowing we were getting closer to seeing some redwood trees, one of the top things on my 'bucket list' at the time (returning there is still on the list). I was worried it would get dark but soon, we turned a bend in the road and my first view of this stand of redwoods was there. I was too overcome to even remember to get my camera (I took this picture the next morning). I made my husband pull over and turn off the engine and walked to the edge of the road facing the ocean, a few miles beyond these trees. The mist had come in from the sea and was settling in the tops of these giants which were so tall, they disappeared into it. I don't know if it was the trees, the mist, or the time of day but the quiet was astounding...no wind or even a bird. If there was any sound at all, it could be compared to the unbroken and vaccuous sound you hear when holding a seashell to your ear. I had read that the Indians used to think of this as sacred ground and would walk for days out of their way to avoid walking thru a redwood forest. I can totally see why they would feel such reverance for it truly did seem like a place God would dwell. (Unlike the Indians however, walk in I did!) I don't believe in worshipping the creation instead of the Creator, but that came as near to a spiritual experience as anything I've ever felt. Until my 2 impatient kids shattered my 'moment' by blowing the horn.....
Posted by julie krantz at 5:01 PM No comments:
Sunday, December 26, 2010
It's a white Christmas in Georgia!
And it's the first time since 1883, I heard someone say. I never thought I'd see it. Apparently Georgia didn't get the global warming memo and we had a Christmas "miracle". (It began snowing Christmas day late in the evening so technically we can say it's a white Christmas, not just a white day-after-Christmas.)
There's something calming and yet primeval about snow. The quiet, the stillness after a snowfall, the untouched expanse of pure white across a meadow...I'm always a teeny bit disappointed to see footsteps in the snow, like I wanted to be the one to step on it first. As the snow blankets and smooths out the landscape, hiding all the details and muffling the noise, it has a similar effect on me as well. Details that clutter our minds get pushed aside and the most elemental needs of survival are not taken for granted....heat, shelter, food, family. Although this miraculous snowfall obliged us by being the nice powdery kind, snowfalls are usually accompanied by dangerous freezing roads and power outages, leaving us stranded for days sometimes. Survival skills are tested and resolutions are made to be more prepared next year. 4-wheel drive....check. Fresh-baked bread that never made it into gift baskets, jars of last summer's garden bounty, holiday leftovers, and coffee....check. Propane tank is full, wood chopped...check. Generator ready....check. Rain barrels are full, hay is in the barn....check! Bring it on, Winter!
Posted by julie krantz at 9:59 PM No comments:
Monday, December 20, 2010
Proud Mama
I can't claim credit for taking these 2 pictures (although I did add the transparent flag and edit the top photo). It just isn't possible for me to have a photo gallery blog without including 2 of the photos I'm most proud of. The pride is not in the taking of the picture but in the making of the man. this is my son, Lance Corporal Asa Compton.
Posted by julie krantz at 5:35 PM No comments:
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Into the Past
My mama is such a nostalgic person, more so with age. She is constantly reminiscing about "the good ol' days" and telling us stories of her childhood growing up in the little southern mill town, Whitehall, Georgia. In October, the town of Juliette, GA held their annual Fried Green Tomato festival...yes, like the movie. (This is the town where the movie was filmed, especially the scenes in the Whistle Stop Cafe). Mama and I, along with my daughter and her roommate, had a wonderful day walking around this old southern town and, when this photo was taken, we were sitting in the cafe waiting on our fried green tomatoes (which are the BEST EVER!) I looked up from my menu and saw her sitting there in a place so like the ones she remembers,with a faraway look on her face. It's as if the window wasn't just looking out onto the railroad tracks but a window looking back into time about 65 years. I titled this one 'Into the Past'.
Posted by julie krantz at 7:18 PM No comments:
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
My 'Vanilla Sky'
Long before there was a Tom Cruise movie by the same name, there was a painting by Monet called "Vanilla Sky". Monet is possibly my favorite artist, maybe because I can sympathize with him, his artistic outlet being such a visual one and struggling with deteriorating eyesight. What a cruel twist of fate, much like Beethoven going deaf. Monet, Renoir, and others are some of the first to use the Impressionistic style of painting, using broken colors and rapid brush strokes, resulting in a "blurry" effect that is way too familiar to me. Maybe that's why I can relate to his work so well.
Although my sky is much more 'vanilla' here than in Monet's painting, I titled it so because of the creamy color that I achieved with cross-processing. Monet's sky was over the Seine River, this photo is of the St. Lawrence River, taken from the parapet of Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands region of upstate New York.
Posted by julie krantz at 10:10 AM No comments:
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
"The Calf Whisperer"
I took this one behind our barn while my very good (and youngest) friend, Esther, was visiting me. Esther is one of my favorite subjects to photograph, so natural and easy in front of the camera and is as pretty on the inside as she is on the outside. I think even this calf could sense it!
Posted by julie krantz at 9:57 PM No comments:
Social butterfly
This photo was the result of my first attempt at close-up photography. Rather than buying an expensive macro lens, I used an extension tube to increase the distance between the lens and the camera, which allows focusing at close range. This was taken with a Canon SLR film camera. I don't remember the film speed or shutter speed but I used a wide aperature to create a shallow depth of field, resulting in the blurred background. This butterfly was feasting on my lantana bush and very nicely posed for this shot.
(from the Flora, Fauna gallery)
Posted by julie krantz at 8:44 PM No comments:
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Whether travelers are looking for a romantic getaway or a family vacation, this qBest Places to Stayq title provides accurate and up-to-date information for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia.Cheryl Rowley, the interior designer, incorporated vivid color and classic forms into the decor because, she said, aquot;Seattlea#39;s position as a center of commerce and technology made me think of ancient Greece, which, in its day, held a similaranbsp;...
|Best Places to Stay in the Pacific Northwest
|Marilyn McFarlane, M. J. Cody
|Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2000
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Driving Mid-July Conversations In The Hamptons/White Mountains/Martha's Vineyard/Eastern Shore...
...Bryan Burrough's "Bringing Down Bear Sterns" in the latest issue of Vanity Fair.
Worth a beach read.
For a more serious study of how speculation, greed, lies and an interconnected global financial system can move huge (!!!) sums of money in and out of countries/businesses with the click of a mouse key (aka you bleed out so fast that you don't even know you're dead), we recommend The Chastening by Paul Blustein.
Or you can just ask us what it was like to be on the ground in Buenos Aires for two weeks in late October 2001 when the Argentine government defaulted on a whole bunch of debt.


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These Tory Burch boots retail for $495, but are $325 at Tradesy.
These Kate Spade pumps that for retail for $598 are $291.50.
Tradesy is an awesome place to buy and sell clothes. The search engine to shop for clothes is quite good. Type in a keyword and a relevant result appears. It also can save filters such as size, color, and brand. The shipping price is built into the price displayed. For selling, the seller keeps 91% of the proceeds and Tradesy keeps a 9% commission. Payments are available for withdrawal once the item has been shipped. I highly recommend this site for both buying and selling.