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Time has slipped by so fast for me recently. And while I was on vacation last week, I was thinking about how long it has been since I have posted to the SEANET Blog. So, my first thought is that we are well overdue for another Dead Bird Quiz (DBQ). So, here goes:
The first bird (Bird A) was found on May 10, 2016 on a Massachusetts beach. Additional details are as follows:
Bird A: found on Massachusetts beach in May 2016.
The second bird (Bird B) was found on May 5, 2016 on a South Carolina beach. Additional details are as follows:


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|John Birt's hour come round again?
But when he writes about his onetime employer, the BBC, something odd seems to get hold of him. That's true of his latest column 'What's needed at the BBC is the rigour of the Birt era'
It's reasonable enough to speculate on what the kerfuffle over Pageantgate (oh, come on ... someone must have called it that already?) might mean for the search for a new BBC DG. But Steve makes a bit of a stretch when he tells us it proves "the institution is in need of fresh leadership and, arguably, for leadership of any kind at all".
And that one of the things the "fresh leadership" of a new DG needs to do is cull the "tendency for a small, but significant, part of the output to lapse into unconvincing populism".
I don't know anyone inside or outside the Beeb who thinks it got the pageant right. But I've not come across too many who think the rest of the jubilee coverage was anything less than first-rate. I made both clear here and, I hope, on Radio 4's Feedback.
Steve's not far off when he describes it as "misjudged populism". But he's flat wrong when he asserts that what went wrong with the pageant is "part of a pattern, and symptomatic of an inverse snobbery that has infected parts of the BBC since the departure of John Birt as Director-General".
A shiny floor show with an event attached
It's almost certainly much simpler than that.
I have no inside knowledge, but I'd be astonished if the decisions over how to cover the pageant were the result of anything other than a) the realities (people/resources) of covering so many events in so short a time and b) the usual bloody skirmishes between the BBC's feudal baronies.
This wasn't serious old News trying to be funky and failing, like that toe-curling Jeremy-Vine-as-cowboy election feature or the cringingly awful celeb boat party. Once the skirmishes were over, this was always meant to be a shiny floor show made, for the most part, by shiny floor people ... with an event attached. And my hunch is that what came out of the screen was pretty much to BBC One Controller Danny Cohen's taste if no-one else's.
But you'd expect me to bridle at the passage where Steve tries to link what went wrong at the pageant with Hutton via the number of BBC managers: "Those who followed the long trail of complacent managerial emails published during the Hutton Inquiry after the Iraq war will recognise the persistent problem. So many senior managers are theoretically responsible that few, if any, are directly responsible and accountable".
Shamless book plug
Stumbling Over Truth comes out in September to get the full version as far as Hutton is concerned.
But where Steve sees "complacent management", I see a robust defence of free speech and the BBC's right to report well-founded, serious allegations that told a truth about the government's September 2002 dossier.
Thanks to Lord Hutton's decision not to call me to give my evidence, the truth about that defence as well as my decision to put Andrew Gilligan on air in the first place hasn't so far been heard.
You'll just have to take it from me that there was nothing "complacent" about it ... and wait until September to learn why.
BBC "undermanaged"
But here's the thing. Steve's nostalgia for the Birt era persuades him that a Birt II would prune managers and invest those who remained with real responsibility and a "sense of distinctive mission".
Hmmm - that's not what happened the first time around. At least, it's not the way I saw it. The explosion in the number of managers, layers of management and diffused responsibility belonged to the Birt era, not the years of Dyke or Thompson.
One of Birt's early dictums was that the BBC was "undermanaged" - hence the bands of nomadic management consultants constantly camped on our lawns throughout his era.
When I became a programme Editor in 1989, I had two bosses; ENCAR - Editor News and Current Affairs Radio - and Controller Radio 4. By the time Birt stood down I had more than I could count - at least five and I was never sure what most of them did.
Departments were split-up - News from Current Affairs, Newsgathering from Output - and new teams assembled to manage them. Whole new layers of management were inserted into Birt's beloved organograms - Executive and Managing Editors - while the amount of management data we all had to collect and report multiplied many times over. "If you can measure it you can manage it", was another of his catechists' chants.
It's not impossible to be a Birt fan - but not for the spurious reasons Steve cites. Birt's vision in the mid-1990s - the potential of the web - has turned out to be as important as John Reith's in the 1920s when he saw the possibilities of Marconi's wireless. Let's thank him for that while we pray for no second coming.
The lesson of Pageantgate (last time, promise) for the next DG, and for Lord Patten as he works out who it should be, is simple.
It has to be someone who's got the creative track record, peer respect and self-confidence to stand up to the big beasts, Channel controllers and the like, when they propose and commission something so evidently out of tune with the nation's tastes as that pageant coverage.
Fail on that, and the Beeb really is in trouble.

subset: commoncrawl


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I wonder if Bear knows it's Saturday, and I'm not really going to work when I leave the apartment today, but instead I'm sneaking off without him.
I'm going to a friend's house to help her pack for a move and I don't think it would be good for him to tag along, but I feel like I'm cheating on him.
It's like when I come home in the evening. Once I'm there, I'm his… I have to take him with me if I go anywhere from that point on until the next morning.
Summer might be rough. Right now, he CAN go most places with me because it's not so hot he can't stay in the car while I'm running my errands.
And what am I doing up after having had only five hours of sleep?! I guess I'll either go to bed really early tonight or I'll have a… a… a nap? Moi!?!?
Have you ever given someone a gift but you don't want to be there when they open it 'cause you're kind of embarrassed by it? Sigh… I have one of those. About to give a classy lady something very hokey. I hope she's one of those "It's the thought that counts" kind of people. Heh.
Read an(other) interesting book on color. Decided to finally take the plunge and design one logo for our company and try to stick with it. Will definitely have to contemplate the color scheme some more, though.
Got to see a lot of my friends today… a LOT. From both the hockey world and the beading world.
There were sad undertones to lunch, but that's mostly because I'm going to miss my friend who's moving. Tomorrow is her birthday. Happy Birthday!
Then I went over to Logitech, watched a bit of the championship games, and had a few chats with friends. It's nice seeing people I haven't seen in months. And I got to hear about an incredible last-three-minutes come-back by the Oakland Bears Midget team. Great going, boys!
I'm watching Seven Up. This kind of documentary fascinates me.
Yesterday, at different points in the day, four complete strangers engaged me in very lovely conversation. I was surprised, but it was pleasant. I wonder if the stars were aligned for this kind of thing. It certainly SEEMED out of the ordinary.
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Saturday, March 21, 2009
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Rocky Roads
This week has been a rocky one for me.
It's only Monday.
After a wonderful Friday connecting with old friends, Linc came down with a fever Saturday. You know how that goes. Sick kids and tired moms and dads for as long as the illness lasts. Long days and longer nights. Parents frustrated with each other. We took Linc to the clinic on Sunday, at which point an unhelpful doctor was rude and condescending to me and I had to leave trying to calm down and pray for grace.
So it's been a long few days and will continue to be. I'm under a deadline this week to add to my list.
Did I mention it's only Monday?
Right. Linc just started crying again and Jeff ran upstairs. Another long night ahead of us, I'm thinking.
It's okay. We all go through it.
I think my family needs a vacation. After the sniffles are all gone. And I'm talking about sniffles for more than just Linc. All of us are tired over here.
We need spring, don't you think? It's supposed to be here, but then again, it's supposed to snow Thursday. We need sunshine and flowers. Here in Colorado, I think we're all feeling very ready for sunshine and flowers and warm weather. Easter is coming and I'm so glad. The reminder of rebirth and hope and life and beauty and Jesus.
Easter is coming, loveys.
Posted by Brandy Bruce at March 31, 2014
Labels: kids being sick, spring, tired mom
Brandy Bruce is a mother to three delightful children, a wife to the love of her life, a freelance book editor, an award-winning author, and someone who spends A LOT of time reading.
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Should Adventure Seekers Head North or South when Visiting the America?
Deciding between the two continents can be tricky for anyone considering visiting the USA. Both the north and the south have so much to offer travellers seeking exciting thrills and once in a lifetime adventures. From the snow-covered mountains of Canada and the breath-taking Niagara Falls to the lively Rio carnival, Chilean mountains, and Amazon Rainforest in the South, both continents are so mesmerising it can be hard to choose. Here's a guide to the two different continents to help you to make your mind up:
North America
Vast, sheer natural beauty is what best characterises North America and although the South is equally as beautiful, the north seems to do natural beauty on a grander scale. From Mount McKinley in Alaska, now known as Denali, to the iconic Grand Canyon, North American's extremes are what make it so breath taking. Whether you want to catch a few rays whilst on the West Coast or pull on your snow boots in Canada, the North has variety and geographical extremes that make it perfect for an adventure.
North America is better suited to those who want to experience wildlife, with wild bears, rare birds in the Canadian Rockies, Moose and coyotes all easy to spot. Extreme sports are also hugely popular with skiing, sailing, hiking and sailing opportunities all available to take advantage of in the north.
South America
An adventure seekers paradise, South America is the ideal adventure seekers destination. An area of incredible natural beauty, huge contrasts, and amazing cultural differences which you'll love experiencing, South America is not for the faint hearted. Encompassing everything from the snow-covered peaks of the Andres to the Amazon Rainforest, dry deserts and sun drenched beaches, the contrasts and variety are what make it to such a fantastic region to travel.
Head to Peru and embark on the famous sacred Inca trail to Machu Picchu, visit the Bolivian salt flats or even explore the Galapagos islands, South America has so much to do and discover that it really is an adventure lover's paradise.
Both continents have amazing star attractions and offer visitors once in a lifetime opportunities. With adventure holiday providers specifically dedicated to the United States and Latin America you can visit both these amazing places and go on tons of excursions to create memories which will last a lifetime. You could even visit one this year and the other the next to get a full America experience ticked off your list of must visit adventures.


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In order of completion:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley
Powerless - Matthew Cody
Gregor the Overlander - Suzanne Collins
I Love You, Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle (The beginning of each chapter has a drawing of Denis Coverman as the night goes on... they cracked me up! Not sure I have any interest in seeing the movie though.)
I'm With Stupid - Elaine Szewczyk (Yeah... got it super cheap for my Kindle... and it was... stupid.)
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane - Suzanne Collins
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods - Suzanne Collins
Gregor and the Marks of Secret - Suzanne Collins
Gregor and the Code of Claw - Suzanne Collins
Conversations with the Fat Girl - Liza Palmer (also another cheap Kindle book... but enjoyed it unlike the previously mentioned cheap Kindle book!)
Knitting Under the Influence - Claire Scovell LaZebnik (same as above!)
All the Gregor books were part of The Underland Chronicles. I found them in the teen section at the library and I enjoyed them immensely!! I really wish there were more than five!
I must mention that the reason I was in the teen section in the first place was because my husband wanted to read Powerless so I checked it out for him... and that's where it was too! : )
We also went to see Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (I read the whole series in December). I actually liked the movie despite the differences from the book. Chris was pretty grumpy about all the changes. Oh well... it happens. Sometimes I'm okay with it and other times not so much...
The circuit training is going well. After the first week, my calves were killing me. It felt like the muscles were too short for my legs! But it's all good now and I think my abs are getting stronger! Yay! I missed one class due to a terrible cold but have made the rest of the thrice weekly meetings.
My Who Hat is finished!! If you are a knitter and would like to make one, the pattern can be found HERE.
LOVE the finished hat! The original plan was to put different colored button eyes on each owl but I'm really liking it plain too so I can't really decide what to do...
More photos (there were a couple in my January book post)
Almost at the end... learning to use double pointed needles! Came close to poking my eye out a couple times! : )
The top of my hat. Decreases are purty!
The owls on my head!
Happy me in my hat. Need to get a photo outside... the flash kinda washed out the details of the hat...
I'm also working on the Hat Heel Sock. They will be my first pair of socks ever! I haven't gotten very far yet so no photos. I'll get some soon!
Hopefully this post makes sense... I wrote it at various times during February instead of trying to remember everything at the end of the month. hee hee...
Sunday, February 28, 2010
February Books
Posted by Tracy at 9:18 AM
4 comments:
I love the way the decreases came out. That's often my favorite part of the finished product, although it's also my least favorite part to actually knit (because it's easy to make mistakes).
- Wednesday, March 03, 2010 2:01:00 PM
- Tracy said...
They are pretty! Like a star...
I didn't think they were bad to knit though. If you are doing the decrease in the wrong spot, I'd think you'd see that it wasn't making the diagonal line... but then this was my first hat so I don't know for sure!
And now I'm off to see what you are working on... if you have posted...
- Wednesday, March 03, 2010 2:49:00 PM
- Bearette24 said...
cute hat!
- Wednesday, March 03, 2010 2:58:00 PM
I posted today, although no new knitting. Almost, though. I'm just about done with a wrap I've been working on.
- Thursday, March 04, 2010 10:58:00 PM
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So 'some board games' is an understatement. Sorry bout the lack of posts! My awesome friends and partner have let me open a board game a day since the parcel arrived. So spoilt. Reading a new set of games rules is good for the brain but bad for the art.. Eh heh.
So the board game list tally so far:
Smallworld Underground
Smallworld Realms
Dungeon Petz
Agricola All creatures big and small.
Phew and have we played them all yet? All bar two!
I plan on sending some art off to a few board game publishers and companies, I just have to make some more board game compatible art to feature in my gallery. Then I'm set.
Tiger bomb!
Also Universal Chicken has updated posts on facebook about the success of avcon and possible publisher details, should be exiting. :D


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There is a link between dementia and depression, researchers today spoke of the growing cases of depressed elderly people. Alzheimer's cases are expected to triple in the next 25 years, this will create a tremendous burden on families trying to cope with the declining mental health of their loved ones. The increasing numbers of seniors suffering from depression is causes more dementia case. The problem is very prevalent in nursing homes.
The rise in clinical depression
Denise Kirschbaum of James City County Social Services and Deborah LeCalm of Colonial Behavioral Health, "Depression is not a normal part of aging," LeCalm said. "As individuals get older, they are not addressing their issues with mental health. Mental health is a major problem. It is estimated that sixty-five to ninety percent of nursing home residents have problems with mental health." This is an incredible number of people who are simply not happy. We have accepted a depressive state as a natural course in the aging process and this should not the case. Depression causes changes in the brain, in seniors loneliness can be a strong predictor dementia
Senior homes are not always the best environment for mental stimulation, although the activities may be good and helpful it does not compare to a loving family but his is not always possible in many situations. Many of us do not have the resources to care for a person suffering form dementia or depression. Alzheimer's is a progressive illness that effects the brain's white and gray matter, time is critical to save much of the brain. LeCalm states that many seniors do not report their depression and accept it as part of their growing old. Do not give up on the brain, there is still time to reverse dementia and Alzheimer's when the brain is put in the right healing environment. We believe it is possible to reverse the illness with an aggressive targeted diet that address the areas of the brain. This can save you from Dementia and Alzheimer's. Click on the brain on the top right side of this page


text: When the news is grim it's hard to accept. Learning that someone you love wants to give up, it hurts. My best friend's grandma who has always been just as much of a grandma to me is letting go and refusing anymore treatment. All of her life she has been an extremely strong willed woman and independent which makes it difficult to understand how weak she feels. Worst of all she refuses to have anyone, but her daughter and her granddaughter see her in such state- she wants to be remembered differently. A lot of emotions ran through me when I heard that I could not visit her, that she wouldn't want to see anyone else she loves. I know I have to respect her and I understand her request, but it's still difficult to overcome that wish. I want to be selfish and see her so badly. It is a painful limbo that she is experiencing.


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17 days, 958 medals, 43 world records, hundreds of thousands of fireworks and countless tears. Never has a sporting event held the world at rapt attention like the games of the 29th Olympiad.
Oh, there were controversies to be sure: Fake fireworks, lip-synching children, age fabrication and the ever-present issue of Chinese censorship were all murmured about with varying degrees of intensity. For the most part, however, Beijing did nothing but charm us over the last two weeks — placing itself as the backdrop to a breathtaking stage of athletics.
Beijing gave us stories of gold: Lisa Leslie took home her fourth consecutive gold medal with the U.S. women's basketball team in what will be her last Olympics; Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor added volleyball gold to the medals they won in 2004 before they both leave the sport to have children; and U.S. women's soccer coach Pia Sundhage's team won the first gold medal victory she's had as an international head coach.
"When I was six years old, I thought I was the only girl in the whole world who played soccer. I wasn't allowed to play because I was a girl," Sundhage said. "Back then, I could never imagine to be a professional player or a professional coach. Now I'm sitting with a great player, Christie Rampone, and looking at her gold medal. I am so proud."
Beijing gave us stories of silver: The U.S. softball team lost their first game since 2000, falling to Japan in the gold medal match up, and the U.S. women's volleyball team came in second behind Brazil in their final game.
"I look at the medal around my neck and it's such an accomplishment for this team and the USA and these girls," said wing-spiker Logan Tom. "It just brought tears to my eyes, and I'm more than thrilled."
Perhaps the best story to come out of Beijing, however, is a story of bronze.
On the eve of the Olympic opening ceremony, there was a conflict between Russia and Georgia. A few days later, Nino Salukvadze and Natalia Paderina — of Russia and Georgia, respectively — faced off in the women's 10 meter air pistol event. Paderina just edged out Salukvadze, and on the medal stand, with silver and bronze medals in hand, while their countries' armies set a path toward destruction, the two women turned and embraced each other.
"If the world were to draw any lessons from what I did," Salukvadze told reporters after the medal ceremony, "there would never be any wars."
The hope of the Olympics is that it will transcend politics, that athletes will rise above nationality, ethnicity, gender and even sexuality, to point us in a direction where we can all embrace one another. So count the games of the 29th Olympiad a dazzling success. Well done, world. We'll see you in London.


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Had a pretty awesome mysore practice this morning. Nothing crazy Asana wise; although I am improving on my transitions and dropbacks (I need to work on both a little more on my own time outside of the practice)
Starting to see the same people every mysore morning and that is refreshing. A fellow student was talking about her pups this morning. One boxer and one french bulldog; thus we immediatly bonded over furry babies. I love my furrbaby. I need to post some new photos of her. She is stinkier and cuter than ever...
I felt amazing after practice; my wrist was a little wonky in the beginning but really grounding evenly through the palm helped stabalize it a bit.
After a super sweaty practice I cleaned up and headed to work. On my way out I ran into an old fellow monday night mysore student (from over a year ago when we would practice mysore in the little room with 7 of us shoved in there--it was our own little monday night meet up...and it was awesome) It was good to see her. Then I ran into another dear friend; one that I traveled with to Islamorada a few years ago in hopes of practicing with Guruji but he fell ill.
It was great to see her. The community around a studio is pretty amazing. I think I've been practicing with M and the studio since 2007. Such a great yoga family.
This weekend:
Saturday - Teach at 11 and 12, Dogwood festival with Denver & JP
Sunday- Mysore practice at 10, Assisting class at 12
I need to put the final touches on my final paper, gathern my homework for teacher training next weekend! Only 2 more weekends (April & May) and I graduate! :)
1 day ago


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I did manage to do three pieces in the last week or so. Two of the pieces are did on the same day. I found two sycamore leaves and I did one watercolour interpretation and then I got an idea to use the embossing powder to stamp the venation and then add the color in. The first was I think successful, the second, I learned from and want to try again. Here they are:
|Watercolour with a bit of colored pencil
|Embossing powder to capture the venation of the leave then applied watercolour.
The next piece I did last night. It is of sea urchin skeletons. I used watercolour pencils to sketch in and create the regular and bumpy surface of these wonderful little gems. I really need to work on my camera skills when taking photos of my work. Just bought a book on this. Gotta get reading and playing.
Many Blessing to you all this Thanksgiving holiday. I am thankful for the global community of creative people who are willing to share their expertise, encourage and support each other as we find our way on our life long journeys. Thank you and best wishes to you and your families.


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When I got up this morning, I was thinking of all the projects in progress I've got going at the moment, but then, this stack of fabrics popped onto my cutting mat.
Before I knew it, strips of the Echino plane patchwork fabric and the solids from Pink Chalk Fabrics April Solids Club were being cut and sewn together. Then, I had this finished patchy pillow.
This is my April entry for Rachel's Blogger's Pillow Party. I love the solids and how they work so well with the Echino fabric.
I quilted the top with straight lines, and the back is an envelope closure. The fabric was the real inspiration for this pillow, and I'm so pleased with this pillow. I've been hoarding my Echino prints, and I'm happy to see some in a finished object! I especially like the piece of selvage that I worked into each side of the pillow case.
Here's the back. I love the multi-color strip, using one piece of each solid (back is safety pinned right now, as the envelope is just a little open. I might add a ribbon or button).


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Late coming voters have helped curb a worrying trend in Hawke's Bay polling figures in which those who voted over the last three weeks still totalled more than at the last Local Elections in 2013.
Provisional figures available last night indicated voting across the the one city council and four district council elections from Wairoa to Tararua was close to the 48 per cent achieved three years ago. In most areas more than 40 per cent of votes were lodged in the last five days.
The number of voters who've exercised their right to vote is up in Wairoa, Hastings, Central Hawke's Bay and Tararua, but in Napier the preliminary count is 1252 down on the vote in the last triennial election.
But no area came close to the figures achieved in the Hawke's Bay reorganisation vote 13 months ago when voters rejected a merger of the the Hawke's Bay Regional Council and the four councils in its boundaries - at least 15,000 Napier and Hastings voters who took part in the amalgamation decider did not vote in Local Elections 2016.
That vote attracted over 59,500 votes in the twin cities alone, more than the provisional figure of 59,420 who voted across all the councils this year, representing about 48 per cent of the provisional combined roll of 123,448.
Of the two biggest metropolitan areas, there was a 43.85 per cent turnout across Napier, which had a provisional roll of 42,876, while across the Hastings-Havelock North and Flaxmere wards of the Hastings District Council, the 16,243 votes represented 43.58 per cent of a roll of 37,268.
Across the wards in the Napier City Council elections, turnouts ranged from 48.69 per cent in Ahuriri to 32.89 per cent in Nelson Park, where 3781 voters compared with a roll of 11,496, while in the Hastings District it ranged from over 50 per cent in the rural wards of Mohaka and Kahuranaki, to 29.78 per cent in Flaxmere, where just 1810 of 6077 on the roll had voted in the preliminary count.
The most active voters in the area over the last three weeks were in the Wairoa District, about 63 per cent, about a point up on 2013 when Wairoa had the second highest polling rate in New Zealand, while Central Hawke's Bay and Tararua also both had turnouts of well over 50 per cent.


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August 22, 2011
No Ceiling For The Price Of Gold
Video description: Peter Schiff says gold is more than just another precious metal. According to the president of Euro Pacific Capital, gold is a thermometer for the economy. And with gold prices at a high of $1851 an ounce, the economy isn't getting any healthier.
"Gold going up every day is saying that the economy is sick. It's really, really sick," Schiff told RT. Yet, he added, world leaders are ignoring the surge in gold prices as if the increase wasn't telling them something.
As central banks continue to print money while currencies devalue day by day, Schiff said owning gold is a safe haven. Some say treasuries are a safe haven, but Schiff asks, "What is it a safe haven from?" Gold, he said, is an alternative to owning currencies like the US dollar, the euro and the yen, which he said are being created too quickly and in too much quantity.
"I keep hearing people on television saying people aren't buying gold because of inflation," saudSchiff. "Gold is a safe haven from inflation."
Schiff noted that many are still skeptical of buying into gold, citing widespread fear of a bubble ready to pop. He believes, however, that prices are only going to be higher. Schiff said he was right about this before and he is right about this now.
Schiff told RT that the only thing people have to worry about is the devalue of currencies, which continue to go down in value while gold only goes up. "It's not a bubble because gold is not going up," said Schiff. It's paper currency, according to him, that's just losing value. "Gold is simply letting you know that it's occurring."
"Most people would accept gold in exchange for goods," he said. "Gold is money; it's recognized around the world."
And according to Schiff, people need to realize it before it's too late.
Related: Related ETFs & stocks: SPDR Gold Trust (ETF) (NYSE:GLD), iShares Silver Trust (ETF) (NYSE:SLV), Market Vectors Etf Trust (NYSE:GDX), Newmont Mining (NEM), Novagold (NG), Barrick Gold (ABX)
Peter Schiff`s comments on the economy, stock markets, politics and gold. Schiff is the renowned writer of the bestseller Crash Proof: How to Profit from the Coming Economic Collapse.


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Sifting Around The Web 4
-Although I am by no means a libertarian, I am sad to say that I have learned that Milton Friedman has passed away at age 94. Friedman was a Nobel Peace Prize winning economist who advocated free-market economics and deregulation.
-Free-market advocates, like Friedman, are needed more now than ever. R.I.P buddy.
-Free-market advocates, like Friedman, are needed more now than ever. R.I.P buddy.
...-The link I provided at the top gives full detail about the evil acts that are committed in the name of allah everyday.
-Some people will publish anything to press the urgence of global warming. Anything.
-Today I learned that the 2.5 million-dollar winner/genius of Jeopardy!, Ken Jennings, has his own blog. I also noticed that he came out with his own trivia book as well. I'll have to get my hands on it sometime.
-Here's some searing factoids I've recently learned about "The religion of peace":
- More people are killed by Islamists each year than in all 350 years of the Spanish Inquisition combined.[source:http://tinyurl.com/fhltu]
- More civilians were killed by Muslim extremists in two hours on September 11th than in the 36 years of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland.[source:http://tinyurl.com/zdg8p]
- Islamic terrorists murder more people every day than the Ku Klux Klan has in the last 50 years.[source:http://tinyurl.com/yrr7n]
- 19 Muslim hijackers killed more innocents in two hours on September 11th than the number of American criminals executed in the last 65 years.[source:http://tinyurl.com/frmtj]
-I could literally spend hours watching and reading through the achives of The Middle East Media Research Institure TV Monitor Project, or otherwise known simply as "MEMRI". Now that I come to think of it, CNN had a showing with Glenn Beck last night called "Exposed: The Extremist Agenda". Even though I only saw the last half of the showing, it was enough for me. The level of Ahmedinijad's gall still amazes me. The president of Iran told Beck that he wanted peace of all people, etc. Footage from MEMRI was aired immediately after each of his statements/lies, and showed that he is full of shit. Even after this rare display of truthfulness, people will still not see the big picture.
I am also very anxious to report that a 34-year-old Ethiopian man was arrested at Detroit Metro Airport on Tuesday. The man was caught carrying $78,883 in cash. He was also found with a laptop containing questionable files about nuclear substances.
(HT: Little Green Footballs)
(HT: Little Green Footballs)


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Yield: 8 servings.
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup each: vegetable oil, water
3 Tblsp grapefruit juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
16-oz. can grapefruit sections, drained well
Cream-cheese frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp each: lemon juice, freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
6 drops yellow food coloring
1. For frosting, beat cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice and zest. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until blended. Add food coloring as desired.
2. Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line bottom of pan with wax paper. Lightly grease paper.
3. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Whisk egg yolks, oil, water, grapefruit juice and zest until smooth. Whisk in flour mixture.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar just to stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into yolk mixture, until just blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the cake springs back whentouched lightly in the center. Invert cake, still in pan, and cool on wire rack. Run a spatula or a table knife around the edge of the cake. Carefully remove cake from pan. With serrated knife, cut cake in half horizontally.
6. Spread frosting on bottom half of cake. Top with several grapefruit sections. Cover with second layer of cake and frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections.
The '''Brown Derby''' was a landmark restaurant in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] frequented by celebrities during the [[Golden Age of Hollywood]]. It was an example of [[novelty architecture]], known for being physically shaped like a brown [[derby hat]]. It was the first restaurant to serve [[chiffon cake]], a soon-to-be famous recipe invented by insurance salesman Harry Baker and later picked up by [[Betty Crocker]]. It is the home of hundreds of caricatures of celebrities.
The single greatest legacy recipe of the Brown Derby is the [[Cobb Salad]]. It was invented by and named after Bob Cobb, one of the owners of the Brown Derby. According to Bob's wife Sally, Bob basically raided the fridge late one night at the restaurant and chopped up some left-overs for his dinner. Some of his Hollywood friends, including [[Jack Warner]], [[Sid Grauman]], [[Wilson Mizner]], and [[Gene Fowler]] stopped by the restaurant that night and, curious about Bob's creation, joined him. They then began to ask for it on later visits, and the rest was history.
It was named after the Brown Derby Restaurant located in [[Malverne]], [[New York]], which operated as a popular [[vaudeville]] hang-out. It had been owned by [[Frank Britton Wenzel]]. This restaurant closed in [[2001]].
The first Brown Derby, also known as the '''Little Hat''', was opened in February [[1926]] across the street from the [[Ambassador Hotel]]. The Derby was often the site of [[afterparty|afterparties]] following bashes at the Ambassador Hotel's [[The Ambassador Hotel#The Cocoanut Grove|Cocoanut Grove]] [[nightclub]]. This was the only Derby that was actually built in the shape of a hat. In 1937, it was moved one block up the street.
A second Brown Derby opened at 1628 Vine Street, near [[Hollywood and Vine]] on [[Valentine's Day]], [[1929]]. In 1942 [[MGM]] film star [[Ruth Hussey]] first met her talent agent husband [[Bob Longenecker]] at lunch there. Other Derbies were later built in [[Beverly Hills]] (across from the [[Beverly-Wilshire Hotel]] on Wilshire and Rodeo) and in [[East Hollywood]] (also known as [[Los Feliz]]) at Los Feliz Boulevard and Hillhurst. The Los Feliz Derby had a "car café" which emulated the then-new "[[drive-in]]" trend.
The Hollywood Derby closed in [[1985]], shortly followed by the original location's closure. The shell of the Brown Derby was restored and placed on top of the strip mall that took its spot at 3377 [[Wilshire Boulevard]]. It is now painted orange and home to Cafe SheeRi.
The Los Feliz Derby is now a nightclub called [http://www.clubderby.com The Derby]. In the late 1990s, it was one of the centers of the resurgence of [[swing dancing]], offering live swing dance bands seven nights a week and launching the careers of modern swing bands such as [[Big Bad Voodoo Daddy]] and [http://www.crawfordmusic.com/ Johnny Crawford] and his band often played there as well. Today, the Derby offers a variety of entertainment throughout the week, and swing dancing with live bands is still featured on Sunday nights and special occasions.
In June of 2004, the Derby and adjacent lots were purchased by Hillhurst/Los Feliz LLC, a subsidiary of Adler Reality Investments Inc. The building faced demolition to make room for a condominium complex. An independent coalition called "Save The Derby" fought to prevent the Derby from being demolished by getting it recognized as an official historical landmark. On May 19, 2006, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to designate the entire structure an official Historic Cultural Monument of the City of Los Angeles.
There is a re-created Hollywood Brown Derby at the [[Disney-MGM Studios]] at the [[Walt Disney World Resort]] in [[Florida]].
"Brown Derby" is also the name of a dessert served by the fast food franchise Wimpy. It consisted of a ball of ice cream, and a warmed chocolate doughnut.
In one of the Hollywood episodes of "[[I Love Lucy]]", Lucy ([[Lucille Ball]]), Ethel ([[Vivian Vance]]), and Fred ([[William Frawley]]) have lunch at the Brown Derby. During the misadventure, the trio dines in a booth neighbored by [[Eve Arden]] on one side and [[William Holden]] on the other. This leads to the famous disaster scene in which Lucy inadvertently causes a waiter to dump a plate of food on Holden.
Neo-swing band [[Cherry Poppin' Daddies]] have a song titled "Brown Derby Jump" on their album ''[[Zoot Suit Riot (album)|Zoot Suit Riot]]''.


text:
Instead of a review post, which depending on my levels of coherency might not be up tomorrow as a I planned, here are some thoughts on the movies I watched while not sleeping on my 15hr flights.
Fo Guang Shan Monastery in Taiwan. So cute!
The Muppets - The unexpected hit. A lot of fun all around, the music was fantastic, and I didn't even mind the fact that Amy Adams was in it (I don't really know why but I've never been a big fan of hers). This was my pick for movie to watch/listen to while I tried to sleep because it didn't matter where I was it was still enjoyable.
Katy Perry: Part of Me - Weird right? I watched this as a novelty but it was surprisingly interesting. Initially just a documentary of her 365 days of touring it ends up also catching the end of her marriage to Russel Brand. The editing was done well and while some might say that heart strings were deliberately pulled in regards to song selection/focus, you can't help but sympathize with Katy when she finally breaks down and cries about it all.
I think his book was better than mine....
Rock of Ages - Even the musical numbers couldn't save this one. It was a snoozer from start to finish and even the actors I usually enjoy (Catherine Zeta Jones) weren't that great. Pretty much the only person I wanted to keep watching was Alec Baldwin.
There were of course some other things in there (most notably Love Actually and The Mummy) but as far as 'new' new flicks, those were it. I'm weird on flights - I'm so tired I can barely read or focus but I can't really sleep. I end up in a zombie-like state where I watch movies I've already seen on repeat so I don't have to worry about what's going to happen next.
Anybody else have a tough time on long flights? Tell me I'm not the only one!


text:
This nice email was sent to one of our fine marketing representatives who work so hard setting up events for authors.
I had a great weekend at the North Texas Book Festival. Not many people turned out, but it was a great experience. I met two other Tate authors from
Sue B


text:
05 August 2011
ER's And RINO's
Have we learned our lesson? Please... tell me we have.
And republican candidates, please note my request:
If you are a republican from a State North of Virginia, or a State East of Ohio, you need not apply for the job of President of the United States.
Your definition of "conservative" needs revising.
(And I've been saying for a year that BOzo is likely to have a primary challenger.
Ed Rendell... John Warner... some other "moderate" democrat... HELP US!)
7 comments:
- Timothy Frazier said...
Unfortunately learning the lesson correctly involves the realization that no Republican is worth voting for, either, with the possible exception of Ron Paul, who is masquerading as a Republican. That hypocrisy is the only fault I can find with him. It's just as bad for him to pretend to be Republican as it is for the opposite end of the spectrum (i.e. John McCain).
I'll keep wasting my votes on Libertarians, because when it all ends I will at least have the clear conscience of knowing I voted for liberty and freedom without fail. I vote for a candidate, not against some other, so folks are wasting their breath when they try to convince me that I helped a democrat (or republican) win by voting for a Libertarian.
- 05 August, 2011 09:00
- ddf said...
I would vote for Christi.
- 05 August, 2011 09:25
- Beau's Mom said...
If we can find a way to keep the free bussing from delivering once in a lifetime voters from their couch to the polls next year, we can hopefully send Obama to join Casey Anthony in hiding.
- 05 August, 2011 12:35
- Old NFO said...
Sigh... Sadly you are correct Sir...
- 05 August, 2011 17:54
- Scotty said...
And I've been saying for a year that BOzo is likely to have a primary challenger.
You forgot the most important one....Ralph Nader!! ;-)
- 06 August, 2011 07:36
- Greybeard said...
The repub. party must be VERY, VERY careful who they nominate this election. The survival of the party, (and whether or not BOzo is elected in the same way Bill Clinton was, twice), depends on the nomination of an experienced, viable, truly conservative candidate.
And ddf, are you aware of the fiasco Gov. Christie now has himself embroiled in, defending a muslim judge for the N.J. Supreme court? I like Christie, but he's another Northeast republican, and is therefore included in those that need not apply for the job of POTUS in my view.
(I hear he's shaky on the 2nd amendment too... NOT A REAL CONSERVATIVE!)
- 07 August, 2011 01:51
- the golden horse said...
How a candidate stands on immigration will also be a huge Decision maker for me as well as fiscal responsibility and spending. Is there the perfect candidate? Who knows, but I have some I favor.
- 08 August, 2011 01:08


text:
Education, politics, and anything else that catches my attention.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
This Is A Good Dress Code, Not A Sexist One
Several of us worked at last Friday's dance and we were shocked at the way the girls dressed. When I started at that school a dozen years ago, girls came to dances dressed in one of three ways: a small number were way overdressed, as for cotillion; most were nicely dressed; a small number dressed as hookers. Those three categories are essentially gone now; by almost universal agreement, the vast majority of the girls at Friday's dance were dressed in what I'll nicely call "pole-dancing chic".
For starters, 14-17 year-olds don't need to be wearing 6" heels. Most of them can't walk in them anyway, and sometimes it's funny to watch them clomp around in them. After pictures are taken they ditch the shoes anyway, walking around the gym and the concrete breezeway in their bare feet. One wonders what they think when they go into the restroom.
Then there are those dresses, the ones that are Saran-Wrap-tight and are so short that every few steps the girls are pulling the backs of their dresses down to ensure their butts are covered. I am not making this up.
And there was a school administrator at the door who allowed all of them in. This floors me.
With boys it's pretty easy. They wear slacks and a shirt, probably a tie, and that's it. There's no need to tell boys that they can't wear muscle tees to a nice event, and there's no societal norm, even for adult men, to have their pants slit up to their you-know-whats. Dress codes for guys are easy. "Keep it classy" is a fairly clear instruction, as was the rest of the boys' dress code in the video above.
It's is not so clear with women. "How do you put into a dress code that dresses shouldn't be skin tight like that?" was a question that came up in the staff lounge just today when discussing what's appropriate attire at a school dance. Dress codes for girls need to be more detailed because there are more ways for girls to dress, both good and bad, than there are for guys. It would be nice if "choose an outfit pretty enough to show you are a woman and covered enough to show you are a lady" were all that was needed to ensure the girls dressed appropriately, but sadly it's not.
The dress code isn't sexist, it's appropriate. Perhaps if someone addressed how having breasts or butt cheeks popping out of a tiny dress could be considered sexual harassment, just the same as a dirty joke can....
10 comments:
- Ellen K said...
Our school puts on a Student Council fashion show which demonstrates appropriate formal attire for prom. Many districts around here do the same with support from the various tux rental and formalwear stores. That being said, it is almost a rite of Spring that we have the story of the outraged Momma who allowed her little darling to look like she was auditioning for the local strip club rather than attending a high school event. Momma will cite that she "paid good money" for the dress and that her daughter is being "discriminated against and singled out". I stopped chaperoning dances because frankly most of the activity look like they are simulating something other than dancing if you get my drift. Dress code is something I hate to deal with because the male administrators are embarrassed to tell a girl it's inappropriate to have her boobs hanging out in front or her rear end in the back. The biggest fight right now is leggings. Light colored leggings on girls with darker skin leaves nothing to the imagination. And since they don't want visible panty lines, they wear very little under them. I have no idea what kind of parent allows their daughters to dress this way, but they are obviously delusional as to the impression their daughters make on others.
- Ellen K said...
Some of the biggest arguments I had with my daughter was over clothing. I refused to let her wear short shorts with writing on the butt. I refused to let her wear see through or midriff tops to school. Yet, because I did that, she because somewhat of a social outcast simply because the administration refused to enforce their own dress code at the school she attended. Failure to enforce a dress code penalizes those students and parents who try to follow the rules.
- Darren said...
It's ok to dress like a piece of meat, but then people get bent out of shape when they're treated like a piece of meat.
You work at a public school, right? You can't say a word about what they wear, and you shouldn't even try. If you do, you'll be on the news in about five seconds flat as someone who Hates Women and Discriminates Against Self-Expression, and the media backlash will end your career.
- Darren said...
With California's tenure laws? :)
- maxutils said...
I tend to agree with Ellen K… I don't agree with dress codes in general, unless there is a good reason for them. Showing off the naughty bits is a good reason. But -- as a male teacher, to even acknowledge that you noticed them -- well, you're right, Darren, you wouldn't be fired. But I guarantee you will develop a reputation as being the creepy guy who's looking sown the girl's shirts, and that isn't good. So the way you attack this is on two fronts: first, work the parents, and let THEM know what's appropriate --because ultimately they are the one who let their daughters out of the house …and yes, I kn ow there is the possibility of subterfuge. Second, dress code enforcers stick with the same sex -- that isn't fair, because as you correctly pointed out, boys are pretty easy. But if your goal is to fix the problem, it's really the only way.
- Darren said...
I disagree, and here's why.
If someone flashes you and you see it, you're not the creepy person for seeing it. The creepy person is the person who flashes you. Girls (or anyone else, for that matter) can't show every millimeter of skin up to their butt cheek and then get offended if I notice it.
People showing off too much body are the ones guilty of sexual harassment. You have the "creepy" person misidentified. Progress will not be made if we keep "blaming the victim", ie saying men teachers cannot correct dress code violations of girl students.
- Auntie Ann said...
Next year, to unify the boys' and girls' dress codes, they should just model a single code after the boys' current code: No part of your body should be visible except your hands, your head and the upper part of your neck, no facial hair or earrings.
As it stands, the boys' code is far, far more strict: don't show anything and no visible jewelry!
- maxutils said...
While I agree with you in principle, and your principal would also support you in principle (see what I did there?), you can't control student rumors. And, fair or not, you will be branded 'that guy.' And you're right -- that is detrimental to progress. That's why parents are the most important link in the chain.
- Ellen K said...
There are all kinds of sexual harassment. As teachers we are required to know and avoid them and have required in-service on what constitutes this kind of abuse. That being said, what do you do when a student who is special education, whose parents have intimidated administration and lawyered up, acts our in inappropriate ways. We have just such a student. He keeps making penises in ceramics class, which I consider as offensive and out of context for the assignments offered and as harassment to his peers and to the female teachers. Yet, administration seems to see nothing wrong with this. My view is that administrators by and large are unwilling to take up a fight that might put them in a bad light for publicity. So if you turn a girl in for dress code violations or a boy for explicit abusive harassment, be sure their parents haven't already logged in with the district as known legal clients.


text:
Hi there, how's life?
Today I'd like to call your attention to the use of near and next to. Of course that, apart from these two, we also have by, beside, nearby, close to… and although they have slight differences, they pretty much have the meaning of being close to something. Observe:
- Next to (as well as beside) indicates that the object is adjacent, "neighbouring" the subject:
Chris lives next to me (Chris lives the next door) The phone was right beside her (The phone was next to her)
- Near (as well as close to) in no way means that the object is adjacent to the subject, it just indicates that the object is not far away – it's around, in the same area, "nearby":
Living near an airport has its advantages Is there a bank close to Waverley Station?
What I'd like to focus on, however, is in the form of near and next to – observe that whereas next is followed by the preposition to, the same doesn't happen to near, ok?
Have a great weekend!
Olá! Como vai a vida?
Hoje eu gostaria de chamar sua atenção para o uso de near e de next to. Sabemos que, além destes dois advérbios temos também by, beside, nearby, close to… mas apesar de eles terem pequenas diferenças entre si, de modo geral servem para se referir a coisas ou pessoas que estão próximas umas das outras. Observe apenas que:
- Next to (assim como beside) indica que o objeto está adjacente, vizinho ao sujeito:
Chris lives next to me (Chris mora na casa ao lado) The phone was right beside her (O telefone estava bem ao lado dela)
- Near (assim como close to) de modo algum significa que o objeto esteja lado a lado com o sujeito, apenas indica que o objeto não está longe demais – está por perto, na área ao redor, "nearby":
Living near an airport has its advantages (perto) Is there a bank close to Waverley Station? (próximo a)
Porém, gostaria mesmo de focar na forma de uso do near e de next to – observe que, embora next seja seguido da preposição to, o mesmo não acontece com near, beleza?
Bom final de semana!
Related articles:
- https://isabellaferraroblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/focus-on-do-make/
- https://isabellaferraroblog.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/youre-x-your/


text:
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Variety of CTMH Goodies for Sale at a Discount
You can find the items pictured here as well as a larger selection at www.facebook.com/CreatewithChristine .
Posted by Christine David at 1:06 PM 1 comments
Labels: For Sale
Friday, May 4, 2012
Early Arrival - Announcing Eli Joseph David
Hard to believe that I was in the hospital last Friday anticipating the arrival of this sweet baby. He decided to join us an entire month early. His delivery was amazingly easy, however since he was so early he had to spend 6 hours in the NICU under observation. My husband lovingly sat guard over him, saving me from worry. He passed all requirements with flying colors and was released to me and I don't know if I've sat him down for more than a moment since.
Posted by Christine David at 12:09 PM 8 comments
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text:
Welcome! Please note that this blog was created purely for my college social media course and is no longer updated or associated with my personal brand of "Jennifer Muscat".
Central Review Social Media Presence
The brand that I chose to develop a social media presence for is Central Michigan University's student run literary journal, Central Review (at this point I would provide a link to their website but it is currently down). This magazine offers CMU graduate and undergraduate students a chance to publish fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art pieces. It is published once per semester and is produced under Student Publications and Student Publication Board of Directors.
The purpose of this project was to give Central Review a presence on three different social media platforms. Because the journal already had both a Facebook and Twitter page, my goal was to improve on the way these platforms were utilized. For the third platform I chose to create a Tumblr account for Central Review. I currently work as one of the public relations coordinators for Central Review which helped in having a basic understanding of the brand and the target audience. In the following sections I will provide an analysis of each social media website for this particular brand.
1. Facebook
I used Facebook as a primary way to communicate with the target audience – CMU students. Through my personal experience with social media I concluded that the largest portion of the target audience will have Facebook accounts and will be most apt to pay attention to updates on this page.
Before I began my efforts, this page was updated roughly 10 times per semester about submission deadlines, reading dates, and issue releases – not effective in attracting attention.
I began using the Facebook page to promote the annual reading Central Review puts on each semester. During this event the authors are offered a chance to read the work that was published in that semester's issue. To get as many attendants as possible I was creating posts approximately twice a day to remind people to attend. As one of the PR coordinators I assisted in putting posters around campus and I created a post with a picture of a bulletin board in Moore covered in the posters.
I also created posts promoting Central Review's Twitter page which I will mention later.
Once the Tumblr page was created I started taking excerpts of different pieces from the most recent issue and linking to that post on the Tumblr page. I also posted some of the photographs that were submitted. I used the Facebook page as a way to show people specifically what types of writing and photography Central Review publishes. These posts seemed to have gotten the most feedback which was primarily "likes."
I attempted to create a few interactive posts that asked people to share their experiences or input their opinion on different subjects. Unfortunately my efforts fell a little short and only a few of these posts were created. I found an article from the New York Times discussing the possibility of libraries using e-books. I wanted to know people's opinions of e-readers so I posted the article and asked which they prefer: e-readers or books. This post got one reply which was exciting. On Thanksgiving I asked fans to share what they were thankful for but sadly did not get any replies. This could be attributed to people being busy with holiday festivities.
I also attempted to build up the number of pages Central Review "likes" on Facebook. This was more difficult because it was hard to find relatable pages to the target audience. I focused on pages relevant to the university such as CM-Life and Grand Central Magazine or local businesses such as Kaya Coffee House. Throughout the course of this project the number of "likes" this page has increased about 15-20 people making a total of 140.
2. Twitter
Like the Facebook page, the already existing Twitter account was rarely used causing Central Review to not have a significant presence on this platform. The first step I took was to create a large selection of novelists, literary magazines, and publishers to follow. I increased to the number of accounts it follows by about 50 accounts.
Promoting the reading was the first thing I did when I received access to this account. I soon realized that many student may not be able to attend so I developed a hashtag "#crreading" and Tweeted live from the event. I chose quotes from most of the pieces read that night and included the hashtag at the end.
Through using this hashtag I was able to easily promote both the event and the Twitter page through Facebook posts. Hopefully those who could not attend took a glance at some of the quotes that were tweeted. I did not ask people to participate in the use of the hashtag during the event because of the serious nature of it and did not want people to be disrespectful to those reading their work.
After the reading was done I focused on re-tweeting some tweets that might be helpful to aspiring authors. I also posted interesting information from the literary world or humorous comments that writers might enjoy.
Once the Tumblr page was up I started including very short but intriguing quotes from different pieces and linking to the corresponding Tumblr post with the full text. I also tweeted links to the Tumblr posts with the photography submissions. One of the tweets was got re-tweeted which was exciting news.
A challenge with the Twitter page was the lack of student followers. Though recently, a few literary accounts did start following us as a result of the increase in posts and our account following theirs. I plan on keeping this page alive and running in the future and hope to live tweet to followers during the Spring reading.
3. Tumblr
For the third platform I created a Tumblr account for Central Review. Because the virtual edition of the journal is a PDF file I wanted a way to post each submission online as a easy way for people to read the work. I also wanted an easy way to link to specific pieces from the Facebook and Twitter.
I anticipated not having a large following base of CMU students so I created a collection of authors and photographers that the account follows. I used the "reblog" feature on Tumblr to repost some pieces of writing or photos that I found interesting and corresponded with the writing from Central Review.
Because this page lacks student followers I strictly focused on getting the poetry, prose, and photography pieces from the fall issue posted. I fully utilized the "tagging" feature on Tumblr to get my posts noticed by other Tumblr users. For example, each prose piece I posed would be always tagged "prose" "writing" "creative writing" and "literary." By doing this posts got "liked" a significant number of times and a one photo was re-blogged. In about a week and a half the page got 15 followers from the literary community which was exciting.
On the Tumblr page I included a link to the whole PDF edition of the fall issue as well as links to all posts tagged either prose, poetry, or photography so people are able to easily navigate to any type of post.
Creating the Tumblr page was the most challenging because I was starting from scratch and I've only used Tumblr for personal use and not from a brand standpoint. I hope to keep promoting this page in coming semesters to get more people, especially the writers themselves to follow.
Next semester and possibly next fall I will continue to work as a PR coordinator for Central Review and plan to continue managing these social media accounts. In the future I will hope to create a larger fan base for the pages which will help increase awareness for the journal around campus.
This project was a great learning experience for me. All semester we've just talked about how brands can use social media as a tool for success but now I can say that I've done it as well. Though my pages are new and still gaining their presence, hopefully it is a success waiting to happen!
Storify assignment
For this assignment I chose to create a story on the recently passed anti-bullying bill in Michigan.
Netflix apology on YouTube
In spirit of the Netflix company releasing their statement of apology to users for causing a lot of confusion with the new changes, I recorded my own explanation while acting as a spokesperson for Netflix.
Because I was on a very short time constraint the video did not turn out as well as I would have hoped but it was a great learning experience.
In my video I did include a short apology towards the end. I felt that the primary focus on this statement did not need to be on the apology but the fact that Netflix has decided not to change their system and letting the people know that their complaints were heard.
I attempted to make my tone sincere though I was not too successful because I was feeling rushed. I wanted to take a different approach from the apology from the actual Netflix employees and actually talk with the viewers instead of talking at them. While watching the Netflix video I felt as if the spokespeople were talking down to me and it became frustrating towards the end.
I left out the part about Netflix claiming that they are done with price increases forever. I feel that this statement could not possibly be true and I did not want to give false hope to any of the customers.
My explanation was kept short and simple and just wanted to tell Netflix users that the changes are done and that the company will no longer be split in half. This decision came from the complaints received about the new changes announced a few months ago.
Obviously if I had more time my message would have been better and I wouldn't have appeared as nervous and rushed. I became extremely nervous when my group members were standing there holding the camera and watching me the whole time. Money wouldn't really be an issue because I would want the setting of my video to put the viewer at ease and not making them feel uncomfortable if I were to be in a suit and sitting in my office.
If I were to repeat this exercise I would try and make my eye contact better. Looking people in the eye while apologizing and explaining something is very important to get the message across.
Chysler missed social media opportunity
Social media can benefit a company in numerous ways, but if not handled carefully it can harm a brand as well.
An employee of Chrysler was terminated this past year for using obscene language in one of his tweets that went out through the company's twitter account on his phone instead of his personal account. The tweet was also bashing people from Detroit, where Chrysler headquarters is located. This tweet was giving a bad name to the company he works for and the city of Detroit. This was a careless mistake that could have been avoided with paying attention to small details.
Chrysler responded to this mishap by writing a post on their official blog website apologizing for the offensive language used. The post was only about 200 words and lacked any kind of depth on the issue.
Instead of just sending out this little blog post which I'm sure went out via Facebook and Twitter, either a high up executive or a spokesperson should have recorded a live apology. I feel that an apology coming from an actual person instead of just a computer screen will be more memorable. Even though this was just a small and minor incident it still deserved more attention from Chrysler. This video should have been placed on YouTube and shared via Facebook, Twitter, and the company's website.
Along with a recorded apology Chrsler could have taken the Red Cross approach and turned the incident into a lighthearted matter.
Having a video apology would have made this situation a lot better…but they should not take advice from the Netflix apology…those guys were creepy.
Successful social media campaign
This past August, Ford Motor Company developed the F-150 EcoBoost Challenge that would highlight the aspects of their new EcoBoost engines. This challenge consisted of eight people across the country receiving an F-150 truck for the week and competing to achieve the highest miles per gallon.
Each competitor represented different regions of the United States and brought eight different markets into the competition with varying degrees of social influence in their communities. The drivers included Jason Falls (a Twitter user with over 40,000 followers), the social media manager for American Eagle Outfitters, and a middle school biology teacher.
All of the drivers were on a point system that required them to drive the most fuel efficient way possible. Each driver reported their success on the Ford Facebook page.
The second part of the competition involved getting the local communities of each competitor involved philanthropically. Each driver teamed up with their community for a weekend challenge to promote goodwill and local involvement within the area. The drivers had to use their F-150 trucks to carry supplies that would benefit community improvement project. All drivers had their respective projects posted on the Facebook page and the general public could go online and vote for their favorite.
Winners were determined by which competitor averaged the highest miles per gallon over the course of the week, the number of votes received on Facebook, and how many volunteers participated in the goodwill event. Ford partnered up with Shell to give the winning contestant a year supply of free gas and gave away free gas to the winning community for two hours and 22 minutes.
I got a chance to speak with Craig Daitch, a social media manager at Ford, about this campaign and its success.
Daitch explained that over 1,000 pounds of cat food was donated and relief packages were created in Raleigh for those affected by the hurricane that took place during the competition.
This challenge also produced success rates for Ford's social media. Because the public was required to "Like" the Ford Facebook page before being able to vote, the page saw a 113% increase in fans. Ford's Twitter page also reached 7 million followers as a result from this campaign. This challenge also received extensive media coverage about the average miles per gallon the winning driver achieved including coverage from USA Today.
When asked if this challenge helped sales for the trucks at all, Daitch responded that the social media success was not measured in per unit sales but that the company saw a changed paradigm. A more positive sentiment for Ford was seen as a result from the goodwill aspect of this competition.
Daitch also explained that this challenge helped Ford's social media reach an audience that isn't as prevalent in the social media world. The voting aspect of the contest forced people to start interacting with Ford's Facebook page and seeing what it has to offer fans beyond just voting.
One of the competitors, Josh Mishell, created a website to encourage votes in his community and across the country. Information about the contest, himself, and his efforts in blog posts are all on the website. This page got over 14,000 visitors throughout the course of the competition.
This social media campaign was extremely successful in that helped introduce a new product from Ford in a way that caught people's attention. It also generated goodwill and helped many communities across the nation.
Ford's social media also benefited in more ways than one. It is evident, just from glancing at Ford's social media website that the company cares about its customers and wants to interact with them as much as possible. The company definitely reached their goal in generating brand awareness and establishing a sentimental credibility with the public.
Mobile Apps
One news organization that has created an exceptional mobile app for the iPad is CNN. This app offers a fast way to deliver news for young people on the go. The homepage offers a visually appealing set up of the day's headlines that is easy to scroll through and cleanly organized. There are tabs for the user to choose between either the top stories, featured stories, or streamed video. There is also a place to watch what is playing on CNN live.
This app offers a way for people to build a profile which allows them to save stories, view reading history, or state their preference for US news or international news. A feature that is extremely useful is a way for users to share a specific story or video to Facebook, Twitter, or email it. Having this feature is extremely important for the young generation that is using the iPad. It is also extremely easy to leave a comment either through Facebook or CNN on a news story.
Another great feature of this app is that when a user is on a specific news story to get to the next one all they need to do is swipe to the left and the next one will come up. I find this useful because I do not like having to keep clicking back to get to the next story. This also keeps the user clicking while on the app. There is also a row of stories on the bottom of each story that forces the user to keep clicking on the app and not close it out.
A brand that has a mobile app is Central Michigan University. This app is called CMU Connect. This app allows students and faculty to explore the news and events that are going on at the university. It offers a page for news stories, a calendar of events that are happening each day.
This app is useful in theory but I feel that it needs a lot of work. There are minimal updates to the news stories per day. The events page seems to be fine but I have never seen this app updated in the three years I've been here. I think that they need to advertise this app more and the features that it has.
As a CMU student I feel that this app does not particularly draw me because it does not offer me anything that I cannot already get on the internet. More interactive and personalized features is a must. Facebook and Twitter should also be utilized in this app because it is the main way that students in college communicate with one another. An easy way to connect with CM Life would also be a good idea.
It's great that Central is trying to reach out to students by creating a mobile app but it needs to be updated more and be catered to the students on a better level. While there is already an app for the dorm cafeterias a place to click that would also be a good idea to see what is on the menu each day. Connecting with the athletics department to get updated scores for any game going on.
Legends of the Dark
The SCVNGR trek that my group and I created can be used by either Central Michigan University or the ghost tour that goes around campus, Legends of the Dark.
Though Legends of the Dark already has a tour with a live person speaking, this can allow students to become aware of the brand if they are unable to attend the tour. If they were to make all of the known ghost stories into one big trek they could create a competition for students and offer prizes for the winners. Each year the challenges could be different for a change of pace. Personally, I would feel more motivated to attend this tour if there was a competition and prizes involved.
CMU should also take advantage of the SCVNGR tool and build treks for incoming freshmen. These challenges could offer them a chance to learn the names of the buildings and a little bit about the history of the university. The winners could also be given prizes at the end. One possible day for this to take place is CMU and You day. This trek will help the brand of CMU by helping prospective students become aware of the campus and what the university has to offer.
Paranormal Act-CHIP-ity.
Our group decided to take advantage of the upcoming Halloween season by using the ghost stories on Central's campus and creating a SCVNGR trek titled, Paranormal Act-CHIP-ity. My group members were Danny Goodwin and Ellen Trudell.
The first task required of the participants is to go to Warriner Hall's main entrance and find a QR code to scan. This task coincides with the ghost story of Theresa Elizabeth Schumacher who was accidentally killed in the elevator of Warriner Hall. Now, she is said to haunt the building, appearing at random to those who stop by after dark. By scanning this code the person will be directed to an article written in CM-Life about the ghost that died in the elevator shaft in Warriner Hall.
The second task takes the participants to the seal by Warriner Hall. The story says that in the 1950's, a woman waiting on the love of her life to pick her up from Warriner Seal froze to death in the blistering cold before he could arrive. People are required submit and take a picture of themselves kissing a loved one in front of the seal.
The third task requires them to head over to Sloan Hall where they can find an upside down cross on the chimney of the building. Participants are required to answer what image they see, this is an open ended response.
The fourth task uses the story of Carolyn. Carolyn Corey was a freshman at CMU who died in her dorm room in Bernard Hall, a residence hall in the 50's when she died. She now reportedly haunts CMU's campus and was once seen in the pond across from the library dressed in all white. This challenge requires people to find another QR code under a picnic bench to see the name "Carolyn."
The fifth task requires the participants to go to the historical school house that is on the corner of Preston and West Campus street. This school house is allegedly haunted. Here people need to take and submit the "scariest" picture they can think of here. We want people to get creative!
Forever Facebook
For this assignment I have chosen the brand Forever 21. This clothing store is able to use the new Facebook changes to interact with consumers. Instead of simply "Liking" the page "Forever 21," people will now be able to say that they "Wear' Forever 21.
Each time the user does online shopping at Forever 21's website they can have the option to connect into Facebook to let their friends know what they recently bought. For example: If I were to buy a sweater from the website my Facebook friends would then know that I recently bought a V-Neck Cardigan from Forever 21. This feature on Facebook will prompt many users to click on the post to view what the article of clothing looks like and will hopefully persuade them to stay on the website and shop.
This app can also give recommendations to a user who has recently purchased or viewed specific clothes from the website. These recommendations can be seen by clicking on the app itself.
If the user wishes, it will be possible for people to say what they are wearing a specific day. There will be some clothing options on the app itself from Forever 21's collection but more can be seen on their website. All the user has to do is find whatever clothing item they are wearing that day and click a button that says "I am currently wearing this." Their Facebook friends will then see that they are wearing that particular article of clothing.
Another feature this ab will have is connected to Foursquare and Facebook. If a person is shopping in a Forever 21 store and they check in via Foursquare and have their updates sent to Facebook it will appear that "Jenny Muscat is at 12 Oaks Mall shopping at Forever 21."
This app will give Forever 21 a great deal of exposure on Facebook. Young adults take recommendations about products from their friends very seriously when deciding to purchase then or not. When Facebook users see that their friends are wearing Forever 21 clothing or shopping at their stores they will then have a more positive idea of this brand in their mind.


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India Ad Rant - A mash up of agency life, brands, culture, creativity, design and new media epicentred around India!
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Sunday, October 15
couchsurfing.com - Welcome to Concept Brands
More on couchsurfing.com. It's a non-profit web based company. CouchSurfing.com helps you make connections worldwide. You can use the network to meet people and then go and live in other members' homes! When you surf a couch, you are a guest at someone's house. They will provide you with some sort of accommodation, a penthouse apartment or maybe a back yard to pitch your tent in. Stays can be as short as a cup of coffee, a night or two, or even a few months or more. When you offer your couch, you have complete control of who visits. The possibilities are endless and completely up to you.
At 8:25 am I did not know of this concept. At 8:30 am I first chanced upon the brand in the DNA( actually it was Shilpi). At 8:45, I hooked onto the internet and checked out the web-site. At 9:00, I had e-mailed Arvind Sengupta, an Indian who is living in Vienna for the past three years and a member of CS!
At 9:15 am, I was copying my 16-digit Visa code into the payment page. I willingly put $25 into the CS concept(brand). Equal to an years supply of soaps and detergents from HLL the trusted FMCG brand!
At about 1:30 pm, while surfing again, I edited by profile. The site asks you to answer some profound, meaningful questions. And not just how many credit cards you own and other bugging Qs. So, I filled my mission on life, what learning I have had till now and what I do to earn a living...The profile is still incomplete and I made a mental note of going back to couchsurfing.com later!
At, around 6:00 pm, I was being the couchsurfing.com spokesman with my friend Suman! I felt I knew it better than my 2 year old tooth-paste brand 'Meswak' and my 8 year old TV brand LG Golden Eye(maybe unfair comparisions, but nevertheless).
It reminded me of what John(Grrant) had written in hisOct 10 post. Post Modern brands being ideas not products and standing for something!
Back to 8:45pm, couchsurfing.com is important enought to be my day's post.
Stray thoughts then on concept brands.
1. They exist in the mind. They excite us and invite enthusiastic particpation as John says!
2. They don't have nationalities. Or manufacturing dates. Or expiry dates. Or packaging in the conventional sense.
3. If you buy into the concept. They can be trusted immediately. They grow exponentially and not sequentially. Unlike a bar of soap interacted sequentially through the monthly grocery list.
4. No fancy ads required. No ad agencies...
5. They have a conversational tone. There are people behind the brand not companies.
6. The core of the brand is a concept. Not a one-line chiselled, much debated proposition. No tag-lines needed either.
7. No company owns the brand. A community does.
8. You can belong to the brand and the brand belongs to you from day one. More importantly, you want to belong!
9. It doesn't preach you. You learn and preach and reach(out).
10. The brand makes you feel good. It expands you. You want to explore.
Interesting, how much I want to talk about this 12( well 12 and a half) hour old concept(brand).
Anais Nin had once said that 'When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow.' It's time now to think about brands not only through the narrow lens of product( largely FMCG) and service brands that we have worked with, read and internalised case studies. It's time to expand our world-view to include post modern concept brands!
In this new era, looks like we will have to unlearn all of what we learnt about brands! Exciting times ahead!
7 comments:
well I differ a bit here though I agree that today we have stareted taking cognizance of ideas and concepts far more than before, somewhere conceptually all iconic brands always were concepts than mere products. It was just marketing myopia that couldn't see the appeal, idea, human bond or whatever else name you give it. End of the day as humans we buy into a thought and the rest is just a vehicle. Cheers
- Manish said...
some of the biggest brands that we have grown up with are products of millions of dollars of advertising, marketing and hype! They were/ are about image marketing. While there might be some concept hidden somewhere, fundamentally they are mere products and services! Concepts like google, hotmail, couchsurfing.com, amazon are totally new concepts, which the world had never seen or encountered before!
- meraj said...
god is the biggest and the oldest concept brand...as far as i am concerned. many here may not agree on god being a 'concept' bit, so please dont start an arguement on this one.
- meraj said...
and forgot to mention, it was a well written piece...the style was akin to a breezy thriller!
- Manish said...
thanks meraj...yes we will not get into the discussions on God, etc. But guys - especially my ex-planner pooja, do write your comments...it's sort of lonely out here in blogosphere...I am losing steam( am I?), especially at the rate of a post a day...BTW today's post wud be my 50th!!...thought i wud write one called life at 50 LOL
- Benn said...
As we say at TBWA, we have to stop thinking of people as consumers and engage them as audiences.
A lived brand experience is essential.
- Hiren said...
Thanks for the link couchsufing.com.You have used the word "Stray thoughts" which happens to be the name of my blog on the link. That ia an eclectic blog but the other two happen to be based on ideas which are kind of concepts:-
Make your passion your profession
Cust-se-mar- Customer
How are they as concepts?


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I recently picked up a book I'd never heard of before by an author I wasn't familiar with just to have something to read. The book was "Forbidden" by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee. I definitely didn't go into it expecting any profound insights; I just wanted to be entertained.
The book takes place in a distant future in which all human emotions except for fear have been selectively eradicated from the human genome. Fear was left intact because it was considered the "only emotion necessary for survival." I'll agree with this in premise; fear is definitely necessary for survival. I remember reading about a woman who sustained a head injury in an accident that rendered her unable to experience fear. As a result, she frequently found herself in dangerous situations. She'd been attacked and robbed several times. Her doctors were concerned for her safety. Without a mechanism to warn her she was in danger, she was unable to differentiate between what was safe and what wasn't.
On the other hand, too much fear can be debilitating. I see a lot of patients who are plagued with anxiety. They see danger or the potential for danger everywhere, even in places that are perfectly safe. Often, they are completely unable to relax. They live in a constant state of alertness; they are always on guard. Many of them avoid going to places where large groups of people gather; they stay away from malls, popular restaurants, concerts, PTA meetings, parties, and they plan their trips to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep. (This seems a bit backwards to me; aren't you more likely to encounter a criminal at one or two in the morning than in the middle of the day? I don't know).
In addition to thinking about fear, the book got me thinking about human emotion and what it would be like to live without them. There are a few characters in the book whose abilities to experience emotions are restored after drinking a serum. The main character wavers between embracing and cursing his newfound emotional palette. He is initially exhilarated by his first taste of love. He realizes that the love he and his mother felt for one another was merely was hollow and motivated by fear. His mother is killed by people searching for the serum. He grieves – really grieves – for the first time in his life. He grieves for the loss of his mother, but also for the fact that he only gained the ability to really love her after she died.
He sets out with his childhood (female) friend to discover how and why all humanity is bereft of all emotion except fear. When he sees her for the first time after drinking the emotion-restoring serum, he realizes that he is in love with her. He wonders why he never realized this before. (Probably because he was incapable of love before). He is intoxicated and invigorated by his love. He sees that it gives his life meaning but also that he is willing to die for it, if need be.
And then the love of his life is killed by their enemies before his very eyes. He is devastated. He curses love. He wants to die. Life has lost all meaning for him. He begins to think that maybe humanity is better off without emotions.
Here he captures a fundamental truth about human emotion: with great joy comes great sorrow. With great pleasure comes great pain. There is no happiness without sadness, no love without loss, no hope without disappointment.
This book lays out a very poignant argument for embracing all emotional experience, even those that are painful. In many ways, this is the very thing I attempt to convey to my patients. Sure, you can cut yourself off from your emotions to avoid feeling sad, insecure, or anxious, but at what cost? Is it worth the loss of joy, happiness, pleasure, and love? You can't just cut out "bad" emotions; when you cut yourself off from your feelings, you sever ties with all of them, both good and bad.
Is it worth it?


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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Job Creation
Please let us know your stories of job creation and job imagination. Are you in the hunt for a new job, or looking to add people?
Making better career and hiring choices.
How will you choose?
Making better career and hiring choices.
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I'm making a dice program that calculates the statistics such as actual percentage, expected rolls and expected percentage and so on. I'm having a difficulty on the Pseudo random number generation. With two dice, the mim. sum of the dice is 2, not 1. There is something wrong with my code so it keep generating the number 1 out.
Can anyone help me with that?
cout << "Enter seed: ";
cin >> seed;
cout << "Number of repeats: ";
cin >> intRepeats;
x = seed; //x is the PRN, and the first is user selected
for (int i = 0; i < intRepeats; i++)
x = ((multiplies * x) + inciement) % modulus; //CREATE A RANDOM NUMBER
num = x / float (modulus);
roll = int (num * 12) +1;
cout << "Dice roll was: " << roll << endl;
[img] http://images.plurk.com/41fc82bc186ee5987fdfd4fcc78bc837.jpg [/img]
Edited by chuyauchi: n/a