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30 June, 2011
21 June, 2011
happy first day of summer!
more grannies
you know i love me some granny squares.. this new project from purl soho looks fun. place mats that are essentially giant granny squares!
19 June, 2011
happy father's day!
this is year is even more special because my own dad (and step mom and sister and brother) are all here visiting. happy father's day to veda's dad, my dad, and all the wonderful dads in the world!
Posted by Heather at 19.6.11 3 comments
16 June, 2011
my friend and fellow FIT classmate, Olan, is living the dream up in her home town of Portland, Maine. She and her boyfriend recently launched their own line of screen printed towels, pillows and notebooks. I'm soooo excited for her as this has been an idea of hers since we we're in school. I'm also a tad jealous. And totally inspired. Here's to following your dreams!!
Posted by Heather at 16.6.11 0 comments
15 June, 2011
these kilim rugs are on sale at one kings lane today. aren't they lovely?
Posted by Heather at 15.6.11 0 comments
13 June, 2011
4 months old
Dear Veda,
My sweet girl, you are 4 months old already! The time is flying by, and yet I can hardly remember what life was like before you. You are changing and growing in leaps and bounds it seems. I can barely keep up! I'm really enjoying this age though. I love the way your face lights up into a huge toothless smile every time you see me or your dad. The best part of the day is first thing in the morning when, after a while of you playing alone in your bed, you finally give a little "good morning!" cry.. and I lean over and look in on you- and in that moment of recognition the sheer joy on your face when you see me- it just melts my heart... The first couple of months I was overwhelmed by how much I loved you- so completely and quickly.. and now, in addition to that, I feel overwhelmed by just how deeply I feel you love me! It feels really nice to be needed in such a way. Thank you for that gift....
*as of today, you are 13 lbs and 24" long- and growing like a bean!
*you are now not only exploring our faces with your eyes, but with you hands and fingers as well - poking, prodding, (pinching!). everything is new and exciting. you are much more coordinated as you reach and grab for things and hold them - usually in your mouth which is where most everything immediately goes. you especially love to gnaw on your crocheted wooden teething ring, sophie giraffe (of course), and mommy and daddy's fingers (yummy!). You are learning to soothe yourself by sucking your thumb. It's pretty cute actually.. you have also discovered your feet and love to play with them and even occasionally stick them in your mouth (as do I ;)
*you love to be pulled up to a sitting position. you look around in sheer delight- so proud of yourself. you are also starting to try to stand- and you're incredibly strong. i'm not even close to ready for that, so please, let's slow down and take things one step at a time (please don't follow in your father's footsteps and walk at 9 months!!).
*you're still sleeping pretty well at night, though lately you're too distracted during the day to eat, so you wake earlier than you were before, but it's still only once, so I don't mind so much.. you've also started to develop a nap routine- taking a pretty long (1.5-2 hour) nap in the morning and then again in the afternoon.
*lately, you are starting to explore different noises and volumes with your voice. you sometimes do a little fake cough- which is pretty funny... you are giggling a lot more. it's totally infectious!
*you can scoot around a bit on your back as well as your tummy. one day dad had set you down on the farm for a few minutes and when he came back, you had scooted off and under the coffee table! you are also rolling over a lot more these days (still from front to back for the most part).
*you grandparents visited from idaho this month. unfortunately you had a tiny little bit of a cold (your first one!) and weren't 100%. they were so excited to see you again, i don't think they even noticed!
*we took you on your first airplane trip cross country. you were pretty good, though you weren't a fan of sitting in one place for so long (who is?). Once we would get up and walk around and you could see all of the people, you were happy as could be. You were such a good sport in LA as we dragged you around all over the place. The time zone didn't seem to affect you too much either- which was a huge relief!
I love seeing the world anew through your eyes - trying to imagine how impressive and beautiful it must seem to you. Looking at the world through your eyes reminds me of how magical it all really is...
Posted by Heather at 13.6.11 1 comments
12 June, 2011
i've always marveled at how some girls wear their scarves in such cool ways that seem so effortless. i've never quite mastered the skill myself. but maybe now with this video from echo, i might have a chance...
Posted by Heather at 12.6.11 0 comments
10 June, 2011
we just got back from a trip to los angeles, visiting friends and exploring the area. our main purpose for the trip was to attend the wedding of a very dear old friend of mine from back in the UO college days. we we're lucky enough to live together here in NY a few years ago before she moved back to LA. she's one of my most favorite people..
and isn't she lovely? (i was lucky that they had scarves to hand out to guests- who knew it was so chilly in LA?); the most beautiful chuppah i've ever seen...
yummy dessert table complete with doggie bags; big love ♥
it was Veda's first wedding (it was her first everything really...) she slept through a good portion of it, which is a shame because nobody got to see her sweet little dress!
we spent the rest of the trip visiting our dear friends who also recently moved back to LA from brooklyn. they took us to the huntington botanical gardens in san marino. they were incredible!!
my favorite was the desert garden- i love succulants!
this bamboo grove was so serene and pretty...
our friends live in silver lake- which is too charming for words. i loved all the little bungalow style houses and desert plants in the landscaping. i could totally live there...
we went to celebrate our friend's birthday at her sister's house in santa monica. they made an incredible brunch followed by the most amazing birthday cake i have ever seen (4 layers in each piece)! we picnicked out on the front lawn. it was just perfect!
Posted by Heather at 10.6.11 1 comments
02 June, 2011
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We spent a few days in a beautiful log home on the lower Colorado River in the Texas hill country, located about an hour northwest of Austin.
The weather was beautiful, the water warm enough to swim in.
We had four generations on this trip, we were very happy to have great grandma come along.We spent lots of time outside on the porch, visiting, reading, the fishermen in the group got in some fishing,
and of coarse playing with our grandson.
I frequently found time on the swing to get some stitching time on the Civil War Bride quilt.
We went back home to Houston for a few more days with my son's family. I can not believe I did not get a picture but the Texas bluebonnets and other wild flowers were blooming all along the highways, it was just gorgeous.
In Houston I did manage to visit a few of the quilt shops during the spring shop hop. I resisted the temptation of getting the Friends of Baltimore patterns, they are still only available as a block of the month, it will be next year before you can purchase all the patterns together. At this time I want to focus on some finishes of the current quilts I am working on, so for now I am remaining disciplined. Today I am unpacking, doing laundry, and sadly putting our summer clothes away in the back of the closet because this is what is going on in Nebraska…
Happy Stitching,

subset: commoncrawl


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BOSTON -- It's rare that the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate and Gov. Charlie Baker can agree on tax policy -- particularly if the question is about raising taxes.
But should Massachusetts voters next month decide to legalize marijuana, there could be a script that all three would be willing to follow that would lead to a higher tax rate on pot than the one proposed in Question 4 on the November ballot.
Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat who supports legalization of marijuana for adult use, indicated Monday that he might be willing to go the farthest on marijuana taxation.
"We have to make sure we collect at least enough money to cover all of the expenses associated with regulating and licensing and enforcing the laws as they pertain to recreational marijuana," Rosenberg said after meeting with House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. "We also need to make sure we have enough funding to deal with addiction and the public health concerns as well as public safety. When all of that's done -- and I'm not convinced yet that the rate that's in the proposed law is sufficient to cover all of those expenses -- but assuming we reach the point that the voters pass it and we now know we need have a rate that will cover all of that, I'm open to going beyond that as well and would raise that with my colleagues.
The ballot question proposes a 3.75 percent excise tax on marijuana that would be added to the state's 6.25 percent sales tax, effectively taxing pot at 10 percent to start.
Cities and towns would have the ability to add an additional sales tax of up to 2 percent on top of that.
At 12 percent, Massachusetts would still have the lowest marijuana rate of any state that has legalized the adult use of the drug. Colorado taxes marijuana at 29 percent, Washington 37 percent, Oregon 17 percent and Alaska 25 percent, according to the Tax Foundation.
"I think there would have to be a discussion not only on that issue, but on a whole host of issues, although it is my sincere hope, obviously, that it does not pass," said DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat. "I would think that should the voters decide on passing it, I think anything and everything would be on the board in terms of whether it's taxation, whether it's regulation or whatever it may be."
DeLeo said that if voters do approve Question 4 on Nov. 8, he would not be inclined to call legislators back into session before January to consider immediate changes to the new law.
Question 4 campaign organizers have estimated that the tax scheme laid out in the ballot question would generate up to $100 million annually for the state. They say that's enough to regulate the new industry.
Polito, speaking for the administration with Baker in New York City, questioned that position. She and Baker have campaigned against Question 4, but should it pass, Polito said she has doubts about whether the 3.75 percent tax rate would be sufficient to cover the state's expenses.
"This is a new industry and, compared to other states like Colorado, the question, in our view, is flawed because it has a tax rate that, in our view, most likely would not cover the cost to regulate the industry," Polito said.
Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who would oversee the proposed commission, recently said that when it comes to taxes on marijuana, "the higher the better."
Despite recent polling showing voters appear ready to approve legal marijuana for adult use on Nov. 8, Polito said she and the governor remain "very much opposed" to the question and will continue to urge voters to reject the ballot question.
Polito did, however, seem to take a similar position to the one Baker has carved out on taxing new technologies, such as Uber and AirBNB, when asked whether raising the tax rate would violate the spirit of the administration's no-higher-taxes stance.
"This is a whole new industry that would be introduced to Massachusetts, opening up the edible retail shops, home-growing of marijuana," she said. "This is a whole new landscape and would change the culture, and we would have to take a look at all of that."


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For those of you who are love with the culinary course and often tried various types of cuisine from various restaurants, have you ever cook it by yourself?
If you want to learn how to cook and want to try to create Balinese dishes, please join us at our cooking class in Ubud, Bali.
In this Cooking Class we will guide you how to make some kind of Balinese cuisine and the secrets of Balinese spices and you will be guided through the Ubud traditional market to buy the ingredients to cook. This lessons are taught by Balinese chefs in Ubud. You will take home memories and skills that will keep Bali in your life in the most sensory and satisfactory way possible: through your stomach to your soul! This fun, exciting and practical cooking class is ideal for both the Chef and home cook.
Below is our cooking school programs :
Reservation period : 24 hours in advance
Program start : 9 Am — finish
Include are : Book of recipes, kitchen apron, Brem punch, One natural water, all the food that you make on in the class.
Price : Adult Rp. 300.000, net / person. Child Rp. 250.000, net / person.
Cancellation : Rp. 75.000 Cancellation fee, for no show or sudden cancel.
Payment : Cash or credit card directly on spot.
09.00 - Participants meet at Restaurant (Free pick in Ubud area, pick up time : 8.30 am)
09.15 - Arrival at Ubud traditional market
10.00 - Depart to Restaurant
10.15 - Start with cooking program
14.00 - Desert and Brem punch
You can select one of our classes :
- Basa Gede
- Sayur Urab
- Opor Ayam
- Bali Sate Lilit
- Godoh
- Basa Gede
- Tempe Manis
- Opor Vegi (Tempe)
- Tahu Guling Telor
Photo Gallery of our cooking class in Ubud :


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DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport plant is trying to re purpose several acres of riverfront property.
Nestle Purina wants to build a parking lot along river drive near the company's plant in Davenport and would sit next to Veteran's Memorial Park.
Nestle Purina wants to build the lot to fit 360 of its trucks.
The company says it also hopes the lot will reduce traffic off Rockingham Road... where the Nestle Purina plant is.
Some city leaders worry about what that means for the future of the riverfront and say a truck lot doesn't fit with the river front vision.
"The long range plan after many public hearings is to develop a park and we have the best river front on the upper Mississippi River," says Levee Improvement member, Bill Ashton.
The company wants to lease the old Davenport dump site from the city for 50 years and build the lot.
"So there is no cost to the city but they would pay the city an amount for the lease," says Davenport Mayor, Frank Klipsch.
That amount would be only a dollar a year. In return for the low rate, the company says it will make aesthetic improvements to the lot so trucks can't be seen from the river front.
If the city backs out of the 50 year agreement early, it would have to pay a fee.
"It basically was one sided and favored Nestle Purina," added Ashton.
"We`ve got a long time, 100 year company who wants to continue commitment here in Davenport but at the same time we have a commission who wants to protect the longtime goals of the river front and it`s about finding a balance," added Mayor Klipsch.
Now, both parties will head back to the drawing board and try to find common ground.
"I can see where you can build parts of Veteran's Memorial Park and Nestle Purina can contribute towards that and we can agree for them to park some trucks there," added Ashton.
The site is unusable right now because it's on an old dump, so the only options are to build a park or parking lot. The city's goal is to work with the company to compromise between building the parking lot while still having room for a park
If both parties reach a compromise, the plan will go to city council for review.


text: An appearance by the "Bathing Suit Bike" will be among the highlights of the third-annual Quail Motorcycle Gathering (www.quaillodge.com) May 14 at the Quail Lodge Golf Club in Carmel, Calif. The Vincent Black Lightning prototype gained fame in 1948 when it set a motorcycle speed record of more than 150 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The bike was ridden by Rollie Free, whose piloting attire became the source of the Vincent's nickname: To save weight, Free wore only a helmet, tennis shoes, and swim trunks. The Vincent will be one of several historically significant machines displayed at the golf club, where dress more proper than Free's is required.


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Bless, Bless
The only problem with learning Icelandic is that it is begining to affect my English! I find myself talking differently, although that is mostly a reaction to trying to speak more clearly for Icelanders. Oh, and then the other issue is that the last language I learned was Spanish. Therefore, everytime my teacher asked a question, I felt myself nodding and beginning to say, "Si". Not surprisingly, Pete has noticed that he does the same thing.
So, now we have about 3 weeks of summer vacation before school starts. Yes, it starts early here, on August 22! I love the Labor Day rule and generally think it is an abomination to start school prior to Labor Day, especially when the summer heat is still overwhelming. However, my kids have been out of school since June 7th AND it is not exactly swelteringly hot here, so I guess I will be ready for them to start!


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Hello Everyone,
Apologies for the long wait for an update. We are moving this blog over to our new website at www.igda.org/staff-blog
All new posts will now be featured on that site. Thanks for following us!
Hello Everyone,
Apologies for the long wait for an update. We are moving this blog over to our new website at www.igda.org/staff-blog
All new posts will now be featured on that site. Thanks for following us!
Dear IGDA Members,
Over the last few weeks, I hope you have noticed a concerted effort to reduce the number of emails coming from IGDA to your email inbox. I know it seemed like we were sending something out every day, and a few folks voiced complaints about it.
Let me begin by saying the reason for the large amount of email output was threefold: A. We had a number of issues surrounding the special election, Board changes, and decisions that had to get out to the membership to remain within the structure for notifications in the bylaws. B. When I arrived at the end of June, one of the things that a number of the people whom I spoke with, and which I also saw on the forums and such was a desire for more transparency on what is going on with and at the IGDA. Finally, C. Since I have arrived, we've been instituting a number of new programs and changes to existing ones that were important to bring to your attention BEFORE they went live. In fact, we've had one big project happening each month since that time and likely to continue into the near future.
That said, I hate coming to my inbox and finding a lot of email as much as the next person. So, in hearing that people felt the pendulum had swung too far in the notification direction, we've cut back intentionally. I hope that you have seen this. As part of my efforts to keep the quantity of email light, but the quality of information high (signal to noise ratio as is commonly used) I will be sending out semi-regularly emails like this one, which have a large amount of content for you to read and be aware of.
I also will continue to post to my Blog as often as possible, and we will be using twitter and our Facebook account more to allow people to opt in to our messaging. So, there will be a lot of info forthcoming on various items, but I need you to do your part if you want to stay in the loop and actually read these various areas where the content will be.
In this email we will be talking about:
– The New Website
– The Leadership Forum
– The Webinar Series
– Unemployed Members Dues Rate
The new website:
According to the legends I have heard from before my arrival, this website has been in the making for about 4 years. While not getting into the details of these legends, I am also aware that it seemed like the new site was just over the horizon for a long time. Having worked for a web developer in a previous life, I understand how sometimes these expectations can lead us to set launch dates that don't end up working out. That said, we set a launch date in Sept. of Oct. 19th. At the moment we are still on track to hit that date and go live.
Yes, we plan on launching the new website that Jason and Tim and now Mark and Tobi have been spearheading for some time. Let me share some details for those of you who may not have heard from your SIG or Chapter leaders already.
The new website has a front end based on Drupal, and a Back End that runs via CiviCRM. Naturally the back end piece is more for the operations of the association, but it also runs the group security aspects of the site.
The new website has some interesting tools and new functions and features that you should find useful. Specifically the ability for each logged in user to be able to customize some of the display aspects so that you can filter in the content you are regularly accessing more easily. We'll also have polling abilities, and elections capacity, and some other new toys that I'll be creating a tutorial to use with Joseph Sapp who has been our webherd for the duration of this project.
For many of you, the change will be mainly in a little more easily accessed content and some new opportunities to use the site. But for the SIG & Chapter Leaders and Staff, there is a great deal of added capabilities that we will have. As the previous site did not actually have an effective content management system, and the pages were being done manually by Joseph Sapp. There will also be a new member's only content areas, where various benefits will begin to be placed that are for IGDA members specifically. An example will be the webinar recordings and sign up areas, but that's the start of what will likely grow to a strong reason to be a member of the IGDA. This area is the direct result of input from the membership survey in Sept. where the majority of you indicated there should be some member's only features and programs.
In addition, many of the database tools were not readily adjustable, and the new CiviCRM piece should allow us a great deal more capability, and the ability to reduce expenses associated with processing and maintaining the 12,000 member records we have on file.
Naturally, there will be hiccups. I don't know what these will be (if I did I would fix them so they never happened) but we'll address any challenges as they appear. I hope you will be kind to the staff and volunteers as we make this migration happen. As I have said in other communications this project too is an evolution, and even once it's launched we will continue to grow the website in various directions to offer more capabilities and ease of use.
I have been counseled by some folks that the new website does not have the visual design impact that we, as the IGDA should have. I accept that and agree. That said, I think it is important to continue to move forward with the changes that have been accomplished with the new site, and adjust the visual design elements once the site is up and stable. To that end, if there are any volunteers who would like to be part of the visual design elements of the website, especially those with artistic talent or Drupal experience, please let myself or Joseph Sapp or Mark D. know so that when we are ready to move forward in that area, we know whom to turn to.
I am excited about getting this site up and running. There is a great deal of effort that has gone into this project, and Jason and Tim should really be given a hearty thank you for their time on this project. While we will continue to evolve this application to our needs, the foundation is strong and they are largely responsible for it getting to where it is.
Many of you may be wondering about the current website, the content, the wiki, the forums, etc. We will be maintaining the original site as is, and have an archival link to it. The purpose here is to allow for any content that was missed during the migration to be gathered and moved over after the official launch, and also to maintain the original site as a back up in the event that some point of failure prevents the anticipated launch. (Again, I don't expect this, or I would have fixed it, but as game developers, I am sure you all understand that sometimes things happen beyond our control.) The wiki will remain as is for the immediate future. We have received a great deal of positive feedback on the wiki, and I prefer not to tamper with a "good thing" when I have one. We will also be looking at moving the forum content over, but that is a stage 2 endeavor. For the time being our main focus is getting up some new member's only forums as well as public ones. Finally, the SIGs and Chapters have been given some heads up warning that this change is coming, and some options for keeping or moving their content over.
Again, this launch is officially scheduled for Oct. 19th, with a soft target of Oct. 16th. Your positive thoughts and gentle indications when you find any errors will go a long way towards making this a great experience for everyone.
The Leadership Forum:
In the event that you may not know, we are running an IGDA Leadership forum: http://www.igda.org/leadership/
Times are tight for everyone these days, and that has made many associations cancel or limit their meetings. The IGDA suggests that because of the fact that the economy is down, this is the perfect time for you and your team to attend the IGDA Leadership Forum. Get away from the gamer events, and come and spend 2 days with professionals just like yourself, who are facing the same problems. Sure none of us can talk about the projects we are working on, but we CAN talk about the problems we're facing and share ideas and solutions to challenges we've been dealing with.
The IGDA has offered a number of discount codes, if you don't have one, contact your favorite Board member and get theirs. We are firmly behind the notion that the more game developers we can bring together in a meaningful discussion, the better an event we will have. Thus the promotional codes are extended, and we are actively encouraging you to come, and listen to some high powered speakers who have been in the trenches alongside you. Ask them the hard questions and see if they have some solutions that might not have occurred to you yet. Then talk to other folks who might be able to offer you some thoughts and resources to look at later on when you're working in the middle of the night and you just need a little help.
We've got over 100 folks attending already, and we are expecting 200 or so. A small, high powered meeting, with plenty of time built in to network, so you don't need to stand in the hall during a session to chat with people about the issues you're facing.
Register on-line with your promo code: http://www.igda.org/leadership/registration/
SCRUM Certification:
In conjunction with our leadership forum, we are partnering with Clinton Keith on offering a SCRUM Master Certification course. If you've used Agile or your team needs a little more effective means of being efficient to prevent crunch or reworking projects, this is an awesome opportunity to send one or two folks and then bring the program back and get the whole team up to speed. Information on the course is here: http://www.agilegamedevelopment.com/CKC/CSM4VG_Brochure.pdf
We've limited the seating to 35 participants, and we are selling out, so please register now to reserve your seat. If you attend both the certification and the Leadership forum, we're offering you 10% off both in addition to your discount code for the Leadership Forum.
Register Here: http://www.igda.org/leadership/registration/
IGDA Members Only Webinar:
One of the things that came out of the member satisfaction survey was the desire to see more practical benefits for your membership dues. To that end, we have begun a year round series of webinars for IGDA members only. Instead of asking you to always come to the conference, we're bringing some of the conference materials to you.
Our first webinar was on the fundamentals of SCRUM, Lean and Agile with Clinton Keith, and we had over 200 folks register for the event and over 150 stay for the full hour and a half. We've recorded the session, and the recording should go live for everyone to see as early as today.
We are lining up speakers in all topic areas now for the next 6 months, and my goal is to bring you a new webinar every 2-3 weeks. If we have more content than that, we'll ramp up the number of presentations, but to start I'd like to space it out as we all (members, presenters and staff) get comfortable with the concept, the expectations and the technology.
Our next Scheduled Webinar will be Tom Buscaglia, The Game Attorney, presenting: Indie Gold: Downloadable Content Models for Core Casual Games. Which will take place at 12:00 noon eastern/9am Pacific on Oct. 27th. Of course if you know Tom, you know you need to attend this webinar, because NO ONE knows what he might say!
A separate invitation to register for the webinar will follow, as will a full schedule of the webinars lined up for the rest of the year.
REQUEST: If you, yes you, IGDA member reading this, know of someone who has an interesting topic and wants to speak via webinar to the group, please email me email@example.com, and we'll get you on the schedule. Highly specific and technical presentations are welcome. This is the perfect format for a session that might only appeal to 20 people, because we can fit you in and get you in front of the 20 people who will care about what you have to say. All disciplines are welcome! We have members in almost every area related to Game Development, so whether your topic is visual, code, business, or humanity related, let us put you in front of the people. We want to build content for our members, and this is a wonderful way to be able to accommodate that. (We are also looking for presentations in languages besides English, specifically Japanese, French, Spanish and German. Let us know if you have that type of capacity and interest in presenting at a time convenient to a chapter across the globe.)
Chapters: If you are having some trouble getting speakers for your local chapter meetings, we can use this technology to find you a great speaker that you can project up for your group.
Unemployed Member Dues Rate:
This also has been announced before, but I think it is important enough to make note of again. The Board of Directors of the IGDA understands that many of our members may currently be between assignments, and when the dues renewal comes at such a time, it becomes a question of personal resources. In order to attempt to support these efforts, the Board has approved an Unemployed renewal rate of $25 for any member whose dues renewal comes up at a time when they are between jobs. This is an honor system program, and is done with the intention of supporting our members who want to stay involved in the IGDA, yet may be concerned about their own finances.
We have a number of new initiatives coming as well. We are looking into a career center, some insurance opportunities, lifetime membership, and more. As these come closer to launch, I'll be filling you in.
Joshua Caulfield
Executive Director
Dear IGDA members who attended the Austin GDC,
I had an excellent time meeting many of you throughout the week, and look forward to doing so again in the future. It is clear to me that you understand the power of your chapters is in your volunteers and their willingness and desire to make the organization into something greater than the sum of its parts.
As you know, I have been working diligently since July 1st to increase the value of the central organization. Being developers, I am also confident that you understand nothing is achieved overnight or by one's self. The IGDA Board of Directors has been integrally involved in all of the changes you have seen in the last 3 months, and there are MANY more to come.
It is because the need is so great that the Board, upon reviewing the departure of 3 elected members, decided that additional volunteers were needed. The full Board reviewed and discussed a number of candidates, specifically focusing in on those who had expressed interest previously, and who had skill sets that the organization needs in this critical period of transition.
We have challenges ahead, which should not be news to you. But we also have solid plans to rebuild membership, increase participation, and bring increased value to each individual member. We also have the administrative issues that any organization servicing 12,000 people worldwide faces. So it was that we needed some help, and could not wait for the election cycle to roll about. This is exactly why the ability for the Board to appoint members was placed into the by-laws in the first place. These folks have agreed to serve for shortened 2 year terms specifically to support the association in this time of transition. There is work to be done, and they agreed to help get on with the jobs at hand.
I ask each of you to support these new Board members as well as the existing ones. For without them, the IGDA as an international organization would not exist. I also ask you to consider volunteering to run for the Board yourself. It is not an easy task, and it requires more than a little of your time, but if you want to make a difference in the IGDA, that is the best place to be.
Dear Members,
I recently sent out an update to the chapter and SIG leadership about the website status. While there are still likely to be challenges ahead, and timelines do change for various reasons, I wanted to let everyone know what was happening for the sake of transparency. Here was the email I sent:
Good Morning Folks,
I know you've all been waiting for nearly 4 years, and I also know that there always seems to be a "it's almost ready" answer coming to you. So in order to give you all the best info, I'm going to give you more info than you really need, to provide some insight into where things are, what's recently been going on, and where we're headed. (Sorry this email is long and focused, I am open to any questions that you might have, but wanted to be as tight as possible below.)
1. You should all as chapter or SIG coordinators have someone who can access the website for you. If not please email myself (email@example.com) or Joseph Sapp (firstname.lastname@example.com) so we can make sure that happens.
2. When I came on at the beginning of July, we had a number of "serious" blockers. Things that just really needed to be finished so that the site would work, and we wouldn't look like complete idiots for putting it out there. Tim L. (please hold the comments) did a good job in moving through those with Tobi and Myself and Joseph backing him up. (Also mad props to the QA folks and sig and chapter leaders who provided testing and bugs and the like. Thank you all.)
2a. With Tim's resignation, Mark D. has stepped up as a technically proficient Board member to take this project to the final steps.
2b. Because of the email exploit during the previous month, it was clear that we needed to do a security audit to ensure that the site was not open to similar shenanigans. At this time, while no site is impervious, all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure we are as secure as possible with the resources we have available.
3. This week at GDC Austin, Tobi, Mark, Joseph and Myself had a brief conversation about what is going on with the website, the migration plan, blockers, etc.
3a. There are no "major" blockers at this time. i.e. There are still a number of minor issues here and there, and I am well aware that the visual design is not what the group would like, but we don't feel it's worth waiting another 6 months to fix these lesser items.
3b. I am committing to you that this release of the website will not be the end of the project. We WILL work to fix bugs and other items as they appear. We will also work on reworking the visual design to be a more effective, engaging and exciting visitor experience. But these items will need to wait a bit (likely a review in the first quarter of 2010.)
4. We have a migration plan in place, as well as back up plans for the current site, transfers of forums and wiki content, and list swap-overs. This will not be an easy process, and I am sure we will have a few mistakes during the process. I am counting on your help to review the site and let me know where issues occur.
4a. Part of the migration process is to ensure that all of the content you folks want transferred over to the new site for your chapter areas is moved. So please keep an eye on the migration date and let myself or Joseph know ASAP if that date is not going to work for you.
4b. I have been clearly informed by the community, that the previous site info is critical to have. So for a period of time we will retain the old site, it simply won't be directly accessible to the public. Please do not plan on having access to it regularly, as we will need to take it down after a period.
5. I would very much like to have the new site go live on Oct. 19th (arranging for a soft transition in the evening of Oct. 16th, with the weekend to work out any initial kinks). However let me be clear, we have not confirmed that will be doable yet. I am letting you in on the discussion phase. We may need to do it earlier in the day, or on a different day altogether. But I will keep you apprised.
OK, that's the plan as it stands. I will get more info out to you as we get into a more realistic stance. Please move any content you have over, and again, if you haven't had access, let me know.
There are other things going on also:
– We can set up chapter groups for specific reserved content to your chapters. (Sigs as well)
– Elections can be done via the site.
– We have need for a users guide, which the writer's sig generously agreed to create for us, and I am approaching them on now.
The IGDA's success as an organization is the result of the dedication
and expertise of its volunteers. Quite simply, when our members come
together great things happen. Now it's time to get the message out.
All the IGDA SIGs and chapters could use a hand with advocating their
message, putting the weight of the entire IGDA behind their efforts to
improve the lives of developers. One way we can do this is with a
visual media campaign – consistent posters, t-shirts, website banner
ads – all with the weight of the entire IGDA behind them, and not just
small groups of concerned developers.
We are currently assembling a Committee on Messaging to aid in the
development of such a campaign. Heading up this committee will be
Wendy Despain and Cat Wendt, who did the visual design of the IGDA
Magazine prototype.
Because visual media requires more than just a cool idea, we are
seeking applicants for the Editorial Board with experience in marketing,
graphic design, public relations, communication, advertising,
messaging, community outreach and other similar fields. The ideal
candidates will be professional, creative and quick-witted.
We ask that applicants submit a brief summary of their qualifications
and experience to firstname.lastname@example.com by August 29th, 2009.


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If you know me, I love to give gifts WAY MORE than I like to receive them. So for me, the ultimate joy of the holiday is to see smiles on the faces of those who get gifts from us. The smile I'm talking about is exactly like the one pictured below here with Ben.
Ben's stocking stuffers included the peg game (featured at any not-s0-local Cracker Barrel), some Goo-Goo's (milk chocolate and peanut butter covered pecans) and cinnamon flavored hard candies all from the Old-Timers Candy Shop at the Cracker Barrel. Like I stated in the previous post - there weren't as many gifts under the tree with Ben's name on them, but you'll quickly understand why.
Our friend Emilie turned me onto prints by an artist named Amanda Rathiel who resides in Falls City, Nebraska. She does some great prints focused on the cattle industry and this is one of our favorites, entitled "One Man's Opinion."
It is most appropriate since a good portion of Ben's career is focused on this exact thing. I absolutely love this print - and although I am quite sure he knew it was coming - I think it'll be a staple in his office for years to come!


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They claim even Lawrence Welk would approve! After being locked away in various undisclosed studios around Duluth, producing their new, musical masterpiece, Tangier 57 joins us in the studio. The band is looking forward to a new release this July and viewers will get an exciting dose of their tiki-jazz inspired vibe. Tangier 57 will put you in a summer mindset as they mix up their original lounge sound with zest and flavor from the islands.
Terry Hallback has pushed the craft of woodturning to a whole new level: the level of art! His hollowed out wooden vases and lamp shades are often carved to less than 1/8 of an inch thick. But he doesn't stop there. His love for color has also inspired him to dye and paint some of his works with bright, vibrant colors and to add designs, enhancing the wood grain. See how Hallback transforms wood from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
What do emerging artists do in Ely, in the summer? Ely Greenstone Public Art holds part of the answer. Ely Greenstone is a non-profit arts organization in the Ely area focused on enhancing life through art and encouraging artists of all ages to participate. They offer art classes to children and adults, hold art exhibits and beautify Ely's public areas with murals and sculptures. Find out what Ely Greenstone is up to this summer and see how you can get involved.


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|Image via Wikipedia
Is yeast poisonous? Is it toxic? Not usually, but it is, by God's standards, a contaminant. Unleavened bread is made without yeast, and that is what God required in the Passover meal and for sacrifices at the Temple. In Leviticus 6 the grain and meal offerings were made with fine flour and oil but without yeast.
In the offering, God required purity. He calls us to be pure, too. He calls Christians to be righteous. Jesus restated the Ten Commandments and made reference to our service as being more righteous than that of the Pharisees because he expected it to come from the heart and address the meaning of the Law not just the letter. There is an obscure indication that God knew that in the Old Testament too. In Leviticus 7:13 he gave instructions about the fellowship offering.
Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast.
God never changes his standards, but he accepts our imperfections knowing that Christ's Blood is the remedy. No amount of sacrifice or unleavened bread or blood of goats and sheep will suffice. Only Jesus can make us acceptable and he knows that. He wants us to know that we can't do it without him, and he never wants us to hesitate to come to him because of our sin or failure.
He loves us even in our natural state, and he accepts offerings of bread made with yeast.


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I wonder, sometimes, if we aren't too concerned and preoccupied with intellectual knowledge about theology, about what's in the bible, and about what the bible means. I wonder if we don't too often neglect experience in favor of knowledge.
I'm spending the week at summer camp this week, with middle school students, and I've started to wonder if that isn't part of the point of camp ~ to move beyond intellect to experience; from knowledge to faith.
Obviously there's nothing wrong with intellectual exploration of the divine. At the same time, there's more to a life of faith than the mind. At camp, young people get the opportunity to explore that life, even if they don't know it's happening.
But what about at church? What about our regular congregational worship life? What about in the life of the congregational community? Do we, in the mainline traditions of Christianity, too often reduce faith to intellectual assent to that which is basically unbelievable?
Still, though, the intellectual is important. Without the intellectuals of history, our life of exploring the divine with our minds would be stunted.
So, then, what would it be like for us to intellectually explore the divine while at the same time we allowed ourselves to be carried away by and experience of the divine that is beyond and apart form the simplicity of our mind?


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immediately as well as each nominee assigned to you and your product assignments will be reassigned.
Plan ahead
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Be Communicative:
Nominees are expected to contact you, but you are welcome to proactive and contact them with a short introduction message and ask for dates and times of their preferences for your demonstration.
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Remember that you are representing an international and prestigious awards system. Your interaction with nominees before, during and after the demo should be respectful and professional.
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Be Respectful of Time:
Make sure you are clear and reconfirm when your demo begins and how long it will go.
Complete your Evaluations Immediately:
Don't wait for days afterwards to enter your presentation scores! Plan to take 15-20 minutes to enter them when they are fresh right after the demo. Your scores determine to a large part whether the nominee's product makes it to the decision round. Be thorough in your comments so nominees receive high quality constructive feedback.
Skip Irrelevant Criteria!
When judging the products skip any criteria that are not relevant to the product. The product will not be penalized.
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The wonders of modern technology - a car that glides seamlessly along with hardly any noise at all.
Well that's great if you're the driver or the passenger, but today's quiet hybrid cars are not so good for pedestrians as people simply don't hear them coming.
Lotus has decided to create the technology to bring that oh so thrilling sound - the roar of a well tuned engine - to eco conscious drivers.
The car manufacturer explains that its "safe and sound hybrid technology" simulates the growl of a combustion engine, making it "instantly recognisable that the vehicle is in motion".
It has already put the system into a Toyota Prius, which is one of the most popular hybrid cars on the market.
Lotus adds that the device kicks in automatically to produce an artificial engine noise when the hybrid car runs on its electric motor.
But when the hybrid car's combustion engine takes over, sensors fitted to the engine and suspension turn off the sound.
The Independent adds that the engine noise is produced by a waterproof loudspeaker, which is positioned next to the car's radiator, making the sound seem to originate from under the bonnet.
The system produces a pitch and frequency designed to help pedestrians identify the car's speed and distance.
Mike Kimberley, chief executive of Group Lotus, said: "The increased acceptance of greener vehicles such as hybrid and electric vehicles is to be encouraged; they have an important role in improving fuel economy and reducing emissions.
"Our technology increases pedestrian safety, while retaining the car's environmental benefits."


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A few days after a Christmas gathering, my balikbayan good friends, invited me to have dinner with their hubbies at Zamboanga Restaurant located at 1619 Adriatico St. Malate Manila. It serves fresh seafoods, native cuissne and international dishes. The place offer nightly cultural shows which starts at 8:30 pm and serenaders to visitors/guest. It offers dances from different parts of the country. During the show, they will ask some participants to join in some dance where basic steps will be taught and afterwards they will perform it on stage. Dance like Tinikling and Hawaiian. That was fun seeing mostly foreigners doing the dance, children who wants to learn our national dance, tinikling.
This is another worthwhile experience , getting to know and refreshing your mind with Philippine Cultural history. It was a great dining experience together with lifetime good friends and enjoying the fantastic cultural show.


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The small group made the course more focused on the individual. At courses with too many people you feel disconnected. At the Atlanta School you feel like someone is tutoring you.
Past News ReleasesRSS
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) July 22, 2009
Physicians interested in becoming board certified in the growing field of sleep medicine have two years remaining to take advantage of a 5-year "Grandfathering" period where they can potentially bypass a one-year sleep medicine fellowship that will be required of all candidates starting in 2012. Only two more board exams remain in this 5-year period, one in November 2009 and one in Fall 2011.
Following a decision made by several key medical boards in 2006, one path towards taking the sleep board exam has been significantly shortened. Physicians who are board certified in psychiatry, internal medicine, neurology, pediatrics, ENT, or Family Medicine and who meet the requirements of the practice pathway have the opportunity to sit for the exam without a one year sleep medicine fellowship.
For physicians who are taking advantage of this period, The Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology has developed a unique course offering developed specifically to prepare them for the national sleep board exam to be held on November 19, 2009.
The school's 3-day weekend review course gives physicians a boost in their preparations for the challenging day-long exam in November by reviewing a variety of clinical sleep disorders and sleep sciences as well as other skills tested on the board exam. The instructors mix lectures with case-based presentations and technology to create a unique study experience that gives doctors a solid foundation for preparing the rest of the month. Michael Rinow, MD, who passed the boards in 2007, said, "The Atlanta School's lectures feature sleep experts who are nationally known. The board review course places a great emphasis on mastering clinical parameters of various sleep problems and knowing the International Classification of Sleep Disorders."
Ramamurthy Bangalore, MD, who also used the review course to prepare for the boards said he appreciated the Atlanta School for its smaller class size. "The small group made the course more focused on the individual. At courses with too many people you feel disconnected. At the Atlanta School you feel like someone is tutoring you."
Dr. Bangalore, decided to get board certified after realizing how essential sleep is to the overall health of his patients. "In the past, doctors rarely even asked about their patient's sleep quality, which adds up to one-third of their life! Since studying sleep medicine I am better able to teach patients and help them with their sleep problems."
Edward Sall, MD, who took the Atlanta School's Early Bird Review Course in the spring, said that as a dentist and an ENT, the field of sleep medicine is all around him. "The sleep medicine field is a natural extension of what I already do. There is growing awareness about the importance of sleep and an aging population that both contribute to sleep medicine's growth. The momentum in the field right now combined with sleep's increasing role at my practice has given me a desire to get board certified in sleep medicine."
The review course features the school's founder and director, Russell Rosenberg, Ph. D., ABSM, as one of the lead instructors. Dr. Rosenberg is an experienced board certified sleep specialist and educator. He lectures and teaches internationally on a range of sleep medicine topics. Dr. Rosenberg's expertise includes insomnia and disorders of excessive daytime sleepiness.
In addition to the 3-day board review course, the Atlanta School offers an optional one-day Digital Records Review Course with Terrence Malloy, RPSGT. This precursor to the main course gives physicians an extra day to look at records and hone this skill that will be tested on the November exam.
About The Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine
Since 1992, the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine & Technology in Atlanta has offered introductory and review courses for more than 5,000 physicians and health care professionals in sleep medicine and polysomnography. Four-day intensive introductory courses are designed for physicians and 80-hour courses, which include an online component, are designed for sleep technologists and allied health care professionals. The Atlanta School also offers special topics including Sleep Medicine for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants, Sleep Medicine for Industry Professionals, and has an Online Learning Center that features a technologist registry preparatory course. For more information about the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine, please visit the school's web site at http://www.sleepschool.com. Media Contact: Laura Baareman, The Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology, (770)883-6679.


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Category Archives: Activism
Why the ALS #icebucketchallenge matters…
The Gift
"Fuck Jesus!" I said that often within the past 10 months. There is this theory that He creates a plan for our lives. Although a great theory when things go wonderfully, I completely disagree. Because really, who wants to die?
Break ups are never easy. Frankly, "if it was, everyone would do it." Although… America's divorce rate is nearing 52%, lawyers advertise such things as a "quick/fast divorce," and I came from a broken family, numerous actually, if you take into consideration my dad. Sooo, my argument seemingly just collapsed on itself. It is easy. Let me try again…
I have this old soul dream that… I'd be married for 50+ years, growing old, living in a home built by my partner and I, in a town that we both love, with our little tiny baby family, kids and all, sharing life's moments and struggles. I want my partner to be my best friend. I don't want to turn out like my parents. And I thought I found that. Those conversations were had, expectations and anticipation was building, and my frugal college budget bought a meaningful ring. He was my husband. And then it was over…
It wasn't just a heartbreak. It was a heart blindsided and shattered, stomped and blended, with very little remorse, as an audience watched it happen with little movement. It was a life altered, shattered and devastated, scarred and irreparable. It was the loss of a dream, and I seemingly had no control. I screamed for help. Once again, the list of people that I have loved, then given up on me, had grown. I needed him, and them. He thought differently, and so did they. "There's a thing about pain – it demands to be felt."
I must admit that I was far from perfect in my relationship, and apologies (plural) from me are much warranted. But that is what the best relationships are: two imperfect people coming together to attempt to make a more perfect union. Losing my relationship amplified my already existing trust and abandonment issues. (The two most important people in my life have abandoned me.) I am cradled by walls so thick, yet so vulnerable, that it only seems normal to not allow myself to make new friends or have new relationships. It is not ok. It is just what I know.
And now, I'm dying. But…aren't we all?
I am sad and very scared. It will not happen immediately. It is going to be an elongated deterioration, not knowing when it will happen, or how, but I know from what. It is sad to be so fearful of something smaller than the tip of a ballpoint pen. It is depressing to live in a paranoid world, scared of your own blood, a cold or the flu, fearful of shortness of breath, a collapsed lung, or even pneumonia. It is unfortunate to think that the possibility of dating has dramatically decreased, and that dream may never happen.
It is disgusting to know that my death is on the hands of the one who said we were best friends and soul mates, whose life I saved. My "husband." And sadly, I will probably never get a sincere apology, even after forgiving more than I should have. I have been left to die in exchange for popularity – I am now "a failed existence in mutation." I carry the burden and weight of a disgusting stigma that I must fearfully debunk. A lie, either intentional or by omission, can completely ruin another person's life. He stole my life, and killed me in the process. You cannot play with, and fuck up, someone's life!
It was not just a break up…I cannot just let it go…
How do you tell your family that you are sick, and the person that they invited into their home, to family gatherings, in family portraits, who was called "mijo," and whose life I saved, was the one responsible? Where is my mom to hold me? Or my dad to defend me? I haven't even earned my Masters degree! I haven't traveled the world! I haven't bought a house or gone on a cruise or gone on a train ride. I haven't seen David Letterman or Ellen DeGeneres. I haven't gone on a train ride, or to Las Vegas, or Hawaii, or Australia, or California, or Disney World!
I haven't gotten married or had kids. Now, I question – will I be able to? Was this apart of His plan?! I did not want this! Who wants this?!
I believe it is essential that, as superior intellectual species, we must ask ourselves why we do the things we do rather than just observing the what. When we answer that question, we are able to display a good sense of humanity with some empathy. Seems that we are a generation that has failed to do this, to simply give a shit.
My silent struggle of the past 10 months would drive anyone to a gun, irrationality, therapy, alcohol, or partake in activities that are horribly unhealthy. (Four out of five ain't bad… It's passing!) You really have no idea what some people are struggling with. I hide it well with humor and a smile. People's optimistic words seemed very unrealistic and not practical. Bad days seemed normal, accompanied with an unnecessary volume of tears.
You do not support the rapist. You do not support the domestic abuser. But they supported the criminal, reversed their word, and selfishly and mischievously placed him on an undeserving pedestal. He was glorified! It was a permanent pain. There is nothing worse than kicking someone when they are down. You do not just give up on people during their struggle. If one is to rely on another, require of another, lean on another, then that person should, without being asked, return the favor. We get so consumed with our own lives that we forget about someone who may need us.
Yet, I am naturally a realist, knowing that time was the only thing that could help. Then someone, through her persuading kindness and never ending resilience, invited me to an emotional day at church…
We cannot ignore the negative events of our life, or pretend they never happened. We do not plan on cancer, or our child's death, or Mother Nature's wrath, or a life threatening disease. We will constantly go through things that will drastically challenge our way of life, possibly changing your way of thinking. It will never be easy. But giving up on the challenge, or frankly, the person, is not what I believe He intended. On that emotional day, my life motto was solidified – once you meet great people, you have to keep them close. You may be giving up on something great.
He gave up on me, and so did they. And I needed them all…very badly. There has not been a day since that I do not think about what and who I have lost, and what could have been. Yet, I have a job in which I change lives and mold minds. I have been blessed with two amazing friends that have held my head when I have hurt and cried…literally. I have air to breath, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in. And a dog that runs my household…that bitch! Lastly, I am a great guy – some would say a catch, and I have been blessed with a massive heart that I unfortunately wear bruised on my sleeve. I might as well enjoy life while I still have it, trying my best to make a positive impact in the lives of others, and my own. So, I am doing good in this life. We are all given the gift, and choice, to live a positive life.
And at one point, I thought I was deep in love. Like, hold a boom box outside their window, get a ring, put their life in front of my own, love. I thought I finally knew that feeling…
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
I guess it is apart of the plan.
Happy Endings,
– PeeJay
Target Supports Same-Sex Marriage
Read the entire story at Huffington Post.


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Combating Skin Aging
Going beyond antioxidants
While free radicals have been implicated in much of the damage that occurs to aging skin, there are other injurious factors that result in unsightly structural and functional deterioration.
For instance, aging skin cells suffer from metabolic imbalances that preclude them from performing youthful repair functions. The groundbreaking work of Benjamin S. Frank, M.D. showed that RNA improved cellular energy and the ability of the skin's cells to use oxygen. This improved metabolism enhances the movement of young cells to the surface of the skin where they replace old cells.
Another benefit from topically applied RNA is to repair early skin cell damage. Clinical trials by Dr. S.J. Jellinek in the 1970s demonstrated how creams containing RNA/DNA caused a visible lifting/tightening of the skin, and the wrinkles appeared to be less visible in a three-week period. Although the study was a small-scale study, it was nonetheless a double blind test. Very few commercial products provide the potency of RNA and DNA used in these studies.
Glycolic acid is a potent alpha-hydroxy acid that has been shown to erase fine wrinkles in aging human skin. The mechanism of action of glycolic acid is to break down old cells at the skin's surface so they can be replaced with more youthful cells underneath. A 22-week, double-blind, randomized clinical trial at Massachusetts General Hospital in 74 women over age 40 showed that topically applied alpha-glycolic acid significantly reduced wrinkling and other types of damage caused by chronic sun exposure. An alpha-hydroxy acid should be included as a constituent of any anti-aging topical program.
A study in the Journal of Pharmacology and Biophysical Research showed that ginkgo biloba extract signals fibroblast activity in the skin to increase the synthesis of collagen, while serving as an anti-inflammatory agent. Topical application of gingko extract has been found to reduce the irritation that some people experience when using products like Retin-A and highly concentrated fruit acid compounds.
One of the major problems of advanced aging is the sagging of tissues caused by the destruction of the skin's underlying support structure (primarily collagen and elastin). While much of this structural deterioration may be preventable by lifestyle changes and proper use of oral and topical agents, it is difficult to reverse this unsightly collapse of facial tissues. In a study published in Skin Research Technologies,19 DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) was shown to produce a firming effect on the skin. This mechanism may be due to the fact that DMAE functions as a cell membrane stabilizer. Based on clinical reports, DMAE may be the first topical agent that can help firm sagging skin.
Keeping the skin moist
Replacing moisture lost to aging is a prime reason why women use face creams. Most commercial face creams are oil-based and work by blocking the release of water from the skin.
As people grow older, however, they cannot rely on oil-based preparations to block the release of moisture. That is because aged skin loses the ability to attract moisture in the first place and fundamentally becomes dehydrated. At this point, aged skin needs to be replenished with its natural moisturizer complex in order to attract and retain water.
The most advanced moisturizer is Ceraphyl® NGA, which functions by reducing the excessive drying in the upper-layers of the skin. Drs. Stig E. Friberg and David W. Osborne showed that Ceraphyl® NGA inhibits trans epidermal water loss by preventing the lipids (fats) from crystallizing. This mechanism is central to preventing dry, thin, leathery, dull, wrinkled skin. Ceraphyl® NGA also seems to increase the effectiveness of sunscreens and enhance the receptiveness of skin cells to antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E.
Hyaluronic acid helps the skin retain its youthful moisture via a different mechanism than Ceraphyl® NGA. Hyaluronic acid maintains the integrity of the connective tissue because it is a source of manganese and glucosamine. Injectable hyaluronic acid may one day replace injectable collagen, but this important skin-preserving nutrient is available without a prescription today in over-the-counter skin creams.
The ability of skin to hold moisture is directly related to its NaPCA (sodium pyrolidone carboxylic acid) content. NaPCA is one of the skin's most important natural moisturizers. Old skin, however, contains only about half the NaPCA as young skin. NaPCA facilitates the moistening by pulling water in out of the air. Optimal protection against age-accelerating dehydration is best obtained by the topical application of NaPCA, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, urea, Ceraphyl® NGA and squalane every day.
Delivering nutrients to the skin
A concern amongst dermatologists is whether agents that are proven effective in fighting skin aging can be consistently delivered to the specific layers of the skin where they are known to induce their biological effect. The advent of liposome delivery technology has enabled scientists to increase the efficacy of topical anti-aging agents by delivering them into the inner layers of the skin.
A patented liposome delivery system trademarked QuSomes® (meaning "quick liposomes") was discovered in late 2000. This technology represents a substantial enhancement in conventional liposome vehicles. QuSomes® not only delivers active skin protecting ingredients faster into the lower layers of the skin, but these liposomes are also designed to protect the active ingredient from deterioration. With the unique QuSome® delivery system, the solubility of the active anti-aging agents is preserved, thereby enabling them to reside longer in the areas of the skin where they exert their greatest biological effects.
The availability of QuSomes® enables nutrients like alpha lipoic acid to be reliably delivered to the inner layers of the skin. Alpha lipoic acid is a super-potent fat and water-soluble antioxidant. What has scientists so excited about alpha lipoic acid is its role in maintaining the health of the mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell itself. When the mitochondria are metabolically compromised, skin cells cannot perform youthful repair functions.
In addition, alpha lipoic acid helps turn off an inflammatory messenger known as nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB).The expression of NFkB induces inflammation at an early stage. Factors that suppress NFkB inhibit skin damaging inflammatory processes.20 (Editor's Note: NFk-B is a transcription factor. Transcription factors are messengers found inside the cell, which carry information from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. There they may activate or inhibit the production of certain proteins or enzymes, which then carry out a particular cell function. Such a function might be increased inflammatory factors.)
Another benefit to having abundant quantities of alpha lipoic acid in the skin is its ability to regulate a collagen-regulating factor known as AP-1. When alpha lipoic acid activates AP-1, it turns on enzymes that digest only glycation-damaged collagen. As we age, proteins become glycated, resulting in the formation of non-functioning cross-linked tissues (advanced glycated end products, AGEs). The accumulation of these cross-links is a hallmark molecular characteristic of visible skin aging.
QuSomes® can deliver alpha lipoic acid deeper into the lower epidermis (top layer) and upper dermis (lower layer) of skin. This makes alpha lipoic acid an exciting new weapon in the battle against the ravages of time.
Recently published findings indicate that one may have more control over the rate at which their skin ages than any other organ of the body.
To slow skin aging and partially reverse it, an individual must take a comprehensive approach to gain control over all of the factors that have been identified in the skin degeneration process.
For many years, a debate raged in the dermatological community as to whether topically applied anti-aging preparations could slow skin aging. The scientific literature now indicates that the daily application of a variety of agents can have a profound effect on both the health and appearance of the skin.
The next article describes the pioneering work of a medical doctor who developed the first topical preparation that contained ingredients that have now been shown to both protect and restore skin that has been damaged by irradiation and/or normal aging.
1. Podda M, et al. Low molecular weight antioxidants and their role in skin ageing. Clin Exp Dermatol 2001 Oct;26(7):578-82.
2. Sander CS, et al. Photoaging is associated with protein oxidation in human skin in vivo. J Invest Dermatol 2002 Apr;118(4):618-25.
3. Fitzpatrick RE, et al. Double-blind, half-face study comparing topical vitamin C and vehicle for rejuvenation of photodamage. Dermatol Surg 2002 Mar;28(3):231-6.
4. Dreher F, et al. Protective effects of topical antioxidants in humans. Curr Probl Dermatol 2001;29:157-64.
5. Yin L, et al. Alterations of extracellular matrix induced by tobacco smoke extract. Arch Dermatol Res 2000 Apr;292(4):188-94.
6. Traikovich SS. Use of topical ascorbic acid and its effects on photodamaged skin topography. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999 Oct;125(10):1091-8.
7. Darr D, et al. Effectiveness of antioxidants (vitamin C and E) with and without sunscreens as topical photoprotectants. Acta Derm Venereol 1996 Jul;76(4):264-8.
8. Rhie G, et al. Aging- and photoaging-dependent changes of enzymic and nonenzymic antioxidants in the epidermis and dermis of human skin in vivo. J Invest Dermatol 2001 Nov;117(5):1212-7.
9. Giacomoni PU, et al. Aging of human skin: review of a mechanistic model and first experimental data. IUBMB Life 2000 Apr;49(4):259-63.
10. Scharffetter-Kochanek K, et al. Photoaging of the skin from phenotype to mechanisms. Exp Gerontol 2000 May;35(3):307-16.
11. Ridge BD, et al. The dansyl chloride technique for stratum corneum renewal as an indicator of changes in epidermal mitotic activity following topical treatment. Br J Dermatol 1988 Feb;118(2):167-74.
12. Chapellier B, et al. Physiological and retinoid-induced proliferations of epidermis basal keratinocytes are differently controlled. EMBO J 2002 Jul 1;21(13):3402-13.
13. Koussoulakos S, et al. Effect of vitamin A on wound epidermis during forelimb regeneration in adult newts. Int J Dev Biol 1990 Dec;34(4):433-9.
14. Varani J, et al. Vitamin A antagonizes decreased cell growth and elevated collagen-degradingmatrix metalloproteinases and stimulates collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin. J Invest Dermatol 2000 Mar;114(3):480-6.
15. Varani J, et al. Molecular mechanisms of intrinsic skin aging and retinoid-induced repair and reversal. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 1998 Aug;3(1):57-60.
16. Gensler HL, et al. Effects of dietary retinyl palmitate or 13-cis-retinoic acid on the promotion of tumors in mouse skin. Cancer Res 1987 Feb 15;47(4):967-70.
17. Abdel-Galil AM, et al. Prevention of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced skin tumors in mice by simultaneous application of 13-cis-retinoic acid and retinyl palmitate (vitamin A palmitate). Exp Pathol 1984;25(2):97-102.
18. Sorg O, et al. Cutaneous vitamins A and E in the context of ultraviolet- or chemically-induced oxidative stress. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol 2001 Nov-Dec;14(6):363-72.
19. Uhoda I, et al. Split face study on the cutaneous tensile effect of 2-dimethylaminoethanol (deanol) gel. Skin Res Technol 2002 Aug;8(3):164-7.
20. Saliou C, et al. Solar ultraviolet-induced erythema in human skin and nuclear factor-kappa-B-dependent gene expression in keratinocytes are modulated by a French maritime pine bark extract. Free Radic Biol Med 2001 Jan 15;30(2):154-160.


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This section contains 8,930 words
(approx. 30 pages at 300 words per page)
SOURCE: Spevack, Marvin, ed. Introduction to Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, 2nd ed., pp. 1-45. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
In the following excerpt, Spevack surveys the dramatic structure, themes, and characters of Julius Caesar.
The Frame
Broadly seen, Shakespeare's concern with the private sphere is most evident in his comedies and poetry, with the public sphere in the history plays. Had Shakespeare not resumed writing tragedies with Julius Caesar, the two tragedies which preceded it, Titus Andronicus and Romeo and Juliet, might mutatis mutandis be assigned to the histories and comedies respectively. But the question of genre need not be stretched or stressed. What is apparent from the Yorkist and Lancastrian tetralogies and King John is Shakespeare's interest in public affairs, in problems of power and rule, in the qualities of the ideal governor, in the confrontation of ideologies, in the clash of armies, in civil conflict, in...
This section contains 8,930 words
(approx. 30 pages at 300 words per page)


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|Kizette in Pink by Tamara de Lempicka,
1923. Oil. See it at
Mussee deBeaux-Arts de Nantes, France.
"Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace." –Confucius
"One of the best ways of enslaving a people is to keep them from education… The second way of enslaving a people is to suppress the sources of information, not only by burning books but by controlling all the other ways in which ideas are transmitted."
—Eleanor Roosevelt
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." – Nelson Mandela
2017 I plan on celebrating the Celtic Season by reflecting on humanitarian issues I am passionate about. Based on my title and quotes, you should figure out I'm focusing on education.
One of my favorite books I used to read to my child was Beatrice's Goat written by Page McBrier and illustrated by Lori Lohstoeter. It is a true story about Beatrice Biira, a nine year old Ugandan girl, whose family is given a dairy goat. This family's life is changed by this gift. The goat brings nourishing milk to the family, and the extra milk they are able to sell. With the extra funds Beatrice's family is able to purchase medicine, and raise enough money for tuition to send her and her siblings to school.
Beatrice's story doesn't end with her attending elementary school. She is able to complete high school, and attend college and graduate school in the U.S. Today she is working to help end world poverty at Heifer International.
The book always struck me, Beatrice's family had to pay for her to go to school. If it wasn't for the gift of the goat, according to UNICEF, Beatrice would join the 61 million children of primary school age (about 6 to 11 years), 60 million young adolescents of lower secondary school age (about 12 to 14 years), and 142 million youth of upper secondary school age (about 15 to 17 years) who were out of school. She would be one of the estimated 250 million children in the world cannot read, write or do basic math.
UNICEF data indicates that girls are the most marginalized groups, with more than fifty percent being excluded from education. UNICEF also found that most children not attending school were from the poorest of families, from rural areas, and/or from ethnic or linguistic minorities. Other reasons children didn't attend were the children had disabilities, the children were refugees, or the children needed to help their families provide for the basic survival needs (i.e., food, shelter, clothing...).
The lack of access to education has a rippling effect on an individual and communities. Education has been shown to stop cycles of poverty and improve health outcomes. The World Bank study, 2012, showed that women with six or more years of education were more likely to seek prenatal care, assistance in childbirth, and postnatal care thus reducing the risk of maternal and child mortality. Studies have also shown that that if at least forty percent of the population is literate that there is a rapid economic growth. Additionally, A person's earning increases by ten percent for each school year they receive.
1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
These past couple of weeks, I've heard a lot of people talking about the benefits of paying it forward. I see public education as a way of paying it forward. It was Thomas Jefferson who argued, after the Revolutionary War, that tax dollars should be used to fund an educational system. However, some ideas take longer to implement.
It is amazing to learn that Colonial America did have schools often associated with a religious body. Some states began establishing public schools in the early 1600s (Boston Latin School, 1635) to provide for a separation of church and state. Mostly boys attended these schools and were taught reading, writing and mathematics. If girls did receive education, they were taught at home the basics.
Georgia was one of the first states to partially fund public education before the Revolutionary War. But it was Massachusetts that passed the first compulsory school laws in 1852. New York followed the next year, and by 1918, all American children were required to attend at least elementary school.
At the turn of the twenty-first century, Americans saw public education was more than the basic 3R. They saw it as a way to establish our countries values (Declaration of Independence and Constitution) and understand the stories and the people that make up this country. It is through these stories, we understand the struggles our ancestors faced: slavery, broken treaties, prejudice...
Despite this great history of endorsing public education, the US ranks 17th place out of 40 countries in a Pearson Report. Finland and South Korea are at the top of the list. In an interview with the BBC, Sir Michael Barber, Pearson's chief education advisor, stated one reason that these countries scored higher for education was the culture at large thought highly of teachers. If this were to be implemented in the U.S., teachers would have the same rock star status as a CEO of a tech company or sports figure.
Another difference found is the U.S. doesn't have a constitutional, or statutory, guarantee of the right to education. It is up to each state to determine how they educate their children.
I see the gift of education as an act of kindness shared with the child across the street, a teenager bagging your groceries each week, or a stranger across town, on the other side of the state or maybe in another state. If you get down to the nitty gritty, this act of kindness benefits that child, myself, my community and the future citizens of my community by increasing our economic and health advantages that come with education.


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Well, I've heard both sides of the budget situation – Republican and Democrat. Frankly I don't understand how the Republicans can take the stance that the very rich must not be taxed further. Why not?
Did the rich invest in jobs during George W. Bush's administration? Apparently not, or we wouldn't be needing jobs now. So, why not go back to the taxes during Clinton's administration?
I'm barely keeping up with all this, but good sense makes good sense. And most of mainstream America seems to agree with me.
Plus, how about taxing the oil companies… we are paying 'way too much for gasoline. Some of their big profits should go toward helping this country, not their pockets.
Maybe we should be releasing some of our own oil for use in this country.


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Posts tagged 'wii sales'
Wii Tracker
Black Friday is creeping up. Like I said in the earlier post, early bird does get the worm. It seems that some retailers are starting to increase their inventory. Wired Magazine, says GameStop has enough inventory to last through Black Friday. Also, BestBuy online finally has a some inventory for the base Wii model.


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Last night's class took place at Exhale, a combination spa-yoga-barre studio in the heart of Chicago. I've never done a barre class before, but have heard lots of raving about how great the workout really is, so I was very eager to jump in on the latest trend. At the same time, I haven't done much strength work in a while, and I was worried I would struggle with the class.
I made a new friend: Natali from The Race that Never Ends!
I arrived super early, as Exhale is pretty close to my office and I could easily pop right on over, so I got to take some time to check out the studio before the masses descended. Exhale is located above a corner storefront, and they have made excellent use of the space! The main entrance takes you right into a little yoga/wellness shop with the main counter running the length of the narrow space. Every person from both Class Pass and Exhale was incredibly helpful and super sweet, you couldn't look in any direction with seeing smiles! Although the lobby and store were kind of pressed into a narrow space, the room still had great flow and, on a non-party night, is probably more than ample space for regular business. There are Buddhas and Hindu figures throughout the space, augmenting the feeling of serenity exuded by the general decor - and tickling the fancy of this Asian art historian turned fitness buff!
Exhale is pretty much a full-service facility, offering not only lockers (with built in locks, so you don't have to bring your own), but also a retouching station fully equipped with brushes, hairsprays, tissues, and anything else you might have forgotten at home! You can shower (they provide towels and flip flops) right there on-site as well. I didn't look much into the spa section, but if the locker rooms are any indication, I bet the spa services are top notch!
Finally, we got to enter the workout room for our class. As expected, the entire room was ringed with a ballet barre. Exhale provides thick mats to cover the beautiful hardwood floors, handheld weights for various toning classes, and fabric straps for stretching. Each of us set up a small little station (we were pretty crammed in, but we made do) and waited eagerly to jump into the workout!
John really knew how to push us... HARD.
About thirty seconds in, Natali and I just looked at each other, faces full what can only be described as stunned intimidation. This class was going to be TOUGH! If you've never heard of barre fitness, here's what it's all about: agony. Tiny little pulsating movements that work muscles you didn't even know you had, until all you can do is laugh when your instructor moves on to the next seemingly impossible position and movement. We were full force in this class, no stopping to rest, no backing down the intensity - just hardcore workout from start to finish. I struggled, I know Natali struggled, looking around there were plenty of people falling or having to take pauses to reset, but we ALL pushed through it and finished the workout! It was easy to keep pushing with John (our instructor) constantly willing us forward, talking strength right into our muscles and encouraging us every step of the way!
Finally done with the excruciating - but certainly incredibly effective - workout, we sweated our way back into the lobby for some photo booth fun and a nice surprise: Loop Juice! These guys brought samples of several juice blends for us to try, including green juice (spinach, kale, parsley, celery, ginger, cucumber); red+lemon (beet, carrot, apple, ginger, pomegranate, lemon); and wake-up shot (ginger, lemon, cayenne). I tried the red+lemon and it was goooooooooood! I didn't try the green due to my cucumber allergy, and avoided the wake-up because of the cayenne, but I hear they were pretty darn good too!
All natural, fresh squeezed juices!
All in all, the experience was super fun! Got a great workout, met some new people, tried some new things, and went home happy! Best part? I get to do it all again tonight at Flywheel, a stadium cycling studio right down the street!
Photo credits for the in-class images and the Loop Juice photo go to Joel Maisonet, who provided his services throughout the evening and also happens to be a pretty cool dude.


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Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Old love
A new illustration looking at enduring relationships. I always think it's nice to see a couple of old duffers holding hands.
Posted by Ian Summers at 06:11 No comments:
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
The Shredder
Posted by Ian Summers at 01:42 No comments:
Labels: T-shirts, Threadless
Monday, 17 May 2010
A quick Bruce Lee like character. I'm trying to get a little better with palette selection by limiting the amount of colours I use.
Posted by Ian Summers at 06:19 No comments:
Thursday, 8 April 2010
This is a practice illustration in the build up to my next mail out. Got to get those illustration muscles pumping!
Posted by Ian Summers at 01:35 No comments:
Labels: Doodles, Promotions
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Cool designs!
A couple of excellent t-shirt designs printed this week from a couple of excellent designers. From left to right Alex Solis's Monkey Business, and Enkel Dika's Flow of Wisdom. I'm a big fan of these guy's!
Posted by Ian Summers at 10:22 No comments:
Labels: Cool stuff, T-shirts, Threadless
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Survival of the fittest
It's finally up for the vote. I'm pleased with this design, and it's definetly the best I've done for a good while. Hopefully the voting public will agree!
Posted by Ian Summers at 11:49 No comments:
Labels: T-shirts, Threadless
Thursday, 4 February 2010
A quick doodle of Marv from Sin City. I wasn't a fan of the movie or the graphic novel. Although, Marv is a very cool character and the movie and book look really great. I love black and white stuff.
Posted by Ian Summers at 13:57 No comments:
Friday, 15 January 2010
Posted by Ian Summers at 06:18 2 comments:
Labels: Caricature, Doodles
Thursday, 14 January 2010
I went to see Daybreakers this week and sadly the only thing I can remember about it was how bloody it was. Interesting concept but it is boring. Bloody boring. Poor joke!
Posted by Ian Summers at 10:15 No comments:
Monday, 11 January 2010
Illustration Friday: Confined
Posted by Ian Summers at 06:41 6 comments:
Labels: Illustration Friday
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Sherlock Holmes
The first movie I watched this year was Sherlock Holmes, which despite all my negative expectations was a lot of fun. Not at all like a Guy Ritchie movie. Anyway, I wanted to practice my caricature's and my production techniques so I started work on this illustration. It's not finished and chances are it'll remain that way as I've got a lot on this month.
Posted by Ian Summers at 10:47 No comments:
Labels: Caricature, Doodles
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I am still surfing for interesting articles and all the stuff that I used to put here and I'm sure that, in time, this blog will return to the link-heavy format. But, to be honest, at the moment the space in my head is such a maelstrom of panic, excitement and weirdness – due to impending unemployment, poverty and homelessness if no new job is forthcoming – that to be searching out the most witty and informative content online is no longer on my list of downtime priorities. Also, given that my head seems stuffed with cabbage, I've valued this blog as a way of getting my thoughts into some kind of, admittedly limited, coherence. That said, I did read this article in today's Guardian with great interest. If you haven't read it already, here's a taster:
Blair's reputation is now entangled with Bush's. If a dissident ex-secretary says Bush was determined on regime change in Iraq from day one, and adds that he saw no evidence that Saddam ever had weapons of mass destruction, those are two bricks through No 10's windows. If Dean, or Clark, attacks Bush for an ill-thought-out and dishonest war, those are criticisms of Blair as well.
It breaks my heart to think that our so-called 'ethical foreign policy' could lead us to this: a government and leader that ignores all social justice and environmental policy divergence, not to mention the prospect of discord with other EU nations, merely to help justify a war. Whatever our feelings about the whys and wherefores about the war, and I was firmly in the 'anti' camp, the pre-war misleading justification and post-war posturing cheapens and demeans us all.


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Roosters crow, and you wake one morning in the green hills of
Africa, sun lemon bright over eucalyptus trees full of doves.
His chore for the day is to take his grandfather's cows to the pasture and watch them. He has good intentions but like any child he gets distracted by all the interesting things and friendly people in his village. He travels from adventure to adventure, calling out a cheery "Hodi? Anybody home?" and hearing "Karibu! Welcome!" in return. At last he remembers the cows and rushes back to find them gone. On the path home he sees grandfather with the cows, doing what he should be doing. He hangs his head in shame but grandfather simply says "Twende nyumbani sasa - let's go home". Once home he is greeted with open arms, receives his supper and curls up in his hut to sleep. I absolutely love the illustrations with their warm colors, vibrant movement and big-eyed adorable children. I love the a scattering of Swahili words and phrases, and am glad there is a brief glossary with pronunciation notes in the opening page to assist me with reading it out loud. The author has such a wise and loving understanding of this boy's spirit of joy and curiosity I can't help wishing I could visit with him a while and learn his games and songs.
I wanted to nominate this book as best picture book of 2006 at the Cybils, but someone else beat me to it. It really is a gem and it is on my Christmas wish list.Technorati Tags: african, picture book, preschool, primary grades, kidlit


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Authentication, Authorization... what's the difference? Actually, a whole lot, as you can read in the following...
I need to authenticate users agains an Active Directory (or rather ADAM)...
I've red about a new feature in IIS 6.0: URL Authentication and I did manage to set-up a situation where users are authenticated by use of LDAP query: (&(objectCategory=user)(CN=*)))
But, now comes the stange part, only users logged-in on the server where IIS is configured are authenticated correctly. For example:
- IIS/URL Authentication is configured at server Server1 to protect virtual directory /URLTest.
- When user 'admin' is logged in Server1, he is able to go to http://localhost/URLTest
- When user 'test' is logged in Server1, he is also able to go to the url above,
- When users 'admin' or 'test' are logged-in on another server, they are not able to navigate to Server1/URLTest because they cannot be authenticated...
What is wrong?
The problem is that "URL Authentication" does not exist.
The feature is actually called "URL Authorization". Authorization (i.e. what can a user do?) is totally different than Authentication (i.e. what user are you?)
"URL Authorization" takes effect AFTER Authentication completes, since you need to know WHO the user is before trying to determine WHAT the user is authorized to do.
Since you say you cannot authenticate to this server when logged into a remote machine, what you configured for "URL Authorization" is not involved at all.
Your problem has to do with why those users cannot authenticate from a remote machine. The best way is to look at the IIS web log entries for these remote access attempts to see what is wrong. I suggest reading this blog entry.