text:
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Women in Law: Today's Fascinating Downstate Fact
Her husband, who initially urged her to attend law school, drafted the bill that prohibited discrimination against women in the "learned professions" in Illinois after she was refused admission to the bar. The bill was passed into law in 1872.
Kepley attended the Chicago Union College of Law, which later became Northwestern University, from 1869-1870 and graduated with an LL.B. (which is a very old-fashioned sort of law degree).
The first American woman lawyer, incidentally, was also a midwesterner: Arabella Mansfield of Iowa, who was admitted in 1869 -- one year before Kepley graduated. Mansfield learned law as an apprenticeship under her brother; she did not attend law school.
The Illinois State Bar felt that "the "strife" of the bar would surely destroy femininity" (Bradwell v. Illinois, a contemporaneous case on the issue of women in the legal profession in Illinois). One suspects the Illinois State Bar of the late 1860s and early 1870s couldn't imagine Eyebrows's 70 pairs of shoes or they wouldn't have worried about it.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Doll Clothes
I got this book called the Mary Frances Sewing Book from Lacis, a reprint of a 1913 storybook that teaches little girls to sew. (Lacis also carries a doll that fits the book's patterns.) It's alarmingly Edwardian, but the instructions are good, and last July or so I started working through the book. Now, I've finished all the projects in the book but the Wedding Dress.
The whole thing is both amusing and alarming because I'm not actually a doll person. I didn't really play with dolls as a little girl (I was all about Legos) and I've never felt any impulse to collect them, but I've been hard at work for 7 months on turning out an elaborate Edwardian wardrobe for a DOLL.
Anyway, having achieved relatively mad doll-couturier skills, I'll be teaching a class for little girls who want to learn to make clothes for their American Girl dolls through the Park District in March & April. It's called "Sew Fun" and it's on page 17 of the Winter/Spring 2007 Playbook.
The first project will be an apron, like this one. It serves as a "sampler" to learn the basic clothing stitches and construction.
After that, the girls will make nightgowns. These are charmingly old-fashioned; to avoid making plackets (where the buttons or zippers go), which are terribly complicated, it uses "baby lace" on the neck and arms, which is threaded through with a ribbon, and the neck is made very wide and the ribbon tightens it to the proper size. (You can still find these on traditional christening gowns, although I think they're probably frowned on in actual baby clothes as a choking hazard.)
The nightgown pattern serves as a base for a huge variety of other outfits the girls can make in class (if they're speedy) or at home after the class is over. For example:
In the picture above, on the left, the top three dresses (nightgown, morningdress, nightgown variation) are all based on the nightgown pattern, and on the far right, the top three pieces (bathrobe, kimono, and cardigan/bed jacket) are all based on that pattern. If you have an eye for clothing cut, you'll notice that the dress with red trim, the bathingsuit (blue flannel on the left), the pinafore, and the rompers are also basically the same pattern (although requiring pattern adjustments, which the first six don't).
My ridiculously well-dressed doll also has a party dress, fur-lined cap, automobiling coat, raincape, fur muff & tippet, three hats, and a variety of doll underwear.
I feel like this is a sort-of creepy hobby I shouldn't tell people about or they'll be like, "Um ... you're too weird to be my friend." But probably it'll be a cool hobby again once I start making real-people clothes.
Anyway, to do something useful with my newfound talent, I've created the confection at right, a princess dress for an American Girl doll (that one's Samantha -- I borrowed it for the fitting). You'll notice the matching satin slippers between her feet, which do fit; I was too lazy to put them on for the picture. I'm donating this to the Junior League's Dueling Pianos fundraiser for the silent auction. This is a rollicking good time; the last time I attended (two years ago; last year I had a conflict) there was actual dancing on the tables. You should all go because Mr. McGee has this dance he does ... I really just can't describe it. All my relatives are still talking about it from our wedding.
My guiding aesthetic in this dress was "what would I want if I was a little girl getting a party dress?" And the answer was: poofy skirt and lots of sparkles. So there you have it: poofy skirt, and LOTS of sparkles.
To sum up: Sign your daughters up for my class so they can make doll clothes instead of paying $30 a pop to the American Girl company for them. Go to Dueling Pianos because it's a hoot.
PS - forgive the terrible photography. I can only take pictures using my LEFT eye, which is the one that can't actually see anything, because I tip over if I close my left eye and look through the camera with my right. Seriously. So I never know if the strap is in the picture or not because I can't see anything but a fuzzy blob of approximately the right shape and color.
Monday, January 29, 2007
In Which Eyebrows Is Something of a Political Prostitute, But Feels Okay about That
I sort-of suspect that I was invited at least partially because I blog and they were hoping I'd blog nice things about Senator Durbin. I'm about to do so, so I feel ever so slightly chagrined, since normally I prefer to do the opposite of what people want me to do, just because I'm contrary. (I had a music teacher in high school who knew this and whenever he thought I was slacking off, he'd say, "You'll never learn to play that passage at speed," and even thought I knew what he was doing, I couldn't resist the urge to prove him wrong. It was so aggravating.)
So Saturday morning I was awake at a reasonable hour and actually wearing clothes by 8 a.m., which almost never happens. I trotted over to the Lariat Steakhouse, leaving Mr. McGee still blissfully asleep, for the 8:30 a.m. coffee.
Everyone was extremely nice to me and I met a lot of folks from local politics and government. I was struck by the fact that I was just about the youngest person there, not counting the babes in arms. There were two other young women I know, and one of them had a husband in tow, but otherwise it was mostly middle-aged and older folks. It was also a mostly-labor crowd. I note this because I think the democratic party really needs to start building bridges to younger liberals, and many younger liberals "lean green," and there was a real dearth of both youth and non-labor democratic concerns in that room. (Which isn't to belittle labor; furthermore, I think labor and greenies have a lot of common and complimentary goals, but that's another post for another day.)
The senator socialized for a while, then spoke for about 10 or 15 minutes and then took questions for half an hour. He is surprisingly short. He has a firm handshake. Babies smile at him. (One little charmer, every time the room applauded, would shriek and clap her hands. It was adorable.) A surprising number of people are willing to put on suits at 8:30 on a Saturday morning.
So here's the part where I talk about content rather than appearance:
Durbin impressed me.
He did not talk down to us, which is an increasingly rare trait in politicians. He was extremely forthright, saying things like, "This is the bill I'd ideally like to see passed, but the truth is we don't have the votes for that; I expect a compromise bill that looks something like this." There wasn't a lot of ideological posturing. He was very honest about what he thought could and could not be accomplished. He admitted to not knowing the answer to a question he was asked.
I asked a question about Ag policy, and he gave me a pretty thorough answer. I happen to think it's the wrong answer -- he's big on ethanol, which I think will turn out to be a spectacular debacle, but it's hard to count it against an Illinois or Iowa politician when they're in favor of something that's such an enormous economic boon for the states. And his answer reflected that he was aware of both the human and ecological dimensions of agricultural policy; he even talked about fertilizer runoff and why it's bad for farmers and the environment. (Generally the kind of thing only ag and eco nerds worry about.)
I came away from the morning with a favorable impression of Durbin. I don't agree with all of his politics and policies by any means, but the impression I got is that he is someone who is honest, forthright, intelligent, thoughtful on the issues, and concerned about both his constituents and the wider world.
I called my mom to tell her about it, and she asked, "Which Senator?" and I replied, "The not-sexy one who's not running for president?" "Oh, Durbin!" (Okay, now I feel less like a shill.)
Thursday, January 25, 2007
When "Fashion Victim" Is Not an Option
So I had to rate these 10 different brands in different categories, or say which adjectives or phrases applied to them. First I got things about how hair care products make me feel:
This brand makes me feel ....
Like I can do anything!
Like I'm on the cutting edge of fashion.
Secure in my self.
Like it cares about me and my needs.
Like I'm underlining my personality.
Okay, dude? If your personality is UNDERLINED BY YOUR HAIR CARE PRODUCT, you don't have a personality. You have a marketing demographic you bought from a brand that you're pretending is your personality because you haven't been able to come up with one on your own.
It's HAIR CARE. It does not make me feel like I can do anything. It makes me feel like I have clean hair. That's it. I have never noticed that my ability to function in the world is at all hampered by the frizzies.
Then we got into "what type of person uses this brand?" and I had to click to say which brands were used by people who are:
and so forth. Nowhere did I get options like "pathetic trend hound" or "more money than sense" or "fashion victim" or "pretentious." Because frankly? That's who a lot of these brands are marketed to.
And I have to wonder how useful this survey is as a market survey when you're not allowed to have negative thoughts about the brands; I mean, it's just a push poll. Somewhere in Hair Care Inc. headquarters, executives are saying, "Look at these numbers! Everyone surveyed loved our brand!"
More money than sense in the board room too, apparently.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Roof-Mounted Microturbines
(He's probably correct, though, that we're a long way from being able to make all buildings energy-independent or generate enough green power to power the non-independent buildings, and nuclear will fill that gap better than fossil fuels.)
At the McGee house, we are researching the possibility of a roof-mounted microturbine for our house. There's a lot of conflicting data out there, and most turbines to date have either been substantially too large for home installation (think the ones in the giant wind farms) or the small ones created too much vibration and destroyed your roof.
But a couple of UK-based companies have some exciting new microturbines out with high-tech vibration dampening designs. They mount basically like an old-fashioned TV aerial, up a pole on the side of your house to above the roof (the pole's a little fatter than I recall TV aerial poles being). There are also these neat new little ones that get mounted on the SIDE of skyscrapers and other tall buildings in "urban canyons," because apparently the sides of these buildings create their own winds blowing up and down the sides because the air has to go somewhere. Super cool!
This is the one we're looking at. Here's a picture of the Swift being installed, which gives you a good idea of the scale of it. (Windsave is another latest-generation microturbine getting a lot of good press.) The Swift costs about $2900 stateside, depending on exchange rates, but I don't know if that's if you buy it from a US wholesaler or if you buy it from the UK and then have to pay to ship and import. (We haven't gotten so far as e-mailing the company to ask!)
We're still in the research stage -- figuring cost, output, our energy use, whether our "site location" would make it worthwhile, Illinois's renewable energy grants, etc. -- and it may not pan out, but I think it would be so super-cool to have a wind turbine on my roof! Preliminary numbers suggest it could provide 1/2 to 2/3 of our electricity*; what I haven't been able to discover is if Ameren allows you to "sellback" to the grid when you're making more than you're using. (ComEd does.)
*Two notes: First, this is based on the Swift's generation rates in the UK. I have no idea how the wind there compares to the wind here. Second, we have gas heat, gas water heat, gas dryer, and gas oven & range combo. Those are four of the biggest energy hogs in the typical house (A/C and fridge are the other two), and they're all gas. So our electricity use is MUCH LOWER than someone with electric heat or electric appliances. A wind turbine will not lower our gas power use. Since you can't generate your own gas power by farting into the appliance, the only options there are to reduce use or increase efficiency. Which is why my thermostat is set at a chilly 63*F in the winter, and a balmy 80*F-ish in summer, but only when it's over 88*F-ish AND humid. (Although I confess I sometimes drop it into the 70s to be able to sleep when it's really stinky out.) I'm whinier about hot than cold, so my winter thermostat setting is more eco-brag-worthy. I'm totally after a programmable thermostat so I can drop the heat to 55*F overnight in the winter, at which point my Floridian husband will divorce me.
The idea is that in many areas, it's pretty windy when it's not sunny, and it's pretty sunny when it's not windy, so if you combine a small roof solar array (such as these types, which are flat to the roof and either form the roofing material or sit flat on top of it, so you don't have big ugly stand-up panels) with a microturbine, you can generate 90% of your electrical needs, depending, of course, on age and size and efficiency of house. Here's a site with Illinois solar maps to match the wind map above.
Check out DSIRE for state-by-state incentives for renewable power, including grants, rebates, tax incentives, etc. (In Illinois, for example, renewable energy home installations are property-tax advantaged.) The feds also have good information on various incentive programs, as well as tons of data and information.
In the meantime, we've sprung for a Smart Strip, which allows you to plug a "control" device, such as your CPU or television, into the blue outlet, and then you plug dependant devices, like monitor and speakers and printer, or DVD and X-Box, into the white outlets, and they're only allowed to turn on when the blue outlet is on. But the important feature here is that it prevents your electronics from sipping power while in "sleep" mode -- most don't truly turn "off" unless you disconnect them from the wall. They eat a slow but steady diet of electricty that can really add up. This cuts them all off except for the "control" device so they can't sip. The two red outlets let you keep things like your TiVo (don't want that turning off!) or your desk lamp independent of the "control" device.
There's a little tool called the Kill-a-Watt that you can buy to measure how much electricity any plug-in thingie in your house is using, either when it's on or when it's off and drawing "phantom" power. Transformers are the real enemies here. I have not personally used a Kill-a-Watt but ecogeeks I know who have think it's the best thing since sliced bread.
We're going to start with my computer array in the Smart Strip, and if it works (and our electrical use drops), we'll get a couple of others for the TVs. I'll let you know how it goes!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Adventures in Homeownership - Squirrel Edition
There was a squirrel in my fireplace.
I'm in my office doing my normal morning e-mail check and working on a couple documents, when I start hearing an unusual amount of noise from the living room. Usually this means the cats are wrestling, and if they make enough noise I'll go make a loud noise to startle them into stopping so I can get some work done, but these noises involved clanks and clangs that I could not exactly place.
When I get into the living room, I see Grey Cat in guard position. Orange Cat is too, but much farther back from the fireplace.
Before I finish wondering, "What is this all about?" I hear skittering noises from the fireplace.
Oh. Crap.
There is wildlife in my fireplace.
I couldn't tell exactly what it was -- I couldn't SEE it because of the sun reflecting off the glass doors on the fireplace -- but I was pretty sure it was either a squirrel or a very noisy and panicked bird. And yes, people, it was not in my chimney -- it fell THROUGH the flue, which I must have accidentally left open, all the way into the actual fireplace.
So I close all the blinds and get a flashlight and get down on my knees in front of the fireplace (first ensuring that no little critter could manage to bust out of the glass doors, latch onto my face, and give me rabies, comedy-movie-style), and indeed, there's a squirrel in there. If you look real closely at that heavily-doctored picture on the left, you can see his outline reasonably well. I couldn't get a good shot because there wasn't enough light, but the flash made too much reflection, and there was NO WAY IN HELL I WAS OPENING THE GLASS DOORS.
Panic! Panic! Panic! It takes me like two solid minutes before I manage to find the number for animal control, which is the same thing as PAWS, but I didn't know that, because I've never needed an animal controlled before.
"In the chimney or in the fireplace?" the nice lady at PAWS asks me.
"Good, we can do that. We'll be right over."
So I pace, and wait, and pace, and panic, while the squirrel, poor thing, gets more and more panicked in my fireplace. In a sign of an unfortunate level of adulthood and misplaced priorities, I start cleaning the living room before animal control gets there so I won't be embarassed by my disorganized stack of newspapers. The cats, having ascertained the squirrel can't actually get at them, go back and forth between being bored and being fascinated.
Finally, animal control man, right, arrives. "I'll try to snag him," he tells me, "but usually when they're panicked, what works best is letting them get a whiff of fresh air and go right out the door." Unfortunately, my first floor is open plan. The cats get locked in the bathroom, the one closeable first-floor door gets closed, and the front door is stood wide open. I stand up on the first step because the ONLY thing worse than a squirrel flying at my face and latching on to it would be a squirrel running over my bare toes. Which happened to me once, only with a chimpmunk, and I'm still not over it.
At no point did it occur to me to put on shoes. Clean the living room before animal control arrived, yes. Put on shoes, no.
Animal control man goes squirrel fishing with one of those long grabby things that I use to fish my newspaper out of the bushes and animal dudes use to catch wild things that might bite. He snags him a couple of times, but the squirrel keeps getting away. And then the moment of horror comes -- the squirrel runs out into my living room.
And because this was a squirrel dumb enough to fall down a chimney, this is also a squirrel too dumb to find the front door. Instead, he runs into my dining room, skitters around on the floor, and then leaps to the dining room window and starts trying to climb up THAT. (I was not quick enough to get a picture.)
Finally, with animal control man herding him, he SHOOTS out the front door and up the 60-foot hackberry tree, sans a portion of his tail that was lost in the fight. (That's just some of the fur there on the left.)
Peace is restored to the McGee household. If you're on my block and see a squirrel missing half its tail? That's my unwanted and fortunately evicted houseguest.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
My AmerenCILCO Bill Is Sleazy
In Peoria, we are served by AmerenCILCO, which proposed the greatest rate hikes of all Illinois electric companies for its customers, a 55% rate increase for residential users.
Today I got my first bill, which runs from December 9, 2006 to January 11, 2007, and therefore splits my bill at January 1. I have two separate sets of rates on the bill with the "before" and "after" the rate hike, which went into effect on 1/1.
Here's what my pre-07 bill says:
Energy Charge -- 392.00 kWh @ .06618000 = $25.94
various fees
Total Delivery Service Amount -- $28.70
(It also lists a customer charge and various taxes, which are included in that total delivery service amount; those are proportionally the same on both halves of the bill so I won't address them.)
Here's what my new bill says:
Distribution Delivery -- 171 kWh @ .02596000 = $4.44
Meter Charge (this is new!) -- $1.10
various fees
Total Delivery Service Amount -- $7.43
Woah! I compared the Total Delivery Service Amounts, and my bill had DROPPED! Dramatically! My rate for delivery had gone down from $0.066 to $0.026! I spent AGES trying to figure out what, exactly, this was all about.
Then I realized that there was another page of the bill, with a bunch of charges I've never seen before. (My bill page breaks after listing the new "total delivery service amount." I don't know if that's deliberate or just where my personal bill broke this month.)
On the next page, we find an entirely new category of charges, called:
Electric Supply
Non-Summer (0-800 kWh) -- 171.00 kWh @ .07585000 = $12.97
Market Value Adj. -- 171.00 kWh @ .00000000 = $0.00
Supply Cost Adj. -- 171.00 kWh @ .00091000 = $0.16
Transmission Service Charge -- 171 kWh @ .00180000 = $0.31
Total Supply Amount = $13.44
So while pre-07, my total per kWh was an easy-to-understand $.06618000, my NEW bill splits my delivery service (the name of my TOTAL bill pre-07) at $.02596000 and a new category called "supply" with four different rates you have to add up yourself, to get $.07856000 per kWh for "supply" (a higher rate by itself than my total prior per WkH rate), which gives a total rate of $.10452000. Or to make it not a sentence with a ton of numbers:
Old - $.06618000
New Delivery - $.02596000
New Supply Rates totaled - $.07856000
Total New Rate - $.10452000
That's a jump from about 6 1/2 cents to 10 1/2 cents per kWh. My total bill of 563 kWh (ugh, that seems high) would have been $37.26 under the old rate; it would be $58.84 under the new bill. (Plus taxes and fees.)
Except AmerenCILCO goes out of their way to make it very difficult to figure out your new total kWh cost; it's gone from a very simple and self-explanatory bill to a huge list of services with all different rates and strange names and no explanations. (Actually, they define terms very broadly on the back of the bill. All my new fees and rates are listed as being RECOVERY costs.)
$37 to $59 is a pretty big jump. I'm not good at "percentage change" but that's right around 55% or 60%, closer to 60%, probably thanks to the new "meter charge" which isn't technically a rate hike. Now, keep in mind that we're gas-heated, so we usually spend around $100/month in the winter on gas heat, and those costs have been fluctuating and generally rising. For someone whose house is electric heated, this rate increase is going to be BRUTAL.
But what really annoys me about the bill is the sleazy attempt at making the rate hike more palatable by hiding it in a plethora of new rates and fees. AmerenCILCO says the 55% rate hike is necessary to continue its operations, and that this is obvious if you look at the numbers. If that's true, why is AmerenCILCO engaging in such obfuscation of rates? If the 55% rate hike was necessary and fair, why does AmerenCILCO feel the need to hide it from consumers?
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
A New Chapeau
"A fedora?" I asked, googling up a picture.
"That! I want one of those!"
I was so absolutely charmed by this that I didn't even point out fedoras haven't been worn since 1964. (Also, my own hat-wearing has probably warped his views on hats -- I'm entirely in favor of hats and wear them all kinds of places, really big ones with huge brims.) Plus, I think my husband will look super-handsome in a fedora. He's one of the few men these days who could really carry it off.
And he has a point -- when it's 11* and you're walking three blocks to court in a cutting wind, your head getts pretty darned cold, and a knit hat with a pompon on top isn't going to do it. And you'll get hat hair.
So, as his birthday is approaching, I have ordered him a Tilley, which is the Holy Grail of hats. Not because they're the most stylish, but because they're ridiculously well-made with careful attention to detail and a lifetime replacement guarantee and kickass customer service. (Mr. McGee knows what I ordered because you don't just off and order someone a random hat for their birthday. It's hard to explain why you're whipping tape measures around their head, for starters.)
So the next time you see a tall, thin man in an overcoat and fedora striding through downtown Peoria, it's either my husband, or an escaped film noir private eye from the 40s. Either way it's bound to be an interesting encounter!
Monday, January 15, 2007
Arbeia Roman Fort: Pictures (aka the lazy post)
I meant to posts some pictures with my husband's post here about the history of Arbeia Roman Fort, but I forgot. Which works out well because now I get to do a lazy post of nothing but pictures. I promise we'll shortly have a description of the part of the dig we worked on, but both of us are deep into the kind of work we get paid for right now.
(As always, you can blow up the pictures by clicking on them, and in this case you can see stuff a LOT BETTER by blowing them up!)
Without further ado:
A view of the reconstructed west gate of the fort, from the inside. The reconstruction is an aggregate reconstruction based on descriptions and remains of various similar forts, and is probably a good guess as to what Roman fort gates in Britain looked like. It is three stories with two arched gates (as you can see) and on the inside back the wall is reinforced with earthen ramparts. There are wooden stairs on the earthen ramparts, which was probably the case in most forts to provide access to the wall in the in-between parts between gates and towers. The dirt for the ramparts probably would have come from a ditch running around the outside of the wall, about six feet out from the wall, and as deep as the rampart's dirt would fill to the same width.
It's hard to imagine from this angle and in such a tiny picture, but when you approach it from the front, it is HUGE and IMPOSING. I was like, "Holy crap, I wouldn't want to attack someone who could build something this big and solid today, let alone when everyone else was working on huts made of sticks." I exaggerate. But not by much. It's truly impressive and seeing the reconstruction you get an idea of the awe the Roman military and organizational establishment was held in.
The white tent on the far right was for a big Roman re-enactment society party/festival/exhibition. I had sort-of thought military re-enactors were an American thing, but I was very very wrong and they were very very into it.
This is an overview of the site. I'm standing in the tower, right above the gate, to take this shot. Right in the front you can see two buildings (one has a random earthen mound, and no I don't know why) that have the crenelated wall shapes and the square footings running down the center -- those are the foundations of the granaries from Arbeia's supply fort era. Real stone is stone that was actually there; loose rocks with the wood strips are reconstructions of foundations that were too badly damaged, to show the extent and outlines of the buildings.
There's a pit kind-of in the middle left that was the strong room that held the money and would have been under the command office. Up in the top right, the hole in which we spent our two weeks is between the two blue trash cans and the large white building, which is a reconstructed Roman barracks.
You can also see a lot of houses here. As noted in my husband's piece, Arbeia is in a VERY urban environment. This pleased me in particular because I don't like traveling places where there are no bathrooms. An archaeological dig where you can get good and muddy and sweaty and then go take a real first-world shower and get a beer at a pub sounds just about perfect to me.
This building has a few more courses of stone than most; this was the southwest tower. Roman forts are build like "playing cards," rectangular with rounded corners, towers in the corners. You can see the rounded corner in this shot.
This is the muddy hole in which I spent my vacation. It's a little tricky to explain what's going on here without giving you a dissertation on the site, because the area we were digging underwent more than the usual number of changes during the life of the fort, but I'll try.
To the left you may be able to see a couple courses of stone sticking out from the sheered off hole-wall. Those were the barracks. The area where we are all kind-of sitting and digging was the intervallum road of the original fort, or the road that ran just along the interior of the wall all the way around the fort. On the right were originally ramparts, which seem to have been torn down at some point in the fort's history and replaced with wooden buildings, perhaps service buildings like smithies. The "holes" you see are post holes where the wood rotted away. (They don't come as empty holes when you dig off the top layers; there's like carbonized rotted wood that's easy to tell from the other stuff. We didn't do that part of the dig.) It's not entirely clear what was there because there's some argument about which post holes go with which other post holes to create buildings. To the right of that would have been the south wall of the fort.
Later on, the south wall was knocked out and the fort expanded considerably to the south, when the fort was converted to a supply base for the Scottish campaigns of Septimus Severus, who was trying to keep his orgy-lovin' sons out of Rome and out of trouble by making them fight barbarians on the far northern frontier. That GIANT DITCH (which has some black plastic in it) dates from that era. The archaeologists at the site think it may have been enterprising soldiers who were tired of the space between their barracks being used as a thoroughfare from the supply part of the fort to some other buildings, so they dug a ditch to block it and force people to use the real road. Maybe. It may have had some other purpose nobody's figured out yet.
We were digging off some of the bottom layers of the intervallum road, part of the levelling fill (I forget the technical name), so we found a lot of Roman dinner trash, like limpet shells and sheep bones and cow bones and broken pottery bits, which the soldiers probably pitched out there on the theory it'd get paved over anyway.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Grumble Grumble Sniffle Sniffle
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Beautiful Things, or Why I Was Glad I Didn't Have a Typed Order
"What sort of case?" another loitering lawyer asked the bailiff.
He glanced at his docket. "Adoption," he said. Ah, closed hearing, closed hearing, we all nodded.
I waited a few minutes more, bouncing my leg with eagerness to move on with my day, get my order signed and get back to work. At last the door opened.
A girl, maybe 11 or 12 years old, dressed very prettily and formally for court, spilled out the door, her eyes absolutely shining, unable to keep from grinning while she clutched an order to her chest. She looked like she was about to fly. Right behind her were, I presume, her new parents, whose grins were almost as big as hers and who had tears standing in their eyes.
You often get to see the joy in new parents' faces when they greet their child entering the world. But it's a rare privilege to see that joy in the child's face as well.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Note to P&G: I Am Not That Smart
Okay, Proctor and Gamble, I AM NOT THAT SMART.
I shop for most products by scanning for the familiar package shape and color. If Cheerios were not yellow, I would never find Cheerios. Looking for a new product is always a PITA because you have no idea what it's going to look like. My goal in grocery shopping is to be in and out of the store as quickly as possible. I make a list sorted by areas of the store so I don't have to backtrack or search at random. Whenever the grocery store moves something, I seriously just stop buying it. They kept moving around the parmesan cheese and I just gave up buying it for 8 months. I'm not going hunting.
So for whatever reason -- I assume to draw new consumers in with their WOW! BAM! packaging -- companies feel the need to redesign their friggin' packaging every year or whatever. For a while it was the "feminine hygiene" products that were the worst, as Kotex and Always tried to introduce color-coding and symbols so we could apparently choose our products by secret code. Maddening.
Now Clairol has totally redesigned the entire Herbal Essences line. It took me 15 minutes to figure out which one was supposed to be my conditioner. I'm really not smart enough to guess when they change the packaging -- I need clues. I'm so irate about the whole thing I'm totally switching to Aubrey Organics.
Also? Now my hair smells like cucumbers. They say it's berry tea and orange flowers, but it smells like cucumbers.
Friday, January 05, 2007
History of Arbeia Roman Fort
Anyway, this is about our awesome vacation to archaeologically dig in September 2006. Following this piece will be a piece from Mr. McGee about our specific dig area, and then I'll write about what we did as diggers and vacationers. (Hopefully those will follow shortly. However, clearly there is major procrastination involved in this project.) Enjoy!
In 43 A.D., the Romans invaded Britain. For the next four centuries, Rome deployed troops throughout the island. These troops built forts, imported goods from distant lands, and spent money in the local economy. Simply because of the length of the Roman occupation, Roman military sites are among the most ubiquitous in the British landscape. Hadrian's Wall was one of the most recognized landmarks in the medieval world, and still is today. However, many of these sites have been overlooked or misidentified over the years, and our understanding is still developing. The remarkable discoveries of wooden writing tablets (including the oldest known writing by a woman in Latin) preserved in anaerobic conditions at Vindolanda highlight the importance of the work yet to be done.
Arbeia, which lies just to the east of one end of Hadrian's Wall, is one of the first Roman sites to have been excavated in Britain, and is unique in that the local community has owned and preserved part of the fort since the late nineteenth century. Archaeologists have thoroughly investigated the history of Arbeia through a series of excavations beginning in the 1970s.
The fort we know as Arbeia was built on a low headland overlooking the mouth of the River Tyne in modern day South Shields. Evidence of human occupation on this site extends back to 3,000 to 4,000 B.C. During this time, much of what is currently the North Sea was inhabited dry land, and the present coastline may not have been established until after 3,000 B.C. Prehistoric finds along the coastline near the Tyne River include various flints, burial sites, and bronze blades. Recently, an Iron Age farmstead, which dates from the third century B.C., was excavated underneath the southern portion of the fort. Occasional finds of flint tools under the Roman layers of the fort also suggest an earlier occupation.
Roman Occupation
Julius Caeser made expeditionary landings on the island in 55 and 54 B.C., and plans for a full-scale invasion were drawn up in subsequent years. However, Rome did not seek to annex Britain until 43 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Claudius, who likely used Britain as an opportunity to consolidate his power in Rome through the traditional means of military achievement. Rome's initial goal of taking control of the whole of Britain was delayed and never fully achieved, although it was also never consciously abandoned. The Roman army did not firmly establish itself in north-east England until the middle of the A.D. 80s.
It is very likely that a Roman fort was built at the mouth of the River Tyne late in the first century A.D. However, no fort from this period has been discovered, and the oldest buildings excavated at Arbeia date to circa A.D. 125. These buildings seem to belong to a civilian settlement typical of those that developed outside Roman frontier forts. There may be an early fort site buried beneath modern day buildings in South Shields.
In the A.D. 120s, Emperor Hadrian ordered the construction of a wall to the north of the Stanegate, a road connecting Corbridge and Carlisle which marked the northern limit of sustained Roman penetration. As planned, the wall was to be built of stone (turf blocks in the west), 10 Roman feet wide, with forts and towers at regular intervals, stretching 80 Roman miles (73 modern miles) from the river Tyne in the east to Solway Firth in the west. Partway through the building process, the width of the wall was reduced to 8 Roman feet to save time. Although ships could not easily enter the mouth of the Tyne because the river was full of sandbanks and reefs, it served as an effective natural barrier to travel by land for several miles inland. Thus, Hadrian's Wall was begun at Wallsend, several miles west of Arbeia, where the Tyne became fordable.
Twenty years after work had begun, Hadrian's Wall was abandoned, and the Antonine Wall was built about 100 miles to the north, between the Firth of Forth and the Clyde, the narrowest point on the island. Hadrian's Wall was reoccupied in the A.D. 160s. The first fort that has been excavated at Arbeia is a stone fort built during the time of this reoccupation. The fort covered 4.1 acres, with a fairly standard plan that accommodated 480 infantry and 120 cavalry. Evidence suggests that the garrison was substantially reduced in numbers towards the end of the second century. The fort was converted to a supply base circa A.D. 205-7. Most of the buildings inside the fort walls were demolished, and thirteen stone granaries were built. The south wall was demolished, and a new fort wall built to the south of the original wall, expanding the size of the fort to 5.2 acres. The fort garrison, the Fifth Cohort of Gauls, squeezed into this new southern area (only a quarter of the size of the original fort), with two granaries for their own needs, and a new headquarters building at the center of a new dividing wall separating the garrison from the supply area.
Despite its proximity to both the beginning of Hadrian's Wall and the North Sea, Arbeia was not initially linked to the supply of the troops building the wall or of the troops that subsequently garrisoned the forts along its length. Arbeia was probably converted to a supply base to serve as a link in the supply chain up the coast for the campaigns waged by Emperor Septimius Severus in Scotland in A.D. 208-10, in an effort to distract his orgy-loving sons with good wholesome military invasions in the hinterlands. When these campaigns ended with Severus's death in A.D. 211 (without the successful reformation of his sons), Arbeia became a supply base for the garrisons on Hadrian's Wall and other inland forts. During A.D. 222-235, seven granaries were added, and the accommodation for the garrison enlarged.
The soldiers who occupied Arbeia were auxiliaries (provincial levies) from elsewhere in the empire. Although the Roman legions were primarily responsible for building the frontier forts and Hadrian's Wall, they were garrisoned in centralized legionary fortresses. The Legio VI Victrix constructed the earliest excavated fort. The Fifth Cohort of Gauls who garrisoned it would have been natives of Gaul. Most of the auxiliaries in Britain were drawn from the northwestern provinces of the Empire. Later in the Roman occupation, the auxiliaries tended to be British, as the foreign soldiers married native Britons and replenished their strength from the native population. However, the auxiliary units retained their original names.
A fire struck the fort in the late third or early fourth century, destroying many of the buildings and forcing an extensive rebuilding. This last overall rebuilding likely coincided with the substitution of a new unit for the previous garrison. This new unit was called numerus barcariorum Tigrisiensium, the company of Bargemen from the Tigris. This garrison remained throughout the fourth century until the end of the Roman occupation of Britain. As Arabs from modern- day Iraq, the Tigris Bargemen are the likely source of the name attributed to the fort: "Arbeia," which is probably a Latin version of a word in Aramaic that means "the place of the Arabs." Scholars have attributed the name Arbeia to the fort because an entry in the Notitia Dignitatum, a fourth-century Roman army list preserved in an eleventh-century medieval document. The entry identifies Praefectus numeri barcariorum Tigrisiensium with Arbeia. The post-Roman name of the site, recorded by the sixteenth-century antiquarian, John Leland, was Caer Urfa, probably a corruption of Arbeia. The name Horrea Classis ("the granaries of the fleet"), known from the Ravenna Cosmography, may have been attached to the site in the third century.
Post Roman Occupation and Excavations
Although the Roman occupation ended in the early years of the fifth century A.D., occupation of the fort continued. However, these times were unsettled and demonstrate a distinct lack of Roman order and law. In addition, the knowledge and resources to maintain the stone structures of the fort in good repair were no longer available. The west gate fell into disuse in the early fifth century, and a large ditch was dug in front of it. At a later date, the partially ruined gate was restored to use with the replacement of one of the gate arches by a timber entry. The Anglo-Saxons occupied the site later, but their timber buildings leave little physical evidence from which to determine their architecture or use. The sixteenth century recorded that the fort was the birth place of Oswin, a King of Deira who was killed in A.D. 651 and became a saint, but this attribution has not been conclusively proven or disproven.
Later residents in the area may have robbed building materials from the fort, a common fate for Roman remains in the Middle Ages. Otherwise, the site lay relatively untouched, other than continuous farming of the overlying fields, for 1000 years. In 1875, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners purchased the fields on the site and made them available for housing. Following the discovery of a Roman column by local Tyne river pilots, a local clergyman organized a limited exploratory excavation of the fort before construction began. This dig was only the second of a Roman fort in northern Britain. The excavators misidentified the few buildings they uncovered, but documented their results. The Corporation of South Shields agreed to preserve a small portion of the fort as the "People's Roman Remains Park." Housing was erected over the remainder of the site.
In 1933, Ian Richmond, a leading scholar of Roman archaeology, reviewed the documentation of the earlier dig and realized that the buildings uncovered had been granaries, indicating a Roman fort used as a supply base. He conducted excavations in 1949-50 that first accurately discovered the history of the fort. In 1953, the existing museum was opened, and shortly thereafter the South Shields Archaeological and Historical Society was founded. Over the next two decades, important excavations were conducted, particularly after the bathroomless Victorian-era houses on the site, which had become slums, were demolished as part of an attempt to revitalize the area. In 1975, the Tyne and Wear Museums took responsibility for the fort. Currently, most of the area of the original fort is owned by the local community and available for excavation. However, the east gate and a portion of the northeastern fort lie under a row of private homes that were rebuilt after the 19th century houses were demolished but before South Shields decided to preserve the site.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
RIAA Lost the War, Missed the Memo
So the problem with all of these DRM schemes is that a) they're ridiculously easy to crack -- if I wanted to pirate a DVD, I'd do it on my two-DVD-drive several-year-old Dell using free software off the internet, not on my 10-year-old TV/VCR combo -- and that b) they screw honest consumers, the vast majority of us, while pirate go right on pirating.
I have not actually ever pirated a DVD. It seems like way too much trouble. I know how it works in theory, but I know the law, generally respect it (I do find a monetary worth to movies that I'm willing to pay for), and don't really have any desire to bother. I have better things to do with my time. Most consumers (statistically) are like me, particularly with movies, not interesting in pirating things we've bought. Maybe ripping a copy so we can have one in the car and one in the house, but most of us aren't pirates and don't care to be. All we want to do is be able to buy a DVD or CD and have it work WHEREVER WE WANT TO PLAY IT and not have stupid copy-protection schemes that can install spyware or malware on our computers, prevent it from playing in various players, or prevent us from using it in entirely legal ways.
What the companies want to sell us, basically, is a license, not a song. Not a movie. But a license. Which is great for them, but while I'm willing to pay 99 cents for a song, I'm not paying 99 cents for a limited license to that song. And I'm not renting a single. I'm just not.
So these are all concerns of me and people older than me who are interested in DRM. But I've been thinking about the kids younger than me. Kids who know how to rip CDs when they're 10 and bypass iTunes restrictions when they're 12. Kids who have never lived in an era when albums weren't basically a single with a lot of crappy mass-produced filler after it. Kids who are frighteningly clever at remixes and shmups. Kids whose cleverness I watch on YouTube and bust a gut laughing at while SNL gets less and less funny.
So here's where the RIAA has gone wrong -- they're fighting a rearguard action against my generation in the hopes this will solve the problem. But kids today have never lived in a world without digital data, and while all information WANTS to be free, digital data is slipping around the bars of the cage like crazy.
The RIAA wants to live in the world of the last 50 years where we paid for music bundled by the album, resulting in some truly spectacular albums, but a lot of crappy, mass-produced filler from the RIAA popstar factory. A world where music companies were arbitors of taste, controlled what went to major outlets (stores, MTV, radio), and decided what we would listen to. The "underground" was harder to find, and often inaccessible to kids under 16 or 18 or 21 who couldn't get to or go in to the venues.
But that's not today's world. I've seen the future of music compared to a medieval or Renaissance era of music where court minstrals were supported by people who thought they were worthwhile entertainment rather than a corporate machine peddling stars. It's an interesting analogy. The truth about the music industry today is that, as I saw it decribed the other day, our nation's biggest music stars that the have the full promotional power of the record industry behind them are winners of a karaoke contest. (And honest to God, if I see one more overblown "Idol is back" commercial, I'm not watching this year just for spite.)
Kids are ridiculously savvy these days. They can still be manipulated by marketers, but only when they're willing to be manipulated. They see through adult attempts to be "hip," through lame prepacked corporatiana sold as something grassroots and deep and worthwhile. They listen to obscure bands from Finland on the internet.
They download singles.
I download singles, particularly older singles that I half-remember from my childhood or when I was in junior high and going to dorky dances. I snagged American Pie off iTunes -- I only have it on tape, not CD -- and was so re-enamored of Don McLean's musical gifts (and my ability to see his entire discography and listen to snippets right there in front of me) that I went on a Don McLean iTunes binge and I'm definitely snagging his albums on CD. MC Hammer? Not so much. If I like a Britney Spears single (yes, I like Britney Spears singles), I can snag THAT SINGLE and not the entire filler disc. Older singles, okay, it resurrects the market for older classic songs that otherwise wouldn't be bringing in any money, but new singles? How can they convince you that Britney Spears actually has a whole concert's worth of worthwhile music when you know and they know that there's only the one song on the album worth listening to, and that's all you buy?
The RIAA hates this.
But kids aren't going to buy crap anymore just because it's packaged with good stuff. They know how to surgically incise the data they want from the data that sucks, and it really seems like the RIAA is fighting desperately to hang on to a 1970s business model that not only is inappropriate to today's world and is alienating their consumers in droves (there are oodles of people, including me, who opt not to buy music we may really like if it has restrictive DRM -- I research this before I buy a particular CD.), but that allows them to sell uncreative mass-produced musical pap at a massive profit.
It's a rearguard action. The world has already moved past the RIAA and its machinations; the RIAA just hasn't noticed yet becuase it has enough consumers in the Baby Boomers to prop up its failed business model for a few more years yet. In the meanwhile, it's missing chances to figure out how to serve the next generation of music consumers because it's absolutely terrified of them, their freedom of data, and their desire for music that doesn't suck.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
And WOOHOO Boise State!


text:
Next to Christmas the most celebrated holiday in this world is obviously New Year. There is quite really something in New Year which makes people drive crazy to the core. People always expect all the bad events that happened this year to get vanished from their minds and eagerly await for the upcoming Year to have a lot of unforgettable fruitful memories.
New Year is a such a special occasion where people exchange new year wishes not only to their known people but also to all the people they see. This is one of the highlight of New Year. If you are eagerly awaiting for this New year and want to make a change, then you could start with by replacing your current windows 10 theme to Happy New year windows 10 theme by downloading and installing this windows 10 theme on your desktop and/or laptop.
Download this theme from here.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance from Travel Guard Travel Insurance to protect you against financial loss due to non-refundable costs and fees due to unexpected cancellations and travel emergencies.
Travel insurance also protects you against emergencies during travel, such as trip interruption, trip delay, missed/cancelled flights, lost or stolen baggage/personal items, illness/injury and much more. For a complete list of covered reasons and policy benefits, please contact Travel Guard directly at 800-826-4919 or click here: Travel Guard Travel Insurance.
Travel Guard also offers an optional Cancel for Any Reason policy that must be purchased with your initial payment or deposit. If you have to cancel for a non-covered reason, the Cancel for Any Reason option will reimburse you 50% of your non-refundable costs; covered reasons will receive a 100% refund. Travel Guard will determine the amount of your refund based on the documentation you provide to them.
In the event of cancellation, you must first contact ASK4 Reservations in writing by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com. Then, you must contact Travel Guard directly to submit a claim and request a refund.
To review policy benefits, please click here: Travel Guard Travel Insurance
PLEASE NOTE: Valid only for citizens of the United States.
For questions, please call ASK4 Entertainment at 888-402-ASK4 (2754) or email email@example.com.


text:
Are you planning to "go green" at your fall wedding? Do you love the idea of plantable seed favors, but are worried that it's the wrong time of year for planting? Worry no more! Some annuals thrive and even sprout earlier in the spring if the seeds are sown in the fall, including Love-in-a-Mist.
Love-in-a-Mist is a very pretty plant with a romantic name, lacy foliage and charming light blue and white flowers. Once established, the flowers will self-seed every year and produce an amazing ground cover.
When you order your favors from Tree Beginnings, your guests will receive a sealed packet of seeds along with a terra cotta clay pot and a peat pellet, nestled inside a box made entirely from recycled materials and finished with your choice of pink, royal blue or oatmeal raffia ribbon. Each gift is accompanied by a personalized imprinted paper card with a thank you message, poem, and growing instructions.
Be sure to watch this blog over the coming weeks for lots more autumn wedding ideas!
"A flower touches everyone's heart"
Georgia O'Keefe
Tags: autumn weddings, earth-friendly, eco-favors, fall weddings, garden seed favors, love-in-a-mist, seed packets


text:
Garden Center, Fine Gifts, Landscaping Services, & Total Property Management
Specializing in the Art of Pruning
Our customers and the relationships we have built are what have made us so successful! Candyapple & Co. is proud to serve Medina, OH and the surrounding communities. With over 40 years of experience in agriculture and horticulture, specialized pruning is at the heart of our business. Our services also include pool installation, landscape design, new installs & landscape refurbishing, tree trimming and large tree removal, disease diagnosis, lawn mowing, snow removal, fertilization, spray programs & total property management. Visit our garden center and gift shop today and let us customize a plan for you!


text:
August 24, 2016
Paper: No 'Winner' in Wallet Wars
May 31, 2013
The Mobey Forum, an international consortium of financial services providers working to accelerate the adoption of mobile financial services, has published the fourth in a series of white papers on mobile wallets. In Structures and Approaches: The Changing Face of the Mobile Wallet , the Helsinki-based organization outlines the current state of mobile wallets and what stakeholders should take into consideration when evaluating what approach to use (open or "horizontal" vs. proprietary or "vertical"). While the forum, which aims its analysis at banks, said in the paper it believes banks initially will choose the vertical approach, it warned them to keep an open mind.
"Mobey Forum believes financial institutions will be tempted to develop their own partner-independent vertical wallets," the paper concluded. "If, however, a secure element becomes essential in order to fulfill core service requirements or a partner-independent model inhibits other key factors such as market reach, then financial institutions must consider alternative models for market engagement."
The organization said it thinks multiple integrated horizontal wallet solutions will launch to market along with numerous vertical solutions so, in the short term, there will be no "winner" and many different solutions will co-exist. The first three white papers in this series are available at the Mobey Forum Website .


text:
Showers: the curse of the f-letter
Veteran readers of this blog will remember a text I wrote some months ago on the Brazilian showers. We came back from our recent trip to Arraial with a new and fascinating adventure to share with you. I will be naming no names, especially because we made the unforgiveable mistake of not taking photographs of what we saw. I've had to use CGI to recreate the scene of the crime below.
I promise that, in spite of the comic undertones of the story, nothing here is invented.
We went through three different rooms in one of the pousadas where we stayed (notice the giveaway, in a few day's time the shrewdest among you will be able to identify the place). The reasons for the change of room were unrelated to what it is being described here. All the rooms have an ample shower with hot water coming from a single boiler that feeds all the premises. After opening the tap [faucet], the hot water took anything between 5 to 10 minutes to reach the room. All that time, cold water was being wasted down the drain. What made the situation much worse was the peculiar labelling of the taps. The cold water tap was identified with the notorious F letter (cold is frio in Portuguese, so that's what you would expect, no obscene language round the corner). So far, so good. But the hot water tap was also identified with the very same F letter. Did they not look nice together, the two F's! Such an outstanding example of lack of imagination led to scenes of desperation.
1. I open the right-hand side F tap (which we would eventually discover it was the hot water tap). I wait for 5 minutes and as there is no sign whatsoever of the hot water I assume I've opened the wrong tap. The hot water tap must be the one on the left.
2. I open the left-hand side tap (cold water one). 5 minutes, and no hot water. 10 minutes, and no hot water. If I had waited for 2 hours I would have never had hot water coming out from that tap.
That day we took cold showers. We moved to a new room. First thing we checked, the shower. And there they were, the bastards. The two F's sitting there about to take the piss out of us. Little did they knew we had mastered the magic secret of the double F.
1. I open the right-hand side tap (as we had discovered on our first room, it is the hot water tap). Nothing, 10 minutes and no hot water. I don't believe it! (for you Brits out there, picture Victor Meldrew saying this).
2. I open the left-hand side tap (which, as we had discovered on the previous room, it is the cold water tap). 5 minutes and no hot water. No surprises here, it's what we expected.
As I wasn't having another cold shower, I got dressed and went down to reception to find out what was going on. After all, with the taps opened for so long, we might as well have emptied the reservoir that supplies Arraial. The owner of the pousada appeared and said there was no problem whatsoever, we just had to open the hot water tap and let the water flow. We told him that was impossible, we had unsuccesfully tried to do that. And then the had no alternative but to share with us a juicy secret that heralded our second change of room (in actual fact, the change was motivated for a more serious reason). The builder who installed the water pipes liked to have a good time, and on this particular room he single-handedly decided to change the order of the hot and cold water pipes. So, on room 2, the F tap on the left was the hot-water tap, unlike room 1 where the F tap on the left was the cold-water one. Likewise, now the F tap on the right was the cold-water tap, unlike room 1 where the F tap on the right was the hot-water one. Are you still there?
On the third room we skipped the empty -an -entire -reservoir -to -find -out -which -is -the -hot -water -tap stage and asked directly. Does room 3 belong to the category "the builder was in a funny mood that day" or does it follow the pattern of the rest of the pousada?
After such a jumble of Fs, room changes and cold showers I reached the inevitable conclusion: we were being the victims of a cruel vengeance orchestrated by "the system", the Upper Council of the showering world, waiting for the moment to take revenge on me for the publication of the entry I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Get thee behind me, cursed shower!
P.S.: I don't know how much a tiny letter Q (for quente, hot in Portuguese) costs. But I am positive it costs far less than the amount of water wasted while trying to find out which tap is the hot-water one. Somehow I don't think the pousada owner had come to the same conclusion.
subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Facebook
Category: Typical Brazilian


text:
6 Cool Ways to Style your Industrial Home Decor
Are you drawn to earthy textures, but don't want to sacrifice clean-lined simplicity? One of the easiest ways to make your home feel historic and current at the same time is to incorporate some industrial home decor.
A browse through any current home decorating store or magazine will show that this style is the most popular one going today. Why does it work so well?
While it may sound austere, this look is full of personality and can be tailored to suit almost anyone. Pulling off this look is all about striking just the right balance of hard-lined metallic and soft natural materials. The sky's the limit when it comes to adjusting the elements in the room to express your personal style.
The industrial decorating ideas I have for you today offer plenty of variety. Whether you favor old-world charm or love a crisp, current form of industrial, there's a virtual room here for you. I created the following designs as examples of how to get the most out of this trend. And, trust me- this look is anything but a passing trend!
1. Preserve your Memories with a Collection of Books and Photographs
We'll start with a sophisticated bedroom design to show just how easy it can be to incorporate items you already own into the mix. Modern decorating guidelines often dictate that our personal items should be kept out of sight to avoid clutter. The great thing about industrial home decor is that it allows these objects to be displayed, and even be the stars of the show.
The aged white wood paneling in this bedroom is the perfect backdrop for a collection of all your favorite items. This sentimental display creates a visually compelling focal piece which also tells your unique story. Why limit your photo memories to the impersonal screen of a computer when you can enjoy them in a more tactile form? Have your favorite photo moments printed in black-and-white and display them in a casually grouped, framed collection. A library of books you have loved over the years creates a colorful visual feast as well as a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
I decorated the historic looking brass-framed bed with a colorful yet simple duvet which echoes the striped wooden wall above it. Simple metallic accents throughout the room complete this unassuming look, from a basic pendant lamp to a small silver bedside light, and metal accents on the bedroom set. A light rug in natural fibers adds warmth and texture to this comforting room.
2. Mix Warm Brass with Rustic Wood for a Timeless Look
Brass and wood are two must-have materials when it comes to the industrial look. Put them together and you achieve the ultimate in in rustic industrial decor. In this character-filled hallway, a square side table sets the scene with this winning combination of natural wood and sleek metal. The warm rust-like antique finish and nail head detailing of the base add to its charm. I echoed this metal-and-wood combination with a set of round stools. Their design is based on that of antique draftsman's stools from the early 1900's.
Continuing this vintage look, I filled the space with an assortment of interesting artifacts to add to the sense of history in this space. A large brass clock and a tiny antique-style bicycle clock reference a simpler time before the bright digital world we're so accustomed to. A caged metal table lamp and pendant light with Edison style bulbs cast a warm glow on the many nostalgic details of this charming space.
3. Bright White Walls Create a Fresh Canvas for Industrial Wall Decor
There's room for experimentation when it comes to this look, which will allow fans of minimalist decor to delve into a simpler, brighter brand of industrial. Here, the gritty texture of exposed brick walls is calmed by a wash of white paint. The wooden floors get the same treatment, making this dining room a blank canvas to decorate with industrial wall decor.
I opted for an interesting set of white dining chairs for their slender silver mesh design which seems to make them disappear against the white walls. This keeps the space open and airy while adding a playful design element. A gray modernist stool mixes things up and adds to the charm of this eclectic atmosphere.
The large cogs and wheels of rusty clock parts don't look cluttered in this atmosphere, thanks to the sparse white furnishings. In a room this spacious feeling, you can afford to splash out with lots of rustic industrial decor such as this large rustic wooden table and patterned area rug. The warm natural tones of these items ground the space and make it feel more inviting.
4. Set the Stage for Relaxation with the Perfect Industrial Sectional
If you've been hunting for the ideal sofa to compliment your space, you know what a long and difficult process it can be. A comfortable seating area is the key to a welcoming living room, and finding a sofa that's both friendly and clean-lined can be a challenge.
When it comes to industrial decorating ideas, this dark gray sectional is a win. A square shape keeps it current while its tufted detailing is a nod to retro style. This essential item combines a natural looking, subtly textured fabric and a sleek silver base.
The thin metal base of the sofa is such a perfect outline when it comes to this look, I repeated it throughout the room. The wooden side tables showcase the beauty of natural wood grain and are anchored with a black version of the same metallic base.
5. Mixed Metallics Work Their Magic with Rustic Industrial Decor
One of the hottest design trends of the past year is mixed metallic elements. It works in many styles of decor, and is a simple way of creating a charmingly undone, eclectic style. While it may come off as casually thrown together, there is an art to pulling off this look successfully.
In this living room, I tried to maintain a careful balance of tones. The golden honey colored wood floors and teak furniture bases are complimented with warm aged brass table detailing. In order to break up this wonderful warmth and texture, I contrasted it with a generous dose of white. Crisp white upholstery, as well as white lampshades and a whitewashed feature wall with exposed brick.
Continuing the calm, contemporary look of basic white accents, I opted for a modern abstract painting instead of using industrial wall decor. This room is so tonally rich that a grouping of rustic cogs and wheels would overwhelm it, so I limited this style to a single decorative gear on the coffee table.
6. Pair Soft Textures with Basic Black for a Dramatic Effect
This bedroom makes excellent use of textural and tonal contrasts. The result is dramatic and elegant, perfect for an intimate and cozy space. Its simple gray and white color palette is accented with sharp black details. These dark flourishes add a sense of mystery to this otherwise bright and open room. A dark gray feature wall acts as a visual continuation of the gray upholstered headboard, accentuating the room's high ceiling.
A range of natural textures, from raw to refined, adds comfort and visual interest in abundance. The luxurious satin sheen of the bedspread and matching pillows creates a bed in which you'll savor spending lazy Sundays. The tufted bench at the foot of the bed exemplifies the flavor of this room. Its basic black metal base is topped with an unexpected dose of luxury in the form of tufted velvet upholstery. A black and white area rug with a hand-woven feel emphasizes the high-contrast theme, keeping this look fresh and dynamic.
There are so many ways you can use these items in your own home to suit your personal taste. The industrial decorating ideas I've shared with you today are just the tip of the iceberg! This is a look that never gets old, and I predict that it will continue to be a mainstay of the home decor world for many style seasons to come.
What's your take on industrial? Whether you're more addicted to its raw textures or its clean lines and antique treatments, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you make it work in your home. In an ideal world, where do you see this look headed next?


text:
Thank you. Your inquiry has been received.
Beautiful Custom Harold Smith Traditional home in BRYAN RANCH just beyond WHITE GATE. Highly sought after 6bd/3ba, 3,243 sq. ft. +/-, sprawling single story home which has been meticulously maintained. Home features a well appointed kitchen that opens to family room, some hardwood floors, plantation shutters, vaulted ceilings and more! Abundant storage. Backyard is an oasis with large patio for entertaining, sparkling pool and spa, built-in play structure for kids, all backing up to private open space. Newly landscaped front & back yards. Open House 2/18/18 1-4pm


text:
Youtube Player
This app gives a subjective list of Top anime in various categories.Fan made videos (AMV's) are included in embedded YouTube player Requirements: Windows Phone 8.1, Windows Phone 8
Platforms: Windows Phone
|License: Freeware
|Size: 8 MB
|Download (7): Top Anime Download
Fully featured, powerful and interactive Flash media player for web based applications. Play music and video files effortlessly in your website, create playlists and get instant information about the media being played.
Platforms: Windows, Mac, *nix
|License: Commercial
|Cost: $39.99 USD
|Size: 594 KB
|Download (312): Flash Media Player Download
Open Subtitles MKV player opens media files including DivX, mkv, wmv, avi, Xvid, DVD, MP3, MP4, VOB, 3GP, FLAC, Flash, QuickTime and RARs. Download player and enjoy new way of watching movies on PC. Free media converter supports converting new formats as x264 or MKV to media playable on your DVD/...
Platforms: Windows
|License: Freeware
|Size: 20.52 MB
|Download (36): Open Subtitles MKV Player Download
The genius HD FLV Player from Contus Support Interactive, which has been downloaded more than 100,000 times online till date, and embedded in more than 15,000 websites, is now available for Drupal CMS! This XML based HD FLV Player was available for Joomla, Wordpress, Magento, Zentcart etc. After...
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
|License: Shareware
|Cost: $99.00 USD
|Size: 325 MB
|Download (32): Drupal Flv Player Download
FLVPlayer4Free is a greatly improved solution that allows even the most demanding users to easily play their favourite flv and mp4 video files in the hard disk or from internet. Supporting FLV AVI DIVX XVID MP4 MPEG4 MPG WMV ASF MPEG M4V MKV DVR-MS HDMOV M2TS M2T MKA 3GP 3G2 3GPP 3GP2 MOV QT RM...
Platforms: Windows, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Server
|License: Freeware
|Size: 1.17 MB
|Download (191): FLVPlayer4Free Free FLV Player Download
XML driven photography template with deeplinking.DESCRIPTIONCreative Photography Template is a good solution to create a portfolio or a brand site in few minutes! It fits to almost all needs because it has a variety of modules that can be load externally.Creative Photography Template is very easy...
Platforms: Not Applicable
|License: Commercial
|Cost: $35.00 USD
|Size: 6 KB
|Download (28): Creative Photography Template Download
Let's enjoy watching over 1,000 Bach videos! This application allows you to enjoy videos of musical compositions by Bach performed by orchestras around the world, as well as countless photos related to Bach. Apart from videos and photos, you can also view detailed information about individual...
Platforms: iOS
|License: Shareware
|Cost: $1.99 USD
|Size: 4.9 MB
|Download (7): Bach Library Download
More than 1,000 exciting videos of Harley-Davidson! This is an application with many great videos and photos of various model such as Fat Boy, Sport Glide, Heritage Softail, Sportster, Electra Glide, etc. Aside from videos and photos, you can enjoy many other features including Harley-Davidson...
Platforms: iOS
|License: Shareware
|Cost: $1.99 USD
|Size: 5.3 MB
|Download (7): Harley Extreme Download
Enjoy more than 1,000 videos! We bring you exciting videos and photos from the court around the world the world. Knock yourself out with awesome plays! Aside from videos and photos, you can enjoy many other features including Tennis Wiki. Features: 1) Tons of Tennis photos 2) Over 1,000 Tennis...
Platforms: iOS
|License: Shareware
|Cost: $1.99 USD
|Size: 5.6 MB
|Download (7): Pro Tennis Download
Designed for hardcore PS3 gamers and iPhone owners, PSN Go is a gorgeous looking iPhone & iPod Touch application that retrieves your PlayStation Network friends stats such as their level and progres, online status, avatars, latest games, trophies and much more. ? Before you buy, take a look at...
Platforms: iOS
|License: Shareware
|Cost: $1.99 USD
|Size: 4.6 MB
|Download (7): PSN Go Download
Mehrkopf ist in Kartenspiel fur 2 bis 6 Spieler, das auf dem traditionellen Schafkopf beruht. Es erweitert das Spiel um die Moglichkeit, auch mit 5 oder 6 Spielern zu spielen. Die App "Mehrkopf" stellt samtliche Regeln und Kartenblatter als "mobile Anleitung" zur Verfugung. Au?erdem besteht...
Platforms: Windows Phone
|License: Freeware
|Size: 7 MB
|Download (10): Mehrkopf Download
SWF & FLV Player is a free and smart Flash movie player. It is the only stand-alone application for Mac OS that is able to playback SWF and FLV files with plenty of bonus features. It supports FLV and other video formats, provides you with basic playback controls such as play, pause, rewind and...
Platforms: Mac
|License: Freeware
|Size: 34.35 MB
|Download (1467): SWF & FLV Player for Mac Download
Elmedia is a free media player for Mac that supports various video and audio formats, including FLV, SWF, MP4, AVI, MOV, MP4, DAT, MP3, etc. The app features built-in web browser that allows you to watch online videos directly from the app, while Open Online Video lets you to do it without noisy...
Platforms: Mac
|License: Freeware
|Size: 41.9 MB
|Download (55024): Elmedia Player Download
FreeSmith is an all-in-one media player which is completely free! FreeSmith video player aims to create a fully free software using experience for you. It features the following characteristics: Firstly, it supports a wide range of video formats: 3G2,3GP, AMV, ASF, AVI, AVS, DAT, DIVX, DV, DVR,...
Platforms: Windows
|License: Freeware
|Size: 8.25 MB
|Download (38): FreeSmith Video Player Download
The cinema video player interface provides the ability to view closed captioned (CC) text at specific intervals of the movie. The interface also includes a draggable playhead, volume control, and optional JPG logo. Videos are buffered during load, to provide a smooth, steaming playback. Buffering...
Platforms: Not Applicable
|License: Commercial
|Cost: $5.00 USD
|Size: 31 KB
|Download (29): Cinema Flash Video Player Download
Leawo PowerPoint to FLV converter a practical presentation tool that can easily convert PowerPoint to flash video, such as PowerPoint to FLV, PowerPoint to MP4, PowerPoint to MOV, PowerPoint to 3GP/3G2, etc. Besides, this PowerPoint to FLV converter also supports converting PowerPoint to YouTube...
Platforms: Windows, Windows 7
|License: Shareware
|Cost: $34.95 USD
|Size: 21.25 MB
|Download (27): Leawo PowerPoint to FLV Download
Que is a specialized music player for iPhone. This app has an internal server that is accessible over the same local area network. The user can send YouTube URL or audio file to the server, and the server plays them in order. There are many ways to use this app. For example, using this app with...
Platforms: iOS
|License: Freeware
|Size: 1.8 MB
|Download (13): Que Player Download
ASA PLAYER FREE Watch YouTube videos from your windows phone, search and surf through categories or type in a custom search term. Add or remove quick favorites to your phone. Share a link with friends or family to watch by text message or email. And more... Let us know what you think by using...
Platforms: Windows Phone
|License: Freeware
|Size: 1024 KB
|Download (7): Asa Player Free Download
Voici Bingo Player, decouvrez leurs podcasts sur Youtube, lisez leurs tweets, partagez les sur les reseaux sociaux ou par sms ! De plus utilisez l'application pour suivre leurs tweets ? l'aide des notifications push et ses tuiles dynamiques. Requirements: Windows Phone 8.1, Windows Phone 8
Platforms: Windows Phone
|License: Freeware
|Size: 1024 KB
|Download (7): Bingo Player NO Download
Download free FLV Player for Mac and gain total control over Flash and media files on your Mac. You can play FLV and other files, pause, rewind and forward them, create playlists, browse web in search for SWF files it uses, control Flash Local Security and more.
Get even more with PRO version...
Platforms: Mac
|License: Freeware
|Size: 31.93 MB
|Download (24): FLV Player for Mac Download


text:
A representative will contact you shortly, or feel free to call (720) 429-1497
Service Needed*Residential RoofingCommercial RoofingPaintingGuttersOther
Your home needs a strong and sturdy roof to handle the elements in Littleton, Colorado. At 4:13 Exteriors, we proudly serve the roofing needs of our residential and commercial customers. Whether you need repairs or a new roof, our experienced staff can help get the job done quickly and efficiently. It is our mission to provide the best roofing services at an affordable rate.
We look forward to speaking with you about any project questions you have.
Review Us


text:
Transit planning
Transit plans
Greater Minnesota Transit Investment Plan (2017)
The 2016 Greater Minnesota Transit Investment Plan is a five-year update to refine both the investment priorities and strategic direction for transit in Greater Minnesota. View the 2017 Greater Minnesota Transit Investment Plan.
Greater Minnesota Transit Investment Plan (2011)
The 2011 Greater Minnesota Transit Investment Plan sets priorities for transit investments in scenarios of both expanded and contracted future funding. View the 2011 Greater Minnesota Transit Investment Plan.
Greater Minnesota Transit Plan (2009)
The Greater Minnesota Transit Plan is a 20-year strategic plan that provides direction for the future of public transportation in Greater Minnesota. It describes current challenges in the state, examines future transit service needs and analyzes future levels of funding to meet that need. View the 2009 Greater Minnesota Transit Plan (PDF)
Regional coordination plans
The MnDOT Office of Transit and Minnesota Department of Human services partnered with local planning organizations throughout Minnesota to develop regional coordination plans. View the latest regional coordination plans.
Transit reports
Minnesota Statute, Section 174.247 requires that an annual transit report be published to provide residents and elected officials an overview of public transit services in Minnesota.
Transit system studies
Transit system studies analyze transit system administrative structures, operations, and service to increase coordination among systems and improve mobility for Greater Minnesota residents. View the latest transit system studies.
Automated rapid transit
About automated rapid transit - is it in Minnesota's future?


text:
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sun 11th Nov 2012 12:48 UTC
Interesting news in the middle of the night: Apple and HTC have announced they've settled all their patent disputes, bringing an end to all running lawsuits between the two companies. The companies signed a ten-year cross-licensing deal. Considering Apple's legal assault on Android hasn't been going particularly well, this really shouldn't come as a surprise.
Permalink for comment 541960
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Wins and losses
by wocowboy on Sun 11th Nov 2012 13:54 UTC
They've won some and they've lost some, no need to take sides and start another useless flame war on here. The great news is that they have signed an agreement, which will be beneficial to BOTH companies in the long run, and that's what's important. In the absence of true patent reform, agreements like this are what should be happening and we should be applauding it.


text:
My built-in webcam on my Sony VGN-FJ270 laptop is not working. The Device Manager lists the model as VGN-VCC1, but has the yellow circle next to it. I've spent hours online with Sony support, but they haven't been able to solve the problem. Tried updating driver, uninstalling and reinstalling, nothing seems to work. Any ideas what I might be able to do to get it working?
Running Win XP SP3, no special modifications to the system...


text:
Motivated, results-driven young professional with strong communication, leadership and interpersonal skills. Extremely hard-working, dedicated and enthusiastic. I would like to obtain a position in public relations and advertising where I can work to utilize my knowledge and skills to provide excitement and innovation to a team of talented colleagues.
Linda Lam
- Portland US-OR


text:
Options Improving For Patients With Acromegaly And Gigantism, Says Endocrinology Expert
Scientific, technological and medical advances made in the past two decades are leading to more definitive diagnoses, earlier and more effective treatment options and better outcomes for patients suffering from a condition called acromegaly, according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine and authored by a specialist in endocrinology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
In the article, Shlomo Melmed, M.D., senior vice president for Academic Affairs and director of the Burns and Allen Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai, provides an update on medical progress related to the condition that stems from disorders - usually tumors - of the pituitary gland. He wrote a similar review article 16 years ago, published in the same journal in 1990.
"There have been remarkable advances in the therapy of this disease. Previously, all patients required surgery and/or radiotherapy for management, but now we have a whole new armamentarium of safe drugs that can effectively control the disorder. There also have been advances in diagnosis, such as the development of more sensitive blood assays for hormones," said Melmed, who directs the medical center's Pituitary Center and holds the Helene A. and Philip E. Hixon Endowed Chair in Investigative Medicine.
"Despite the improvements, acromegaly remains a very challenging and very complex disease," he said. "If it occurs before the end of puberty, the patients become giants, suffering from a condition called gigantism. Unfortunately, several studies document a seven- to 12-year gap from symptom onset to time of diagnosis. During this time the children get bigger and their hormones get higher and the tissue damage gets worse. Therefore, the earlier we can diagnose and treat the disease, the more effectively we can control the negative implications."
Acromegaly develops when somatotrophs, cells of the pituitary gland that are responsible for producing growth hormone, proliferate and oversecrete the hormone. The overabundance of growth hormone and the related insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), produce a range of effects including abnormal enlargement of the extremities, soft-tissue swelling, joint and spine conditions, protrusion of the jaws, and high blood sugar levels even when fasting. Patients often suffer from such complications as heart and valve disorders, high blood pressure and respiratory dysfunction.
"In addition to the variety of medical conditions, self-image is a major issue for these patients. At Cedars-Sinai, we have support groups in which patients can share their experiences with a professional counselor, and we offer the option of cosmetic surgery, especially for the jaw," said Melmed. "We also have patient days that give patients the opportunity to meet with our physician experts and the coordinators of our support groups."
Nearly all cases of acromegaly are caused by tumors of the pituitary gland. More than 90 percent of patients with acromegaly have a slow-growing type of tumor that is found in adults over 50 years of age. Younger patients usually have a more rapidly growing tumor, and a third type of tumor, commonly encountered by patients in their teens, often causes gigantism.
In general, ideal treatment includes surgery to remove the tumor, followed by medical therapy to manage or reverse any coexisting conditions. In many cases, however, the tumor may have grown too large or is positioned too close to vital structures for complete surgical removal to be possible or practical. Also, not all patients are good candidates for surgery.
Improvements in radiation therapy and radiosurgery, along with advances in computerized imaging systems, have improved targeting of a tumor mass, minimized radiation damage to normal surrounding tissues, and reduced treatment times. Also in the past two decades, new medications have been introduced, working at the cellular and molecular levels to suppress the secretion of growth hormone, interrupt the proliferation of somatotroph cells, and block the synthesis of IGF-I. High cost and temporary, unpleasant side effects continue to be factors, and the medications are not effective in or tolerated by all patients, but new alternatives are currently undergoing clinical trials.
Cedars-Sinai's Pituitary Center, believed to treat and follow more patients with acromegaly than other centers in the country, combines the expertise of pituitary specialists in neuroendocrinology, neurosurgery, imaging and pathology. Many of the advances made in the field in recent years originated in Cedars-Sinai's research laboratories and clinical trials initiated at the medical center.
The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Helene and Philip Hixon Chair in Investigative Medicine.
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 14, 2006, "Acromegaly."
One of seven hospitals in California whose nurses have been honored with the prestigious Magnet designation, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is one of the largest nonprofit academic medical centers in the Western United States. For 18 consecutive years, it has been named Los Angeles' most preferred hospital for all health needs in an independent survey of area residents. Cedars-Sinai is internationally renowned for its diagnostic and treatment capabilities and its broad spectrum of programs and services, as well as breakthroughs in biomedical research and superlative medical education. It ranks among the top 10 non-university hospitals in the nation for its research activities and is fully accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP). Additional information is available at http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/.
Contact: Sandy Van
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center


text:
LCE Links
Join 85,000 others in one of the largest national efforts to make a difference in the country we live in!
Class Action
Class Action provides a dynamic framework and analysis, as well as safe space, for people from across the class spectrum to explore class and to identify and begin to dismantle classism.
powering offline action. Using the power of online to get teens to do good stuff offline.
Connect with, network, or simply learn more about various humanitarian opportunities that interest you.
Make it Better Project
A resource for teens and adults alike to work together to stop bullying.
Peace Corps
an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States understand U.S. culture, and helping Americans understand the cultures of other countries.
Serve.gov is your online resource for not only finding volunteer opportunities in your community, but also creating your own. Use Serve.gov to help you do your part. America's foundation will be built one community at a time – and it starts with you.
TakePart is a news & culture website devoted to sharing stories of ways to make the world better.
United Way of Chittenden County
The United Way of Chittenden County Mission: Build a stronger Chittenden County by mobilizing our community to improve people's lives.
UVM Office of Community-University Parterships & Service-Learning
UVM's CUPS office is your go-to destination for academic service-learning and community-based research.
UVM Career Services
Check out Career Services' website for information on internships and additional info on post-graduation options, including non-profit job searching.
UVM Dewey House for Civic Engagement Residential Learning Community
The Dewey House is a residential learning community is dedicated to giving students the opportunity to make sustained and positive differences in the lives of UVM and Vermont residents through intentional acts of civic awareness and community engagement.
Vermont Campus Compact
Vermont Campus Compact is a statewide consortium of 17 college and university presidents committed to creating a flourishing democracy. We work with members to strengthen communities and educate for informed and active citizenship.
We Give a Damn Campaign
The Give a Damn Campaign is for everybody who cares about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality.


text:
1 Min Read
Jan 8 (Reuters) - KUROS BIOSCIENCES AG:
* KUROS BIOSCIENCES - AMENDMENT EXTENDS FIELD FROM ONCOLOGY TO ALL INDICATIONS AND BROADENS RANGE OF PRODUCT CANDIDATES COVERED Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)
All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.
© 2018 Reuters. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Your browser does not support iframes.
Here it is, the end of November already. I can't believe it has flown by so fast.
We're about to sit down to a big meal and a day of rubbing elbows with kin. It doesn't matter if you like them or not, you're family, you're going to spend the day with them, so don't stress. One day does not a lifetime make.
Thanksgiving is all about family and believe it or not, yours is not the only one there. Vegetables have families, too, and they didn't get to the table by hanging out together. They have their own likes and dislikes.
Well, November is already half over and Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
So, I'd like to take this time to say "Thank you!" I don't think there's a week that goes by that I don't hear nice things from you. It really means a lot to hear your comments and have feedback on my columns. Thanks to you, I always learn something and for that I am very grateful.
I saw this on a billboard in Cincinnati a couple of years ago. At first glance I was offended, but the more I thought about it the more I realized what the ad was saying.
The ad said people have grown tired of churches which are lifeless in nature, ran by the pastor, an elder or some prominent family or individual rather than relying on God and his word to direct the church.
This is the time of year that I really start cooking, literally. My kitchen counter is finally clear of various vegetables and seeds, making room for dough and pastry.
Cooler temperatures make me hungry and when I'm hungry I cook. Plus, the oven heat is much more enjoyable this time of year.
Ingenuity is important in today's economy, especially in agriculture.
But harvesting hemp?
That's a new one.
In 2011, I would have thought we'd replace cotton and polyester with more futuristic materials.
Like recycled seat covers from our flying hover cars.
Rather, we're looking back to renew modern agriculture, with a species of plant that doesn't come without high expectations and mixed connotations.
It's the little things that count, you know.
The delightful giggle of an innocent child, the playful antics of a puppy or a simple compliment from a friend are all examples of little things. Little things make you laugh, smile and generally feel better.
It's the minutes that make the hours and the hours that make the days, that combine to make the 'Oh my gosh, it's November!" moment.
With less than a week before Election Day, I thought I would address some key issues that will help the process run smoother.
Many voters don't know which precinct they live in. There are several ways to find out. You may call our office at 839-3041 or you may go to the state Board of Elections website at www.elect.ky.gov. You will then be able to see which precinct you are in and where you go to vote. A map of each precinct in Anderson County can be viewed on our website at http://andersoncountyclerk.ky.gov.
I missed the most memorable game in World Series history.
And it's killing me.
You've all probably moved on from last week's Fall Classic.
But I haven't.
If I were a true fan, I suppose I would have moved mountains to watch the late night Game 6 dramatics between the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals.
But I can't bear the start and stop of slow online streaming and that dreaded spinning rainbow wheel.
Haven't the sunsets been magnificent?
As the sun gets lower in the sky and the wind blows particles into the air, the colors of Earth's spin out take on a rosy glow. At least it's a great climax to our ever shorter days.
By next week we'll have just over 10 hours of daylight each day. Those precious hours begin to dwindle quickly as we move closer to the winter solstice. All the more reason to hurry up and get those outside chores done.
Copyright © 2018
The Anderson News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lawrenceburg, KY and the surrounding area.


text:
Product Description
All your nobleness and dignity will be highlighted by this fabulous satin ball gown. Loveable puffy sleeves with ruffled lace hem look more attractive and beautiful. Its lace-up bodice is embellished with delicate pearls, shining rhinestones, and exquisite appliques, which succeeds in presenting a Junoesque image. Besides, the rosette style pick-up skirt adds a touch of vividness effortlessly.


text:
Auto tune was a good thing that came out years ago, it is with which pitch correction is done and most of the professional recordings are done through this software. Rappers frequently uses it and it is a cover up for those who can't sing. This has been used like crazy in modern music as it is used as a disguise for inaccuracies and mistakes.
There are some singers that do take it too far and trash what they were trying to create but at the same time, there are some that use it just right and make something absolutely wonderful. It really just depends on who uses it and how much they use it.
It was a pretty clever invention. Autotune makes it easier for performers to record tracks and sound great. It should work for pretty much anyone, which also makes it a bit false, since people who really can't sing or can't sing live can sound great on tracks. Although, I'm guessing most people who buy concert tickets don't care.
The invention of Autotune was of course a genius invention. Auto- anything have always been great inventions throughout time. To be able to tune into a station automatically is absolutely amazing and of course qualifies for the genius level of thinking. Automation saves times and money and is a wonderful asset for our everyday lives.
I agree that it's a great invention, but it's completely turned music into something different than it was decades ago. Now people are relying on a machine to distort their voices in order to have a career and I don't think that's a good idea. But so be it. It's still a good invention.
I have a great deal of admiration and respect for the way technology improves our lives. That said, if singing isn't a talent you were born with or a skill your voice can't grasp, then perhaps you should be a talent agent or manager. This takes the concept of enhancement to a new category called deception. A duck that sings like a canary in the studio is still going to quack like a duck live on stage. Is that fair to the duck's fan's?
This invention was probably the one greatest item that contributed to the decline of popular music today. It essentially allows people with no musical talent to help themselves sound better. Not only that, but the extreme use of auto tune is actually painful for some people to listen to. Not sure why people even like the way it sounds.