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Yesterday I shared 10 Ways to take Stunning Portrait Photography. We covered everything from altering your perspective as a photographer, to experimenting with lighting, to shooting candidly.
Today I want to continue on the same train of thought with 10 more tips for adding a little spice to your portraits.
Framing is a technique where by you draw attention to one element of an image by framing it with another element of the image.
Image by darkmatter
Framing gives an image depth and draws the eye to a point of interest in the image.
You could do it by placing your subject in a window or doorway, have them look through a small gap or even use their hands around their face. See more examples of framing in photography here.
Shooting with a wide angle lens attached to your camera can help create some memorable shots when you're doing portrait photography.
At very wide focal lengths you can create some wonderful distortion. It might not be the type of shot you take of your wife or girlfriend (unless she's in a playful mood) but using these focal lengths will enlarge parts of the face or body that are on the edge of the frame more than what is in the centre.
It can also give a wide open and dramatic impact when your subject is in an impressive setting.
Image by paulbence
The person in your portrait is the main point of interest – however sometimes when you place them into different contexts with different backgrounds you can dramatically alter the mood in a shot.
Sometimes you want your background to be as minimalistic as possible.
Portrait by akbar1947
While other times a dramatic or colorful background can help your subject really stand out.
Photo by paulbence
The key is to experiment.
Many photographers get stuck in a rut of only ever shooting either in 'landscape' (when the camera is held horizontally) or 'portrait' (when the camera is held vertically) modes. Look back through your images and see which one you use predominantly.
Just because a vertical framing is called 'portrait' mode doesn't mean you always need to use it when shooting portraits. Mix your framing up in each shoot that you do and you'll add variety to the type of shots you take.
Image by bikeracer
Horizontal and Vertical framings are not the only options when it comes to shooting portraits. While getting your images straight can be important in when shooting in these formats holding your camera on a more diagonal angle can also inject a little fun into your images.
This type of framing can add a sense of fun and energy into your shots. Just don't 'slightly' do it or you'll have people asking themselves if you might have mistakenly held your camera crooked.
Photo by puja
As photographers we have 'sharp focus' drummed into us as an ultimate objective to achieve in our work – but sometimes lack of focus can create shots with real emotion, mood and interest.
There are two main strategies for taking unfocused images that work:
1. Focus upon one element of the image and leave your main subject blurred. To do this use a large aperture which will create a narrow depth of field and focus upon something in front of or behind your subject.
Photo by Jeff Kubina
2. Leave the full image out of focus. To do this again choose a wide aperture but focus well in front or behind anything that is in your image (you'll need to switch to manual focussing to achieve this).
These kinds of shots can be incredibly dreamy and mysterious.
Portrait by peskymac
Portraits can be so static – but what if you added some movement into them? This can be achieved in a few ways:
Photo by Michael Sarver
Portrait by philippe leroyer
The key with the above three methods is to use a slow enough shutter speed to capture the movement.
The alternative is to have your subject obviously move fast but to use a shutter speed so fast that it 'freezes' their movement.
In some portraits it is the expression on the face of your subject that makes the image.
Get your subject to experiment with different moods and emotions in your image. Play with extreme emotions
Portrait by carf
But also try more sombre or serious type shots
Photo by Stuck in Customs
One way to ensure that your subject captures the attention of the viewer of your portrait is to fill the frame with their face.
It's not something that you'd do in every shot that you take – but if your subject is the only feature in the shot – there's really nowhere else to look.
Portrait by kkelly2007
I have a friend who regularly goes out on the streets around Melbourne looking for interesting people to photograph.
When he finds someone that he finds interesting he approaches them, asks if they'd pose for him, he quickly finds a suitable background and then shoots off a handful of shots quickly (if they give him permission of course).
The result is that he has the most wonderful collection of photographs of people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds.
While many of us spend most of our time photographing our loved ones – perhaps it'd be an interesting exercise to shoot interesting strangers once in a while?
Portrait by .mushi_king
So there you have it. 20 ways to add variety to your portraits (including yesterday's 10 tips). But what have I missed that you'd add? I'm sure if we put our heads together we could come up with plenty of other techniques and ideas to add a little variety to our portrait photography. Looking forward to reading your suggestions in comments below.
Get more portrait photography tips here.
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Wow... , Seriously i m thankful to you . worthy sharing this kind of articles for starters like me
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Wow! Thank you for all the helpful tips! I am big into photography but live in a small town where the only thing to take pictures of is scenery and family so I am not experienced in taking portraits but after reading these tips I am more confident! Thanks a Ton!
Thanks for the tips :) Jack
Thanks for sharing. I would have never thought of taking portraits like this. I am just starting out. This is very helpful. Thank you
Another great list... got ideas on how to get people to vary their expressions?
Sometimes the stiffest are ... the stiffest...???
Thanks for every other informative web site. The place else may I am getting that type of information written in such an ideal way? I have a project that I'm simply now working on, and I have been at the look out for such information.
Great amount of info & tips, very informative.
Will experiment & see what comes out.
Great stuff! Cheers
Good post and good advice, of course there are some really good subjects in there too which helps. Like it +++
These are great tips!
I love them
Here is another interesting way of taking pictures.
A picture in a picture or some other lens.
They usually come out great.
Wow! Very good list(s). I was amazed to see that the vast majority of things you mention in the list are things that we are already doing, instinctively. Good to know that our instincts are right on the money. I love your little tidbits and injections of personality. That's what makes a great portrait to us.
Keep up the good work! We will be reading.
Thank you thank you!! Great ideas. A friend has asked me to take his photo for a website, and this has given me some great ideas! :-)
He's an 'out of the box' character, and said I can play, so I will have some fun with this now..
[eimg link='http://www.flickr.com/photos/sebastiengenet/4433013720/' title='Look up!!!' url='http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4433013720_d698e83cd2.jpg']
great tips. am attaching a recently taken shot by me for your review comments. [eimg link='http://www.flickr.com/photos/46464950@N04/5043780060/' title='More of Wife' url='http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5043780060_358455ee95.jpg']
Another great entry. I have been experimenting with High key and high contrast portrait which seems to produce good results. I sometimes find that asking the model/person you are shooting to "free-style" helps in getting me out of my comfort zone and find new ideas that way.
those were excellent tips! i can't find anything as easy to understand and simple.
also, i love that you have accompanying images to demonstrate what you're talking about.
i'm going to try them out right now!!!
thank you! :)
I enjoyed your comments and images,I have been a photographer for 40 years and I am still finding much enjoyment in the media. I work mostly in the larger format but also use a digital camera.
Dennis I
Thank you very much of the very comprehensive and pro like tips for great portraits.
I suddenly found that taking portraits is an area that interests me a lot. I found it, when I happened to shoot this picture of my youngest grandchild. Happy summer![eimg url='http://www.picman.fi/Vieraat/jemppu.jpg' title='jemppu.jpg']
i really love all these pics. good job people. soon i be as good as u guys
Mimi says Very nice, High Five. [:
Wow, I thought I was pretty good at taking portraits that make the subject pop out, but these are just amazing. I will definitely try to employ these tips in future photography. Thanks, I will order a copy of this E-Book the second I get the money. Thanks again.
Any modification of the color saturation and cropping makes for a better headshot immediately and distinguishes it from a snapshot.
I love these tips!
It helped me put words to what i already do, and what I have always wanted to learn.
Thank you so much! These tips are going to help me be so much more successful in my upcoming business!
It's really great post, nice blog..I would like to appreciate your work and would like to tell to my friends.
I am not so sure about the unfocused shots. Makes my feel somewhat dizzy looking at those images. But a technique worth experimenting with. Thanks for sharing these tips.
thanks for tha advise...im a new photographer and after reading these i khow many things.....thanks darren...wish u all the best and keep sending tips.
That's nice addition to the first 10 tips... would be nice to have them into one page for printing it in a friendly way!
nice tips only if I had a couple of DSLRs and a bunch of super lenses....
Good piece of advice! I will try some of the suggested techniques :)
I love your advice! Keep the party goin man!
Gr8 tips with a stunning vision , they will certainly go a long way wid me, Thanx a ton
These are great tips. Useful advice for a photographer who's run dry. All that's needed now?...10 or 20 MORE! Thanks a lot!
Thanks for great set of tips! I'm a total newbie in DSLR photography. I have one questions: how was the third portrait from the last taken? The one with the little boy in a hat, with blurred farmhouse at the back. Please let me know! thanks!
This gives me a new perspective of shooting portraits. Can't wait to start experimenting!
Thank you!!! for opening my eyes! and teaching me how to break the rules! I love it!
I have been photographing for over 40 years, and after reading these 20 tips, I relived some of my past and thought about things I used to do. Thank you for these as I had grown a little locked in on how, rather than enjoy what.
WoW!! great tips!!! I must try the lesson now!! I have learned so much since i became a member of DPS. Thanks a lot.
Again amazing tips i'm definate to try in my next shots...!!!Thanx
Thank you so much Darren!!! I am an amateur photographer but am trying to do it seriously.... :) Your tips are so encouraging.....
Enjoyed this very much. Am applying it now. Thanks!
great tips! as a novice to DSLRs, i am still lerning and experimenting. these tips would definitely come handy at some point or another. many thanks for sharing them.
Some stimulating ideas. Makes me want to getstarted. Where are those grandchildren...my free models. The framing example was especially challenging. Thanks
Phenomenal Tips! Thank you!
Hi Darren
I'm extremely pleased and very grateful to receive your helpful tips on portraits which will help me, no end.
Best Regards, Brenda Turton
Hi Darren,
I´m fairly new as a member of DPS. I find it quite interesting but I´ll have to go along finding out in the different tutorials. I´m a painter myself and very fond, in general, of the world of images so if you want to give me your opinion on my works I´ll be so pleased. Hugs, I´ll be in touch.
Thank you SO MUCH. This was just a wonderful set of tips, and a great article.
Hi Darren,
I have learned so much since i became a member of DPS, and these tips on portrait photography have inspired me to try new things. Fantastic tips!
Fabulous tips on portrait photography. Thanks for the tutorial!
Great tips indeed! Each day, I look forward to seeing what's new in DPS - This is by far the best photo site on the net. Darren, you've got me hooked!
Signing up for this is the best move I have made in decades!!! I love to take pictures because I am a scrapbooker....my family history is recorded in my albums and future generations will look back at the photos. I want them to tell the story of my familys life: past,present and future! With your help and generous teaching, I think it is possible!! Thanks for the amazing info and examples!!!
these tips are really great. im starting to really get into photography, so learning new techniques makes me even more excited to go shoot.
one tip you could add that can really draw the viewer's eye is to use "leading lines"
I loved these tips for portrait photography---some I've tried to do, but your explanation gives me better direction. Can't wait to try some of them!
Great article Darren! Loved it and did a RT on twitter!
I found this really helpfull.
I'm doing a photography assignment now on non-traditional portraiture.
We have to take photographs of people but we cant show their face but they still have to say something about the person.
Any ideas to help me?
Its the first time I have seen your blog, and I have found it interesting. This is definitely a good set of tips to keep in one's mind while doing a portrait.
I am an amateur photographer in Goa, India, and love taking pictures, so I am sure your tips on taking portraits will definitely be useful. Thanks.
Great tips, I like the one where the guy is standing still while everything else is moving
hey darren,
very nice article.. informative 4 a beginner like me... thanks....
Never before have I thought of these great tips, Very appreciated, and I will be giving them a "shot".
Never before have I thought these great tips, Very appreciated, and I will be giving them a "shot".
Thanks for the emphasis on creating creative photos, D! These days, it's rather difficult to find photographers who are like-minded. Who thinks it is in creating the shots that makes the photos, not necessarily the post-production. Or are we the "endangered species"?
Fantastic tips. I've looked quite a lot for advice on portraits because it's an area which I sometimes find difficult and this is probably the best page i've seen on the subject. The examples are fantastic and inspiring. I can't wait to get out there and experiment.
Nice sharing ... thanks. I'll try this tips ....
I hope that Pete ended up with that Tokina 12-24 wide angle. You will find that this range puts you where you want to be with nearly a super close-up combined with the linger 24mm for judging your shots better. Use all the range of this lens for some great stuff. I am must a raw amateur and this lens put in the serious mode rahter than just playing around with my Canon Rebel, Mag body original of course. The glass in this lens is amazing for the price, which is about 1/2 of what a Canon of the same range would have cost me.
Know what ? I've seen here a couple of portraites with which not even Nadav Kander wouldn't be ashemed ! Excelent!
I, personaly, use for portrait the Minolta 50mm f1.7 on my Sony A350, and I like it a lot !
Darren... Inspiration is the greatest teacher and you have certainly inspired me. I'm a graphic designer moving back to photography, looking for manual control but also portability as I always want to have the camera with me. Need to get away from the tiny point and shoot tho ; ). If only I could decide on the right camera purchase that will allow for creativity with depth of field etc, while also fitting budget and purse. Any recommendations there will be appreciated.
These 2 portrait tips are the first newsletters after subscribing and I love them. Will be a regular from here out. Thank you.
Thanx Darren for sharing your knowledge. If ever I had been hesitating to buy a SLR then I'm no more. I had a point and shot till now and it's so frustrating. I love shooting portraits of my kids and family and even strangers. Now I think I have many ways to vary and have pleasure ! Again, thank you !!
Great tips for the beginners
thanks for the tips, honestly i learn so much from your site :]]
Short and simple, but powerful tips, thanks
Thank you, so well written and the examples are spot on. It's great to be reminded of some of these things and refreshed with some new ideas!
I got to learn so much to learn about portrait photography after reading these two articles. I am really thankful to you for the information passed on. I am gearing up to try these options..
Vimal Kumar
i really enjoy reading and viewing the photos. i have learned so much just by reading your tips thankyou so much. im hoping maybe one day i will be able to take photos as good as some of the photos i am able to view. thanks to you.
thanks lisamona
Seeing these 20 tips - Now, i feel like i'm in trouble.... i need to get rid of my compact camera and go DSLR, but my wife will kill me if she see's me with a new camera and not the one she gave. Hahaha....
I find that at functions, standing back from the crowd and taking pictures of evone interacting with each other works really well. U capture a lot of natural emotions without needing to ask anyone to pose....
All in all, superb set of tips. Can't wait to try!!! :-)
Thanks so much for sharing these techniques..... great fodder for future shoots.
Gorgeous concepts!!...Thanks you very much!
thanks alot. i really learned some techniques! :D
I think holding your camera at some sort of angle is a great way to capture peoples attention and to make it look a little more interesting in some way and form. Also with the lighting it makes it pop out.
Great Tips, very much useful. Thanks a Lot for sharing such valuable inputs.
inspiring tips and stunning effects..thank you from an aspiring photographer..
thanks a lot ! this is exactly what i was looking for.can't wait to try these
Perfect tips
terrific! you've just loaded my imagination with very useful cues that i feel like applying them soonest!
thanks a lot & MORE tips, huh!
Thank you and thank you again. Really learn a lot from you... Please keep them coming as it is very useful. Can't wait to try it out....
Very good tips, actually better than the first part.. I always try to go creative with my portraits.. Not creative by reading these tips (coz many others will follow them as well) but the rule is whenever some unique idea comes up, just apply it.. You gave me inspiration for many other ideas that I can apply to LENS Photography clients in Bahrain.
This is a great help for portrait photographers. I really like this site.
Some of those shots are spectacular.
I am in absolute awe of some of these shots!! I am going to need to practice and study much more!!
very interesting especially the moving people!!!!!!!!
very usefull tips!! :D:D:D:D
Thanks a lot. I never thought that portrait photography could be so interesting! I'll try these out..
WOW.. What great shots, makes me wish my kids were little again so I could take more pictures of them... guess I'll thinghave to wait for grand kids!...
My niece did something that I'd never thought of since I live in Colorado... (She was from Texas and had never seen snow) She was staying with us with her kids and we had one of those unexpected snow falls mid October. It was the kind with huge fluffy flakes and she woke her kids up in their PJ's put giant winter coats on over the pj's and took them outside where she proceeded to take loads of pictures of them playing in the snow. This was a non-digital camera so after running to the 1 hour developing to get them back... the shots were AWESOME with the big fluffy flakes all around the kids some in focus some out of focus it added all this movement and excitement to the usual "lets take pictures of the kids playing" shots. I'd never thought of it since I'd always waited until AFTER the snow to take pictures.
So I guess that's a tip... take photo's WHILE it's snowing....
thanks a lot for the many examples and simple writing. now let s go and try it out!
Oh,such wonderful explanation!And great ideas!
I love doing portraits but I usually just experiment with the angle of my camera!
These tips can be used in nature photography as well,so thanks very much for such a amazing article :) !!!!!
Great tips! I'm a fan of portrait photography and am always excited to learn how to improve the craft.
One tip I'd like to share is the usage of black and white. We've all taken a shot which we had high hopes for but the moment we've uploaded it onto our computers and viewed them in full size, we were sorely let down. It's amazing how using a photo editing software to convert the photo into b/w can often save the photo and perhaps even make it a great photo! Grainy shots--when turned to b/w--can look ultra dramatic and the same goes for blurry and unfocused shots.
I've gone through some old pics of mine that I didn't particularly like but ended up being quite satisfied with them after turning them to black and white.
Of course, if you want to be REALLY old-school, you can always pick up a 35mm camera, slot in a b/w film and away you go. :)
It's easy... most camera's have auto exposure bracketing and continuous shooting, so you can just hold down the shutter button and get three quick exposures.
Also, you can use software like Photomatix to tonemap single RAW files, so you can get HDR like results from one image.
I don't know how you would make various exposures of the same person without them moving, so HDR I don't think so. Lots of channels/saturation/contrast/curves tweaking though !
Good tips, but what you didn't tell them was most of these portraits were taken with extremely good optics and very well processed, a couple I suspected even were HDRs. Regardless, thanks for the tips.
It appears tip #21 is to have good photo editing software
Thank you so very much for a truly great article. While some of the tips are well known you have made a very pertinent reminder of what we need to think about.
Very readable and interesting. Well done. Thanks again. The Baldchemist
Brilliant. Thanks for pulling them into a really useful list. Very inspirational.
I've always wanted to ask interesting people to take their photos, but I'm always too nervous. I don't know what to say. Any suggestions?
Thank you for the tips! I will be applying them in my next shoot. I cannot wait to see the results!
Great set of tips!
In our business, we get customers who want the setting, or the background changed in their photos or they just give us their pictures and ask us to make it look much better. And they aren't clear about what the want - except say be creative, surprise me! This set definitely gives us some creative direction when we get requests like that.
Thanks very much!
Great article and I need to get out and use my camera more, seeing as I pestered the wife to let me get a new Canon!
Great tip. I can't wait to try the tilt the camera suggestion.
Use the rules as a guideline, and break every single one of them. I believe that is one very effective way to learn about possibilities and how to get to interesting results. No matter what, always try something new.
Wow, I really enjoyed both of the posts - awesome work, thanks. I am really motivated now, I am gonna go and shoot my wife (no matter how much she tries to resist).
I know this is about portraits, but I think I'd add to this: have the subject interact with the environment. People are most often taking pictures at events and/or points of interest, so many pictures are of people just standing in front of points/objects of interest, but it's always nice if you catch your subjects interacting with the environment. Wear the Eiffel tower as a hat, stick your head next to Mt. Rushmore, spread your arms before the NY city skyline, cut the birthday cake, kiss in front of the church, act like you're catching a ball at the stadium; point at, get in, or play with the environment whenever possible.
Excellent! Such a departure from your traditional "stand still while I take your picture!" :)
I really LOVE these tips...and will apply them to my photography! As a newbie...there's so much to take in...thank you ALL for your tips, too!
Happy shooting, all! :)
I really LOVE these tips...and will apply them to my photography! As a newbie...there's so much to take in...thank you ALL for your tips, too!
Happy shooting all! :)
Thanks for sharing these tips, I liked both the sets very much, will try some of these things when shooting next
Hey, another great bunch of tips. And I like the examples here even better :)
If I could add just one thing, though, these tips are great if you're comfortable enough with the basic rules of photography that you understand not only what works, but *why* it works and *when* it doesn't. Make sure you can reliably get the right exposure, understand the rule of thirds, etc, before you start moving off the beaten track like in some of these examples. It's like my old supervisor in the 'service used to say: "First you get to where you know the rules. Then you get to where you understand the rules. THEN you get to where you break the rules." :)
But once you've got a solid foundation under your feet (so to speak), these are some excellent techniques to take your work in different directions. Some of course (11, 18 and 20 in particular) are always great ideas.
Anyway, enjoyed this series very much. Can't wait to see all the great portraits that are gonna come out of it!
hmn, shoot the non-traditional way. anyway, these are great line up of tips. thanks for sharing.
I've recently been exploring photography with the help of my sisters (they're my models ;)).
These tips are great, especially the story of your friend who asks strangers to pose for him/her.
Thank you :)
Nice set of guidelines everyone should follow.
Simple advices are simple to remember! This makes me love the concept of these two posts.
I have to say that this is very inspiring indeed, I'm eager to go and do some experiences tomorrow! And I think I'm going to do a post on my blog about these two articles.
Best Regards and thanks for the tips!
Thanks, I'll try with wide angles
Wow this was well thought-out and written. Thanks.
The only tip I could add I learned while shooting fashion in New York City in the old days. . .try using a super-telephoto lens. Back in the day, long lenses were all the rage for fashion work since they tend to help flatter the models and minimize backgrounds.
I use 300, 400 and even 500mm lenses for portraits.
This is again another great post and I even think that it tops the first post. Again, I really like the simplicity of the advices and how well they are put into context thanks to great examples!
as someone who is just starting out, thank you so much for the tips. super helpful.
Wow I thought yesterday's were good, these really make me think outside of the box...
I might have to start doing some more portrait work!
Great tips.
Great tips indeed, nice to see I'm on the right track with some of them!
Great tips. Now only if I did something with them....
Good tips. It's always good to think on your feet and and be ready to take on a new challenge even if it's outside the comfort zone.
Gavin Seim
Another great set of tips.
I am thinking of picking up a 12-24 Tokina to experiment with wide angles.
Wow, great list... I love the last shot, so crisp and sharp. I like movement but it has to be done carefully (which I usually am not). I like it when there is at least a point of sharp focus if there is movement in the rest of the image. Great shots.
Thank you for sharing, these are great tips, can't wait to start experimenting!
This is an even more interesting group compared to the first ten. I believe when thinking of new ideas throw out at least the first five because you've seen them before. The creativity really starts after that.
The motion and focus images are fun.
Excellent Article Darren
I dont shoot much in the way of portraits , this will give me some more inspiration to get out there look people in the face .


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It's easy for folks in the states to forget that Tom Green is NOT a product of MTV. In fact, the vast majority of the absurdist bits that made him infamous HERE were actually whittled from his wildly popular show in a distant, some say mythical, land called Canada.
Early Exposure: Raw Meat and Rare Treats opens a window on the comic's fledgling antics that clearly foretell future extremes. Tom's tyranny of his long-suffering parents creeps into being when he paints their house PLAID while they're away. He mixes with unwitting sanitation workers in search of Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers and other sewer wildlife. Tom straps loaves of bread to his brainpan and accosts unsuspecting pedestrians on the street. Best of all, though, is when he and Derek Harvie play "Follow the Porn" along a breezy highway. This disc's a must for diehards. (2000, 75 mins, Fullframe, DD 2.0, No bonus scenes as noted on package, Long-form "Tom Green" theme).
While Endangered Feces: The Very Worst of Tom Green documents the bizarro FRUITS of such early hijinks and offers far more of what most fans are likely hankering for. Tom rechristens the family car as a "Slut Mobile" by airbrushing its hood with a graphic scene of advanced lesbian tongue rasslin. He herds an entire barnyard of critters into his parent's living room. Sidekick Glenn Humplik figures a lot more prominently also. Trouble is that entails witnessing Tom sing an ode to children with his mug microns from Glenn's nekkid keister. A schizoid geezer violently turns the tables on Tom's wacko-on-the-street schtick. Gross-out goodies include fishing feces from a toilet, conducting a "Fun with Science" exploration of urination, and yep, Tom suckles his first bovine teat and humps his first roadkill. (2000, 87 mins, Fullframe, DD 2.0, 35 minutes of bonus footage from Canadian talk shows including the notorious racoon incident).
Unfortunately, Subway Monkey Hour isn't among Tom's shining MTV moments. Namely, the Andy Kaufman-esque, oddly-poignant Cancer special and the downright surreal Monica Lewinsky broadcast. Here Tom's shuttled to Japan, sadly sans Humplik or even ever-tittering Phil Giroux, to spend two less-than-inspired weeks testing the patience of an intensely courteous culture. Tom visits a used panty peddler, simulates man love with a mechanical mall Santa (who inexplicably croons "The Yellow Rose of Texas") and places a talking "adult novelty" onto an automat serving conveyor. Probably what works best is also the simplest. When Green, who speaks Japanese, purposefully misspeaks or feigns misunderstanding even the most basic of instructions. Such as the demand he remove his Godzilla costume, which he uses as an excuse to strip to his underpants. But, at 3 a.m., even Tom seems to recognize the folly of this adventure, "See man, I told you I'd make it! I'm in Tokyo dressed as a FORK! Vomiting!!!" (2002, 50 mins, Fullframe, DD 2.0, Four bonus bits from the MTV episodes, Photos.)

subset: commoncrawl


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|Regal Cinemas Jack London Stadium 9
|Oakland, CA (~12 miles)
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|Berkeley, CA (~13 miles)
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|Fremont, CA (~13 miles)
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|Emeryville, CA (~14 miles)
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|Berkeley, CA (~14 miles)
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|Berkeley, CA (~14 miles)
|UA Berkeley 7
|Berkeley, CA (~14 miles)
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|Berkeley, CA (~14 miles)
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|Newark, CA (~14 miles)
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|Pleasant Hill, CA (~15 miles)
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PKRA News:
Closing Ceremony at the PKRA/IKA Kiteboarding Junior Freestyle World Championships
The final day of the PKRA kiteboarding junior freestyle world championships came to an end with one last heat being run and a beautiful award ceremony. The wind was building all afternoon but unfortunately only one out of the six heats remaining was run. The event was a great success with 43 competitors from 17 countries, representing the best junior freestyle kiteboarders in the world. The level of the young riders throughout the week was absolutely amazing and impressed the PKRA crew and spectators with some great riding and great attitudes on the beach.
The day started with a 10:30 skippers meeting where the riders were oriented for the day and was followed by the last clinic of the event. In this clinic the young riders tested their judging skills by watching 10 tricks in a row and having to give the name of the trick, the score and a reason why they gave that score according to the judging criteria. Everyone was active in the discussion and was very critical of the top riders in the world having the chance to give them scores. The clinic was done to show them how judging works and how they can adapt their riding to fit the judging criteria.
After a short lunch break everyone was optimistic about the wind picking up at 2 o'clock but for some unknown reason the thermal never got about 12 knots. The only heat that was run was the superheat tiebreaker between Heras, Martinez and Chen to break the three-way tie they had after the round robin. It was a very close heat, with Heras landing a good variety of tricks and edging out Martinez and Chen. At 17: 15 the race director decided to call the competition for the day and the event knowing that the thermal was not going to fill in today.
In the evening the award ceremony was started at the camping La Ballena Alegre that hosted a great event entire week. For the older boys and girls the competition was not completed due to lack of wind on the last day and some of the boys and girls are tied.
Girls 8 to 13 years old: 1st Heras (ESP), 2nd Martinez (ESP) and 3rd Chen (CHN).
Girls 14 to 16 years old: Four tied for first: Klabbers (NED), Menardo (ITA), Galliart (NED), Bowcutt(DOM)
Boys 8 to 14 years old: 1st Tom Bridge (GBR), Guy Bridge (GBR), Racca (MEX), Mur Peris (ESP)
Boys 15 to 16 years old: Tied For 1st Font (ESP) and Cloetens (BEL), Tied for 3rd Zurik (POL) and Delmas (FRA)
A special thank you to our sponsors that gave gear to the competitors: F-One Kites, Airush, North, Best, Camping Ballena Alegre and Chupa Chups. All the competitors were given a certificate of completion for the event and the prizes were given by raffle, with better odds for the winners of the competition. This made the prize giving very exiting not knowing who was going the get the boards, the bags, the vacations, the Chupa Chups and other prizes.
The 1st PKRA/IKA kiteboarding freestyle world championships at the camping Ballena Alegre, Costa Brava, Spain, was a great success. All the riders were very happy to participate in the event and the PKRA is convinced that this platform is a great way to educate and discover talented riders from all over the world.


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Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee's 2013 State of the State Speech
Read the full speech and see what words were uttered most.
The following is a word cloud and text transcript of Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee's 2013 State of the State speech, delivered Jan. 16.
View a complete list of 2013 State of the State addresses
Mr. Speaker, Madam President, members of the General Assembly, Congressman Langevin, fellow General Officers, members of the Judiciary, distinguished guests, and my fellow Rhode Islanders,
I am honored to join with you tonight in our beautiful State House. This building is both a symbol of Rhode Island's proud and prosperous past and a beacon of hope reminding us that our brightest days are still ahead.
It is a pleasure and a privilege to work in this building and in this great state. Nothing could give me more satisfaction than helping to achieve progress on many fronts in Rhode Island.
Our state has gone through incredibly tough times recently. The national recession has taken its toll on our economy, our businesses, and, most dramatically, our people. Short-sighted decisions in better times left us struggling to provide the most basic services.
But Rhode Island is strong. And tonight we begin a new year with new opportunities to continue Rhode Island's recovery.
There is a popular saying that bears repeating tonight. It goes: "Don't tell me what your priorities are. Show me your budget, and I'll tell you what they are."
Well, anyone wondering what my priorities are should read the budget I respectfully submit to you tonight. It continues the path that I believe will make Rhode Island a stronger state in both the near - and long-term future.
I submit this budget to the General Assembly on January 16th - on time and the earliest that a Governor has done so in over two decades.
Thanks to good management and good decisions, we have ended the past two fiscal years with surpluses. This was achieved by able and dedicated Cabinet directors. They have worked together with common purpose to provide quality services at a rate that is mindful of the taxpayers. Thank you to these dedicated public servants in all the departments of state government.
Our revenues are exceeding projections. This is another indication that the state is being run well - being managed responsibly - and that more and more each day people and businesses are investing and spending here. We are providing certainty, predictability, and stability. And that's what businesses demand to have the confidence to create jobs in Rhode Island.
The budget I present to you tonight contains no increase in taxes, fees, or charges of any kind. Not only are there no tax or fee increases, I also propose lowering our corporate tax from 9.0 percent to 7.0 percent over the next three years. This will put Rhode Island's rate below that of both our neighboring states.
We have avoided tax increases and are lowering the corporate rate through both good fiscal management and a strengthening economy. As we move forward, it is important to keep investing in the building blocks of this progress - that is, investing in education, infrastructure, and workforce development.
Throughout my career in public service, I have been committed to quality public education. There is simply no more important investment we can make than in our schools and the potential of our students. My commitment to education continues with this budget.
In 2010, the General Assembly worked with Commissioner Gist on behalf of our students to pass the state's school aid formula. In this budget, I have once again provided the resources to fully fund the formula, including all categorical aid programs. This year, that amounts to $30.3 million in additional state education aid.
I have also allocated over $14 million to support repairs at the state's vocational education facilities.
But the state's responsibility to our students goes beyond K-12 schools. We must also do all we can to ensure that motivated and hardworking Rhode Islanders can attain a quality college education. And we must ensure that they can do so without taking on mounting levels of debt. The biggest barriers to these goals are ever-increasing tuition rates.
Therefore, in an effort to ensure that there is no tuition increase next year at the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, or the University of Rhode Island, I propose an increase of $6 million for higher education.
However, the leadership of these institutions must meet me halfway. If they can achieve $6 million in total savings and efficiencies, coupled with my $6 million in additional funding, we can guarantee the students of these schools no tuition increase next year.
When you pass this budget, we will have invested $115 million in public K-12 and higher education in Rhode Island over the past three years.
It also is important to bear in mind that Rhode Islanders looking for work need to be ready not only for today's economy, but for the economy of tomorrow. And Rhode Island employers looking to hire or expand need to have confidence that there will be qualified candidates to fill available positions. Therefore, I propose $3 million in new state support for workforce development initiatives.
I also want to applaud the good work of the Governor's Workforce Board for all the volunteer time and effort they have given toward the betterment of our economy.
Many studies show that you can't build a good economy without good infrastructure. Rhode Island is the second-most densely populated state and one of the most heavily traveled, all in a coastal salt air environment - and our infrastructure takes a beating. Maintenance of our roads and bridges is critical. Make no mistake: strengthening our infrastructure is an integral part of improving our economic competitiveness.
With this in mind, the budget I submit to you includes a number of strategic infrastructure investments. These have the dual benefit of strengthening our economic climate while putting Rhode Islanders back to work now. I have included a proposal to advance over $11 million in pay-as-you-go funding for already approved projects that can start immediately. This is a smart opportunity to get the trades back to work as soon as possible and improve the condition of our infrastructure.
Being more proactive about routine repairs and maintenance will also help us avoid costly replacement projects in the future. Unfortunately, we have seen a number of these in recent years, including the Sakonnet River Bridge. They have cost the taxpayers significantly and have forced hard decisions to be made. I do not want to have to rebuild another bridge because of lack of proper maintenance. This is not going to happen as long as I am Governor. We must invest in our infrastructure.
I am pleased to note that my Administration has also taken historic steps to reform how we finance our transportation system.
For the first time in memory, this past November voters did not have to approve a bond referendum to support transportation costs. We will no longer borrow to provide our state match for our federal highway dollars. This means that our valuable resources can be put toward important repair and improvement projects - not interest on the debt. Again, this is good fiscal management.
Although we didn't bond for transportation funds, I am pleased that a number of important bond items were approved by an overwhelming majority of voters this past November. These initiatives will boost our economy by investing in some of Rhode Island's premier assets, such as our environment, our institutions of higher education, and veterans' services.
Thank you, Rhode Islanders, for your strong confidence in this Administration's ability to wisely manage these projects worth over $200 million. Not only will we manage them well, we will get construction workers on the job as soon as possible.
I also want to accelerate the economic activity in Providence's Knowledge District. To that end, I propose an additional $500,000 to enhance the operations of the 195 Redevelopment Commission. You have heard me talk before about the importance of the medical, research, and education fields - the 'meds and eds.' We must continue to focus on these assets to grow our economy and create jobs.
This past year saw another strong tourism season, highlighted by the return of America's Cup racing to Newport and the Netroots Nation conference in Providence - among others.
To ensure that tourism and hospitality remain a strong sector of our economy and that we continue attracting visitors to Rhode Island, I recommend bolstering the state's tourism marketing efforts with an additional $600,000.
As a former local official, I have worked in my time as Governor to make property tax relief a key priority of my Administration. I may sound like a broken record at this point, but in the years before I took office, cities and towns bore the brunt of the downturn in state revenues. Those most severely affected were the distressed communities that could least afford it.
I am generally skeptical of the myriad rankings and reports that place Rhode Island at the bottom of the barrel in terms of business climate. Many of them fail to take into account important factors, and many compare apples to oranges.
But here are some facts, from a report that compares apples to apples. The Department of Revenue studied the tax burden on Rhode Island businesses compared to other states.
Rhode Island ranks 26th in the burden of state taxes on businesses. We're in the middle nationally with our sales and income taxes. In this same study, we rank 41st - near the bottom - in terms of local taxation borne by businesses. That is, the property tax.
While everyone likes to talk about onerous tax rates at the state level, the property tax is the real major barrier to economic growth - particularly on small businesses.
With that in mind, I will continue to work with the cities and towns for property tax relief.
How will we do it? On top of the $41 million in local aid contained in my previous two budgets, this year I recommend an additional $30 million for property tax relief. This is divided between $20 million in additional aid to our cities and towns - with particular attention to distressed communities - and $10 million in RICAP funds for local roads and streetscapes.
To further help our cities and towns, I also propose modifying the historic tax credit program by providing access to abandoned tax credits.
Failure to support these initiatives will only drive Rhode Island further down on the chart that matters most to our economic climate - the burden of local taxes borne by businesses. Our state as a whole cannot be successful without the financial health of our cities and towns. We're going to continue encouraging local prosperity by supporting our municipalities.
You have heard me talk a lot tonight about Rhode Island's economy. This is because, with a stronger economy and more Rhode Islanders working, all of our other challenges become more manageable.
But in order to do my job as Governor - for us to do our job as elected officials - we must care for the most vulnerable among us.
Each budget brings with it difficult decisions. That has been the case once again this year, as we worked to close the deficit. But it is my hope, as in years past, that if the May numbers upon which you, the General Assembly, will base your budget, come in stronger than the numbers on which I base mine, you will be able to undo some of these tough choices.
I also anticipate criticism about my decision to lower the corporate tax rate while there is a strain on social services. I would not make this recommendation if I did not truly believe that in the long run it will result in a stronger economy, more Rhode Islanders working, and fewer of our citizens in need of state support.
Our ultimate goal is always to get our people back to work and to give those who rely on social services a hand up, where possible, to financial independence. And again, hopefully May revenue numbers will provide better options.
Throughout my time in public service, whether as Mayor, United States Senator, or Governor, my whole agenda has been based on thinking not only about today, but about the long-term. I am always considering how the decisions we make today will influence Rhode Island years down the road.
We want to have a state where there are jobs and opportunities for our children and their children. They deserve to be able to stay in the state they love - a state with good roads and bridges, high-quality schools, clean water, protected open spaces, and a secure safety net.
Governing a state is not about quick gains that draw headlines. It's about positioning Rhode Island for lasting success and prosperity.
Everyone likes accountability. And the best way to measure our progress is through tracking certain metrics.
The results indicate that we are moving steadily in the right direction.
Two years ago, when I was sworn in as Governor, Rhode Island was facing a $295 million deficit.
Our unemployment rate was 11.4%.
We had lost 40,000 jobs in the previous four years.
Many cities and towns were on the verge of collapse - most notably Central Falls.
We had sustained years of cuts to higher education and inadequate K-12 funding.
And our state workforce was demoralized.
A gloomy cloud of negativity gathered over our state.
It takes time for the sun to break through, but it is. Two years later, unemployment is heading in the right direction - still unacceptably high, but improving.
We are tackling our deficits.
Central Falls has been called a national model for emerging stronger from Chapter 9.
The Station District in Warwick is ready to realize its potential with the runway expansion and the arrival of JetBlue.
We are investing in our schools and in our students.
Things are getting better, and we must build on this momentum to continue our recovery.
I know that tomorrow the House of Representatives will be holding an economic summit. This follows an ongoing discussion that has occurred over the past year about how best to improve Rhode Island's economy.
My hope is that you all will be skeptical and wary of deviating from the steady, methodical construction of a Rhode Island economy built for today and for the future. We tried the 'get rich quick' approach by giving $75 million to a retired baseball player with zero business experience. We cannot make such panic-driven decisions again.
In addition to offering us an opportunity to look ahead, the State of the State reminds us to reflect and to learn from the year we have just completed.
Perhaps the darkest moment of the past year came just before its end. On December 14, just over one month ago, a troubled young man took the lives of 27 innocent victims - 20 elementary school students, 6 teachers and administrators, and his own mother. This tragedy happened in our neighboring state of Connecticut, in a community similar to so many in Rhode Island. It was the latest in a series of mass shootings that occurred this past year.
We should not need this reminder, but we have been given it. While respecting the rights of hunters and responsible gun owners, we could - and should - do more to prevent senseless acts of violence. That is why, in the current General Assembly session, I will join with the leaders of the House and Senate to craft, introduce, and pass legislation that makes Rhode Island a safer place both for us and our children.
Despite this horrific chapter, 2012 did have its positives. I am grateful that our state did not have the extensive damage and loss of life that Hurricane Sandy brought to other Northeastern states.
I want to thank all those who came together to get Rhode Island through the storm safely. This includes hardworking state and municipal employees, National Grid, the Red Cross and the United Way, and the many volunteers who pitched in to help their fellow Rhode Islanders.
I am also grateful to the Obama Administration for the millions of dollars in federal aid to help us recover, repair, and rebuild.
Looking ahead to our agenda for the year we have just begun, we in this room will have an opportunity to enact historic legislation. In this climate of intense economic competition, as we work to attract the best and brightest, we are currently at an economic disadvantage with our neighbors. For our economic development, for civil rights, and for basic fairness, we must extend the rights and benefits of marriage to all Rhode Islanders.
Let's come together to pass marriage equality.
Rhode Island has a long legacy of tolerance and diversity. For centuries, new Americans have made this state strong. To uphold this legacy, in the coming weeks I will announce efforts to bring greater diversity to our state workforce.
We will also keep moving forward with the development of the Health Benefits Exchange, which will make healthcare more affordable for individuals and employers. This is an area where I am proud to say that Rhode Island continues to lead the way.
Finally, with so many Rhode Islanders returning home from foreign deployments, we will continue make it a priority to support military service members and their families - both during and after their service.
Mr. Speaker, Madam President, members of the General Assembly - my priorities are reflected in this budget. And your priorities will be demonstrated in the action you take in the coming months. The steps we have taken over the past several years, the changes we have made, are working. Rhode Island is working.
To summarize: in this budget, we are investing in education. We are investing in infrastructure. We are investing in workforce development. We are investing in our cities and towns and property tax relief.
And we're doing it all without raising taxes or fees of any kind - and while lowering the corporate tax.
My fellow Rhode Islanders, the state of our state is steadily improving. I am eager to join with you to continue moving with purpose and vision toward our shared goal: a brighter future for our great state.
Thank you.
We invite you to discuss and comment on this article using social media.


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SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants are grasping for something, anything, that can get their stalled motor restarted, and it would seem a stretch to think that one returning player could serve as a master mechanic right now.
But Brandon Belt, who has watched the highs and lows of this strange Giants team since May 10 while sidelined with a broken thumb, hopes he can provide some sort of spark of ignition that helps get his floundering team back on point.
"I want to come out and be productive right away," Belt said Thursday after the Giants' latest ignominious defeat, a lifeless 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals that completed a 2-8 homestand.
Belt will be activated when the team travels to San Diego to start a three-game series Friday. The first baseman was a huge part of the team's 42-21 start, and while the club's subsequent catastrophic collapse the past three-plus weeks would seem too burdensome a weight for Belt to take on his shoulders alone, any motivated new face will be a welcome one right now.
From manager Bruce Bochy's perspective, everybody in the Giants' clubhouse needs to put on a freshly motivated new face, from himself on down.
"There comes a time when you say enough is enough, and that's where we're at," Bochy said after his team concluded a homestand hitting .192 with just two home runs, one stolen base and a .140 average with runners in scoring position.
Things are so strained that Bochy altered his postgame routine, postponing his usual postgame news conference to meet with general manager Brian Sabean as well as a handful of players. Once he did meet the media, Bochy was blunt about all the nasty numbers of late — 17 losses in their last 22 games, including a galling 14 of 17 at home — but didn't anticipate major personnel changes beyond Belt, just a wholesale change in resolve.
"We have a lot of baseball left, we have time to get this right," he said. "But now it's up to all of us to try and get out of this thing and just believe it's going to turn. This is our group. They know that, we've told them that."
But how do you generate faith with all systems seemingly failing?
"You try everything," Bochy said. "We've shaken up the lineup. We've met. You stay positive, but hopefully we all kick ourselves in the tail here, too. That's part of it, to get mad at what's happened and do something about it. You can't wait for someone else to do it. You have to do it yourself … including myself, everybody."
The Giants were hoping to salvage a series win from the Cardinals, but the day got off to a bad start when starter Madison Bumgarner (9-6) gave up a two-run, first-inning homer to Jhonny Peralta. It didn't improve much from there.
The Giants got a run back in the third on Bumgarner's RBI single, but St. Louis scored three runs in the fourth, two on a single by Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez (2-3) past a drawn-in infield, which signaled another loss to come. San Francisco cemented it with 11 straight outs to finish the game.
Watching it all from the sidelines, Belt is mystified as to how things could go so well and then so wrong. He's felt helpless.
"On both sides of the spectrum," he said. "When they were winning and looking like they were having so much fun, I wanted to be out there then. And now, it's hard to sit back and watch the team that you play for not do so hot. You want to get out there and do what you can. So hopefully I can go out there and help 'em out."
The Giants could use some sturdy pitching, too. Bumgarner against Martinez — making just his fifth major league start — would have seemed to favor the Giants, but it didn't turn out that way.
Bumgarner might have damaged his chances of the making the National League All-Star team with a second straight defeat in which he allowed five runs (four earned). The left-hander pitched five innings and allowed six hits, three walks and struck out six.
Follow Carl Steward on Twitter at twitter.com/stewardsfolly.
Giants (Matt Cain 1-6) at San Diego (Eric Stults 2-11), 3:40 p.m. CSNBA


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Description: O-Beads are flat, donut-shaped seed beads that measure 1x3.8mm and have a generous 1.3mm hole. Add them to your bead embroidery, try them as spacers, incorporate them into your bead weaving and more. They are a stunning complement to seed beads.


text:
Cancer clinics across the country have begun turning away thousands of Medicare patients, blaming the sequester budget cuts.
Oncologists say the reduced funding, which took effect for Medicare on April 1, makes it impossible to administer expensive chemotherapy drugs while staying afloat financially.
Patients at these clinics would need to seek treatment elsewhere, such as at hospitals that might not have the capacity to accommodate them.
"If we treated the patients receiving the most expensive drugs, we'd be out of business in six months to a year," said Jeff Vacirca, chief executive of North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates in New York. "The drugs we're going to lose money on we're not going to administer right now."


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ReleasesBack to
George Tucker
Trombonist Curtis Fuller settled in New York in April of 1957, after working for several years in his native Detroit. Volume 3 pairs him with trumpeter Art Farmer, along with a buoyant rhythm section comprising Sonny Clark (who also relocated to N.Y.C. in April '57), George Tucker and Louis Hayes. This third solo recording for Fuller on the Blue Note label is stronger than its predecessors, especially in showcasing the trombonist's writing talents. The five original tunes and one standard feature some fine ensemble playing and cover a broad range from Afro-Cuban to medium swing to ballad. Fuller's composition "Carvon" is exceptional; the main theme is played on trombone accompanied only by bowed bass. This recording firmly established Curtis Fuller as a serious, mature voice on his instrument. ~ Lee Bloom


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text: http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/article/20130102/NEWS/130109984/-1/news?refresh=true By John Bowman January 02. 2013 10:16AM Parties vote to extend KBRA The 42 parties that originally signed the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) have voted unanimously to extend the deadline for congressional action necessary to implement the agreement. PHOTO/ JOHN BOWMAN PacifiCorp's Iron Gate Dam is the furthest downstream of four hydroelectric dams proposed for removal by the KBRA and KHSA agreements. The KBRA was recently extended until Dec. 31, 2014 in order to give Congress time to consider the legislation necessary to fully implement the controversial agreements. The 42 parties that originally signed the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) have voted unanimously to extend the deadline for congressional action necessary to implement the agreement which outlines aspects of removing four PacifiCorp hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River. The parties include several Klamath River tribes, irrigation districts, conservation groups, fishermen and local and state governments. As originally drafted, the KBRA would have terminated on Dec. 31, 2012 unless Congress passed authorizing legislation. As it become increasingly clear that Congress would not act before the KBRA's self-imposed deadline, the parties agreed to an amendment that would extend the agreement until Dec. 31, 2014. The Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) does not have a termination date and the changes do not affect the proposed dam removal date of 2020. For decades Klamath Basin communities have battled over the region's limited water resources. Irrigation shut offs, fishery closures and a massive fish kill have created economic insecurity for tribes, farmers, fishermen and the communities that depend on them. The KBRA and companion KHSA are the products of years of negotiations between Klamath River tribes, area farmers, fishermen, dam owner PacifiCorp and conservationists, though many local governments and agricultural groups have also opposed the agreements and chosen not to sign them. Dam removal proponents say the agreements would provide greater water certainty to irrigators who have seen diversions shut off in the middle of growing seasons, but cap those diversions in a manner that provides greater flow assurances for fish. Supporters also say the agreements would improve conditions for salmon and save power customers money because, under terms of the agreements, dam removal would be cheaper than mandatory infrastructure upgrades required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service in order to relicense the dams. The dams are currently operating without a valid federal license while the debate over their future drags on. The last active license expired in 2004. Those opposed to dam removal, including the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors, say the process would release vast quantities of toxic sediment into the river and destroy its ecosystem for years to come. Opponents also maintain that the dams provide essential flood protection, and the loss of recreational and scenic values provided by the reservoirs could decimate local property values. Some groups opposed to dam removal also believe that claims of dwindling salmon populations in the Klamath Basin are flatly untrue. Organizations such as the Siskiyou County Water Users Association (SCWUA) allege that fluctuations in salmon populations are solely the result of fluctuating ocean conditions rather than poor instream habitat. SCWUA also alleges that the coho salmon – listed as endangered in northern California and Southern Oregon – are not native to the Klamath Basin, which they say negates the necessity of efforts like dam removal. District 5 Siskiyou County Supervisor Marcia Armstrong told the Daily News, "The KBRA has been proven wrong for the Klamath and its people on so many levels. There has been so much political manipulation of science and back-room dealing" and its extension "should highlight all the hefty 'earmarks' promised in the agreement for its special interest signatories. It also speaks to the abject failure of groups in the Klamath to engage in genuine dialogue and consideration of all regional needs and interests." She added, "This is an agreement forged by two wolves and a lamb as to what's for dinner. The upper and lower basin interests set upon the mid-Klamath to tear it apart as the basis for its bargain. It should be no surprise that the lamb objects. The bright spot in this feeding frenzy is that Congressman Tom McClintock remains as chairman of the Water and Power Sub-committee of the House Natural Resources Committee, and that he opposes removal of the dams." According to Leaf Hillman, natural resources director for the Karuk Tribe, "This Agreement is the only approach that can restore salmon runs while benefitting Klamath Basin agriculture." Regarding congressional approval, Hillman stated, "We now need leadership from Senator Wyden and Senator Feinstein to move this through Congress or else the Klamath will soon plunge back into a constant state of crisis and economic uncertainty." Owner and operator of the dams, PacifiCorp, is among the signatories to the removal agreements. The company says removing the dams under the agreements will cost them and ratepayers less than other options. PacifiCorp spokesman Bob Gravely said Monday, "We're hopeful that unanimous approval of the extension will keep the larger settlement on track to receive a full hearing in Congress as soon as possible in the new year. The company continues to believe that the Klamath hydro agreement is the best of the available choices for our nearly 600,000 ratepayers in Oregon and Northern California." -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www2.dcn.org/pipermail/env-trinity/attachments/20130103/fab6c056/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: AR-130109984.jpg&MaxH=225&MaxW=225 Type: image/jpeg Size: 6004 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www2.dcn.org/pipermail/env-trinity/attachments/20130103/fab6c056/AR-130109984-0001.jpe


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play competitive games. thanks
Views: 221
Replies to This Discussion
looking to hit on a reg basis
sure.always expecting 3 sets good games. I can do reg basis. what's you time schedule
would love to hit. where do you play?
Castro Valley/Dublin are good for me next week. Also can play at Oakland depends on my daily plan.
great. would you mind adding me, so I can send you my email address? let's set something up for next week.
just did.
weekday i can do Pm weekends i can do mornings
Myiesha, how about Friday afternoon at Bay Trees in Castro Valley? 2.30pm?
I can try Friday 6:30pm, will PM you guys tomorrow
6.30pm friday would work for me. thanks
I can do 6pm on Friday. Anyone up? text me 4153206868
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While Javerre will be taking on older and considerably more experienced horses in the $60,000 New Jersey Breeders Handicap, the 3-year-old gelding certainly seems up to the task in the six-furlong sprint.
Trained by Cathal Lynch for Stanton Smith, Jr., the son of Outflanker out of the Touch Gold mare Our Fantene has only raced four times. But he won all three of his Monmouth Park starts, which were against New Jersey-breds, in impressive fashion during the meet and finished a strong third in open company at Saratoga on August 3.
So far, so good. Now Javerre is back at Monmouth trying to notch his first stakes win on Saturday, when 10 races restricted to state-breds will be presented as part of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival. The $75,000 Charles Hesse III Handicap and the $60,000 Jersey Girl Handicap are the other two stakes races on the card.
"This horse is just a natural athlete," said Lynch, who won the $100,000 Sorority Stakes with Doubled here on Labor Day weekend. "He was very effective (in his Saratoga race). It was a trial to see if we wanted to keep him in training over the winter as an open horse, or if he was strictly state-bred. He ran really well and was really competitive, and Saratoga can be a tough place to go."
The 6-year-old Arctic Air and 7-year-old Hop Skip and Away, who finished second and third, respectively, in the 2011 edition of this race are back for another crack at the trophy.
They are the pride of New Jersey's Thoroughbred breeding program and the promise of the future. On Saturday, the best of the state-bred juveniles will be showcased in the New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival at Monmouth.
In the third of the 10 restricted races on the card, 12 colts and geldings will travel five furlongs in a $37,500 maiden special weight and then another full field of fillies is set to run at the same conditions in the sixth race.
"The girls are in," said trainer Michael Mullin, who will saddle Shesfromboston and Billyscrystalball in the filly affair as each makes her second start. "Both ran well last time but what was most impressive was not so much where they finished, but how they both overcame adversity and showed composure as well as maturity in all respects. We're really excited about this race."
So is John Mazza, who has trained for owner/breeder Vincent Annarella's Holly Crest Farm for 46 years. Mazza sends out the uncoupled duo of Holly Crest's Forgotten Prayers and Ro-Ron Stable's Holy Rainbow in the filly race and Silver Bullet City in the test for the boys.
"They are all homebreds," said Mazza, who was honored with the prestigious Virgil "Buddy" Raines Distinguished Achievement Award this year. "Every year I have babies to raise and you always look for the good ones."
Mazza has trained a who's who of stakes winners, including three-time New Jersey-bred Horse of the Year Star Edition and fellow year-end champions Capture the Gold and Duke Mitchell.
"There are so many that I could sit here all day and go through them," Mazza said. "I won the 1992 Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga with Great Navigator and the 1988 Sorority with Divine Answer. Carrots Only was another real good one. He won the Jersey Breeders' Cup and the Charles Hesse Handicap. I'd have to go home and look at all the pictures, but I think I won at least 37 stakes. Forty-six years is something to be proud of."
So are 37 stakes winners. "You have to breed the best you can to the best you can," he said. "But then you still have to get lucky."
Juan Eugenio Enriquez may be only 18 years old, but the newest addition to Monmouth's jockey colony is an experienced journeyman with skills very much in demand.
Despite arriving less than a week ago from Peru to begin his career in the United States, business for Enriquez is brisk. The rider, who recorded 164 victories including nine stakes races in his native country, has the chance to add seven more in the win column when he makes his American debut on Saturday's card and rides another six on Sunday.
Agent Bruce Golub said that the trainers here have responded positively to Enriquez, who was the fourth leading rider at the Hippodromo de Monterrico, and are giving him the chance to ride their horses.


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NOTE: This post's headline originally suggested that Mr. Sack had been fired, when he actually resigned.
NEW YORK ( Reuters) - Brian Sack, the former head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's open market operations who for the last six months served as a senior policy adviser, is to resign effective January 18.
In the latest twist in Sack's tenure at the U.S. central bank, the New York Fed said late on Friday that Sack had announced his intention to resign. It was the second such notice in less than a year.
In April 2012 it was announced that Sack would resign his position overseeing the U.S. central bank's market-based monetary policy actions - including its quantitative easing programs - which he had held since 2009.
But on what was to be his last day on the job, June 29, the New York Fed said Sack had withdrawn his resignation and would instead stay on in a new position as adviser to New York Fed President William Dudley.
Seen as a rising star at the Fed, Sack helped it steer through the fallout from the financial crisis and tepid U.S. recovery from recession.
Through a New York Fed spokesman, Sack declined to comment.
The New York Fed's markets group deals directly with Wall Street and foreign central banks, carrying out Fed actions in the open market. Simon Potter, formerly an internal director of economic research, now heads that group.
(Reporting by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Leslie Adler)
Copyright (2013) Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions


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Shining though the depressing morass of the now ubiquitous festival is a truly remarkable annual endeavour: Tilburg's ZXZW, now in its fourth year. Put together with passion, wit, intelligence and a fervent integrity and commitment to independent culture (the festival's subtitle), it redefines and simultaneously clarifies the potential for events of this ilk.
We arrive early Friday morning, find we're sharing a hotel with the cultural theorist Mark Dery and wander around the quiet and elegant town of Tilburg in something of a remarkably good mood. ZXZW seems to have fused with the whole place through osmosis - banners and venues are everywhere, from your conventional stage and fleapit hall to bars, pubs, warehouses and even a synagogue!
Tonight promises to be extremely noisy and this is clarified as Norwegian three-piece Arabrot bludgeon with a superior onslaught of doom-punk heightened by some surprisingly funky and complex rhythms. Religious Knives start off, incredibly, with a psychedelic tranc-ey sprawl; a tribal pulse, abrasive Doors-ish organ, backing vocals and a never ending but calm lead guitar. The second song has shades of early Jefferson Airplane but enough originality in its stuttering tempo to hold its own and assert their own presence. After this though, the remainder of the set disappoints, the sense of landscape feels less pronounced, song structures more derivative.
DJ Spykidelic
- - -
DJ Spykidelic hails from Croydon via Oslo (naturally) and plays a truly inspiring set of dubstep and grime but rendered weirdly trippy and thus wholly unlike anything to be found in Shoreditch right now. I have to admit to feeling a little trepidation about tonight's breakcore extravaganza (four hours!), especially under the influence of Festivalitis (immediate alcoholism and insomnia). First surprise is that it's packed to the rafters from the get-go and proceeds to get busier. And my god, are these people up for it. As well as the expected sweaty convulse-like-your-life-depends-on-it dance, we have people throwing shapes, 'vogueing' (!?) and god knows what else. It's the most fun you could imagine. From the melee of acts, though, a few really stand out.
Perhaps the most exciting musically is Kid Kashore who beats all-comers by churning out a fearsome blitzkrieg of Indian saturated gabba-techno-nosebleed-mania complete with crazy mic shouting, Nazi salutes (!) and spiky stage movements. His sample use is a thousand times more innovative than anybody else tonight and whilst I was expecting fun, I wasn't expecting anything quite as original as this. Other highlights are Judith Priest who wins costume of the evening hands down by appearing in full religious garb and then unleashing breakneck fire and brimstone. DJ Speedranch is, of course, a veteran originator with his distinctive and fearsome end-of-the-world thunder. It's like every single sound and beat generated by rave culture being tumble-dried in a black hole and shot back at you at hyperspeed. At 4am I finally crumble but the rest of Tilburg seems happy to party on into the night.
Mutiny On The Bounty
- - -
First act of Saturday is Total System Failure, who are a duo on saxophone and mixing/fx excelling in spacious and glacial epic ambient-noise that reaches such sublime clouds of sound that it feels like it's being generated by the dry ice and not the equipment. They reach a depth of sound achieved in prime time God and Techno Animal - not the kind of comparison to throw around lightly.
The Cul De Sac bar hosts Luxembourg's Mutiny On The Bounty and they take full charge of the absence of a stage. Whether it's my own encroaching age, or something in the water in western Europe, the 'Bounty look incredibly young and very happy. These four kids are so fast it's untrue. They take all the technicality of Tortoise and then soak it in infectious hardcore adrenaline worthy of prime-time Slayer. It's ecstatic and totally convincing: they don't break for a second and your body has to decide whether to be awestruck or to just embrace it. Speed-prog without the pretentiousness, it's a truly joyful noise and if they can translate that energy in a studio setting then this is going to be one band to watch.
Raxinasky follow Bounty and terrify the crap out of everybody. They comprise a semi-naked vocalist also playing mixing desk, a manic drummer and a dreadlocked guitarist with 'kill reggae' emblazoned on his guitar. Theirs is a furious noise entirely enlivened by the frequent descents into electronic noise, the contrasts creating a wild dynamic. Highlight of the day/year/decade has to be Saturday's Eurovision Noise Contest which is more hilarious and more intense than its already insanely-promising title implies. Three judges mark bands out of ten for noise, performance and fashion (the latter being a particularly inspired choice: one act is cruelly slated for wearing yellow socks).
Eurovision Noise Contest
- - -
The battle ends with Norway's Sten Ove Toft and France's Sheik Anorak duelling it out for the title. Anorak generates huge intense drones from a laid-down guitar before turning to his drumkit halfway through and attempting to summon an early Armageddon. With only a guitar for company, the leather-clad Sten is much more mobile. His axe gets completely trashed early on in the 'set' but somehow continues to make a racket despite being in several pieces. It transpires that Anorak wins by a whisker, but DiS feels the night really belonged to Sten.
Finally, a technical hitch assists the most haunting set of the festival. Norway's Arabrot spin-off This is Music Inc. are restricted to just their singer/guitarist by a gremlin in the works, and he delivers a fragile, naked set reminiscent of Keiji Haino in introspective mood. An affecting turn and a surprising end to a spectacularly noisy day.
It's Sunday, the sun is shining and ZXZW have not only provided a roller skating rink soundtracked by uplifting soul music in the centre of the town for the kids, but also an outdoor venue offering both headlining acts of the festival (The Sun Ra Arkestra and Wire) for free, along with a full day's programme. In a nutshell, it perfectly reflects the spirit of generosity, openness, lack of cynicism and commitment that pervades in Tilburg. Understandably, it's busy, and we're greeted with an unforgettable image as The Sun Ra Arkestra take to the stage for the sixth time this festival. It's an incredibly poignant moment created by a group of musicians who abandoned any pretence of a normal life many years ago, and who still refuse to surrender their beliefs to the post-modern age. The energy might not be as volcanic as it used to be but their entirely unique fusion of tradition and freak-out still stands as one the most vibrant and profound artistic projects that this sorry-ass planet has ever witnessed. There are kids dancing on the stage, middle-aged parents, hordes of doom-metal fans, stragglers, pensioners and, over to the left, the astonishing and legendary John Sinclair, manager of the MC5 and founder member of The White Panthers. Talk about diversity.
The Sun Ra Arkestra
- - -
Moved beyond words, we head over to local record shop Sounds who provide food, beer and smoking facilities. This apparently is normal. So, it would appear, are the two guys dressed in Mexican wrestling costumes enjoying all the facilities to their utmost! Black Napkins are an astounding home-grown trio and one of the finest acts that we see all weekend. Their initial forays are insectoid scrabbles, scratchy fragments - drummer Gerri Jäger scrapes at his skins, pulling out a chain, finger nails and a coffee foamer from an arsenal of sound generators. Jasper Stadhouders clicks, chops, strikes and dampens and cuts every noise short on his guitar the instant it happens whilst also brandishing a variety of found objects. On trumpet, Sanne van Hek initially blows so gently as to be almost inaudible. Black Napkins truly play their instruments, every part becoming a source of sound. Amongst all the itchyiness, though, everything coalesces and they get right on one; a solid beat and huge blocks of noise that always startle after the quiet that gave rise to them. Yeah, it's jazz if you want to call it that but you could call it many other things and be partly right but still never get there. They are the first of three acts at Sounds who play with such an astonishing preternatural and democratic understanding of each other that this single afternoon could justify the trip here by itself.
Pu:ppkakkbaggrlull (try telling that to somebody who asks you who you watched today) also make use of a battery of sound generating equipment and are equally fond of silence. They fill the room with glacial ambience, billowing drones and noisy outbursts, but nothing sounds forced. It's a sound that just seems to take shape in front of your eyes, entirely organic and completely mesmerising at the same time. Then Talibam take to the floor. I had been forewarned - and now you are too, but it won't help you if you encounter them in future. Garishly attired, Matt Mottel plays synthesizer and Kevin Shea does something to drums whilst sporting huge white glasses. Mavin Kett (as they collectively are known) talk over each other, forget what they're doing, stop sentences half way through; in the middle of a proclamation of some sort a jagged blast of synth noise kills the others words. And then without warning you're in the middle of cartoon thunder: drums faster than the Apocalypse, keyboards as abrasive as a cheese grater on skin. Talibam take that moment in 'Sister Ray' when John Cale decides to kick the shit out of Lou Reed as their starting point. They rock the shit out in every way imaginable: fury and fun, performance and presence. Talibam are a punk Coltrane, noise as affect - everybody in the audience is left smiling.
Kylie Minoise
- - -
Kylie Minoise strips down to his pants, turns out the lights and straps feedback-generating devices to his hands. Our intrepid lensman Stu valiantly fights to get a picture as Kylie screams and bounces off the walls. I cowardly move backwards only to find ten minutes into the set that Mr Minoise is lying right between my legs. And then it's over. Short but... well, just short. By this point, we're done.
As we head back to the hotel, we're already planning next year's visit. This festival truly is the most remarkable experience and needs to be witnessed by anybody who genuinely loves leftfield music and still holds a torch for the idea that independent culture can exist without having to compromise itself or secrete itself away in an elitist hidey hole. In a word, then, ZXZW is incredible.
Find the festival's official website here
Photos: Stuart Green


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Difference between revisions of "256a-fall-2009/shiweis-project"
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== System ==
== System ==
Although the of this project : language and .
can the language /
== Experience ==
== Experience ==
Revision as of 00:50, 10 December 2009
Pictone - Vision Based Music System
Music 256A Fall 2009 Final Project. Shiwei Song (shiweis)
Modern computers have enabled novel ways for people to interact with and generate sound. My project is to build an instrument where the inputs are pictures drawn with pen and paper. The system takes video feed of simple shapes and lines drawn on paper and converts them into notes of different instruments. The audience sees the performer's drawings, visualization of notes, and hears the corresponding sonic results.
My initial inspiration came from the Birds on the Wires video. The creator converted a picture of birds on wires to musical notes and produced a short piece of music that is both simple and beautiful. I felt that creating sound through drawings has the following advantages:
- Most people can write or draw simple shapes. This system invites anyone to try and make some music/noise (and have fun!).
- The pictorial music language is novel to the audience, so they will be constantly surprised or left wondering what the next output will be.
- The characters/pictures in the music language can itself have some sort of meaning (perhaps when combined together) so there will be both visual and sonic messages conveyed.
- "Live coding" by drawing is fairly unconventional and this itself may be an interesting experiment to perform or observe.
- Drawing has a lot of freedom that cannot be mapped to traditional hardware devices. The performer can further influence the system by change the way images are taken by the system such as by rotating the paper. Combined, the performer has a lot of room for interaction with the instrument.
I hope that my project will serve as the basis for a system that will eventually demonstrate the advantages listed above.
Although the majority of the work for this project was on creating the software, the project can be viewed as having two disjoint parts: the picture language and the software system.
The first component of the project is to figure out what type of things the user can draw and what type of results they might produce. Because of the time constraints, the language supported so far is fairly simple/limited.
Milestones & Extensions
The project will consists of two parts: the music language and the software system.
Picture Music Language
This project will construct a simple form of the picture music language. The primary concern is to have a good mapping of the pictures to representations and also have it easily recognizable by the software (so perhaps sacrificing picture meaning/aesthetics for ease of recognition.
The language will control two aspect of the music:
- The controls/flow of the sound produced. Such as indicating loops, tracks, speed, etc.
- Actual notes/instruments and pauses (lack of notes).
Some design questions I'm still debating:
- Whether to have notes from same instrument or selected notes from several instruments.
- Whether to allow polyphony, and if so throw what means? Either having the user input different tracks (probably easier) or have use some spacial mapping in the language (such as position on paper).
- What should color and shape map to? Should vertical position on paper be used?
So far I've tried some basic shapes from below. I converted each picture to binary and did a distance transform. Then sum of pixel differences are taken to measure similarity between pictures. Using this method I was able to detect triangle, square, person icon, and smilie face under fairly ideal conditions. I can also detect the primary colors fairly accurately. The square and circle were too similar to be differentiated.
Software System
The software system will consist of several parts:
- The vision system that uses OpenCV and digitalizes the characters.
- The internal controller that takes the digitalized representation and produces the synthesized sound (maybe through STK) and also display the visualization.
- The visual system that shows the camera feed and also some sort of visualization (perhaps simply the notes to be played and the organization of different tracks).
There are currently no plans to have any networked component to this.
Mostly friends and classmates will test this. A measure of goodness is how many times they say "cool" during testing.
I will be working on this by myself.
- 11/16/2009: Basic language ideas. Ability to recognize some characters in the vision component.
- 11/30/2009: Can recognize most of the characters and convert to internal representation. Can produce sound.
- 12/10/2009: Some visuals. Make the other components more robust. Ready for presentation.


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Compact Plain Paper Fax and Copier with Digital Answering System
Compact Plain Paper Fax and Copier with Digital Answering System
All Digital Answering System
The KX-FP215 answers all your calls, records messages and receives faxes while you are away. The all digital system makes operation virtually silent and offers almost instantaneous response time.
Digital Duplex Speakerphone
Digital compression technology helps to reduce annoying echo, drop-out or clipping. Enjoy clear, natural two-way conversations!
Up to 28 page Document Memory
The system can store up to 25 pages in its built-in memory for transmission, ideal for broadcasting multi-page documents to multiple locations. If you run out of paper, don't worry. The reception memory can hold up to 28 pages.
Enhanced Copier Function
This fax performs a range of advanced copier functions including; enlargement, reduction, collate and multi-copy.
Informative 2-line LCD screen
The 2 x 16 character LCD readout indicates operating modes, memory contents, date/time and number dialed. It also helps during programming the system features or when entering numbers in the telephone directory.
Caller ID Compatibility
You can view the name and number of all of your incoming callers right on the LCD readout. You can also print the list for your records.
- Compact Full-featured Fax
- Convenience copier functions
- Fully featured facsimile
- Digital Answering System
- Digital Duplex Speakerphone
SpecificationsExpand All
- All Digital Answering Machine Yes
- Recording Capacity Max. 18 greetings in total
- Paper Tray Capacity Max 20 Sheets
- Modem Speed (Kbps) 14.4 kbps
- Transmission Time (sec./page) 8
- LCD Display 2-Line, 16-character LCD Display
- Navigator Key Yes
- Quick Scan Yes
- Telephone Directory Navigator Yes, 50 entries
- Out of Paper Reception up to 28 pages
- Automatic Document Feeder (pages) 10 pages
- Electronic Film Indicator Yes
- 64-Level Halftone Resolution Yes
- Print Method Thermal Transfer
- Broadcasting Yes, 20 Locations
- Multi-Copy up to 20
- Help Function Yes
- Reduction Copy 92%/86%/72%
- Enlargement Copy 150%/200%
- Collate Yes
- Caller ID Yes
How do I remove a document/paper jammed?Note: Unplug the unit from the outlet.
To remove a jammed document/paper, you will need to open the front cover and pull the paper towards you. You may also clean the feed roller with a lint free cloth that is dampened with alcohol.
For specific information please consult your operating manual.
Why is the fax machine not recording the incoming message?If the answering part of the unit wont receive messages, first be sure that the auto answer is set to tam/fax mode and the red light button should be lit up. If it still doesn't work, you may try unplugging the unit from the power for initial reset. If it doesn't work, call Panasonic technical support hotline for further instruction.
Will there be a fax driver software that will work on my latest Mac Operating System?For Mac OS X 10.5 / 10.6 / 10.7
Panasonic supports following functions:
- Printer Driver
- Scanner Driver (Pull Scan)
- Push Scan
- PC fax driver (sending only, fax supported models only)
For Mac OS X 10.3 / 10.4
Panasonic supports following function:
- Printer Driver
More detail, just go to http://panasonic.net/pcc/support/fax/world.htm.
What does it mean by "fax in memory" on the display?If the display shows "FAX MEMORY FULL" it's possible the document received exceeds the fax machine's memory capacity. The memory will need to be cleared and you will lose any received documents in memory. To clear the memory, remove the power cord for five seconds and reconnect it. Receiving large pictures or colored graphics can consume the memory.


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Hollis Thompson
6'8" wing 28.1 years old
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