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Amazon.com Inc. has joined the hotly contested online music streaming business by launching its own service that is free of ads but light on songs.
Prime Music is available free for subscribers of Amazon Prime, the company's $99-a-year membership program that includes free two-day shipping, a digital books lending library and video streaming of movies and TV episodes.
Amazon launched Prime Music on Thursday with more than 1 million songs from artists including Beyonce, Britney Spears, John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and Blake Shelton.
Prime Music won't focus on getting the newest releases, and its music catalog is also relatively small compared with its streaming music rivals. Although it reached licensing deals with Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and independent labels, Prime Music is notably missing Universal Music Group, the world's largest music corporation. That means artists including Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and Kanye West won't appear on Prime Music for now.
The selection is also just a small fraction of what's available in Amazon's digital music store, where customers can shop from more than 20 million downloadable songs.
"We're not claiming to have full coverage at this time," Steve Boom, Amazon's vice president of digital music, said in an interview with The Times. He said the Seattle company would add new songs to Prime Music every month.
An Amazon streaming music service had been rumored for months and goes up against similar offerings from Spotify, Pandora, Rhapsody, Google Play Music and Beats Music, which Apple Inc. agreed to purchase in May.
"We don't view this as a zero-sum game — we think people will continue to listen to multiple music services," Boom said. "I don't need them to stop using another service, but to also use my service."
Because of its limited catalog, Prime Music isn't expected to shake up the industry or appeal to hardcore music users. Spotify, for instance, has more than 20 million songs and adds 20,000 more a day.
"It's too light of an offering to get people very excited about," said Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. "Nobody's going to stop being a subscriber to Rhapsody or Spotify because of this offering. I think it's a nice value add for Prime members, but Prime members tend to join Prime because they want free shipping, not because they are looking for multimedia."
Still, its virtually free cost (for people who are already Amazon Prime members) and Amazon's wide reach is likely to help Prime Music become popular among casual music consumers, especially those who have yet to try music streaming.
The addition of Prime Music should also mollify some Amazon Prime subscribers who were upset when the online giant raised the price of a one-year subscription to $99 from $79 in March. And it could entice others to join the membership program, which would be a big win for Amazon because Amazon Prime members spend significantly more on the site than non-Prime shoppers.
Prime Music has a number of features that Amazon hopes will set it apart from the competition. The service will be ad-free, a benefit typically reserved on other music services for users who pay a premium.
Users will also get unlimited streaming and can choose which songs and albums to listen to, or rely on Amazon's pre-programmed playlists and personalized recommendations. They can download songs free from the catalog to their mobile devices for offline playback.
"You've got to like Amazon's strategy of getting into the game, not overpaying for things in the beginning and letting customers get involved," said Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Financial. "For a lot of people, it's a nice little perk."
It's unclear whether Prime Music will cannibalize Amazon's music sales of digital MP3s and physical CDs. Amazon, which reported first-quarter revenue of $19.74 billion, a 23% year-over-year increase, does not break out sales by category.
"There are millions of people who want to buy and own music; there are also people that don't want to buy and own music. It's going to vary so widely," Boom said. "We won't know the answer to that question until months after and we see how consumers are reacting."
Shares of Amazon fell $9.29, or 2.8%, to $325.91 on Thursday.
Kindle Fire HD and HDX devices will receive Prime Music in an automatic, over-the-air update. Android and iOS customers can download or upgrade to the latest Amazon Music app. Prime members in the U.S. can also listen to Prime Music through a Web browser.
Since its inception nine years ago, Amazon Prime has grown to include tens of millions of subscribers (Amazon has never released a specific membership figure).
Although it began as a way for shoppers to receive unlimited free two-day shipping, the program expanded over the years to include access to more than 500,000 books to borrow free from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library and free streaming of more than 40,000 movies and TV episodes through Prime Instant Video — although analysts estimate that Netflix's vault of content is significantly larger than Amazon's.
Eligible customers who are not already Prime members can try Prime Music with a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime.
Amazon has another big announcement coming up. It recently sent out media invites for an event in Seattle on June 18 — widely expected to be the unveiling of an Amazon smartphone.
A smartphone could raise interesting possibilities for Amazon by bridging together its various entities: shopping, e-books, movies, TV shows and now streaming music, Gillis said.
"By building these platforms, they're able to lock you into their ecosystems," he said. "Now they have all the boxes checked."
Twitter: @byandreachang


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State seeks social media platform to target travel news, warnings
The new tool must produce advanced analytics reports.
The State Department's consular affairs bureau is in the market for a new social media platform to help it target travel warnings and other news to different audiences, solicitation documents show.
The consular affairs bureau is responsible for providing warnings to Americans abroad or who are considering visiting unsafe or unstable nations.
The new platform must allow bureau employees worldwide to post to multiple social media at once and to schedule posts in advance, according to the request for information posted Tuesday.
The platform also must produce advanced analytics reports so consular affairs workers can evaluate how widely their posts are being circulated and whether they're reaching the desired audience.
Increasing the use of standards and analytics in social media is a major goal for new media managers during the next presidential term.
(Image via Velychko/Shutterstock.com)
NEXT STORY: FBI builds facial recognition app

subset: commoncrawl


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Marvin Schwartz, managing director and portfolio manager at Neuberger Berman, is selling his amazing Westchester estate for $30 million, the NY Post reports.
The place is called Twin Ponds (one of the ponds is under the house), and it sits on 21.7 acres of land. The 6 bedroom, 3,600 square foot house boasts floor to ceilings windows, but it's really the grounds that will take your breath away.
The pool and massive wine cellar aren't too shabby either.
Sally Slater at Douglas Elliman has the listing.


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Browsing Working Papers (INT) by Subject "Relationship"
Now showing items 1-2 of 2
A relationship-based theoryLi, Xin (, 2009)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This paper is intended to propose a relationship-based theory of the firm (R'BT), an alternative to the transaction cost theory. The R'BT takes relationship disharmony (rather than transaction costs) as its basic unit of analysis of the nature of the firm, and argues relationship disharmony derives from conflict of interests, a problem faced by any human organizations; to reduce the conflict of interests, the best way is to harmonize relationships by mutually accommodating or internalizing the other party's interests into its own consideration; the degree of harmony or disharmony in the relationships will in turn determine the performance of the organization in question. This paper provides a completely different explanation from the transaction cost economics when addressing issues such like the existence, boundary and internal organization of the firm. Also discussed are its implications for organizational management and economy. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/7828
Files in this item: 1wp3-2009-xl.pdf (160.1Kb)
A Relationship-based ApproachLi, Xin (Frederiksberg, 2011)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This paper argues that the existing four major theories of the firm, i.e., the transaction cost theory, resource-based view, the entrepreneurial theory, and the stakeholder theory, are all insightful yet partial because each of them has a particular focus on the phenomenon of the firm. To better understand the nature and behaviors of the firm, we need a comprehensive yet integrative theory. Toward this end, this paper proposes a relationship-based theory of the firm (R'BT) which claims that it is the relationships between the entrepreneur and other individuals or firms that determine the existence, boundary, internal organization and competitive advantage of the firm. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8361
Files in this item: 1Xin_Li_INT_2011.pdf (275.3Kb)
Now showing items 1-2 of 2


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Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center's revolutionary model of a "multidisciplinary approach" to cancer — with scientists and clinicians working in concert and in consult — has become the standard by which all modern-day comprehensive cancer centers are measured.
From its inception, Roswell Park identified cancer research as a core element of its mission. Since then, groundbreaking research by Roswell scientists has led to greater understanding of the nature of cancer and to major advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
RPCI-UPCI Ovarian Cancer SPORE
The RPCI-UPCI Ovarian Cancer SPORE brings together basic and applied investigators to conduct innovative and diverse translational investigations aimed at risk stratification, treatment of primary and recurrent ovarian cancer, and prevention of relapse in patients in remission.
Clinical Trials
Scientific Report 2014
Review the research taking place at Roswell Park, leading to our CCSG core grant renewal. Download a copy of the report.


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… We introduced an approach to trust drafting that would encourage financial literacy through provisions that are clear, objective, and correlated with the beneficiary's ability to manage money responsibly.
The prospect of whether or not a family business will survive after the owner passes is questionable. And although the statistics regarding succession of family business to heirs can be disconcerting, there is hope out there in the form of trusts.
This matter was addressed in a recent article in the Journal of Financial Planning titled "Investing in Future Generations: Evolution of the Business Skills Trust."
First, the troubling statistics: "Less than one-third of family businesses survive the transition from the first to the second generation, and only about 10 percent survive the transition to the third generation, according to stats reported in the Harvard Business Review." While wealth can be transferred through a bit of effort on the planning side, it is not the same as transferring the motivation and the ability to pull it off thereafter.
How can a trust help with motivation and to train up ability? That depends on how you frame the trust and the conditions you set to slowly bring a beneficiary/heir up to speed. The original article has some very specific advice, but the main point is that incentive-based trusts are a powerful tool.
If you have a business that needs to be run, and a legacy to leave behind, then you could do well with an incentive trust plan. So, what values do you enshrine in the trust and how do you offer incentives? The answers to these and other salient questions are specific to each and every situation and family.Reference: Journal of Financial Planning (June 2013) "Investing in Future Generations: Evolution of the Business Skills Trust"


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Sky Sports 'your team, your dream' by Brothers and Sisters
AgencyBrothers and Sisters
SectorMedia / Entertainment Brands, Sport brands and Television brands
Sky Sports is launching an interactive online campaign promoting its football coverage.
Created by Brothers and Sisters, the campaign, hosted at www.yourteamyourdream.com, gives fans the opportunity to become the star of their favourite Premier League team by featuring their name and image in a compilation of spoof clips taken from some of Sky Sports' best-known shows.
Users are asked to type in their details and upload a photo, which are then included in a video spoofing a "season review". Fans will see themselves appear on Soccer AM and Gillette Soccer Saturday, as well as featuring in Andy Gray's pre-match analysis.


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
September 22, 2017, 10:00 AM - June 15, 2018, 5:00 PM
The Jeffersontown Arts Program is proud to be part of the Louisville Photo Biennial, which will feature local images by Bee Buck Photographer and Hand Colored Silver Gelatin Photography by Judy Rosati. Vintage photographic equipment also on display.
View all calendars is the default. Choose Select a Calendar to view a specific calendar.


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Beach Towel - Style #52096 Eleanor Print
$ 35.00
Add a personal touch to beach time with this colorful oversize towel! Featuring a vibrant design and absorbent construction, it's a true staple for any outing to the pool or beach. Available in 2 sizes, Regular (30"x60") and Junior (28"x56")
- 50/50 blend of polyester & cotton. The polyester layer on top allows for a crisp & beautiful print. The bottom layer is cotton for the warm and cozy drying effect.
- Machine wash
- Made in the USA
All personalization is copied and pasted exactly as-entered, case sensitive. For 3-initial monograms, please type initials in case sequence of first, LAST, middle (for example: Caroline Marie Johnson would be CJM).
Please note: due to differences in monitor displays, colors may not be exact match to preview


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What Craft Beers Will Be at Portland Grapes and Grain?
Several craft beer breweries from across Maine, New England and the country will be featured at Portland's Grapes and Grain Summer Celebration on June 21.The event will take place at the Portland Company Complex from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and tickets cost $40 in advance and $50 at the door.
Here is what $40 delivers: tastings of over 40 types of craft beers from local to foreign and everything in between, over 40 types of wine both red, white and blends from all over the world, and rounding out the event is a handful of spirits from distilleries throughout New England.
There will be music by Ben Kilcollins and the Vargas Twins throughout the evening. Food will be available for purchase should you get hungry. Come to Grapes and Grain to try it and then go to RSVP to buy it... an official sponsor of the event. #PortlandGrapesGrain.
Here are the 22 craft beers that patrons can enjoy:
Hidden Cove Brewing Co., Wells, Maine
Gritty's McDuff's, Portland, Maine
Samuel Adams, Boston, Mass.
The Traveler Beer Company, Burlington, Vt.
Peak Organic Brewing Company, Portland, Maine
Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, Maine
Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, N.Y,
Banner Beer Company, Portland, Maine
Notch Brewing Company, Ipswich, Mass.
Tuckerman Brewing Company, Conway, NH
Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington, Vt.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, Calif.
Narragansett Brewing Company, Providence, R.I.
Founder's Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, Calif.
Allaghash Brewing Co., Portland, Maine
Unita Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, Utah
Goose Island Brewing Co., Chicago, Il.
Weihenstephan, Germany
Angry Orchard, Cincinatti, Ohio
Downeast Cider, Charlestown, Mass.
Vermont Hard Cider, Middlebury, Vt.


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The Demon in the Freezer
- A True Story
- Narrated by: James Naughton
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Abridged Audiobook
- Release date: 2002-10-18
- Language: English
- Publisher: Random House Audio
Publisher's Summary
Peter Jahrling, the top scientist at USAMRIID, has ORCON security clearance that gives him access to top-secret information of bioweapons. His most urgent priority is to develop a drug that will take on smallpox - and win. Eradicated from the planet in 1979, the smallpox virus now resides, officially, in only two high-security freezers - at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, and in Siberia, at a Russian virology institute called Vector. But the demon in the freezer has been set loose. It is almost certain that illegal stocks are in the possession of hostile states, including Iraq and North Korea. Jahrling is haunted by the thought that biologists in secret labs are using genetic engineering to create a new superpox virus, a smallpox resistant to all vaccines.
USAMRIID went into a state of Delta Alert on September 11 and activated its emergency response teams when the first anthrax letters were opened in New York and Washington, D.C. Preston reports, in unprecedented detail, on the government's response to the attacks and takes us into the ongoing FBI investigation. His story is based on interviews with top-level FBI agents and with Dr. Steven Hatfill.
What the critics say
"This book will give you nightmares. Preston...turns a story about science and medicine into a theme-park ride of a thriller." (The New York Times)
"As exciting as the best thrillers, yet scarier by far, for Preston's pages deal with clear, present and very real dangers." (Publishers Weekly)
More from the same
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
5 Stars3
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- Mark
- 2002-12-14
Excellent and Timely!
Preston does it again (also wrote the Hot Zone about Ebola virus) with an outstanding depiction of the current smallpox crisis. If this doesn't send chills up your spine, nothing will. Excellent descriptions of the effects smallpox has on the body and how easily it can spread. He takes you behind the scenes with the real life people working on this problem today. Narration quality - very good. Very highly recommended.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
- Stephen
- 2002-12-19
Anybody who has ever thought of Smallpox as "not that big a deal" or referred to it as "a bad case of Chicken Pox, right?" has GOT to hear this book. Extremely detailed without being gratuitous, the author really drives home the reality of deadly substances like Smallpox virus and Anthrax, and their consequences to our everyday lives. I literally could not pull myself away from my iPod!
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
- Phyllis
- 2012-12-14
It's True, May Provoke Nightmares!
This is one of the few Audible books I've downloaded that is Abridged. And boy am I glad it didn't last longer than 6 hours because I just couldn't stop listening until it was finished! This book ended up being a very quick, very informative and very frightening 6 hours.
The story opens with the 2001 anthrax outbreak, but it quickly shifts to Preston's greater concern, smallpox. Unlike anthrax, smallpox is highly infectious. We are led to believe that smallpox was stamped out in the 1970s. Supposedly, the only samples left of the virus were kept frozen in guarded vaults in Atlanta and Moscow. We NOW know that in the 1980s the Soviet Union's military produced the smallpox virus in large quantities, for use in special warheads. That effort is over, however, absolutely NO ONE is SURE how much of the material escaped destruction. Nor does anyone know what unauthorized stocks of the virus are kept by other military forces, and by which nations.
All the information presented by Richard Preston is factual and frightening! James Naughton does a wonderful job with narration. Definitely recommended as a quick and informational listen!
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
- 2009-01-09
Very Well Written and Enlightening
This book makes you aware of how easy it really is for terrorists to use tools against us that could literally destroy us in a matter of weeks. It should change the mind of any skeptic who thinks terrorists can be dealt with peacably and explains very simply the problems with the United Nations and even Americans who live in a state of denial and prefer to keep their rose-colored glasses on. This book is based on very rational facts and takes fear and places it exactly where it should be. There are no scare tactics here, simply facts and logic and anyone interested in an honest portrayal of the war in Iraq and the goings on in countries such as Russia and Iran needs to listen to this book.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
- Jeff
- 2003-05-10
Eye Opening Great Read
"The Demon in the Freezer" reads like a good novel, yet is all too real. Richard Preston does a great job of detailing the history of small pox, its impact on society, and the potential for its use as a weapon.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
- Robert
- 2003-03-11
Preston Strikes Again
Never read a book by Preston if you wish to sleep soundly. As usual, this very gifted science writer has delivered a chillingly accurate study of a biological menace albeit human controlled, this time. A superb read and a "must read" considering the present world situation.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
- andrea
- 2012-05-04
Informatinve and a bit scary.
The book is very informative on all types of disease and bio war fare. How it can spread from person to person. The only reason I did not give a book a 5 star rating. It was a bit drawn out. But if you like medical thrillers it's not bad.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
- Mike
- 2009-05-11
Will make you wash your hands a lot more often
Excellent book, even if a bit dated in parts (Iraq was still being run by Sadam at the time of publishing). Still, a very good synopsis of the science behind microscopic weapons of terror, complete with graphic descriptions of the deadly effects (that you know you want to hear).
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
- Yvette D Skinner
- 2009-04-27
Informative and enjoyable
The topic of disease and biological warfare is dark subject indeed, but this book handled it well. Although it was chilling to read the vivid descriptions of the effects of smallpox and other virulent pathogens on the body, the subject was handled well. It was accurate without being melodramatic. For such an unappetizing subject matter, the book was surprisingly enjoyable and I would recommend it to others.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
- Lisa
- 2006-09-20
Loved it!
This book kept me on edge almost the whole way through. It is a must read based on the times we are in. I had no idea about the severity of biological warfare! I feel like my eyes have been opened. I would suggest it to everyone.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful


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WHL player with meningitis still in coma, but doctors trying to wake Tim BozonNHL.com @NHLdotcom
SASKATOON - A junior hockey player hospitalized in Saskatoon with meningitis remains in critical condition, but is stable and improving.
A statement by the Saskatoon Health Region says doctors are slowly trying to wake Tim Bozon from a medically induced coma.
His family has indicated he is responding to verbal stimuli.
Bozon plays for the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League and is a prospect with the NHL Montreal Canadiens.
The 19-year-old was admitted March 1 to Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital where he was diagnosed.
His parents, Philippe and Helene, say they have been overwhelmed by email and social media messages of support from people around the world.
"The family is very appreciative and will respond sometime in the near future," said the statement released Thursday. "The family also wants to express thanks to the doctors and staff at Royal University Hospital for the care Tim has received."
The Western Hockey League has established a trust fund to assist the Bozon family with medical and rehabilitation costs not covered by insurance. Details are to be released later this week.
Bozon fell ill following a game Feb. 28 against the Saskatoon Blades. Health officials have been working to make sure anyone who may have come into contact with the bacteria that causes the illness receives appropriate treatment.
Bozon was selected in the third round, 64th overall, by Montreal in the 2012 National Hockey League draft.


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Find out how to manipulate artwork and select the right equipment and consumables to pull off the project successfully.
By Linda Huff
The origins of pad printing may have been in decorating flat watch dials, but times have changed (no pun intended). The era of plastic molded everything has required printers to adapt to printing on the most unusual of objects. Every printer can think of at least one project in which the shape of the part made the print job difficult. The long hours, repeated artwork revisions, and load of scrap parts generated before finally getting that perfect print make pad-press users appreciate those flat watch dials.
Unfortunately, even experienced printers have trouble when it comes to 3-D objects. Factors such as artwork distortion, equipment capabilities, and tooling contradict conventional, flat-surface pad printing. These projects provide you with valuable experience—but only after you've pulled out a little of your hair. Consulting equipment and supply vendors and being prepared is the best offense when accepting a difficult print job.
These projects can be very profitable if you're willing to take them on. But what you must realize before starting a challenging project is that it requires a unique approach to prepress and production. Awareness of the issues presented in this article will help you accept more jobs of this nature and complete them with greater success.
Artwork distortion, registration, and location
Let's say you need to print on a rubber ball. When you look at artwork on your computer, you see it as a one-dimensional image. So you print your artwork to film, expose your cliche, and set up your machine for printing. Then you print a ball and take a good look at it. Hmmm...not exactly like the artwork on the computer, is it? That's because artwork for an unusual object may need to be larger on the cliche than it appears on the object. Artwork distortion is to blame. In the ball example, the distortion is caused by the multidimensional surface of the ball. What you are looking for is a print on the part that is identical to the artwork as it appears on your computer monitor. On a 3-D object, this is sometimes not possible to achieve without modifying the artwork. This is where the hair pulling comes in.
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.


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ACLU of South Dakota Hires Communications Director
SIOUX FALLS - The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota says the addition of a communications director makes it the state's largest civil rights organization.
Heather Smith has been named director of communications for the ACLU of South Dakota, which is based in Sioux Falls and also administers the ACLU of North Dakota.
Smith will be responsible for promoting ACLU initiatives to members, volunteers, news organizations and others.
The organization supports freedoms of the press, speech, assembly and religion and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy. Officials say the ACLU of South Dakota also seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups that have traditionally been denied their rights.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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In Vancouver, Mark Pysyk was whistled for three minor penalties as Edmonton dropped a 4-1 decision to the Giants. The Oil Kings continue their road trip Friday at Kelowna.
In Quebec City, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc recorded two shots on goal and was stopped in his shootout attempt as Team QMJHL lost game #2 of the Subway Super Series to Russia, 5-4. The win gives Russia a sweep over the QMJHL with as they move on to face the OHL for the a pair of games beginning Thursday in Ottawa. Leduc, who was unable to notch a point in the two-game mini-audition for Hockey Canada brass, will return to action Friday as Rimouski travels to Shawinigan.


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Thanksgiving? Next week? I'm not sure if it was the odd weather we had this summer or the trees changing colors so late this year but I am feeling really...well, like the "baby" looked on her 2 year old photo shoot yesterday:
I have done NOTHING to prepare. No menu, no shopping. But like Scarlett says, "I'll think about that tomorrow." Except I really mean it. Thank goodness for scrapbook pages of holiday tables and that scrappy recipe book in my kitchen. And thanks, especially, for my mom, who still manages to do half the work for the Thanksgiving meal. At least I know we will have the turkey defrosted (I loathe that process) and mashed potatoes at the table.
So tomorrow not only am I gonna have to plan and shop for Thanksgiving, I might even try to squeeze in photo shoot #2 since my subject was more interested in blowing the "wishers" than posing for portraits...
And then she just up and ran off. I let my photo assistant catch her for me.
However, all was not lost. I did manage to catch this sweet look right after we got back from ice skating lessons for my homeschooler.
I'm pretty happy with this one...Love her smile and the fact that we just popped out of the van, onto the front lawn and captured this with one snap of the camera. ONE. I'm trying to give myself a break...at least I am finally shooting in full manual.
Cricut Iron-Ons. From Fabric. So EASY. So fun and so FAST!
I wanted to hide this cluttered look.
So a few months ago I made a cover for my sewing machine from canvas and scraps of fabric along with some Jenni Bowlin buttons. I had always planned on decorating the middle but I'm just now getting around to actually doing it.
I decided to add a simple heart to the middle since I am after all trying to avoid the clutter...
I have used my Cricut to make several iron-ons now and so far, so AWESOME. No mistakes, no waste, only success! My favorite project so far has been my "baby" boy's 6 shirt.
To make my iron-ons with the Cricut, I use Pellon Heavy-Duty Wonder-Under.
It is sold from a bolt at your fabric store.
I cut my Wonder-Under to the same size as the fabric. It's sticky once ironed so it's best to keep them close to the same size. I don't go all the way to cutting them together exactly as I have a special piece of broadcloth that I use to protect my iron but I get it as close as I can with the little patience that I do have;).
It helps that I have a handy, dandy measuring cover on my ironing board.
I place my Wonder-Under backed fabric on a clean STICKY mat and press with a brayer. I put my fabric on paper side down. You will see why later;). Oh, and set your blade depth to 6.
Speaking of blades, I use a very sharp blade reserved for cutting fabric only.
Once cut, the fabric peels right off, leaving the paper on the sticky mat! Yay, saves the annoying step of peeling that paper off of the fabric.
Just your cut is left...
And it comes right off, easy peasy.
Now, I have heard that some people like to reverse the image in CCR and place the fabric paper side up. I have never tried this but I imagine that might be the way to go if your cut is more intricate. But I just can't give up the way the mat peels the paper off for me. I am so prone to those little paper cuts under my nails from peeling backings off...
Now, I have heard that some people like to reverse the image in CCR and place the fabric paper side up. I have never tried this but I imagine that might be the way to go if your cut is more intricate. But I just can't give up the way the mat peels the paper off for me. I am so prone to those little paper cuts under my nails from peeling backings off...
Moving on. Before I iron my cut onto my project I always tape my cut in place, to make sure I know just where I want it permanently. Washi tape is perfect for this.
Then I check the Pellon directions once more...15 seconds or 7 seconds, I always forget which time goes where.
And done. Well, maybe. I love the look of stitching. Everywhere. Just about all of my cards and scrapbook layouts have some sort of stitching so I went around the heart with a simple zig-zag stitch. I kept it pretty loose as I really wanted to outline the heart in green but none of my thread matched. So I used pink and I'll see if it grows on me. If it doesn't, I'll be able to rip it out and redo it in green.
So there you have it. Simple. This project took me 15 minutes. Start to finish. Yes, really. If I hadn't had to reload my bobbin, it would have be 13 minutes! I hope you give it a shot. If you do, leave a comment and link to your project, I'd love to see it!


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Self-professed Connecticut deadbeat Matt Harding went viral in 2005, 2006 and 2008 with videos of himself dancing with people all around the world. He even picked up sponsorships from Stride Gum, Hotels.com, Visa and more.
Well, he's done it again, with a new video released on June 20. It's awesome. It will go viral.


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During his press conference today, President Obama said that if the economy goes sour, it's the fault of Republicans who wouldn't give him another tax increase, and insist on enforcing the $85 billion in cuts proposed by the president and approved by both parties. Quoth the Prez:
So economists are estimating that as a consequence of this sequester, that we could see growth cut by over one-half of 1 percent. It will cost about 750,000 jobs at a time when we should be growing jobs more quickly. So every time that we get a piece of economic news, over the next month, next two months, next six months, as long as the sequester is in place, we'll know that that economic news could have been better if Congress had not failed to act.
A reporter asked the president, "How much responsibility do you feel like you bear for these cuts taking effect? And is the only way to offset them at this point for Republicans to bend on revenue, or do you see any alternatives?" The answer was: It's not his fault. It is the fault of Republicans. Here's the follow up.
"What more do you think I should do?" The president asked.
Answer: Your job.
Do what you have to do to make sure that the $85 billion in cuts hit duplicative and wasteful spending instead of frontline jobs that hurt taxpayers and the public. Citizens Against Government Waste can name 557 recommendations that would save taxpayers $580.6 billion in the first year. Make these cuts smart cuts not dumb cuts. Stop holding hostage those things taxpayers want so that you can protect pork spending which Washington alone wants.
I cannot believe this administration cannot cut 2.4 percent from a $3.6 trillion budget in a way that does not undermine the economy and shortchange the public. Businesses have had to make more drastic cuts and survived. Why can't Washington?
Obama then told the American people to pressure Congress to give into him.
The question is can the American people help persuade their members of Congress to do the right thing, and I have a lot of confidence that over time, if the American people express their displeasure about how something is working, that eventually Congress responds. Sometimes there is a little gap between what the American people think and what Congress thinks. But eventually Congress catches up.
Sometimes there's a bigger gap between the Oval Office and the public. It's time for voters to express their displeasure to the executive who insists on cutting in the worst possible way. Here is the White House contact page. Go to town.
>>> More commentary from Debra J. Saunders


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December 13, 2012
I don't know about you, but I'm not freaking out about the end of the world on December 21. Though, I can tell you "who" should be – those agave plants, that's who! So much so, that if I was magically turned into an agave plant tomorrow, I'd totally start partying it up in preparation for total meltdown. Seriously though, agave meltdown is no joke. It's a very real disease that is highly lethal to agave plants and we've just discovered it in the Museum's garden!It all came about last week. Richard Hayden and Daniel Feldman, the Museum's garden staff, noticed that some of our Agave americana plants weren't looking so hot. Some plants had a few leaves that were wrinkled and beginning to discolor, others were so bad they weren't able to stand up straight anymore. Experimentally, Daniel tugged on a leaf of one of the sick agaves, and surprisingly the entire plant came out of the ground in his hand! What they discovered beneath the surface was not pretty. The roots had become completely unattached and the heart of the plant was a goopy mess of rottenness. Something indeed was rotten in the heart of the Museum Garden!What sort of "evil" could cause such destruction? Weevil evil, that's what! Upon closer inspection, Richard and Daniel found an aggregation of largish black weevils (about ½ inch long) hanging out in between the plants' leaves. To be specific, they were agave snout weevils, Scyphophorus acupunctatus, and they're proving to be a big problem in the agave world.Here's what The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix has to say about agave snout weevils:"The females chew their way into the plant base, often between leaf attachments, leaving bacteria (Erwinia sp.) as they go. They lay eggs in the bacteria-infected tunnel. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow and eat their way into the rotting heart of the agave. After the grub-like larvae have sufficiently fed and matured they will pupate and emerge as the next generation of adults. The entire life cycle can be completed in six to twelve weeks. Adults are approximately 1/2" in length with dull brown to black stout bodies and characteristic long snouts. The rotund legless grubs are cream color with dark heads.Most often a snout weevil infestation is not apparent until the damage is severe. As larvae start to feed at the bacterial-infested plant bases and the roots, leaves begin to wrinkle. Shriveling will increase with time and as the plant continues to rot. A putrid odor can develop as bacterial infection creeps through the heart of the plant. In many cases a majority of the leaves collapse to the ground leaving only the central spike of leaves standing. The plant might be loose if wiggled and can easily fall apart. At this stage rescue is unlikely."When the Museum garden staff realized that this was likely the fate of many of our agaves, they, needless to say, weren't very happy. In just a short week they've wholeheartedly joined the ranks of agave snout weevil haters everywhere. Of course, they have been madly searching for ways to deal with this pest. Most of the literature out there advises continued applications of the insecticide imadacloprid. This chemical is applied around the base of a plant and is taken up via the roots which then imparts toxicity to any insect that happens to eat the plant (including pollinators when they sip nectar). Needless to say, we want to stay away from chemical pesticides as much as possible. Unfortunately, we haven't found any good leads on organic controls, but we'll keep looking.After hearing all this, being the good friend and coworker that I am, I offered to buy the garden staff a bottle of Mezcal! No, it wasn't to drown their unhappiness in, it was instead to take revenge! The "worm" in the bottom of a bottle of Mezcal is actually very often an agave snout weevil grub. That's right, they could relish in chomping off the head of our weevils' long lost great aunt's nephew or something. Cheers to that!
Daniel removing an infected Agave americana
Daniel dissected the above agave and this is what we found inside!
Close up of agave snout weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus.Even knowing the back story, I still think it's cute.
October 9, 2018
July 3, 2018
June 29, 2018


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A University of Colorado running back was arrested over the weekend in Boulder on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend, according to a police report.
Terrence Crowder, 20, was arrested on domestic violence, third-degree assault and harassment charges.
According to the report, a woman told CU police that Crowder threw small rocks at her, tripped her several times and rubbed mud in her hair. Boulder police also responded.
The woman told police that she and Crowder had been dating for eight months. She said Crowder came over to her apartment around 2:30 a.m. Sunday when she began reading text messages in his phone.
The woman said she became upset after reading a message from one of Crowder's ex-girlfriends. She then collected some items Crowder had given her during their relationship and followed Crowder outside to give him the bag of items. She told police Crowder threw the bag into a nearby yard, and the she followed him out.
The woman told police that a group of men had passed by previously and whistled at her, which made her uncomfortable. She asked Crowder if she could continue walking with him because she did not feel safe.
Crowder told her no and crossed the street to create distance between them, according to the report. The woman said Crowder then began throwing small rocks and other flood debris at her. Then Crowder rubbed mud in her hair and pulled her hair, she told police.
The woman began running toward Williams Village at 30th Street and Baseline Road. Crowder followed and kicked her legs, trying to trip her, according to the report. The woman got away and saw a CU police officer nearby.
Crowder was arrested and taken to the Boulder County Jail, where he was booked, according to the report. He was released Monday afternoon on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond. Crowder's next court date is Oct. 1.
Crowder, a redshirt freshman, is originally from Galena Park, Texas, according to the CU athletic department website.