text:
Then and now: Couples recall popped questions
Judging from the following stories, whether you're newlywed or married nearly 40 years, one thing in marriage is constant: You don't forget the way you got engaged. We asked some well-known locals to share their engagement tales. The stories show one thing: It's never too late– or too soon– to find love.
Satyendra and Irene Huja
November 29, 2003
After a nine-year courtship, Satyendra Huja, the city's director of strategic planning, says he was finally ready to pop the question to his longtime love, Irene.
"After I traveled to Bulgaria [this past June], I asked her to meet me in Paris," says Huja. "I thought I would ask her to marry me on a bridge or a boat."
As it turns out, Irene herself picked the spot– without even knowing it.
"We were at the tea room in the Ritz Hotel and a lady was playing the harp," Huja recalls. "Irene said, 'This is the most romantic place I've ever been.'"
Huja seized the opportunity.
"That was a good sign," he says. "I had been carrying the ring for five days, so I thought, 'I'd better use it now.'"
The couple wed this past November in a combination Western and Sikh ceremony.
Virginia Daugherty and John Conover
June 21, 1974
"When I first met John, I was teaching English at Norfolk State University," says Daugherty. "He came there to teach economics, and we met at a coffeehouse. It was the sixties, and coffeehouses were big then– like now, but they were different. They were not about coffee flavors and combinations; they were about people talking protest and change.
"My first take on John was that he was too preppy, too University of Chicago. But I was impressed that he was in an animated discussion with Joe Hellinger, an older community organizer and well-known eccentric.
"One of the first times we went out together, we were discussing the war in Vietnam. Someone he knew had been drafted, and John was upset about it. All of a sudden I saw he was actually tearing. This was not your average crass guy.
"The thing that really grabbed me happened when he came over to my apartment one evening. I had one daughter at that time, six years old. I was holding a meeting in my living room, probably a NOW meeting. John took my daughter in another room and they started laughing and playing ball.
Soon we were engaged– that is, living together in a communal house. That was nearly 35 years ago.
Rob and Jessica Bell
July 5, 1997
Delegate Rob Bell says he planned his proposal painstakingly. The couple had been dating nearly five years, and Bell chose Christmas Eve as the "big moment."
"We always opened our presents on Christmas Eve," says Bell, but when the couple came home from a party that evening, Jessica threw a wrench into her honey's plan.
"She told me she was too tired to open presents that night," says Bell. "I had the most sleepless night of my life."
Bright and early the next morning, Bell's big moment arrived– he, however, was in a "sleep-deprived fog."
When he finally got his chance to ask, Jessica gave him a big hug without saying a word.
"For a minute, I couldn't tell if it was a hug of sympathy or one of joy," says Bell. "I told her if she ever gets proposed to again, she should definitely give the answer before she gives the hug."
John And Carol Whitehead
August 26, 1967
John and Carol Whitehead didn't have to search long for their life partners. In fact, they were hardly out of elementary school when they first met.
"I was 11, and John was 14," says Carol, whose family had just moved onto John's street in Bartonville, Illinois. Carol was soon "madly in love" with her handsome neighbor, who is now head of civil rights organization The Rutherford Institute.
But there was trouble in paradise.
"He kissed me one time on the cheek," says Carol, who reports she was less than thrilled with the gesture.
"I said, 'Don't sweat all over me," she laughs. The two didn't see each other again for five years.
When John came home from his first year of college, however, things changed quickly.
"We started dating that summer, got engaged the next year, and married the summer after I graduated from high school," says Carol.
Thirty-six years later, the couple have five grown children.
Dragana Katalina-Sun and Sun Da
May 27, 1994
The night before Dragana Katalina-Sun left her home in war-torn Bosnia for Germany in February 1992, she had a vivid dream about an apartment complex and a man with black hair.
"On my first night in Germany," she recalls, "I opened the curtains in my apartment and saw the apartment complex I'd dreamed about."
She found work as a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurant, but she got a big surprise when she met the chef, Sun Da.
"I knew then," she says, "that's the guy I dreamed about."
Though Dragana felt there was a mutual attraction, Sun Da, she says, was not moving fast enough.
"I was getting so impatient," she says. "As I was waiting for the bus with him, I jumped up and kissed him and jumped onto the bus."
Soon after, Sun Da asked her out, but dating proved complicated since neither spoke German nor the other's native language.
Accompanied by a translator on their first several dates, the two slowly began to learn German and soon could converse.
Eventually they moved in together, and married in the spring of 1994. Dragana had applied for an American Refugee visa three years before, but it wasn't until 1999 that a letter arrived clearing the way for the two to move to the United States.
The rest, as they say, is history.
In 2001 they opened the tiny Marco & Luca dumpling shop, on Second Street NW, which this winter expanded into a larger space Mall-side in York Place. The couple is expecting their third son in March.


text:
Anything goes - excalibur
- 17.08.2009, 12:58 Uhr
Installed excalibur. All went well. All my hardware detected and installed. System running pretty slick.
my kit.
Asus M4N78 PRO.....mobo
amd64 x2 6400..........cpu
4gb ddr2 800.............ram
Nvidia 8600gt.............graphics
HD Intel on-board sound
Seagate 320 & 500 gb ide h/d
Seagate 500gb sata drive
Asus super multi DVD
Shaw 860 watt power supply
AOC 19in lcd monitor
Canon MP610 3in1 printer.
Thanks Kano.
- 10.06.2010, 04:24 Uhr
I have a ECS k7s5a, with 1 gb Ram, Nvidia 7600 GS 512 MB video card, I have tried to load Excalibur several times, downloaded five times, burned it at DAO, at 2 X, 4X and 8X, on 2 different CD and DVD burners, for some reason it starts loading and then it goes "blank", I can see activity on the HD blinking light, and left the machine on overnight, never loaded....Am I doing anything wrong?
The only version that works fine in my machine is Easter 2006-01 rc4...I am at a loss about it.
- 10.06.2010, 07:00 Uhr
Most likely it is a gpu releated problem, you can do 2 things:
a) add a "3" (without quotes) to the boot options (tab on live, grub2 uses e / ctrl-x)
b) install nvidia binary:
b1) live: sudo install-nvidia-debian.sh
b2) hd: login as root, then: install-nvidia-debian.sh
in some cases you need -d as option.
force vesa driver (good for short live tests without internet)
sudo force-vesa.sh
sudo init 5
- 10.06.2010, 15:46 Uhr
I will try that, is any known issue with AMD XP 2800 ( 2.2 ghz) processors?.... so far I have been very happy with previous versions of Kanotix.
- 10.06.2010, 23:12 Uhr
The cpu is not important. Have enough ram and it usually works. At least 256 mb for kde 3 or 512 mb (better more) for KDE4.
Alle Zeiten sind GMT + 1 Stunde
© 2003-2007

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cameron Diaz & Alex Rodriguez Shop for Uptown Penthouse in NYC — to RENT, Not Buy! EXCLUSIVE DETAILS!
We've got exclusive details on the latest apartment Cam & A-Rod have looked at — a duplex penthouse with a private terrace and SIX bedrooms… and they're looking to RENT, not buy!
Cameron Diaz and NY Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez are already in negotiations to rent an apartment, HollywoodLife.com has learned, and they'll have plenty of space to do … whatever it is they do together.
Three separate sources tell us that the couple are "looking seriously" at a duplex penthouse on the northern reaches of Manhattan's Upper West Side. This 5,000-sq.-ft. apartment has two floors, 14-foot ceilings, six bedrooms, and a private terrace. And here's the best part for the constantly-hounded CamRod, according to our sources: The building has VERY tight security to keep them shielded from the paps. (In case you forgot, Cam has been snapped by the paparazzi at Alex's Central Park West pad at least four times in the last six months.)
The NY Post reported a couple weeks back that the couple was looking at a place in the Aldyn, a new building also uptown, but apartments there are only available to buy — so it looks like Cameron and A-Rod don't want to get tied down with a big real estate purchase.
Given their romantic histories — remember, A-Rod was just house-hunting with Kate Hudson a year ago then broke up with her just weeks later as HL first reported — that's probably a good idea.
— Will Lee


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Basic Qualities of Badger Green
Badger Green is a new product that defies science and known logic. Everybody in the science community would say it is impossible to have a product with this high of a PH level and not be caustic. We are here to inform and enlighten that logic. It would be illogical, as a business, to make this claim if it were not true.
Badger Green is a strong, high PH, 10 to 11.5, non-corrosive, non-toxic, non-caustic, biodegradable "Green" cleaner and degreaser. It has no phosphates, no solvents, no sodium hydroxide, no butanol, no VOCs, and no traces of any hidden toxic ingredients whatsoever. It is not labeled biodegradable simply because it will be dispersed in millions of gallons of water like all of the so called, toxic, "biodegradable" cleaning products out there. It is bio-degradable on its own without the help of millions of gallons of water.
So what is Badger Green's secret?
PH levels are defined on a scale ranging from 0-14. A product with a PH level of 0-6 is an acid and products with a range of 8-14 are alcanic [base]. A ph level of 7 is neutral. Products below a level of 4, and above a level of 10 are extremely caustic and will pollute the environment as well as irritate human skin. In heavy concentrations they can cause serious burns. The majority of our products have a PH level of 10 to 12.2.
By nature, our products should be highly corrosive. Products with high PH levels such as Badger Green will normally damage metals. Independent testing has proven that Badger Green is perfectly safe for use on all metals.
It gets fantastic results for ultrasonic cleaning, plunge baths, and is safe to use on circuit boards to remove flux. We can also add a rust inhibitor to provide temporary corrosion protection for items that need painting. Note: If you rinse treated item with water, you will also rinse away the rust inhibitor.
We are the exception to the rule of science. Tests have also proven that our products are completely harmless to inorganic colored fabrics, which are the large majority of inks used, and washable surfaces.
Biological Biodegradability Of The Product
The latest directives state that a product is biologically biodegradable if its ultimate level of biodestruction — its breakdown to non-harmful elements naturally found in the environment — is more than 80%. What the standards do not say is how the test is to be preformed to verify compliance with the definition.
Tests were carried out on Badger Green in its highest concentration. Glucose, a substance that is highly biodestructible, was used for comparison. After 28 days, at 20 degrees Celsius, there was a biodestruction of 85%, which is very good.
Tensio-active working
Tensio-active working refers to how well a substance reduces the surface tension of a liquid. In this case it refers to how well Badger Green reduces the surface tension of water in such a way that the water actually gets thinner, the viscosity is reduced. When cleaning with a solution, the greater the tension-active working properties of the solution, the easier dirt will be washed away.
For example, rainwater tends to pool on a car. However, on a car treated with Badger Green, the raindrops will not bond together, but will flatten out and disperse — the water's surface tension is broken.
Several elements in Badger Green are responsible for this phenomena. They have names like "surfactants", "dampers", etc. The surfactant in Badger Green products is so powerful that almost all chemical and organic molecular bonds are broken up. The combined effects of reduced surface tension in water and the elimination of the bonds holding the contaminant [dirt, grease, etc.] make cleaning and degreasing a snap. The contaminant is simply washed away, leaving no residue.
A simple test you can do yourself is to mix Badger Green Heavy Duty [HD] with synthetic oil. After just five or ten minutes, water will have quickly separated itself from the solution. After about one or two hours, you will see another layer floating on top of the water. Soon, the floating layer itself will stratify. The pure organic oil will be on the top, with the layers of synthetic additives under it, which makes this product a splitter. The chemical structure of the oil is completely separated into its base elements.
It is the tension-active properties of Badger Green products that make them so effective. Even extremely hard to clean soot is easily removed after treatment with Badger Green. Badger Green will clean and degrease just about anything faster and more thoroughly than any other product on the market.
Free Of Phosphates
Phosphates are added to detergents because calcareous water (water containing large concentrations of trace elements such as calcium and magnesium) highly weaken a product's cleaning power. The phosphates also slow down the negative affects lyme has on a cleaning product, so cleaning efficiency is maintained. Phosphates are harmful to the environment because they promote the growth of algae. They also rob the water of vital oxygen and destroy underwater life.
Our products are immune to calcium and magnesium ions and therefore need no phosphates. Clearly this is a major advantage to the environment.
The Function Of Surfactants in the Biodestruction
The biodestruction of surfactants is where most problems occur when complying with environmental protection laws. Moreover, proving the rate/amount of biodestruction of these materials is hard to prove. Our surfactant is EPA approved.
Sweden has developed a procedure known as the STURM test that can determine the exact rate of breakdown for tensides [surfactants]. This test will probably be adopted as a standard in Europe. All cleaners and degreasers will have to meet the STURM standards. The STURM test actually slows the biological breakdown of the materials so that the rate of breakdown for each element can be measured individually and exactly. The future standard for surfactants biodestruction specifies what the percentage of breakdown over a 28 day period will be, at a minimum, between 20% and 70%. The two surfactants in Badger Green break down at 22% and over 70% respectively. Our products meet the projected standards now, which puts us a step ahead of the competition for a long time to come.


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Jeff Hendrick and Robbie Brady completed a journey from a Dublin boys' club to the pinnacle of European football when they ran out for the Republic of Ireland against Sweden.
The pair first met as six-year-olds at St Kevin's Boys and have risen through the ranks together, and it was perhaps fitting that they played the biggest game of their respective careers to date side-by-side at the Stade de France in Monday evening's 1-1 Group E draw.
They will hope to repeat the feat when Ireland face Belgium in Bordeaux on Saturday afternoon, but they know what they have already achieved is noteworthy.
Brady said: "I think we were about six or seven years old at our club, St Kevin's Boys back home in Dublin. Jeff came in at that stage and we have gone on from there.
"We have played in every team possible from then on, international level and all the way up to senior. It's not every day something like that happens, so with Jeff a good mate of mine, to be able to play on the big stage with him was excellent."
Brady admitted excitement grew as the Republic edged themselves closer to qualification with their joint career paths never far from their minds.
He said: "It's been incredible. It's a long road and we have been lucky enough to do it together. We were speaking about it throughout the group stage.
"We were picking up late results and it looked like we were giving ourselves a chance in the group stage, and I just spoke to Jeff about it and said how big a deal it would be if we managed to get here.
"To play together on the big stage was unbelievable. It was a great moment for the both of us."
Off the field, the pair remain close friends, although they have had to get used to slightly different domestic arrangements over the last week or so.
Hendrick said: "We have roomed together every trip except for this, when we have had our own. The first day we came in, it was a bit different. We were used to being in the room having a chat.
"We grew up close enough to each other, so we know a lot of the same people as well. We have a lot to talk about, so not rooming together now was a bit different."


text:
InterVarsity has more than 1000 chapters in over 650 college campuses across the United States. Many campuses include outreaches to international students, sororities and fraternities, ethnic minority groups, career-specific graduate students, and faculty.
Search below to see if InterVarsity is on your campus!
Please input a school or chapter name


text:
The Thames is one of the World's most fascinating and beautiful rivers. From source to sea its 215 miles flow from springs in Gloucestershire to the site of the old London Bridge, then on to the imposing tidal estuary to the east of London.
The river is a dynamic entity and there are many challenges that the River Thames Society - a registered charity founded in 1962 - currently seeks to address. Over the past 50 years the Society has influenced and supported:
Other concerns still remain such as residential over-development which is leading to the loss of waterside boat yards and marine facilities, and the need to ensure that locks, navigational structures and flood control measures are maintained and improved.
The River Thames Society's stated aims are to:
If you are inspired by the Society's aims and achievements and would like to help us to protect and promote the Thames by joining an organisation that represents the interests of all river users from source to sea, then please consider joining River Thames Society.
River Thames Society is a registered charity, no 288380; and Company Limited by Guarantee, no 1747301.
Keep up to date with RTS activities:
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter


text:
What if there was an easy way to let go of all the thoughts, feelings and emotions that keep you stuck in your head?
Join Brendon Watt for one-of-a-kind Access Bars Class, live-streamed worldwide from Marseille!
This class will count as an official Bars Class in your record if taken live with another paid person. How does it get better than that?
Do you love listening to Access Consciousness with Gary Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer on the Voice America Empowerment Radio Show every week? You can now receive even more from every show! This is an annual membership that sends you the processes from each show so that you can receive deeper change and greater possibilities.
To listen and learn more about the free weekly show go to www.isnowthetime.com


text:
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Baby Boots
*UPDATE* I purchased the pattern here If you get the pattern and want to know the changes I made email me at lilpinkpocket{at}gmail{dot}com. I'm also working on my own pattern and once I get it figured out I'll share it!
21 comments:
- The Van Leeuwen Family said...
Oh my heck Marie those are so cute!! I didn't know you knew how to crochet. I want a pair for miss K!!!
- November 9, 2011 at 9:25 PM
- Amy said...
Hooray, Hooray!!! I'm the luckiest girl in the world!! :) Thank you so much for the cute boots. I can't wait to stick them on her little feet. I can't believe how perfect they are. Truly a work of art!
I'm so lucky to have such a talented friend like you. I can't tell you how much I love these. Seriously, I'm constantly impressed by your skills!
- November 9, 2011 at 9:32 PM
- Crafty Mischief said...
Those are the cutest little boots ever! Thanks for sharing!
- November 10, 2011 at 10:02 AM
- jeri said...
Marie those are so cute. I think we all must have a pair!
- November 10, 2011 at 5:17 PM
- sydthewyd said...
Those are great! I just (re) learned how to knit and crochet is next on my list!
- November 11, 2011 at 1:46 AM
- Janny said...
These are darling! Oh my goodness, I might just have to try this pattern out. Adorable. BTW I love your blog
- November 11, 2011 at 8:35 AM
- Katalina Jewelry said...
Cute! You're neighbor is going to love these!
- November 11, 2011 at 8:40 AM
- Melanie @ bear rabbit bear said...
I've seen her pattern- yours turned out great! Thanks for linking to Things I've Done Thursday!
Sew Rugged @ bear rabbit bear
- November 11, 2011 at 9:04 AM
- Megan said...
These are ADORABLE!!! Do you have a shop?
- November 11, 2011 at 6:05 PM
- Kara @ Mine for the Making said...
These are STINKIN CUTE!!! I so wish I could crochet! Id love for you to link up to DIY Diva Thursdays :)
visiting from TT&J
- November 12, 2011 at 10:24 AM
- Amy Steele said...
I think these are great, but the pattern isn't on that site you linked to. Am I missing it? Can you email it to me?
- November 12, 2011 at 5:30 PM
- Jennifer Salter said...
Those boots are too cute! Great job :)
Visiting from Positively Splendid's link parry :)
- November 12, 2011 at 5:59 PM
- Amy said...
They are too cute! You did a great job! Can you share where you found the pattern?
- November 13, 2011 at 10:43 AM
- newyearsresolutionexercise said...
Those are soo cute.New follower.
- November 13, 2011 at 10:21 PM
- Kreatita T said...
They are so cute! I've been in a crocheting mood lately too :)
- November 13, 2011 at 11:45 PM
- Susie Q said...
YES........PLEASE PLEASE tell us how to get the pattern (I didn't see it either from the link you noted)....I MUST TRY these! I'm like you - crocheted a ton when I was younger - hoping I can figure these out!! Thanks - cute blog!!
- November 14, 2011 at 6:44 AM
- Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...
Oh my gosh, these are so adorable, Marie! You did a great job!
visiting from BNOTP! : )
- November 14, 2011 at 7:02 AM
- Amy @ Positively Splendid said...
What a lucky little girl who will wear these - they are darling! Thanks so much for linking up to my party.
- November 14, 2011 at 12:37 PM
- Jennifer said...
Just wanted to let you know that I am sharing this post over at my blog. If there is anything you would like me to remove, please let me know.
Have a great day!!!!
- November 14, 2011 at 3:42 PM
- Emily S said...
Awwww! Adorable!
- November 16, 2011 at 8:17 AM
- Shay said...
So cute!
New Follower. Visit me at http://raisingdieter.blogspot.com/ for recipes and a giveaway!
- November 16, 2011 at 8:47 AM


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Events Open to All
The Society Exchequer is camped at House Redhair in E24 Monday thru Friday.
Society Chronicler's office hours: Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri 10-11:30 am Pennsic Independent Office
Kendrick of the Haunted Bookshop will be doing a booksewing demo and discuss the history of bookbinding at the Haunted Bookshop in Bookseller's Row Daily at 11:00AM and 3:00PM
12 step meetings daily at 4 PM. E07, Denys the Decadent's Camp. All welcome. AA, NA, OASA, etc. Open meeting.
Reform Jewish services at #11 Bow Street, behind Silver Dragon Co. 7PM Friday Evening. Oneg follows.
The friends of the late THL Honoria (Holly) would like to invite you to sign a book of condolences for her husband THL Leo. The book is in the Disabilities Camp X02.
Weather permitting, the Tribute-Longship will sail & burn at full dark, Sat the 21st. Come and paint a shield or place a note of love in the ship.
Cloak & Dagger welcomes noted author Michael Z. Williamson. Now signing copies of Freehold, the Hero and the Scope of Justice in booth #15.
Midrealm is now accepting submissions at Herald's Point.
Bardic Arts Forums! Come and take part in our discussions. A&S tent 7, 6pm every day.
Pennsic Drive-In hours, Dusk:30 Thurs-- children's choice (Shrek, Willow, Ice Age, Quest for Camelor), Fri - Viewers choice - 20 period movies to choose from. Booth 130.
Metalsmiths' Symposium 3 - Shire of Montevale and Shire of Silver Rylle - Nov 12-14, 2004. Forging, casting, glasswork of all sorts, jewelry making classes! Plus pottery making, herb classes, calligraphy and illumination, perfume making, and more for forge widowers! Children's clases as well! For info on the event or to teach a class, contact Carowyn Silveroak and Corwyn Ravenwing at email@example.com or check out the event at the SCA website under East Kingdom Events! Come and have fun! Other kingdoms are more than welcome to come play! (Let us know if you are planning to bring a forge!)
Friday Eve Bardic: Clann OiCarrinnin on Bannockburn, in B02. Last wagon up the hill between 7:30 and 8:00pm. Not a competition, all welcome to share.
If you have consulted at Herald's Point and have not yet paid for forms or submissions, you must do so by 1pm Saturday. Unpaid submissions will not be sent to the Kingdom submissions heralds.
Rose Tourney is coming! Fighters, you have until Sept. 18 to fix armor and show up in Brendoken. www.brendoken.org
For Sale
GLASS MULLERS FROM ENGLAND. Also nibs, vellum, parchment and hand-bound leather books - The Guild of Limners, #24
BABY BIBS - SCA-THE NEXT GENERATION - $4. Claus the Toymaker
THE GUILD OF LIMNERS in the little white house on Merchant Row sells ink, quill mens, books, pigments, various colors, madder, woad, all kinds of paint and tools necessary for scribes and artists.
ATTENTION WOAD WARRIORS! Feeling blue? I have the real thing! Genuine woad imported from Scotland. $4. Limited supply, buy early. Guild of Limners, #24
Evil Abra does it again. 30% off amber rings, $19.95 amber necklaces. Amber bracelets and earings too. The Gypsy Caravan. Open 9 till late. 107 Street of Gold.
BAD GARB I and BAD GARB II - NOW AVAILABLE FROM Claus the Toymaker - How do you know you are not in them unless you read them?
VELLUM - Opaline vellum (sheepskin) direct from England. Finest quality. $15-30 per sheet. The Guild of Limners #24, across from the barn.
Majesty of Morocco. SCA tour April 5, 2005 from $1250 + air. firstname.lastname@example.com / Rich @ merchant #72
"Is this your spoon?" Custom wood burning and painting. Cabochons on Bow Street, #19
HAND GROUND PERIOD PIGMENTS -- once you've tried it, you'll never use anything less. It's not as complicated as you may think. Free sample and instruction in its preparation with this ad from Mistress Megan at the Guild of Limners, #24 Merchants Row
Four Seasons Tentmasters - We offer the best tents you will ever own. Come see us and let us help you stay warm and dry. Space 81 Gold Road.
COSTUMES BY LOREN All cloaks $45 and under! New specials every day. Located at Ursula's Alcove. Space 137 on Plunder Ln.
SALE CONTINUES: of fine fabrics - Dragon's Magic #25
20 x 20 period tent and 7ft tall walls $1200 OBO Sabastian booth 139.
Roses made of wood $3/ea or $25 a dozen. Space #21
Glass jewels with sew-on-settings. Get the authentic fakes. Cabochons on Bow Street, #19
Henna body art - Serengeti fence line - by only 2 trees.
Evil Abra has awesome Middle Eastern and the price is right! Baubles, Belts, and Bangles. Chokers, beaded belts, and more. New order just in and more coming! The Gypsy Caravan - open 9 till late. 108 Street of Gold.
20' x 40' canopy kit $175; Most of a 16' yurt $895; Convertable table/bench kit 2 $750. Immediate pick-up. Michael at the Village No3 and Sedalsias 631-455-4690 cell.
If we've got it, you don't need it, but you probably want it anyway. Jewelry, masks, fortune telling, portraits...Cabochons on Bow Street, #19
Garb Closeour! Combat Boots for ladies, trews, tunics, children's garb. All must go! Loewing prices all week. Cloak & Dagger, Space 15.
Blades cleaned & sharpened. Custom sheaths. Crazy Elnar at Cloak & Dagger. space 15.
Pennsic the War on DVD! At Sleeping Unicorn, space 91 Street of Gold behind the barn.
GER - YURT - MONGOL TENT - with tall door option. Only used once. Great Dark Horde E10 Alice
Panther Pavilion for sale, 16x16, 3 yrs old. 7 ft walls. Ropes, stakes, poles included $850, Erevnite Asteron, N22.
For sale - 8x12 Marquee. Good condition, some wear. Take home at the end of war - $500. See Angus at Clan Kerr, E02
12x12 Pavilion for sale. $1000 OBO. See Zarifa at Brotherhood of the Black Rose, E17.
16' yurt w/ 2 doors, 6' walls. $1000 OBO. Clan Kerr, E02.
Benefit the Chirurgeons -- buy an original Pennsic XXXIII T-Shirt. $10. Available from Claus of Burzee, #24 Merchants Row
Capture Pennsic memories w/our fair Middle Eastern ladies and gentles. Middle Eastern photo set w/you being in pose, being fed grapes/being fanned by our Middle Eastern Models Ln. Kreations Gallry, booth 130. Corner of Bazaar St. and Plunder Lane.
For Sale - Panther Regent 16x16 tent w/set up pkg. $750. 4 yrs old - pick up Sat. Chris at Dancing fox camp - E01
Medieval Games #23 now has Blank Shield Goose Game.
Oh no! Where did Cabochons go? We're on Bow Street. Come visit our new shop in #19.
Warlords - Need coin to pay your troops? See Chandra at the West Camp (W03) or contact Seelie at 226 in Bazzar 3. We also have a limited supply of blank sheet for moneyers.
For Sale: Two pavilions - One 12' x18' and one 16' x 21', ropes, poles and stakes included. Blue Unicorn Merchants pavilions for sale. One 12'x18' for $800 and one 16' x21' for $900, complete set-up included. Pick-up Sat. after 8pm or Sun by 10am. Space 181.
Infrastructure for sale: Two carports; 12x16 and 12x14 Panthers; 12' hardwood yurt, 10x10 shower with new 40 gal heater and heater. Take on Saturday or will store with nonrefundable deposit for land grab 2005. Michael at the Village - N03 at Sedalias Way. 631-455-4690. Reasonable offers considered.
Pennsic scrap book - tooled leather cover w/artwork. 12x12 in book. Will personalize $58.00. Place order today, delivery before Christmas Ô04. Booth 130.
Come visit Evil Abra's. Acres of silver, 2000 + sterling rings, every cross imaginiable. Tons of knotwork pendants, pins, bracelets and barettes. The Gypsy Caravan - open 9 till late. 107 Street of Gold.
14x24 oval marquee - blue and white $900 or best reasonable offer. See Maira or Torguiil in N16, Sternfeld
Two handmade Ukrainian/Russian belt knives. Must see to appreciate. $75 each or $125 for pair. Also have a Toledo sword with a brass hilt. Castle on one side and rampant lion on the other side. See Erik at Haus Nein House Camp in N-30.
Green Man masks to wear and display. Herbal salves and teas. Cabochons on Bow Street, #19
Toys aren't just for kids you know. Come check out the gorgeous and magical dragons. griffons and faeries at Claus the Toymaker - the red and green house across from the barn. Price range from $30 to Oh My Goodness!
Rapier Armor Drop Tester for sale, $30. Contact Aelfwine Pyttel, Mustard's Field on block N03.
Armored Combat - an illustrated training manual of SCA heavy fighting by Duke Paul of Bellatrix. Available free online at www.bellatrix.org. New video demos coming soon. Group trainings by arrangement.
Pirate shirts $20, Pirate pants $15. Handmade jewelry in 65 in different stones and silver. We do custom work. Space #21. Heeter's Haven 814-720-5314.
Portraits painted in great and small. Oil, charcoal and watercolor. Cabochons on Bow Street, #19
PERIOD PAVILION - 13' and slant round, all incl. Tentsmiths $1000 - see Kender, Clan Kindred E31
Wooden canopy bed for sale. Includes brocade dagged curtains. Beautiful! N33, Barony of Stonemarche, $450.
New book about the SCA! to preview or order: www.knightsnextdoor.com available in October 2004.
Sidesaddle-western style. Suitable for pagents. Medium tree, 18 inch seat $300 OBO. firstname.lastname@example.com
The Marche of Alderford presents: Known World Costuming Symposium IV, September 24-26, 2004. Four Points Sheraton North Canton, OH 330-494-6494 Fax 330-494-7129. Featured speaker will be Mistress Drea di Pelligrini. http://sca.4th.com/alderford/events/kwcs2004
Volunteer Point totals so far: Artemesia 66; Lochac 4; Caid 40; Calontir 93; Drachenwald 8; Ealdomere 312; East 488; Meridies 7; Middle 468; Northshield 3; Trimaris 2. Remember to record your hours!
Help Wanted
Wanted: Large, burly man with good organizational skills to help pack up the Pennsic Independent on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Newspapers and compensation. See Heirusalem at the Pennsic Independent.
Claus the Toymaker still needs wandering merchants to sell t-shirts for the Chiurgeon's Fund. Come to site 24.
Strongman with hammer needed by Guild of Limners to pound woad. See Baroness Megan at site 24.
Twelve year old on the serengetti will babysit for a couple of hours and will also do ice runs. Leave messages at Rivenstar for Smerelda the Helpful.
Lost & Found
A reward is offered for the return of the spur reportedly found, but as yet missing. Contact Thrain of House Gray Fox in N-18 to negotiate for its return.
Sign of the Black Rose takes great pride in Congratulating our beloved Artist-in-Residence Lady Savant, on her triumphant graduation as a BS w/Honors Cum Laude in Psychology & Philosophy. We invite you to join us in wishing Her the best of luck in Graduate SchoolÑPooBah!
AnnaRousse...Loving you till the end of time...Rneld
Ask Auntie Arwen (#184) if she is drinking enough WATER!
DAOC friends, come visit camp of Gwyntarien - Howard's Fenway - Aldric & Morwena Greystone. Share stories.
Taern McGregor and L. Catherine Seton belatedly wish to announce their engagement - date to be set later.
NOTICE TO THE FRIENDS OF SOLOMON BEN JACOB (SHERWIN KADER): He is ill this war and was not able to come. He is ill and not able to make it this War. All are welcome to stop at merchant booth #56, Darkcraft's Wandering Mercantile. I am collecting a book of get well wishes to send him after the War. Keep him in your hearts and we will see him next year. Isak Darkcraft.
Barbara J. Smart : please return to the Merlion's Tail.
Armand - Can I take you home from Pennsic w/me? - M
Markland Army Rocks! Huzza to all! - Strawberry
"Lady" Atriel - your "court" misses you. 'Till next War.
Oskar to Ballista Babes: Cast your Lightning! Leave no Red Dragon standing, and sweep the Castle clean. May the Ravens drink deep.
Congratulations on the Tyger, Caewlin! The Evil Norman Overlord might even let you sleep inside near the hearth when you get back. Oskar
Red-headed sheep with pretty face seeks clueless wire-weenie, living in parents' basement, for long walks and cuddling.
Baba Ganoosh where R U? Report to Steding ASAP
A heartfelt thank you to the gentle who turned my very special knife into the Lost and Found at the end of the war last year. It was a bone handle knife with an inset. This knife is very special to me. It was gifted from a very dear friend and I have had it over 16 years. I was devastated at its loss and I am very grateful to the powers that be for its return. I also want to thank the Lost and Found for being there and taking care of my knife over the past year. Please stop by Norseland (E-23) and ask for Katrina. I would like to thank you personally.
To St. Swithens Bog, et al. for love and care that made our Pennsic great. -- Snorri and Augusta
Greetings and warm salutations from Squirty the Squid. Due to the cold weather I have decided to vacation in the south this year. I know this will come as a blow to the ladies who longed to be devoured in my tentacled grasp. I will return for a bite to eat and some inky groping, next year. Till then, stay warm under the covers, Squirty.
KUMIHIMO - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kumi2
Glad you enjoyed our mead and thanks for the weapons you left behind. If you want them, come get Ôem before we turn Ôem in. I - Tir Thalor, B02
Thing one and thing two say neener neener boo boo.
Winner! of the Robin Wood Midnight Madness raffle: #652351 - Lynn McMillen
M'Lady Jeannette de la Croix - Through all these years, and many more, you are my love - in life and at war - Reinhart
The War Cry Heralds want to thank the Pennsic Ind. urchins for their assistance in crying.
Heirusalism of the day - "I try really hard not to be obnoxious."
Yellow would like to thank Stripe for not only a wonderful war, but for being her love, her partner, and her very best friend. I love you, Stripe.
In Ealdomerian Camp. Being fed hoser beer. They seem to think I am in some Duke's household. Not complainging-hic-Squirty.
Unto Caitlin of Enniskillen, CONGRATULATIONS and a very big hug from Mistress Christina O'Riain - I wish I could have been there for your big day. Well deserved, Mistress. I expect to see pictures and hear tales of the festivities once you return from the plains of Pennsic. Safe travels.
To all our friends: missing you and looking forward to being there next year. Elizabet Marshall and John Marshall atte Forde


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Wisconsin is a great place to live and work. The varied landscape of Wisconsin makes the state a popular vacation destination for outdoor recreation. From hiking, camping, fishing and boating in the summer to skiing, ice fishing and snowmobile derbies in the winter, there is never a shortage of things for LPN-LVN to do!
Aside from great outdoor experiences, Wisconsin has fantastic cities and small towns with great selections for dining and nightlife adventures. There is rich calendar of festivals and fairs around the state including the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival in Little Chute.
The beautiful Door Peninsula, which extends off the eastern coast of the state, contains the charming Door County, with quaint villages and cherry orchards.
The Milwaukee metro is home to roughly one-third of the state's population. Milwaukee is at the northern edge of an urban area bordering Lake Michigan that stretches southward into greater Chicago.
Culturally rich Madison is both a college town and the state capitol cultural. A Madison suburb, Middleton, was ranked the "Best Place to Live in America" in 2007 by Money Magazine.From small town to large city and everything in between, Wisconsin is definitely one state that will make you feel at home, making your decision to advance your career through travel nursing a great one!
Job Description
We are looking for people to fill per diem LPN-LVN – labor-and-delivery openings in Perdiem. This is a great opportunity for professionals living in Wisconsin. Per diem offers great flexibility and great pay. Apply today and a recruiter will get back to you quickly.
- Weekly Pay
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Drill Jig For Removing Broken Exhaust Studs
For use on the 2.8 V-6 engine
Use this drill jig to drill out and remove broken exhaust bolts on the 2.8 V-6 engine. You can use this exhaust fixture a few different ways. (1) Use the small 5/32" drill jig guide with the hardened steel insert to drill a hole (5/32" drill bit included) into the broken exhaust stud. Then use the screw extractor (included) and remove the broken exhuast bolt. (2) If you are not successful use the larger 6.8 mm drill jig guide (6.8 drill bit included) and drill the stud completely out. The 6.8 mm drill guide keeps your 6.8 mm drill bit perfectly straight and centered. Use the largest guide to hold an 8 mm tap in perfect position to clean out the old stud threads. The tapered head screws included with the kit insure that the drill jig plate is perfectly aligned when it is bolted to the head.
Now also included in this kit. A high quality (made in USA) M8 x 1.25 plug tap.
Drilling tips:
Use a slow speed hand drill. Drill at a somewhat lower/medium speed. Dip the drill bit in cutting oil every 3-4 seconds or so. Go slow.
I do not offer free shipping.
Because I use postal flat rate boxes for heavy orders there is no program that can add the proper amount of shipping to every order. So all shipping is added manually by myself after you place your order. That is explained here: Shipping added later explanation
When you place an order the shipping amount will show $0.00. Soon after you place an order you will receive an email confirmation that shows the amount of shipping that was added to your order.
Shipping: Shipping is $12.00 (Midwest-USA)
Final shipping cost is determined by weight of the item(s) and distance from Milwaukee, WI. Shipping prices quoted are for items shipped to the Midwest area in the USA. If you are ordering a single item or multiple items the total shipping price is determined after you place the order. I try to keep my shipping prices to a minimum and use Postal Flat Rate boxes whenever I can utilize them for an order.


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- Home
Who we are
Who we areWho Cares? Scotland is a national voluntary organisation, working with care experienced young people and care leavers across Scotland.Every pound that you donate or fundraise allows us to do more work with more young people. Donate
What we do
What we doWho Cares? Scotland supports care experienced people to have their voice heard and we make that happen in a number of ways.Access independent advocacy for children and young people Independent advocacy
Get involved
Get involvedBy supporting our work, you are helping make Scotland a better place for care experienced people.Access independent advocacy for children and young people Independent advocacy
- Contact us
- Donate
- Get advocacy
- Become our Friend
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Baker WinAST
Automated Stator Testing System
Manufacturers of stators, coils, alternators, rotors and other kinds of motor windings need advanced, dependable and proven test systems. If the ability to conduct common in-process electrical tests in one custom built automated test instrument is required, look to SKF's Baker WinAST automated stator test system.
Hipot, surge and temperature-compensated resistance test capabilities are standard. A rotation-direction test is optional for testing stators and field coils. Because each tester is a semi-custom instrument assembled to customer specifications, its capabilities are not limited to those described here; additional features are available. For more information, contact SKF Condition Monitoring Center - Fort Collins at 970-282-1200, or send an inquiry to email@example.com.
Hipot, surge and temperature-compensated resistance test capabilities are standard. A rotation-direction test is optional for testing stators and field coils. Because each tester is a semi-custom instrument assembled to customer specifications, its capabilities are not limited to those described here; additional features are available. For more information, contact SKF Condition Monitoring Center - Fort Collins at 970-282-1200, or send an inquiry to email@example.com.
Baker WinAST operation
Baker WinAST systems not only test manufactured products, they also test manufacturing processes. Trends within the manufacturing process can be monitored allowing the anticipation of problems. The Baker WinAST system is set apart from other winding test systems because of its highly-sensitive computer-controlled testing, analysis and report generation software. The Baker WinAST computer makes testing virtually automatic.
- Ease of use: To test a winding, a master data file is created. In a manually-loaded system, the operator merely starts each test from the test fixture. When each test is complete, a pass/fail indication is clearly displayed on the screen and on the operator's control console. The Baker WinAST can be integrated into fully automated lines with automatic fixtures and a PLC (or host computer) communications interface.
- No master winding needed: Connection of a master winding is unnecessary during routine production testing. An operator does not need to set the test voltages or pass/fail limits during model changeover, saving time. Test parameters are programmed into a master data file. Programming winding models takes just a few minutes. The Baker WinAST's programme has a simple, pull-down menu-driven interface. The user is prompted for all necessary information. Once the master has been defined, it is permanently stored. Testing is then automatically sequenced according to the master file.
- AC and DC tests: For AC hipot (high potential) testing, the Baker WinAST uses arc detection to sense breakdowns to ground or between windings that may go undetected using average current measurement techniques. The instrument also has capacitive compensation capability. This measures the resistive portion of the leakage current, rather than the total current. DC hipot testing checks the integrity of the insulation system with high DC voltage. Leakage current is then measured in micro-amps instead of milli-amps.
- Surge test: The high voltage surge or impulse test checks for insulation problems between turns, coils and phases of the winding. Surge tests can detect other faults that change the inductance of a winding, such as improperly annealed lamination steel and reversed coils. The surge test also has the ability to detect corona caused by weak insulation.
- Resistance test: The resistance test checks for wrong turns count, poor connections, mislabelled leads and incorrect wire size. With the use of Kelvin connections, low resistance winding tests are accurate and repeatable. Resistance measurements are temperature corrected to the equivalent resistance value of 25 °C (77 °F).
Rotation direction: The optional rotation direction test is for stator testing. Both induction and Hall-effect type sensors are available. This test is also capable of detecting bad connections in some cases.
Reports and statistics
Reports can be displayed on the monitor, printed, stored on floppy or hard disk, or transferred over a computer communications network. Report and plot information includes, but is not limited to, average, standard deviation and failure tallies.
All Baker WinAST static motor analysis systems feature a standard control console, safety interlock switch and alligator clip terminations (unless optional custom fixtures are requested). A wide variety of single and dual station fixtures are available. In addition, test fixtures can be custom built to winding specifications. For more information concerning fixtures, contact your SKF representative.
High voltage WinAST option
A high-voltage version of the Baker WinAST is available for testing low-inductance form coils and motor stators of greater than 500 kilowatts or greater than 575 VAC. See specifications for particulars of this instrument.


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SPECIAL- WEDDINGS- Totally tubular: River a new hotspot for the daring bride
It takes a certain type of bride to embrace an outdoor wedding. Brides who relish the idea of beautiful pictures against the Blue Ridge Mountains or exchanging vows in a historic garden know coming to Charlottesville is a safe bet– with its burgeoning vineyard scene and dozens of private properties and inns available, Charlottesville is quickly becoming central Virginia's place for the bride who blanches as the thought of chapel nuptials. But not all brides can handle the great outdoors– there are bugs to consider! An expensive white dress that must be protected from dirt! And the weather! Well– that's never a predicable element.
Yet there are some couples who thrive on all of nature's challenges: hiking the Appalachian Trail, rock climbing in the Blue Ridge, or camping in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forest are much more romantic than a sunset vineyard or a quiet garden. For the bride who favors rustic adventure over prim and proper tradition, James River Runners might be the venue for you.
James River Runners? Isn't that where rowdy groups of co-eds or co-workers go to tube and drink each summer? While the river, with the historic Hatton Ferry, is a prime summer spot for sunning and funning, it is also the latest local property to jump at the opportunity to host weddings for the bold and fearless bride.
"We can really make this a great wedding venue– it's nothing fancy, not a B&B, but if you just want to have a laid-back wedding on the water..." says owner Paige Wilkes.
Three years ago, before new owner Wilkes and her husband took over the property, which consists of the ferry, campgrounds, and livery, weddings weren't a common sight at the river.
When one of their employees expressed interest in hosting his ceremony and reception at his favorite Virginia spot, Wilkes jumped at the opportunity to transform the site into a wedding venue. Holding the ceremony in an open field on the river bank and the reception in a tent in a field that usually holds parked cars during busy tubing weekends, the couple– true "river rats," according to Wilkes– were able to host 200 people comfortably with a DJ and live band playing throughout the night. After partying until the wee hours, guests overnighted in the campsites and headed out onto the river early the next morning.
"They had the minister stand right on the river bank and everyone was facing the water," says Wilkes of the ceremony. "The next day people got on the water, canoed, kayaked."
While Wilkes admits that a James River Runners bride would fully embrace the unpredictable nature of a outdoors wedding– the most recent bride ended the night with a dirt-stained dress and guests had to bear umbrellas during a spell of rain– she is confident the space is a blank canvas open to the whims of any adventuresome couple. The property has the capacity to hold crowds of 400-500 people for a ceremony and reception, and options like overnight camping and tubing, canoeing, or kayaking can be easily added into the wedding package. As the space is a privately-owned property, there are no restrictions as to preferred vendors or alcohol. Wilkes plans on opening the property to weddings between March and early May, then later in the fall, from October to December. Due to the overwhelming capacity of tubers during the summer months, the venue wouldn't be available to host private events– but "we'd do a December wedding for sure– if you wanted to brave the elements, we'd do that too," she says.
Wilkes has her own romantic connection to the property– on her first date with her husband, he brought her to the flooded river and dared her to tube. When she readily agreed, he laughed and took her up to hike around Raven's Roost instead. The two later married at the popular Blue Ridge Parkway stop– and now, eight years later, Wilkes would likely make the perfect candidate for a James River Runners wedding.


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How lovely is this!!? I am in love with all the windows!! They let in so much light!! I also love the sitting area. I think all entry's should have a place to sit. I love how elegant everything is, too. The pretty fabrics, and the fancy furniture, not to mention the gold accessories and the flowers. Lovely.
Here is one a little more rustic. What a view!! I'd keep that door open all the time. It almost looks like this house is located in the Italian countryside. Love the terracotta tile floors, and the massive double front doors. Also loving the exposed beams. The table is nice and sweet, but I think they could use a chair or two in here.
Here is a mix between glamour and rustic. I love the door. So pretty. I also love the cozy feel the old furniture and accessories bring in. This just looks like a house that's been around for a while. Loving the crown molding - what a great way to dress up the entry!


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The Arizona Future City Competition is part of the national Future City Competition, sponsored by DiscoverE. We are a 501(c) 3 organization, supported by corporate and other donations and staffed solely by volunteers. The competition encourages middle school students from grades 6-8 in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by presenting a set of technical challenges over a four-month season that each three-student team must address, culminating at regional finals in January.
Our 21th Anniversary
Future City Arizona 2018 Winner is from Maricopa Wells.
Congratulations to Veritas Homeschoolers, the 2017 Arizona Winners!
The ReviviQuito team, Jeremy Graunke, Adriana Baniecki and Madyison Nichols won the 20th Annual Future City Arizona Region Finals held Saturday, January 28th at ASU.
They placed 2nd in the nation!
Want to volunteer to help with the competition? Click here
Make a Donation Click here


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Early in the morning on November 27, 2009, Tiger Woods allegedly had an altercation with his wife, Elin Nordegren, that culminated in a career-derailing car crash outside the couple's Florida home. Details of what transpired are vague—the principals aren't talking, and no cameras were present. Millions of people who followed the breaking story on CNN, Fox, ESPN, and TMZ had to satisfy themselves with watching file footage of the golfer and his wife.
The incident captured the world's attention, but no one could actually see it—until an animated reenactment was uploaded to the Web site of an Asian tabloid just hours after it happened. The 96-second videoclip featured Sims-like doppelgängers of the couple and depicted the moments that everyone was clamoring to see: the vehicle colliding with a tree, an unconscious Woods lying in the street as the police arrived, even Nordegren chasing her husband's SUV down the driveway with a golf club.
Most of Next Media Animation's videos are about scandals and crimes in Hong Kong and Taiwan. But some of their more ambitious (and surreal) animations are about public figures from America. Here's a sampling from their videos about Tiger Woods, Steve Jobs, Al Gore, and Sarah Palin.
Someone reposted the clip to YouTube, and the crude, somewhat surreal animation quickly scored 2.5 million views. It was picked up and replayed by many Western news organizations and generated an enormous amount of attention, amusement, and controversy. Mission accomplished for the man behind the video, Hong Kong tabloid tycoon Jimmy Lai. He had launched the CG production house Next Media Animation just a month earlier with the goal of animating the news of the day.
"There's no better sensation than image. It's so in-your-face!" the 62-year-old founder of Next Media says. Lai is sitting in the fourth-story office of his headquarters in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, which is the latest outpost of the Next Media empire. He wears a custom-tailored white shirt and a pair of suspenders that hold baggy Ralph Lauren jeans up over his potbelly, giving him a grandfatherly air. But Lai's beefy face is hard, his eyes fiercely alert. He has the appearance of a man who is always ready to throw the first punch—or the last.
Lai made hundreds of millions of dollars giving Hong Kong readers everything that the more respectable publications wouldn't deign to present: lurid crime stories, salacious celebrity gossip, voyeuristic paparazzi photos, and scathing political commentary. But by 2007, he was becoming increasingly worried about the future of print, especially its ability to reach a younger audience that grew up with digital media. It also bothered him that his photographers could cover some stories only after the fact. "We had the dead body," he says, "but we never see the murders." Was there a way to show things that none of his competitors could?
The idea of cartoonifying the news hit Lai in a brilliant flash. In October 2007, he shared his idea with the rest of his staff. They could gin up exclusive footage of the most bizarre, the most titillating, the most scandalous events of the day. But Lai didn't want just any animation, he wanted computer-generated 3-D animation, which is notoriously costly, labor-intensive, and extremely time-consuming to create. And they didn't have a lot of time; the videos had to air while the news was still warm. Lai needed to be able to crank out reenactments of breaking stories in just a couple of hours. "Everybody told me it would be impossible," he says.
So he decided to build his own CG studio. Lai didn't know much about animation, but he knew a lot about assembly lines—he made his first fortune in the garment industry. After two years of trial and error, experimenting with various technologies and seeing exactly how many corners it was possible to cut, Lai set up a sort of un-Pixar, an offshore animation factory with a staff of 200 that could storyboard, model, motion-capture, and animate a clip in about the time it takes to watch Toy Story 3. "People said I was nuts to try this," Lai says, leaning intently over a conference table. "But everybody knows I'm crazy. I never do things the normal way."
It's been a blisteringly hot day here in Taipei, but it's starting to cool off as the workers at Next Media Animation arrive for the 5 pm to 1 am shift in a neighboring building. Before they punch out, they will create more than a dozen CG shorts in the signature style of their infamous Tiger Woods video. The clips will be posted to the Web sites of Lai's tabloids in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where they typically rack up about 15 million views a week.
That's a large audience, but it's not nearly enough to cover the costs of such an ambitious operation. Lai is still searching for a better outlet for this new form he's created and is casting about for a viable business model. He's convinced that what Next Media is doing is the future of journalism, and he insists that once you've seen his cartoons, you'll never be satisfied watching a newsreader tell you what happened. "This is like watching a videogame, but it's the news!"
8:50 pm, May 17, 2010
Story Assignment
Chen Hsi-Ling, a content officer at Next Media Animation, logs on to Adobe Connect to get her next assignment. It's about an ongoing murder trial in Hong Kong: A young man named Hong Chi-yin is facing a life sentence for two homicides. In January 2009, he hired a prostitute, then suffocated her with a chloroform-soaked towel. A few weeks later, he did the same thing to another prostitute.
Chen is in charge of drawing the storyboards that will guide the production of an animated re-creation of the Chloroform Killer's crimes. A project manager from the Apple Daily newspaper in Hong Kong calls and fills her in on the details. As in many outsourcing operations, there's a language barrier to contend with—people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese, while Mandarin is the language of Taiwan. But the written language is the same, and Chen will work primarily from a 400-word summary of the Hong Kong news article. All Next Media animations begin life this way, as a brief synopsis that boils a tabloid story down to its pulpy essence. "The idea is to keep it simple, use the most important details," says international news editor Daisy Li. "Jimmy doesn't want it to be too long."
Lai was born poor in mainland China in 1948, during the civil war that eventually saw the Communist Party take power and the Nationalist Party flee to Taiwan. Smuggled into Hong Kong by his mother's arrangement when he was 12, Lai eventually got rich manufacturing apparel at the same factory where he had toiled as a child for $10 a month. Lai courted controversy, launching a magazine called Next, which criticized the Beijing government, and producing a line of T-shirts that featured the student leaders of the Tiananmen Square protests. It quickly became impossible for him to sell merchandise on the mainland or deal with factories there. Ultimately, the Chinese government forced Lai to divest himself of his garment business. That left him free to focus all his energy on becoming the Rupert Murdoch of Hong Kong. Lai soon built a stable of the raciest, muckrakingest, most popular publications in the area. He expanded his operations to Taiwan a decade ago and now has a top-selling newspaper there.
Stories like the one about the Chloroform Killer are typical fodder for Lai's tabloids. "Seedy crimes with lots of action are very popular for us," he says. A devout Christian, he named his Apple Daily newspaper after the forbidden fruit in Genesis; Lai reasons that if Adam and Eve had not eaten from the tree of knowledge and introduced sin into the world, there wouldn't be anything interesting for his writers to cover.
Lai has continued to provoke outrage as his media empire has grown. No mainland Chinese companies advertise in his papers. Someone threw a bomb onto his front lawn. And he earned the ire of millions of teenage fans of Cantonese pop star Gillian Chung—and a censure from the Hong Kong Journalists Association—when one of his tabloids ran photos of the singer taken by a hidden camera in her dressing room. Just two years ago, someone offered a bounty for killing Lai. "It was a triad guy looking to do Beijing a favor, a favor that Beijing didn't actually want," says Mark Simon, Next Media Animation's commercial director.
When Lai decided to create NMA, it seemed natural to build the studio in Taiwan. Unlike Hong Kong, the island nation is beyond the reach of Beijing. Labor is also cheaper there, and the rise of the videogame industry in China had put many CG experts on the island out of work. "Our animators in Taiwan make $20,000 a year," Simon says.
Within nine months of ramping up its CG assembly line, NMA created more than 4,000 videos. Employees have completely internalized their boss's love of sensationalism. "I've told them that they go too far sometimes," Lai says, referring to clips depicting rape and child abuse. (The latter resulted in a $30,000 fine and a rebuke from Taiwan's National Communications Commission.) But Lai waves his hand as if to dismiss all the criticism. He gazes through the glass wall of his office, taking in a sea of people hard at work. "When you are an Apple newsman, you know that you need to be on the edge and make a splash," he says. "Readers want things to be less subtle. You need to overstep."
All the News That's Fit to Animate
The team at Next Media Animation cranks out about 20 short clips a day, most involving crimes and scandals in Hong Kong and Taiwan. But a few are focused on tabloid staples in the US—from Tiger Woods' marital troubles to Michael Jackson's death. Seeing them filtered through the Next Media lens is as disorienting as it is entertaining.
November 27, 2009
The golf star's car crash was one of the first news events Next Media re-created that went viral. It led to half a dozen animated sequels, in which Next introduced Woods' rapidly expanding roster of mistresses.
January 18, 2010
The animators used clever visual metaphors cribbed from editorial cartoons to explain the absurdities of NBC's late-night feud to an Asian audience.
February 9, 2010
The pop singer's final moments were reenacted in a piece about the physician charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with his drug-related death.
May 1, 2010
The National Enquirer published a rumor that Obama once had an affair with a campaign staffer in 2004. In no time, Next Media fabricated footage of them entering a hotel together.
July 18, 2010
In a wickedly satirical clip, Next Media presented the CEO of Apple as a sinister Darth Vader using his command of the Force to seduce customers into purchasing his "iCrap" and choking the life out of snooping gadget bloggers.
June 25, 2010
A surreal clip reenacts a massage therapist's allegations about her encounter with Al Gore. Steam shoots from Gore's ears when he is denied a "happy ending," and a thought balloon illustrates how the massage therapist believed that the former veep had turned into a "crazed sex poodle."
July 23, 2010
Next Media Animation's take on the rise of Sarah Palin. The former governor of Alaska shorts out a Speak N Spell with her coinage "refudiate," and hunting from a helicopter before leaping out and opening a parachute that reads SARAH 2012. (Make sure to hit pause and read all of the crib notes that she's written on her hand.)
9:00 pm
Storyboards and Presentation
Dinner from a nearby takeout joint has arrived at the Next Media office. As people tuck into fried noodles and tofu soup, Chen and a second content officer assigned to sketch the story of the Chloroform Killer get to work. They have 10 minutes to transform the synopsis into comic-book-style storyboards, and they scribble madly.
A half-dozen additional artists in adjoining cubicles are frantically converting other synopses into storyboards. "Four minutes to go!" one of them shouts.
When Chen is done, she meets with a team of animators, modelers, and mo-cap directors in a windowless conference room. They view her storyboards on a digital projector as Chen pantomimes key bits of action, like the killer reaching for a bottle of chloroform. Her audience takes notes furiously. Then they scatter to start producing the actual animation.
It takes pixar up to seven hours to render a single frame of footage—that is, to convert the computer data into video. NMA needed to create an animated clip in a third of that time and render more than a thousand frames of animation in just a few minutes. A team spent two years wrestling with the problem, experimenting with one digital tool after another—Poser, 3ds Max, Maya. "It didn't look good, and it took too long," says Eric Ryder, a Next art director. "But Jimmy doesn't want excuses."
The solution came in the form of Wang Chuan-chang, a slight and unassuming game-industry refugee who also teaches game programming at National Taiwan University. He developed a proprietary engine that could render crude but effective animation in seconds. Wang's technology convinced Lai that the project was ready to staff up.
That left Next Media free to grapple with insurmountable problem number two: creating a production process that could function at unprecedented speed, delivering up to 13 minutes of animated video content a day. The team eventually devised a seamless workflow with no unproductive moments and no second drafts. "Everything has to be done within the given time frame," Ryder says. "Or else the next person in line has no work to do. There are no mistakes. This is what Jimmy commands."
Lai can be an exacting boss, but he'll gladly sink a fortune into a business if he believes in it. For instance, Wang wanted the characters to have more realistic facial expressions, which, as anyone who's seen Next Media's dramatization of the Jay Leno-Conan O'Brien feud knows, is much needed. In response, Lai dropped almost a million dollars for Light Stage, an elaborate hi-def face-scanning technology employed in big-budget movies like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Wang, who has just started playing around with it, says that eventually "viewers will be able to see every pore."
The animators used clever visual metaphors cribbed from editorial cartoons to explain the absurdities of NBC's late-night feud to an Asian audience.
"Our technology begins by figuring out the three-dimensional shape of the face," says Light Stage inventor Paul Debevec, who won an Academy Award for the tech. "Then it figures out the underlying skin reflectance, the shine of the skin, the amount of gloss; if one area is greasier than another, that gets picked up. We can predict how the entire face will look under any lighting condition."
Debevec is excited about the challenge of applying his painstaking approach to Next's hyperspeed production requirements. "Can you do the rendering of a face quickly and still have it look realistic?" he asks. "A production house like Digital Domain takes six months to do it on something like Benjamin Button. But can you have a technology that allows you to do it between lunch and dinner?"
9:10 pm
Modeling and Motion-Capture
Digital modeler Wu Kan-yang returns to his desk after watching the Chloroform Killer presentation. Armed with Chen's storyboards, the reporter's interview notes, and some police photos, he has 20 minutes to assemble all the characters, sets, and props that will appear in the animation. He selects elements from a library of premade digital objects—for instance, hundreds of face and body types. For the murderer, he chooses an angular face and an athletically built body.
Meanwhile, another team is working in the nearby motion-capture studio. Actors in skintight bodysuits dotted with position markers that resemble silver marbles wrestle around on the floor as mo-cap director Joseph Chen yells instructions to them. A male performer presses a foam rubber brick—a stand-in for the chloroform-soaked sponge—into a female actor's face. The situation is awkward, but no one breaks the tension with jokes or nervous laughter. There's no time for tomfoolery.
The infamous Tiger Woods video was Next Media's first viral sensation. Its international popularity caught the company by surprise, especially when the BBC and a Swedish TV station asked how much it would cost to license it. "I made up the numbers as I went along," Simon says, ultimately charging $300. "That one paid for itself."
Nevertheless, some alternate source of income is needed. Posting videos on the Web sites of Lai's tabloids simply does not generate enough ad revenue to pay for the operation. (Lai reportedly spends $1 million a month on it.) Next Media executives have struck a deal with YouTube to show their videos on that site with "pre-rolls," brief advertisements that precede the animation. But that still pays a pittance per view, and Next Media videos currently posted on YouTube get just a few thousand views each.
The buzz generated by the Tiger Woods animation validated the dream of Next Media honchos that they could go global. Simon envisions a future where big news organizations consider a story complete only when it's paired with one of his company's clips. He cites the case of underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who last December attempted to trigger explosives hidden in his briefs while aboard Northwest flight 253. "Most networks had nothing but a shot of the airplane sitting on the runway," Simon says. "We showed him catching on fire and being pulled down by the other passengers."
Simon describes a business model in which Next Media sells its content in much the same way that the Associated Press sells articles. "We will do three or four international stories every night and work out syndication deals," he says. Lai figures that the company needs just 500 outlets to pay $50 apiece per day. But that has yet to happen.
Next Media's animators have also started producing custom clips for Western news and entertainment media. Reuters tapped them to create an animation about the environmental risks of tuna fishing. BBC's Newsnight commissioned Next to come up with over-the-top video for the British general elections in April. One clip strings together a few hissy fits and temper tantrums by Gordon Brown along with ominous music and exaggerated mo-cap acting to make the former prime minister look like a psychopath.
These made-to-order pieces are list-priced at $4,000 a minute. It's a bargain, but customers have to go in with realistic expectations. "I get people telling me they want something with an Avatar feel," Simon says. "I tell them that they're not getting an Avatar feel for the prices we charge. I can't give you perfect animation overnight. But I can show you exactly how a policeman tripped and accidentally shot a little girl in the neck."
Some customers view the shortcomings in Next Media's technique as a feature, not a bug. Adult Swim, the nightly block on Cartoon Network, has commissioned Next to create animated reports on bizarre news stories, like the one about an Iranian cleric who claimed that exposed cleavage causes earthquakes. "There's a ghost in their machine," says Matt Harrigan, a producer at Adult Swim. "They have limitations that force unusual decisions and interpretations. What we get back is usually different from what we expect. Sometimes it's really funny." A clip about the marital woes of Sandra Bullock was presented like the old films on Mystery Science Theater 3000, with bemused commentary layered on top.
Are the people at Next Media aware that Adult Swim is laughing at them, not with them? "I hope so," Harrigan says.
But sometimes it's obvious that they're in on the joke. A recent clip exploring the power of Steve Jobs and the cultural dominance of Apple is hilarious—on purpose. It features Jobs in blue jeans and a Darth Vader helmet, cackling wickedly as sheeplike customers line up to buy his gizmos—and fatigued factory workers who make those gizmos commit suicide en masse (a reference to a spate of actual suicides at a Chinese factory that makes Apple products). iPhone customers are shackled to a weight that looks like the AT&T logo, and when they complain about dropped calls, Darth Steve slices off their ring and pinky fingers with a lightsaber, eliminating the possibility of blocked reception.
The scandalously clever clip is light-years beyond the Tiger Woods effort and shows that Next Media is well on its way to developing a visual vocabulary combining the stylistic conceits of comic books, political cartoons, videogames, and nightly news segments. The video also shows what the company is capable of making when it slows down a little—animators worked on the Jobs piece on and off for a whopping two days, with most of the extra time spent creating new digital props especially for the clip. "We didn't have a Darth Vader helmet handy," explains Michael Logan, Next's business and content development manager. "It took more time to produce, the same way that a feature story takes more time than a breaking news story."
9:30 pm
Animation and Postproduction
Digital models and motion-capture data for the Chloroform Killer clip are passed along to the animators, who have an hour to knit the two elements together. The labor is divided among nine people, who each work on one or two shots. Ko Hsiao-li, a slender young woman with a ponytail, focuses on a shot of the killer strolling around the prostitute's apartment. She continually consults with the animator in a nearby cubicle, making sure their lighting matches and that the actions are in sync.
When the computer animation is finished, it takes only minutes to render it into AVI-formatted video files. Then audio technician Liao Chuen-chung lays in music and sound effects, all chosen from a prerecorded audio library. After a final quality-control review, the files are sent to Hong Kong for editing and Cantonese voice-overs. Total elapsed time: 120 minutes.
The animation about the Chloroform Killer appears on AppleDaily.com as a 40-second breakout inside an 80-second news report, which also features live footage similar to what you'd see in any other TV news segment. The animated sequences are easy to follow even if you can't understand the Cantonese narration. The animation is sketchy—a plastic bag holding a bottle of chloroform looks ridiculously fake when it moves, and the prostitute's terror as she struggles for her life is utterly unconvincing. But complaining about the aesthetic is akin to griping about newsprint rubbing off on your fingers; the rough renderings are an unavoidable side effect of rushing out the news while it's still hot.
A recreation of Next Media's chloroform killer reenactment with English-language narration. You can see the original version with Cantonese narration on YouTube.
Jimmy Lai has poured more than $30 million into his dream of a CG newsroom. But he's used to making big gambles. He put up $100 million of his own money to get his tabloid empire off the ground. And during the dotcom boom, he blew $120 million on a failed ecommerce site called adMart. "I had too much money sitting around," he says with a shrug.
Ultimately, Next Media Animation is part of an even bigger gamble. "TV is a good business right now," Lai says. He is convinced that Taiwan, a nation of 23 million, is a lucrative untapped market for a Next Media television station. Lai describes his programming vision: There will be variety shows and comedy, but more than two-thirds of the content will be news items featuring Next's animation.
Unfortunately, with the uproar over Next Media's rape and child-abuse stories still fresh in the minds of Taiwanese broadcasting czars, Lai was rejected for a broadcasting license. Still, he seems undeterred. He has already stood up to Beijing, so taking on the Taiwanese government hardly daunts him. Lai underscores his optimism by pointing to the floor of employees beyond his office's glass wall. He claims he already has 700 people making daily content for his TV channel. "We have to be ready," he says. "At the end of the day, obtaining a license will not be a problem." But for now, that content has no outlet and no audience.
When adMart was hemorrhaging money, it was Simon who broke with other executives and backed Lai's decision to pull the plug. Lai is philosophical about that failure, but Simon says it "gave Jimmy diabetes." Still, Simon is certain that Next Media Animation will never go the way of adMart, even if the path to profitability is unclear at present. "Jimmy always rows the boat to shore," he says, "though he might burn it on the way in."
You can almost see the animation: Jimmy Lai is helming a skiff in a churning digital sea. Crudely rendered flames flicker around him as the shoreline comes into view, and a CG stand-in of Simon pulls jerkily on a pair of oars. The Next Media team could really do something with that.
Michael Kaplan(email@example.com) wrote about the construction of ice hotels in issue 18.06.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


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"Drive" was an excellent, high calibre, praiseworthy movie experience.
Directed with confidence and style by newcomer to American cinema Nicolas Winding Refn, drive is the best movie I've seen in theatres this year by a longshot, and most certainly will be in discussion for movie of the year here, if not the actual Oscars.
In fact, the only real criticism I have of it is that there were several times during the film I found myself wondering if I was watching a film that was going to register amongst the greats, if I was meeting a new film to my personal top fifty for the first time. It never quite got there, but I think the best way to present that isn't to put that out there negatively, but to put it out there positively.
This is a film that flirts with greatness.


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Risking government shutdown, House GOP seeks Obamacare delay
Updated at 5:43 p.m. ET
The House Republican Conference convened on Capitol Hill Saturday to devise a path forward on the budget debate, just one day after the Senate sent them a spending bill that many Republicans view as unacceptable, and just over two days before much of the government will shut down if Congress fails to reach an agreement.
On Friday, the Senate passed a spending bill, called a "continuing resolution," that would keep the government afloat through mid-November and preserve funding for Obamacare, which is scheduled to be almost fully implemented Tuesday.
On Saturday, after the conference meeting, House GOP leaders scheduled a series of votes that would enable their members to volley an amended bill back to the Senate. That bill would fund the government through Dec. 15, but it would also delay Obamacare's requirement for individuals to purchase health insurance by one year and repeal a tax on medical device manufacturers that helps fund the law.
In a statement, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, along with the rest of the House Republican leadership, described the path forward. "Later today, the House will vote on two amendments to the Senate-passed continuing resolution that will keep the government open and stop as much of the president's health care law as possible," he said. "We will do our job and send this bill over, and then it's up to the Senate to pass it and stop a government shutdown."
The White House reacted to the House Republicans' latest move by putting the blame for a possible shutdown squarely on the GOP's shoulders.
"Any member of the Republican Party who votes for this bill is voting for a shutdown," White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement issued late Saturday.
Even if Republicans are able to muscle the bill through the lower chamber, it is unlikely that their latest proposal will pass muster with Senate Democrats and President Obama, who have insisted on a spending bill that keeps the government open without delaying or defunding the healthcare reform law.
- Budget showdown inspires high drama on Capitol Hill
- All eyes on Republicans as clock ticks toward government shutdown
"Today's vote by House Republicans is pointless," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in a statement after the House unveiled its newest proposal. "To be absolutely clear, the Senate will reject both the one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act and the repeal of the medical device tax. After weeks of futile political games from Republicans, we are still at square one: Republicans must decide whether to pass the Senate's clean CR, or force a Republican government shutdown."
"We continue to be willing to debate these issues in a calm and rational atmosphere, but the American people will not be extorted by Tea Party anarchists," he said. The Senate is not scheduled to convene again until Monday.
Mr. Obama has echoed Reid's warning, telling Republicans that their brinksmanship will only serve to hurt the American economy.
"I realize that a lot of what's taking place right now is political grandstanding, but this grandstanding has real effects on real people," he said on Friday after the spending bill cleared the Senate. "Our message to Congress is this: Do not shut down the government. Do not shut down the economy. Pass a budget on time. Pay our bills on time. Refocus on the everyday concerns of the American people... Do not threaten to burn the house down simply because you haven't gotten 100 percent of your way."
On Saturday, in his weekly address, the president twisted the knife further, accusing GOP leaders of kowtowing to their right flank.
"Republicans in the House have been more concerned with appeasing an extreme faction of their party than working to pass a budget that creates new jobs or strengthens the middle class," he said. "And in the next couple days, these Republicans will have to decide whether to join the Senate and keep the government open, or create a crisis that will hurt people for the sole purpose of advancing their ideological agenda."
Indeed, while Republicans in the House have remained largely unified in their desire to defund the health-care law during the budget battle, the fractious debate has exposed some rifts in the Senate GOP caucus.
Conservative hard-liners, led by freshmen Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, have pushed their colleagues to insist on a bill that unravels the president's health-care law, but they've been taken to task by some of their more senior colleagues, including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has said it's not "rational" for Republicans to believe they can scuttle the health-care law during the budget battle.
"This debate has been changed from Republican versus Democrat-slash-Obama to Republican versus Republican, and that cannot be helpful to the Republican Party," McCain said, urging his party to cut their losses and live to fight another day.


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Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg believes the Bible's teachings don't line up with supporting President Trump. CNN Town Hall moderator Erin Burnett asked Buttigieg if he thinks it's possible for a true Christian to support the president. Prior to quoting his previous remarks on the president's evangelical support, she prefaced her question, "To the point […]
Members of the football team stomped out of a Hartford, Connecticut, high school assembly when a pro-homosexual advocacy play featured two boys kissing on stage.
When the actors locked lips, reports Vanessa de la Torre for the Hartford Courant newspaper, "a piercing clamor rang through the auditorium.
"There were screams and loud voices and a bit of feigned or real disgust. Dozens of students, mostly male and a few in their Owls football jerseys, hurried out of their rows and walked out. A few jumped over seats to leave."
Principal David Chambers said the students had heard ahead of time that there might be same-sex affection in the play. Some asked to be excused. Chambers considered sending an opt-out letter to parents but decided against it.
In his opinion, he told the Courant, the high schoolers need to develop a "sense of empathy toward gays and lesbians."
"Our kids are not there yet," Chambers told the newspaper.
Teachers, administrators and a football coach had to keep the teens who walked out from leaving the school building.
"Even though it's kind of chaotic, kind of wild and crazy, I see it as very successful," Chambers said. "Our kids never deal with this, they keep it inside, and that's that nervous energy. That's why they walked out."
It apparently did not occur to him that some of the kids had moral issues with the scene — believing that glorifying same-gender romance is wrong. Chambers' intent was to wear down the students sense of disgust and discomfort with viewing homosexuality on stage.
Before the afternoon was over, Chambers had at least one angry Christian parent in the Hartford Public High School main office, furious that the school would promote something that their family did not condone. Other parents took their students out of school early. Another school official, Adam Johnson, "said his office phone was ringing. A lot," reported the Courant.
The homosexual kiss was part of a musical called "Zanna, Don't!" about a reverse world in which heterosexual people are outcasts and the most popular boy in school is the flamboyant homosexual star of the chess team. At one point in the play, he admits to liking the football captain, who admits to being a "closet heterosexual."
The play was brought to the school by members of Leadership Greater Hartford's Quest, "a program for professionals that develops leadership skills, put forth 'Zanna' as an anti-bullying community service project that helps lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth," reported the Courant. "In a partnership with the nonprofit True Colors, one Quest team raised $10,000 to show the musical three times at Hartford High this month. The Knox Foundation and the Samuel Roskin Trust at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving gave sponsorship money."
"It's not an easy subject to approach, so we're trying to make it easy for school administrators, local nonprofits, community groups," said Louise Provenzano, a marketing and strategy consultant in the Quest program. The message for the Hartford teenagers is "diversity, inclusiveness, compassion."
The Courant reported that the students' reception to the play was less than positive:
Many settled into their seats and tried to listen to the musical's dialogue and glittery songs, despite competing chatter in the back. "I like that scarf!" one boy shouted at the chess king.
The Family Institute of Connecticut condemned the incident, and called for a protest of the school's decision, calling it "an outrageous attack on parental rights."
A bill introduced earlier this year by Republican State Senator Kevin Witkos would have mandated that parents be allowed to opt out their children from sexuality instruction in schools, however it never made it to the floor for a vote.
"We will fight for it again next year and every year until it is passed," said the family institute.
After a the incident was described on the LifeSiteNews website, reader response was unanimously critical of school officials.
"This goes beyond tolerance for people with same-sex attraction," objected a reader identified as Michael L. "This is demanding approval of a homosexual act. I predict this will backfire in the worst way for those responsible."
"This is one more example of how parents can simply not trust the public schools when it comes to teaching their children about morality and sexuality," wrote a reader identified as Sunshine. "They knew this would offend Christian students and their parents, but went ahead without notifying parents in advance. This school is encouraging young people to experiment with a lifestyle that is dangerous and immoral. I can't believe such things are happening in America. When will this nightmare end?"
"Uh, yeah, sure, it was just "nervous energy" that made them walk out. Whatever. You keep telling that to yourself, Mr. Chambers. There is one good thing about this story: if so many walked out, it means those people have a conscience that still works," wrote Veritas.
"Do you think Mr. Chambers will tell his students that life expectancy for a 20-year-old practicing homosexual is 8 to 20 years shorter than that for non-homosexuals males? I would not bet on it," wrote Allan D.
"I have a suggestion. Since Chambers thinks "a release of students' inner conflict about homosexuality" is good, why not make a play educating the public on the destructiveness of the LGBT lifestyle? That will sure elicit that 'reaction of disgust' which he thinks is 'a good sign.' The play would be nonfiction, too!" wrote "John John."
"Some effort should be made in that community to methodically (and fairly) hold public hearings and form tribunals," wrote Raymond Peringer. "Run a public notice in the paper, and get the process started. It may not be possible to actually execute whatever judgment is reached, but it is important to at least keep in the community awareness that the common law of immemorial community standards is a foundational legal principle, while provocative and disruptive behavior does not necessarily have such a status."
"David Chambers said that he had considered sending an opt-out letter to parents before changing his mind," wrote Theresa Henderson. "This man is another of those cowards so frightened by homosexual activists he changed his mind about informing parents. It may come as news to this 'educator' but the home is the first and most important phase of education. The state has no business in the dining rooms of the nation. The state is there only to collect money for education, to set teaching and examination standards. Sex and family life are out of bounds for public school teachers."
"I applaud the young men that got up and left the show," wrote Jacqueline. "It shows courage to stand up for what is right. Instead of sitting by silently and being forced to accept views they do not agree with, they stood up for their on beliefs and convictions. Real men stand with courage for what is right."


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I've been complaining for a long time about why aren't the county council meetings being streamed live on the internet. About a week or so… a few creative minds proved that it can be done for free very easily.
I previously blogged about the company "Out of the Sea Media" receiving a very large contract to do the Hawaii County Council Meetings.
Out of the Sea Media Arts has a large contract with the county council to videotape and then return a copy of the tape to the county in a DVD format. To do this… it doesn't take much money at all… but what I found interesting… is all the other nice lucrative projects this same company has landed in the last two years…
…Goodenow said the county's contract with Out of the Sea Media Arts, a private video production company, totaled $131,000 for each of the past two fiscal years. He said $140,000 had been earmarked for videos of this year's meetings…
Well I just noticed that this same company landed a few other LARGE Contracts by the county and with a quick scan of things… they appear to be doing quite a few easy projects that wouldn't cost much to do.
Here is a few of the Professional Services awarded to the following company during the last couple of years:
This video work is very easy to do and our county is paying a ridiculous price to this company for these services…
11/8/07 Recycle Hawaii; Out of the Sea Media Arts; Gershman, Brickner & Bratton $170,000.00
10/29/08 Recycle Hawaii; Out of the Sea Media Arts; Gershman, Brickner & Bratton $36,000.00
1/22/09 Recycle Hawaii; Out of the Sea Media Arts; Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc. $171,035.00
7/1/09 Out of the Sea Media Arts, Inc.; Recycle Hawaii; Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc. $131,450.00
I'll be straight up… this is very easy work… and I'm very jealous I can't land these 6 figure contracts on a regular basis for doing very simple work.
Filed under: Blogs | Tagged: Inc., Out of the Sea Media Arts | 3 Comments »


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I generally edit files on the server, using Transmit to open them directly in Sublime Text. Upon saving them, Transmit recognizes that the file has changed and automatically uploads it. Therefore, I don't have much use for the "Project" feature. Instead, I'd like to be able to open all new files in the same window. As it currently stands, all files open in different windows.
I'd basically like to have a single window, as well as a sidebar that lists all these open files. It would also be nice to have a keybinding for cycling through these open files. Or can something like this aleady be approximated?