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In 2001, Andrew Parker and Chris Lawrence published an article in Nature magazine about work which has inspired a US startup company in 2012 to develop a water bottle that fills itself up with water by drawing moisture from the air. Parker's and Lawrence's article was titled Water capture by a desert beetle. Here's the abstract (over 10 years later the article is still behind a paywall),
Some beetles in the Namib Desert collect drinking water from fog-laden wind on their backs1. We show here that these large droplets form by virtue of the insect's bumpy surface, which consists of alternating hydrophobic, wax-coated and hydrophilic, non-waxy regions. The design of this fog-collecting structure can be reproduced cheaply on a commercial scale and may find application in water-trapping tent and building coverings, for example, or in water condensers and engines.
Some five years later, there was a June 15, 2006 news item on phys.org about the development of a new material based on the Namib desert beetle,
When that fog rolls in, the Namib Desert beetle is ready with a moisture-collection system exquisitely adapted to its desert habitat. Inspired by this dime-sized beetle, MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] researchers have produced a new material that can capture and control tiny amounts of water.
The material combines a superhydrophobic (water-repelling) surface with superhydrophilic (water-attracting) bumps that trap water droplets and control water flow. The work was published in the online version of Nano Letters on Tuesday, May 2 [2006] {behind a paywall}.
Potential applications for the new material include harvesting water, making a lab on a chip (for diagnostics and DNA screening) and creating microfluidic devices and cooling devices, according to lead researchers Robert Cohen, the St. Laurent Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Michael Rubner, the TDK Professor of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering.
The MIT June 14, 2006 news release by Anne Trafton, which originated the news item about the new material, indicates there was some military interest,
The U.S. military has also expressed interest in using the material as a self-decontaminating surface that could channel and collect harmful substances.
The researchers got their inspiration after reading a 2001 article in Nature describing the Namib Desert beetle's moisture-collection strategy. Scientists had already learned to copy the water-repellent lotus leaf, and the desert beetle shell seemed like another good candidate for "bio-mimicry."
When fog blows horizontally across the surface of the beetle's back, tiny water droplets, 15 to 20 microns, or millionths of a meter, in diameter, start to accumulate on top of bumps on its back.
The bumps, which attract water, are surrounded by waxy water-repelling channels. "That allows small amounts of moisture in the air to start to collect on the tops of the hydrophilic bumps, and it grows into bigger and bigger droplets," Rubner said. "When it gets large, it overcomes the pinning force that holds it and rolls down into the beetle's mouth for a fresh drink of water."
To create a material with the same abilities, the researchers manipulated two characteristics — roughness and nanoporosity (spongelike capability on a nanometer, or billionths of a meter, scale).
By repeatedly dipping glass or plastic substrates into solutions of charged polymer chains dissolved in water, the researchers can control the surface texture of the material. Each time the substrate is dipped into solution, another layer of charged polymer coats the surface, adding texture and making the material more porous. Silica nanoparticles are then added to create an even rougher texture that helps trap water droplets.
The material is then coated with a Teflon-like substance, making it superhydrophobic. Once that water-repellent layer is laid down, layers of charged polymers and nanoparticles can be added in certain areas, using a properly formulated water/alcohol solvent mixture, thereby creating a superhydrophilic pattern. The researchers can manipulate the technique to create any kind of pattern they want.
The research is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the National Science Foundation.
I'm not sure what happened with the military interest or the group working out of MIT in 2006 but on Nov. 23, 2012, BBC News online featured an article about a US startup company, NBD Nano, which aims to bring a self-filling water bottle based on Namib desert beetle to market,
NBD Nano, which consists of four recent university graduates and was formed in May, looked at the Namib Desert beetle that lives in a region that gets about half an inch of rainfall per year.
Using a similar approach, the firm wants to cover the surface of a bottle with hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repellent) materials.
The work is still in its early stages, but it is the latest example of researchers looking at nature to find inspiration for sustainable technology.
"It was important to apply [biomimicry] to our design and we have developed a proof of concept and [are] currently creating our first fully-functional prototype," Miguel Galvez, a co-founder, told the BBC.
"We think our initial prototype will collect anywhere from half a litre of water to three litres per hour, depending on local environments."
According to the Nov. 25, 2012 article by Nancy Owano for phys.org, the company is at the prototype stage now,
NBD Nano plans to enter the worldwide marketplace between 2014 and 2015.
You can find out more about NBD Nano here.


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Society Scene Broward Week of July 18, 2012 - ARTS ISSUE
Fashion blogger Ria Michelle (www.RiaMichelle.com) has met Bravo's Brad Guretsky and interviewed Candace Bushnell of "Sex and the City" fame, gives tips on entertaining, fashion and beauty. Michelle hosted an event and live stream show with "Gossip Girl" costume designer Eric Daman for Swarovski on Lincoln Road. A Vogue influencer - she reviews products and hosts virtual hangouts on YouTube. Michelle is one of many local bloggers who aim to share their personas, style and individuality on the web and beyond.
Mayle Engonzalez
Copyright © 2018, Chicago Tribune

subset: commoncrawl


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PS Blog: It's almost time for Thanksgiving, and we here at PlayStation thought it would be the perfect time to give back to our community with a great new sale!
We're bringing nine more Ultimate Editions of awesome PS3 Full Games and all their Add-Ons to PSN this week, with discounts for all and even more savings for PlayStation Plus members.
Why would you wanna even pay $19 for a game that is completely dead online ? (Homefront)
Offering a discount for PS+ members seems like an odd move when a game has been part of the InstantGameCollection.
So someone tell me about saints row 2. Does the game and DLC for it have trophy support?
i just did my first purchase on the PSN (after they made the big update). I bot the Borderlands 2 "Campaign of Carages...after i bot it....it didn't show where to download....i exit the store...
i came back in after seeing it was not downloading....just to be showed "WOULD YOU LIKE TO PURCHESE"
after messing with if for a min, i found where to Download,
i think the store is kind of messy....or i just need to buy more. :/


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"That game is a hard one to explain," Sanderson said of the 71-51 loss. "I didn't see it coming.
"We did not play very well. We never got in a flow on either end of the floor. We showed them the first four minutes of the first half and the first 30 seconds of the second half because the players needed to understand why they lost."
Sanderson showed the video clips before the start of on-court preparations for Memphis.
"In these type games _ Alabama, North Carolina, Baylor and Memphis _ turnovers and offensive rebounds are magnified," Sanderson said. "Instead of being a six-point game it becomes a 16-point game.
"How we start both halves is very, very important. We didn't start out very well taking care of the ball or rebounding against Alabama. We have to do those things in order to have a chance."
Heading into Thursday night's meeting here at the FedEx Forum with No. 21-ranked Memphis, the final non-conference game of the season, the main key for the Bisons is to keep mistakes to a minimum.
"Memphis is so athletic," Sanderson said. "They want to score off of you turning the ball over and on offensive stick backs. They want to score off of your mistakes.
"They might pressure and you might not turn it over but the wrong guy might shoot the ball. That is the same thing in their minds as a turnover. It is very important that we understand the right kind of shot that we want when they do press us."
Game time is 7 p.m. The game will be available on Comcast Sports South.
The Bisons are 7-3 overall. Memphis, from Conference-USA, is 9-2. This is the third time the Bisons have played a team that was nationally-ranked this season starting with the season-opener at North Carolina. Baylor was also ranked when the Bisons played in Waco.
Sanderson has also stressed to his team that no one, non-conference or conference, is holding anything back against them. Alabama elevated its game to a new level. Memphis doesn't plan to be upset during the holiday season.
"We are going to playing in a great atmosphere against a top 25 team," Sanderson said. "I told the team that not just in our league, but in non-conference games, we are getting everybody's best shot. Nobody is sleeping on us because of what we have done this year and last year."
Sanderson has put most of the responsibility for how the Bisons play squarely on the shoulders of his four seniors _ Josh Slater, Adnan Hodzic, Brandon Brown and Michael Teller.
"We have to play for 40 minutes," Sanderson said. "That is a process. It takes time to understand.
"I told our team that the best thing we do is offensive basketball. Against Alabama we didn't do that. When we make turnovers we squander possessions and have fewer chances to do the best thing we do."
Sanderson has worked his team hard for four days since returning from the Christmas break. He has been happy overall with their level of preparation.
"We know what we have to do," Sanderson said. "It is a matter of executing it for 40 minutes. We don't have to play off of the charts but we have to have more quality possessions offensively and defensively."
Sanderson has liked the way the seniors have performed during the past few practices.
"It is more about what those four seniors do in practice," Sanderson said. "It is more about their energy and effort than about what they say, though what they say is also important."
The two teams last met in basketball 75 years ago during the 1934-35 season. The two teams split the series with Memphis winning 33-26 at home on Jan. 18 and Lipscomb winning 43-25 Feb. 15.
On a more current level Memphis is 16-5 against Atlantic Sun Conference teams with East Tennessee State accounting for three of those losses. Memphis has not played an A-Sun team since the 2004-2005 season. Memphis is 12-3 in the last game of a calendar year.
Written by Mark McGee, Senior Publisher/Director of Media Relations.


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The Anti Fatigue Program Contains:
Acetyl-L-Carnitine is an absorbable form of the amino acid L-Carnitine, a naturally occurring amino acid that is synthesized in the liver and kidney. Like L-Carnitine, ALCAR produces energy in the mitochondria of the cell. Because it participates in energy metabolism it may be supportive in healthy brain development, visual memory and focus, for the general public. ALA is special as it is both, a fat and water soluble antioxidant, a beneficial feature due its affinity for a variety of tissues. ALA is an instrumental precursor to the liver's main neutralizer of chemicals, Glutathione and found naturally in food sources such as spinach, broccoli, peas, Brewer's yeast, brussel sprouts, rice bran and organ meats. Together these two specific nutrients have been shown to have cooperative effects in the exciting area of pro-aging, a term that characterizes the natural process of aging with fewer risk factors for common age-related symptoms.
This product offers the same great benefits of InVite's original CoQ10 Ubiquinol at twice the serving size. The reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a stable and non-flushing form of B3 that also has two other names. It is also called NADH and Coenzyme 1. This nutrient transfers electrons within the cells. Therefore when Ubiquinol is consumed and utilized, NADH acts as an instrument to recycle the remaining supplement back to its active form, helping maintain and prolong levels of Ubiquinol for bodily use. NADH also plays a key role in providing B3 derivatives to the cell thereby generating energy from fatty acid and protein metabolism. This supplement provides 120 mg of Ubiquinol along with 2.5 mg of 95% standardized NADH to support antioxidant and energy-generating capabilities, which support muscles, brain, blood vessels, heart and liver. It provides overall effectiveness in the entire body.
For great discounts, a superb assortment of top-grade nutraceuticals and nutritional supplements, and access to our professional nutritionists, look no further – great health starts right here at InVite Health. To ask a question or to purchase your Anti Fatigue Program, call us today at (800) 632-0541 or click here to find a store near you!
Acetyl-L-Carnitine is an absorbable form of the amino acid L-Carnitine, a naturally occurring amino acid that is synthesized in the liver and kidney.
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A Williamsburg Drive man was arrested in connection with the robbery of a man in a Craigslist scam.
According to police, they went to an apartment complex Friday on Outlook Drive, where the victim told them he responded to an advertisement on Craigslist offering an iPhone for sale. When the victim showed up, he told police, a man met him in the hallway and asked if he had $350 for the phone. Once the man saw the victim had the money, he went to the second floor of the apartment complex, and two other men appeared and one of them pointed a black handgun at the victim. He robbed the victim of his money and his own iPhone.
Police said they were able to identify the man who brandished the gun, and said on Saturday they tracked him down. Dominique Greer, 17, of 15 Williamsburg Drive, Apt. 21, was charged with armed robbery and receiving stolen property valued at more than $250.
Police said the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information about the robbery can send an anonymous text to 274637 beginning with TIPWPD, or submit a message online via www.worcesterma.gov, or call Worcester police detectives at (508) 799-8651.


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Number: 111- 21
Date: September 25, 2009
The House Passes H.R. 3631,
The Medicare Premium Fairness Act
On September 24, 2009, the House passed H.R. 3631, the "Medicare Premium Fairness Act," by a vote of 406-18. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
The legislation contains the following provisions of interest to SSA:
Capping Medicare Part B Premiums at 2009 Levels
• Would establish the Medicare Part B premium for 2010 to be the same as the 2009 amount. This premium freeze on the portion of Part B costs paid by beneficiaries would replace the traditional process used by the Department of Health and Human Services to determine the Part B premiums based on actual program expenditures.
• Would also establish the Part B premiums for 2010 to remain at 2009 levels for those higher-income Medicare beneficiaries who pay an income-related premium adjustment. The income-related adjustment would still apply for these beneficiaries, meaning that they would continue to pay the same increased premium rate as calculated in 2009.
• Would be effective for 2010 only.
Reimbursing the Part B Trust Fund for Loss of Funding
• Would reimburse the Part B Trust Fund for incurred losses due to the freeze by transferring funds from the Treasury. The amount reimbursed to the Trust Fund would be based on an estimate from the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.


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Happy Friday readers!
I am SO excited for UC Davis Picnic Day! I graduated from UC Davis in 2010 and I am a staunch Aggie through and through. Every year in the spring, Davis holds Picnic Day which is a huge event where family, alumni and students come to Davis to celebrate our rich history. It has been known to get a little wild in the past (usually with out of town party go-ers ruining it for us!) but overall it's such a wonderful day to celebrate school pride! GO AGS!
Because it marks the beginning of spring quarter, these are key wardrobe pieces for a fun celebration in the warm 90 degree California weather:
For those of you going to Picnic Day this weekend, I hope I see you! Please remember to drink responsibly and be respectful of the campus and town. We love Picnic Day and I would love for it to go on for many years to come!
Here are some Fun Friday DIYs to do this weekend!
I want an iPad just to make this!
I could not be more obsessed with Oh Happy Day!
The things she can do with friendship bracelet string!
The Party Planner in me is screaming YES!


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April 11, 2006
After dropping the series to Mercer over the weekend, the Bisons came out ready to play on Tuesday, April 11, against NAIA opponent Mid-Continent.
Robby Smithson got the start for the Bisons. Smithson came into the game with a perfect 3-0 record.
The Cougars struck first in the top of the first on an RBI single by Terry Roof.
The Bisons took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the second. Zac Miller led off with a double down the left field line. Justin Sanders followed with a double, and advanced to second on a fielding error by the Cougar's center fielder. The next batter, Caleb Joseph hit an RBI sacrifice fly to give the Bisons' a 2-1 lead.
The Bisons added another run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Tadd Brewer.
Zac Miller and Patrick O'Rourke led the Bisons with two hits each, while Branden Cadavid added two RBI's in the Bisons 6-4 victory.
Smithson earned the win for the Bisons to improve his record to 4-0. In five innings, he gave up two runs on seven hits. He struck out six.
David Ayre relieved Smithson in the sixth and threw two scoreless innings. John Newman closed out the victory for the Bisons, earning his first save of the season.
"The pitching was really good tonight," Joseph said. "Robby came out and gave us five really good innings. He got out of a couple of jams with some really key strikeouts. Then Ayre, Szymanski, and Newman came in and finished the job. They came in and threw strikes, which is really what you want to see."
The win brings the Bisons' season record to 15-16.
"A good positive thing about today's game is that we were able to manufacture runs," Joseph said. "We weren't living or dying by one guy hitting a double to the fence. That is going to be really important going into tomorrow's game against Vanderbilt, because they are going to come out throwing everything they got at us."


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Articulation Agreements
What is an Articulation Agreement?
An articulation agreement is an officially approved agreement between two or more institutions, which allows a student to apply credits earned in specific programs at one institutions toward advanced standing, entry, or transfer into a specific program at the other institution. Articulation agreements are also called transfer agreements, transfer guides, or transfer pathways by various audiences.
An articulation agreement can have several advantages for a student. It matches coursework between schools and so helps students make a smooth transition from one institution to another by minimizing duplication of coursework. If a community college, for instance, has an articulation agreement with a four-year institution, the student will know that if he or she takes the appropriate courses at the community college, then those courses will transfer for credit to the four-year college.
Articulation agreements are between institutions or organizations and do not require the student to make individual arrangements. They are specific, formal, written agreements - agreed to and signed by participating colleges, universities, or organizations. Agreements may be updated often, so checking the college and university websites and admissions offices is important. Agreements are not limited to North Dakota colleges and universities, and numerous agreements exist with institutions from other states and countries.
Articulation Agreements Developed by NDUS Colleges and Universities
Please note that webpages containing articulation agreements are currently in progress at some colleges and universities and will be updated at this site, when available.
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Visit our main website at www.StDavids.com
Deanna M. Neff, MPH
Pulmonary atresia is a rare heart defect. In a normal heart, the blood flows in from the body to the right atrium. It then goes into the right ventricle. Next, the blood travels to the lungs through the pulmonary valve. There, it picks up fresh oxygen. The blood then returns to the left atrium and goes into the left ventricle. The blood moves out to the rest of the body.
With this defect, there is no pulmonary valve in the heart. Blood cannot flow into the pulmonary artery. This is the artery that brings blood to the lungs.
Other heart problems, like a small right ventricle, may also be present.
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Pulmonary atresia is present at birth. It is not known exactly why the heart does not develop normally.
These factors increase the chance of pulmonary atresia in your child:
Symptoms may include:
Your doctor will ask about your child's symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. Your child's doctor may also detect a heart murmur during the exam.
Images may be taken of your child's chest. This can be done with:
Talk with the doctor about the best treatment plan for your child. Some defects may be so severe that they are difficult to treat. Treatment options include:
Medications will be given to keep a vessel that connects the pulmonary artery and the aorta open. This opening allows some blood to continue to reach the lungs, especially when the ventricular septum is intact. This is a temporary treatment.
Sometimes a shunt can be placed between the aorta and pulmonary artery. This is done to improve blood flow to the lungs.
Several surgeries may be considered depending on:
Open heart surgery aims to:
When the right ventricle is too small to pump blood effectively, other surgeries may be done. These can reroute blood to the lungs.
Your child will need to see a heart specialist regularly. Your child may need to take antibiotics prior to certain medical or dental procedures. This is to prevent heart infections.
There are no current guidelines to prevent pulmonary atresia because the cause is unknown.. Getting appropriate prenatal care is always important.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.
Women's Center of Texas12221 N. Mopac Expwy.Austin, TX 78758Telephone: (512) 478-3627Map & Directions


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The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) announced that beginning Jan. 2, eligible low-income New Yorkers who are in danger of having their heat shut off or running out of fuel, can apply for emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefits.
HEAP, overseen by OTDA, is a federally-funded program to help eligible households in meeting their home energy needs. Eligible households can receive one regular HEAP benefit per season, but may also be eligible for a one-time emergency HEAP benefit if they are in danger of running out of fuel or having their heat or heat-related utility service shut off.
Eligibility for emergency HEAP benefits is based on income, available resources, and the type of emergency. For example, a family of four can have a household income of $49,333 a year and may still qualify for a HEAP benefit.
A complete list of where to apply locally can be found at otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/HEAP-contacts.pdf. More information can also be found by calling the New York State HEAP Hotline at 1-800-342-3009.
New York residents can check if they may be eligible for HEAP, and numerous other benefits, by answering a few questions online at myBenefits.ny.gov.
Emergency HEAP benefit amounts are listed below:
Heat Related Domestic (electric service required to operate heating equipment) - $160
Natural Gas Heat Only - $400
Natural Gas Combined with Heat Related Domestic - $560
Electric Heat Combined with Heat Related Domestic - $560
Non-utility heating fuel (oil, kerosene, and propane) - $600
Non-utility heating fuel (wood, pellets, coal, corn, etc.) - $500


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Don blushing as wife Megan sings 'Zoo Bisou Bisou.'After months and months (17 to be exact) of anticipation, it was finally Memorial Day 1966 tonight! You know, on the two-hour premiere of Mad Men season five. And just as Matthew Weiner promised, in the more than half a year that has passed since we last saw Don Draper, his brand new secretary-turned-fiance Megan, Peggy, Joan (who we last saw questioning her pregnancy by Roger), and the rest of the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce crew ... life has gone on. Without us. So we're left to our own devices to fill in the blanks.
Thankfully, at least some of the big Qs we had were answered right off the bat ...
Like ... Don definitely went through with marrying Megan! And they're still together. There she is, Bond girl-ed out in his bed when not-so-little-now Sally Draper accidentally confuses Dad's new bedroom door for the bathroom. And for the first half of the movie-length episode, we're under the impression that the newlyweds are blissful. They flirt, have sex all the time, and head to and from work together like Career-Savvy Ken & Barbie. (Three months ago, Megan was promoted to creative.) Worst of all, Megan has worked her French-Canadian magic to mellow Don out. Peggy even complains that now Don's "kind and patient." Warning, warning! That's not something anyone wants to hear!
Thus, it's clear from the get-go that these two lovebirds are about to reach their peak. Megan throws Don a surprise 40th birthday party at their chic pad ... then puts on a sexy performance, singing the Sophia Loren tune "Zou Bisou Bisou," getting everyone at the party hot and bothered. Wuh-oh. Don may be blushing, but later, he is not pleased. And not just because Megan's performance is technically about six months late. Yup, the new wife is well-aware he's already been 40 for half a year. (You know, because Dick Whitman's b-day is not Don Draper's.) And besides, Don hates his birthday, remember? Even though Betty didn't know about his double identity ('til the bitter end), she would have never thrown him a party. But Megan is too "kind." She laments to Peggy that she doesn't get "who wouldn't want a surprise birthday party." Uh ... your mysterious, tortured hubby, that's who! So, sooner or later -- my bet's on sooner -- Don's second marriage will be a goner!
In the meantime, Joan's grappling with raising her baby boy with her mom's help and without a father so far -- neither the pseudo one who is off in Vietnam or the real one (who is still married to fake-baked Jane)! She also misses work terribly, and why shouldn't she? SCDP isn't the same without her.
We also got caught up with miserable Pete Campbell (ugh, I can't stand him!) who now lives in Greenwich and has a baby at home and is petitioning for an office with a view; Harry Crane, who makes inappropriate comments about Megan's sexy performance and is terribly embarrassed afterward (good!); Lane Pryce, who is reunited with his family but flirting with some strange woman on the phone; and Roger, who is still trying to screw over Pete.
The episode also touched on the climate of the civil rights movement, when rival agents at Young and Rubicam (Y&R) throw water bags on demonstrators demanding equal-opportunity employment. SCDP attempts to jab them in the Times for it, only to end up with well, lots of new candidates seeking equal opportunity employment. You say you want a revolution? Well, it looks like this season we're in for one.
Did you see tonight's Mad Men premiere -- thoughts? Will Megan and Don last? What do you think about Joan rushing back to the office? Does Pete Campbell drive you nuts, too?
Image via AMC


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Solid Wood Flooring - Hardwood Flooring
Real wood, solid wood, hardwood or simply wood flooring (as it is also known) is the finest flooring solution that you can choose for your home. As the name suggests, solid wood flooring doesn't just look authentic, it is authentic. Each plank is milled from a single piece of timber, so there are no veneers used; just one piece of wood, giving your floors the highest quality look and feel.
Choose from the different species available - from popular choices like oak flooring to real bamboo flooring, or use our floor finder on the left to refine your search even more.
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Axor Bouroullec: New Bath Hardware, Tubs & Sinks
The newest Axor collection comes from design darlings Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec! Following Patricia Urquiola's Axor collection, the new 85-piece Bouroullec family of high-end hardware includes faucets, tiered sinks, hardware and tubs for a fully customizable bathroom.
• The tiered sinks — a unique concept that is fully customizable with the various faucets, levers and knobs.
• The wall-mounted faucet for sink or shower — this element is best explained in the video below!
The images for this collection are stunning — the sleek Bouroullec designs are showcased in a minimalist and extremely-modern Japanese-like setting. The extraneous furniture and accessories used for styling are right on the money! A Thonet bentwood chair, Parsons tables, Jasper Morrison's cork stool, origami paper patterns and the beautiful wool blanket from Scholten & Baijings — all covetable!
For a better understanding of the scope of the project and customization of the various components, check out the video:
AXOR BOUROULLEC from Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec on Vimeo.
• Axor Urquiola: Bath Hardware, Tubs & Sinks


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Ok, what is this wave, 7 figures? That kind of concerns me. I guess the ratio might be something like this?Sora Bulq - x 3Commando - x 3Sun Fac - x 2C3PO - x 1Poggle - x 1Yoda - x 1Jango Fett - x 1At least, that's how I'd do it.
So wait a second, were there republic Commandos in the actual movie? Or are they just using this as an excuse to get the figure out there?
The 3PO is an abomination! I'm already running from this stinker (except for the Commando)
I can see this wave being the bottleneck for the rest of the year, where Jango sits like he did in 2002, along with the Geonosians that everyone will tire of quickly, and no one will find the Republic Commando. Then, since there is no apparent flexibility for repack waves (since each case is themed) the Commando will be scarce for the rest of the year. This wave qualifies as a weapon of mass pegwarming. Lame.
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OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Lawmakers start returning to the Capitol as a new special session kicks off to address tax incentives for Boeing that Gov. Jay Inslee says is needed to ensure the company builds the composite wings and fuselage of its new 777X in Washington state.
Inslee wants the special session that starts Thursday morning to last only a week, but by law, he can't limit the timeframe and it could run up to 30 days. Inslee also has called for a $10 billion transportation revenue package to pass as part of the overall plan, but Senate leadership has indicated that it wants to take that up at a later time.
No floor action is expected on Thursday, but the House Finance Committee is set to take up a bill extending aerospace industry tax incentives.
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Jaime Hernandez: The 1981-S is the third lowest mintage in the Susan B. Anthony circulation strike series. Only the 1981-P and D have a lower mintage.
Circulated Grades: In circulated grades it is easily obtainable and worth only a small premium do to its low mintage.
Uncirculated Grades: In uncirculated condition they are still obtainable in grades of MS60 - MS63 wit a slight premium over circulated coins.
MS64: In MS64 condition they become a bit more challenging but yet can be easily found.
MS65: In MS65 condition it becomes tougher to find and some cherry picking is needed to find them in this grade.
MS66: In MS66 they are very difficult to find and are considered somewhat scarce with only a couple hundred examples available in this grade.
MS67: In MS67 it is almost unobtainable. As of 2011, PCGS has only graded one example in this grade with none being higher.
© 1999-2018 Collectors Universe NASDAQ: CLCT


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Iris Johansen, who has more than twenty-five million copies of her books in print, has won many awards for her achievements in writing. The bestselling author of Firestorm, Dead Aim, No One to Trust, Final Target, Body of Lies, The Search, The Killing Game, The Face of Deception, Long After Midnight, And Then You Die, and The Ugly Duckling, she lives near Atlanta, Georgia, where she is currently at work on a new novel.Johansen, Iris is the author of 'Fatal Tide', published 2004 under ISBN 9780553584394 and ISBN 0553584391.[read more]
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More Americans are delaying retirement, and that means more people are collecting both Social Security and a paycheck. That can bring unexpected financial repercussions: a bigger-than-expected tax bill and reduced benefits.
It's a situation that more people will be facing: The proportion of people aged 65 to 69 in the workforce jumped to 31% in 2010, up from 22% in 1990. Among those aged 70 to 74, the labor force participation rate increased to 21% from 17%, and for those aged 75 and older it rose to 9% from 8%, according to a U.S. Census report in January. Read the Census report.
Big tax bills can devastate your retirement savings. MarketWatch's Robert Powell and Andrea Coombes talk about strategies to employ before and during retirement to lower your taxes.
Check out the new
MarketWatch Retirement
RetireMentors: In-the-trenches advice
Ways to boost Social Security payout
Retire here, not there: California
10 things your 401(k) plan won't tell you
A paycheck from work can mean a portion of your Social Security benefits get taxed. If your financial situation is just right—or, more accurately, just wrong—the fact that some of your Social Security benefits are counted as taxable income can push you into a higher tax bracket unexpectedly.
How benefits are taxed
Let's back up. Anything that counts as part of your adjusted gross income on the first page of your Form 1040 goes into the calculation of "combined income" to determine whether your Social Security benefits are taxable. That includes IRA distributions and earnings from work.
You also must include municipal bond interest and one-half of Social Security benefits.
If you're single and your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000, you'll owe tax on up to 50% of your Social Security benefits. Same goes for a married couple with combined income between $32,000 and $44,000. If your combined income, as defined above, is below the lower levels, your benefits aren't taxable.
"If all of the income in the income column of your 1040, plus one half of your Social Security, plus your municipal bond interest totals more than those thresholds, you are going to pay taxes on part of your Social Security," said Andy Landis, owner of Seattle-based Thinking Retirement, an education and consulting firm, and author of "Social Security: The Inside Story."
Worst-case scenario: If you're single with income over $34,000 or married with income over $44,000, 85% of your Social Security benefits are taxable.
"That does not mean they're going to take away 85% of your Social Security, just that 85% is going to be in the taxable column," Landis said.
Keep in mind, you're still making money. "I'll always take additional income, even if it's taxable," Landis said.
If you have some control of your income, you can minimize the tax hit by, for example, delaying an IRA distribution from December to January. "It's a matter of being conscious of any income you can control, which is mostly your IRA withdrawals. Is there a way you could time those to avoid triggering the threshold?" Landis said.
A good reason to delay
If you haven't yet claimed Social Security, consider this: Taxes might be another reason it pays to wait. Some researchers say the best strategy is to tap savings early in retirement and delay Social Security benefits until full retirement age or later—ideally age 70 if you expect to live an average life expectancy or longer.
That can decrease your overall retirement tax bill. Once you start Social Security at a substantially higher benefit amount (monthly benefit amounts rise the longer you wait, up until age 70), you reduce the amount you need to pull from your investment portfolio.
The less you pull from tax-deferred accounts as you collect benefits, the less likely your Social Security benefits will be taxed.
"In some cases, delaying benefits can add more than 10 years of longevity" to a retirement portfolio, wrote William Meyer and William Reichenstein in a paper published in the April 2012 edition of the Journal of Financial Planning. Meyer is founder of SocialSecuritySolutions.com. Reichenstein, a professor at Baylor University, is a principal at the firm and oversees research.
Due to the way Social Security checks are taxed, they found that people with assets of between $200,000 and $1.5 million might benefit the most from tapping savings while delaying Social Security. That's because, at a lower annual income level, you're likelier to enjoy a lower tax rate on your Social Security benefits. (Wealthier folks tend to find that 85% of their benefits are taxed.)
"Many people just focus on the taxation of their investments and don't realize the significant impact of Social Security taxation," said Meyer, in an interview.
"Coordination of how a retiree withdraws money [from an investment portfolio] with Social Security can have a material impact on how long someone's money lasts over the longer term," Meyer said.
Mind your taxes
For his part, Reichenstein said retirees often don't consider the Social Security tax hit. Take a retiree who wants to pull $1,000 out of her 401(k) to pay for an unexpected expense.
She knows that generally she's in the 15% tax bracket, so she assumes she'll get $850 after-tax from that withdrawal. What she doesn't realize is that extra income pushed her into the next level of Social Security taxation.
"That last $1,000 can cause an extra $850 of Social Security benefits to be taxed," Reichenstein said. "Your taxable income has gone up $1,850." Multiply by 15%, and you end up with a tax bill of $277.50.
"If you have a part-time or lower-paying job, you could very well be in that tax torpedo where part of your benefits will be taxed and part won't be," he said. "If you needed an extra $1,000 from your 401(k) to spend on something, you're going to increase your taxes by $277.50," he said.
"For many people, every dollar you take out of [a tax-deferred account] causes either an extra 50 cents or 85 cents of Social Security to be taxed," Reichenstein said. "Until you get to the point where 85% of Social Security is taxed, you want to minimize withdrawals from 401(k)s."
If you have a Roth IRA and meet the qualifications for a penalty-free distribution, then that makes a better source for the $1,000.
Benefits get cut—temporarily
For people who have not yet reached Social Security's full retirement age, a paycheck can mean reduced benefits.
For example, for those born from Jan. 2, 1943 through Jan. 1, 1955, the full retirement age is 66. If you're older than 66, you can work as much as you like and Social Security will not reduce your benefits.
But if you're younger than 66 and you earn more than $15,120 (this level changes periodically), Social Security will reduce your benefits by $1 for every $2 over that amount. Unlike with taxes, with the benefit reduction they look solely at earnings from work.
If you're going to hit your full retirement age this year, then Social Security reduces your benefits $1 for every $3 earned over $40,080. For examples of how this works, see this SSA.gov page.
Some people mistakenly think they lose all of their benefits if they earn over the limit, Landis said.
"When you hit the threshold, that doesn't mean you lose your Social Security. That means it starts to affect your Social Security," he said. "Don't be silly and try to limit your earnings below the threshold. Earn all you can—you'll come out dollars ahead."
Later, Social Security hikes your monthly benefit to account for that earlier cut.
"For any month that they take your Social Security away [due to work income], they're going to credit those months back again when you're 66," Landis said, referring to the current full retirement age.
Take care when reporting earnings, Landis said. The Social Security Administration will ask you to estimate for the coming year.
They'll withhold benefits based on your estimate, he said. And it's a bit clunky: They simply don't send checks until the total they've withheld matches the amount of your earnings over the limit. At year end, they find out exactly what you earned and settle up.
"You might want to over-report a little bit on what you estimate your earnings to be," Landis said. "If they come back next year and say you owe us $5,000 because you under-reported your earnings, it might be hard to pay back the $5,000."


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Located on the beachfront of Las Cuevas Beach, this small eco-hotel is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, offering panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and the Northern Range Mountains.
The rooms at Las Cuevas Beach Lodge include air conditioning and satellite TV, as well as a private bathroom with hot and cold bath or shower. Some of the rooms also have hairdryer, fridge and microwave.
Las Cuevas Beach Lodge is set on the grounds where leatherback turtles hatch their eggs, and guests can... watch this phenomenon from February to August.
The hotel also provides activities like fishing, diving or hiking. Airport shuttle is offered for an extra cost. Free Wi-Fi for simple text-based tasks is available, while unlimited access can be purchased for an extra fee.
The on-site restaurant serves fresh, daily caught sea food and specializes in lobster. It also serves meats and Trinidadian cuisine.
|North Coast Road
Las Cuevas
Trinidad and Tobago


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Beck Ties For Fourth In WCU Intercollegiate
Lipscomb's Parker Beck shot rounds of 68 and 73 to finish in a tie for fourth place Tuesday in the Western Carolina University Intercollegiate at the Country Club of Sapphire Valley in Cashiers, N.C.
The Bisons shot a 595 to finish sixth in the team competition.
Lipscomb's Cody Hale finished in a tie for 14th with a 147 (75, 72).
Blake Lannom (77, 78) and Justin Perry (75, 80) tied for 35th place. Matt King (80, 77) finished in a tie for 40th.
The tournament closed out the Fall season for the Bisons.


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LONDON — As international military operations continued in Algeria and Mali, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urged NATO Friday to be more innovative and flexible so it can keep "relentless pressure" on al-Qaida and be able to respond to a broad range of security threats in the future.
Panetta was speaking as officials were still trying to sort out details in the kidnapping and possible rescue effort of hostages, including Americans, in Algeria. He said NATO nations must work together to help other countries beef up their security and ensure that terrorists can't establish safe havens in places like North Africa or anywhere in the world.
Just after he spoke, Panetta went to No. 10 Downing St. where he met for 45 minutes with British Prime Minister David Cameron and exchanged updates on the Algeria operation, where Algerian forces tried to rescue hostages held by Islamic militants at a natural gas facility.
Panetta began his speech at King's College with a threat of his own – warning terrorists that they will find no refuge in Algeria, North Africa or anywhere. But he provided no details on the murky rescue operations that officials say have continued throughout the day.
Instead he went on to speak more broadly about the need for NATO to build deeper relationships with alliances of African nations and increase its work with Asian countries in order to better face down future threats.
He said NATO is the one true military alliance that can act decisively to advance global peace and security, but to fulfill that goal it must be strong and bold enough to change.
The allies, he said, can't focus on one mission – such as stability operations in Afghanistan. Instead, they must be creative and share capabilities and not let budget constraints prevent them from facing security challenges that come up.
Panetta's appearance at King's College is likely his last major speech as defense secretary, as he is expected to step down next month. President Barack Obama has nominated former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., to be the next Pentagon chief.
Panetta's NATO swan-song was in stark contrast to the more grim warnings delivered by his predecessor, Robert Gates, in June 2011. Coming during Gate's final overseas trip, the speech reflected the growing frustration of U.S. officials who were tired of America carrying the brunt of the military responsibilities for the financially strapped European countries.
NATO faces a "dim if not dismal future," Gates said, because of European penny-pinching and distaste for front-line combat.
Panetta's message Friday was more genial, calling NATO a model for how nations can come together to advance peace and security. He called NATO the bedrock of America's global network of alliances but said it is at an important turning point. As the war in Afghanistan winds down, the next chapter for NATO begins, he said.
He challenged the alliance to join America in its new emphasis on the Pacific region and to increase dialogue with China, Japan and South Korea.
Saying Europe's economic and security future is increasingly tied to Asia, Panetta said, "the bottom line is that Europe should not fear our rebalance to Asia, Europe should join it."
Panetta also pointed to cybersecurity threats as an escalating problem for the alliance. And he urged NATO to hold a session in the coming year to talk about how it can beef up its ability to block and deal with cyberattacks. (AP)


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LeAnn Rimes: Thai Beach Babe
LeAnn Rimes and a mystery male lunch at the Cholada Thai Beach Cuisine restaurant and then go shopping at the Malibu Country Mart on Monday (September 7) in California.
Last weekend, the 27-year-old singer romped around in a bikini in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with her 36-year-old boyfriend, actor Eddie Cibrian. During their four-day getaway, the couple was seen kissing and cuddling while on the beach together.
15+ pictures inside of Thai beach babe LeAnn Rimes…


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There are a number of state tournaments in progress or set to begin. The Lady Bisons have four signees for next season but if they can find the right player they will be able to add a fifth.
Coach Frank Bennett, whose team lost to ETSU 83-75 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Sun Tournament, has given his players some time off. They will not start workouts again until March 21 when they return from spring break. That's a plus since seven of the returning players are having injuries evaluated for everything from rehab to surgery.
"We will get back on our weight program," Bennett said. "They can practice two hours a week on things like shooting. We can spend two hours a week with them working on individual stuff."
The Lady Bisons coaching staff has finished individual meetings with players. Those meetings included a review of the past season and a look ahead for the program. Bennett was encouraged that many of the returning players were ready to get back on the court as soon as possible.
"We looked at areas we want to work on physically and mentally," Bennett said. "I feel good about the returning players and the ones we have signed.
"I feel good about how well we played in most of the games late in the year. We have to meet runs by opponents quicker. We have to be more confident. We have to be able to refocus. We have to have more mental toughness."
The Lady Bisons have lost seniors Jenna Bartsokas, Miaca Bowman and Valerie Bronson.
Bartsokas leaves the program with 1,411 career points, second only to Courtney Boynton on the school's all-time scoring list for the NCAA era. Boynton finished with 1,438. Bartsokas was a second team All A-Sun selection.
Her 14.9 points per game average is a new season high for the Lady Bisons in the NCAA era.
Academically, Bartsokas was named to the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) District IV All-Academic First Team for the second year in a row. She was also named to the CoSIDA All-Academic All-America Third Team.
"Jenna is way up there in a lot of statistical categories," Bennett said. "She will be tough to replace.
"Miaca played a lot at the point and provided stability there. Valerie finished her season strong."
Finding a new point guard for the 2011-12 season is a top priority. Rising sophomore Haley Nelson, rising junior Morgan Faulkner and incoming freshman, Jana Wright, from Miami, Fla., will be in the mix.
The Lady Bisons return two of the four team captains from 2010-2011 in center Brittany Duerk and forward Leah McAlister. Bartsokas and Bowman filled the other two captain spots.
"Leadership kind of emerges," Bennett said. "You can't really pick them."
McAlister was one of the biggest losses for the Lady Bisons late in the season. She went down with an injury against Florida Gulf Coast Jan. 29 and was sidelined for the rest of the season.
"Leah was solid and smart," Bennett said. "She was a tough rebounder. She was playing with a back injury, but when she was healthy she was providing a lot of double figure scoring games. She brought a lot of things to the table that hurt us a little bit when she couldn't play."
The Lady Bisons won nine games overall, the most since they won 10 during the 2007-2008 season.
The six conference wins this season were the most since the 2007-2008 season when the Lady Bisons won seven.
"It was a season of improvement," Bennett said. "I thought we were a lot better than what our record showed. Our play overall was better."
Written by Mark McGee, Senior Publisher/Director of Media Relations.


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Collaboration: On the Field & In the Office
Collaboration is great. But it's not a Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, if-you-build-it-they-will-come Field of Dreams scenario. Alas, if all it took was plowing under a corn field and putting down some chalk stripes, I might be out of a job. And out of corn flakes.
We talk a lot about technology and process, but sometimes omit the human aspect. All the technology in the world won't do much without people using it — unless you're watching the Terminator machines attempt their takeover. And then there's always HAL 9000. But those guys are a lot more interested in domination than collaboration anyway.
An organization's culture is a critical component to successful collaboration. Make all the technology announcements and managerial pronouncements you want – you need an environment that supports collaboration.
All I needed to know about collaboration I learned on the soccer field. OK, not all of it. But some good stuff.
Beware the Beehive: Ever seen a group of six-year-olds play soccer? Imagine the ball is a hive. Now imagine a swarm of 20 kids around the ball, kicking frenetically just to put a toe on it, and two lonely goalies at either end of the pitch watching for gophers and picking dandelions. This the likely impetus for the invention of shin guards, while being amusing yet wildly ineffective.
Now imagine your work environment in the midst of a fire drill project. Does everyone drop everything to focus on putting out the fire? Granted, if there are actual flames involved, this may be a decent approach – immediately prior to evacuation. But if it's a metaphorical fire, throwing everyone into the mix to do the same thing at the same time isn't generally effective. It's about identifying the talents of individuals and how they contribute to the greater goals, then letting people play their positions. If someone gets pulled into a special project, the other players shift to accommodate and fill in the gaps.
Position the Players: Not everyone has to be good at everything. Let people play their positions – within your team and within cross-functional projects. Share your resources and expertise. You can either hobble through a project with the resources you have or look to the broader organization for key players. Sometimes those are short-term project-based groups. Other times they're longer-term advisory roles.
An environment that supports collaboration within and across teams and allows people opportunities to lend their skills on special projects, helps everyone develop the broader point of view that comes from interacting with people with different perspectives.
When it came to soccer, I wasn't a very good attacker, but I was an effective defensive sweeper. I played regularly for a few teams and got picked up for tournaments by teams that needed someone cranky to chase people down and clear the ball out the backfield.
At Cisco, I'm part of a marketing messaging team. Our larger organization has all sorts of other teams, projects, and people with skills I don't have. But when it comes someone needing my particular skill set – or me needing theirs – our culture is such that we can call on each other for assistance, counsel, reality checks. It doesn't require managerial decree nor written proclamation, it's just part of the collaborative atmosphere.
Set the Playground Rules: Do people on your team pass the ball or hoard it as they knock over one another on the way to the goal? A culture that measures individual achievement over all else tends to set up a more competitive culture than a collaborative one. People too concerned about being first to the finish line or having the biggest numbers at the end of the month, aren't likely to get high marks for "plays well with others." If you reward them for working together, collaborating, sharing information, and combining ideas, the playground will be a far more peaceful – and productive – place.
Do As I Do: It's hard to take or trust instruction from a coach who doesn't play the game, or sits on the sideline with a whistle and a cup of Starbucks. If you sit behind a desk and say "go forth and collaborate," but don't follow your own edict, how are people supposed to know how to follow?
Show the way. Talk about successes working on cross-functional projects, use collaboration technologies to engage with others in your organization – use instant messaging, turn on your video on web conferencing calls, post presentations and react to what your teams post in workspaces. Show that you're engaged and doing exactly what you're asking them to do for you.
For some organizations, especially where collaboration isn't a natural tendency among leaders, it may make sense to have someone at the exec level who is specifically focused on collaboration. A special teams coach in the form of a chief collaboration officer.
"The long term responsibility of the CCO would be scaling the program, fostering a collaborative culture, continually evaluating the program and adoption levels, and integrating collaboration within the overall business strategy of the company," suggests Jacob Morgan in a recent post "Do Organizations Need a Chief Collaboration Officer?"
Share the Game Plan: Before a match, a good coach goes through the lineup and highlights strategies for the specific opponent. If Player A and Player B are not playing their usual positions, it helps everyone on the team to know why they're in a different spot and what they're supposed to do. But in the workplace, that part of the communication doesn't always come through. For lots of organizations it's more like "Clean your room. Because I said so."
Ideas come from sharing information. Although someone may have an idea of how a project should work from start to finish, sharing only the tactical instructions may get the tasks completed, but it doesn't allow for others to contribute ideas that may improve the project, broaden its impact, buy into the effort, or just make it move along more quickly.
If leaders share strategy and goals – and invite questions and suggestions — it's easier for people to get a sense of how their contributions fit into the context of what the organization does. And to feel like part of a team vs. a cog in a wheel.
Recognize Most Valuable Players: Give people credit for their efforts, especially team efforts. Sure, Suzie may have scored the most goals in the game, but other players were feeding her perfect passes. Acknowledge all of the players in the equation, both to give them credit for their collaboration and to encourage them to continue it – and lead others to do the same. Promote successful examples of collaboration, even small ones.
"Performance measures must strike a balance between how well employees carry out their individual roles and how much they contribute to collective outcomes," say Ron Ricci and Carl Wiese in The Collaboration Imperative: Executive Strategies for Unlocking Your Organization's True Potential.
Two heads are better than one. If I have an apple and give you an apple, and you have an orange and give me the orange — I have an orange and you have an apple. But put them together and we have fruit salad… That might make a good snack while we're collaborating. If you I exchange ideas, we both have two ideas. And maybe those two ideas spark two more and suddenly there's a lot more than a bowl of fruit going on.
Pass the Whistle: Let people lead the way every now and then. The whole command-and-control thing lets you have it your way, but surprise – your way may not always be best. As a leader, it also provides an opportunity to see your team from a different perspective and hopefully notice where strengths and weaknesses exist among not just the people, but the way they communicate and work together. Sharing the front of the room is a good way to empower people and keep them engaged. As a team member, taking the reins for a meeting or a project every now and then can give you a sense of greater value – a part of a whole vs. a means to an end. That may sound harsh to some, but not if you've been in that position. It's all too familiar for a lot of people.
I was never an Olympic caliber soccer player, despite my junior high school dreams of international futbol stardom. But being a part of a team wearing cleats and a numbered jersey while running around in circles chasing a spotted ball gave me a long list of lessons that have come in handy in the office and life in general. And coaching teams taught me even more about how to teach people new skills and create an atmosphere where they would work together, pass the ball, and celebrate not only the scoreboard victories, but the great team efforts as well.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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Jayne Michaels of 2Michaels
2Michaels—a Manhattan-based interior design firm run by identical twin sisters Jayne Michaels and Joan Michaels—is known for its spare, timeless, and undecorated style. Between design projects ranging from a Tribeca loft and a beachfront cottage on Martha's Vineyard, Jayne talked to us about her work, the musicians that filled her childhood home, and realizing a new taste for classical music.
What do you listen to while you work?
Right now, I'm listening to the classical radio station WQXR, which recently became listener-supported. I had never been a huge lover of classical music, but I'm drawn to it now. It calms me; even some the broadcasters' voices have a soothing quality (Midge Woolsey in particular). I'm rediscovering Debussy, Prokofiev, Bach, Beethoven, and even Gershwin.
How do you listen?
I listen from a speaker system. I also listen to my iPod quite a bit.
Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
I used to listen to Rhapsody before getting an Apple computer (Rhapsody isn't compatible with my Mac). Now I occasionally listen to ITunes and Pandora.
Does music influence your work?
Music has always been an important part of my life. My aunt was a bass player (upright); my brother, too (electric)—he even built a recording studio in the garage of our house. We'd come home from school and find various musicians sprawled on the furniture, playing their instruments. It was somehow comforting and also inspiring. I loved the creative atmosphere, crackling with possibilities and wonder. It's carried with me in the choice of my career in the arts. I thrive in a creative atmosphere where ideas flow and boundaries are pushed.
Where do you find music recommendations?
I have musician friends who keep me updated. I also follow music blogs and music critics from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Who influences your musical taste? The Brits have been the biggest influence. I grew up listening to The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Kate Bush, The Cure, U2, etc.
What artist best represents the work you create?
There's spontaneity to Radiohead's music (at least it sounds that way). They're distinct, unpredictable, and intelligent without being pretentious and hollow.
If your work was a song, what would it be?
Lennon/ McCartney's "A Hard Day's Night."
JAYNE'S PLAYLIST (download links directed to Lifework page)
[Images: Jayne Michaels]
Originally published at Lifework by Amy Feezor


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ASSET Technology provides leading software for the capture, archiving, distribution, viewing and management of reports and documents throughout the enterprise by employing a scalable and reliable solution that ensure the right information is available in the right format to the right people at the right time.
Managing volumes of data to produce meaningful information and reports in a modern enterprise is a daunting task. This critical information must be shared with your customers, employees, partners and suppliers at lightning speed. The comprehensive E-Statement Solution provides customers with complete, automated and/or online control over the printing and distribution of critical information. Business success depends on organizations ability to store, process and distribute accurate and timely information throughout the enterprise.
E-Statement solution from ASSET Technology allows end users to view their reports online, print only what is absolutely necessary and package their information for easy and efficient delivery.
The benefits include reduced costs for document creation, storage, handling and duplication, decreased network traffic and associated costs, enhanced document preservation and compliance, improved end user productivity, enhanced user service, improved operations efficiency and increased management control.
- Lower Operating Costs: Considerable savings made by cutting or eliminating cost associated with reproducing and/or storing printed copies of reports.
- Greater Staff Productivity: Meet any organization's document management needs more efficiently with effective tools for data searching and retrieval.
- Enhanced Customer Relationship Management: Dramatically improve customer service through measurably reduced response times.
- Accessibility: Ensure secure, accessible reports for all designated employees.


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Victor C. Bish
Victor C. Bish, age 70, of Brockport, died peacefully Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013 at his home after a brief illness. He was born on May 2, 1943 in St. Marys, son of the late Kenneth and Martha Heiberger Bish. He married Lorraine C. "Lorri" Lechien on Aug. 30, 1985 in Las Vegas, Nev. He was a die-setter in various local powered metal factories, as well as in Colorado and California. He retired as a self-employed powder metal consultant in 2005. He enjoyed the outdoors and being with family and friends. He is survived by two children from a previous marriage: Sherry (Gordon) Jesberger of Kylertown, and Roger Bish of Kersey. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Jaren Jesberger of Austin, Texas; twins Kelly and Kerry Jesberger of DuBois; Gena-Lin Bish of St. Marys. Also surviving are three brothers and two sisters: Dewayne Rohrback of St. Marys, Florence Fleming of Emporium, Betty Feidler of DuBois, James Bish of St. Marys and Lyle Bish, also of St. Marys.Numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews also survive.A funeral service for Victor C. Bish will be on Monday, Oct. 14 at 11 a.m. also at the funeral home with Rev. Terry Felt officiating. Burial will follow in the Mountain Church Cemetery in Brockport.Friends may visit on Sunday, Oct. 13 from 5-7 p.m. at the Carlson-Shugarts Funeral Home Inc. in Brockway. Memorial donations may be made to the Hahne Cancer Center at DRMC or DRMC Hospice Care.


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There's history here at the site of the 2016 Vice Presidential Debate that many of us have forgotten, if we ever knew it at all.
The modern civil rights movement was in many ways born here when J Samuel Williams, Jr. and about 450 of his classmates, led by the 16-year-old Barbara Johns, walked out of school and into history on April 23, 1951.
"To walk out, we felt proud. We felt we were doing something for ourselves. Something that needed to be done," said Williams, sitting next to an old pot-bellied stove in the old Moton School, which has been turned into a museum.
In Farmville and across the South, African American students were crowded into decrepit, segregated schools and leaky tar paper shacks. Their books, their uniforms, their school buses were all hand-me-downs from the much better funded white schools. "There was no equality in much of anything," said Williams.
"It really made you feel like you were a second class citizen," said Joy Cabarrus Speakes, 77, of segregation. "That you weren't deserving of what they were deserving of."
The students went on strike, demanding a better school building. Lawyers from the NAACP took up their cause when the students agreed to demand more than a better building. They demanded integration with the separate white high school. And that demand became part of the Supreme Court Brown vs Board of Education decision in 1954 that, "Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal"
"I really felt that meant we were going to get change. That it was going to get better," said Cabarrus Speakes.
But it didn't. At least not right away.
Instead of integrating its schools, Prince Edward County shut them down.
Supporters called it "Massive Resistance," to the Supreme Court decision. Segregationists opened a private academy subsidized by the state for white students. Black students were left with nothing. The schools remained closed for five long years. Towards the end, when court decisions cut off the state subsidy for the private, white school, many low income white students were left with nowhere to go to class either.
"Five critical years of their lives, they suffered," said Williams. "I felt like I'd been betrayed, mistreated," said Cabarrus Speakes. "I can't find words to express how I felt. That a community would go to the extreme of closing all public schools."
It took federal intervention and another Supreme Court decision in 1964 to finally reopen the schools in Farmville. The people who fought for their rights say the lessons ring down through the ages to today.
"If you feel you're being mistreated or something is going wrong in your community or your country, don't sit back. You can make a change," said Cabarrus Speakes.
And isn't that what American democracy is all about?
We don't know if either Senator Kaine nor Governor Pence will mention the struggles of the Farmville students in the debate. But Kaine got his start in Virginia as a civil rights lawyer. And he knows the story.


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Lewis Hamilton will be partnered alongside Valtteri Bottas for a second season after Mercedes confirmed the Finnish driver has been retained for next year.]
Bottas, who replaced defending world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes following his shock retirement, has won two races this year and heads into Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix third in the standings, 41 points adrift of championship leader Hamilton.
The 28-year-old Finn has agreed a one-year deal, which allows Mercedes to keep their options open with Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen both contracted at Red Bull until the end of 2018.
Hamilton's deal with Mercedes also expires at the end of next year, but the Englishman is expected to sign a new long-term contract with the team.
Bottas, drafted in by Mercedes following Rosberg's decision to walk away from the sport only five days after he won the championship, has steadily impressed in his opening year. The cool-headed Finn also provides the team with much-needed stability following three years of bitter in-fighting between Hamilton and Rosberg.
Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda revealed he had spoken to Sebastian Vettel about the German's future plans, but following the announcement of his new three-year extension with Ferrari last month, Bottas was always likely to be retained.
"We gave Valtteri a big challenge this year by joining the team at the eleventh hour, stepping up to the forefront of F1 and pairing with the sport's best driver as his team-mate," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said on Wednesday. "With that in mind, his results have been probably even more impressive.
"There have been ups and downs – more ups, fewer downs – and some great highlights like his two race wins in Russia and Austria. Overall, the balance of his performances and his upward trajectory made it a no-brainer for us to continue with him into 2018.
"For our team, the bonus factors are the respect and sportsmanship that have grown between our two drivers. The chemistry and dynamic between Valtteri and Lewis work and are what we need to take the fight to our competitors."
Mercedes lead rivals Ferrari in the constructors' championship by 62 points with only seven rounds remaining – and despite Singapore expected to suit the Italian team's car – are odds-on to secure a fourth consecutive title.
Bottas, who spent four seasons at Williams before his switch to Mercedes, secured his maiden pole position at the third round of the championship in Bahrain before landing his first win one race later in Russia. He also won the Austrian Grand Prix in June, but has been unable to keep pace with Hamilton in recent races.
"I am honoured and proud to continue to work with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport in 2018 and to remain part of the Mercedes family," Bottas said. "Together, we continue to grow stronger day by day, and by keeping up our hard work I believe the sky is the limit.
"Since joining the team in January, I've enjoyed every day working with them. The welcome and the support from every team member and all the fans has been invaluable.
"As a driver, I've been able to learn and grow massively, and we have already enjoyed some really good moments this season that I will never forget. Partnering Lewis has also been really good, and I'm enjoying the respect we have and the will to push this team forward together.
"However, there's always room for improvement and I still have not shown my full potential. I will continue to work hard on and off the track, to further improve my driving, get even better results and show that putting their trust in me was the right decision."


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Ready to shake off winter and head into spring? (So are we!) If you need some new spring kicks, we've got a free pair up for grabs from Naturalizer—plus a free pair for a friend, too!
New to Naturalizer? Their shoes (yours truly is a big fan!) are a great mix of style and comfort, with their not-too-high heels and comfortable wedges. The shoes also come in sizes 4.5 to 12, and narrow, medium and wide widths, so there's a size for everyone.
For spring, Naturalizer designed seventies-style color-blocked sandals, bold printed wedges and slip-ons, and braided leather, strappy platforms and sandals. Also new is this cute T-strap Posh pump (pictured)—cute with tights for now, and skirts or cropped pants in warmer weather.
One lucky winner will receive two gift cards for a free pair of Naturalizer shoes (each valued at $99)—one to keep, and one to give to a friend. Enter now!


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Today Ella is 21 months! How is it that we will be celebrating her 2nd birthday in 3 months?!
At 21 months, Ella is such a sweet and funny little girl. She loves to make her mommy and daddy laugh.:) She loves to give hugs and kisses. She is really overcoming her shyness and is very sociable when we go out in public. She especially loves to interact with other moms and babies.
Her favorite activities these days are coloring, puzzles, play dough, painting, dancing, helping clean (she got her own broom and dust pan for Christmas that she loves to follow me around with), and play with her baby dolls and kitchen set.
Her speech has taken off and she says well over 20 words now, and every day she seems to add more. She loves to point at things, have you say what it is, and then repeat it.
About a week ago we got rid of Ella's high chair. She now sits in a big girl booster seat. She loves sitting at the table with us.
For the past few weeks, Ella has had a mild, but itchy rash that comes and goes around her mouth and chin, and one that sticks around (but varies in intensity) under and around her eye. I have tried Argan oil and coconut oil, which really seem to relieve the irritation, but they don't solve the problem. We decided to try an elimination diet to see if that helped. On Friday, we removed soy and wheat. The rash cleared up by the end of the day except for a little redness and puffiness under the eye. Dave accidentally used a cooking spray that had soy yesterday and the rash started to come back, but later went away after no soy again. So we are thinking she might have a soy allergy, but are going to take her to an allergist just to confirm. Until then we are going to have to make some dietary changes. This could be a good thing though as this will force us to rely less on processed foods and base our diet around a variety whole foods. I have been wanting to center our diets around more whole, unprocessed foods, but this has really given me the push I need to do it. We have taken her off of soy milk and are giving her a variety of nondairy milks such as rice, almond, hemp, and coconut. She has also been eating coconut milk yogurt and rice cheese for calcium. Fortunately her favorite foods don't seem to contain soy so she still has plenty of things to eat. She loves Larabars, chopped nuts, dried and fresh fruit, bean and rice dishes, and veggies. I made some seed cakes that she loved that are made with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seed, sesame and hemp seed, cinnamon, hemp milk, baking soda, and flour. I fried them in coconut oil and she thought they were so good. I love that they are full of healthy fats and protein. I hope her love of fresh, whole foods continues and hopefully, we will find out something this week about whether this is an allergy or just a strange coincidence.
Tomorrow we start our new semester of Kindermusik. I am so excited for Ella to see her teacher and friends after a month-long break and to get our new materials. We are also signing up for a Wiggles class at the local community center. It is a toddler mommy and me indoor gym class. We are doing this with the little boy I used to baby sit and his mom. So Monday and Friday mornings will be filled with our classes and the middle of the week is time to do whatever we want.:)
I always seem to say it, but time is flying by way too fast. I just can't believe what a big girl Ella is. Every day I am in awe of what a sweet and intelligent little person she is.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
21 Months
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This guide was researched and written by McCormick Legal Fellow Kristen Rasmussen, Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Legal Fellow Jack Komperda and legal intern Raymond Baldino. They built on the work of legal fellows and interns who contributed to previous editions. Funding for this publication provided by the MoCormick Foundation. © 2012 by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1100, Arlington, Va. 22209.
Important notice
This guide is meant as a general introduction for journalists to the state of the law concerning electronic recording and its implications. It does not take the place of legal advice from a lawyer in your state when you are confronted with a legal problem. Journalists who have additional questions or who need to find a lawyer can contact the Reporters Committee at (800) 336-4243.
Because this guide was written with the needs of journalists in mind, it does not address all aspects of electronic recording laws, including the issues of taping family members' calls and using a tape recording as evidence in a lawsuit or prosecution. Non-journalists who have questions about taping should contact an attorney in their state.


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FREEPORT - Stephenson County's unemployment numbers hovered around 10 percent for the majority of 2013 but local leaders are hopeful that the job market will improve in 2014.
"We have and continue to be busy," said Marci Schubert, branch manager at Furst Staffing in Stockton. "We never saw a drop-off."
The Freeport area had an unemployment percentage as high as 13.1 percent in February. October was the first time in 2013 that employment in Stephenson County topped 21,000 workers and unemployment was 9.8 percent. As of November the rate was again over 10 percent.
"Our numbers have been up since the recession," Schubert said. "But we do a different type of employment so we see a different type of job opening."
Nationwide Inbound Inc. was a bright spot in Freeport in 2013. The company added nearly 40 jobs and was named the No. 18 job creator in Illinois in 2013 by Inc. Magazine as a part of their Hire Power Awards while also placing sixth among private business job creators in the telecom industry in the United States. The company employs around 100 people.
"It's an indication that Brian (Stewart) is very entrepreneurial and very aggressive at growing his business," said Northwest Illinois Development Alliance Executive Director Dave Young. "It's great to see a company making a valuable contribution to the economy."
Young said companies like Nationwide Inbound are good for residents who are unemployed, underemployed or new to the workforce.
"Companies are expanding because of growth in their market or an increase in their product line," Young said. "This company has both. It's great to have it here in Freeport."
According to the Northern Illinois Food Bank, 14.5 percent of residents in Stephenson County live in poverty and the average county wage is $9.16 an hour. Schubert says that she isn't surprised by the numbers.
"I would hope that things improve," Schubert said. "I think the jobs are here. I think that we have to make people understand that they have to start over and growth happens through all of us working together."
Nick Crow; 815-232-0136; email@example.com; @Crow_Nick


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Decatur, Ill.- The Wheaton Thunder football team rebounded from last week's loss to defeat the Millikin Big Blue 58-21 in Decatur on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Thunder improve to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the CCIW while Millikin falls to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in conference play. Wheaton will host North Central next week at McCully Stadium for Family Weekend and the annual Battle for the Little Brass Bell.
Wheaton held a 400-yard advantage in total offense in the game, outgaining the Big Blue 597-197. The Thunder ran for 286 yars and threw for 311. Millikin was held to just 60 yards on 42 rushing attempts and threw for 137 yards.
Jesse Geary (PICTURED RIGHT) led the rushing attack for the Thunder with 114 yards on 15 carries. Jacob Furnari carried seven times for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns, finishing with a 14 yard average per carry. Jordan Roberts was 16-34 passing for 258 yards and four touchdowns and was also intercepted three times. Hunter Thorson caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown to lead Wheaton in receiving. David Washko caught two passes for 55 yards and both were touchdowns. Matt Mitchell caught four balls for 60 yards and touchdown.
Wheaton got on the board first in the first quarter when Thorson broke free up the middle and made a one-handed catch on his way to a 39-yard touchdown pass. The Thunder added to their lead with a 25-yard field goal by Sam Cote to make the score 10-0 after a quarter.
Millikin took advantage of a Wheaton turnover that led to a short field and got onto the scoreboard at the 10:28 mark of the second quarter with 19-yard touchdown pass from Nick Pippin to Taylor Sanders. Pippin was 12-27 on the day for 131 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Wheaton answered just 74 seconds later after Millikin failed to recover an onside kick, Wheaton went 48 yards on four plays, capping the drive with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Roberts to Washko to give Wheaton a 17-7 lead. Following a fumble recovery by Brett Anderson, Furnari's 11-yard touchdown run gave Wheaton a 24-7 lead. Anderson (PICTURED LEFT) also intercepted a pass to go with five tackles.
A fumbled punt return by the Thunder set Millikin up with a short field and the Big Blue capped a four-play, five-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown pass from Pippin to Sean Dunning to cut the lead to 24-14 with 2:29 left in the first half. Dunning would later add a one-yard touchdown run. All three of Millikin's scoring drives came off of Wheaton turnovers.
The Thunder took just two minutes to drive 75 yards on five plays, capping the drive with a diving touchdown catch by Washko to take a 31-14 lead into halftime.
Dunning's touchdown run cut the Thunder lead back to 31-21 before Wheaton scored the game's final 27 points. Sam Cote's 43-yard field goal started the run and Furnari's 39-yard run made the score 41-21. Justin Swider broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run and Cote capped the scoring with a 35-yard field goal to provide the final 58-21 spread.
Adam Dansdill (PICTURED RIGHT) led the Wheaton defense with seven tackles including two sacks and a forced fumble. Jordan Higgins had six tackles and Jared Todd also recorded two sacks for the Thunder. Dominic Barrale was credited with a special teams fumble recovery for Wheaton.
Wheaton's next game will be on Saturday, November 9 when the Thunder host #4-North Central in the Battle for the Little Brass Bell at McCully Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 PM.


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If ever a movie was meant to be seen on Mother's Day, it's Good Bye Lenin! Germany's submission for this year's Academy Awards. (It didn't get an Oscar nomination, but it was nominated for a Golden Globe). Okay, it reached us a little late, but maybe the ol' gal deserves an extra treat.
Although the films could hardly be more different, the plot is similar to that of 50 First Dates (DVD release June 15) in the way family and friends maintain a deception for the sake of a damaged loved one.
As the comedy in Good Bye Lenin! is more subtle, much of it likely to go over the heads of Americans with limited knowledge of East Germany's transition from socialism to capitalism.
The emphasis here is on sentiment, but it's honest sentiment; if the film wrings tears from you, it earns them.
We first meet the Kerners in 1978 when Herr Kerner defects to the West, leaving his wife, Christiane (Katrin Sass, the German equivalent of Patricia Clarkson), and two children behind. Christiane has a breakdown but snaps back after two months and pours her energy into helping the common people on behalf of the party.
On October 7, 1989, her son, Alex (Daniel Brühl), is in his late teens, his sister, Ariane (Maria Simon), a little older and a single mother. It's the 40th (and final) birthday of the German Democratic Republic.
Christiane happens to see Alex being arrested in a political demonstration and has a heart attack. She spends eight months in a coma, and when she comes out of it, her doctor warns that the slightest shock could kill her: "You must protect her from any kind of excitement."
Under the circumstances, Alex deems it best to keep certain news from his mother. It's all right for her to meet his new girlfriend, Lara (Chulpan Khamatova), who has been one of her nurses, and Ariane's new boyfriend, Rainer (Alexander Beyer); but she may not be able to handle the news that the Berlin Wall has fallen and the East Germany she knew and loved no longer exists. The stores are full of Western products, the streets are full of Western cars, and the people are full of Western ideas.
Alex brings Christiane home, having restored her room to its former drabness, and controls her access to information with an elaborate charade. Situations flare up that require him to be brilliantly creative to avoid arousing her suspicion. He runs the household as if it were a Risky Business.
As weeks go by, everyone else loses enthusiasm for the plan, but Alex remains steadfast about sheltering his mother from the truth. Greater love hath no son.
For East Germans, Good Bye Lenin! is a nostalgic, somewhat satirical look back at how their country changed overnight. For the rest of us, it's an eye-opener on that subject. For everyone, it's a sweetly sentimental– but too funny to be syrupy– story of the extremes family members will go to for each other.


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10 Sweet & Savory Recipes Made with Oats
All hail the hearty oat! If you have a stock of oats in your pantry, don't assume oatmeal is your only option. Although it's a go-to use (and who wouldn't want a taste of this baked pumpkin oatmeal, for example) oats can be used in a variety of sweet and savory ways, from cardamom oat pancakes to savory cheese-herb granola.
• 1 Cardamom Oatmeal Pancakes
• 2 Blueberry Oat Quick Bread
• 3 Baked Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal
• 4 Savory Oatmeal Cookies
• 5 Savory Cheese-Herb Granola
• 6 4-Ingredient Banana Oat Bars
• 7 Honeyed Grapefruit Oat Scones
• 8 Peach and Pecan Oat Crumble Bars
• 9 Toasted Oat & Walnut Whisky Trifle (Cranachan)
• 10 Coconut-Mango Oat Muffins
Related: What's the Difference? Steel-Cut, Rolled, and Quick Oats
(Images: see linked posts for full image credits)


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Prep notebook: Chaparral volleyball, off to a near-perfect start, climbing national rankings
Chaparral volleyball is ranked No. 5 in the nation, but Wolverines coach TR Ellis is hearing none of it.
"Says who?" Ellis asked before practice yesterday.
"MaxPreps," I tell her. But she already knows that her squad is fifth in the website's Xcellent 25 national volleyball rankings.


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I'm not sure if any people in the world have such a passion for history as the Irish. Maybe it's an island thing but, with the year of the Gathering Ireland upon us, it becomes increasingly apparent that the history of Ireland is completely entwined with that of the Irish abroad, the people of Irish descent who are now scattered all over this globe.
Wistorical is the latest project from historian Turtle Bunbury, author of the best-selling 'Vanishing Ireland' books and co-presenter of the popular RTE television series 'Genealogy Roadshow'. Every day, he posts a fascinating story from Irish history on Wistorical's Facebook page, each succinctly told and strikingly illustrated.
Local Heroes
One of Wistorical's driving goals is to bridge that link, to resurrect the stories of some of those forgotten Irish people who made such an impact abroad.
We certainly get around. William Grace of Laois made enough money out of Peruvian guano to become the first Catholic Mayor of New York. Thomas Cruse of Leitrim became the richest man in Montana. Annie Moore of Cork was the first person registered as an immigrant at Ellis Island back in 1892.
Captain John Barry of Wexford is hailed as 'The Father of the American Navy', while William Browne, a Mayo man, founded the Argentinean Navy. Knox D'Arcy, another Mayo man, was arguably the world's first oil tycoon.
Perhaps better known as Lola Montez, Rosanna Gilbert of Sligo became virtual Queen of Bavaria in the 1840s, while Mexican wine owes its existence to James Concannon of the Aran Islands.
James Hoban of Kilkenny designed and built the White House. John Henry Foley of Dublin sculpted the most eminent Victorians of his age for city squares from Calcutta to Richmond, Virginia. The artist Thomas Hickey, also of Dublin, was amongst the first to capture native life of colonial India on canvas.
The cast of characters you'll already find on Wistorical are an unlikely lot of heroes, villains, eccentrics and crackpots.
As well as first generation Irish, Wistorical looks at famous people with Irish origins. Grace Kelly's Mayo connections may be well known but who many knew that Elvis Presley and Walt Disney were Carlow men? Amongst others whose Irish roots are explored are those of Billy the Kid, Gregory Peck, Michelle Obama, the outlaw Ned Kelly and Rihanna.
Curious Visitors
Other posts consider unusual visitors to Ireland - Charlotte Bronte enjoying a honeymoon in Banagher, Co. Offaly; Handel the composer lying low with Mrs. Vernon in Clontarf Castle; Errol Flynn's father racing around Belfast during the deadly Blitz; and, particularly compelling, the two French women who travelled through Ireland in 1913 taking what are now regarded as the first colour photographs of Irish people.
Ships & Squares
It's not just people that get the Wistorical treatment. Hail the Jeanie Johnson, the ship that delivered 2,500 emigrants to America during the Famine without a single loss of life. Epic streetscapes showing the Dublin docklands, Patriock Street in Cork and a Galway City market in the 1890s, the latter a fantastic image with a laughing policeman.
Or what about the elaborate Conolly's Folly in Co. Kildare, built for famine relief in 1740? Or Bindon Blood Stoney's diving bell? And muse upon the Moone High Cross with its 1200-year-old depiction of Abraham and Isaac, or the creation of Merrion Square in Dublin and Eyre Square in Galway.
Consider the wake of Big Bertha, the oldest cow in the world, or the Castlecomer coal man who got a lift home from the pub on his horse. And what about the 140-year-old Countess who fell out of an apple tree?
History breathes from every field and every street. Wistorical seeks out the uplifting, positive and fascinating stories from our past and to breathe fresh life into them through the mediums of the modern age. It makes history exciting, and is perfect for who anyone who enjoys a good story.
Wistorical will be developing an app in 2013.
In the meantime, check out www.facebook.com/Wistorical


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Cassie Holmes never expected to win the Win a Date...
Letters to Grandfather
- by N.S. Jones
- Rating:
- Published: 27 Dec 2013
- Updated: 14 Apr 2014
- Status: In Progress
A semi-autobiographical story. Sarah Phillips's grandfather has just passed away. She copes with the loss by writing in a diary like she is writing to him.
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LeFlore Countians can now light their fires
After months of LeFlore Countians being under a burn ban, they now have the all-clear after the ban was lifted today. According to LeFlore County Emergency Management Director Michael Davidson, the burn ban issued by Gov. Mary Fallin for LeFlore County was lifted after the area received substantial rainfall. The burn ban issued by the LeFlore County Commissioners was allowed to expire weeks ago.


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Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom Statement on the University of California's Threat to Increase Tuition Fees
California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement on the University of California's threat to increase tuition unless the state appropriates additional funds, thereby breaking its two-year old tuition-freeze agreement negotiated in 2013 in exchange for increased state funding:
"The University of California cannot bestow pay raises on its top earners with one hand, while continually taking more from students and their families with the other and deflecting criticism by laying its solution at the door of taxpayers. New funding must be tied to earnest and innovative attempts to reduce the university's cost structure and promote affordability and accessibility, not threats that reward the status quo."
The proposed increase to students comes just two months after the same board approved up to 20 percent increases to four chancellors and increased a base salary for a new chancellor by 23 percent of his predecessor. These decisions are not tied to performance or outcomes.
Lieutenant Governor Newsom believes that high-level solutions could be factored in to meet the growing costs. For instance, UC facilities system-wide could save $500,000 per contract if in-house employment was used over outside contractors; another $160 million could be saved if UC offered an Associate Degree to Transfer Program from California Community Colleges, similar to an existing program between community colleges and California State Universities; and millions could be saved if the failed IT implementation of UC Path was addressed. That program's repayment costs have ballooned to $200 million over the next 20 years.
The University of California system has received numerous increases to financial resources including full funding of the State's Cal grant program; expansion of the middle-income fee grants covering one-half of tuition and fee increases for middle-income students from families earning up to $120,000; 20 percent increase in state funding as part of a multi-year stable funding plan; a 5 percent increase from the 2014-15 state budget contingent a tuition freeze through 2016-17; and $50 million to promote innovative models of higher education at the campus level that result in more bachelor's degrees, improved four-year completion rates, and more effective transfers between the community colleges and the universities.