text: I don't need to tell you how about Islamism (that is, extreme Islam aimed at reinstating Sharia law worldwide), nor how dreadful I think it is. I also don't need to tell you how I admire Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Nor do I need to tell you that many in the media today, all evidence to the contrary, feel that Muslims are the victims and that American is a Christian theocracy peopled solely with wild-eye Christians with blood dripping from their fingers and their teeth. I don't need to tell you all this. But you should see this video which has Hirsi Ali politely take on a Canadian media type who seems truly to believe that America is the most evil, repressive, racist country in the world. He's an idiot, and I would say an evil idiot, because one has to consciously abandon reason and knowledge to reach his ultimate conclusions. It's therefore slightly nauseating to watch him. Ali holds her own, but polite reason is never going to beat down evil ideology.


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The Walmart hunger games
Published time: 27 Nov, 2012 03:00 Edited time: 28 Nov, 2012 12:47
Thom talks with author and former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum about Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge and why Romney lost the election. Also discussed: the increasing drone war across the Middle East, how the government may gain new access to read your emails and how Republicans in Florida are finally admitting to their plan to suppress the vote. In tonight's Daily Take, Thom discusses why Black Friday should be renamed the Walmart hunger games.

subset: commoncrawl


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By Alyssa Hollenback
Some schools are rooted in hockey; they have a hockey legacy, a long-standing reputation of winning and championship banners hanging in their arenas. Though it does not gain as much national attention as some of its counterparts, Lake Superior State University, located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is truly one such school. Currently in their fifty-first season of varsity hockey, this tiny Division I school is working to recreate a winning legacy under the school's tenth head coach, Damon Whitten.
Lake Superior State was – and can be again – a real powerhouse. In fact, LSSU still holds the title as one of the most successful college hockey teams in history. The Lakers boast three NCAA championship titles, tying them for eighth all-time, plus two additional championships from their NAIA years. This achievement becomes even more significant when you consider that LSSU has a student body of less than 3,000 and lacks much of the funding that other Division I schools possess.
Now in his third season at LSSU, Whitten says that the strong hockey legacy of the school is something that helped make his decision to join the program.
"I have always had an eye on Lake State," Whitten said. "Thinking back to when I was playing, they were one of the schools that approached me. Now I walk into the arena and see the banners hanging and it really is inspiring. The legacy of great coaching is something I looked forward to joining and Sault Ste. Marie is a hockey town through and through."
With coaching greats like Ron Mason, whose efforts helped launch the Lakers' program in 1966, the pressure to perform is something that every coach that followed was sure to feel. Mason finished his collegiate coaching career at Whitten's alma mater Michigan State with the most NCAA wins in history and still ranks second – big shoes to fill. But, rather than pressure, Whitten feels that the legacy is a selling point.
"In all honesty, I do not see something like that as added pressure," Whitten said. "I love that I can fall back on the Lakers' strong history. I have decades' worth of mentors to look to. The expectations of this rich hockey community can be difficult to live up to, but I really prefer it that way. Hockey is at the forefront in this town and I view that as something that is really working for me, rather than against me."
Lake Superior State University's men's team started off with a bang; the program had ten winning seasons in its first decade playing hockey. In 1972, the program earned its first championship title, beating Gustavus Adolphus. Mason, the team's first head coach, laid the groundwork for the program and after he departed (for Bowling Green in 1973 and eventually Michigan State), Rick Comley took over. Comley helped earn the team's second NAIA championship in 1974, beating major rival Bemidji State, and teed up the organization for future NCAA success. The Lakers transitioned to the NCAA by, joining the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) in 1972; they played a combined schedule between the two leagues before leaving the NAIA altogether a few years later. What followed was nearly a decade of average seasons.
Lake State finally earned a spot in the NCAA tournament under head coach Frank Anzalone. Their first appearance ended in a loss to Rensselaer in 1984-85, but 1988 would prove to be a more successful year. In its second NCAA appearance, after winning a second CCHA regular season title, the Lakers took down Merrimack. That season would also bring LSSU's first Frozen Four appearance. In an overtime win, the Lakers became the smallest school to ever win the Frozen Four. LSSU made it back to the Frozen Four until 1992, when head coach Jeff Jackson earned his first title in a win over Wisconsin. After a loss to Maine in the 1993 NCAA Championship, the team returned the following year. With three overtime victories against Northeastern, Michigan and Harvard, the Lakers trumped Boston University 9-1 to earn its third NCAA championship title in four years.
It felt as though Lake State was finally in a rhythm: they were on a winning streak; their arena was being refurbished and they had a balanced coaching staff in place. Progress came to a halt when Jackson's proposal to rehab the USA Hockey program was accepted; he made the difficult decision to leave LSSU in 1996. Under Jackson, the Lakers made it to the NCAA tournament nine straight times (1989 to 1996). The team has not been back since and no coach since Jackson has been able to recreate the team's earlier success. As LSSU made the transition to the WCHA when CCHA dissolved in 2013, it looked as though the Lakers could be a team on the upswing.
Whitten took over as bench boss in 2014 after working as an assistant at Michigan Tech for four seasons. Now in his third season, significant progress toward a "Return to Glory" has already been made. The new head coach has helped the team earn an eighth-place finish and a seventh-place finish in the last two seasons. With a difficult task in front of him, Whitten is optimistic on the team's future success: "Our coaching staff here makes all the difference. When I arrived a few years ago, I fully intended to hire people within my inner circle, but that was not the case and I am happy it worked out that way. Both assistant coaches, Rich Metro and Doug Holewa, have professional hockey backgrounds, which has certainly elevated our approach. With a younger staff in place, I think our relationships with players has become even more important."
In addition to a young coaching staff, the team itself is quite young, making recruiting a crucial factor in the Lakers' continued success. As Whitten says, "Every year varies when it comes to the recruiting process. Certain years you have larger roles to fill on the team, this year was a strong example as we only have one senior. Overall, we put a lot of emphasis on recruiting individuals that have high character and high academics, true student-athletes. We simply cannot afford to make shortcuts when it comes to recruiting talent. We also look for players to be strong ambassadors for the program; we expect a lot of them."
The relationships between players and the coaches seem to be a strong reflection of the overall emphasis that Lake Superior State places on building connections.
"As a smaller school the setting is very unique. In our opening weekend this year as we were celebrating fifty years of Laker hockey, and dozens of old players returned," Whitten said. "I saw previous players hugging their professors from decades ago and it dawned on me how unique the relationships here really are. We want to continue to build those types of connections on and off the ice."
Since Whitten has taken the helm, the Lakers have nearly doubled their overall and WCHA win totals from previous years. They have also recaptured the Cappo Cup from Upper Peninsula rival Northern Michigan, another clear sign of progress. And this season has proven to be another stepping stone, as LSSU got off to a 6-1 start – its best in two decades.
The Lakers then suffered a five-game losing streak, but have since righted the ship again with a nonconference win at then-No. 16 Michigan (LSSU's first at Yost Ice Arena since 2005-06) and a WCHA victory over Bowling Green.
Through it all, the building Lakers have been successfully managing the highs and lows. As Whitten explains, "That is a big part of what I hope to do here – really learning how to win. We lack experienced players on such a young team, but we have strong leaders who continue to learn what it takes. We take things game-by-game."
As Whitten looks ahead to the upcoming schedule, including this week's matchup against storied rival Bemidji State, he says, "We cannot get caught up looking too far ahead. While some games may be more important than others, we view each weekend as an important piece of the puzzle."
Rather than looking at the season as a whole, which can be daunting, the team takes a "on to the next one" approach. Lake Superior State fans – and the WCHA – are all excited to see what the next one brings!


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When Sal Ferro, president of Plainview, N.Y.-based Alure Home Improvements Inc., sits down to interview a prospective salesperson, he has three things on his mind. Ferro, who still meets with every employee personally before they are hired, asks himself these same three questions about each and every candidate for a sales position.
|Alure vice president Bob Hyman, president Sal Ferro and CEO Carl Hyman (left to right).
"First, 'Would I buy from this person?'" says Ferro. "Second, 'Would my wife buy from this person?' And really what I'm saying is, 'Would a woman buy from this person?' And the third question I ask myself is, 'Would I mind if that person lived next door?' And I'll tell you, I've turned people away because I felt I wouldn't want them as my neighbor.
"They're simple, stupid, basic things, but it's really about reading people. In the end you have to have a gut instinct that says, 'This person fits what we're doing here.'"
It is this family-oriented approach to hiring that is the foundation upon which this $38 million, 83-employee residential remodeling firm has achieved nearly 300 percent growth since 2000 while increasing its net profit to almost 12 percent. It is also one of numerous reasons — including its marketing strategies, sales techniques and business systems — that Alure has been named Professional Remodeler's 2005 Remodeler of the Year.
Family-oriented business model
Creating a culture where people are top priority is at the core of Alure's enormous success.
"It was a good culture when I got here, but it just continued to evolve," says Ferro, now a part-owner who was hired by Carl Hyman in 1988 as an assistant production manager. "I've always focused on people. Even when I was young, it was all about people. I came from a large family and Carl happened to like what I was doing.
"But I felt that in order for this company to succeed, we had to maintain a culture where it was people first — employees first — where they felt that there was an environment where they could grow or they could operate."
Alure pays a bounty of $500 to any employee who refers a candidates who gets hired — $250 when they start and $250 after three months. In the last two years, at least 10 hires have been made as a result of an employee referral, says Ferro.
"That process ensures that you're recruiting people with character that will fit in to your culture," he says.
Alure's focus on creating a positive company culture is appreciated by its employees, whose survey responses have helped the company make Professional Remodeler's list of the Best Companies to Work For in the remodeling industry the past two years.
"The environment here is unbelievable," says director of marketing Seth Selesnow. "Ownership has done a great job bringing in the right people, team players only, and keeping those team players focused on the same goal, which is part of our vision statement: Provide Great Products, with No Hassles and Superior Results. Working at Alure is really like working with one big family."
|The management team at Alure is the driving force behind the company's customer-focused approach.
Capitalizing on emerging markets
Alure was founded as a paperhanging and painting business in 1946 by Sol Hyman, who hired his oldest son, Carl, in 1971 and his youngest son, Bob, in 1976. After existing primarily as an interior decorating retail store and service company until the late 1970s, Alure added exterior painting, siding, roofing and windows to the mix.
But it wasn't until 1991, when Carl decided to close the retail decorating store because of increased competition from Home Depot and others, that Alure turned its sole attention to remodeling, including the burgeoning middle market kitchen and bath business.
"Back then the kitchen and bath department was focused on helping people design, sell and install kitchens in the middle market, which basically didn't exist back then," Hyman recalls. "Back then, the kitchen and bath dealers only wanted to do high end [remodels]. The attitude was, 'If you're not going to spend a lot on the kitchen, get the hell outta here.' That was the attitude of the kitchen and bath dealers, so it was a very ripe market, the middle market. And the upper-middle market was also being underserved.
"We made no money on it at first, but we learned a lot. I was running the business and Sal was the technical hands-on guy — and an organized son of a gun."
In 1997, Owens Corning introduced its basement finishing system and approached Hyman about test marketing it. Hyman saw the prefinished, insulated wall system as another opportunity for expansion, and he agreed to make Alure the country's first franchise for the system. Alure estimates its Owens Corning basement franchise will do more than 400 jobs and $16 million in sales in 2005. The company has been named the Owens Corning Franchise of the Year four years in a row (2001–2004).
In 2004, Alure began installing Temo Sunrooms, and in 2005 it added the Owens Corning aboveground room finishing system. Alure currently operates as three departments: Alure Designs (kitchens and baths), Alure Home Improvements (siding, roofing, windows and sunrooms) and Alure Basements (basements, attics and garages).
"The foundation of our growth was seeing markets and knowing when to get in and get out," says Ferro. "We got into basements, and we started to hit on all cylinders. We had this team that had gelled and we were thinking, 'Now we can get more out of this team exponentially,' as opposed to getting this much from the team you can get this much more because things are starting to click."
Each department has its own dedicated sales force, production department and service team, which allows each to operate with the efficiency of a specialty contractor, but with the wealth of resources of a large company.
"As we've grown, I've always used the word department and not division, which sounds like we're divided," says Hyman. "In the case of basements, if I had just added that as an additional product that everybody could sell, it never would have taken off. It's under the same corporate umbrella, the same culture, the same structure, but we set up a dedicated sales team, production team, installers and so on. Without that, it wouldn't have worked. We put people in place and invested in each of the businesses early on. We put somebody in charge of each them rather than saying, 'Just add it to the mix.' That's absolutely vital."
"What I'm most proud of personally is that I was able to recognize markets and know when to get in them and when to get out. We made a lot of money doing pressure washing and steam carpet cleaning and spray painting homes and selling paint and wallpaper, but we have transitioned this company in the last 10, 12, 15 years into what it is today."
Leveraging the existing customer base
Another key to Alure's growth mechanism has been the way in which they launched each new business from the customers of the existing businesses. Alure concentrates its marketing on past customers for referrals and repeat business, which generates better quality leads and higher closing rates.
"Most companies that are selling $42 million in volume, they need about 50 or 60 salespeople," says Ferro. "We have 36 salespeople. Our average salesperson sells about $1.2 million."
Two of Alure's core departments, Alure Designs and Alure Home Improvements, have a 68 percent repeat and referral rate, says Ferro. And although Alure Basements has just a 20 percent repeat and referral rate (mainly because it is concentrated in the newer territories of Westchester County and New Jersey), Ferro says that is still the highest in the Owens Corning franchise network.
"We're a classic example of how to leverage your existing customer base," says Ferro. "By leveraging the existing customer base, we could get into a new business rather quickly but also solidly. We were never these incredible marketers when it came to going out there and generating new business; we were incredible marketers in generating referral business and repeat business.
"It just allows you to be able to do so much more than somebody who's gotta start from scratch. But, you know what, everybody can't do it, because with that concept, you have to have something else to make it work. You've got to create raving fans. In order for you to leverage your existing customer base, if you haven't created raving fans out of your clients, you cannot count on them to refer you and repeat and continue to use you."
Perhaps the most important part of Alure's growth equation — in addition to capitalizing on hot markets and leveraging existing customers, — is providing quality customer service to the point where they exceed their clients' expectations on a regular basis. Alure provides a three-year warranty on all labor and materials, and each of its departments has a dedicated customer care staff in the office and in the field so callbacks are handled in an efficient and timely manner.
|Alure's Owens Corning Basement Finishing System franchise is estimated to do more than $16 million in sales in 2005.
The payoff comes in its referral and repeat customers. Alure surveys all its clients internally and has a 90 percent "thrill rate." The company also has received the Owens Corning Excellence in Customer Satisfaction Award every year it has been given (2003, 2004, 2005).
"We don't want to just satisfy people, we want to thrill them on a regular basis," says Ferro. "We want to create a raving fan. Our goal is to create a raving fan of every client that we have. We consider ourselves a company that is very sales and marketing driven, while staying customer service focused.
"We're getting into a high volume area where when you start to get to the numbers that we're getting to you worry about starting to lose some of the quality and some of the customer service for the sake of numbers. We don't want to do that. That's so important to us, and we haven't lost sight of the importance of customer service."
Sales and marketing strategies
|Alure's design imaging specialist Paul Schmidt shows a couple some different design possibilities for their exterior on the plasma screen located in the showroom.
The primer for Alure's referral and repeat business pump is the marketing machine now run by Hyman and Selesnow. Alure's entire client database receives a mailing at least every other month. The company's marketing pieces include semiannual newsletters, sales flyers, brochures and other direct mail pieces. Invitation-only networking parties for past clients are held quarterly at the Alure showroom and include entertainment, hors d'oeuvres and cocktails.
Alure's ability to close sales benefits from its use of 20/20 Design software to create a 3-D model of a client's kitchen renovation, allowing them to visualize design early in the process. Alure also uses digital imaging on a plasma screen in its showroom to show its exterior remodel clients what their finished project will look like and help them choose colors and styles.
Bolstering Alure's marketing strategy is its unique Partner Points Program, which allows customers to earn all-expenses paid tickets for two to the company's annual Caribbean trip in the spring. In order to qualify, clients must reach 200,000 points. One point is earned for every dollar a client spends on a project with Alure and for every dollar spent on the first project booked by a referred customer of theirs. To date, 27 clients have earned vacations via this referral generating program.
Although not intended as part of its marketing plan, Alure's charitable work and community service is noteworthy for the attention it has garnered the company. These efforts include donations to breast cancer research, homeless and hunger centers and the Boy Scouts of America, among others. In December, Hyman will be honored by the Boy Scouts as its Distinguished Citizen of the Year.
The three projects Alure has completed for the ABC hit television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" has gained the company great regional attention. Producers of the show first approached Alure in 2004 about doing a live 12-hour renovation of the apartment of two New York City firefighters. Ferro and Hyman were at first hesitant, but decided to give it a try. Three projects later, Ferro is convinced it was the right thing to do, for more than just the marketing gain.
"We knew it was going to cost us some money," says Ferro. "And to be honest, the experience was mediocre. It wasn't incredibly fulfilling. But our team bonded like I'd never seen before, because it was one of the most challenging and emotional episodes I've ever gone through trying to get it done. It was an unreasonable amount of time to try and get it done, and it actually took us 24 hours to get it done."
When the producers asked Alure to participate in a second segment, Ferro was hesitant.
"At first, I said not really," Ferro recalls. "It wasn't nearly as fulfilling as some of the other charity work that we do. But the second time around we helped a family, Lucy Ali and her kids Paul and Kuran, and we changed their lives. I get chills when I think about it. It was an incredible experience for me personally, and emotionally I can't tell you what it was like to be a part of changing that family's life. It cost us a lot of money, but we got a lot of publicity out of it. It was a tremendous amount of publicity, but the money we spent on the show we could have spent to get that publicity. The valuable part was the bonding experience that our team gained from it. It was just an incredible experience for all of us."
Which gets right back to the main reason Alure has been so successful in the first place: its focus on people.
"Both Carl and I have been fortunate in life and we both have very generous mentalities to give back," says Ferro. "And you know what, it does come back to us."
To which Hyman chimes in, tongue firmly in cheek:
"And by the way, in his spare time he runs a home improvement company."


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I recently contributed to a journal submission with a few colleagues (now in review) and I was tasked with fleshing out a section on game studies (with a specific goal mind you). Writing a bit on mobile gaming (and more specifically handheld devices such as the Nintendo DS), I was taken aback about how little I could find. Of course, after we submitted the manuscript, Samuel Tobin's book Portable Play in the Everyday was available as a free download at Palgrave (Pivot titles). I must say, I am very much enjoying it. It is nice to see research on mobile gaming (and not just 'apps' on phones etc) that looks at the who what why how and where people play mobile games. I especially like the idea that mobile gaming is pervasive in our everyday lives, played in the liminal moments of life instead of being the prime activity front and center. An activity that often fills the gaps between happenings. Reading through some of the examples of the book, I find myself nodding in agreement as I think about my partner borrowing my daughter's DS when he drives me to do groceries. He hates shopping of any sort, so he sits in the car and waits for me while he plods away playing the DS. The game is (often) irrelevant – the goal is not to finish a level or mission, but to fill the gap while waiting for time to pass until it
This is in complete contrast to the ways we normally think about gaming. A console confines the player to a certain time and space. When turning the console on, it is with the goal to log in and play a game (of course this can be argued the more and more our consoles are being redesigned as multi-functional multimedia devices). Of course, it could be argued that playing a console game can also be a means to pass the time between two events – but more often than not, the act of playing a game on a console (or pc ..) is the activity in and of itself.
Another interesting point that Tobin makes is that many DS players don't consider their DS play as 'gaming' in the same sense as one would think of console or pc gaming, making it more of a challenge to research who is playing mobile games, why, when and how much. I am not done the book yet (I have a few books on the go – making my attention span a bit wobbly). But I look forward to reading more about handheld gaming.
Also, if 'social, casual and mobile' games is your thing, there is a "Call for Chapters: Social, Casual, Mobile: Changing Games (Edited book collection)" but hurry, deadline for abstracts (500 wrds) is Dec 6th, 2013!


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The masterpiece Matrix (one) by the Wachowski brothers asks the question: Do you want to know about the truth, real life and the hard realities - or would you rather choose to comfortably allow the deception at the "small" cost of your real freedom. The Matrix is not only a state of the art Si-Fi story - but also very real - if you get your head around it as an analogy for contemporary life.
The question is asking us whether reality, truth and ethic values is worth pursuing. The blue pill will leave us as we are, in a life consisting of habit, of things we believe we know. We are comfortable, we do not need truth to live.
The red pill is an unknown quantity. We are told that it can help us to find the truth. We don't know what that truth is, or even that the pill will help us to find it. The red pill symbolizes risk, doubt and questioning. In order to answer the question, you can gamble your whole life and world on a reality you have never experienced.
I take the Red pill /Anders
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Do you take the Blue pill - or do you take the Red pill?
Posted by Anders Paulsson at 4/18/2009 06:41:00 AM
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Cité Durmar4 8 Share Tweet
Cité Durmar is a very nice, small, hidden dead-end in Paris. Accessible from the Rue Oberkampf through a door generally left open on week days.
A wonderful way to imagine how Paris looked like a century ago. When entering this little street, formerly built as truck farms, you immediately fall back in the old Paris: paved stones, walls, windows and ornaments that seem unchanged for decades. There's even vintage furniture left here by the occupants, a vintage Citroen DS car, old tables, and chairs, and so many old tools and objects here and there.
This is really the perfect place to go if you want to do a shoot with an old-fashioned Parisian setting. Even just the walls make you feel like you're in the nineteenth century.
In 2004 the Cité was sold to a real-estate company which wants to 'rehabilitate' the area. In other words, clean the mess up, throw all artists and other poor people out and re-sell at prices only extremely rich people will be able to afford. In other words, erase all signs of what makes this place magical! Since then, current occupants are struggling against these promoters to keep the place as is.
I'd recommend you quickly go there if you want to take a piece of that magic and make it last forever!
written by elvismartinezsmith on 2011-02-07 #places #location #venue #cite-durmar-paris-vintage-location


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When I found out about the opportunity to review the new Berenstain Bear apps from Oceanhouse Media, I admit I almost broke my keyboard with my YES reply. For one thing, my kids LOVE the Berenstain Bears. For another, we've had some great success with reading using my iPad, and I was curious.
I didn't quite envision what would happen.
First, my six-year-old logged quite a few hours reading them all the first time. Second, my three-year-old claimed my iPad and read them all twice. Then they sat together and reread them.
I love that my kids are reading during the hottest part of our summer so far. I'm swallowing the selfish part of me that wants to be the one reading on my iPad, because I've been able to get some other work done while they're busy reading.
Lest you think I handed over the review of these apps to my children without checking them out first, I want to set you straight. I did spend an entire evening delighting in these books—because, despite using my iPad for them, they are books.
These apps tap into the best part of what technology offers and what we love about the Berenstain Bears. We can turn the page and choose from three different interfaces: Read to Me, Read it Myself, or Auto Play.
The illustrations match what we have in the old battered books that should be on our bookshelves but are, instead, slipped in the cushions of the couch and lugged around in various bags and buckets. I have drawn the line and told the girls that they CANNOT do that with my iPad. I'm a bit worried, though. We really like these new titles and the accompanying apps.
The stories have a Christian theme, and I like that. It's not so over-the-top that my six-year-old, who seems to have antennae for this sort of thing, has rejected them; she's reread them just as enthusiastically as the three-year-old.
The narrator isn't so irritating that you don't want to keep hearing it and the "click on pictures" feature is sort of neat.
These books aren't so interactive that it's overwhelming, and yet they tap into the ability of the technology to make reading interactive.
Does it replace a good book? I don't know. My kids didn't use these instead of the usual reading we do; they put it in where they would have been playing games on my iPad or watching TV. In that respect, I give these a hearty Mom's Thumbs Up and recommend them to each of you.
Be sure to visit the Berenstain Bear app website for more information about titles and availability and visit and "like" the official The Berenstain Bears Facebook page to follow their adventures.
Oceanhouse Media has generously offered giveaways of each of the following titles. We have FIVE of each to give away:
– The Berenstain Bears Say Their Prayers
– The Berenstain Bears Go to Sunday School
– The Berenstain Bears Discover God's Creation
– The Berenstain Bears Love Thy Neighbors
Leave a comment by Friday, July 22 at Midnight PST to be entered. One comment per person, please.
Copyright 2011 Sarah Reinhard


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Meet my Alien Skeleton: an excellent Halloween craft AND a very cool way to rid your rubbish bin of milk bottles.
You need:
- 3, 1 litre plastic milk bottles (2 litre will work too, your alien will just be a different shape….like the rest of us)
- Craft knife
- Marking pen
- Hot glue gun
- String/ribbon for hanging
What you do:
1. Draw face details onto a milk bottle
2. Using a craft knife, cut some details out
3. Poke holes in bottom of milk bottle (top of skull) to thread string for hanging
4. Make four cuts (at north, south, east and west) in neck so that head can sit over the neck of the next milk bottle (the torso of the alien)
5. Cut off handles from the remaining two milk bottles. These become arm bones
6. Draw ribs and a stomach cavity onto one of the milk bottles. It is an alien so no need to be exact
7. Cut the detail out
8. Skull should sit nicely onto torso and you can begin to see your handsome new date
9. Cut the top third of the milk bottle off remaining bottle (you have already cut off handle – save it as an arm bone). To save this head from landfill, I inserted it into the stomach cavity of the torso. You will use the rest of the milk bottle to cut leg and feet bones
10. On the torso milk bottle, draw two crosses on either side to mark arm bone placement. Cut the crosses with your craft knife so that you are ready to insert and glue your arm bones
11. Insert the two arm bones (handles) into the little holes you made (glue them in place shortly)
12. Out of the rib and stomach cavity offcuts, fashion a few bones. The number and size are up to you – this is your alien skeleton and it can look how you decide
13. Cut the bottom off the left over milk bottle (the one without a head). Don't use the bottom, instead, use the panel piece to fashion leg and feet bones
14. Fashion some hands from left over panel pieces
15. Get your glue gun out and stick like glue to your new man 🙂 Position and glue the skull neck to torso neck
16. Glue the arms into the little holes you made in the side of the torso and then glue lower arm bones to hands. Do the same with legs and feet and your man is ready to Trick or Treat.


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Majorca – Balearic Islands – Spain
Majorca is the largest island of Spain. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Balearic Islands archipelago, one of the autonomous communities of Spain. The name derives from Latin insula maior, "larger island"; later Maiorica.
The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Cabrera archipelago is administratively grouped with Majorca (in the municipality of Palma). The anthem of Majorca is La Balanguera.
Like the other Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Formentera, and Minorca, the island is a popular tourist destination. In Germany, the United Kingdom and to a lesser extent, Ireland, where package tourism to the island started in May 1952, Majorca has remained a popular destination. ( source Wikipedia )
islands europe


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This console box is made of heavy steel, fully welded construction, and black powdercoat for long term durability and maximum corrosion resistance. Computer can be mounted on top of the console box and has the ability to be offset towards the passenger on the "smiley face pattern" or mounted to the driver side with the 3-bolt hole pattern. The cup holder (item no. 7160-0846) has two cup inserts with pen holders and can be removed for easy cleaning. The cup depth is over 3.5" (8.9 cm) with an opening diameter of 3.4" (8.6 cm) to fit any beverage or cups.
7170-0137-00 Dodge Charger Police Package (2011+) console box with cup holder
Included with kit:
Console box (item no. 7160-0326)
Cup holder (item no. 7160-0846) has two removable cup inserts for easy cleaning and comes with pen holders.
Placement: On top of transmission hump
Seat configuration: Bucket
Drilling: No - Attaches to transmission hump
Weight: 18.0 lbs. (8.16 kg)
Dimensions: 10.18" (25.8 cm) H x 9.0" (22.86 cm) W x 35.57" (90.35 cm) D.
Heavy gauge steel, fully welded construction for long-term durability.
Black powdercoat finish for maximum corrosion resistance.
Low profile, no-drill vehicle specific console box.
Five (5) fasteners for mounting right to transmission hump, does not require a Leg Kit or MCS Top Plate.
A removable top plate and center plate for easy radio installation and wire routing.
Ships with molded dash filler panels that gives the box a sleek appearance that blends in with the car's aesthetics.
Five (5), 12 Volt knock-outs (4 on the back and 1 on driver side).
USB and MP3 knock-outs from stock console, relocated on passenger side.
Horizontal, low profile section:
Accommodates a mounting space of 13" (33.02 cm) long to house radio control heads, full-sized devices and accessories.
Vertical, angled sections:
Accommodates 7.5" (19.05 cm) of mounting space and is designed to house full-sized radios.
Accommodates 1 to 2 full-sized devices.
Includes 3 faceplates and 3 filler panels.
Console box is not compatible with legacy Dodge Chargers.
Gamber-Johnson Limited Lifetime Warranty
Your cart is empty!


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I Am Lightning Mc QueenReviewing: Scholastic Cars | Rating:
If you have seen the Disney-Pixar movie, Cars, then you already know the story. But instead of flopping the DVD in your television, why not read the story with your kids? My daughter is a budding reader while my son just likes to have stories read to him. Both love this book. I love it for them because the main character, Lightning McQueen, finally realizes what is important to him.
Cars is a cute tale about a race car named Lightning McQueen and the forgotton town of Radiator Springs. I don't want to give the story away to those who have not read it, but just a brief overview of what I like about it. The story has a feel-good backdrop, as it teaches children about respect, being a friend and that winning is not everything. When Lightning McQueen ruins the road in Radiator Springs, he realizes that if he doesn't do his work properly, he will never get to where he wants to go (the race in California). He starts having fun and making friends with the locals. When he finally does get to California, the friends he made in Radiator Springs show up to be his pit crew. As the race is ending, the King of racing spins out in an unfortunate accident caused by another car. Lighning is just about to cross the finish line in first place, but sees the accident and is reminded of how one of his new friend's career ended. So he backs up and pushes the King across the finish line.
As I questioned my daughter at the end of the story, she told of how she liked the ending, it was a nice thing to do. I enjoyed listening to her read (45 pages worth!) and knowing she was getting something out of the story. I also liked the pictures. They were bright and told the story on their own. Scholastic and Disney hooked up for a good collaboration!


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The Sales Process misconception
There's a widespread misconception that selling boils down to the skill of the individual, that it's all about how you 'close' the deal. According to the Harvard Business review 60% of business opportunities are lost simply through lack of a structured follow up, in other
words it's not just about having good sales people - it's about having a
structured sales process.
Every successful large organisation around the world has their own clearly defined Sales Process, with specific actions and responsibilities attached to each stage of the process. The same approach can be adopted with SMEs.
An effective Sales Process helps the sales function of a business take people from being prospects to customers in a consistent and effective manner. It also helps prevent time being wasted on prospects that are simply never going to be customers. Once in place a Sales Process can then be analyzed at each stage to measure effectiveness and
encourage continuous development.
Having a clearly defined Sales Process will allow average sales people to become great sales people and great sales people to become world class. And the best thing about having an effective Sales Process in place is that it becomes an integral part of the business and can't walk out of the door like sales people can.
Written by Ian Hargreaves
Managing Director of Next Level Business Development
0113 394 4559
Williamcept, 12 May 2016 12:40 AM:
I loved your forum.Thanks Again. Really Great. Paffrath


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The automotive sales climate is quite different on the different sides of the Atlantic Ocean -- and the auto shows in Europe and the United States show it.
The European auto market continues to crater, to put it bluntly. With the stream of unsettling financial news, European consumers seem reluctant to buy new vehicles, even if they can afford them.
Yet the recent Geneva auto show seemed like a willful exercise in reality denial. The cluster of cars with price tags in the six and seven figures (dollars or euros, take your pick) was stunning. The $3.9 million Lamborghini Veneno was merely the most extreme example in the parade of Ferraris, Rolls-Royces and the like.
Meanwhile, on this side of the pond, auto sales are climbing steadily. Most likely, U.S. light-vehicle sales this year will top 15 million units -- nothing like the 17 million totals in 2000 and 2001, but healthy.
So what do you see on the New York vehicle debut lineup? There's a bit of glitter -- the Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG, for instance -- but nothing like Geneva.
High-end brands such as Cadillac, Infiniti and Land Rover are represented. But mostly there are a bunch of bread-and-butter vehicles: Acura MDX, Buick LaCrosse, Dodge Durango, Honda Odyssey, Jeep Cherokee and Toyota Highlander, to name a few.
Maybe it's a fluke of product cadence. Or maybe the New York debuts focus more on cars regular folks buy because regular folks in this country are buying cars.


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Did you know that you can track quite a bit of detail about database usage in Inmagic DB/TextWorks? Every textbase can include a log file in which can track opening and closing a database, record locking, and record additions and deletions, including the Windows username of the person editing a record.
Time and time again, this log file has proven useful to Andornot and our clients. When errors appear in records, and especially when they have been deleted, perhaps erroneously, checking the log file usually helps clear up the mystery of when and by whom changes or deletions we made. While recovering a backup may be necessary to undo the changes, identifying how it happened goes a long way towards preventing future issues (as does adding passwords and other security to databases).
Full details and options for enabling textbase logs are provided in the help built in to DB/TextWorks. Just press F1 and read the entry for "Textbase log files." Here are some excerpts:
Textbase Log Files
For each textbase, you can enable a log file to record textbase activity, including record and structure changes. A log file is a standard ASCII text file. It is saved in the same location as the textbase and has the same file name as the textbase, with the extension .log. You can enable, view, print, or delete a log file from within DB/TextWorks.
Note: A log file does not record activity performed using Manage Textbase Elements.
To enable a textbase log file
Choose Maintain > Edit Textbase Structure > Log File.
In the Textbase Log File dialog box, select Enable Logging to File.
Select one or two fields with key identifying information that will be written to the log file. We usually recommend selecting the Record ID field if you have one, plus the Title or similar key name field.
To record user activity in the textbase log file
You can add a Details = parameter to the [LogFile] section of the <textbase>.ini file if you want the textbase log file to record who is opening the textbase, editing records, and locking records.
Details = 2
You can set this to one of the following:
0 - No enhanced logging
1 - Logs when a user opens or closes the textbase
2 - Logs when a user modifies records (and opens/closes the textbase)
3 - Logs when a user locks/unlocks record (and opens/closes the textbase or modifies records)
The <textbase>.ini file will be located with all the other database files, including the log file.
See our series of "Spring Cleaning" blog posts about other recommended textbase management tasks.
Contact us for assistance setting this up, or for any other aspect of using DB/TextWorks.
Tags: Inmagic DB/TextWorks | tips
Andornot's Genie Starter Kit is a great way to get up and running with the Inmagic Genie integrated library system quickly and easily.
Out of the box, Genie comes with a configuration suitable for all libraries, with basic search screens, reports and edit screens for each module. Right after installation, you can log in and start cataloguing items, entering borrowers and loaning items, routing serials, and managing orders or interlibrary loans.
However, there are many more features available with Genie that are not pre-configured. Full details of how to add these to your Genie configuration are in the technical notes included with Genie, but requires some study and effort. Configuration files are primarily XML, so to take advantage of these features, you'd need to:
If you need Genie to be available in English and French, another set of steps would be required to adjust the configuration, and some translation may be needed.
Andornot's Genie Starter Kit saves you all of the above trouble, and gives you the benefit of Andornot's years of experience configuring Genie for a wide variety of clients. We know and understand both the Genie system and the many ways in is used in different types of libraries, from law firms to hospitals to government agencies. Our Genie Starter Kit is configured to meet the specific needs of these types of libraries, and includes features such as:
While you could develop all of the above yourself, it requires quite a bit of time and skill, so why not let Andornot improve your Genie workflow quickly and easily.
Every Genie site we set up uses our Genie Starter Kit, but it's also available for existing Genie sites and users. Contact us to discuss how this kit could improve your use of Genie and help you get more out of your investment in Genie.
Tags: Inmagic Genie
At Andornot, we see a lot of email. Most of our communication with you, our clients and colleagues, is via email. We think this is similar for many of you too.
Many times we know you well, so when we see your name or email address in our Inbox, we know exactly who you are and where you work, live and play. But, sometimes, you're new to us, or perhaps one of us knows you and not the others. And that's when we immediately scroll to the bottom of your email to look at your signature to know more about who you are, what organization you work for. Alas, if all we see is:
"thanks, Bob"
it's often hard to answer your inquiry or provide whatever assistance you might be seeking. So much depends on context and fore-knowledge - what software you might have, when and how we last helped you, the nature of your organization (government department, corporation, library, archives), and so on.
When we see something like:
Bob Jones Chief Archivist Smallville Archives Tel: email@example.com
Joy! We know who you are and how best we can help you. All that from just 5 lines of text at the bottom of an email. And all so easy to set up in your email client. A signature can be appended to every outgoing email, both to colleagues within your organization, but most importantly, to those in the wide, wide world who haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting you.
But why stop at just your contact info? Your email signature is a great opportunity to let people know more about you and what you're doing. For example:
The possibilities are endless. It's marketing, but it's useful, informative, helpful marketing. People appreciate these messages, much more than say, a billboard.
Further reading:
Tags: Outlook | tips
Library and Archives Canada has announced a new $7.5 million funding program for local documentary heritage communities.
This program is a great opportunity for archives, museums, historical societies and other cultural institutions to digitize their collections, develop search engines and virtual exhibits for them, and other activities that preserve and promote their valuable resources.
The objectives of the program are to:
The program is aimed at non-governmental organizations specifically, including:
Businesses, government and government institution (including municipal governments and Crown Corporations), museums without archives, and universities and colleges are not eligible.
Types of projects which would be considered for funding include:
Two categories of funding available:
Further program details, requirements and application procedures are available at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/documentary-heritage-communities-program/Pages/dhcp-portal.aspx
The program runs from June 12 to September 4, 2015, so there's only a short window to prepare a proposal and seek funding.
Andornot has worked with many clients on the types of projects which would qualify for this grant. Some examples are detailed in these blog posts:
We have extensive experience with digitizing documents, books and audio and video materials, and developing systems to manage those collections and make them searchable or presented in virtual exhibits.
Contact us to discuss collections you have and ideas for proposals. We'll do our best to help you obtain funding from this great new program.
Tags: funding | Training | virtual exhibits
Interior Health contacted Andornot to discuss possible options for providing better access to their policy and procedure documents, guidelines and protocols. These were available in several locations and were indexed in separate PDF's depending on service area. Maintenance of this system of indexes was becoming problematic and unsustainable. Interior Health needed an easy to use search interface for clinical staff to quickly find and link to the documents, whether they be on their SharePoint intranet, a vendor site or part of their subscription to Mosby's Nursing Skills.
Interior Health already owned a copy of Inmagic DB/TextWorksand the library staff were familiar with it, so we created a new database to catalog these documents. The intranet search application pulls data from DB/TextWorks and is powered by our Andornot Discovery Interface (AnDI) to provide a faceted, discovery style interface geared to be as simple and uncluttered as possible. AnDI features spell checking with Did you mean functionality to catch common misspellings and typos, and staff have added some common acronyms to the records to ensure that documents can be found using nursing jargon.
We were able to extract data from multiple PDF's and SharePoint lists to build the initial database and batch modified records to populate additional fields. As a result, searches can be refined by Interior Health site, practice area, agency responsible, format and keywords. We also note which source document or manual a specific guideline is part of. The relevance ranking of the search results was adjusted to ensure that Interior Health (IH) wide documents always appear first. This approach really helps IH staff quickly locate the policy or protocol they are seeking.
Behind the scenes, the database also tracks who developed a document, when it was endorsed, and review dates to allow library staff to better manage the administrative side. The search interface is hosted by Andornot with access restricted by IP Address to Interior Health staff.
Since the launch the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Comments from nursing staff included:
And from the person responsible for administering the system:
This project is a good example of how library staff can assist other groups within an organization to better organize and improve access to their information and resources. Prior to the start of this project Interior Health had looked to develop a new system internally, however library staff were able to convince them to utilize their existing software and Andornot's expertise and hosting service to create an efficient and easy to use new system.
Contact us to discuss how we can help you provide improved search access to any collection.
Tags: Andornot Discovery Interface | Inmagic DB/TextWorks
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On my way home from delivering a meal late this afternoon, I caught sight of a beautiful sunset that instantly banished my fears of black ice and blustering winds. Only one thought filled my mind as I took a long detour through streets unknown, and that was to find an unobstructed view.
Much to my disappointment, I couldn't find one, and these shots taken through my dirty windshield don't do it justice at all. What they do do, is remind me of a verse that says, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12 (NASB).


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One of my entries for the Knight News Challenge: Data.
DATAFRAME | Distributed data journalism microwork
1. What do you propose to do? [20 words]
DataFrame is a platform or framework that lets people help journalists process large datasets through microwork.
2. How will your project make data more useful? [50 words]
Journalists often have to scrub, mine, highlight, cherry-pick, search for patterns and correlations, and perform other labour-intensive tasks on large data sets. DataFrame will farm out small chunks of data to the public to process, and thereby increase the speed and quality of news it generates.
3. How is your project different from what already exists? [30 words]
Other examples of this kind of microwork involve specialized, dedicated tasks, such as the search for extraterrestrial intelligence or protein folding. DataFrame would enable more differentiated, low-load tasks for news.
4. Why will it work? [100 words]
The distributed microwork model has been proven over and over again in multiple instances, as noted above, as well as in journalism. The Guardian's MP expenses investigation is a recent example. People like to contribute to a public good, especially when it takes minimal effort, and especially when they can make a game of it with peers.
5. Who is working on it? [100 words]
Saleem Khan: Project leader, journalist [editor and reporter, ex- CBC, Metro International, Toronto Star newspapers; chairman/director, Canadian Association of Journalists]; advisor, University of Toronto ThingTank Lab [Faculty of Information]; founder, invstg8.net.
- K. Khan: User experience strategist and designer, OCAD University sLab advisor; leader of UXI, Canada's largest UX professionals group
- M. Saniga, CA: President and co-founder, near-realtime business intelligence/data insight generation software firm Quant Inc.; former finance director and manager at Cara, Dell.
- G. Szeto: Software interface designer/strategist for financial and geopolitical risk intelligence sectors, Fellow at the Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College.
6. What part of the project have you already built? [100 words]
DataFrame is in the concept phase and is gathering feedback and insights on the plan from experts and ordinary citizens alike. A paper/visual prototype and Web-based mock-up are the next steps.
7. How would you use News Challenge funds? [50 words]
Funding will be applied to building a small, dedicated team to rapidly progress from prototype to product, and attendant costs.
8. How would you sustain the project after the funding expires? [50 words]
Once the product is developed, maintenance costs should be minimal. The project would follow a freemium model, with larger news organizations paying for a licence, pay-per-use or volume fee schedule. DataFrame would also pursue angel or venture investment and additional grant funding. Ancillary merchandise will also be offered for sale to users.
Requested amount: $190,000
Expected number of months to complete project: 12
Total Project Cost: $250,000
Name: Saleem Khan
Twitter: @saleemkhan twitter.com/saleemkhan
Email address [optional]:
Organization: Technovica
City: Toronto
Country: Canada
How did you learn about the contest? I have been following and participating in the Knight News Challenge for years.


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I made a new video!
Hey everyone! So back in December/January, I made a few YouTube videos and posted them. It was really fun to do but as I got caught up in everything else going on, I subsequently let blogging and making videos fall to the wayside. The past couple of days I have really been itching to film again! I thoroughly enjoy it, especially when it's nice outside! Yesterday I sat down and filmed two videos. This is the first of the two I filmed! I hope you enjoy! I always enjoy watching empties videos and had a great time putting this together and filming it.
March 2013 Empties - FlipOverBuggie


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When is it right to steal a baby? When you're a Social Worker? When you're a Police Officer?
Or when you're the only real family he's got left in the world?
It's a crime to steal a baby but what if he is your brother? Fourteen year-old Casey thinks his family should be together, so when his mother dies he snatches his baby brother from foster care and goes on the run in search of his estranged dad, forcing his older brother, H, to join them.
The journey becomes an odyssey across contemporary Britain, with the band of brothers collecting other dispossessed characters along the way - a young soldier just back from Afghanistan who never knew his own parents but is determined to be a good dad to his newly born daughter, beautiful black Venetia on a mission to get payback from every cheating stepdad that ever crossed her path, best-friend-since-nursery Seema who is taking this crazy detour with Venetia before heading to uni and a stranded sheep rescued by Casey from certain death.
Casey thinks that if he finds his dad everything will be alright. The police and social services think that Casey is a criminal. H thinks Casey is off his head, but Casey just thinks they should be a family.
- Year
- 2010
- Type of film
- Features
- Running Time
- 85 mins
- Format
- Director
- Marc Munden
- Producer
- Anne Brogan, Melanie Stokes
- Co-Producer
- Anne Brogan, Melanie Stokes
- Editor
- David Charap
- Screenwriter
- Lin Coghlan
- Director of Photography
- Wojciech Szepel
- Production Designer
- Helen Scott
- Sound
- David Sansom
- Music
- Ben Bartlett
- Principal Cast
- Thomas Sangster, Aaron Taylor
Please let us know if we need to make any amendments to this Film entry mailing us directly at
Last updated 4th February 2011


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A Multi Seat License has a minimum of five (5) seats, and can be used on desktop and laptop computers. Pricing is per copy/seat. It can be networked and supports unlimited student record keeping.
With 43 topics and endless customization, Auralia is the most comprehensive ear training software available. All the fundamentals are covered; pitch, intervals, chords, scales, tuning and rhythm. Progress through cadences, rhythm dictation, harmony, jazz progressions and melodic transcription!
Huge Depth of Content
Each of the 43 topics has carefully graded levels, allowing you to easily use Auralia with beginner through advanced students. The integrated lessons and courses provide ideal preparation for each topic.
Perfect for Classroom Use
Sophisticated tracking allows you to easily monitor and assess your students. Set tasks and assignments, and even run exams with high quality content that your students will love.
Easy to Use for All Ages
People have always loved Auralia's clean and elegant interface, designed to keep students focused on the essential ear training task. Subtle enhancements in Auralia 5 continue this legacy!
A well developed ear is essential for musicians of all levels. In developing the skills to imitate, compare, sing, identify and transcribe various musical elements, our overall musical skills are enhanced.
The exercises in Auralia are perfect for all developing musicians, from beginners to advanced students. It's easy-to-use interface makes it the perfect way to introduce music ear training to people of all ages. Auralia is suitable for both classical, jazz and contemporary musicians of any age and ability!


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You can reach me via phone or SMS on 07592 677731 or email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
What next?
Meeting face to face is a way to understand more about how I work and to see how it feels to explore together. To this end, I offer:
- A brief phone call which is free of charge. The call would last no more than 20 minutes and enables you to ask any questions you may have and also gives me an opportunity to understand your situation, so I can determine if I can help.
- You may then decide to come to my office for an introductory session. This would be arranged on the phone call and does not commit you in anyway.
Only I have access to emails and voice mails, which are treated as confidential. If on your initial contact you can let me know a good time to call, along with your phone number, that would be most helpful.
Availability (as at February 2018): My rate is £75 per session. I do not currently have any availability, but please contact me for wait list information.
Little Venice, Paddington WC2 6NE
Beauchamp Lodge
2 Warwick Crescent
London WC2 6NE
A regency building overlooking little venice, Beauchamp Lodge is a busy psychotheraphy clinic and training school. Details available on the page "Therapy in Paddington W2".
Staple Inn, High Holborn WC1
4 Staple Inn
High Holborn
London WC1V 7QH
Directly above Chancery Lane Tube, and within 10 minutes walk of Holborn and Farringdon Tubes. Details available on the page "Therapy in Chancery Lane WC1".
Gower Street, Fitzrovia, WC1
37-41 Gower Street
London WC1E 6HH
5 minutes from Goodge Street underground and accessible from Tottenham Court Road, Euston and Russell Square tubes. For information on how to find my therapy practice in Gower Street, click here.


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"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea."
-- Isak Dineson (Baroness Karen Blixen), author of Out of Africa
Today I'm taking The Cure. Bob and I are heading out to the beach and, if I can't be with my family, the sea shore is my second choice.
But don't worry - you're coming with me. How could I blog without you?
We'll check out coastal thrift stores, bargain hunt, and we might even find
We'll check out coastal thrift stores, bargain hunt, and we might even find
a few surprises.
The beach is the chiropractor of life realignment. Sitting in the sand with your toes in the water, looking out over the soothing waves, and hearing the gulls fuss - it brings life down a notch and helps put things into perspective.
Life is all about balance.
So enjoy these pictures and the next time you hear from me,
I'll be sitting on a balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico!
Beach Bath, before Beach Bath, after
How many raw oysters will Bob have to eat in order for me to make this darling shell mirror?!
Little Tybee Island beach house porch, before Little Tybee Island beach house porch, after
Beach Shack, Before (1967) Beach Shack, After (2010)
Beach Shack Living Room (Before) Beach Shack Living Room (After)
Marshfront Cottage, c. 1927 Marshfront Cottage today
Marshfront Cottage was once owned by Henry Ford. Developers decided to tear it down in order to make more "efficient" use of the property. Preservationists stepped in, moved the house to the beach and restored it to it's present charmingfulness!
Images: Coastal Living; Southern Living; TybeeIsland.org


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A 64-year-old security guard told Columbus police a masked gunman robbed him this morning inside the Columbus Convention & Trade Center.
The guard said he was inside the 801 Front Avenue facility about 5:30 a.m. when a ski-masked man dressed all in black pointed a handgun at him and demanded his wallet and keys.
The guard said the gunman left him in an office, took $10 from his wallet, threw the billfold and keys down and left.
The guard told police the robber appeared to be in his 30s, but was unable to provide a more detailed description, investigators said.
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Watch Starstruck (2010)
Welcome to our Website with Me Antoine, and i'm reviewers for this film, now i am going to talk about Starstruck Produced by Disney Channel in the United States of America with the duration
Streaming Starstruck (2010) : Full Movie Online Free Jessica Olsen goes to Los Angeles with nothing more in mind that visiting her grandparents while her sister tries to meet Christopher Wilde. One night she meets Christopher Wilde. They go an an adventure around Los Angeles and start to like each other. When Jessica returns home, Christopher, on national TV, says he doesn't know her, and never met her.
Who's The Cast on Film Starstruck 2010??
What Genre This Film ? A film that was produced with the intent of fitting into a specific genre (such as Comedy, Romance, TV Movie, Music)
When Starstruck to release? ? RELEASE on Feb 14, 2010 at United States of America
Country: United States of America
Production Co:Disney Channel
Genre: Comedy, Romance, TV Movie, Music
Quality: HD
Release: Feb 14, 2010
View: 555
FAST Download PREMIUM HERE :


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State of the Internet – "Live"
November 18th, 2011
What's better than an infographic? How about an infographic that updates with live stats!!! The State of the internet comes to us from onlineschools.org. The infographic is live, interactive and constantly providing updated statistics while your on the page. But don't take my word for it, to see the live infographic – Click Here
Categories: Internet, Trends, Uncategorized


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Hey everyone!! The Fashion Spot will officially be up and running again!!! I am so sorry about not posting in so long but I am so excited to start it up again. I will be making a few changes but I hope everyone likes it and hopefully it will be fun!! Thank you so much to everyone, and I can't wait to start blogging again!!!
<3 Carrie


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Coupon & course info
Course Name: iPhone Selfie Portrait Photography For Social Media
Subtitle: Mobile Photography – Use your mobile phone to create selfie images for your social media profile
Instructor: Taught by Mark Timberlake, Marketing |Course Creation | Business Building |Photography
Category: Photography
Subcategory: Mobile Photography
Provided by: Udemy
Price: $20 (before discount)
Free coupon code: See above (no charge for coupon)
Review info & popularity
As of July 14, 2016…
Students: 519 students enrolled
Ratings: 4 reviews
Rank: ranked #55a in Udemy Photography Courses
Brief course description
iPhone Selfie Portrait Photography
Have you ever wanted to know how to take a high quality selfie portrait on your iPhone?
Have you ever wanted a nice profile picture for your social media sites or for websites like dating websites?
(Read more about this course on the official course page.)
Mark Timberlake bio
Mark runs a marketing company called SME Heroes, which specializes in training on all things to do with online course creation, online marketing and his personal passion of photography.
(Learn more about this instructor on the official course page.)
Recommended courses
If you like this course, you might also be interested in:
1. Event photographer: Start your own photography business fast
Guide to starting up your own successful event photography business from scratch with minimal business experience
Taught by Sergey Kasimov, eBay Powerseller, social media & make money expert
2. Canva Graphic Design Essentials
Learn in 5 Easy Steps How to Create Eye Catching Canva Graphic Design to Charm Your Site Visitors!
Taught by Florin Rosoga, Udemy Instructor Teaching 17K+ Students
3. Simple guide to be a photographer
Simple guide to be a photographer For hobbyists that will take you to the next level
Taught by AMR Eldihemy, Electrical and Computer Engineer
Create and customize your own video light leaks.
Taught by Jason Boone, Video Producer
5. Mastering Camera Raw and Adobe Bridge
Discover The Fortune That Lies Hidden Within Camera Raw!
Taught by Scott Kaine, Udemy Teacher 6,000+ Students, Performance Marketer
Final details for this Udemy course
Languages: English
Skill level: Beginner Level
Lectures: 13 lessons
Duration: 1.5 hours of video
What you get: Light a portrait session using natural light
Target audience: Take this course if you want to learn how to take good quality selfies for your social media profiles
Requirements: You will need to download Snapseed, which is a free piece of software on Apple and Android phones for your editing
Access: Lifetime access
Peace of mind: 30 day money back guarantee
Availability: available online, as well as on iOS and Android
Download options: check course to see if you can download lessons


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Professor Phil Reid has received a 2005 Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Washington. Reid was one of three faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences to receive an award, which "honors faculty who show a mastery of their subject matter, intellectual rigor, lively curiosity, a commitment to research, and a passion for teaching."
For more information on Reid's award, please see the original article from A&S Perspectives.
For information about Phil Reid and his research program, please visit his faculty page or research group website.


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So, President Barack Obama's faith is back in the news.
Precisely, the headlines concern a new poll showing a surprising (or not?) number of Americans still believe Obama is a Muslim:
USA Today boils down the latest news this way:
Despite a Hawaii birth certificate and repeated professions of his Christian faith, fairly large numbers of Americans still believe President Obama is a Muslim born outside of the United States.
Over at the Washington Post, Godbeat pro Sarah Pulliam Bailey offers this rundown of the poll numbers:
Even though President Obama nods to his Christian faith regularly in both serious and light-hearted settings, a large number of Americans still believe he is a Muslim. According to a new CNN/ORC poll, 29 percent of Americans say they think that Obama is a Muslim, including 43 percent of Republicans.
Sixty-one percent of Democrats say Obama is a Protestant, compared with 28 percent of Republicans and 32 percent of independents. Also, according to CNN, 54 percent of those who support Donald Trump say they believe Obama is a Muslim.
Education comes into play: 63 percent of college graduates believe Obama is a Protestant compared with just 28 percent of those who do not have college degrees.
Among all adults, 39 percent say they believe Obama is a Protestant or another kind of Christian, another 11 percent say he's not religious, and 14 percent that they just don't know. Of those who took the survey, 4 percent believe he is Catholic, 2 percent think he is Mormon, 1 percent believe he is Jewish, and 1 percent think he is something else.
The number of Americans who believe Obama is a Muslim appears to have jumped since polls from earlier years of his presidency.
Keep reading, and former GetReligionista Bailey does a really nice job of providing insight and background related to Obama's faith and what he has said about it.
But here's my question: Are these poll numbers related to the number of Americans who believe Obama is a Muslim really "surprising" or "startling," as news reports described them?
Or — at this point — should we just assume that a fair number of our fellow citizens are a bit nutty and a whole lot uninformed? (I'll resist the urge to make a Donald Trump joke here, even though I totally don't understand that whole phenomenon.)
I mean, yes, 29 percent of Americans who believe Obama is a Muslim sounds like a lot.
That is, until you consider how many believe UFOs are real:
A new survey finds that 80 million Americans, or 36 percent of the population, believe UFOs are real. One in 10 respondents say they have personally witnessed an alien spaceship.
Honestly, I'd love to see figures on the percentage of Americans who personally witnessed an alien spaceship and also believe Obama is a Muslim.
UFO image via Shutterstock.com