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It's that elusive thing that we all know we're supposed to have, but aren't exactly sure how we get it. Agents and editors and kindly writer friends tell us it's a good thing; we agree. We kind of know the definition - it's the way of writing that an author has that makes them different from others.
We need to be different, unique; we know that.
But how?
Not so long ago, I would have had no clue about how to answer this question, but finishing Jess has been a wonderful experience, not just because I finally got it finished (only my second completed novel), but because I've learned so much in the process.
I'm beginning to hear my own voice.
It's such a fragile thing that I'm not even sure how to put it into words - or even whether to do so might not somehow break the limited understanding that I do have. But for the sake of the blog - for you, who read it - I'd like to try.
I spoke last week about how Jesscapades is a different story now to what I'd planned. That's okay. This is pretty standard state of affairs. You can never know everything there is to know about a story until it's written - and even then you won't know it all. (A favourite writing quote of mine: How can I know what I think until I see what I say?)
But in the process of becoming, Jesscapades has shown me not just what it can be, but what my writing can - and should - be.
Originally, Jesscapades was intended to be action-y, fast-paced, full of cool action scenes and fights and technology. But looking back over the story, there isn't actually a lot of that in there. Oh, sure, there are a few fight scenes (we are talking about a guild of assassins here, after all), and there are a couple of mentions of technology - but on the whole, the focus of the story is on the main character, and on her development: how she confronts her past and changes as a person.
When I first realised that, I was sad. "I've failed," I thought. "I tried to write an action novel and I failed!"
But thinking on it, I realised something else: Failure is relative. Okay, so I didn't do what I set out to do - but I certainly did something else. And the book certainly isn't bad.
So what did I do? Well, I'm still not 100% sure - I'm looking forward to reading the novel with fresh eyes once I come back from holidays - but I do know a few things. My novels will always be character-driven. Sure, Jesscapades has an awesome plot, and some Really Cool Things happen; but it took me a while to find my focus in the novel, and when I did, I realised it was actually all about the character.
And then there's that voice thing. It's so hard to articulate, but after 70,000 words on this novel and, let's see *checks stat sheet*, about 260,000 words of writing over the previous two years, I'm finally beginning to sense my voice. It's somewhere in between ornate and sparse (wow, that's descriptive; I mean, don't all voices fall somewhere in that range? o.O), probably more towards the sparse end of the spectrum, but there are moments of worldbuilding that really seem to shine. The dialogue seems to have a rhythm to it, and I can feel myself becoming intimately familiar with my own pattern of syntax; my choice of words, my turn of phrase, the length and rhythm of my paragraphs - all these things are working together to develop a voice - and slowly, slowly, I'm beginning to hear it.
What about you? Can you hear your own voice yet, or is it something you're still developing? Do you think we can ever hear our own voices clearly?
22 June 2009
And A Voice Called In The Darkness...
4 comments:
- Yunaleska said...
:) Yup, starting to see my own voice. It can vary depending on the wip, but then some of my wips have quite different 'tones' to them. It's taken years to figure it out, and there's great room for expansion, but at least I can see it. Sometimes.
- June 22, 2009 at 5:32 PM
- Princess Emma said...
I think I'm finally starting to hear my own voice in my current WIP. It's taken me three novels to finally hear it, but it's there. Even some critters on CC have said that they can hear bits of my voice in my writing :)
- June 23, 2009 at 10:19 AM
- Danyelle said...
Yay for finding your voice! Can't wait to read Jess. :D
- June 23, 2009 at 11:47 AM
- Lady Glamis said...
This is an excellent post. I feel the same way about Monarch, as you know. I think you and are traveling very similar roads.
- June 28, 2009 at 4:28 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Date: 2001
Title: Genetic Improvement of Corsican Pine
Author: Steve J Lee
Full report: HTML
Novel statistical techniques more familiar in animal breeding have been used to draw together breeding value estimations of height, stem straightness and branching quality for up to 935 original plus trees planted over a range of sites between 1966 and 1987. A population of nearly 200 plus trees has been reselected. Grafted copies of the breeding population clones along with a further 68 clones selected for genetic conservation, will be planted in each of the two Corsican pine clonal archives.
The establishment of a new clonal seed orchard based on these new selections would nearly double the height gains predicted from existing clonal seed orchards whilst at the same time giving positive gains for stem straightness and branching quality. This work marks the end of the first generation of testing in the Corsican pine breeding programme.
Date: 2001
Title: Management of the Sitka Spruce Breeding and Production Populations
Author: Steve J Lee
Full report: HTML
There are currently 240 plus trees in the Sitka spruce breeding population reselected following the first cycle of selection and testing. These reselections will be involved in a programme of controlled crosses to advance the Sitka spruce breeding strategy into the next generation. The very best of the breeding population in any given generation form the production populations which generate the future planting stock. Grafted replicates are taken of all reselected trees to ensure they are not lost from either the breeding or production populations. Grafts are stored in two field-based clone banks where they are managed for the production of flowers.
Successful management of breeding and production populations is measured by the frequency of flowering, the rate at which the crossing programme is completed and continuing increases in predicted gains from family mixtures. Major improvements in efficiency are envisaged as management of grafted replicates transfers from field-based clone banks to high facility polyhouses.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sak river day 9 Kenhardt to Kakamas 091001 Thursday 124km
I was really rescued by Eeton & Suzette Wickens of the Kenhardt Hotel. The chaps who helped me when I got the flat said I should go to the hotel as it is the bike place. As I rode in with a flat tyre Eeton came walking up and offered his help. I explained that I wanted two new tubes as both had patches on & I did not trust them. He helped me strip the back tube &, sure enough, the patch was peeling off. I had ridden 69 km on that patch from where I had fitted it (from my GPS track). Eeton phoned some locals he knew were in Upington but it was too late – they were on their way back already. He did manage to find someone who was going in early the next day who would not be there very long and would pick up some tubes for me. He then phoned the Yamaha agents & organised that two tubes would be collected next morning. So all I had to do was wait until the next day & I was rescued. Had some beers, a nice supper (fantastic salad Suzette – where do you get such nice feta cheese?) with local wine. After breakfast I sorted through my photos (I had my computer with me so could match the time on the Garmin tracks to the time of the photos to see exactly where the photo was taken).
I really liked the logo on the crockery. Black faced Dorper & kookerboom. Is he well hung? In the bar there is a wall that only bikers can write their names on. I saw Lucky Striker, Pistonpete & Newguy as Wild Dogs there. I am extremely grateful to Eeton (who only speaks Afrikaans despite his Irish name; Eeton is actually a contraction of his given names of Henry Teeton). My room was great with shower etc attached and I had nice food there. A biker friendly place and I would much appreciate it if you used it or at least had a drink on your way past. Eeton has an immaculate FJR1300 and a recently bought KLR. Since he got the KLR the FJR has just stood there as he finds the KLR much more fun.
I took the tyre to the co-op to have a gaiter fitted over the cut that had caused the original flat. Soon afterwards the tubes were there & I put the bike together and was on my way again.
That is the wheel lift that Eeton made for himself just the day before I arrived. It works really well – just turn the pipe & the foot screws out (the head also swivels) and it lifts the bike against the side stand. What is very nice is you can adjust the height when fitting the wheel back so the axle lines up while the tyre is on the ground so you don't need to hold the wheel in the air while trying to get the axle in. (At Verneukpan I had to dig a hole to get the wheel back in.) . Brilliant. It can be used under my toolbox to raise the front wheel too. I am going to make myself one. If anyone else follows the idea I would be pleased if you call it a Kenhardt lift so it becomes known where it came from and that there is a bike friendly bar in town. Calling it an Eeton lift would not have the same effect.
On my way again to Kakamas. That is the Hartbees with the trees all along it. I suspect many are the invasive Prosopis
This tree with two full sized social weaver nests. No telegraph poles nearby?
Front doors.
Saw this windpump along the way. It is HUGE. Those two windpumps are very close together. A normal windpump is 2,4m (8ft) in diameter; I reckon that one is 7,5m (24 ft). Unfortunately there was no visible name on the double tail. Notice how many blades it has on the fan.
The road to Loeriesfontein branches off just before Kakamas so I went to get this photo of the river there. That is definitely a flowering Prosopis on the left.
This is actually in the drift & would be flooded when the river is flowing. Eeton said it had been flowing quite well between March & May this year. Notice that I have a gaiter on only one side of the front forks. Martin Praetzold had made cartridge emulators and I wanted to see how much fork travel I was using so took one gaiter off and fitted a zip tie on the fork which gets pushed up marking the most the forks get compressed. I did bottom the forks out twice but I think I will lower the fork oil level a bit to make them slightly softer.
These are known as Norias . The water flowing in the canal turns the paddle wheel. On each side of the paddle wheel are buckets that dip into the water and tip it out at the top into the gutter leading to the drum then through pipes and channels to the vineyards.
I went straight through Kakamas as the Hartbees joins the Gariep (Orange) a little past the town at Alheit.
There is quite a long bridge in two parts with massive reedbeds each side where the Hartbees passes through to join the Gariep
Hartebees Kontant Winkel (note the conventional spelling) at the end of the bridge.
I asked around but no one could tell me where the Hartbees joined the Gariep so I rode into the vineyards and looked for it myself. I got to this (end of top left track):
That is the Gariep and the Hartbees is just to my left. Bakgat. The correct word is confluence = where two rivers meet – somehow that seems somewhat inappropriate here.
The Gariep has more than one channel here so there is more to it than just this.
Looking for the confluence.
I had a real good try to photo where they actually joined but it is overgrown with reeds and the mud is deep black stuff up to the top of my boots.
The Hartbees is joined by one of those irrigation canals and the excess water from the canal runs down back into the Gariep. This is the combined canalised flow through the vineyard.
Job done; I went back to Kakamas & checked in at the self catering part of the hotel although I did have supper there.


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Like Tracy Morgan on "30 Rock," we try to live every week like it's Shark Week. We don't, however, live every week like it's Shark Fin Soup Week.
In today's Los Angeles Times, Jonathan Gold pens an op-ed supporting the passage of the California Shark Protection Act, which would prohibit the sale, consumption and trade of shark's fin. The bill passed easily in the Assembly (65-8) but faces stiff opposition in the state Senate, where it pits environmental activists against cultural preservationists. Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) believes such a ban would discriminate against Chinese Americans.
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Shark's fin, which Gold describes as "bland to the point of nonexistence," is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, prized for its "ethereal, gelatinous texture." The craze for it has helped reduce some shark populations to 10% of historical levels, while nearly a third of shark species are approaching extinction.
In support of the bill's passage, Gold argues:
"It's true: The ban would affect mostly Chinese Americans, who make up almost all of the market for fins... But Chinese culinary culture has proved resilient over the centuries, as able to absorb such foreign ingredients as chiles and squashes as it has been to withstand the absence of sea turtle skirt and bear paw, whose preparation obsessed the earliest Chinese gourmets. There is no third way with shark's fin -- we either stop eating it because we choose to preserve the species, or we stop eating it because soon there will be none left to eat."


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One Kind Favor is a vinyl only record label specializing in music from all corners of this strange and beautiful universe. Expect us to release legitimate reissues of private press loner-folk classics, archival compilations of "out there" punk/noise, unearthed free jazz oddities, maybe even a contemporary cassette or LP here and there. After two years managing the Western Massachusetts label and record shop Feeding Tube Records, I've decided to light out on my own, starting One Kind Favor and making a new home for myself in beautiful coastal Belfast, Maine. The label's name is inspired by a line from the song "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" as recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson, but also found in many American and British folk songs over the last few hundred years. The name is especially fitting for a number of reasons, not least being that the first two planned releases are from America and Britain, respectively. Both are official vinyl reissues of very rare private press records from the 1970's: Kenneth Higney "Attic Demonstration" (US 1976) & Sound Ceremony "s/t" (UK 1979). The video above you contains a special mix tape of four songs from each of the two albums. Continue reading on for detailed descriptions of the music.
I'd like to release both LPs at once, the total cost of which will be close to $5,000, more than double my stated pledge goal. I've decided to use Kickstarter as both a means to help fund these projects and as a method for individuals and retailers to pre-order copies, which I expect will sell fairly quickly. You're pretty much paying for what you get here, and I'm trying to give fairly priced rewards. I have both of these projects practically ready to go to the plant. There's just one kind favor I'll ask of you...consider making a contribution and sharing this page with other music lovers!
Kenneth Higney "Attic Demonstration"
LP edition of 500 copies
Often considered the Holy Grail of "real people" records, Kenneth Higney's "Attic Demonstration" was never actually intended to be an official release. It was recorded in New York City by Higney and his accompanist Gordon Gaines (R.I.P.) as a vehicle with which to sell Higney's songs to other artists and was only pressed to vinyl in 1976 when he grew tired of duplicating cassette tapes. Apparently the Jandekian dissonance of the "A. Demo." sound was an unintended by-product of the one take demo sessions. Be that as it may, "Attic Demonstration" is a strange sonic world all of it's own. It is neither too weird to be unappealing to "regular" music listeners nor is it one of those "discoveries" that leaves you wondering what all the hype was about. Acoustic guitar ballads of nearly atonal desolation mix readily with rock 'n' roll numbers featuring hiccuping drums and alien sounding electric guitar. Hingey's vocals are by turns sneering and mournful as he sings about lost love and the desire for fame all filtered through his uniquely bent worldview. Although a few ads were placed for the record in The Village Voice and The Aquarian, the fame that Higney sought eluded him (a semi-positive review in Trouser Press notwithstanding). That is, until the album was discovered and distributed by record dealer Paul Major. "Attic Demonstration" has been featured in the Acid Archives and copies of the original LP have soared in price over the years, but you no longer have to pay $100, $200 or even $300 to obtain a copy of this monumental album on vinyl. One Kind Favor and Kenneth Higney have teamed up to bring you an official reissue of "Attic Demonstration" remastered and with all the original artwork.
Sound Ceremony
LP edition of 500 copies
Canadian born guitarist and songwriter Ron Warren Ganderton self-released three LPs with his group Sound Ceremony while living in the United Kingdom during the 1970s and 80s. First came "Guitar Star" (1973), then "Sound Ceremony" (1979) and finally "Precious As England" (1981). Despite some modest distribution and frequent gigs, the band never seemed to really take off and Ganderton eventually returned to his native Vancouver (where he still resides), leaving hundreds of unsold records in the attic of his house. While these copies seem to have been lost to the ravages of time, One Kind Favor will now reissue the second Sound Ceremony LP. All of the group's efforts are undeniably unique, but "Sound Ceremony" (1979) is the true brain-damaged winner of the bunch. The record surely fits somewhere into the UK punk explosion of the day, but it's also looks back to the mid-sixties rock that Ron cut his teeth on and ahead to some sort of maniac future form of entertainment that perhaps has not been invented yet. Ganderton's truly "out of it" stream of consciousness lyrics show a clear lack of self-censorship and that's really one of the albums strongest assets. He has created this character of himself as a huge rock star and a sex symbol, and who are we to deny his claims? This stuff is eerily convincing. Like Lou Reed, the man's ideas often can't be contained by something so limiting as the bar line. The band chugs along amiably as Ganderton's vocals wander all over the place. If you've never heard a singer do a count-off all the way up to seventeen, then now is your big chance! Features what is perhaps the greatest anti-cigarette song of all time.
Thanks for your time and for any assistance you can provide me in helping to make One Kind Favor a reality. If you can't contribute, please consider passing this page along to your vinyl loving friends.
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Funding period
- (60 days)


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Happy June!
I was playing with my Gelli plate and used a new bird stencil. The result? These cards:
I'm really pleased with the result, and can't wait to have more gelli fun!
The Wedding piece is slowly evolving, and I experimented with a new-to-me (Casalguidi) stitch. Remember the 'winding bit' from last week? It was wrapped, couched, and then woven to create dimension. My version of the Casalguidi stitch is a little open compared to some, but I rather like the look.
I've added french knots, tendrils, stems, leaves, and bullions.
It's coming together slowly, building one element at a time. More of everything to create, and a few more surprises...........
I love this!
Hope your week has been a good one!
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz


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"Drunk On You" by Luke Bryan
Why It Gets The Party Started: Who wouldn't want to have Luke Bryan at their bash? (The answer: no one.) Better yet, who wouldn't want to have this Entertainer Of The Year nominee serenading them and 15 of their closest friends before The Big Game? (Again, the answer: no one.)
For those reasons alone, "Drunk On You" is the perfect song to listen to while kicking back and watching your home team kick butt.
Photo: © Debby Wong/Corbis


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Boring Life Update: This week has been rather lazy. And then lo and behold, I caught something nasty AGAIN! I've been super congested and coughy (is that a word, I think not) all weekend. There must be a HUGE neon red sign on my forehead that says "the system has been compromised."And "the system" being my immune system, of course. But, all is good. I know I complain about facebook... but I really dislike status updates letting everyone know that the user is sick. Even the little frowny face after "I'm sick" doesn't make me want to drive chicken broth to the house. Everyone gets sick just like everyone poops. And I don't see updates about that very often. "I just pooped :("
Laura's bridal shower was this Saturday. AW! So sweet!
I'm wanting to fill my little heart with classic American Christmas memories before I leave for Chile. I can check this one off that list thanks to Lace (and her mom's funds). Oh, and we made these babies from scratch, even the frosting.
I'm looking forward to this week! Next Sunday I'll report some more interesting details.... maybe. MUahahahaha!


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Makeover 5 (Unfortunately, I don't know her name as it's not mentioned in the video or youtube description)
The outfit with the most votes in the fashion community will win. The winning outfit and corresponding video will get a $500 Wet Seal gift card. The runner ups will win a $250 gift card, and 3rd place will recieve a $100 gift card. The contest ends at 11:59 PM on August 30th, so start styling ASAP! If you want me to vote for your outfits to help you out with the contest, let me know. E-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com or contact me on myspace. You can also send me a message through the Wet Seal fashion community. My Wet Seal screen name is Charmed42787. Have fun styling, and good luck to everyone who participates!


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North Koreans Snub U.S. Officials For Discussions To Repatriate U.S. Troops' Remains
North Koreans officials did not appear for a Thursday meeting which was scheduled to discuss returning the remains of United States soldiers with Americans at the Korean border, according to The New York Times.
Even though North Korean leader Kim Jong un committed to returning the U.S. soldiers' remains during his June summit with President Donald Trump.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week working-level talks on returning to soldiers' remains would be held in Panmunjom on Thursday.
American military officials went to the peace village for Thursday's meeting but their North Korean counterparts never showed up, according to a United States defense official who spoke to The New York Times on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Another anonymous South Korean government official confirmed that the North Koreans did not show up for the meeting.


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Job Opportunities
Watford Colosseum is Watford's home of entertainment boasting some of the best live music, comedy and other entertainment outside Central London. Elton John, Rod Stewart, One Direction and Jimmy Carr are just a few big names that have starred on our stage. Watford Colosseum is also home to the BBC Concert Orchestra and has been used to record the soundtracks of films including Lord of the Rings, The Sound of Music and Star Wars.
Why work with us?
A career with Watford Colosseum is never dull, often challenging but at the same time fun and rewarding.
Working as the Watford Colosseum is popular with students as we offer a range of casual opportunities within hospitality, technical and marketing that can work around your studies.
Types of Roles
Providing an innovative dining, drinking and conference facilities with theatrical flair requires a range of talented chefs and friendly servers over a range of levels and employment types.
Ticket Office
The approachable Ticket Office team provide excellent customer service while proactively selling tickets in this customer-facing role offering fun and flexibility.
Often the hidden function of a theatre, these heroes make the show happen from assisting with the 'get-in' to managing the sound and lighting.
The marketing and promotions teams ensure our customers know about the broad-range of incredible events within the venues' many spaces in this busy but exciting department.
Administration and Management
Off the stage, a gifted group of administrators, finance and management teams ensure the venues run smoothly.
Could you be the next star in our team?We are looking for highly motivated individuals with exceptional customer service and a passion for live entertainment to join us at Watford Colosseum!
Building and Technical Manager
A rare opportunity to play a key role in our busy and productive venue which plays host to a huge variety of shows, events, corporate parties and conferences. You will be responsible for all building, technical and associated aspects of the venue, stage and events presentation. This includes advancing the shows, running get ins and get outs, forging productive relationships with touring companies and leading a department of enthusiastic and skilled Technicians.
Casual Bar & Hospitality Staff
You will be able to work a variety of shifts, have exceptional customer service skills and be able to work as part of a fun team. Previous bar/events experience is preferred. Over 18's only.
Hours will include evening and weekend work.
Benefits: Training and development with professional qualifications, team and individual incentives and competitions. Opportunity to work in a live venue and see shows.
To apply please complete and email the application form and a copy of your CV to firstname.lastname@example.com with the subject line Bar & Hospitality Staff.
Commis Chef ApprenticeshipWe're seeking an ambitious and organised self-starter who is keen to get started with a career in the kitchen.
Job Description Apply Now
Do you love theatre and the arts?
Have you ever considered Volunteering?
There are lots of reasons why people volunteer. It may be that you want to make use of your skills (or learn new ones). Perhaps you would like to broaden your work experience, give something back to your community...or perhaps you simply want to meet people and make new friends. Whatever the reasons, volunteering with Watford Colosseum is a really rewarding experience!
As a Watford Colosseum Volunteer Usher you'll be the face of the theatre, meeting and greeting our guests and ensuring that they have a fantastic experience when they visit us. We'll train, guide and support you so that you can volunteer for us with knowledge and confidence. We know that everyone has commitments in their lives, so we're flexible about when you volunteer.
Volunteering with Watford Colosseum is an opportunity to taste, first hand, life in a theatre environment. If you have time to spare and would like to find out more, we'd love to hear from you.
Meet the team
We're committed to training and developing our staff, preparing them for their next step in whichever direction that might be. Here's the proof.
Kathryn Lewin
Kathryn joined the Colosseum team as a Casual Ticketing Assistant in January 2013 before being promoted to Senior Ticketing Assistant in May of the same year. In December 2015, Kathryn switched departments to undertake the role of Marketing Assistant and then Venue Marketing Officer. Kathryn is now the Marketing Manager at Watford Colosseum.
Kath says: "There's never a dull day here… One minute we're promoting Peppa Pig, the next we are preparing for a huge sell-out Paul Weller concert! As a team, who genuinely love the arts, we work together to bring entertainment to Watford, from putting an event on sale, to bringing down the house lights and starting the show months later… as cliché as it sounds, the people here are like a second family and they make the everyday feel a lot less like work!"
Mike Christofi
Mike joined the Colosseum team as Technical and Buildings Manager in April 2013 with over 8 years of experience in the industry. Mike started his career as a Stage Technician at Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage before progressing to Aylesbury Waterside Theatre as Lighting Technician and then making his West End debut at the Duke of York Theatre as Chief Electrician.
Following on from this, Mike took the opportunity to join the HQT&H Senior Management team at Watford Colosseum which included improving the technical offering at the venue along with improving the facilities and management systems. After 3.5 years loyal service, Mike became the Building Operations and Technical Manager here where he works hard to keep the Watford Colosseum compliant in all its statutory certifications, health and safety responsibilities along with heading up various departments across the Venue. Within Mike's new role he works to ensure the venue consistently operates at full strength and ensure that we are always providing five star customer service to all our customers.
Mike says: "I am very proud to be a part of such an outstanding live entertainment venue with the best team in the industry. Every day is different and every day comes with new challenges. It's such a bright, vibrant, happy place to work and I consider myself very lucky to be part of the Colosseum team!"
About HQ Theatres & Hospitality
Watford Colosseum is one 12 venues within HQ Theatres & Hospitality's (HQT&H) current portfolio of regional theatres and concert halls. HQT&H currently manages 18 auditoria on behalf of local authorities, with capacities ranging from a 200 seat arts centre to a 2,400 seated/standing theatre. Last year HQT&H programmed a total of 2,354 shows which attracted attendances of over 1.5 million.
HQ Theatres & Hospitality (HQT&H), the UK's second-largest venue operator, is a division of Qdos Entertainment Ltd, one of the largest entertainment Groups in Europe.
View Other Careers with HQ Theatres & Hospitality
Watford Colosseum is committed to being an equal opportunities employer. The aim is to ensure that all employees are treated equally and are employed solely on the basis of their ability and potential to do the job, regardless of their race, colour, gender, sexuality, disability, age, religion or beliefs.


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Equivalent Frame Analysis for Lateral Loadsby M. Daniel Vanderbilt, (M.ASCE), Prof. of Civ. Engrg.; Colorado State Univ., Ft Collins, Colo.,
Serial Information: Journal of the Structural Division, 1979, Vol. 105, Issue 10, Pg. 1981-1998
Document Type: Journal Paper
The equivalent frame method for analyzing reinforced concrete buildings described in the ACI Building Code Requirements (ACI 318-77) is suitable for analyzing single stories for gravity loading only. A new procedure that permits using the equivalent frame concepts for the analysis of multistory buildings for both lateral and gravity loads is described. Limited verification studies show the method predicts lateral deflections that generally agree with measured deflections. Comparisons of the new analytical procedure with conventional plane frame analyses made using effective slab widths are given. Problems and limitations in applying the method in plane frame and space frame analyses are reviewed.
Subject Headings: Lateral loads | Gravity loads | Space frames | Concrete frames | Frames | Structural analysis | Load factors | Reinforced concrete
Services: Buy this book/Buy this article
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Sony Xperia SP is a mid range Android smartphone that comes with decent performances on an affordable price tag. Due to same reasons, this device is quite appreciated and popular along worldwide Android users. Well, because of that, I have decided to show you how to easily improve the performances of your Xperia SP by installing the Android 4.4.2 KitKat based CM11 custom ROM firmware on your smartphone.
As you might know, an unofficial port of CM11 has been previously released for the Xperia SP; the update was buggy and there were a few problems with the OS, but now we have an improved variant of CM11 for your Xperia SP – you can flash the custom ROM for daily use. The update process can be easily applied, though many users had complained about the flashing operation. So, in order to help you out, we have developed the present step by step guide which can be safely and easily applied on the Sony Xperia SP. But for further info about the same, don't hesitate and read the guidelines from below.
CM11 represents a free aftermarket distribution of Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS that is now available and compatible with your Sony Xperia SP. This is a custom ROM and not an official update, so CM11 has nothing to do with Sony or with Google. In that matter, it should be clear for you that this update operation isn't official and by completing the same you will lose your Xperia SP warranty – if you have doubts and if you think that you might end up in bricking your device, maybe the best will be to stop going any further.
Anyway, if you follow the guidelines from this tutorial everything will be fine. Furthermore, the warranty can be anytime restored as soon as you choose to update or downgrade your Android smartphone to stock or official Android OS – you will have to apply the Android firmware manually by using Flashtool.
CM11 is one of the most powerful and popular Android 4.4.2 based custom ROM firmware available on the market. The software comes with stock and extra (that cannot be found on the default KitKat platform) features, apps and capabilities that can be used for powering up the performances of your Sony Xperia SP. Moreover, with this custom ROM flashed, you will be able to customize and optimize your device and you will be able to speed it up and to upgrade its battery life.
But, for being able to install Android 4.4.2 KK CM 11 custom ROM on Xperia SP by using this tutorial, first you have to root your SP. Also, after gaining root access you need to flash a custom recovery image on your phone – use the latest version of CWM or TWRP recovery in that matter. Don't skip these operations as without the same you can't complete this step by step guide. Be careful as all these procedures aren't official – use compatible methods that have been already tested on the Xperia SP as you don't want to end up in bricking your Android device.
Another thing to do before starting the update process is a backup. By using a custom recovery image for flashing a custom ROM, a wipe is being required. So, all of your data from your Sony Xperia SP will be wiped out. Due to same reasons a backup is highly recommended; you should use backup and restore apps for saving your personal data, info and accounts and your contacts, call logs, text messages or market apps. Also, you should use the custom recovery image for saving your current ROM – make a Nandroid backup.
Good; after taking care of your data ensure that you can use a computer, your phone and its USB cable. CM11 will be downloaded on your PC, so a connection between your computer and your Xperia SP will have to be established – enable the USB debugging option on your phone (go to menu – settings – developer options). Also, on your computer you should first disable the antivirus and security protection – only temporarily as these programs might interfere with the download process. Then, you should charge your handset because it might get bricked, in case it gets turned off in the middle of the update operation – do that especially if the battery power shows less than 50% power left. Moreover, complete this guide only if you own the Sony Xperia Sp and no other Android device as the steps from below are compatible only with the same.
How to Update Sony Xperia SP with CM11 Android 4.4.2 KitKat Custom ROM
- Download the CM11 Android 4.4.2 KitKat update file from here and Google Apps package from here – save these files on your computer and don't unzip the same.
- Connect your smartphone with your PC via USB cable and transfer the downloaded files from computer to your Xperia SP SD card.
- Unplug the USB cord and enter your Android device in recovery mode.
- From recovery select "wipe data factory reset", "wipe cache partition" and "wipe dalvick cache".
- Return to recovery and pick "install zip from SD card" followed by "choose zip from SD card".
- First flash the CM11 custom ROM and then re-apply the last step and install Google Apps package on your Sony Xperia SP.
- In the end, from main menu of recovery select "reboot system now" and you are done.
- If your phone will get stuck in a boot loop, go back to recovery and select "wipe data factory reset" and "wipe cache partition" once more as this should resolve your problem.
There you have it; that was the easiest way in which you can update your Sony Xperia SP with CM11 Android 4.4.2 KitKat custom ROM firmware. Now test the software and see how it performs on your device; of course if there are bugs or issues, don't hesitate and share the same with us and with our readers by using the comments field from below.


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My boyfriend scored me this awesome Art Deco-esque chest of drawers with a scalloped mirror, although it got a tiny bit cracked in the process of moving it from his place to mine. Check out my amazing rubbery Bambi lamp (a Trademe score) and my very own Golden the Pony Boy (a relic from a crafty boy I dated at age 16).
Today we all went opshopping together in Newtown, and I got this awesome old school desk and chair from two separate shops, although they go perfectly together. It was only $26 total for both of them! Also pictured: me trying to decide whether or not to get some silver glittery Goldenponies mary-janes. I also got the cross-stitched Virgin Mary today for a pittance.
Also expect some nice outfit posts in the future, as Kita is an excellent photographer and has assured me she'll pick up where my brother has left off.


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Big Road Win For Huskies in Tempe
C.J. Wilcox scored 17 points, Andrew Andrews added 14 and Washington raced past Arizona State 76-65 Thursday night in both teams' Pac-12 opener.
Washington (9-5) dominated almost from the start, building a 17-point halftime lead and extending it by doing almost whatever it wanted against Arizona State's defense.
The Huskies scored 42 points in the paint and had 11 offensive rebounds that led to 12 second-chance points.
Nigel Willams-Goss had 12 points and seven rebounds for Washington, which plays top-ranked Arizona on Saturday.
Arizona State (11-3) fell flat once Washington got rolling.
The Sun Devils stagnated offensively in an awful first half and had a rough night from the 3-point arc, making 2 of 14.
Jahii Carson led Arizona State with 15 points. Shaquielle McKissic and Jordan Bachynski added 13 points each.


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Raw eggs for dogs?
Many people recommend raw eggs for dogs, but is this a good idea?
Because uncooked food can be a breeding ground for bacteria, you may be asking the question, "Should you feed your dog raw eggs?"
Some people say eggs are:
- Too high in cholesterol,
- Pose a risk of salmonella, and
- Cause a biotin deficiency in dogs.
This might lead you believe that feeding your dog raw eggs is risky, but the truth is actually quite the contrary. Yes, your dog can eat raw eggs!
Raw eggs for dogs are not only a good idea, they're a cheap and safe option too. In fact, eggs are one of the most complete and nutritious products you can choose for your dog!
Egg whites do contain enzyme inhibitors
One of the reasons some experts warn dog owners against feeding dogs eggs is that the whites contain enzyme inhibitors which can interfere with your dog's digestion, especially in young puppies.
While this is true, it only means that eggs should never be the main ingredient of your dog's diet.
It is typically safe to give a dog several eggs a week, but start out slowly to ease any potential digestive upset. Feed you dog one raw egg and if there is no digestive change you can safely start increasing it until eggs become a regular part of his or her diet.
If your dog does experience digestive upset, try cooking the eggs instead of feeding your dog raw eggs. There is a downside to this because raw eggs are far more nutritious.
Eggs are a complete food source
Raw eggs for dogs is a great idea because eggs are an important source of nutrition.
An egg has all the nutrients necessary to grow a new chicken. They are also one of the most complete source of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.
Eggs are a good source of the following vitamins:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
- Folate
- Riboflavin
- Iron
- Selenium
- Fatty Acids
Will feeding your dog egg whites cause a biotin deficiency?
Some say raw eggs for dogs isn't a good idea because egg whites contain avidin, a biotin inhibitor. Biotin is one of the B vitamins that is essential for fatty acid metabolism, cellular growth, and good skin and coat.
The truth is biotin deficiencies are not common in dogs. If fact, they're pretty rare and it would take a large amount of egg whites to cause a biotin deficiency in your dog.
The flip side is that egg yolks are rich in biotin, so as long as you feed your dog the entire egg, you don't need to worry.
Cooking the egg white decreases the biotin risk but your dog will lose much of the nutritional value.
Do raw eggs pose a salmonella risk for dogs?
While eggs may contain salmonella, a dogs' digestive system is generally well-equipped to handle the bacteria in raw foods.
Because the health of the chicken plays a role in the possibility of salmonella in eggs, the safest option is to choose eggs from organic, free-range chickens. Also be mindful to store the eggs at a cool temperature to minimize the production of harmful bacteria.
Should you feed your dog egg shells?
The answer is yes! Your dog can eat the egg shells too! When fed with the shell on, raw eggs are virtually complete food source for dogs!
In fact, the shells can be valuable for dogs who find it hard to eat bones. Simply dry the egg shells out, grind them into powder form and sprinkle the powder on your dog's food.
Remember, many eggs are sprayed with a chemical to make them look shiny so it is always best to get eggs from a local organic farmer.
Eggs may be cheap, but they are a terrific source of nutrition for your dog.
Weighing the pros and cons and adding the overall consensus between raw dog food experts, feeding raw eggs to you dog is definitely a great idea. Try feeding your dogs a few eggs a week and you'll see the health benefits – inside and out.


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Seminar: Jun Choi(KITECH) "Microwave-excited Cold Plasmas at Atmospheric Pressure: Design, Fabrication and Biomedical Applications"
Speaker : Jun Choi
This lecture deals with the design, fabrication, characterization and biomedical applications of microwave-excited non-thermal microplasma sources based on coaxial transmission line resonators. The sources are capable of generating electric fields of ∼106 V/m with microwave power. These devices can self-ignite helium or argon discharges in a wide pressure range including atmospheric pressure. The gas temperature in an argon discharge open to atmospheric air is ∼400 K. The working gases passed through the device can result in the formation of plasma jets suitable for surface treatments. The device efficiency on transferring the input power into the plasma is 50–85 % depending on the gas used. No thermal damage or electrode erosion has been observed in the devices. A low-power palm-size microwave power module for portable microwave-excited plasma applicable to various fields is integrated on a single printed circuit board. The designed board includes a power amplifier chip, a phase-locked loop (PLL) chip, and an impedance matching network with microstrip lines. In addition, as a part of the true one-chip integration of the plasma power module, the PLL is designed and fabricated in a semiconductor chip with a 0.18-μm CMOS technology for dedicated use to our plasma source. Biomedical applications such as bacteria inactivation, tooth bleaching and protein removal with the handheld plasma system will be introduced.


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We interrupt these travel posts (which are dragging on FOREVER and have entirely too many pictures) to pull my head out of the clouds and back to real life, here in the present. It's so fun to re-live our summer Europe adventures through blogging about them. It's a lot of work, but I do it in home that the posts will compel my kids to spend their computer time reading and remembering and weaving these experiences securely into the fabric of who they are. It's got to be done and there are a few more to come. But I also want to live in the present. And life is whizzing by me so fast that I can barely grasp it! We've all settled into the school year, but it has been rough. It's always a huge transition from our slow summer pace into the ticking clock pace of the school year. But this year has been particularly rough. Hazel's back to school after her home school year (rough transition….11 is just hard), Peter is in pre-school for quite a few more hours than he was last year, Emmeline actually has homework, everyone is back into music lessons with band instruments piled on top and I am going through a little mini mid-life crisis (which I hope to blog about soon). So, it feels like quite an accomplishment to say we've settled into the year, it's been quite a ride. The fall here this year has been spectacular. With these vibrant colors painting my days it's hard not to feel grateful. It just feels so soothing on the eyes to be constantly beholding such loveliness. Fall is the time of year to live in Boston. March, not so much. We have been spending as much time as possible in the Fells reservation right by us. I love living so close to miles of woodland and reservoir with trails running around and across it. I've been trying to go for a long run there once a week. Something about those woods makes me feel alive, connected to God and clear headed. I've also been trying to get my kids into the woods once a week. It is a FIGHT to get them there. I have to coax and drag and urge and command and beg. But, once we are there everyone is happy. All the grudges and battles dissolve in the fresh air. The kids breath and their minds are set free. I swear their brains change in nature, they think differently, their imaginations are unlocked, they connect with each other and themselves. I'm not sure if the wild quells all the chaos that has been happening in our home, or if its just easier not to notice it with all the space and beauty surrounding us. A few shots from my runs in the Fells. Guys, this picture (below) is straight out of camera! the light really was like that. It blew me away. I think that's one of the things I love about nature, it has the power to really quite literally take your breath away for a second. To take you out of what you thought possible into a new space of creation and transcendent beauty.
We're trying (and mostly failing) to be more thankful this season. I've tried to get everyone to write in a gratitude journal. I've even dangled a movie and date night out there as a bribe for anyone who does it for the whole month, but I think it's another of my failed parenting attempts. So many great intentions! I am doing it though, and it's slowly changing my balance. Those few minutes each night, thinking about things that fill my life with goodness is transformative. I hope to help my children learn the magic in this.
We've been also trying to memorize a quote on the way to school each week. (Again, not doing a great job….in fact we've only really made it through one quote for the whole school year so far…...but it's a good one)
So, to wrap up this super random post from the Shumway present I'd like to share some of the pictures from our annual back to school apple picking fest. In lieu of school pictures for years now I have been taking my kids up to our favorite orchard with their favorite books of the year to take some portraits. Here are our book and apple photos from 2015.
Hazel has been reading aloud to these two littler ones this year, I can hear her enthusiastic voice all the way downstairs and it makes me smile and smudges out some of the other tween stuff that's been bugging me. This girl is really golden.
Ok, back to head in the clouds, heart in the past Europe posts. They'll be done soon, I hope, cause I have a lot of pent up stuff to say here in this space. And because the present is pretty awesome when I stop to see it (and write it).


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Your GQ Guide To Writing The Perfect Obama Kiss-Off
Are you feeling despondent over Obama's debate performance in Denver last week? Disheartened by Romney's post-debate bump in the polls? Dismayed? Disillusioned? Some other D-word? Good news: The commentariat wants to hear from you. After the president's belly flop in Denver last week, the hot new micro-trend among Obama supporters is to dump him publicly. So pour your heart into your own presidential Dear John. Leave nothing on the table. But first, some things to consider:
Acknowledge the hardships this admission will cost you
Let's face it. You are a card-carrying member of the media elite, "those who, you know, live in high-rise apartment buildings writing for fancy newspapers in the middle of town after they ride the metro," as Newt Gingrich said during the primary. And your friends, maybe even some of your family members, are fucking thought fascists. They will never forgive you for this. We're talking dirty glares at the next book party for Chris Hayes. We're talking no one to pass you the agave syrup at the local Pret A Manger counter. We're talking passive aggressive hate-tweets from that guy you were so generous to at that cocktail party that one time.
Acknowledge your act of bravery: Admit that, "This is not a frivolous decision, nor is it an easy one. I grew up on the Upper West Side of New York..."
Confess that: "I fear that I will lose friends, some of whom I hold inside my heart."
Just own up to it: "I'm sorry if these are not things an Obama supporter should say at this point. But the demoralization is profound."
Above all: don't back down.
Find the Psychological Reading of Obama That Really Suits You
Like any professionally licensed therapist worth his salt, try to discern everything you need to know about Obama from one 90-minute session. Certainly, his weak performance in one debate has reversed the entire year of campaigning and four years of governing. Like this: "I'm trying to see a silver lining. But when a president self-immolates on live TV, and his opponent shines with lies and smiles, and a record number of people watch, it's hard to see how a president and his party recover."
When going all in and coming out for the other guy, remember that you're going to have to explain, with great thoughtfulness, why you've chosen to go back on an entire agenda that you presumably once supported—like, you know, the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the end of the War in Iraq, health care reform, the auto industry rescue, support for gay marriage...basically an entire ideological worldview about the role of government in our daily lives.
Alternately, you can just toss that out for a second, because that sounds difficult, and didn't the president seem so bored? And don't you agree that Mitt Romney just seems to want the job so much more? Everyone knows that the first ironclad rule of politics is that the politician who wants the power most deserves the job. You should argue something like: "At the debate, Romney did not simply act like he wanted to be president. He wants to be president. He showed vigor, and enthusiasm, and excitement, a man who wants to lead." On the other hand, "I am not sure Obama really wants to be president in any practical way. He hates the rolling up of sleeves and schmoozing that is politics. I respect his principles, the way he does not veer from them, but politics is not principle whether we like it or not. It is friendliness and compromise."
Find the Right Tone
It's important, especially if you've been known to jump the gun or overreact in the past (see for example: this or this or this or this), to approach this subject more in sadness than in anger. Some suggestions when concern trolling the president:
Try saying that it really pains you to kick our loser POTUS when he's down. Or that you're heartbroken you just can't get that little thrill going up your leg any more for the guy. Like: "Maybe if Romney can turn this whole campaign around in 90 minutes, Obama can now do the same. But I doubt it. A sitting president does not recover from being obliterated on substance, style, and likability in the first debate and get much of a chance to come back. He has, at a critical moment, deeply depressed his base and his supporters and independents are flocking to Romney in droves."
Don't forget to mention how much more you liked him four years ago: "Four years ago, all Obama had to do was speak and everyone swooned. That was four years ago. It is now four years later. He is no longer the chosen one. He is just too cool for school in a country desperate for the infectiousness of rejuvenation."
Bonus Features
Augment your story with a multimedia component that reinforces your point. Like a video of yourself freaking out among colleagues:
Or a dramatic blog image caption: (Photo: Obama as he imploded, by Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images.)
A note about where to publish:
You're going to do gangbusters traffic wherever you publish this. But. There is one well-known publication with a particular taste for stoking controversy, some would say trolling, and catching the attention of a certain hat-wearing media maven—oh, what the hell: It's The Daily Beast. Publish your article at The Daily Beast.
[Hunger Reads: Biggest Obama Freak-Outs of the Day
[Are You Ready for the Summer? Are You Ready for the Good Times? Are You Ready for Your Anti-Abortion Arts and Crafts?
[Mitt Bin Ein Berliner: Romney's Big Foreign Policy Speech
Follow Marin Cogan on Twitter for more updates from the political scene in Washington and on the campaign trail.


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Environmental Resources952-891-7000
Each city and township (except the City of Randolph, administers their own septic program and has special requirements for property transactions when the property is served by septic systems. Dakota County has responsibility for septic systems in the City of Randolph and in the shoreland/floodplain areas of townships. For any questions, contact your municipal septic inspector. See a list of cities and townships in Dakota County.
Septic systems inspected before property is sold A compliance inspection is required before a property is sold. Failing systems must be repairedThe seller or buyer of a failing system that is an imminent threat to public health or safety must have the system repaired or replaced within 30 days after notification from the municipality.
If winter or excessive rain conditions prevent proper sewage system replacement, the owner is required to take appropriate action, such as having the septic tank(s) pumped or using less water, to eliminate any actual or imminent threat to public health or safety.
The seller or buyer of a failing system that is not an imminent threat to public health or safety must have the sewage system upgraded to a complying sewage system within 10 months after notification from the municipality.
Last updated:


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The tug-of-war over Tsar Samuil – Bulgarian or Macedonian? Tsar Samuil figures prominently in both Bulgarian and Macedonian history, a fact that is a source of great animosity between the two countries [read more]
GNK Dinamo Zagreb: Has the Mamić Era Come to an End? GNK Dinamo Zagreb's executive director Zdravko Mamić announced his resignation once again. At the same time an initiative "For our Dinamo", composed of Croatian ex-football stars, is determined to crush Mamić's 11 harsh years [read more]
The Questionable Conditions of Studying in Macedonia While many of the European students often argue about their studying conditions in Western Europe, a look into the college-level studying conditions in Macedonia will leave them humble. [read more]
Presidential elections in Macedonia: a struggle with identity On the 13th of April and the 27th of April the citizens of Macedonia, of which about 20 % is Albanian, will decide in two ballots who will move in the Presidential Residence. Three women express their opinion on the three male candidates [read more]
Dežulović's European Press Prize award – a step forward for Balkan-journalism 17th March 2014 was a festive day for Balkan-journalism, but above all for Boris Dežulović who was bestowed with the Commentator Award of the European Press Prize [read more]
From Kosovo to Crimea: Double Standards? The declaration of Russian President Vladimir Putin comparing Crimea's and Kosovo's secession provoked loud reactions in the Balkans, but on the West as well. By accusing the West for hypocrisy, Putin revived the topic of Kosovo and the question of its legitimacy. The US and the EU strongly deny this comparison [read more]
Epochal Football draw: Kosovo Kicks its Way to International Recognition "Kosovo – Haiti 0:0. As I said earlier, regardless result, Kosovo won" tweeted enthusiastically on the 5th March Hashim Thaci, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, after the first intenationally-recognized match played by the Kosovar national team against the representation of Haiti. Not for the first time in the history, football was about much more than the final score [read more]
The Past of Balkans Nominees might get in the Way of Nobel Peace Prize The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, a political group in the European Parliament, officially nominated High Representative Catherine Ashton, Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi and Serbian Prime Minister Ivaca Dačić for the Nobel Peace Prize [read more]
Serbia starts accession's negociations with the EU On the 21st January 2014, the 1st Intergovernmental Conference was held in Brussels, marking the formal start of Serbia's accession negotiations. The beginning of EU accession negotiations brought positive publicity to Belgrade, the highest one since [read more]
Goodbye and Farewell, Čika Mišo Sarajevo mourns Čika Mišo, a Roma from Kosovo and the last shoe shiner of the city, who died on January 6th, aged 83 [read more]
Bosnia & Croatia: a negative-sum game When Croatia joins the EU on the first of July, Bosnia-Herzegovina will lose its heretofore closest trading partner as its exports are excluded from the single market. This offers further challenges to an administration already mired in difficulty [read more]
Skopje 2014: an unexpected master-class in nation building Skopje 2014 is a gargantuan public works project to transform the historic centre of the Macedonian capital, but it comes at a time of economic difficulty and in a context of fierce criticism [read more]
Kanun: Blood should be repaid with blood. The tradition of blood feud has very deep roots in Albanian world, starting from a code of honor called "Kanuni i Leke Dukagjinit". Unfortunately this tradition still remains present despite the flow of time [read more]
The Kosovo Diary Today is the ninth of November 2009. On the TV screen, under the umbrella, Lech Walesa is bringing down the first domino of the improvised Berlin wall. Various important people are passing in front of my eyes [read more]
A bridge between the Europe and the Balkans Officially Slovenia does not count as one of the countries of the Balkan. However, it used to be one of the six Yugoslav republics. A past difficult to handle for Slovenes [read more]
How we in the Balkans kill rats In 1997 at the Venice Biennale, world famous performer artist Marina Abramovic, performed Balkan Baroque, which included among others, a performance entitled "How we in the Balkans kill rats" [read more]
The unforgettable Albanian taste René Redzepi, the famous chef of the Noma restaurant in Copenhagen is not only inspired by his Nordic roots. All his childhood summers were spent in Macedonia, among his Albanian father's family. The best restaurant [read more]
Underground, the other Yugoslavia Once upon a time… there was a country called Yugoslavia, created and killed by a war. While the Second World War had ended, a group of people was kept hidden for twenty years in the canals under Belgrade [read more]
Belgrade – the must go for Balkan cinema lovers On the contrary of Cannes or Hollywood, Belgrade is not known as one of the big cinematographic centers. Nevertheless, the capital of Serbia welcomes two famous films festivals, FEST and Festival Slobodna Zona [read more]


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CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE — Stroke play medalist Bobby Wyatt of the University of Alabama didn't necessarily cruise into the third round of match play at the United States Amateur.
The Crimson Tide junior held off Australia's Matthew Steiger to win 2-up on Thursday morning at Cherry Hills Country Club.
Wyatt will face teammate Justin Thomas, who hails from just outside of Louisville, Ky., in Goshen. Thomas beat Max Homa.
Rhode Island's Bobby Leopold, who is the No. 40 seed, advanced to the Round of 16 with a convincing 4-and-3 win over eighth-seeded Devin Miertschin.
Thursday's play will feature two 18-hole matches. The Round of 16 matches are set to begin at 1:15 p.m.
Thomas Pieters, the reigning NCAA champion from the University of Illinois by way of Belgium, aced the par-3 No. 6. Pieters used an 8-iron on the 177-yard hole. It was the first hole-in-one in the amateur since 2010. Thomas won 3-and-1.


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This retro inspired dress from lady mayra features: skulls and red roses on a black background, black halterneck that ties in a bow, sweetheart neckline with black lapels, 3 black buttons on the bodice, hidden zip at the back, solid waistband in black, full circle skirt, 22" in length from waist to hem. How to wear it: can be worn with or without a 22" petticoat (petticoat not included). Fitting advice: made of high quality cotton fabric (100% cotton). There is an elasticated panel at the back (along the top) for a snug fit around the bust. But there is no stretch at the waistline so make sure to check your waist measurements against the size chart to find your perfect fit, and if between sizes, opt for the next one up. Care instructions: machine washable.


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Building on the success of their reprinting of Jeff Smith's "Bone," childrens' book publisher Scholastic announced their new Graphix line of original graphic novels for young readers at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Though Scholastic is best known as the publisher of the "Harry Potter" and "Captain Underpants" books, they are also familiar to children and parents for their school book fairs. Their books reach 95% of the classrooms in the US and they have the largest school book fair program in the nation and possibly in the world.
Appearing at the "Graphix: Bringing Great Comics to Kids!" panel moderated by Scott Robins Saturday at CCI were Senior Vice-President Jean Feiwel, Vice-President/Creative Director David Saylor and artists Raina Telgemeier ("Take Out" mini-comic, Girlamatic.com's "Smile") and Chynna Clugston ("Blue Monday," "Scooter Girl").
The next book to follow "Bone" in the Graphix series is Clugston's "Queen Bee," a story about the middle-school rivalry between two girls who both happen to have telekinetic powers, and the competition that builds between them as they both attempt to climb to the top of the all-important social pyramid. Following in Spring 2006 is the first in a series of graphic novel adaptations of the classic "Babysitter's Club." Other books on the schedule include Greg Ruth's "The Woodland Chronicles"; "Breaking Up" by Christine Norrie ("Hopeless Savages"); an adaptation of Stanslaw Lem's "The Seventh Voyage" by Jon J Muth; a "Goosebumps" series with contributions from Scott Morse; and an adaptation of Peter S. Beagle's "The Last Unicorn."
Raina Telgemeier described the "Babysitter's Club," Ann Martin's 20-year-old series of over 200 paperback books for pre-teen girls, as "a very formative book series for me" and described how deeply ingrained they are into her childhood memories. Having been primarily an autobiographical cartoonist, the sense that the events of the stories are virtually indistinguishable from her own memories has made the process of adapting the books much easier and more exciting for her. The books are not an update of the series, since the publisher feels they do not need updating; "…they were emotionally true then, they are emotionally true now and they will continue to be emotionally true in the future," said Feiwel.
Autobiographical detail also informs Chynna Clugston's "Queen Bee," which she describes as being about all the ways that popular kids are cruel to each other. While working on the book, she began to realize that the popular kids didn't really have it a lot easier than the kids they picked on. The book explores the popularity contest among middle-school children, their interactions and "a lot of peer stuff."
Despite the popularity of the "Harry Potter" series, Scholastic states that "merchandising is a secondary concern" and that the primary goal is to produce engaging, age-appropriate books for readers age 8-12. "The world has changed," and schools and libraries are embracing the graphic novel format, according to Saylor, graphic novels provide a form of "visual literacy that will compel children; they aren't afraid of the format." New research on visual learning and reluctant reading provides the data to support the value of the comic format in encouraging children to read and Scholastic, with an extremely large and effective distribution system which includes the traditional "gatekeepers," is uniquely positioned to bring graphic novels to young readers.


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Hinged in good condition but third value without gum.
Payment: Bank transfer within Euro Zone, Paypal, Cash at own risk.
Shipping: Registered worldwide in larger envelope. There will be no more ordinary shipments!
Unpaid items will be relisted or go somewhere else after about 14 days.�
Please be aware that I can not do "calculated" shipping and that often the checkout function here does not work properly.�I always send an invoice with all the information neccessary to pay me through your paypal account.


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Contact: Paula Valentine, 631-687-4759
Contact: Chris Soller, 631-687-4752
Patchogue, New York - The force of wind and storm surge caused by Hurricane Sandy, October 29, 2012, caused two breaches within the boundaries of Fire Island National Seashore. The breaches on Fire Island occurred: (1) within Smith Point County Park; and (2) within the vicinity of Old Inlet in the Federal Wilderness Area. Within 48 hours of the storm the Breach Contingency Plan (BCP), put in place in 1997 to address any breaches that impact coastal Long Island from Fire Island Inlet east to Montauk Point, was implemented by a multi-agency group including the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. "The National Park Service is taking the breach seriously. Our goal is to monitor the breach closely and ensure that the long-term protection of the Long Island's south shore is taken into account," says Fire Island Superintendent Chris Soller.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NPS, USACE, and other coastal experts have been regularly monitoring the wilderness breach conditions, water levels, and water quality in Great South Bay. The most recent data indicates the wilderness breach is approximately 230 feet in width at its widest point. The NPS and USGS will conduct a second deployment of instrumentation today to measure tidal exchange through the wilderness breach and breach morphology.
The wilderness breach appears to be filling in through natural processes, the inlet remains stable, and water levels have returned to pre-Sandy levels. Experts from NY Sea Grant and Stony Brook University continue to monitor water levels in Great South Bay to ensure the levels remain within range and to update partner agencies so decisions can be made based on the best data available.
The BCP calls for monitoring of the wilderness breach to determine if it will close on its own. Allowing breaches to fill naturally has substantial benefits to barrier islands such as Fire Island. These include improved water quality in the bay, sand movement into the bay that facilitates salt marsh development, widening the barrier island, increasing resiliency for future storms, and providing spawning grounds and habitat for marine species. The National Park Service is committed to closing the breach if it is determined that the wilderness breach will not close naturally and it is also determined that water levels have increased in Great South Bay along Long Island's south shore in the proximity of the breach. Any changes to the breach that contribute to water levels in Great South Bay exceeding pre-Sandy conditions would be addressed immediately.
The breach at Smith Point County Park has filled in partially, and the USACE, now lead agency on the closure of the breach in the county park, will reinforce the breach with fill up to 9 feet.
For the latest status of impacts and re-openings, please visit the following links:


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Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats; the show has already begun. Fire up your cell phones and let someone know where you are: on a set of glowing glass bleachers, with a front-and-center view of Times Square. Directly in front, the statue of Father Duffy stands with his back to the audience, facing the proscenium like the stage manager in Our Town. Dusk blazes among the twinkling marquees and the palisade of glaring signs. You're part of the razzmatazz, toomembers of the ensemble perched on a glossy scarlet staircase to nowhere. The little raked red piazza slung over the shoulders of the new TKTS booth is a work of exuberant uselessness and brilliant urbanism. At once humble and flashy, it distills the theatrical urge that electrified architecture in the last decade.
The solid structure has the feel of a load-bearing hologram. After dark, it looks as though it were fabricated entirely of light. The truth is almost as crazy: Glass walls and glass beams support glass stairs protected by glass rails. The apparently brittle wedge is warmed by natural heat, piped from underground by a geothermal apparatus that hums in the window. The machinery is part of the magic.
New York has just experienced its most effervescent period of architectural ferment in decades, fed by a vision of the city as an arena for the performance art of spending money. Vast condo windows packaged the city as a suite of cinematic views and transformed apartments into dioramas of expensive lives. Celebrity architects costumed their buildings in façades so telegenic they might be auditioning for a car commercial. In the thirties, the philosopher-critic Walter Benjamin deplored the way Paris had created a dream world of shops and shoppers, a consumerist city of spectacle. In the last ten years, New York has embraced Benjamin's nightmare, lustily equipping itself with architecture of commercial display. The century began with Trump World Tower, a bronze-glass icon of the entitled life that was born to be a location for The Apprentice. As the decade wanes, workers are touching up the makeup on Jean Nouvel's 100 Eleventh Avenue, whose spangled skin swirls toward the sunset in a burst of camera-ready glamour.
If the city provides both audience and stage, it also plays the hero of an open-ended drama, a picaresque tragicomedy of development. In the gnarled tale of the rebuilding at ground zero, a cast of characters worthy of commedia dell'arte paraded across the public's consciousness: the grasping developer (played by Larry Silverstein), the vainglorious governor (George Pataki), the inspirational artiste (Daniel Libeskind), and the pragmatic architect (David Childs), plus a chorus of bureaucrats and visionaries. When Libeskind won the competition to draft a World Trade Center master plan, he beguiled the public with a fantastical set of pictures a set design, reallythat bore only tangential similarity to the real world. His glittering Valhalla triggered an appetite for theatrical urban visions. Developers detected that sudden craving and quickly turned expressive architecture from an idealistic dream into a consumer commodity. They wanted their buildings infused with a breath of awe, but they would settle for a quick hit of wow.
Meanwhile, another less grandiose morality play took place all across the city: the drama of gentrification. Masonry buildings were struck, glass ones raised, and in some areas it appeared as if the skyline had been winched up higher overnight. In parts of Brooklyn, crappy but pricey condos went up at the speed of a road show's load-in. A new and youthful cast of residents transformed neighborhoods by dint of galleries and organic-coffee shopsthen decided that change had gone far enough. Après moi, no more gentrification.
Our straitened period makes it easy to tut-tut this circus of excess and display. Certainly the pursuit of architectural novelty and ruthless disregard for history have done plenty of damage. Everybody has a favorite memory of a low brick block with a bar and a candy store that gave way to a glass behemoth. But the city thrived even as it rewrote itself, because its magnetic pull has always depended on its ability to nurture fantasy, to lend humdrum lives a sense of collective drama.
One man who understood this was the architect and stage designer Joseph Urban, whose six-story International Magazine Building first bedazzled passersby in 1928. (At first survey, I feel it is perhaps a stunt, hazarded The New Yorker's critic.) Imperial columns support nothing but ceremonial urns, as pairs of sculpted extras in medieval garb stand at their feet. Urban built his blond concrete caprice at the behest of William Randolph Hearst, and had the Depression not intervened, he would have topped it with a flamboyant tower.


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Music Video: Taps - Burn The Roses
Written by Mark J
We featured Taps, real name Taps Mugadza, last year, firstly in our YouTube Talent section, and then again when he released his Boi-1da, Osinachi Nwaneri, Bali Harko and T-Collar produced EP 'Almost Home'. The EP was the culmination of him following his musical dream from Zimbabwe to the U.S., with Taps saying that 'the EP is definitely going to be a reflection of the influences that I've had in my life...we're just trying to create a sound that reflects who I am', and here is the video for the song 'Burn The Roses'.
Download: Taps - Almost Home (EP)


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Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
An Israeli soldier was shot and killed along the northern border with Lebanon late Sunday night.
The incident occurred near Rosh Hanikra along the Mediterranean coast. Master Sgt. Shlomi Cohen, 31, was traveling in a non-military vehicle when he came under fire from the Lebanese side of the border.
Lebanese media later confirmed that the attack was carried out by a lone Lebanese army soldier, who managed to get off 6–7 shots before his fellow soldiers stopped him.
Israeli forces immediately responded with fire on a Lebanese army post, wounding one Lebanese soldier. Israel also filed a stern protest with the UN, which supposedly maintains order along the border in question.
The UN said in response that both Israel and Lebanon are cooperating in the investigation into the incident, and urged both sides to "exercise restrain."
Israel subsequently beefed up its military presence along the border, and Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorist militia also went on high alert should the situation escalate further.
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Price: $16,130 (most recent)
[photo: 2010 Toyota Corolla / credit: Toyota]
Love cars? Visit our Autos section!
TORRANCE, Los Angeles County(KCBS)— Toyota's announcement this week that it's moving roughly 3,000 sales and finance jobs from Southern California to Texas must be music to Governor Rick Perry's ears.
The Japanese automaker is picking up from its U.S. headquarters in Torrance and is headed for Plano, a suburb of Dallas. The move has some questioning California's business climate and its ability to compete with Texas for jobs.
"No matter how our governor's office [Jerry Brown] tries to spin this, it's a blow. It's a particular blow for Torrance. Toyota and Torrance were synonymous since the 70s when they moved here," said Bob Gardner, founder and president of The Advocacy Group, a San Francisco based firm specializing in corporate, crisis and political communications.
Gardner said 3,000 jobs doesn't sound like a lot in a huge state in California, but that it's really more the psychological damage that will be done.
Factors like tax breaks and the hospitality provided in the Lone-Star State must be weighted in to a situation like this according to Gardner.


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We are planning a short devotional, group games, and renting an inflatable bouncer/slide thingy to add to the fun. During the last half hour, the kids will get to walk around and visit all the trunk sites and collect treats being passed out. The kids will have a great time, and the adults probably will, too! The elementary schools in our area have agreed to let us pass out half sheet announcement/invitations to the students, so we're expecting a large turnout.
"Trunk or Treat" was a new idea to me this year, so I've begun to look around for ideas for my trunk.
"Trunk or Treat" was a new idea to me this year, so I've begun to look around for ideas for my trunk.
The First Church of the Nazarene in Harrisonburg, Virginia had an awesome index of pictures showing some ways their families decorated their cars at their church. I love pictures. I'm a very visual kind of person. Some others ideas I've heard of include:
- Bible Story or Character, such as Noah's ark: Decorate your trunk like an ark (don't ask me how, LOL! I'm just sharing the idea) and make huge animal cut outs for the kids to stand behind and put their faces through.
- Pirate Ship: Dress like (nice) pirates and provide the treats out of a treasure chest. Hmmm.
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Enter into the fantasy land of lollipop trees, ever-lasting gobstoppers, and a chocolate river. This one sounds yummy...
- Beach Party
- Disney Movie or Character
- Favorite Sport, Team, or School
- Children's Story Book theme
Now, in case you are wondering, I haven't decided on a theme for our trunk, yet. But I need to soon. Time is flying by. I'd love to hear any ideas you have!
I'm going to share a link to this on my post for Works For Me Wednesday . I know, I know, it is a supposed to be a Kitchen Organization Edition there. But I'm sure there are other families out there looking for Halloween alternatives, and this seems timely. Even if there isn't enough time to get one together at your church, you might want to see if any churches in your area are hosting one.


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As we embark
on our journey of creating a life worthy of our heart's desire, I'm requesting that you let me help.
T. S. Elliot wrote,
We shall never cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Creating your time capsule:
There's something wonderful about a time capsule, especially when it contains those things you treasure. Successfully coaching people in Life Management strategies creates many treasured experiences and tangible outcomes, but even before beginning a Life Coaching relationship, you have a valuable collection of memories, hopes, and dreams from which to draw.
I'm suggesting that you complete the following activity. The two best resources I keep re-reading are:
Here are the instructions (from Falling Awake page 12):
Write a letter to yourself that sums up who you are right now and who you wish to become. To get your letter started, you can complete any or all of the following sentences:
- The most important thing I want to remember about this period of my life is …
- The most significant struggles I've experienced so far in my life are …
- The most important accomplishments I've experienced so far in my life are …
- I'm becoming a person who …
- The gift I most want to give myself is …
When you've finished this letter, date it and put it in a sealed, self-addressed envelope. Then put it in another envelope and send it to me (see below). I'll treasure it and return it to you in 15 months. Another option is to email it to me (email@example.com) and I'll send it back to you in 15 months. Using a friend (including yourself) is an option too, but not always as much fun as expanding your network to include me.
The most important part is writing it down.
Our journey continues tomorrow.
Mail your letters to: Bob Rosen, P.O. Box 13124, Savannah, GA 31416


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Paint The Sky - Freehand
20 comments
Well done :) Interesting idea.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you very much, A.notcopyacat! xxDelete
Awww, this is so adorable...ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Maria! :) xxDelete
OMG. The way you painted the sky it looks like it would be 3D. You gave depth to it wonderfully with the shades! Stunning, I am totally speechless!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so so much, Andrea! Your comment really made me smile :D <3 xxDelete
Soooo cool manicure. I really like it. :-)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks, Ann-Sofie! <3 xxDelete
Very beautiful manicure! <3ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Zebra Nails! <3 xxDelete
gorgeous manicure ! brush is like a real brush ! so cute !ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Bubica! :D xxDelete
It looks fantastic! I love the blue gradient in your "sky-line". The colour goes smoothly from navy to baby blue. Love it!ReplyDelete
xo, PiaReplies
Awwh thank you Pia, I tried quite hard to get some different shades into the sky! I am really glad it shows :D xxDelete
Wow! it has a really nice 3D effect :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Roxy! :) xxDelete
Really cool mani :-DReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you so much, Ananka! :) xxDelete
This is so incredibly gorgeous!!ReplyDelete
That's so cool, I love it <3ReplyDelete
♥Thank you so much for visiting today. I always love to read your thoughts and comments so don't be a stranger, come join in!


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Monday, January 14, 2013
The Kraft Journal 104 - Use Scraps
2 comments:
You would never know this card was created with scraps. It's a masterful collage and very vintage feeling.ReplyDelete
Hi Jan! I had a lot of fun with this week's challenge. Heaven knows our scrap tables are covered in scraps! That's why they're called "scrap tables", right? I'm SO honored to be designing with you all at TKJ and I'm having so much fun!ReplyDelete
I have two questions for you. First, I LOVED your light box tutorial the other day and I'm working on making mine. Can't WAIT to take better photos! Do I need any specific sized box, and did you just use a piece of poster board inside? My hubby is gonna help me cut it, etc. but I hope to get it finished tomorrow.
Second, I just became your new follower. If you don't mind, I'd LOVE to have you stop by my blog and follow me as well. While you're there, if you don't mind letting me know any other tips about the light box, I'd really appreciate it. I want SO badly to take better pictures, and I really am thinking this will help a lot.


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Mark your calendars for the biggest arts event of the year! Faithmarks: Chapter 3 will be held in the St Marks gym on Saturday, May 13 at 7pm. You will not want to miss this night of photography, the art of tattooing, good food, fun and fellowship with the community. If you would like to help, reach out to Ellie Barnette or Anna Golladay.
What is Faithmarks? In 2013, St Marks created a traveling art exhibit that highlights the spiritual stories behind the tattoos that people wear. The images, along with the stories, travel the country as a means by which spiritual conversations are sparked and communities are interweaved. We have 41 images as a part of Chapter 1 (2013) and Chapter 2 (2015). We unveil the new additions to the show on May 13. Don't miss being with us!


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The Liberian Civil Wars, first from 1989-1996, and then from 1999-2003, are an example of the chaos and bloodshed that can arise from Civil War and internal strife in the developing regions of the World.
Charles Taylor the warlord and later President of Liberia 1997-2003Liberia is such a fascinating country because unlike every other African nation it had no direct European influence and was the only nation besides the Abyssinian Empire to escape European colonialism.
Liberian settlement became a project for American politicians and abolitionist societies in a 'back to Africa' movement of sorts run by the American Colonization Society, which procured Liberia for freedmen (freed slaves or black men from the North), following their own declaration of independence, an American-inspired constitution was enacted by the Liberians 1847, which disenfranchised those native Africans who were not landowners as few owned land like the Liberians of American descent.
What this American inspired political system established in the long term was a close to one hundred and fifty year rule of the ethnic Americo-Liberian's over the indigenous populations of Liberia. A former American descendant of slaves Joseph Jenkins Roberts became the first and then 7th president of Liberia, one of the last Republican party candidates to hold the office before the domination of the True Whig Party until 1990 and the First Liberian Civil War.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts, First President of Liberia b.1809-1876
Other notable and/or infamous True Whig presidents of Liberia include the fraudulently elected Charles D.B. King, the 18th President, Edwin Barclay, 1930-1944, who strengthened Liberian-United States relations, and William Tubman, who ruled autocratically from 1944-1971.
Prince Y. Johnson during the First Civil War brandishing an American made M16. He is now a senator and presidential candidate
Opposition to Taylor's totally corrupt and inept rule led to the Second Civil War, in which perhaps 200-300,000 or more perished in both Liberia and in neighboring Sierra Leone where Taylor is convicted of financing and supporting genocide and terrorist activities.
Iconic photo of the Second Civil War, undoubtedly a child or young teen soldier
The Second Civil War was marked by its intensity and a hundred or a thousand violent deaths per day sometimes between 1999-2003. Warlords in allegiance with and against the government used child soldiers some as young as 11-12 to fight the conflict in the city streets and jungles of Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Eventually rebel armies based out of Guinea and the Cote D'Ivoire descended on the capital Monrovia initiating a siege which killed thousands, only ending the war after UN peace keeping forces arrived in Liberia to stabilize the country in September 2003. Their mission continues under a American and United Nations sercurity directive known as UNMIL.
In conclusion the Liberian Civil Wars are a conflict you should know because they had longstanding diplomatic ramifications in regards to Africa (and Liberia's) security and in regards to international law, and precedent of the responsibility of heads of state in the modern age.
Warlord-President Charles Taylor among his soldiers


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…then, wait for 15 to 20 years. Then, and only then, have another pop at it. You might at first think I'm referring to my efforts at blogging. It's been ages since I have crafted some digital bits and bytes for this corner of the interweb. Since my last effort, there's been a general election, Sepp Blatter has been re-elected and resigned. The 10 year anniversaries of Liverpool wining the Champions League, and my arrival in Mexico have been and gone. There's been a new version of Lightroom released. And new versions of Flickr and Google Photos. I've had inspiration and potential content aplenty. I've not alas, had the time. And it's not been decades since I last wrote, either. Although I suspect that May 2015 is the first full calendar month that I've failed to write a single thing for a decade.
But let's get to the point. In 1995, I left London and moved about 100 miles south west, settling on a farm in the Middle of Nowhere, Dorset. The nearest bus stop was 2 miles away, but lacked any sort of regular bus service. The nearest real town was about 8 miles away. And all I had to get me from A to B was a twenty to thirty year old pedal bike*.And get me from A to B it did. Not very quickly, not always in a clean and dry state, and sometimes with stops for puncture repairs. But it got me to work. And for that, I thank it.
Needless to say though, I desired a more comfortable mode of transport that provided a greater degree of protection from the elements. So I got myself a provisional license, took a bunch of lessons, passed the driving theory test and then took the practical test. Which I failed. Three times. I won't bore you with the deep injustice of those failures. Or the loathing I still have for the miserable examiner who sat in on all three tests. If karma exists, he was run over and….oh, let's just say I don't like him. I'm still a little bitter.
I abandoned the idea of driving a car and settled for the more easily attainable CBT, which allowed me to ride motorbikes up to 125cc. I got a bike, indeed I went through several over the years, and gained motorised mobility. If not weather protection. We can't have it all. But my scooters had their advantages. I cut through traffic in rush hour like a knife through butter. And I was never the designated driver on a night out.
But times change. Mrs P was never sold on the idea of riding pillion. So I revisited the concept of four wheeled transport. A couple of months back I took my driving theory test. Again. I took a couple of driving lesson. Again. I took my practical driving test. Again. This time I passed. I'd have been disappointed had I not, to say the least. In the years since my last effort, I've had more than a decade worth of road experience on my bikes, and I drove a car in Mexico for years. In fact, quite frankly, I think that driving a car in Mexico City and surviving should automatically qualify a driver for a full license, no test needed.
With my new license in hand, we went car shopping. We knew pretty much what we wanted – an automatic Mazda 3, low mileage, no more than 8 years old. There's not a huge range of them to choose from, so choosing was fairly easy. And below you can see the newest member of the family. She drives very nicely, returns about 38-40 mpg and is a comfortable ride. We're very happy with her. With a little luck, she'll take us on new adventures, to places beyond those easily served by public transport. And I'll report it all here. Maybe…