text:
We had the driver from Xidi drive us to the base at Tangkou, and I'd read a lot of forums suggesting Tangkou as a base to stay. I'd say don't do it, it's a pretty bleak kind of town (no offence Tangkou-ans). Other people suggest staying on the mountain. Unless you are a dedicated mountaineer, or up for a cosy time with lots of tourist groups, again I'd suggest don't do. If you opt for a day trip, bring wet weather gear and lots of snacks. Oh and a fair bit of patience.
So the thing is, you get all the way to Tangkou and then from the bus station you then need to catch a bus to the cable car and it's a pretty long bus ride high up a hill. You have two choices about which cable car you take up the mountain but either way on return you end up at the same bus station (so in theory you can take one cable car up and the other down on return).
We had a grand plan of going up one way and returning a different route. We didn't count on progressively worse rain and lack of visibility mixed with abundance of stairs and tour groups.
Look, I'm happy to have seen Yellow Mountain (Huangshan) but don't feel the need to do it again. Even with love locks and squirrels.


text:
For a time after you left
Kansas City I was very busy doing Carpenter's work, and was too tired to
write at night and now I am laid up for repairs again,
rheumatic affection of the side. Am somewhat improved today however.
Well, our reunion has come and gone, nearly fifty responded. John Noland was on hand, wore the badge, seemed to be as proud of it as any of the men
John told me that the reason he failed to show up at 33rd & Troost, was, that just as he got through supper, he was called to drive people he works for. I will try to
see him soon and get his story. I will enclose with the story of my horse "Scroggins." I did not put in my M. S. because it was not exactly germain to the subject.
I do hope that you will find something for me to do that will be easier than carpentering, besides I am tired of K. C. Rents have gotten to be appalling, and living
in proportion, then I am tired of "Catholic" Rule.
Let me hear from you soon.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
MBPC's work cannot be done in a vacuum. We collaborate closely with allied organizations to identify what research is needed and educate policymakers about what the research shows.
Partnership for Montana's Future is a coalition of advocates and groups who share a common belief that Montana's future depends on wise investments in education, infrastructure, and safe and healthy communities. The coalition has over 50 organizational members representing low-income advocates, Indian Country, women's rights organizations, labor, and conservation. Partnership members have played a critical role, both in communities and in the Capitol, in advancing public policy. It rallied thousands of Montanans to participate in budget and tax debates, and through our Legislative Summits, we have trained hundreds on how to effectively communicate with the press and policymakers on tax and budget issues.
Healthy Montana is an initiative to raise the state tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products including untaxed tobacco products like spit tobacco and e-cigarettes. I-185 would prevent nearly 100,000 Montanans from losing Medicaid coverage. This includes thousands of Montana veterans and their families who have sacrificed for us and are now eligible for Medicaid. In addition, some of the new funds will go directly to veterans' services and to address unmet needs, like suicide prevention for veterans. Paid for by Montana Budget and Policy Center. Heather O'Loughlin, Treasurer. 101 N. Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601.
Time for Montana is a coalition of organizations dedicated to passing paid family and medical leave legislation in Montana. At some point, nearly everyone faces a moment when they need leave, whether it's to bond with a new baby, care for an aging parent, or recover from an illness. Paid leave – including family leave, parental leave, and medical leave – replaces a portion of an employee's wages during leave and gives them the peace of mind of being able to still make ends meet while caring for a loved one.
State Priorities Partnership a national network of organizations that use evidence and analysis to advance policies that give more people the opportunity to prosper. They do this by equipping lawmakers, journalists, advocacy organizations, nonprofit service providers, and the public with information that helps children get a quality education, families get medical care, and working people get the assistance they need to build a better life.
Economic Analysis and Research Network is a national network of more than 60 state and local research, policy, and public engagement organizations that advance policies to raise wages, boost availability of and access to jobs, enhance job quality and stability, improve retirement security, and reduce income inequality.
Our work is made possible in part through the support of many individuals, organizations, and foundations who make generous contributions to the Montana Budget and Policy Center. MBPC enjoys major support from the following foundations and organizations:
MBPC is a nonprofit organization focused on providing credible and timely research and analysis on budget, tax, and economic issues that impact low- and moderate-income Montana families.


text:
Plus Size Dresses Wedding Guest, add your very own touch or modern distort. Here are some expert tips. The most crucial part of getting vintage motivated wedding dresses just right is choosing the best seamstress or tailor. Not every tailors know how to work with a sensitive aged gown, or even style an authentic-looking one coming from brand new fabric. It is important to have the ability to communicate properly with your seamstress so that the construction or the modification of the dress can be carried out properly.
Plus Size Dresses Wedding Guest, One of the most common errors when brides want to upgrade vintage inspired wedding dresses would be to overdo it with adornment. Adding more details or more levels of fabric is not always suggested. This is also another reason why acquiring regardless whether they are thought 'in' or not by the hot-shot companies in the fashion industry.


text:
They've got the whooooole world in their hands. I can't count the number of times I died here. PLAYERS: 1 PUBLISHER: FCI DEVELOPER: Compile GENRE: Shoot-em-up RELEASE DATE: October 1987 Zanac is either a gentle joyride across twelve planets, or a relentless shoot-em-up co-sponsored by the devil. It's … Continue reading #750 – Zanac
Tag Archives: 1987
#730 – Wizards & Warriors
I tell you, my locks will not be tamed! Kuros is hot-blooded, but there's no need to check and see. PLAYERS: 1 PUBLISHER: Acclaim DEVELOPER: Rare GENRE: Platformer RELEASE DATE: December 1987 If you were a knight at the dawning of the age of Aquarius, you might act … Continue reading #730 – Wizards & Warriors
#727 – Winter Games
Computer World. Enjoy the attention while it lasts, honey. PLAYERS: 1 PUBLISHER: Acclaim DEVELOPER: Atelier Double GENRE: Minigames RELEASE DATE: September 1987 The best part about Winter Games might be the snazzy retro box art. Look at it! It feels Kraftwerkian in its color choice of deep blue … Continue reading #727 – Winter Games
#706 – Volleyball
Wipe those smiles off your faces! Nobody's enjoying themselves here! A more pathetic display I've never seen. PLAYERS: 1-2 simultaneous PUBLISHER: Nintendo DEVELOPER: Nintendo GENRE: Sports RELEASE DATE: March 1987 Volleyball makes you feel like you've never played a game before. After team U.S.A. – my pride and … Continue reading #706 – Volleyball
#685 – Trojan
Co-starring Bon Jovi and The Shredder! Music by Kraftwerk. PLAYERS: 1-2 alternating/simultaneous PUBLISHER: Capcom DEVELOPER: Capcom GENRE: Action RELEASE DATE: February 1987 Compared to Capcom's better remembered arcade ports for the NES, Trojan remains in semi-obscurity for its inability to distinguish itself. The game feels like a cautious … Continue reading #685 – Trojan
#681 – Track & Field
Nicolas Cage circa-"Raising Arizona" goes for the gusto. Oh, the 80s! Methinks this will not end well. PLAYERS: 1-2 simultaneous/alternating PUBLISHER: Konami DEVELOPER: … Continue reading #681 – Track & Field
#674 – Top Gun
If you look real close into the cockpit, you still won't see any of the movie's lovable characters. That's a lotta alt! PLAYERS: 1 PUBLISHER: Konami DEVELOPER: Konami GENRE: Flight sim RELEASE DATE: November 1987 Mav, Goose, Iceman, Cougar and the boys are nowhere to be found in … Continue reading #674 – Top Gun
#662 – Tiger-Heli
Strangely serene painting for the cover of a shoot-em-up. I blame the sunset. Don't drink the water. PLAYERS: 1-2 alternating PUBLISHER: Acclaim DEVELOPER: Micronics GENRE: Shoot-em-up RELEASE DATE: September 1987 Tiger-Heli is often confused as Tiger Hell, though the latter is another concept altogether. The game is a … Continue reading #662 – Tiger-Heli
#626 – Super Pitfall
Pitfall Harry argues vociferously with a cobra about how "super" Super Pitfall really is. Super Pitfall is like Wrecking Crew, only not enjoyable. And not at all like Wrecking Crew. PLAYERS: 1-2 alternating PUBLISHER: Activision DEVELOPER: Micronics GENRE: Adventure RELEASE DATE: November 1987 How does one usher in … Continue reading #626 – Super Pitfall
#612 – Stinger
Stinger engages in fisticuffs. Yup, that's a cross. In an American Nintendo game. PLAYERS: 1-2 simultaneous PUBLISHER: Konami DEVELOPER: Konami GENRE: Shoot-em-up RELEASE DATE: September 1987 Stinger's proper Christian name is Moero TwinBee: Cinnamon-hakase wo Sukue! For those of us who don't speak Japanese, that's Burn TwinBee: Rescue … Continue reading #612 – Stinger
#606 – Star Voyager
Almost… out of… QUARTERS!!! Have fun with that. PLAYERS: 1 PUBLISHER: Acclaim DEVELOPER: ASCII Entertainment GENRE: Action/Sim RELEASE DATE: September 1987 In place of a game with actual gameplay, Star Voyager presents needless complexity and little else. All of the tasks it requires of you – view a … Continue reading #606 – Star Voyager
#602 – Star Force
"I've dined with the finest captains, exploded the finest planets…" Is this the end of STAR FORCE?! PLAYERS: 1 PUBLISHER: Tecmo DEVELOPER: Hudson Soft GENRE: Shoot-em-up RELEASE DATE: November 1987 Star Force is like a tumbler of C-grade whiskey all … Continue reading #602 – Star Force


text:
Yesterday, Jitendra and I rode to Hessarghatta, spent some time riding in the trails of grasslands, and looped around the lake. Yet another ride to Hessarghatta, but the visit to grasslands made the difference.
Jitendra wanted to do the 150+ km month end ride planned in BBC, yesterday, and I wanted to ride with him till Magadi, and return back, making a 100 km trip. All was set, but yesterday morning he had to drop the ride. Then we discussed, and planned to ride to the usual place, Hessarghatta (where else?).
Started by 0600 hrs, we reached the bakery at Hessarghatta by 0645, had some snacks and tea. We started riding around the lake by 0700 hrs. We took Nrityagram road in between to visit grasslands. While riding in this road, I was thinking whether we could make it for breakfast in institute. But when we reached and saw grasslands, I was ready to trade off breakfast to spend some time there. In a cloudy morning, the wet grasslands, (rained, the day before) surrounded by shiny green trees appeared simply mind blowing (Once again, regretted, not carrying a camera). Then we rode through the grassland trails for sometime, and returned back to continue the loop, through fodder institute road, Madhure temple road, and IIHR road from sperm institute.
In IIHR road, we slowed down as our bikes got painted with mud due to the remainings of the day before's rain in the bad sections of road. We had a break in between for tea, rode in a moderate speed following the populaire route, and reached back institute by 0945 hrs for a late breakfast. Well, 60 kms in 03 hrs 45 minutes, not bad this time.
Addons :-
- Last time, when I visited grasslands, it was completely foggy.
- Mission Accomplished : I made it for breakfast in institute, finally. Though, I can't get idlis, I was happy with bread and milk.
- Forgot to see the name of the bakery, this time too..


text:
A German shepherd named Rex is a very good boy. Not only is he a treasured member of his family, but his loyalty is second to none. Rex lives with his family in Washington state and recently, his loyalty was put to the test when he heroically risked his life to protect Javier, his human brother. After all that Rex the dog has been through, it is safe to say he is a true hero. His incredible story of bravery and loyalty began just a few weeks ago, when Rex and Javier were in the family's home alone. Two thieves broke into the home and that's when Javier ran upstairs to hide in a closet and call 911. He tried his best to get Rex to come upstairs and into the closet with him but the dog refused to budge.
Rex actually stayed downstairs and confronted the men who had broken into the house. They began to attack him and he ran upstairs to Javier. Rex was battered and bloody from the attack, but he came to make sure Javier was okay. That is when the intruders came upstairs to rummage through the home's bedrooms. Rex came out of the closet to again defend his home and Javier, and that is when the men shot him. Rex was struck three times with bullets, at which point the intruders fled the house.
While that fight was over, Rex's fight to survive had just begun. Rex was rushed to a local animal hospital and required surgery. The family was unable to afford the procedure, so the family started a GoFundMe page to cover the cost: https://www.gofundme.com/56jzbww Donors have given over $60,000 to the family and Rex was able to have the lifesaving surgery. The surgery was a success and he was able to return home to his family to heal. What a good boy!


text:
Sky tv
Found 19th Nov 2017
Just wondering does anyone know a new sky tv deal. Like the one we had last year. It was 75% off plus £100 credit and it worked out free for a year. Now that has come to an end and I was thinking of cancelling it before they start charging me £32 a month.
Community Updates


text:
Who says 7 at night is too late to drink coffee?
That's right.
No one.
In other news, so excited for the release of Letting You In! Should be coming out before the week is done on Amazon, here's a little preview! :D
He placed his fingers on my arms, sliding them down, lifting them up between us. Each inch of me that he touched came to life, goosebumps and cells on fire. "I can't dance," I abruptly blurted, glowing intensely while recalling how I had already shown I couldn't sing, either.
"Everyone can dance," he chided me, bending close to keep from being drowned out. The music thumped, reaching into my bones, my brain melting the moment he linked his fingers with mine. I didn't even feel any pain from my scrapes, they were forgotten.
I let him guide me, our steps simple, his hands swaying, showing me how to move side to side with him. Around us, people were shouting, wrapped up in each other, hair tossing and hips swaying. Yet, Deacon and I, we spun in our own little bubble, a different dance entirely.
Why do I keep letting him pull me in? I wondered, looking into his glimmering emerald eyes. Each time, when I think something will happen, he backs away from me. Even knowing that, terrified of repeating last night, afraid of rejection all over again, I knew I couldn't have escaped. Not then, not with his hands on mine, his torso inches from my own.
"See," he laughed, whispering into my ear, the hairs on my neck prickling. "You can do this, it's easy."
"This is easy." My lips twisted, helpless to contain my joy. "But this isn't really dancing."
"No?" He murmured, pretending to be offended. "Let's try some real dancing, then." One of his arms coiled around my body, his fingers pressing into my lower back. His other hand took my own, setting it on his shoulder, then returning to join its twin on my spine.
Oh god, what do I do, what should I do?
Numb, I found both my palms holding his shoulders, my chest almost brushing his when he started to rock side to side. "There," he said slyly, "is that more what you were expecting?"
Woohoo! Coming soon!


text:
Our company founded in 2005.we are experienced in the exporting of shoes,T-shirts,jeans,headgears and handbags,and we are a leading exporter of these kinds of products,we have shipped considerable quantities to North Ame ...
Guangzhou Fasion Co.,Ltd
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text:
When all under the sky know beauty as beauty, there is already foulness. [i] [ii]
When all know the good, there is already the not good. [iii]
So presence and absence give life to one another.
Hard and easy complete one another.
Long and short shape one another. [iv]
High and low fill one another. [v]
Voice and music harmonise one another.
Before and after follow one another. [vi]
Thus, the wise person remains without action in their work. [vii] [viii] [ix]
Walking, not talking, is their teaching. [x]
Countless creatures arise, but they do not begin. [xi] [xii] [xiii]
Act, but they do not depend. [xiv] [xv]
Complete tasks, but they do not rest. [xvi] [xvii] [xviii]
Only by not resting do they not depart. [xix] [xx]
[i] An alternative interpretation is 'All under the sky know that when beauty acts as if it is beauty, it is already foul'. See Suzuki (1913) and Ivanhoe (2003, 2). This gives 'All know that the good is already not good' in the Guodian and Ma-wang-tui versions of line 2,(see footnote 3).
[ii] 'Sky', tiān (天) is often translated 'heaven'. This, however, misleadingly implies a euphemism for a personal God and a connection with the afterlife, see Allan (1997, 20 – 22). Furthermore, it obscures the visual imagery.
[iii] This version follows the Guodian and Ma-wang-tui texts (Henricks 1989, 190; 2000, 50). The received text reads 'When all know good as good, there is already not good'.
[iv] 'Shape', xíng (形), follows the Ma-wang-tui and Guodian texts (Henricks 1989, 191; 2000, 50). A received variant is 'measure', jiào (較).
[v] 'Fill', yíng (盈) follows the Ma-wang-tui and Guodian texts (Henricks 1989, 191; 2000, 50). The received text reads 'upturn', qīng (傾).
[vi] The Ma-wang-tui texts follow this line with one reading 'These are all constants' (Henricks 1989, 190).
[vii] 'Wise person', sheng rén (聖人), is often translated 'saint' or 'sage'. It includes what might be considered both 'practical' and 'spiritual' excellences, although the concept varies in different texts (Cua 2003, 697; Pregadio 2008, 879). It would be assumed to refer to a man, although rén (人) can mean 'person' generally.
[viii] 'Without action', wúwéi, is a central concept in Daoism. Liu summarises it as '(1) when things are running well, do nothing to interfere; (2) when the sage has to do something, let him do it with no personal, selfish desire; (3) in all his acts, the sage should conform to Dao, the natural pattern of things, and refrain from introducing human intervention' (cited in Liu 2015, 82).
[ix] Work, shì (事), sometimes translated 'affairs' should be understood widely, not only as paid employment.
[x] 'Walking', xíng (行) is often translated 'practices' (eg: 'practices teaching without words'), but 'walking' uses an association that also exists in English ('walk the walk') that fits the central metaphor of dào (Kroll 2015, 509).
[xi] Ames and Hall (2003, 80) punctuate this line differently. They read 'countless creatures' as 'countless events' and so obtain (modified here) 'In all that occurs/arising but not beginning…' This makes them fairly unique in thinking the wise person 'arises', although they render the word (zuò, 作) as 'develops things'.
[xii] This follows the Ma-wang-tui (Henricks 1989, 190), Guodian (Henricks 2000, 52), and (possibly) Wang Bi's (Lynn 1999, 55) versions. The received text has cí (辭), 'reject'/'utter' (Kroll 2015, 64), instead of shĭ (始), 'begin' (Kroll 2015, 414).
[xiii] Who does not begin? Most translators think it is the wise person, but Legge thinks it is the countless creatures; and Lau thinks it is the dào (but reads it as 'claims no authority': 1963, 6). Furthermore, it is also unclear who or what does not get begun. Hendricks (1989, 190) and Ryden (2008, 7) think the wise person does not begin the creatures; but, instead, a contrast with the creatures may be intended. They arise, but he has no beginning. 'The unborn' (bushing, 不生) appears in the, albeit later, Liezi (Graham 1990, 17 – 18). The use of 'they' here is an attempt to leave the ambiguity in place.
[xiv] This version follows the Ma-wang-tui (Henricks 1989, 191) and Guodian (Hendricks 2000, 50) texts in omitting the line 'Are born, but not owned' before this one. The (admittedly tentative: see footnotes 6 and 19) structure of this verse – a series of paired lines – argues for its omission. Furthermore, line 3 of this verse also contains both yǒu (有), 'owned'/'present', and shēng (生), 'live/give birth', but the meanings of these characters in the omitted line seem clumsily different. The omitted line appears in chapters 10 and 51.
[xv] As in the previous line (footnote 12) it is unclear who acts and who does not depend. Hendricks and Lynn think that the wise person acts and the creatures don't depend. Ivanhoe, Suzuki, Goddard, and Ames and Hall think the wise person acts and does not depend. Legge and Roberts thinks that the creatures act and do not depend. Ryden thinks the creatures act, and the wise person does not depend. Lau reads this entire passage as being about dào. Beyond this, there is no consensus about what 'the non-depender' is not depending on: themselves or some other entity (person/creatures). As before, this version attempts to preserve the ambiguity.
[xvi] The same ambiguity as affects the previous two lines is still apparent here, see footnotes 12 and 15.
[xvii] 'Rest', jū (居) also means 'reside/dwell' (Kroll 2015, 223). It is often glossed 'does not dwell on achievements'.
[xviii] In the received text, the 'not' of 'do not rest' is fú (弗) here and in the next line, but all other 'not's' in this section are bù (不). The Ma-wang-tui and Guodian texts use fú throughout the end of the chapter.
[xix] Lau (1963, 5) treats this line as an editorial comment, but the Guodian find suggests that it was added by about 350BC (Henricks 2000, 22).
[xx] Qù (去), 'depart', can mean 'die', but this is medieval (Kroll 2015, 378), so probably not intended here.


text:
It lies 30km south of Mombasa and stretches to one of the most spectacular beaches in East Africa.
Available are approximately 259 superior rooms with shower, balcony/terrace. Also in the addition are satellite televisions, hairdryers, and provision for tea and coffee.
There are 4 restaurants and six bars which provide exquisite dinning and cocktails.
Activities offered range from various water sports such as scuba diving and wind surfing to mini golf. There are also 4 fresh water pools and a tennis courts for those who loves sports and entertainment.


text:
Our team of installation engineers are highly trained and all certified to a minimum of City and Guilds NVQ3 in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning including F Gas and IPAF, and all hold relevant CSCS Health and Safety qualifications. They are hand-picked and thoroughly trained so that they work efficiently and with the utmost professionalism. They keep their eyes and ears open while on a job and will flag anything that needs attention.
We think the fact that most of our engineers have been with the company since day one speaks volumes.
Work with us


text:
EXPIRED: Save 15% off $30, $50 & $100 iTunes cards at JB Hi-Fi
Here's another iTunes deal, this time thanks to JB-Hi Fi! Until August 12th, you can get 15% off $30, $50 and $100 iTunes gift cards.
This deal excludes $20 gift cards and is available in stores.
Thanks to Barbara for sending this one in!
[Source: JB Hi-Fi]
Other known current gift card promotions


text: Hey my name is Nick. Just relocated out here to Bechtlesville from Michigan. I used to have 4 or 5 crawlers at any given time. Unfortunately I have downsized when I moved but will be adding more to the fleet as time goes on. Glad I found a group to crawl with as I only know the people out here that I work with. Look forward to meeting everyone. I will post pictures tomorrow.


text:
distressed denim shirt
DSQUARED2 present a wardrobe essential with this distressed denim shirt. With London's Seventies punk scene carrying onto their SS17 collection as an inspiration, this denim shirt has a punk-style distressed effect with tears and paint splatters giving the garment a rough and ready feel. Constructed in Italy from high quality cotton with a striking bleached effect, this stylish DSQUARED2 shirt features a spread collar, a front button fastening, two chest pockets, long sleeves, button cuffs and a curved hem.
Made in Italy
Designer Style ID: S75DL0514S30341470
Farfetch ID: 11784865
Measurement Information
- Height:
- 1.73 m
- Bust:
- 82 cm
- Hips:
- 88 cm
- Waist:
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Model's wearing: 40
- Height:
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Model's wearing: 40
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Canadian twins Dean and Dan Caten bring a flamboyant side to the Milan fashion scene with DSQUARED2's audacious catwalk shows (think supermodels in a pink jumbo jet). The collections follow suit: unapologetically glamorous fun with immaculate tailoring.}
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text: Every day I wake up hopeful. Today I will ask my boss for a raise. I deserve one. I am a hard worker, responsible, and reliable. If only I had the nerve to speak up. Why am I so shy at work? Do I lack courage? I just get so tongue tied. There must be a simple, easy, way to get over my shyness.


text:
Time: 30 minutes
Sticking with the Fizz Boom Read! CSLP theme, I have chosen seven science topics for our summer. This was our last week, we talked about movement & kinetics!
1) What's the weather?
What's the weather, what's the weather,
What's the weather everyone?
Is it windy, is it cloudy, is there rain, or is there sun?
2) Mr. Sun - Raffi
It had been another rainy couple of days, so we sang our song to bring the sun back out again. I use a combination of motions from Jbrary and Raffi himself.
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun (make big sun with arms over head)
Please shine down on me (wiggle fingers and come down, kind of like rain actually)
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun (make big sun with arms over head)
Hiding behind a tree (hide eyes with hands)
These little children are asking you (point at self with thumbs)
To please come out so we can play with you (hands make "come here" motion)
Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun (make big sun with arms over head)
Please shine down on me (wiggle fingers and come down)
3) Introduce science topic: movement
We listed all of our previous science topics of the summer, and everyone was sad this was our last week. I didn't go into a lot of detail about kinetics, just made mention of how our bodies are able to do some pretty cool motions, and how our storytime today would be mostly songs and action stuff. I had rearranged the room, taking out the craft tables, to allow room for us to move!
4) These Are My Glasses - Laurie Berkner
We sing this every week before reading our first book. I start by asking them to show me their glasses and their book so that they remember the signs. We sing it through twice, then I ask them to put their "books" in their lap while we read our first book.
These are my glasses (make the letter o with each hand)
And this is my book (hands together)
I put on my glasses (put "glasses" over eyes)
And open up the book (open book hands)
Now I read read read (hold book up in front of face like reading)
And I look look look (put glasses over eyes and look around room)
I put down my glasses and… (lower glasses)
WHOOP! Close up the book. (clap as if closing a book quickly)
5) How Can You Dance? - Rick Walton
6) Shake Your Sillies Out - The Wiggles, Yummy Yummy
7) The Goldfish Song - Laurie Berkner, The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band
8) Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
9) Hokey Pokey
We did right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, head, whole self, tongue (by request - they must have remembered my 5 senses storytime!). Afterward I pointed out to parents how I was using my other arms/legs. Kids' natural instinct is to mirror what they see, so then they were using their correct side.
10) Stretch - Doreen Cronin
11) We Are the Dinosaurs - Laurie Berkner, Whaddya Think of That
I always save this one for last, so we can get the biggest roars out of the kids and they don't have to be afraid of being quiet in the library. :)
I closed with a few announcements about fall storytime, encouraging the adults to keep reading to their kids, and letting them know about the free books they would receive that day for completing our Summer Reading Program. And that's the end! I made it through my second summer! :)
Other movement ideas:
Bounce - Doreen Cronin
Wiggle - Doreen Cronin
Dance With Me - Charles R. Smith Jr.


text:
No LFF post this week, because that just isn't where my head is, and if I can't put together a decent post for that series, I am just not going to do it! Where is my head right now? Well, I'm in the midst of editing my boss's book, which is an enormous project but is also, quite frankly, the most fun I've had as a graduate student in quite some time. Natalia Cecire of the blog Works Cited recently posted on how to receive a colleague's feedback on your work (hint: graciously and thoughtfully), but I'm also finding that giving feedback on a colleague's (or superior's) work can be a valuable rhetorical exercise and stimulate self-reflection.
My boss is a professor outside the English department who works in a field that nevertheless interests me. He holds an endowed chair, recently won the book award from the top organization in his field (an entire journal issue was dedicated to responses to that book), and the book he is currently working on is his fourth. In other words, editing this guy's book feels like kind of a big deal. Yet the experience has taught me that even prestigious faculty have to work extremely hard at their writing and have to deal with rejection. See, his book has been under contract at a major university press for the past couple of years, and having submitted the final draft in February, he is now in possession of some readers reports that are making him second guess the project or at least his relationship with this particular press. They just seem to want a very different sort of book than the one he wrote, which isn't an indictment of his scholarship so much as it is a reflection of the divergent visions of author and publisher. Now, we're talking about a high class problem when the scholar in question can say, "Well, Oxford UP is interested in this project, so I may just take my work there," but the less-than-smooth road to this book's publication has given me a helpful, if somewhat scary window into what one has to face in getting one's work out into the world.
So, he is having me edit the entire book before he sends it off to Oxford and a couple of other presses that have expressed interest. So, I have been commenting on each chapter, and sending it back to him. He makes some changes and sends them back to me to see if I like them, and he genuinely seems to appreciate my feedback and suggestions. We have a dialogue, a dialogue (if I can say this without sounding weird) that is very much like the ones I try to create with my students, not an authoritarian call and response, but a colleague offering up an opinion as an informed reader. I'm finding that the rhetorical moves I was taught to use in writing center consultations and in paper comments–stating your reaction "as a reader" rather than ordering the other person around–are perfectly applicable in this situation as well. It helps that the person on the other end of the conversation adapts to the needs of his reader rather than insisting that the reader just work harder to understand. Where he has pushed back against the reader's reports, it has always had to do with philosophical or political disagreements. The argument of his book is more populist than the press wants, thus making them feel that it should me published for the trade market rather than for scholars. Also, the book deals with some politically sensitive issues that pissed one reader off to no end. I'm guessing that the ability to adapt the writing to the reader's needs without compromising the entire visions is how he came to be writing his fourth book and can basically choose the press he wants to work with.
So, it's been a good lesson in how to both give and receive feedback, but it's also been a confidence builder and an experience that has driven home the importance of peer review exercises for me. Reading someone else's work–whether the other person is a classmate or a superior–fortifies your instincts about what good writing looks like and how problematic writing could be adjusted. There is something about the way we are taught about textual communication that makes us think that it is entirely up to the reader to "get" the author's meaning, that makes us forget that readers are sometimes qualified to make certain judgments about how well an author is communicating that meaning. In my earliest grad seminars, we often had to critique each other's work, and I would often get intimidated by particularly dense papers whose brilliance I assumed I just hadn't grasped. When I started this editing project, I similarly feared that I would be revealing my own ignorance or unsophistication if I pointed out things that were unclear to me or places where the prose became cumbersome, but after getting through a few chapters (and my boss's gracious attitude helps), I'm reminded that I am part of the audience for this work, a legitimately informed reader with enough expertise to comment on how well the author is communicating. And that's a pretty cool realization.
Editing someone else's work is also a reminder that everybody's writing has quirks, that everyone struggles with some basic aspects of usage or structure. I, for example, have a weird penchant for using "this" ambiguously by burying the antecedent. This guy tends to overuse "however" and often doesn't tie parts of his historical narrative to his interpretive argument in order to remind the reader what we're supposed to be taking away from the narrative. In other words, one of these chapters under utilizes commentary sentences, assuming that the evidence speaks for itself, one of the writing concepts that so often bedevils my undergraduates.
It feels like I'm going to end this on a kind of "Everybody Poops" note, but it's true. Everyone writes shitty first drafts, and sometimes even the second or third drafts are problematic. But the real lesson I'm trying to convey here is that you should jump at opportunities to critique other people's work. For one thing, you may need that person to give you feedback on your own stuff. But it's also important to recognize that taking the time to do this sort of thing–even if you're not getting paid for it–may have valuable consequences for your own self-confidence and your own writing.


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* Assuming your report is on dashboard and you have your 'download' link enabled on the report.
* Right click on the dashboard and select 'View Source' option to view the source code.
* Make a search for 'Download to Excel'. Once located, copy the content of onclick (corresponding to its hyperlink tag) to a notepad. The content of onClick would look something like below.
"NQWClearActiveMenu();Download('saw.dll?Go&_scid=EEiEi*U0ew8&ViewID=d\x253adashboard\x257ep\x253a8t7igvv28p1f5e2e\x257er\x253aq37t8qsctk4igjnh&Action=Download&SearchID=664dittlo1tmju315m6ladu8ua&PortalPath=/users/administrator/_portal&Page=ABC&ViewState=iiecrnlau14ue83nmb05ng4i7e&ItemName=ParentReport&Format=mht&Extension=.xls'); return false"
* Now place a 'text object' on the dashboard above the report, open properties, check 'Contain HTML Markup' option and put the code as show below:
<a href="javascript:void(null)" onClick=<ContentCopiedInAboveStep> >Export All
* Now you will see a link named Export. Click on the link to check if you are getting the desired result.
I have tried this on 10g with single report on dashboard.


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kitchen decor
Take a Look at These Creative Ideas for Utilizing Kitchen Space
The kitchen is the most important area in the whole house, it is the heart of your home where you are cooking, preparing meals and gathering with your loved ones. That makes your kitchen design is a challenging task you should care about it to the maximum. Here, in this article, we will provide some wonderful ideas for utilizing kitchen space creatively, especially, for those who have a small area. First of all, you need to choose wisely your kitchen plan, layout, style, and color. Try the triangle work plan for your kitchen; in other words, I mean to plan the kitchen as a triangle for your function, to connect the three main work area "the sink, stove and refrigerator".…Read More »
kitchen decor
Creative Ideas to Increase the Functionality of your Small Kitchen
If you a person who loves cooking and gathering with family and friends enjoying meals and chatting inside the kitchen, don't let your small kitchen space limit your creativity and your sociable personality. With few ideas, you can get the most functionality and amazing look in your small kitchen. Let's start some magic when decorating our small kitchen; it is all about to get all the things you need within a small space by creative ideas. No kitchen can be completed without appliances when we are dealing with small space; you only need to pick wisely your appliances. As examples, get multipurpose appliances that help you to achieve many functions in one, thus you will save space and get the…Read More »


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Humans, Love War, Love Peace, Love Each Other. Lets propel ourselves into Valhalla were each day is glorious battle and each night Exhaustive Copulation!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Opus: Gone
My favorite comic, is done, complete, over...
Life goes on. Opus, a creation of Berkeley Breathed, started as Bloom County in 1980. I was a huge fan, I had the books, I had t-shirts and even a framed print of Opus in my house, I passed it as art, and would look at the picture of Opus, and laugh.
Berkeley Breathed ended Bloom County in 1989, to later start up Outland (same year).
He ran that until 1995.
Then in 2003 Opus came out, and now in November 2008, it is over.
Here is his final resting place:
Berkeley Breathed may not share my same political, moral or religious views, however We share a bond, that is Opus and the characters of Bloom County.
Goodnight Sweet Opus, Godspeed.
Posted by War Monger Hippy Hawk at 9:48 PM
Labels: Bloom County, So Long Opus
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In Indonesia, today is National Blogging Day. I had no idea why it should be October 27th but years ago the Indonesia Minister of Communications and Informatics Muhammad Nuh initiated the celebration on the day. On that specified date, a bunch of bloggers would get together and do whatever they wanted to do, such as discussing the advancement of the Internet, the web freedom, the still-pricey-yet-slow Internet connection of the country. And what made me remember most is that the bloggers day is also a special day to me, personally speaking. More on that later.
Tag: blog
2014, The Most Unbelievably Stunning Year… Bloggingwise
WordPress recently sent me a blogging performance summary in 2014. It reads:
"To kick off the new year, we'd like to share with you data on your blog's activity in 2014. Start scrolling!
Crunchy numbers
The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 430,000times in 2014. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 18 days for that many people to see it.
There were 419 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 163 MB. That's about a picture per day.
The busiest day of the year was July 13th with 183,181 views. The most popular post that day was Prabowo Subianto di Mata Lee Kuan Yew (1).
Posting Patterns
In 2014, there were 429 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 1,304 posts.
15 days
11 July – 25 July
with 103 posts total
Attractions in 2014
These are the posts that got the most views in 2014. You can see all of the year's most-viewed posts in your Site Stats.
- 1Prabowo Subianto di Mata Lee Kuan Yew (1)4 COMMENTSJuly 2014
- 2Prabowo Subianto di Mata Lee Kuan Yew (2)20 COMMENTSJuly 2014
- 3Prabowo Subianto di Mata Lee Kuan Yew (3-Habis)72 COMMENTSJuly 2014
- 4Pengalaman Membuat Kartu Kredit Mandiri (4-Tamat)15 COMMENTSFebruary 2013
- 5Pengalaman Membuat Kartu Kredit Bank Mandiri19 COMMENTSDecember 2012
Some of your most popular posts were written before 2014. Your writing has staying power! Consider writing about those topics again.
How did they find you?
The top referring sites in 2014 were:
Where did they come from?
That's 141 countries in all!
Most visitors came from Indonesia. Singapore & The United States were not far behind.
Who were they?
Your most commented on post in 2014 was Prabowo Subianto di Mata Lee Kuan Yew (3-Habis)
These were your 5 most active commenters:
- 1Ailtje Binibule52 COMMENTS
- 2Aulia Fitri13 COMMENTS
- 3uci duck himura7 COMMENTS
- 4I-Am4 COMMENTS
- 5rakyat3 COMMENTS
Perhaps you could follow their blog or send them a thank you note?
See you in 2015
If you like what you saw in this summary and want to know more about how your blog is doing, you can always visit your Site Stats, where our helper-monkeys are working day and night to provide you with pages and pages of detail on how your blog is doing.
Thanks for flying with WordPress.com in 2014. We look forward to serving you again in 2015! Happy New Year!"
To Be a Good Entrepreneurship Reporter, Don't Be an Entrepreneur
So here's the rule of thumb for entrepreneurship and business reporters out there: Don't be the person you want to interview and write about. In other words, don't be an entrepreneur or business person. This piece of advice sounds a little bit counter-intuitive as I thought it'd be much easier to understand the subject matters by being in their shoes, seeing things the way these people do so I can write better about them and their companies.
It turns out I'm wrong…
Reporters need to stay away from being an entrepreneur themselves. They can't be a top-notch reporter and a great entrepreneur at the very same time. They have to relinquish one of the two.
That's probably the gist of Sarah Lacy's statements. The founder of media company Pando.com was asked whether being an entrepreneur herself changed her way of writing as a tech reporter. As we all know, Lacy has worked for almost 15 years writing about the tech industry, the people and the whole dynamics in it. She answered it bluntly,"I'm a way worse reporter now…"
Asking hard questions to other entrepreneurs as an entrepreneur cum reporter is relatively easy, claimed Lacy. Yet, she stated that what bothered her to do her best job she always wanted is the OVEREMPATHY on the answers. "So particularly when it comes to things I've gone through…like having the ousted board member (she might be reminded of Mike Arrington ousted from TechCrunch or?) or even like a cash crunch or hiring a sales guy that didn't work out[…]"
She further said she didn't write as much as she used to and she felt for these pitiful entrepreneurs. "Because I see every side to it and I feel for them,"explained the mother of two.
Thank God, I'm not an entrepreneur because if I have to be one, I would certainly lose my best job ever. And I would never trade being a writer to any job on earth. This is very much the best. At least for now.
Why Entrepreneurs Are Like Poker Players
Jason Calacanis likes poker. Playing poker makes your heart race, as you must make the best decision with so limited information. The same challenge you'll also find in entrepreneurship.
Indonesian entrepreneurs in some way are like this. They're clueless on what to do in this emerging market, where things are so
underdeveloped, young and immature.
Entrepreneur Andy Zainexplained two years ago a lot of local companies in Indonesia are started by bootstrapping because there're very few venture capitalists. Here people often have their side jobs. Indonesian entrepreneurs also have side projects aside from their own startups. So it's very challenging for them to start up but every chance is still open.
But the downside is Indonesian entrepreneurs lack information, just like poker players. Thus, when it comes to scouring information, they go to international sites and blogs. They still rely much on foreign media such as TechCrunch.com, Pando.com, TheNextWeb.com, etc. They can find the hottest projects in the US or any other parts of the globe.
This lack of information only lets them to copy what is successful in other markets. For instance, when Groupon became hyped, Indonesian entrepreneurs were inclined to copy this success and apply that to the domestic market. The results are various level of success.
{image credit: Commons.Wikimedia.org}
Building a Blog as a Business
If you were not like most blog readers, you'd find comments below a post a lot more engaging than content of it. It's not because content in discussion is boring or a cliche, but more because it manages to spark a (luke)warm exchange of ideas amongst readers who decide to leave comments.
I saw a male commenter trying to make sense the whole thing, as to why a blog needs investors. He argues,"It's just a blogging software, pay for some hosting and call it a day, right?" He doesn't seem to take staff's salaries and other aspects into account, which he should have.
But he got it all wrong. Blogs can be an entity of serious business if founders or bloggers wish to operate it like a REAL business instead of a small home-based business. It's obviously not one of those diary blogs where you can read daily rants of a blogger who may be using the f word at his or her disposal.
Setting up a blog is one thing and maintaining it is another. Even if your blog has reached millions of visitors, things are not that easy for most bloggers who expect to earn a living by making profits of his blogs.
But a blog alone won't make bloggers or writers go too far these days. You cannot just sit and post writeups on a daily basis and hope business is going better on is own. You need to figure out the best ways to build products around the blogs. Something you can sell, a business model that makes money and solve problems at the same time.
That explains why writers and bloggers publish ebooks, produce paid webinars, podcasts, and provide consulting service as well.
And that's what separates blogs as a medium of rants and a serious business entity. Pretty much…
Not Everyone Must Be a Blogger
Not everyone should be a blogger, says WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg. Simply because not everyone has the passion to share things online. "Not everyone's a creator,"claims he.
But maybe everyone's a creator, Matt. But not everyone has the passion of sharing.
That reminds me of a friend who happens to like sharing long long updates on Path. She rants a lot once in a while on stuff she cares so much about like parenting but she tends to refuse the idea of blogging because she assumes it's not what she really is. In many ways, the blogging thing is something she thinks way too time and intellectual labor intensive. Yet, she can afford the hassle of writing such long updates on Path, which makes me confused. It turns out she doesn't think sharing ideas to the rest of the world without limit is her thing. That's something I could never understand. Why writing for only yourself or a limited number of people when you know what you share is useful to not only your inner circle but also everyone who shares the same shoes with you?
Blogging should be done with passion as it'd be tiresome for many without passion to write up like every single day. And this is not everyone can and wants to do. Writing every day is a grind and writing every day to get significant audience is another challenge to conquer.
There're bloggers who shift path to microblogging like Twitter simply because it's more succinct and instant a a tool of interaction. The Great Robert Scobble would be one of the examples. In Indonesia, we've got Nukman Luthfie, who happened to be an early adopter of blogging and online journalism in the country but as Twitter emerged as a new channel of communication, Nukman spends more time to tweet than blog. It's all about passion once again. And not all bloggers are all that consistent when it comes to writing consistently. Of course they still write but not in the long form as often as they did before. Instant gratification? I bet.
Blogging may be adopted and then abandoned or vice versa but no one can ddeny that blogging is constant in the way that it serves as our digital home. You can have as many social media accounts as you want but all those lead you to one single place: your site or blog.
Jurnalisme Emosional
Era media baru yang ditandai dengan inovasi-inovasi teknologi yang memudahkan siapa saja membuat publikasi mereka sendiri (via blog, self publishing, dll) membuat norma-norma jurnalisme konvensional mau tidak mau, cepat atau lambat harus bergeser. Terjadi friksi, tumpang tindih, perselisihan di antara para wartawan dan blogger (narablog) yang saling mengklaim bahwa kelompok atau aliran atau medianya adalah yang paling baik. Fenomena ini sungguh menarik untuk diamati bila Anda adalah pewarta atau peminat jurnalisme media baru dan blogging.
Dalam pengamatan saya, sekarang ini muncul sebuah aliran baru dalam jurnalisme:jurnalisme emosional. Para pelopornya adalah pendiri blog TechCrunch.com Michael Arrington, pendiri blog Pando.com Sarah Lacy, dan Kara Swisher yang mendirikan Recode.net. Mereka inilah orang yang membuat terobosan dengan memanfaatkan kanal penerbitan digital semacam blog dan jejaring sosial sebagai pengganti. Mereka membuat dunia jurnalisme menjadi lebih segar, tidak melulu menampilkan onggokan hasil wawancara, fakta dan data. Jurnalis-jurnalis kampiun media baru ini juga memiliki kepribadian (personality) dalam menyampaikan isi kepala mereka mengenai sebuah isu.
Beda yang pertama dan utama aliran jurnalisme emosional ini ialah mereka tidak segan menggunakan kata "I" (saya) dalam berbagai tulisan. Ego mereka memang besar dan mereka tidak menggunakan bahasa yang formal dan kaku bak pewarta media lama yang kerap menghiasi halaman surat kabar. Gaya menulis mereka sangat berkebalikan dengan gaya menulis wartawan di situs-situs berita mapan seperti BBC.co.uk dan VOANEWS.
Karena besarnya ego itulah, jurnalis-blogger di sini diperkenankan (baca : sangat didesak) untuk menunjukkan kepribadian mereka secara blak-blakan. Arrington dan Lacy, misalnya, tidak malu menulis dengan nada memojokkan atau menggunakan kata kasar semacam "f*ck". Swisher juga terlihat sangat liberal dengan penggunaan kata-katanya di berbagai kesempatan publik meski di tulisannya agak lebih terkendali. Emosi yang menjadi bagian dari watak manusia justru harus dipertontonkan di jurnalisme emosional dan media baru. Padahal di jurnalisme kolot, emosi sebisa mungkin dihindari agar tidak mencemari fakta yang disajikan pada pembaca. Jurnalis adalah mesin penyaji fakta dan peristiwa, tidak dianggap memiliki kepribadian atau sikap atau emosi yang manusiawi. Dalam jurnalisme emosional, justru kepribadian dan emosi harus dieksploitasi karena inilah komoditi.
Kecepatan juga menjadi prioritas di jurnalisme emosional. Sarah Lacy sendiri mengkritik bahwa dunia jurnalisme teknologi akhir-akhir ini menjadi semacam perlombaan bagi jurnalis-jurnalis agar bisa menghasilkan konten baru tentang pernyataan pers yang sama "lebih cepat dua detik" daripada para pesaingnya. Agar jurnalisme tidak semata-mata menjadi lomba kecepatan "salin tempel" (copy paste), ia menyarankan untuk menulis ulang pernyataan pers yang dikirimkan oleh startup atau berita apapun yang sudah ada agar konten yang disajikan lebih segar dan memiliki nilai tambah. Saya amati sendiri metode penulisan di Pando.com yang ia bawahi cukup menarik, karena kontennya lebih kaya referensi dari berbagai sumber. Banyak hyperlink menuju ke laman-laman lain yang bisa memperluas pandangan dan wawasan sehingga bias dalam penyampaian bisa ditekan.
Hal lain yang turut membedakan jurnalisme emosional ialah minimnya intervensi tim editorial. Di Techcrunch misalnya, menurut Eric Eldon (mantan editor Techcrunch) sebagaimana dikutip laman Poynter.org di artikel "Techcrunch's Alexia Tsotsis: 'I Like the Emotional Part of the News', blog itu tidak memiliki proses ulasan editorial yang formal seperti halnya di media lainnya. Tetapi inilah yang membuat Techcrunch sanggup bertengger di peringkat teratas Techmeme Leaderboard. Artikel-artikel blogger mereka kerap mendapat kecaman, sindiran, olok-olok, karena dianggap bukan pekerjaan jurnalistik yang sesuai pakem. Namun demikian, mereka malah makin berjaya. Salah satunya menurut saya adalah karena blogger-blogger di Techcrunch menulis dengan gaya pribadi mereka sendiri. Dan mereka diberikan ruang yang hampir tanpa batas untuk itu. Begitu bebasnya ruang itu, sampai Tsotsis sendiri mengaku pernah menulis dan mempublikasikan artikel dalam kondisi mabuk setelah minum anggur. "Fuckers I am so sick of reporting on incremental tech news for fucking two years now, so sick I'm pretty much considering reverting full-time to fashion coverage,"tulis Tsotsis yang mabuk di sebuah malam Minggu di Techcrunch. Tulisannya langsung menuai kritik dan kecaman pedas.
Sarah Lacy yang juga pernah bekerja di Techcrunch menyoroti lemahnya pengawasan editorial di media baru seperti Techcrunch dan menerapkan penyempurnaan itu di Pando. Penyuntingan naskah (copy editing) ia anggap sebagai bagian integral penerbitan sebuah artikel hingga pantas dibaca khalayak. Lacy mengatakan sendiri misinya adalah menggabungkan sisi posisif media lama dan media baru. Dan tampaknya ia belajar banyak dari kebebasan yang terlalu tinggi di Techcrunch.
Semua plus minus itulah yang membuat jurnalisme emosional ini menjadi begitu seksi, menantang persis seperti Alexia yang dulunya berprofesi sebagai model. Karena mereka mendobrak aturan formal yang sudah ada, dan makin dicerca, mereka makin disuka juga. Berita yang mereka sampaikan seolah menjadi lebih manusiawi dan tidak mengada-ada. Saya menduga ada kriteria khusus supaya seseorang bisa sukses di jurnalisme emosional seperti ini. Mereka adalah orang-orang yang bersedia menerima kecaman kejam tanpa henti dari troll virtual yang kapan saja bisa meninggalkan komentar pedas di kotak komentar.
Di Indonesia, sepengetahuan saya belum ada yang benar-benar bisa merealisasikan jurnalisme emosional ini. Dibutuhkan orang-orang dengan keberanian seperti Ruhut Sitompul atau Farhat Abbas untuk memancing emosi pembaca tetapi tentu saja, dengan memiliki kepribadian yang unik dan penampilan yang lebih menarik dari keduanya.
{image credit: Alexia Tsotsis/ Business Insider}
Live Blogging for Dummies
Live blogging could be distraction to some. Take Steve Jobs as an example. He once made all of the journalists in the room covering the launch of the product put their laptops down, and even better, switch them off. Poor Jobs. He annoyed the journos without remorse. You cannot blame people for doing their job, Jobs!
So apparently live blogging is pretty much a hit maker especially when a hugely impactful event is in progress. Like the last live blog I was writing on that news site I work for. I was on fire writing about the verdict of Prabowo Subianto law suit. As we all know, he sued his opponents, accusing Jokowi and Jusuf Kalla of being tricky and slimy to win over him and Hatta Rajasa. He seemed to do it only to prove he is a loser once again. Another shame he brought for himself. The staunch supporters of Prabowo-Hatta rallied outside the Constitution Court and caused some physical clashes but luckily no one got killed in the process. The army on duty had been instructed to be less agressive (because perhaps Prabowo used to be part of them and is still so no, though informally).
I was NOT there, to be blunt. I was only sitting at my desk, listening to some live streams broadcast on the web. Everyone was curious on what was going on and what was about to happen after the rally. I also summarized longer pieces of news spread on Twitter timeline of some news sites.
Basically this is what I do when I have to live blog indoor. I prepare a web page where I could write a line or two at first, and then as the time goes by, I will add more details chronologically. Mention hours and minutes to give impression you're continously updating. So when they refresh your page, they can find something new to read, whether it be texts or photos or videos.
Here are some of my insights on live blogging based on my experience.
Focus, focus, focus!
You undoubtedly need to enhance you focus. It's like listening exams, you listen to sources and process, summarize and publish the information and thoughts almost instantly. Without too long delay, or your readers will be disappointed. It's very easy when you are in the middle of the quiet room. But when you have to cover outdoor events and liveblog about it, there's extra mental work to do for you. Never forget to ask a friend or two to be with you to watch your belongings in case you need to use the bathroom for a minute or so. You cannot leave your laptop just like that in an open space where strangers are anywhere to see. That holds true when you already get the right strategic spot to comfortably see and observe a live event and never want to relinquish it to other journos.
Make sure you're near unused power outlets
I cannot stress more on the importance of securing a spot near power outlets.
Make sure the connection works smoothly
After electricity supply is solved, you need to ensure your connection works at the desired speed. Never rely on one modem or one cellular operator. At least, provide two. Otherwise, you'll cry a river when your favorite operator's service turn out to suck a lot there.
Get ready with your smartphone
Live blogging could be similar to live tweeting but of course you have to write longer, because you simply CAN. Be more accurate as a reporter than a Twitter user.
And if you are an avid user of WordPress mobile application, you may use the app to live blog. Just add more details on one single blog post with time stamps for each update, with the latest right up there near the title. The app would be such a great tool when you cannot sit there to type on your laptop.
I haven't given an outdoor live blogging a try. But my hunch is it is going to be a lot more challenging as you will have to deal with more distraction than live blogging indoor.
That said, happy live blogging!
On Creating Viral Content (Hint:Quantity Sucks)
The web has become a place overflowing with crappy content. Crappy content? What is that in the first place? As a content writer, I have seen too much crappy content published and consumed on the web. This is that particular content that sucks so badly. In my own experience, crappy content is something you can effortlessly copy and paste from another site onto your own without providing pleasure or value to the Internet users, having only one single goal in mind:SHORT-TERM PROFITS.
I tell you what, it will NOT work! And if you do it because you think you have no better options, I tell you:It sucks to be you. Because there are many better options of strategy to choose from.
I have seen a bunch of people doing this silly and senseless thing, pretty much every single day. And I am ashamed I used to be part of the ignorance sometimes. But as I realized more, I found out this was an insanity involving time and resources spending which produces little or meager, unsatisfactory results.
So let me tell you, I happen to know this bunch of people who are so deeply obsessed with hits and Alexa ranks. They post content (in the form of articles from other sites) days and nights like hundreds of them. It is a toil. It is all about "how many" and "how fast". It has never touched on the question of "how great", which makes it miserable. No one wants to advertise on the site. But who wants? It is just another site with thousand articles with no distinct voice. By distinct, I can safely say it has a unique editorial voice, a mission to pursue, a stance to make, a proposition to defend or advocate, etc. They have none. They only have money to burn, with no creativity, no shrewd strategy and very low passion in their head. Plus, a leader who is too quantity-oriented and as stubborn as a swine.
Don't be like these people. Don't let the same tragedy happen to you.
At first, we need to believe that publishing content on the web should be meant to provide quality content that addresses real problems of real people. Profits are side effects. Hits, Alexa rank and high ads revenue are some bonuses that follow after you provide quality content people need very much. It is all about changing mindset, from the idea that content is a pure tool of making profits to the more sincere and ideal proposition that content provides assistance for us to solve problems. Quite literally, stop think selfishly. Rather, start treating readers the way you want to be treated.
Creating content that goes viral would entail a wide array of factors. The first is pick the right topic. Select the hottest, most talked about topics and you are more likely to succeed. The last time I wrote about politics during the presidential elections, it was a blast as everyone was suddenly interested in political issues. Everyone wanted to read some content that enrich, verify or challenge their own political beliefs. Hence, as a content writer I naturally had the urge to share. To share things that I think useful, interesting and valuable enough for them to consume and then, of course, spread.
But aside from creating useful, great content, you need to make sure it also has to be authentic at the same time. Don't let yourself be a follower. Create new and fresh content. The more authentic content is, the better it gets. Ensure the content is first published on your site. So you basically position yourself as a thought leader. That way, people will come to your site whenever they need the information. If you cannot make sure it is absolutely new, now you always can publish it but convey it in a unique way, and add some more values. Be different, that is the key! And that is as easy as becoming yourself.
The second is write long. If it is possible to write longer pieces, just do it. Even if it takes days! Don't hesitate to be a perfectionist when you are allowed. I met a guy who didn't seem to mind waiting for days to polish his one long and comprehensive writeup on a topic. It is totally okay not to publish immediately sometimes. Take your time. It will not hurt if you pursue perfection anyway. And you know what? That is why his site only publishes one or two new articles once in 2-3 days. So slow I know it is. This guy's site, however, ranks much better than the previously mentioned site that publishes hundreds of unauthentic, soul-less articles. I would never believe it if I had not seen it before my naked eyes.
The third is ignore quantity. You ought to prefer writing one great piece that impresses people and benefit them simultaneously to producing hundreds of pieces that makes you like a bot. Always remember, as quantity takes the reign, you will lose more of your time to be personal and profound on the web, i.e. to be yourself, because you only want to reach the targetted number no matter what it costs you. And I have to tell you, networking on social media is not about making other people's newsfeed full with your updates and self promotional content. It is in fact more about building community around you and in a community, there should be interaction taking place on a daily basis. It does not mean paying attention to quantity is always a waste of resources but beware of the loss of the ability to enjoy what you do because contrary to popular belief, creating and marketing content successfully is a long-term work and meticulous type of toil. You have got to work hard every day, building everything bit by bit from the sractch and maintain it, then expand or improve what is already achieved. And if your main motivation is quick cash, you will NEVER manage to get through all this hardship.
Last of all, forget about SEO techniques. I seriously tell you. If you have important and unique messages to convey, even without SEO, people will always find your great content. Content that matters always attracts people to spread it further.
That said, I am convinced writing viral content shared by virtually everybody is easy. By easy, I mean it means natural, just like how you basically communicate by means of old media and tools. No special formula is required, to be blunt. Don't be mean, selfish and you will get there.
Writers' Moral Responsibility
"The first job of a writer is to be HONEST."- Irvine Welsh
I typed the word "honest" in capital letters as I cannot tell you how much I find this quote inspiring to me. This quote at its best teaches us writers in general (whether they be bloggers, published authors, print journalists, online journalists, novelists, short story writers, or even mere Facebook updates' creators) that nothing can substitute integrity and honesty.
But for some reason I cannot fathom why some writers plunge themselves into this kind of abyss named politics a little bit too far. Take Indonesian moslem writer Jonru Ginting as an example. The self-proclaimed writer, entrepreneur, and internet marketer (as he himself stated on jonru.net). He is allegedly to be the culprit behind the photo showing Jokowi as a priest at a church giving sermons according to islamtoleran.com (another site with unknown track records). The photo was found to be photoshopped and thus fake. Jonru (@jonru) himself denied the accusation via Twitter and Facebook. But long before that, when Egypt crisis broke last year, he was reportedly releasing a hoax to change the perception of those who did not believe in the sincerety of Ikhwanul Muslimin movement (source: badaruzz on www.kaskus.co.id, 14/07/2014). He was said to have used a photo of a smiling corpse, with the intention of convincing readers that Ikhwanul Muslimin casualties were died heroes. But the photo was found to be sourced from the web. The photo was allegedly taken from Malaysia, where the woman was only mimicking and acting as a corpse during a simulation of taking care of dead body before the burial based on Islamic regulations.
I am not going too comprehensive about who is wrong or right in this politically sensitive case but it may also be due to the implications of his involvement as a cadre of Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS) , who openly criticizes and frequently attacks Jokowi on his Twitter account and Facebook fanpage (https://www.facebook.com/jonru.page).
And that being said, I am not either about to judge him for being a politically biased writer because that is his own preference entirely. Yet, what I want to highlight is how perilous it may get when you involved in affairs such as politics as you may lose your integrity and neutrality as a writer. Because as far as I can see, those two things are the most invaluable and intangible assets for writers of all kinds. You can tell lies in fictional works as much as you want but never ever spread lies in your reports, non-fictional works since it may put your credibility at stake.
Because I believe there is NO fine line between liers and truth tellers in writing. Either you tell a complete lie that still makes sense of course in some way (i.e. fictional authors) or tell the "truth" as far as you possibly can do (i.e. reporters). Certainly, subjectivity may intrude in between but can subjectivity or bias leads a writer to lies or even worse libels, or defamation? Have your say.


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Like in most places in the world, the divorce process in Dubai can be complicated. Fortunately, there are many professional divorce lawyers in Dubai can help you with this process. When choosing a divorce lawyer in Dubai, there are several things you should consider. This article will walk you through some of those considerations.
One important factor that you must consider is how comfortable you will be with the lawyer you choose. This is because excellent communication is a must in divorce cases. Also on the subject of communication, you will also make sure that the lawyer you choose speaks plainly in your own language and not in "legalize".
Of course, the divorce procedure can differ greatly in Dubai than in other countries in the world. So, It is important to choose a lawyer who is expert and has knowledge of divorce law in Dubai in particular. For this reason, it will be necessary for you to interview the potential lawyer about this experience in Dubai divorce case. Fortunately, there are plenty of divorce lawyers in Dubai who have expertise. Asking friends and family who have had to go through the process for recommendations is a good way to find recommendations for one.
It would also be wise to be sure that you are aware of how much the divorce will cost you before choosing a divorce lawyer. An experienced divorce lawyer can assess your specific questions and give you an estimate of how much the process will cost you. In addition to the costs of actually obtaining the divorce, the divorce lawyer will also charge you for his or her services, and for that reason, you might want to "shop around" for a lawyer who can offer you the best value.
When you finally narrow your choices to a few lawyers, you will want to sit down and interview them. Here are the few questions you might want to ask the divorce lawyers in Dubai you are considering.
- How many divorce cases have you handled?
- How many of these cases have dealt with my particular circumstances?
- How much support can I be expected to get?
- Should I expect to have to pay for support?
- What are the best ways to contact you and how you should contact me?
- How you will keep me informed of the status of my case?
- Will you be available at times that are convenient to me?
- How much do you charge for your time and other expenses? What other expenses can I expect you to charge me for?
As mentioned above, divorce situations can be complicated and everyone's circumstances will be different. If you follow these tips, you can make the decision in choosing the lawyer who is best for you.


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a.f. abeijón-fernandez arquitectos
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong
The House: Art Object
The house is in a wood that comes out onto a valley.
Photo © Courtesy of a.f. abeijón-fernandez arquitectos
The swimming-pool is a reflecting element that connects the house the valley. The architect Jose Abeijón, took into consideration two basic concepts: on the one hand, he wanted to build a highly confortable and functional house for a family of four people; on the second hand, he used very big windows that relate both inside and outside spaces, which gives beauty to the whole project.
The house is a big central volume around which we can find other smaller ones made of different materials such a slate, wood and glass. Art is in every piece of the house since there are pictures made by the architect and other painters in every room of the building.
Photo © Courtesy of a.f. abeijón-fernandez arquitectos
The people
Project: House in "A Zapateira"
Architect: a.f. abeijón-fernandez arquitectos
Arch. José Abeijón Vela
Arch. Miguel Fernández Carreras
Location: A Zapateira, A Coruña, Spain
Underground floor: 186.25 m²
Ground floor: 186.36 m²
First floor: 134.45 m²Photographs: Courtesy of a.f. abeijón-fernandez arquitectos


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March 3, 2010
By Stephen Murgatroyd
Troy Media
EDMONTON, AB, Mar. 3, 2010/ Troy Media/ — The Canadian government will be releasing its budget tomorrow and it looks likely that a key part will focus on investments related to productivity and innovation.
There has been some – substantiated – concern that Canada is losing the innovation battle: according to the Conference Board of Canada, Canada is 14th out of 17 nations when it comes to innovation.
In the past, Canada has invested in university research, development and commercialization activities in the vain hope of producing great commercial outcomes. The reality, of course, has proven the opposite. The roughly $14-billion annual investment in R&D to our universities has produced only modest returns, the result of the fact that universities, by and large, are simply not designed to create commercial value from ideas and that they lack the incentives to do so.
Focus on business
So what should the budget contain?
It is obvious that the solution is not to continue to spend even more on our universities to try and fix the path to commercialization.
The real solution is to focus energy on where innovation really takes place – business. Rather than boost spending on R&D in universities, the government must use any new funds to significantly boost IRAP – the Industrial Research Assistance Program – and to create incentives for private and public partnerships. More specifically, it must seek to make focused and strategic investments in key industry sectors it wants to grow and minimize investments in dying industry sectors.
The government must also boost funding for post-graduate student placements, especially those with a co-op component with business or leading to a post doctoral position within business. It is worth noting that those countries ahead of Canada in innovation have a higher per centage of post-grads working in business, which is key to leveraging ideas and innovation.
Third, the government must invest in applied research where it is currently taking place, that is, in the colleges and polytechnic institutions. It is these institutions, after all, which are most closely aligned to industry, providing it with both the skilled people and the critical (and relatively inexpensive) applied work it needs. Their work on the innovation agenda should be recognized and funded accordingly.
Fourth, the real lack of tier one venture capital in the country must be addressed. Whether situated in Ontario, BC or Alberta, companies need to be "fed" two things – risk capital, supported by expert managerial talent, and realistic current market intelligence. Tier one venture firms supply both; banks and angel investors do not.
Further, the government needs to partner with the provinces in developing appropriate local innovation strategies; it needs to simplify the processes it uses for securing IRAP funds; it needs to start pooling its intelligence; it needs to stop believing its own press releases and start getting realistic about the challenges facing Canada over the next 25 years. It's time for some leadership and courage on the innovation file.
Stand firm against the US
Finally, the government needs to stand firm, in the interests of Canadian firms and researchers, against the persistent demands of the WTO and the US as they relate to intellectual property, demands which would retrospectively extend patent protection and toughen Canadian copyright laws. While fulfilling the demands would lead to more protection for the creators, it would come at the expense of those who wish to use the creations to generate wealth. Canada must, in partnership with other countries which are also balking at the hegemony of intellectual property law demands of the US, show what a 21ST century collaborative intellectual property regime could look like: A focus on open access, open source, rapid but short patent life for technology-based patents and a regime of copyright which is fair yet innovative.
There is a lot to do. We will see tomorrow whether or not the government understands the challenge and has the courage to act. Don't hold your breath.


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Here at AC silver we have a wonderful selection of compact mirrors to offer our customers.
These pieces are delicate, and evocative of a glamourous bygone era. Antique compact mirrors make the perfect gift, and feature beautiful details such as gemstones and enamel decoration.
Antique compact mirrors are a fantastic choice as an item to use every day, or if you are looking for a piece of antique silverware to display.
We hope that you enjoy browsing our collection of antique silver compact mirrors, and that you find a piece which delights you or your loved one.


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I am busy having a bit of a clear-out around the house, in preparation for some upcoming house and job changes, so I' m selling off some of my stuff. I've been doing the books first, so let me know if there is anything you fancy amongst this lot. Everything should be very reasonably priced and I'll send anywhere in the world, charging postage at cost (Look here for postage prices: link from the UK).
I'm selling the following Napoleonic books:
Napoleon's Invasion of Russia (George Nafziger): £7 GBP
Uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars (Cassin-Scott): £5 GBP
Napoleon 1814 (Andrew Uffindell): £7.50 GBP
1809 Thunder on the Danube vol:1 Abensberg (John Gill): £20 GBP
1809 Thunder on the Danube vol:2 Fall of Vienna & Battle of Aspern (John Gill): £10 GBP
1809 Thunder on the Danube vol:3 Wagram and Znaim (John Gill): £20 GBP
1815 The Waterloo Campaign vol:1 (Peter Hofschroer): £10 GBP
1815 The Waterloo Campaign vol:1 (Peter Hofschroer): £5 GBP
The French Imperial Army 1813-14 and Waterloo (Richard K Riehn): £2.50 GBP
Napoleon's Polish Gamble (Summerville): £5 GBP
Swords Around a Throne (Elting): £5 GBP
Napoleon's Grande Armee of 1813 (Bowden): £20 GBP
Napoleonic Artillery (Dawson, Dawson, Summerfield): £7.50 GBP
Campaigns of Napoleon (Chandler): £25 GBP
Wellington's Mongrel Regiment: A History of the Chasseurs Britanniques (Nichols): £4 GBP
Hanoverian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (Peter Hofschroer): £7 GBP:50
A couple of C15 - C17 items:
The English Civil War (Peter Young & Richard Holmes): £7.50 GBP
The Condottieri (Trease): £3 GBP
Henry VIII's Army (Cornish) (Osprey): £5 GBP
Some WW2 volumes:
German Anti-Partisan Warfare 1939-1945 (Heaton): £12.50 GBP
Crusade in Europe (Eisenhower): £3 GBP
Military Effectiveness Vol 3 The Second World War (Millett & Murray): £5 GBP
18 Platoon (Jary): £15 GBP
& Some WW2 air warfare things:
Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF : £3 GBP
Bf109 Aces of the Russian Front: £3 GBP
Jagdgeschwader 2 'Richtofen': £3 GBP
Bf 109F/G/K Aces of the Western Front: £3 GBP
Typhoon and Tempest Aces of World War 2: £3 GBP
and more generally:
Defeat in the West 1943-45 (Mike Spick): £3 GBP
Luftwaffe (Alfred Price): £3 GBP
Air War Over Russia (Andrew Brookes): £3 GBP
The Rise and Fall of the German Air Force 1933-1945: £3 GBP
The Nuremberg Raid (Martin Middlebrook): £3 GBP
Desert Air Force At War (Bowyer & Shores): £5 GBP
always up for a trade instead if that works better for you. At the
moment I'm looking for Baccus 6mm ECW, WotR and Napoleonics (but all
their ranges considered), GHQ moderns, boardgames covering Caesar's
invasion of Gaul and Britain and baseball (!) boardgames.
Let me know here or e-mail j*w*h*07*14@*y*a*h*o*o*.co.uk (minus asterixes!) if you are interested.
A blog dedicated to wargaming, mainly concerned with battles using 6mm toy soldiers set in a variety of different historical periods.
Heretical Gaming is my blog about my gaming life; currently concentrating on a re-fight of the entire English Civil War, but with numerous discursions into battles from many different periods. The focus is on battle reports using a wide variety of rules, with the occasional rules review, book review and odd musing about the gaming and history. Most of the battles use 6mm-sized figures and vehicles, but occasionally 15mm and 28mm figures appear too.
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Book Sale
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I love Sundays…I have dubbed Sunday – Pamper Me day!
Sunday is my day. Sometimes I think we get caught up in the hectic happenings of the weeks and months and we forget to take time out to relax. So on Sundays, I try my hardest to do things differently. Stay in bed later than usual…in my warm cocoon. I Fluff up the pillows and blankets and put some classical music on the stereo. Then when I can finally pull myself out of bed, well most likely when my little Chili makes me take him for a walk… I'm off to the local bakery for warm bread – today I spoiled myself with a double hot chocolate with marshmallows. After walking, feeding the dog, I go back to bed…yes, I eat in bed. Crumbs be gone! There I spend the next two hours reading, eating and dreaming while the snowflakes swirl outside my bedroom window. The inspiring music of Vivaldi adds an exquisite elegance to the otherwise unruly scene, and I am in heaven. I found time to get in touch with myself and my life and i think this just might be a necessity! I write, play Freecell. And am content.
Now I go for my weekly hair appointment, to get pampered some more. Even treating myself to a manicure. This will now become my favorite ritual.
Right now, this moment, I am happy….sadness be gone…


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The small but mighty film 'Hedgehog Close' has been nominated for two Wildscreen Panda Awards: Impact (small budget) and Children's Award. This 2-minute film is an engaging stop motion animation which shines a spotlight on the plight of the hedgehog in the UK.
We spoke to Film Director Tom Hooker, from Zest Productions, about making this film and the recognition it has received.
Hedgehog close is a really fun little film. What made you decide to get involved with this project?
I wanted to make something fun and different, but with a strong conservation message. After brainstorming a few ideas, I settled on Hedgehogs. They are declining rapidly but this downwards trend could still be reversed by very simple actions. There is an urgency to this and I felt that it could be addressed powerfully through video. Working with a small budget meant scaling everything down and the idea of building models to depict an 'ideal' hedgehog habitat appealed to me. This fitted the original vision to create something warm and charming and also seemed like a useful device to tell the story.
Being nominated for the Children's Award means the film was a hit with our toughest judges: a group of 8-12 year olds! Was the aim at the outset to create a film for a younger audience?
It's fantastic the film has been so well received by young audiences. This was definitely a priority from the outset and influenced every aspect of production. The most challenging part was writing a script that clearly communicated the key points without sounding too preachy……or dull! Beyond that, the models needed to look appealing and paying attention to small details helped make it more visually exciting. Lots of inspiration was drawn from the brilliant work of Aardman Animations who excel at captivating both young and adult audiences. The film is still being shown in schools around the country and many parents and teachers have got in touch to request copies and pass on positive feedback which has been brilliant.
What does it take for a film to successfully engage with the intended audience?
I think it's vital to weigh every decision and element against the intended audience. Whoever they are, and whatever age group, people have short attention spans and plenty of other distractions. It's important to give people a reason to keep watching at every stage. In the case of Hedgehog Close which was distributed on social media, it needed to be short and to the point. There were other models and scenes which never made it into the film as it was a priority to keep it under two minutes. In the end, every shot, and almost every word, had a purpose! As far as the creative stuff goes, the visual style is important and music obviously plays a huge part too, as does the tone and delivery of the voiceover. I think it helped being mindful of all these elements from the outset.
We also created a dedicated twitter account for the film where we tried to push it out far and wide. It was important to me to get the film seen outside a traditional wildlife audience to avoid preaching to the converted. The language used around its promotion was also important so as not to turn people off.
How important was the presence of Gordon Buchanan as the narrator? What did he bring to the production?
Gordon's voice was the icing on the cake and provided the perfect tone and feel. A warm, friendly voice that simply flows with the pictures without being over bearing or too 'instructional'. For me, it was important to have a recognisable voice that was trustworthy and genuine. I always imagined it being read softly as a bedtime story before functioning as a powerful conservation film and I feel Gordon's tone makes it work on both levels.
The film is made by stop motion animation, what is it about this style of filmmaking that lends itself to this particular film?
There are several reasons why stop motion felt like the right choice. For starters, we could make the hedgehogs move wherever we wanted and show this from any angle. I wasn't too concerned about smooth motion and perfect technique as much of the film's character lies in its rustic, home-made style. The model hedgehogs fit into the environment better than a computer generated version would have done and, crucially, it was also a lot cheaper! Stop motion also lends itself to a more nostalgic, family friendly feel that I wanted to capture. As a lighting cameraman, I enjoy lighting real objects in three dimensions whilst thinking about textures, shadows and how they interact. Consequently, I think it produces images that are more eye catching and engaging than a 2D animation would have been.
The main point in the film is about connectivity, illustrating the purpose of joining neighbouring gardens and allowing hedgehogs to roam. By using stop motion we were able to show this happening. With 30cm high houses, it was possible to film aerial shots and move between fence-lines without needing a huge crane, big lights and obliging residents! The resultant look hopefully has more charm and visual appeal too.
There is an incredible amount of attention to detail in the film, how did you go about creating all the scenes? And how long did the entire filmmaking process take?!
Adding the detail was definitely a lot of fun! The basic script just required a living room, shed and a series of gardens. It was only at the time of building them that they began to take on more character and interest……And absorb more time! The basic structures were made from cardboard and balsa wood although many other obscure items were also used, ranging from lolly sticks for roof tiles to coffee granules and tea bag contents for soil. Most of the wallpapers and brickwork patterns were created in photoshop and then glued onto card.
The model building process started slowly as it was important to establish the right scale. The models had to be large enough to be workable and allow the desired depth of field, but also not so large that we would have been forced to hire Pinewood Studios! Some sets were built to two different scales to enable certain shots.
Lots of time was spent on the internet browsing houses and gardens which helped inspire some of the designs. I wanted each house and garden to be individual whilst still being in keeping with the overall style. The alleyway was based on a familiar local alley, complete with wheelie bins.
The entire filmmaking process took about six months from start to end. This was from the original idea to the final release of the film during Hedgehog Awareness Week. It was helpful to have a deadline or it could still be going on!
In addition to two Panda Award nominations, this production has won multiple awards including People's Choice at the Charity Film Awards. What has been the wider impact of the film since its release?
It would be great to know how many new hedgehog highways have been created as a result of the film! There's definitely a few but what has also been rewarding is hearing from people who previously had no idea about the plight of hedgehogs and pledged to make changes following the film. I was conscious from the start that we needed to avoid preaching to the converted so found these moments very reassuring. It was initially shared on Facebook and twitter by BBC Springwatch, The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the RSPB but very quickly spread. It was great to see the film being retweeted and shared by various well known people outside of the 'conservation circle' including comedians, presenters and Aardman Animations Producer Peter Lord who praised its charm!
The film is still being distributed by the Hedgehog Society and shown within schools and educational settings which is fantastic. This will hopefully continue until a time when every street is like Hedgehog Close and their population begins to recover.
Many thanks for talking to us Tom, the film is available to watch below.
Visit the Wildscreen Festival website for more information and our full list of Festival speakers and screenings!
Hedgehog Close from Zest Productions on Vimeo.


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It's hard to find good rap music these days — its either incredibly misogynistic or is disguised dance music. Ooggz, a Bronx rapper who was given a soulful shout out by The Source, attempts to tell a good story with a versatility of rhymes.
Welcome to Neptune is his five-song EP, which was just released alongside his music video for Come on Down featuring Ayanna Williams.
Somewhere between Schoolboy Q and LL Cool J, Ooggz is still somewhat a mystery. But there's something magnetic to his vibe. The opening and closing tracks on the EP are the best: Get Em has an opening swag that calls to mind a pre-married Jay-Z, while Ain't What You Want brings bravado to bass.
Check out the Come On Down music video below and follow Ooggz on Twitter.


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Categories / Illustrated Classics
Join Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion as they embark on an adventure in the magical land of Oz. As the unlikely friends work together to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy can't help but wonder if she will ever make it home to Kansas. A classic story that has been enjoyed by readers of all ages since 1900, The Wizard of Oz is considered the first true American fairy tale. Full-page color drawings by illustrator Cherie Zamazing add an imaginative touch the story, making this volume a treasured keepsake.
More Books like This


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"Wild in Blue" is a dramatic, fast paced thriller written and directed by Matthew Berkowitz and was acquired by REEL SUSPECTS this year. It's a disturbing, yet compelling journey of a sexual sadist named Charlie, who makes a habit of killing the innocent and young women of his random one night stands. Using a camera he tells us a story of murder, sex and madness as we watch his 'movie in the making'.
Charlie's nihilistic ways begin to soften when he meets Ashley, a beautiful hairdresser who he stalks and secretly videotapes around Los Angeles. The only difference between her and all his other prey is that he starts to feel for her. Regardless of his demonic tendencies, his humanity is revealed in his subconscious desperation to love and be loved. This shift opens up feelings of sympathy for Charlie, an otherwise despicable character.
The biggest turn of "Wild in Blue" is its unexpected ending, which cannot be spoiled and must be watched. The final twist makes this dark exploration satisfying and sheds some rays of hope for Charlie.
The film's style, screen direction, cinematography and editing create a roller coaster ride through the mind of a deranged killer. Take "Irreversible", "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" and "American Psycho" put them in a blender on high speed and out comes "Wild in Blue"; a must see new indie film.
Watch trailer:
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Dal Moro's Fresh Pasta To Go is one of the first of its kind; a fresh pasta express concept that serves the finest quality traditional pasta dishes, quickly!
Founded in 2012 by 7th generation Venetian Chef Gabriele Dal Moro, the fast-casual restaurant is committed to providing affordably priced authentic pasta dishes. Dal Moro's Fresh Pasta To Go sources only the highest quality ingredients to craft seven special varieties of fresh pasta: fusilli, spaghetti, penne, fettuccine, gnocchi, rigatoni and linguine. Guests can also choose from 12 sauces, crafted in-house daily: Pomodoro, Boscaiola, Aglio, Olio e Pepperoncino, Alla Norma, Alfredo, Al Formaggi, Pesto, Carbonara, Bolognese, Amatriciana, Nero di Seppia and Frutti di Mare. All pasta dishes are served in convenient to-go style packaging that can be enjoyed anywhere.
Dal Moro's Fresh Pasta To Go has locations in Venice, Italy, Barcelona, Spain and Toronto, Canada.


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I wish you all could see the expression on children's faces at their first swim lessons — as they learn how to manage in the water — to take that first paddle and find that, yes, the water will hold them up! Then, it's on to swimming for endurance, taking the first jump off the diving board, learning what to do to save their own lives, as well as learning to save another's life.
I wish you could be there for open swim opportunities — watching families playing together — seeing both the timid and the show-offs use the diving board and the ball on a rope that swings you out across the pool and lets you drop off into the refreshing pool — all under the watchful eye of a life guard.
I wish you could watch the lap swimmers. Some of them begin with determination to dog paddle their way along the length of the pool — wanting to change their bodies and life styles. You can watch the ones who stick with it — their strokes become smoother — they go from one lap to many — their bodies feel and show the difference. You can watch the toned bodies of the more experienced, both young and old, as they power themselves across the pool.
I wish you could join the water aerobics classes — doing exercises that restore and strengthen the body, enjoying moving to the music, enjoying chatting with friends while they exercise. There's also the opportunity for water Zumba and water walking. Some people's favorite thing is water volleyball — you know that when you hear their shouts of laughter while they play.
I wish you could see the patience in the therapist's eyes while she (or he) leads a patient into the water for the first visit. The water provides a soothing atmosphere where healing can continue until full strength and mobility are achieved.
The most wonderful part is that you can experience these opportunities. All you have to do is visit our great Oak Harbor swimming pool.
There is just one big obstacle, to keep the pool open and all these great programs going, we must pass the North Whidbey Park and Recreation levy. Please vote "yes" and keep the pool and its program available to all. Your yes vote does not increase your taxes — it simply maintains the same low rate we have been paying for years.
The pool is worth it! Vote yes for Park and Recreation.
Patricia Hardin
Oak Harbor