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I should have done this a long time ago. Hi, I'm Lisa.
girl meets bike
I've been on a bike since forever.
OK, so it's a trike, but you get the point.
Riding a bike always meant freedom; that freedom manifests itself in new and amazing ways with each style of bike, each type of bike riding. Because I took dance class as a child (like many women) I've learned good balance, so cycling came easy to me.
I've dabbled in many areas from racing, to charity riding, coaching to fittings, wrenching, to clothing sales. I've loved it all, even through injury. I've loved road and tri, mtb and SS mtb, fixed gear commuting and track (and even BMX, though I suck at it).
I currently own seven bikes. That is B = (n – 1), where B is the number of bikes that I have, and n is the number of bikes that "I think I need".
Yes, I ride them all, except for the one I want to sell, and the BMX.
I live in the mountains, but that's OK, because I like climbing, AND going fast.
I'm naturally shy, but I'm from NYC and worked my way through college as a bartender, so I've learned to compensate intelligently, and in a friendly way, to get my point across.
I was a double major in Physics and Geology, and in Grad school I specialized in "Planetary Physics", or, "the physical and mechanical study, and analysis of other planets".
I also have a background in the fashion industry, and comic book industry (though that's about a million years ago).
I have a high IQ; I no longer apologize for being smart, even though smart women don't seem to be very popular right now (OK, political snarkiness alert). I still speak like a New Yawker, which sometimes embarrasses me, because I think it sounds less intelligent than my mother-in-law's London accent. I realize that this my own brand of warped perception and stereotype, but there it is. That's why my "new york tourette's" sometimes offends, and my use of GRE words sometimes confuses, but I am who I am. I have no problem with curbing either language when asked.
I believe that these qualities and qualifications, allow me to take a look at the relationship between women and bikes in an empathetic, but scientific way. The results have been my articles and reviews on this blog, which will soon be in magazine format, with other contributors.
Since I'm shy and paranoid (paranoia is an endearing NY trait), that's as much as you get about me, as a person.


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Smallville (season 4)
The fourth season of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 22, 2004. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman. The fourth season comprises 22 episodes and concluded its initial airing on May 18, 2005.[1] Regular cast members during season four include Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Jensen Ackles, Allison Mack, John Glover, Annette O'Toole and John Schneider.
|Season 4
DVD cover
|Country of origin
|United States
|No. of episodes
|Original network
|The WB
|Original release
|September 22, 2004 –
May 18, 2005
|Season chronology
Season four chronicles Clark and his classmates' senior year of high school and centers on his attempt to unite the three stones of knowledge, and trying to cope with Lana's new relationship with Jason Teague. Clark's friendship with Lex becomes increasingly strained, as he begins to distrust Lex more and more. At the end of season 3, Sam Jones III left the series as Pete Ross, and Jensen Ackles was brought in as Jason Teague and given star billing. Erica Durance was cast as Lois Lane, and became a recurring character for 13 episodes. Writers also brought in other popular DC Comics characters, such as Bart Allen, Mister Mxyzptlk, and Sam and Lucy Lane.
Smallville's Season four slipped in the ratings, averaging at 4.4 million viewers a week.[2]
|No. in
|Directed by
|Written by
|Original air date
|U.S. viewers
|Greg Beeman
|Alfred Gough & Miles Millar
|September 22, 2004
|Clark returns to Smallville as Kal-El; intent on fulfilling his destiny, Kal-El takes to the skies to steal a powerful Kryptonian stone which was in the possession of Lex Luthor. Dr. Swann's emissary, Bridgette Crosby (Margot Kidder), arrives to help Martha, who learns about a new form of kryptonite. Lois Lane comes to town to investigate the death of her cousin Chloe. Lana is shown in Paris with a new boyfriend, Jason (Jensen Ackles), and Jonathan Kent lies in a coma. Martha uses the Black kryptonite to help Clark retrieve his past self. Lana sees a symbol on her back which is similar to one on the tombstone of Countess Isobel Thoreaux.
|James Marshall
|Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson
|September 29, 2004
|Clark and Lois Lane investigate Chloe's apparent death, but are stopped by General Sam Lane, Lois' father. Lois suspects he knows more about Chloe's death than he is letting on, and tries to find out more. Discovering that Lex has been keeping her in hiding, Clark tries to find Chloe before Lionel's assassin can really kill her.
|Pat Williams
|Holly Harold
|October 6, 2004
|Lana's boyfriend, Jason Teague, having followed her to Smallville, takes a position as the assistant football coach. The two try keeping their romance a secret from the school, and also Clark. Abby Fine, a student, turns to plastic surgery to enhance her looks and boost her popularity. Things go awry when she discovers that her kryptonite-enhanced beauty causes harm to anyone she kisses.
|David Carson
|Luke Schelhaas
|October 13, 2004
|The cheerleading squad spikes the football player's drinks with a kryptonite-enhanced love potion. The result allows Clark to become the starting quarterback for the school. It also causes Chloe to become devoted to Clark, and sends a jealous Jason after Clark. Clark and Lois investigate and uncover the truth, and the key to removing the trance.
|David Barrett
|Steven S. DeKnight
|October 20, 2004
|Clark attempts to track down Bart Allen, a thief who stole Jonathan's wallet, but he's faster than Clark. Later, Bart arrives at the farm to make amends. Lex buys a manuscript with Kryptonian symbols, and Clark discovers that it contains a hidden map to one of the Kryptonian stones. When Bart steals the manuscript, he inadvertently puts Clark's life in danger and must make the decision to save Clark or himself.
|James Marshall
|Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer
|October 27, 2004
|One of the stones begins calling to Clark, who speeds to the prison where Lionel is held. When he sees Lionel attempt to stab Lex with the stone, Clark grabs for it, causing the two men to switch bodies. Learning his new body has super powers, Lionel immediately begins wreaking havoc in Smallville. Trapped behind bars without his powers, Clark tries to figure out a way to get his body and powers back in order to save his friends and family.
|Paul Shapiro
|Mark Warshaw
|November 3, 2004
|Foreign-exchange student Mikhail Mxyzptlk has the power of persuasion, and uses it to fix sporting events. Clark and Chloe try to figure out how he is controlling everyone. Mikhail makes a bet with Lex to keep his citizenship, but Clark and Chloe discover his weakness, preventing him from controlling the game. With his powers lost, Mikhail surrenders to Lex, but Lex decides to take him to a secret lab, 33.1, where he hopes Mikhail will regain his ability.
|Jeannot Szwarc
|Steven S. DeKnight
|November 10, 2004
|After Lana reads from a spell book, she becomes possessed by the spirit of Isobel Thoreaux; Lois and Chloe also become possessed by witches that were burned at the stake in France during the 1600s. The three witches seek revenge for their burning, as well as the Kryptonian stones. Clark attempts to stop the witches, but they strip him of his powers, shackle and torture him, and force him to reveal the location of the stone he hid in the cave. Eventually, however, Clark is freed by Jason Teague and confronts the witches in the cave. There, he regains his powers and uses his heat-vision to destroy the spell book and free Lana, Lois, and Chloe from possession.
|Terrence O'Hara
|Luke Schelhaas
|November 17, 2004
|Lex is accused of killing a young woman, and Clark sets out to prove his innocence. Swearing he is a changed man, Lionel offers Clark insight into the crime, but he asks for something in return. Meanwhile, Lana meets Jason's mother, Genevieve Teague, and has a vivid flashback of the incident in Paris, leading her to suspect that Jason's mother was there when she got her tattoo.
|David Carson
|Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson
|December 1, 2004
|Lex's secret experiment at LuthorCorp goes awry and causes a dangerous toxin to be released into Smallville. Those infected by the toxin, including Clark, Lana, Chloe, Lex, and Jason, imagine their greatest fears come true and then fall into a coma. Desperate to find a cure, Clark heats up the vials containing a cure while Lex is not looking. With the cure heated to the correct temperature, Lex does something unexpected with the unproven antidote.
|Greg Beeman
|Steven S. DeKnight & Jeph Loeb
|January 26, 2005
|Claiming to be cured, Alicia Baker is released from Belle Reve and returns to Smallville. Initially skeptical of Alicia, Clark finds himself enjoying a relationship with someone who knows his secret. When she pushes for more he hesitates, causing her to use red kryptonite on him. A morally challenged Clark emerges and whisks Alicia off to get married. Lana decides to have sex with Jason in an effort to win him back.
|Paul Shapiro
|Holly Harold
|February 2, 2005
|Clark has concerns after Alicia becomes the prime suspect in a brutal attack against Lana and Jason. Initially defending Alicia, Clark begins to think differently as the evidence begins to pile up. Hurt, Alicia forces Clark to unknowingly reveal his powers to Chloe. Afterward, she is killed by the person who was truly responsible for the attacks, Clark finds her and is deeply affected as he loved her. Jason's mother returns to town with an offer for Lex.
|Jeannot Szwarc
|Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer
|February 9, 2005
|In an effort to recruit Clark for their football team, Metropolis University sends their star player Geoff Johns to show Clark the perks of attending Met U. However, after one of Metropolis University's players dies under mysterious circumstances, and Lois is arrested for his murder, Clark discovers that Geoff has super powers and is using them to paralyze anyone who gets in his way, including Lois. Meanwhile, Chloe attempts to learn more about Clark's secret.
|James Marshall
|Luke Schelhaas
|February 16, 2005
|While driving, Lois accidentally hits a dog and brings it back to the farm. Clark realizes it's not an ordinary dog when it drags a tractor across the lawn. Clark and Lois learn the dog was stolen from an aborted LuthorCorp experiment, and was now being used to commit crimes. Lex lets Clark keep the dog, whom Martha named Shelby. Meanwhile, Lana questions Jason's involvement in his mother's schemes.
|Brad Turner
|Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson
|February 23, 2005
|After learning that Jason and Lex are in China searching for one of the Kryptonian stones, Clark and Lana follow in the hopes of finding it first. Clark finds an artifact that leads them to the stone, but he must battle Isobel Thoreaux, the witch who possessed Lana, who has returned to take the stone for herself. Lex has more information on the stones than he is letting on.
|David Barrett
|Teleplay by: Neil Sadhu & Daniel Sulzberg
Story by: Neil Sadhu
|March 2, 2005
|Lois' younger sister, Lucy, comes to town and charms everyone she meets. However, Clark discovers a darker side to Lucy, after he catches her stealing money from the Talon, and forces her to reveal the truth about her sudden appearance in Smallville. Meanwhile, the stone from Shanghai disappears from Lana's apartment and Jason accuses Lionel of stealing it.
|Terrence O'Hara
|Steven S. DeKnight
|April 13, 2005
|A glimpse of the future Lex Luthor is revealed after a kryptonite explosion splits Lex in two, (Alexander) and his evil side – Lex – are released. Lex immediately imprisons Alexander in the mansion, and tries to kill Clark and Chloe. After discovering Clark's secret, he attempts to persuade Clark to join him. Clark uses black kryptonite to force the two Lexes back together.
|Whitney Ransick
|Luke Schelhaas
|April 20, 2005
|A stunned Chloe is nominated for Prom Queen, and tries to talk a reluctant Clark and Lana into attending the dance with her. However, after her rival Dawn crashes her car into a ravine filled with kryptonite, Dawn's spirit is released, allowing her to enter the bodies of anyone she wants. As a result, Lana asks Clark to be her date, Lois attends the Prom and Chloe attempts to set the school on fire.
|Jeannot Szwarc
|Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson
|April 27, 2005
|Kevin, a boy who can cause people to temporarily lose their memory, turns his powers on Clark and causes him to have total amnesia. Chloe discovers what has happened and must teach Clark about his superpowers, while simultaneously trying to keep him from accidentally revealing them to others. Without his memory, Clark meets and falls in love with Lana again. Lex takes advantage and convinces Clark to reveal the cave secrets.
|Steven S. DeKnight
|Steven S. DeKnight
|May 4, 2005
|Clark and Lana discover an abandoned baby in the cornfield and take him back to the Kent farm. However, once the baby ages from a newborn to sixteen years old in a matter of days, the two realize he is aging at a rapid rate and frantically search for a cure before the disease kills him.
|James Marshall
|Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders
|May 11, 2005
|Clark must stop the school photographer after he sets up a secret simulated high school and begins kidnapping students to keep the glory days of high school going forever. Lex and Lionel are kidnapped and tortured by the Teagues in an effort to find the Kryptonian stone. However, after Genevieve realizes Lana has it, she decides to put an end to the hunt once and for all.
|Greg Beeman
|Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer
|May 18, 2005
|Genevieve confronts Lana, but Isobel takes control and kills Genevieve, subsequently releasing Lana from possession. As a result of using a Kryptonian stone to kill a person, a menace comes to Smallville (under the guise of a second meteor shower that threatens the city), and Clark is forced to listen to Jor-El and retrieve all of the stones at once. As Jonathan and Martha prepare to leave, Jason arrives and holds them at gunpoint demanding to know where Clark is so he can find the stones, but a meteor lands on the house destroying it. Clark races across town to retrieve the Kryptonian stones, and puts them all together in the cave. Lex forces Chloe to accompany him to the caves, where they see Clark standing in a blinding light. Lana's helicopter crashes next to a newly arrived spaceship, and Clark is transported to the Arctic.
The fourth season garnered Leo Awards. Make-up artist Natalie Cosco was awarded the Leo Award for Best Make-Up, for her work on the episode "Scare".[25] In 2006, Barry Donlevy took home Best Cinematography in a Dramatic Series for his work on "Spirit", while David Wilson won Best Production Design in a Dramatic Series for "Sacred".[26] The series was recognized by the Visual Effects Society with a nomination in the 2005 VES Awards and 2006 VES Awards. The 2005 nomination was for Outstanding Created Environment for "Crusade",[27] while the 2006 nomination was for Outstanding Visual Effects in the episode "Commencement".[28] The show received Teen Choice Award nominations in 2005 for Choice TV Actor (Tom Welling), Choice Parental Units (John Schneider and Annette O'Toole), and Choice Sidekick (Allison Mack).[29] In 2005, the show was nominated for a Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in "Scare".[30][31] In 2005, "Commencement" was nominated for an Outstanding Sound Editing Emmy Award.[32] Glen Winter's cinematography work was recognized with an American Society of Cinematographers Award for "Sacred".[33] For the 31st Annual Saturn Awards, Tom Welling received a nomination for Best Actor, Michael Rosenbaum and Erica Durance received nominations for Best Supporting Actor/Actress, and the fourth season was nominated for Best Network Television Series.[citation needed]
Home media releaseEdit
The complete fourth season of Smallville was released on September 13, 2005 in North America.[34] Additional releases in region 2 and region 4 took place on October 10, 2005 and November 11, 2006, respectively.[35][36] The DVD box set included various special features, including episode commentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette on the writers, a featurette on the different actress to have portrayed Lois Lane over the years, and DVD-ROM linking to Smallville websites.[37]
- ^ "Smallville Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved July 9, 2007.
- ^ "Primetime series". The Hollywood Reporter. May 27, 2005. Archived from the original on May 19, 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2007.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. September 29, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. October 5, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. October 12, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. October 19, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. October 26, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. November 2, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings Report". ABC Medianet. November 9, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. November 16, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. November 23, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. December 7, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. February 1, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. February 8, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. February 15, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. February 23, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. March 1, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. March 8, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 19, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. April 26, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 3, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 10, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 17, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Weekly Program Rankings". ABC Medianet. May 24, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "2005 Leo Awards". LeoAwards.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2007.
- ^ "2006 Leo Awards". LeoAwards.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2007.
- ^ "3rd Annual VES Awards". Visual Effects Society. Archived from the original on September 8, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
- ^ "4th Annual VES Awards". Visual Effects Society. Archived from the original on September 8, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
- ^ "2005 Teen Choice Awards". Fox. Archived from the original on August 23, 2007. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
- ^ "Past Golden Reel Awards". MPSE.org. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
- ^ "2005 Golden Reel Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
- ^ "2004–2005 Emmy Nominations" (PDF). Awards Avenue. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2006. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
- ^ "20th ASC Awards". Alternative Film Guide. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
- ^ "Season 4 (Region 1)". Amazon. Retrieved October 15, 2006.
- ^ "Season 4 (Region 2)". Amazon. Retrieved December 13, 2006.
- ^ "Season 4 (Region 4)". jbhifionline.com. Retrieved January 12, 2007.
- ^ Details from the back of the DVD box set.
External linksEdit
|Wikiquote has quotations related to: Smallville
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Smallville.
- Official website
- Smallville – list of episodes on IMDb
- List of Smallville season 4 episodes at TV.com
- List of Smallville season 4 episodes at Wikia
- Smallville at epguides.com
- List of Smallville season 4 guide at kryptonsite.com

subset: commoncrawl


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There is a "Franzenfreude" comic over at the Rumpus and a fresh interview up on The Guardian in which he talks about David Foster Wallace's death and jokes about the whole Great American Novelist thing.
Post Scriptum- In fairness, considering the slight degree of player hating and general media fatigue in regard to Jonathan Franzen's latest novel that has taken place on this site, I just finished and wholeheartedly recommend Freedom. Aside from occasioning toward jackass in very public forums and somebody placing the text "Great American Novelist" due southeast of him on a magazine cover, the guy wrote a good book.


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Our unique collection of Zari Work Silk Saree is available in different colors and patterns. Offered saree is available in cascade of colors hues. The beautiful patterns and border work on the saree are gorgeous and captivating. The design of this saree is inspired by rich Indian culture with a touch of modernity in it. By paired with matching jewellery, it enhances beauty of wearer. Our Zari Work Silk Saree is suitable to get dry-cleaned to ensure its color vibrancy along with zari work.
SHREEM GLOBAL EXPORTS All Rights Reserved.(Terms of Use)
Developed and Managed by Infocom Network Ltd.


text:
Ray and I enjoyed two weeks honeymooning in Venice, Bari, Greece, Albania, and Rome. Here's part 8 of our trip! If you want to go to Part 7 in Dubrovnik, click here .
When the cruise came to a wrap, we were ported back in Venice. The cruise port and the Santa Lucia train station are just a few minutes walk away from each other after the people-mover so we lugged our carry on's across the bridge and over the cobblestones to make our way to the next city. We took a high-speed train to Rome that took about 3 hours.
In Rome, we stayed at Rome Style Hotel which was conveniently located in-between the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. The hotel was beautiful; modern and clean with friendly staff that helped us with our luggage to our room. The room was permanently placed in 'mood lighting' which was cool at first but eventually led me to looking for more sources of light. The toiletries were Etro! But what I loved even more was the location of the hotel; we were in the middle of everything.
We arrived in Rome late in the afternoon and we were hungry so after dropping off the luggage, we ventured our neighborhood. Our hotel was located between the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and everything in-between was beautiful. We stumbled upon the Spanish Steps, busy with people relaxing on the steps and shopping in the nearby streets. Next to it was Ristorante Alla Rampa and we dined al fresco. We were addicted to two entrees our entire stay in Italy: carbonara and penne al salmone. And because of Venice, we made it a point to have tiramisu at every. single. meal.
The Trevi Fountain was incredible to see in person. It's much larger than what I had imagined and the area was buzzing with the same excitement of seeing the fountain for the first time. Nearby are many shops for souvenirs and gelato on nearly every corner. We stopped in Don Nino since the interior and cones had caught my eye as we were on our way out of the fountain area.
One of our favorite dinners in Rome (located on a tiny side street near Trevi Fountan) is Piccolo Arancio Ristorante. They had seating on the street and it was always amusing when a car would try to squeeze through. We had called for a reservation that same afternoon and I'm glad we did — the restaurant was packed shortly we had arrived! The pastas were even better here and the wine was a treat.
We did so much walking while we were in Rome! There's so much to see by foot and many tiny shops to check out.
One of the coolest experiences was being able to walk and learn about ancient Rome and the colosseum at night! This was a tour we had booked through points on our Sapphire Reserve and was worth it 100x. We were amongst a group of 12-15 people and one of the last groups that had access to the colosseum. Our guide was knowledgable and we learned so much about ancient Rome and how influential Michaelangelo was in building Rome. We even got to tour the underground chambers of the colosseum where the fighters prepared for their battles! You can learn more about the tour here.
We visited Vatican City on two different days while we were in Rome. Once for a blessing from the Pope and two, to check out the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica.
Every Sunday at noon during the Angelus Prayer, the Pope speaks from his window overlooking St. Peter's Square. Tickets aren't necessary to be a part of the Angelus Prayer and luckily we happened to be in Rome on Sunday! We were ambitious this morning as we had walked from our hotel to Vatican city. We climbed up the Spanish Steps, skipped across the bridge, and followed the crowds into the Vatican City.
This was a bucketlist moment! The energy of the crowd was incredible the moments leading up to Pope Francis arriving at his window. I still can't believe it, we prayed with the Pope!
The Vatican Museum is the 2nd largest museum in the world and possibly has the most visitors in a calendar year. I had heard of the museums being insanely packed and far too large for our first visit so we opted for a tour that brought us around, highlighting and discussing specific exhibits that included the Sistine Chapel.
Right after the Sistine Chapel we were brought to a side entrance to St. Peter's Basilica where we bypassed people who were waiting in line. Everthing about this basilica was incredibly grand. It's hard to grasp the idea that the basilica took about 120 years to build!
We did so much on our honeymoon that I had to split it up in multiple posts. Here you can skip around and check out the cities you're most interested in, or you can keep going in order 🙂
Part 1: Overview + Venice
Part 2: Murano + Burano
Part 3: MSC Poesia
Part 4: Bari, Italy
Part 5, Greece
Part 6: Albania
Part 7: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Part 8: Rome + Vatican City


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What's that lump on your neck?
Those were the words that started a new journey of questioning … searching … confirming God's place in my life. I thought I had dealt with my share of brokenness. Not just with my early years of emotional brokenness due to living in a dysfunctional family followed by years of bad decisions, but the physical brokenness that I experienced just last year, going through brain surgery to remove a tumor the size of my fist. I thought I had figured life out. I knew that God was with me in April 2011. I knew he loved me and had a plan for my life. I thought life from here on would be smooth sailing.
How pathetic! What arrogance filled my heart!
Here I was facing a physical crisis again. A nodule was discovered on my thyroid. I realized I needed to go through the process again; the process of accepting God's purpose for my life. I had to once again embrace—with humility—the fact that I did not know what tomorrow held for me. I had to revisit prayers that I offered to God earlier; prayers of complete acceptance and thankfulness. I read scripture with a new hunger. I knew Truth was the only thing that could carry me through this valley. And the most wonderful thing happened. The scriptures that I always loved took on new life; a brilliance that filled my soul. I was reminded of an important lesson: I need Christ not because I'm broken again, but because I'm broken still.
I still have the nodule on my thyroid. I am scheduled to have a fine-needle biopsy and have penciled a date for surgery … just in case I need it. But Truth is still the same; God is always there, and he has a plan just for me.
I'm totally on board for that!


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The Phenology Garden at A.I. Root Candle Co. contains 28 plants, which includes Herbaceous Perennials, Woody Ornamentals, and Native plants. The garden was established in 2014. The garden is one of 30 Phenology gardens across Ohio that is a replicate garden. Phenology is the study of recurring, seasonal biological events and their relation to weather. Medina Master Gardeners visit the garden weekly to record data on first and last bloom of each plant, and the pollinators that visit each plant. The goal is to learn more about pollinator activity and flower preference across the entire blooming season. Come and see the garden, the flowers, the pollinators and visit with the Medina Master Gardener Volunteers on August 13th.
Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa
False Indigo Baptisia australis
Cheddar Pink 'Tiny Rubies' Dianthus grantianopolitanus
Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
Perennial geranium Geranium 'Nimbus'
Daylily "Raspberry Pixie' Hemerocallis
Sedum Autumn Joy Hylotelephium telephium 'Herbstfreude'
Siberian Iris Iris siberica
Bee balm "Raspberry Wine' Monarda didyma
Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
Beardtongue 'Husker Red' Penstemon digitalis
Garden Phlox 'David' Phlox paniculata
Hybrid Sage 'May Night' Salvia x sylvestris
Redosier dogwood Cornus secricea
Cutleaf Elderberry 'Laciniata' Sambucus Canadensis
Manchurian Lilac 'Miss Kim' Syringa pubecens subsp. Patula
Common Lilac 'President Greavy' Syringa vulgaris
Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia
Weigela 'Red Prince' Weigela florida
Blue Giant Hyssop Agastache scrophularifolia
Rattlesnake Master Eryngium yuccifolium
Common Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
Joe Pye Weed Eutrochium purpureum
Clustered Mountainmint Pycnanthemum muticum
Pinnate Prairie Coneflower, yellow Ratibida pinnata
Swamp Verbena Verbena hastata
Culver's Root Veronicastrum virginicum
Golden Zizia Zizia aurea
Here is what should be blooming the next several weeks:
Blue Giant Hyssop
Hybrid Sage 'May Night'
Purple Coneflower
Common Boneset
Culvers Root
Rattlesnake Master
Clustered Mountainmint (star of the garden for pollinators)
Joe Pye Weed
Blue Vervain
Wild Bergamot


text:
The Argument of a Complex Number
Any complex numbercan be written in the formwhere
is called the argument of the complex number z and may be writtenIt is actually the angle taken clokwise from the positive real axis to the line drawn from the origin to the point z. The argument of a complex number has the property that it can increase by any multiple ofand still return the same complex number, since each increase in the argument byrotates the complex number once about the origin and returns it to the same point.
We can define the argument of a point relative to any point in the complex plane. Relative to the pointthe argument ofis writenand is the angle between the line fromto and a line drawn fromin the direction of the positive real axis.


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Monday, November 03, 2008
"CHIPS: NIST researchers claim their electronic nose knows"
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) claim its electronic nose can identify hundreds of different chemical compounds using pattern-recognition algorithms that mimic the way animals recognize odors. NIST's electronic nose depends on 16 microheater elements supplying samples to eight different types of sensors, enabling them to detect everything from nerve gas to environmental contaminants. NIST researchers suggested the microheater technology could be used in handheld devices used by first responders and hazardous material teams as well as for industrial processes monitoring and space exploration.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212000236
Posted by NextGenLog at 12:59 PM


text:
View Seen Through a Balcony
Gustave Caillebotte (1848 - 1894), Paris, 1880
oil on canvas,
65.6 cm x 54.9 cm
Credits (obliged to state): Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (purchased with support from the BankGiro Loterij, the Vincent van Gogh Foundation, the Mondriaan Fund, the Rembrandt Association, with the additional support from the Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds, and the VSB Foundation)
The French artist Gustave Caillebotte painted the view from his Paris balcony in 1880. The real subject of the painting, though, is the balcony itself, the cast-iron curls of which form a decorative pattern that fills the picture plane. In the distance we make out Boulevard Hausmann with a carriage, an advertising column and passers-by.
Caillebotte used dark colours to emphasize the centrality of the railing. It stands out sharply against the street scene, which he painted in pastel tones. The bold composition was inspired by Japanese prints, the abrupt cropping, high vantage points and solid colours of which made them an important source for artists looking for a modern style.
Van Gogh was intrigued by Caillebotte's work. The announcement of an exhibition prompted him to write to his brother Theo: 'there'll be some works by Caillebotte – I've never seen anything of his, and wanted to ask you to write and tell me what they're like.'


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YOU are loved.
That, in a nutshell, is the simple short version.
Pretty simple that one.
I love you.
God loves you.
Your ____________ loves you.
What is love? Really? ? Oh, come on - you know! REALLY.
We could blog definitions for love with the denotations and the connotations beyond eternity but bottom line - you know when you feel love and you also know when you don't.
Did I mention that I love you?
You can't change that by the way - same with God - he loves you much more than I do and that is just the way it is. You may dispute that love. You might try to prove that you don't deserve to be loved. You may even do foolish things that make me (or you - or both of us and even others) unhappy or that separate us from close interactions - even from God - I will still love you. That's just the way it is. (I'll not presume to speak for God but I will witness that when I do foolish things he DOES continue to love me.)
You may not believe you ought to be loved. The prevalence of 'earning' love in our vocabulary and culture seems to teach us and train us to negotiate love. Purposefully (or perhaps just in default) we buy into this concept - just try to divorce yourself from doing so - and we even may violate our true selves as we attempt to achieve a false security starting from such vain, futile premises. I'll be your friend if you'll be mine. I'll care for you as long as you meet my conditions. I'll love you as long as you ... don't cry, get good grades, keep the house clean, go to work, pay the bills, _____________ ...
And it seems to be a two way street. If I do ___________ you will love me. If I don't do ___________ you will love me. If __________ you will love me more. If we could master this would we need anyone?
The problem is that when love is negotiated, conditional, arranged and earned the deal is never sealed, never finished. Can we really feel loved if we feel we may lose love by failing to meet conditions or contracts? How can we then ever be sure that there are not unidentified conditions that will nullify all previous expressions and professions of love? Is there not a fear in every heart that someone may stop loving us because __________ - go ahead - fill in the blanks. We all do it - and when we do we doubt love.
We inherently know that real love has no conditions, no potential deficiencies. I feel that love from Father in Heaven.
By the way - did I mention that I love you? You can't earn that. That is a done deal. I already do. You don't have to accept it either. I just do - and will continue to.
It can be difficult to set aside concepts conditioned into our psyche and break away from ingrained patterns of trying to earn love. The 'real world' may have shown us that we get what we earn and we earn what we're worth. As we try to be 'lovable' can we ever allow ourselves to just sit back and be our genuine self? Our best kindest real self? There even come unspoken incongruities that potentially place others in charge - in control of what we do, what we say or how we act - perhaps even, possibly - extending to how we think. A great gap may distance us from our authentic selves and true principles to the extent that we become lost - lost to agency, lost to self respect, lost - simply, irrevocably lost.
So (in case you don't understand) I just want you to know that I care about you, deeply care what you think and feel and need - no strings attached - reciprocity is irrelevant.
Bottom line: I love you
Dropkick, or Selena Gomez - It's drizzling rain, and in the half-light of late afternoon, streetlights are stuttering on in twos and threes. The students straggling out of after-schoo...
2 years ago


text:
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As content network delivery (CDN) administrators strive to keep pace with rising subscriber demand for online video, a cloud CDN solution can provide significant benefits.
Users today not only expect access to video whenever and wherever they want it, they expect to consistently to get broadcast quality every time. For network administrators, delivering highly reliable streaming video or video on demand (VoD) requires extremely sophisticated CDN technology. Most administrators, however, lack the resources and expertise to build a state-of-the-art CDN service from the ground up.
That's where cloud CDN services from Akamai can help. By providing high-performance services via a CDN cloud network managed by CDN experts, Akamai's managed cloud CDN solution enables enterprise IT administrators to reduce the cost and complexity of delivering superior video content, large file downloads and other media that can win subscribers and drive new revenue streams.
Akamai operates the most highly distributed CDN in the world, serving 15% to 30% of Internet traffic every day. With extraordinary depth of experience building and managing CDN solutions, Akamai is the perfect partner for IT administrators who want a managed CDN solution.
Akamai Aura Managed CDN is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud CDN solution that provides administrators with the latest in CDN capabilities on infrastructure managed and maintained by Akamai. With this cloud CDN offering, administrators can deploy a highly scalable and completely turnkey CDN to provide users with access to multi-screen video services, large objects and commercial CDN services. Akamai's cloud CDN enables administrators to move more quickly to take advantage of new opportunities, to deliver superior online experiences and to offer advanced value-added services that are only available on the Akamai Intelligent Platform™. Whether using Aura as a CDN streaming server or a VoD CDN, administrators can realize significant gains in the speed, quality and reliability of video delivery.
Akamai's cloud CDN enables network administrators to:


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The Glass Knife. A genuine place. That comes from a genuine place. We exist to share. And invite you to rediscover an honest feeling of welcoming. In an uplifting, elegant communal setting – where you'll fit in whether wearing a suit or sandals. The food we serve is an homage to the things you love most about life and the people you love spending it with. Cakes may be our calling card. But our sweet and savory menu options and exclusive Onyx Coffee offerings, make breakfast, lunch and dinner a delicacy, too.
So, stop by. Come sit a spell. Your company is what makes ours.
Whatever you're hungry for. Elegance. Sustenance. Delicacies. Or dessert and drinks.Breakfast Menu Lunch Menu Simply Social Weekday Menu Simply Social Sat & Sun Menu Weekend Brunch Menu
Want to be a part of something truly unique? Have a passion for baking? An appetite for cooking? The desire to provide world-class service? Find out more about joining The Glass Knife family.Learn More


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Rich, chocolate browns, deep reds, all the colors that remind you of the changing leaves are here. If it's time to transition your lingerie collection from summer to fall, be sure to include a couple of these corsets!
Maroon Angela Corset, Tantalizing Mocha Corset
And the great thing about Escante's corsets, as you can see from the style of their photos, is that they're perfect to wear out for everyday life. Just layer a fitted blazer or classic cardigan over them and you've got a sleek and sexy look. So, divas, which color are you going to be wearing this fall?


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can I
offer You
in payment for
the debt I've incurred?
You finance my debt by
serving me salvation's cup,
filling my mouth with the sweet wine
of Your Name; the glory payment plan
never even touches the principal.
What am I to return to Yahweh
for all His full recompense to me?
The cup of full salvation I will take,
and on Yahweh's name I will call (Psalm 116:12-13 Motyer).
A striking reply! Asking what am I to give back, he replies 'I will take.' Our true response always is first to receive what Yahweh gives. He fills the cup, we take it (Motyer, 325n36).


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Bliss Chair
Product Description
The beautiful Bliss collection is designed to make your life easier when choosing a sofa. Its range of modular options and colours will allow you to tailor exactly what you want to the size of your living room. And it's this flexibility that will mean you can spend more time enjoying the space in your home, rather than trying to find a pre-modelled range that might not quite fit.
The Bliss is available in a number of different colourways and comes with the choice to have different coloured feet options.
Scatter cushions are sold separately.
Please note not all items shown online are on display in store.
Please call ahead on 01293 224859 to check which stores have the item on display.
Protect your purchase against accidental damage >>
Care Guides:
Whatever look you're trying to create, make sure you check out our care guides for helpful information on all our products.
Furniture Care Guide >>
Fabric Care Guide >>
Leather Care Guide >>
Bed & Mattress Care Guide >>
Delivery & Free Returns
Furniture delivery is available throughout England and Wales. Unfortunately we cannot deliver to Scotland or Nothern Ireland at this time. Small goods, such as bedding, towels etc. are available for delivery throughout mainland UK.
Free delivery is available on orders delivered to Surrey, Sussex and parts of Kent when you spend over £299. We also offer delivery to the rest of the UK at a flat rate of £60.
Small goods delivery is £4 to mainland UK. All charges are applied at checkout. Collection from any store is free. Please call 01293 224859 if you'd like to arrange collection of an item.
Online Returns
What happens if I change my mind?
Don't worry, if you don't really like the item after all, wish you hadn't ordered it, or have measured up incorrectly, we'll give you your money back. All you have to do is let us know within 14 days of receiving your items. You can either return the item/s to us yourself or we can arrange to collect the item/s for a small charge.
What if my item arrives damaged?
Although this is extremely rare, we appreciate how frustrating it can be if you've waited in all day only for your order, or part of it, to arrive damaged. We have a great customer service team on hand to help should any such incident occur. In most cases we will collect and replace the item free of charge - just give us a call on 01293 224859 and we'll guide you through the process.
Bespoke items
Bespoke, handmade items, that are made to your specifications, such as sofas and armchairs, are not included in the above return policy. We cannot accept returns for these items unless faulty, so please carefully consider your choice before making a purchase.
Please check our delivery and returns guide for more information.
Item: 9000122694
View the full Bliss collection
Available (allow 10 weeks for delivery)
This item is made to order.
Home Delivery
Free Local Delivery
- Function: Fixed
- Dimensions: Fabric Category 60: W 102cm x D 103cm x H 88cm
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The Science Fair took place Friday, December 1st, for the Middle and High School of IMSA North. The Science Fair was the culmination of a lot of hard work. We had 289 participants from grades 7th– 12th. The students showed off their curious nature by using the scientific method to answer questions that fascinated them.
At the Science Fair, students were recognized for their hard work, preparation, and creative ideas in different topics such as behavioral science, life sciences, physical sciences, chemistry, computer science, and mathematics. IMSA North believes that the science fair project is one of the best learning experiences a student can undertake.
We thank our dedicated staff, students, parents, and community support for supporting S.T.E.M. at our school.
Our winners, along with the honorable mentions, and an additional twenty students from the Middle and High School will be continuing on to the CONSEF Science fair, along with the Indiana Regional Science Fair, to compete with other schools in and outside of the state.
The winners were as follows:
High School:
1st– Omar Terrazas
2nd– Perla Gomez
3rd– John Majekodunmi
Honorable Mentions:
Charles Cox
Clara Owolabi
Grace Carpio
DeWayne Cox
Adrianna Zavala
Johanna Nunez
Nubi-'An Webb
Middle School:
1st – Jaden Mickens
2nd – Cheree Johnson
3rd – Miles Garrett
Honorable Mentions:
Cornelius Adeola
Emilee Childress
Marco Cisneros
Shane Hickman
Lilyanna Orta
Jaz'Myne Quarles
Lyric Teague
Papa John's : for supplying the food for our students, parents, and judges
Concept Schools: for their continuous support


text:
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Music of the Sphere: Black Lips, FIDLAR, T. Hardy Morris, Lunchbox, Persian Leaps, Yung, OBN IIIs, Car Seat Headrest
Here are recent finds we like or love at some faveblogger sites. Many thanks to them.
Black Lips - Freedom Fries - Rollo & Grady
FIDLAR - Why Generation & 40oz. On Repeat - Still in Rock
T. Hardy Morris - My Me - KEXP Blog
Lunchbox - Heaven - Magnet Magazine Blog
The Persian Leaps - Dottie, Queen of the West - Magnet Magazine Blog
Yung - God - Side One Track One
OBN IIIs - 4D & New Money - Side One Track One
Car Seat Headrest - Something Soon - Side One Track One - Here's that previously posted one we like.
Posted by pplist at Saturday, September 19, 2015
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Agapé is a Christian Boarding School that Can Help Your Boy, Even Though It is not in Fresno, California.
While you search for a Christian boarding school in Fresno, California for your teenage son, would you also consider a Christian boarding school in an alternative place that is affordable, and has assisted struggling boys to change the course of their lives for over 21 years?
Located in the center of the country, Agapé Boarding School accepts at-risk boys from all over the U.S. We are also certified to enroll international students. A number of boys typically come to our Christian boarding school from California, Texas, New England, Illinois and Florida, and especially Fresno, California.
Christian Boarding School that Welcomes and Works with Teenage Boys Who are Struggling with Behavior Issues or Falling Grades
Many of the boys who come to Agapé are exhibiting behavior issues including defiance of authority, lying, lack of motivation in school, hanging with the wrong crowd, anger, ADHD, trying out drugs or alcohol, or otherwise following the wrong road in life that could lead to serious problems if it were to continue.
Cost Effective Alternative to Boarding Schools in Fresno, California
Even though our main focus is on dealing with misbehavior and mentoring these boys, as a Christian boarding school, we also provide an accredited education, competitive sports and an array of daily activities — all at a very affordable price. Agapé helps teenage boys become respectful, disciplined and educated young men. Real change comes from our emphasis on the power of God to change lives. And our structured environment detached from their peers helps the boys learn positive new patterns and habits for living.
young men who attend the Agapé Christian boarding school receive an opportunity to catch up and finish their high school coursework and prepare for college. Boys follow an accredited curriculum to earn high school diplomas. Boys also receive training in a variety of vocational skills at Agapé, including automotive repair, painting, electrical, tiling, laying carpet, cement work, construction, landscaping, welding, and more. Residents are well-prepared for college or success in initial jobs in the workforce, having acquired these skills, as well as the self-discipline that will serve them all their lives.
Residents also participate in daily activities and athletic programs. The campus includes a full-size gymnasium and well-equipped indoor recreation room; baseball, football, and soccer fields and a volleyball court and boxing arena; a fishing pond and a small lake; horse barns and an outdoor riding arena; and an in-ground swimming pool, among other facilities. The ranch also is home to a plethora of exotic animals, from alpacas to zebras.
Though not located in Fresno, California, Agapé Christian Boarding School Enrolls and Helps Boys from Around the Country, Including Fresno, California.
Numerous teen boys from Fresno, California have turned their lives around with the help of Agapé Boarding School and look forward to a promising future.
Please think about looking outside of Fresno, California to this successful and affordable Christian boarding school for boys with behavioral and academic problems.
To find out more, we invite you to investigate the rest of our website, then complete our inquiry form or call us today to learn more.
|More about Christian boarding schools in or near Fresno, California:
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation. Fresno is located in the center of the San Joaquin Valley of Central California, approximately Convert north of Los Angeles, and Convert south of the state capital, Sacramento. Metropolitan Fresno has a population of 1,107,416.Citation needed The name Fresno is the Spanish language word for the ash tree, and an ash leaf is featured on the city's flag.
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text:
They often ask me to tell what mobile journalism is. Well, now I can say what mobile journalism was. Yeah, you read that right: I wrote what it was.
It was this: it was that professional culture that interpreted the production of editorial multimedia content for journalism or corporate communication made with the sole help of production, processing and coding equipment represented by the smartphone or by production tools that can have with the same direct interaction via plug and play or via bluetooth or wi-fi connection. All in order to be able to realize contents from the unique storytelling (even immersive) and to be able to proceed with the delivery or direct publication in total mobility. The experience of creating the final result is understood to be experienced on mobile devices to facilitate the process of transformation of journalistic and multimedia editorial languages in order to be effective for the use of content from mobile screens.
Provocation? Yes, provocation, but not too much. Mobile journalism and mobile content creation, in 12 years of history (the first stirrings of the movement began in London in 2007) have become big. From the first experiments of the Reuters mojo lab to date, the quality, technology, language and diffusion of this culture have created a worldwide phenomenon.
Against the resistances and against the power of satellite antennas and broadcasting companies, mobile journalism has begun to "infect" the production processes of each editorial office at the four corners of the planet, with peaks of excellence from Ireland to India, from Sweden Australia. Apps, media, microphones, lenses, smartphones (always more powerful and "photographically" equipped) then did the rest, creating an ecosystem in which the mojo is the language of production of stories and news that then they travel on the web and arrive at our mobile devices.
Smartphone is the center of a new world
The world has therefore become a place that informs itself, binds, becomes engaged, gets married, separates, is born (and sometimes kills) through a smartphone. Now the phone is the door through which we look at the world. For this reason I think it is now, for mobile journalism as a technique and as a professional current, to retire. Already, mobile journalism is dead, because this culture that has the smartphone at the center and is expressed in the most varied fields (the award-winning director Steven Soderbergh has already fired 2 films made with iPhones) has become unmarked by the editors and the nerd community of the matter.
The mindset
Now being mojo is a mindset that embraces many products of creation and that represents the root of the change in the media world. The television dictatorship is running out and with it that of the cameras. The era of video taken from reality is beginning also for the story of a news story, a story, a product, a service. Reality enters more easily through the smartphone with which breaks the barrier of hardware that intimidates to get closer to the stories. Much closer. If we count that a generation of small wireless microphones is also being born, well, the new grammar of the video (which is our new written letter) becomes reality.
A new writing instrument
"The smartphone is our pen," Hosam El Nagar, director of innovation at the Thomson Foundation, one of the institutions that is most committed to spreading mobile journalism, told me during a study trip to London. "It is the pen of our time and we must be able to write well with this pen – he continued – Mobile journalism, therefore, is the culture we need to write, to do well the visual narrative of what surrounds us. Yes, because now we all want to do it. Now making videos is not just for journalists. It is for everyone ". That's why mobile journalism is dead, because in this world there are 3 billion potential mojoers who want to tell a story. Whatever it is.
Journalism: a backward world in a deep crisis.
The expression mobile content creation better justifies the importance of this culture. For everyone, not just the media. There are apps for filming, apps for editing, apps for making graphics and animations, programs that can work in the cloud, microphones and professional lenses: there's everything you need to do anything with your smartphone. Everything. From the beginning … to the publication.
It becomes automatic to think that the problem of mobile journalism is continuing to revolve around … journalism, also because first of all, in my project of dissemination of this culture, I am testing everyday the difficulties of changing a world from within backward and in deep crisis like that of journalism.
Of course: I am critical of this world, but I have no intention of leaving journalism. I want to change it and I won't have rest until I do it.
A new language for change.
Mobile content creation is the opening of framing of mobile journalism that cannot continue to avoid confrontation with media change. Mobile content creation is the tool of media change, but around the smartphone (finally) a real mobile media economy is developing. In this age, in fact, we are witnessing a serious crisis of journalism (in general, but Italian in particular), but also to the flowering of a series of technical possibilities to realize contents that we never thought we could touch with our hands.
Every journalist can develop his business thanks to the mojo.
Every journalist or communicator can be a professional-level producer with equipment below 1000 euros and apps that cost a few tens of euros. And then? And so nobody uses them … because you don't know the potential of that thing we have in our pockets. Instead, we need to think that there are a number of tools, in addition to those of production, that allow us to create economic value from our work.
Even in the media the smartphone is at the center and is giving birth to something new.
When I talk about work tools and wealth creation for content producers I talk about marketplaces, work required and performed remotely, sponsored creative productions, microcrowdfunding, independently created editorial projects, direct sales platforms for content, but also of new business models.
Already, if the smartphone is our main media then it is worth thinking that a world of media business has already been created (not only represented by the big names in technology) that revolves around the telephone, as a starting and arrival point of the news path. I'm not talking about citizen journalism or social media, influencers or yotuber, I'm talking about all that generation of new apps and new information centers that are giving value to their readers, their communities, their "members" with a 'direct and one-to-one interaction. Which revolves around the smartphone.
New publishing experiences
The experiences are many: Quartz, The Skimm, Tortoise. Mark these names (and for the rest follow my work because it will be based on these topics for a long time). Want to know what they are? They are newsrooms that have developed such futuristic apps that they represent an important value that arrives daily in the smartphone of those who subscribe.
They have developed interactions with a true community of reference that develops in a virtuous circle of information, culture and world view, with the smartphone at the center. Receiving the journalistic product and contributing to the journalistic product, the reader-actor of this new way of doing media is inside an ecosystem in which he counts. He counts his voice, he counts what he chooses and what he receives in the phone, but also what he tells his media that they have real dedicated conversation channels with the "member". This is why he wants to pay.
Mobile media economy.
A mobile media economy is being born that gives economic value to the conversation and that finally makes the news reader-actor active. The world of media that makes us passive or limited to some like or comment is over. The world of interactive readers has begun in the process of producing news and enjoyment. And all this is mobile.
In the Italian media we do not see the shadow of all this renewal and we insist on considering mobile an online newspaper that you can read on your smartphone. Even my blog reads very well on a smartphone, but it's anything but new. We live in a country whose media are in a state of cultural backwardness that makes us doubt that they can ever leave, but we also have a sea of mobile phones available and a land on which we could grow a new mobile media economy. In short, the mobile journalism with its small or large communities, lives an adolescent moment, a moment in which it does not know what it will do when it grows up.
It could even die without a trace.
The only reasonable path is the path that starts from the professional use of the smartphone to produce content, to the development of personal and professional projects related to this language, up to the production of new "mobile" media that bear real value to their readers-members . Among other things we try to take this into account: the smartphone is at the end of its days. It would be better to start the revolution in the use of furniture, before it disappears from under the nose, replaced by some kind of devilish thing to wear.
An appeal
I conclude with an appeal: I see the national and international community crossed by difficulties in relationships, to prevail over personal interests. For my part I will not participate in this game of those who take the paternity of mobile journalism or of those who believe they have the truth in their pockets. I will continue to be in contact with all those who want to have an interaction with me and a coherent and consistent vision of changing the world of journalism.
If we want to continue to consider mobile journalism as a B solution, as a game or as a solution that costs less, we can do it. We can also say that mobile journalism is filming with a smartphone and mounting with final cut. We can also pay tribute to this or that smartphone maker or app or hardware manufacturer. We will lose the possibility of continuing to put together the pieces of this culture of change in journalism. I'm not there and I'm going ahead. I want to change the languages, places, tools and mechanisms of my profession. And you?
Are you there?
P.S. Thanks to Nick Garnett for writing the mojo's death first. He was right and I was wrong.


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Our children's wooden playhouses and forts are beautiful, well constructed and backed by the most trusted name in small buildings: Leonard. When designing our wooden playhouse line for children, we asked ourselves... "What would make our playhouses different from the rest?" We were determined to do better than the kits we saw online: with more styles, color choices and more durable construction.
Our playhouses are fully assembled, painted, shingled and DELIVERED with 2x4 framed walls, and Leonard's patented, pressure-treated "notched skid floor system" for convenient delivery setup.
Leonard creates playhouses that are safe and affordable with our great RENT TO OWN program with NO CREDIT CHECK required. Our playhouses join your home and family READY TO PLAY!
Popular sizes: 5x8, 6x8, 8x10, 8x12, & 8x16


text:
Getting through the colder months with greying hair and sun starved sallow skin – without looking completely washed-out and middle-aged – is a challenge best tackled by wearing more colourful clothes. So having bought some crazy coloured chevron fleece fabric from Brighton's Fabric Land (unsure whether to make cushions or clothes with it), it dawned on me that making a fleece dress in this bright material would solve so many problems.
I've made it into another Art Teacher Dress from Ottobre Design's Autumn/Winter 2014 magazine.
As before, the pockets in this dress design are perfect, and lovely and soft to the touch in fleece. I cut the multicoloured chevrons in different directions, machine finished the hem and sleeves with a fancy topstitch and used bias binding for a neat neckline.
Fleece is so quick and easy to sew – no fraying seams! And did I mention how warm and cosy it is? Fleece fan John Shuttleworth would be thrilled to pieces with such a sensible fabric choice, I'm sure. I still have enough fabric left over to make four cushion covers (for Xmas presents), so will be spreading the fleece love this Christmas. Fleece Navidad indeed.


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August will be my month!
I'm tired of feeling like shit. I'm sick of waking up feeling terrible because of how much I ate the day before. This changes now, this changes today. My control is coming back, I won't be a slave to food and cravings anymore. I want my bones, I want my thigh gap, I want me back.
August is the month for me. I'm going to log my intake every day, with only a few rules:
- Hot drinks (black tea, green tea, low-cal cocoa [All less that 30 calories per serve and <1 fat]) won't be counted, but low-cal cocoa will be taken sparingly.
- Net Calories won't be calculated. (It makes me think that I can eat more when I've done more exercise than usual)
- If you aren't sure of all the ingredients in a meal, don't eat it. (The calories can't be known or estimated properly)
- Allow yourself one day in the week for a mini-splurge. (This will prevent binges during the week and give you something to look forward to)
- Intake will be logged at the end of every day, even the splurge days.


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Buying local – the advantages
Thought for the day…."It's better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life."
"A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise against, not with, the wind."
There was a time in my younger days when I would spend hours looking for the cheapest price. Getting something for the cheapest price was the target, and an important one. But gradually I have come around to looking at VALUE, rather than price. I have just had delivery of my new camera. I know that I could have ordered it online cheaper, but because my local photo shop (Photo & Video International, Christchurch, New Zealand) has given me such great service, then it was an automatic and easy decision to order from them. True, I may have paid more for the camera, but when I need help or advice, the dealer will be there, and will be only too happy to help, even if there is no direct profit in it for him. Not only that, but it makes trading much more friendly. And it is good to know that when I need some extra bits, that he will supply them, even if there is little or no profit in it for the shop. Previously I would have gone for the cheapest, but the value of personal customer service from a shop cannot be measured in money terms. The best part is that at the end of the transaction, that both the buyer and the seller come away feeling satisfied and happy. Too many negative experiences with online 'shops' located in far off places, who once they have sold you something, do not want to hear from you again. Long live the friendly local shop !!!
And a couple more photos from the old camera…….
and another photo from the archives….the Finnish capital of Helsinki
Queen of the Skies – the Boeing 747 400
Thought for the day…."Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get."
A photo that is history now….a Singapore Airlines 747-400 taking off from Zurich airport in Switzerland. Known as the Queen of the Skies, almost 400 tons lifting off for the 11 hour flight to Singapore. Zurich (code ZRH) is a great place to take aircraft photos, as the authorities there actually encourage people to take photos, and even organize special photo tours. Great that the managers there have seen the value of photographers, and make it easy to take photos, rather than trying to prevent it like so many airports do today. Not only that, but Zurich is actually a good airport to fly into or transit, run with the usual Swiss efficiency. The photo below was taken during one of the organized photo tours, although even from the normal viewing decks, it is easy to get some great photos.
and some faces from the harbour market in Helsinki, Finland……
Coffee time in Finland
Thought for the day…"Value is more expensive than price"
"You may not know what is going to happen when you try, but if you do not try, nothing will happen".
Two photos from opposite sides of the globe next, one from the Finnish capital of Helsinki and the second from the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. Interestingly, the building in the first photo is now the City Hall for Helsinki, but was originally a hotel where the first moving pictures were shown in Finland by the Lumiere brothers in 1896. Even in winter (when temperatures are frequently below -20 degrees centigrade) people will sit outside in the area around the harbour to drink excellent, strong Finnish coffee (kahvi in Finnish language). Finland is number one in the world for coffee consumption per capita, something to do with the long, dark Artic nights. But the coffee is excellent !!! It works out to about 12kg of coffee for each person in Finland. A survey in 2014 reported that 14% of men and 6% of women in Finland drank MORE than 10 cups of coffee a day. They like their coffee !!
And another photo from the archives….Lake Hawea, Otago, New Zealand
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Beers of the world.
Thought for the day…" If you want the rainbow then you have to put up with the rain" (Dolly Parton)
" No-one can make you feel inferior without your consent".
Next time you feel like a beer, then spare a thought for beer drinkers in Iceland. There the Stedji brewery is offering a special beer to quench your thirst, made from smoked whale's testicles. Apparently it is an ancient Icelandic tradition to cure, smoke and then salt these parts of whales. Whale meat is found on the menu in Icelandic restaurants, and is claimed to be healthy due to its high protein content and low fat. The beer, which is 5.2% alcohol, will only be sold in Iceland.
A perfect autumn day at Lake Wanaka, New Zealand for the photo today….clear air and still conditions made photos like these very easy…..
And another photo out of the archives…snowmobile jumping in the centre of the Finnish capital, Helsinki
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Scandinavian duo – Stockholm & Helsinki
Thought for the day…" A star needs darkness to shine " " Beauty might bring happiness, but happiness always brings beauty".
It you take around 51 000 steps, and run them in around 2 hours and 2 minutes, and cover a distance of 42.195 km then you will have run the famous marathon, and in a record time too !! It is said to have started when a Greek messenger called Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens with news of the Greek victory over the Persians. The sad fact is that having run the marathon with the exciting news, that he collapsed and died. An extra 182 m was added to the distance in 1908 during the Olympics in London, so that the finish line would be in front of the royal box, and since then the marathon has remained at 42.195 km. Annette Fredskov from Denmark holds the dubious honour of having run 366 marathons in a single year. In Canada the 101 year old Fauja Singh completed a marathon in Toronto during 2011 in a time of 8 hours 11 minutes. Around 21 000 runners compete in the annual Stockholm marathon, from where today's photo comes. Judging by the number of runners in the photo, then it was certainly crowded over the first few kilometres.
And another photo from the archives……snowmobile jumping in the Finnish capital of Helsinki….
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Helsinki duo – Two from Helsinki, Finland
Thought for the day…" The difference between genius and stupidity is…..genius has limits"
" The secret of getting ahead is getting started (Mark Twain).
Two photos today from Helsinki, capital of Finland. Helsinki is one of those cities that you have to discover, for there is a lot that is not obvious on arrival. For one thing, Finland is number one on the world for coffee consumption per capita, and the coffee is good, strong and available everywhere. (Try 'The Roastery' on Alexanderkatu for some really good coffee). And to go with the great coffee….some Fazer chocolate (although Karl Fazer was actually originally from Germany). It is also the only city in Finland to have trams and a subway (metro) and is said to have the world's most northerly metro station. The language is horribly difficult for a foreigner, in winter is is very cold (-25 is not uncommon) and also dark for most of the day, but to make up for this there are some excellent sports facilities, wonderful architecture, good eating places, and the feeling that you have left Europe behind and have crossed into Russia (like when you see the Russian Orthodox churches in Helsinki, with their onion domes). Indeed, parts of Helsinki look so much like Russia that Helsinki used to be used instead of Russia when making films (such as 'Gorky Park') until the city council decided that it was not a good idea and stopped promoting it. And if you explore the indoor markets, then you may find things like bear meat for sale as well as the more common reindeer and moose meat. But perhaps give another tradional (but popular) Finnish sweet, salty liquorice, a miss. The city has about 53% women (versus 47% men), and after Reykjavik, Iceland, is the world's most northerly capital city. More trivia….it was the first country in the world to give women the vote and also the first country to make broadband a legal right for citizens.
and another photo out of the archives….taken just a couple of hundred metres from the previous photo, but months apart….a new photo converted into Black & White, then converted into Sepia to give it the old-fashioned look.
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Two from Helsinki
Thought for the day…" The future Depends on what we do in the present" (Gandhi)
" Life is the art of drawing without an Eraser".
Two photos from Helsinki, Capital of Finland. One thing that you will NOT see a lot of in Helsinki (nor in Finland in general) are European Union flags. The EU is not popular in Finland, and even on public buildings such as the Finnish Parliament and Helsinki Town Hall, you are unlikely to see an EU flag, just the white and blue flag of Finland. There is even a cafe in Helsinki which has the prices in the previous Finnish currency (maarka), as even the Euro money is not popular. Often the only EU flags that you will see are on the ferry terminals, some of the larger hotels and also on the EU Office in the city centre. Car number plates have to have the EU flag on them by law, but basically you will not see many EU flags in Finland.
The first photo below is from the central Senate Square. This square, just below the Lutheran cathedral is used for pop concerts, Christmas markets and events (the Eurovision Song contest has even been held here). The buildings around the square resemble those in St. Peterburg, Russia, and parts of Helsinki were used in the 1960s and 70s for movies based on Russia, until the city council decided that it was not a good idea.
Whilst the architecture and design of Helsinki makes it a great city-break destination, the best thing is the strong Finnish coffee. Finland is number one in the world for coffee consumption per capita, and the coffee there is excellent (try the 'Roastery' on Aleksanderkatu). Many places around the city sell great coffee from 1 euro a cup, and if you are visiting Helsinki in Winter when the temperature is -25 degrees and it is dark nearly all the day, then the coffee will be especially welcome.
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Busy doing nothing – Not the Quality Spa Resort Hotel, Norefjell.
Thought for the day….." Never let perfect be the enemy of better" " It takes twenty years of hard work to become an overnight success"
A photo from a few years back, taken on the main railway station in Tallinn, Estonia. Estonia has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, although there is still a lot of Russian influence there, with around 45% of the population speaking Russian. It still shares a border with Russia, and another with Latvia. Around 430 000 people live in the capital, Tallinn. It has become known as the Silicon Valley of the Baltic due to the large IT industry there, with Skype being its most famous development. More than 1.5 million tourists visit the city each year, with about 1/3 of them arriving by ship. Plans to link Tallinn to Helsinki (Finland), some 80km away by an undersea tunnel have been put on hold, although they were part of the European Union plans to improve links to the area.
And one from the archives, taken a few years ago, the rare Rothschild giraffe.
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New, looking old – Not the Quality Spa Resort Hotel, Norefjell.
Thought for the day…' Life was much easier when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits".
"Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day".
The world gets more crazy. Apparently, the Brightwater Wastewater Treatment centre (which is called a sewage works to you and me), near Seattle, USA is now promoting itself as the perfect place for weddings. Advertising on its Facebook page, it lists the things that it can offer for your perfect wedding….lots of parking, dance floor and full catering. Renting the sewage works costs USD 2000 for 8 hours. Apparently, there is no smell.
A photo from the Finnish capital of Helsinki for the photo today. It started as a colour photo, but was then converted to black and white and then finally to Sepia, to give it an old look. On the skyline is the Lutheran cathedaral, and below that on the left is the Helsinki town hall. Much of the centre of Helsinki Iincluding the Lutheran Cathedral) was designed by the German architect, Engel and has a Russian style. Indeed, parts of Helsinki look so much like Russia that in the 1970s and 1980s it was used as a copy of Russia when making films. With faster trains to Russia now, then there are many more Russian visitors, as well as day trippers from Sweden who arrive on the overnight ferries.
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text:
Don't exclude thin cornea patients from LASIK for fear of ectasia
Corneal thickness is not directly related to corneal strength. This patient had a thick cornea but was obviously weak biomechanically, which can be seen on topography as FFKC pre-op. This patient developed ectasia 27 months after LASIKSource: William B. Trattler, M.D.
The belief that LASIK shouldn't be performed on thin corneas because of the risk of sight-threatening ectasia isn't scientifically valid, according to one researcher.
Abnormal corneal topography is the most important pre-op risk factor for the post-surgical complication, said
William B. Trattler, M.D., director, cornea, Center for Excellence in Eye Care, Miami.
"Most patients who have thin corneas are not abnormal," Dr. Trattler said.
Corneal ectasia, which is a progressive bulging of the cornea, much like that of keratoconus, can severely reduce both uncorrected and best corrected visual acuity. Researchers have preliminarily identified risk factors for the complication, although a list of true risk factors is still being hotly debated. Some proposed risk factors include forme fruste keratoconus, residual stromal bed less than 250 µm, high myopia, and pre-op corneal thickness less than 500 µm.
Dr. Trattler cited a retrospective review of 1,700 patients who were scored using the Randleman scoring system.
"We found that if the topographies are normal, the Randleman criteria aren't that helpful for predicting who's at risk for ectasia," he said. "I think that the bottom line answer is that corneal topography is reason numbers 1-10 as a sign for who is at an increased risk for ectasia."
Dr. Trattler said if the patient's corneas are biomechanically weak, they will warp and develop keratoconus.
"When patients have asymmetry and signs of early kerataconus, you know that those corneas are already weakened, and that is different from patients who are younger or who have thin corneas," he said. "There is no evidence that thin equals weak."
Dr. Trattler said results from corneal crosslinking prove his point, since crosslinked corneas become more compact.
"As they become more compact, the corneas stiffen and get stronger," he said. "The same cornea before and after crosslinking is stronger, but also thinner."
It is common knowledge that with age, corneas become stiffer. Thickness, however, is a different story.
"There's no relationship between aging and thickening or thinning. It stays about the same," Dr. Trattler said. "If you have a patient who is 500 µm and 18 years old, the cornea is going to be about the same thickness but much stiffer when the patient is 70."
African-American patients, too, naturally have thin corneas, but are not at increased risk for ectasia after LASIK or for developing keratoconus.
"If thickness was related to weakening, we would expect more African Americans to develop keratoconus than Caucasians, but this has never been shown to be the case," Dr. Trattler said.
He cited a study presented at the 2011 ASCRS•ASOA Symposium and Congress in San Diego in which he evaluated the pre-op topographies of 104 patients with post-LASIK ectasia.
Only 15 of those patients had pre-op pachymetry measurements of less than 500 µm, and 12 of those 15 patients had either keratoconus, forme fruste keratoconus, or pellucid marginal degeneration.
"The point here is that most patients who develop ectasia have pre-op corneal thickness of more than 500 µm. For those patients with thin corneas, the ones that I have seen typically have pre-op topographic abnormalities that would exclude them from surgery in 2011," Dr. Trattler said.
Dr. Trattler said three of the eyes in the series did have thin corneas and bilateral normal pre-op topography and developed ectasia, however, "these three eyes were in patients with very high myopia, and they did not have intraoperative pachymetry when they had their surgery more than 10 years ago. It is likely that these cases of ectasia were caused by the metal microkeratome creating a thicker-than-expected flap."
More tissue is often removed by the laser to treat the refractive error in high myopes with a thinner cornea, which results in a patient having a residual stromal bed that is too thin—below 250 µm.
"Since these cases occurred more than a decade ago, we do not know the actual flap thickness," Dr. Trattler said. "But if thin corneas were an independent risk factor, we would expect many more cases of ectasia to be popping up in patients who had thin pre-op corneas and normal topography."
Dr. Trattler said corneal topography measurements can identify patients who may have signs of subclinical keratoconus or other corneal abnormalities. Those patients would not be good candidates for LASIK, he said. EW
Editors' note: Dr. Trattler has financial interests with Abbott Medical Optics (Santa Ana, Calif.).
Contact information
Trattler: 305-598-2020, firstname.lastname@example.com