text:
These games were held at Delphi, in honour of the god Apollo's defeat of the giant snake, Pytho. As such it, like other sites of pagan worship, attracted the wrath of Christians like Clement of Alexandria, who attacks its foundation story:
Let us now proceed briefly to review the contests, and let us put an end to these solemn gathering at tombs – the Isthmian, Nemean, Pythian, and, above all, the Olympian games. At the Pythian games they worship the Pythian serpent, and the gathering held in honour of this snake is entitled Pythian. At the Isthmus the sea cast up a miserable carcass, and the Isthmian Games are lamentations for Melicertes. At Nemea another, a child Archemoros, lies buried, and it is the celebrations held at the grave of this child that are called by the name Nemean. And Pisa – mark it, you Panhellenic peoples! – your Pisa is the tomb of a Phrygian charioteer, and the libations poured out for Pelops, which constitute the Olympian festivities, are appropriated by the Zeus of Phidias.[1]
Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Greeks 1
These games are notable in that they had both artistic and athletic competitions, which fits with Apollo's identity as the god of music and the arts; they also seem to have had some sort of arrangement with the Olympics, because the person who won the flute-playing competition at Delphi played the flute during the long-jump at the Olympics.
As for the contests at Delphi, there was one in early times between singers to the cithara, who sang a hymn in honour of Apollo; it was instituted by the Delphians. But after the Crisaean war,[2] in the time of Eurylochus, the Amphictyons instituted equestrian and gymnastic contests in which the prize was a crown, and called them Pythian Games. And to the competition between the cithara players they added both flute-players and cithara players who played without singing, who were to render a certain melody which is called the Pythian Nome.
Strabo, Geography 9.3.10
Plutarch, who was a priest at Delphi, reports a discussion about getting rid of newer additions to the Pythian games and gives us a good account of the various events that took place there. One interesting upshot of adding artistic events was that women could and did compete directly with men in these:
At the Pythian games there was a discussion about taking away all the sports which had recently crept in and were not there from ancient times. For after they had added contests in tragic plays in addition to the three ancient music competitions, which were as old as the games themselves (the Pythian flute-player, the lyre player, and the singer to the lyre), as if a large gate were opened, they could not keep out an infinite crowd of plays and musical entertainments of all sorts that rushed in after him. Which indeed made no unpleasant variety, and increased attendance, but impaired the gravity and organization of the games. Besides it must create a great deal of trouble to the judges, and considerable dissatisfaction to very many, since only a few could win. It was agreed upon that the orators and poets should be got rid of – this decision did not come from any hatred of learning, but as these contenders are the most noted and worthiest men of all, they admired them, and were troubled that, when they must judge every one deserving, they could not give the prize equally to all. I, as I was there at this discussion, dissuaded those who were for removing things from their present settled order and who thought this variety as unsuitable to the games as many strings and many notes to an instrument. When the same subject was talked about at supper, as Petraeus the president and director of the sports, was entertaining us, I defended music, and maintained that poetry was no upstart intruder, but that had been admitted into the sacred games in the dim and distant past, and crowns were given to the best performer. Some guests imagined that I intended to produce some old musty stories, like the funeral games of Oeolycus the Thessalian or of Amphidamas the Chalcidean, at which they say Homer and Hesiod contended for the prize. But passing by these instances as the common theme of every grammarian, as we shall the criticisms of those who, in the description of Patroclus' funeral games in Homer, read ϱ̔ήμονες, orators, and not ϱ̔' ἥμονες, darters, as if Achilles had proposed a prize for the best speaker — omitting all these, I said that Acastus at his father Pelias' funeral set a prize for contending poets, and Sibylla won it. At this, a great many demanded some authority for this unlikely and incredible story, I happily produced Acesander, who has this story in his description of Africa; but I must confess this is not an easy to find book. But Polemo the Athenian's Commentary of the Treasures of Delphi, which I suppose most of you have read through and through as he is a very learned man and careful about Greek antiquities. In him you shall find that in the Sicyonian treasure there was a golden book dedicated to the god, with this inscription: "Aristomache, the poetess of Erythraea, dedicated this after she had won the prize at the Isthmian Games." Nor is there any reason, I continued, why we should so admire and reverence the Olympic Games, as if, like Fate, they were unalterable, and never admitted any change since the first institution. For the Pythian Games, it is true, has had three or four musical prizes added; but all the exercises of the body were for the most part the same from the beginning. But in the Olympian games everything except running is a late addition. They added some and abolished them again; such were the apene,[3] either rode or in a chariot, as likewise the crown appointed for boys that were victorious in the pentathlon. And, in short, a thousand things in those games are mere novelties.
Plutarch, Moralia 674d-675B
[1] The great statue of Zeus at Olympia was sculpted by Phidias (you can still see the remains of his workshop): it was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
[2] c. 595 BCE.
[3] A mule car race: it was eventually dropped because it was felt to be undignified. The boys pentathlon only lasted for one Olympics before it was dropped.


text: Hi, I thought I'd start a seperate thread for this. Widodh has found that EV-Box make a Mennekes <-> CEE converter in 16A and 32A versions. I thought we could get a group buy together for possible discount. Please indicate whether you would want one or both versions. I'll start this off with 2x 32A.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
December 7, 2011 12:21 am
Great list! I linked it to my blog– http://www.momswithkidsonthego.blogspot.com/
November 1, 2012 10:59 am
I love this list. We do lot of it already. My kids love cleaning their shoes for St. Nicholas every year. Even the teenager 🙂
Kim permalinkNovember 9, 2012 1:46 pm
My children are grown up and Christmas hasn't been the same for a few years now, I decided that I am going to do something different every day of December and this list is brilliant. I can't wait to get started xxxxx many thanks xxx
Debra permalinkDecember 17, 2012 12:05 pm
Take your kids to help donate items to your localpersonal homeless shelter
January 23, 2013 5:49 am
"Merry Making: 50 Things To Do With Kids In December �" honestly causes me personally contemplate a somewhat more.
I really enjoyed every particular part of this post.
Thanks for your time -Mae
Marie Demello permalinkNovember 11, 2013 10:10 pm
Omg this is so perfect, my family and I live in Hawaii and we still can do all of these activities.. Loooove it!!!
September 20, 2014 6:53 pm
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are discussing on the web. You certainly undedrstand how
to bring an issue to light and make it important.
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November 27, 2014 5:13 pm
Thank You very much for the absolutely lovely comment you left for me to read feel free to reply when you feel like it.
November 27, 2014 5:10 pm
Can't wait for the big day Christmas is almost here have a Very Merry Christmas wherever you live in the world.
tonya permalinkDecember 11, 2014 1:31 pm
Take a card a friend gave you last year and write how manny years you have been friends . tell them to send it back to you next year and just keep that going .
December 22, 2014 3:25 pm
If your child got a new pair of sneakers for Christmas, take the time to teach him or her to tie their own shoes.
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- "Hey Baby, I Think I Wanna 'Merry' You…" « Just a Girl Trying to Find Her Place in This World
- Merry Making: Candy Cane and Gingerbread Homemade Play Dough «
- "I'm Dreaming of a White [hot chocolate for] Christmas…" « Just a Girl Trying to Find Her Place in This World
- Holiday Prep «
- Merry Making: 50 Things To Do With Kids In December « « A Beltane Christmas
- December 1: | Family, Photos, Food and Craft
- Creative Things to Do With Kids During Winter Break | Richardson Place


text:
I'm assembling the notebooks
inbetween my efforts to ready for the Fall Art Tour
which starts TOMORROW!.
The 3-4 weeks of nasty poison ivy set me WAY back.
BUT! I'm busy getting done what I wanted to get done,
and will be STILL getting things done, and demonstrating HOW
all this weekend during the Fall Art Tour...
the notebooks, the linoleum block carving, the rocket rings,
the whiteline woodblock printmaking...
and then I discovered how to make those frames out of aluminum flashing,
and a little while ago I figured a great way to make card hangers of simple wire....
it doesn't stop
I can't help it
I art.
Thank-you! Flying Rabbit Press for helping me with the printing,
teaching me about presentation, and assembly, and simply taking care of me
because I tend to jump into projects without considering all the supporting factors.
Thank-you1 Mark of Spring Printing in Spring Green, Wisconsin
for the stapler instructions
Thank-you! Mary D'Alton & Eric Ferguson of Convivio
for the encouragement to LetterPress.


text:
Donors from around the country, and the world, have kept the Wisconsin protesters well fed.
MADISON, Wis. — Someday the ruckus here might be remembered as the Pizza-Powered People's Uprising.
Every day for the past week, the two Ian's Pizza shops in town have fed the hungry masses, delivering hundreds of free pies to the Capitol. The owners of Ian's boasted that supporters from all 50 states — as well as Bosnia, China, Egypt, France and 20 other countries — had donated thousands of dollars each day so they could give protesters the calories they needed to keep going.
On Wednesday alone, nearly 800 Ian's pizzas were delivered to the Capitol, often 30 at a time, with police officers and legislative aides, Republican and Democrat alike, also partaking.
Underneath the Capitol's majestic dome, as drummers drummed, demonstrators drew posters and some protesters did yoga, dozens of people swarmed toward Paul Sarnwick, an Ian's deliveryman, as he opened a stack of boxes containing pizzas like spicy chicken taco, lasagna and buffalo chicken with blue cheese.
"Whoever thought a deliveryman would be in the middle of something like this?" said Mr. Sarnwick, lanky, unshaven and 26. "People have been saying, 'Thanks for feeding us. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be able to stay here and rally.' "
Scott Van Eggeren, a pizza lover who opposes Gov. Scott Walker's push to curb collective bargaining rights, hailed Ian's contribution to the cause.
"It's awesome," said Mr. Van Eggeren, a water analyst in the State Department of Natural Resources, having just downed a macaroni and cheese slice. "And the pizza is just great."
Even as the governor and legislators go about their business inside the Capitol, its rotunda has turned into a pro-labor carnival, with folk singing, a children's play area and more than 100 sleeping bags lining the balconies along the third and fourth floors. Taped to the walls were dozens of signs, including, "United We Bargain, Divided We Beg."
A week ago Tuesday, the shop delivered 60 free slices to the Capitol and a blogger soon sang Ian's praises. Next, the owners said, a protest supporter in California called to say, "Can I order two pizzas to send up to the Capitol?"
Word spread on Facebook and Twitter, and soon Ian's pizzas went viral. Some days Ian's has cut off donations at $25,000 because that is the maximum value of pies it can produce.
Steve Marmel, a University of Wisconsin graduate who is a television producer in Hollywood, was one of several supporters who donated $500. "On Facebook I saw that someone from Egypt sent pizzas," he said. "I thought that was cool, and I wanted to do something to help."
The shop has had to increase its daily staff to 19, from its normal eight. "We usually go through one ton of flour a week," Nick Martin, one of the shop's owners, said. "This week we did three tons."


text:
Quality Manuals For Any Sized Job
TMD Ltd will produce quality Operating & Maintenance manuals to suit your own specific requirements. Although we specialise in manuals covering mechanical and electrical services installations, we have in the past produced manuals for other building elements.
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Since our formation, we have produced manuals for a great variety of different buildings. Listed below is a selection of projects which TMD Ltd and/or it's staff have played key roles on, and clients for whom we regularly provide our services.
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- No.1 Bute Square, Cardiff
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- The Strand Shopping Centre, Bootle, Merseyside


text:
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Shopping for someone else but not sure what to give them? Give them the gift of choice with a Woven Nook gift card.
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text:
Great Product!
I did the paint job a little different. The base coat is over blue OEM paint so i sanded and sprayed with light grey primer with sealer mixed in. Then the stencils were can sprayed with SEM medium grey and flat black with my broken stencils I repaired (thanks for the repair tips).
I have gotten so many compliments and offers to buy…no way…Doing my boat this summer in same colors.
If you like the pics feel free to use any way you want…If you decide to post just let me know so I can spread the word more. Spreading the word out here in Tahuya, WA! Great product!
-Ro K.
This entry was posted on Monday, February 4th, 2013 at 9:35 am and is filed under Testimonials. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
The 0.9-meter telescope is a Cassegrain telescope mounted on an off-axis asymmetrical mounting and used on the east side of the pier. This telescope is at present only used for direct imaging with a dedicated 2048x2046 CCD detector. A CCD-based autoguider, which looks at a small off-axis field, is permanently installed. From Feb 1 2003 the 0.9-m is one of the CTIO small telescopes being operated by the SMARTS Consortium.
Classical observing only. Historically, there has also been service observing, but this is not available due to financial constraints.
Since 2000, the 0.9-m has been equipped with a dedicated 2048x2046 Tek2K CCD detector. Please refer to the Tek2K instrument page for CCD characteristics.
The standard filter size for the 0.9m CFCCD is 3x3 inch. The filters are mounted in two filter wheels which each can hold up to 8 filters. Usually, 2 positions in each wheel are taken up by a color balance filter (for dome flats) and the "clear" position. We also have a single wheel which can hold up to five 4x4 inch filters. This filter wheel can be installed in place of one of the 8-position wheels.
See the Filter list for more information on the available filters.
For projects that require accurate timing information, here is a quick overview on how the time ends up in the image headers:
There are two different header entries relating to time, UT and UTSHUT. UT is read from the TCS. While there is a GPS receiver that displays accurate Universal Time in each telescope's console room, this information is currently not communicated to the TCS automatically, but instead has to be manually entered at the beginning of each night. The absolute accuracy is therefore at best ~1 sec. In addition, the TCS clock often drifts by a considerable amount during the night and is therefore not reliable for both absolute and relative timing.
UTSHUT is taken from the ARCON controller's clock, which is synchronized against the SUN data acquisition computer's clock every time ARCON is started up. After that it runs on the controller's internal clock. The UTSHUT timestamp is the time when the shutter opens and should provide the most accurate timing information currently available. The SUN computer's clock is synchronized with the time reported by the US Naval Observatory and other internet sites (the details of this process are given here). Occasionally, e.g. after a power outage or network problems, this synchronization process fails and it is important to check the accuracy of the SUN clock at various times during a run by visually comparing it to the GPS time display.
To check for the correct UT time on the web, try this link to the USNO Master Clock .


text:
The Editor bring a fresh pair of ears and eyes to the 14th Advanced Automotive Battery Conference. Is the industry sticking to the roadmap or has it taken a detour? This article was first published in the Spring 2014 edition of Batteries & Energy Storage Technology.
This author recently saw a presentation by brand marketing guru Peter Economides, who worked on Apple's relaunch following the return of Steve Jobs in 1997. Economides' key message was that to succeed, you have to get the customers to do your work for you.
In other words, word of mouth. The early adopters and influential types buy something, like it, and tell their friends. The friends buy it, who tell their friends and so it goes on. Granny will never buy it, by the way, no matter what it is.
Economides cites Better Place, which hired him in its dying days in late 2012, as a classic example of how not to do it. He showed a Better Place commercial featuring a young man telling us why he drives an electric car. In a word, it boiled down to domestitude.
He drives his EV because "She" is for people who want to save the polar bear. The visuals of a similarly aged woman makes it clear that "She" also refers to his lover, the woman who he hopes wants to marry him and have his babies.
Ultimately, the advert (and Better Place) was, in effect, trying to sell electric vehicles – a Herculean task and probably doomed to failure.
Trying to convince someone to spend upwards of $50,000 on a car in an effort to settle down to domestic bliss with their sexy, tree-hugging partner was a bum steer, said Economides. It wasn't cool enough to influence the influencers; it was trying too hard to be cool while simultaneously trying to appeal to everyman.
Tesla is different. Flying in the face of the mainstream, Elon Musk's outfit has switched its marketing focus on to the sexiness of the car rather than the driver. The message is rapid acceleration = sexy. Saving polar bears = not sexy.
The drawback, of course, is the cost. And what is the main cost? The batteries!
Tesla, which did not attend AABC, was something of an elephant of the room. It remains an outlier. Who could have predicted when AABC started in 1999 that a nerdy billionaire would cram 7,000 laptop cells into a supercar and thus turn the concept of away from environmental masturbation to a penis-extension supercar?
Most of the presentations were by mass-market OEMs, but it would have been very interesting if Tesla had been there too, 18650s or not. Will Tesla's 'cheap' EV be able to weigh in at circa $40,000 as publicized? Besides, what will $40,000 get you? 40 miles range? 60 miles? 100 miles? Seats included? Doors too? We'll have to wait and see.
Detour from the roadmap
AABC is quite a glitzy show, sleekly managed in an impossible-to-get-lost kind of way. There are concerns that AABC is not quite the force it once was. Perhaps this is true. But if it is, it's more due to the industry taking a detour from the EV roadmap.
All the projections for EV take-up are well short of expectations. When AABC first came into being in 1999, peak oil was a real concern and future decisions about auto electrics and the contribution it could make to vehicle performance and emissions reductions were up in the air. Shale oil and gas has seen that off for the time being.
In Europe, emissions reduction targets have been delayed and/or watered down. Will the US follow suit? The final decision to adopt the federally mandated fleet average of 54.5 mpg by 2025 will be taken by Congress in 2017.
If the Republicans get in again, this ambitious target could also be seen off as an 'attack on personal liberty' or some such. Perhaps the answer to the car industry's emissions headaches lay in paying off Jeb Bush, Chris Christie or whichever character ends up winning the Republican nomination?
Even if the EV industry hasn't quite taken off as hoped, AABC remains a conference with clout on the cultural calendar, attracting C-level speakers and most of the right companies. But it is noteworthy AABC will hold its first conference in Asia – in Japan's Kyoto – in May.
The Japanese may have already won the battery war. Toyota, Panasonic et al are years ahead in both lithium batteries and EVs, while Samsung and LG Chem have caught them up in terms of lithium battery sales. Asia, perhaps more than ever, seems the natural place for an advanced automotive battery show.
To this end, the author was struck by a presentation by ARPA-E's Ilan Gur, who spoke about an AMPED (Advanced Management and Protection of Energy Storage Devices) project for the US DoE.
Gur repeatedly boasted about how ARPA-E was the "skunkworks" of the US battery industry, but this particular project seemed pretty conservative. Gur started off by saying next-generation technologies typically took 50-70 years to become standard issue, the implication being they shouldn't bother.
But surely the job of ARPA-E, so often compared to the Pentagon's DARPA, is to reduce this (extremely lengthy) timeline? Instead, AMPED is dedicated to getting more out of existing technology: what it calls "removing the blinkers" from lithium-ion.
This, it is envisaged, would achieved by developing 'smart cell' battery packs, with individual cell-level active monitoring and control via sensors. A 'smart cell' system would reduce the physical capacity of battery packs by 20-30% by mitigating the need for other power electronics in the vehicle.
As this is a system-level approach, the development of 'smart cell' EV battery packs requires the input of 10-15 different development teams, so there is little chance of manufacturers developing such a system. Which is a big reason why ARPA-E is funding it.
But is this really something which should concern ARPA-E? Is this going to have the Japanese quivering in their boots?
It is also highly noteworthy that both AABC Europe and AABC 2015 will both include "two to three sessions" concerning stationary battery applications. This seems a sign AABC is either running out of automotive ideas or delegates, or both.
Attendees were down roughly 100 on 2013. Is this merely due to being held in Atlanta rather than Florida, as initially planned? Next year's AABC will be in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which may well be picturesque but is not exactly a metropolis.
Commercial breaks
AABC seemed rather like US television: commercials punctuated by the actual programmes you tuned in to see.
William 'Freedom' Wallace of General Motors kicked things off with a commercial for the Chevy Volt, aka the Opel Ampera in Europe. It remains the United States' best-selling PHEV (40% of sales were in California) at 23,000 units, although sales dropped by c.350 in 2013.
GM draws encouragement from the widening socio-economic profile of buyers of the Volt. The average income of a Volt owner has fallen from $150 000 in 2011 to $75 000.
GM's sample of 500 Volt users found they drive an average 27 all-electric miles per day, leading to an 81% reduction in gas. A concern for GM is that US power utilities are looking to recoup the cost of EV charging infrastructure – the days of freebies are coming to an end.
GM said 'fun to drive' was the main reason to buy a Volt. It was only when your author brought up the question of how much longer will Volts be eligible to drive in California's car pool lanes – its days are numbered – were reasons other than the Volt's 'greatness' proffered.
Michael Lord of Toyota wasted no time in saying the Prius is better than the Volt and the Leaf, but served up a few useful nuggets, such as EV sales total 10,000 a month in the US, with an 84% jump in 2013 overall. xEV sales have risen 900% since 2005 and with BMW, Daimler, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda and Volkswagen coming to the party before 2018, sales are only going one way, if not as quickly as anticipated.
As usual, Avicenne Energy's Christophe Pillot won the 'Most Beautiful Slides' award at AABC 15. Even if EV sales are not spectacular, a very small EV market in the automotive world will still represent a huge market for batteries.
The respected Frenchman forecasts 10% annual growth of lithium sales until 2025, with 15% annual growth for 'new' lithium applications such as UPS, telecoms, forklift, medical, residential and grid energy storage.
As an aside, Pillot mentioned the cost of 18650s falling from $1.50/Wh in 2000 to just $0.17/Wh now. Expect further substantial price decreases in the coming years.
The great 48V debate
The debate about whether the auto industry should introduce 48V vehicles to cope with the growing power demands of cars continues apace. Stephen Kim of SK Continental gave the by now obligatory '48V is inevitable, it's happening, please buy our kit' spiel.
Having developed a 48V NMC pack, SK Continental is in a slightly smug position if it does take off but overall this author was not particularly convinced about its apparent low cost/inevitability.
Real-world 48V driving conditions may see a 25% in CO2 reductions against only 10% for test cycles, but real-world conditions do not matter when this is driven by regulation. Unless, of course, the regulations change…
SK Continental expects 9% of the global market will comprise mild hybrids, of which 21% will be sold in the EU, 15% in the US and just 1% in Asia. Hmmmm.
Dr Anderman then went about obliterating the arguments for 48V, starting off with a reminder of just what a flop 42V was ten years ago, with more or less only the 42V versions of the Ford Escape and GM Silverado seeing the light of day. The implication was clear: 48V is the new 42V.
Dr A raised more questions than he answered. The costs of lithium 48V were a predicted $1000/kW, more than a full hybrid EV. Can OEMs deliver a cost-effective 48V system while keeping within the 60V safe over-voltage limits? Will mass production of 48V bring down costs enough before 2020?
Is 12-15 kW at 48V really much less expensive than at 110V for a plug-in hybrid? And, that being the case, why would anyone buy a mild hybrid and not a plug-in hybrid?
The plain truth is mild hybrids are not sexy enough and even if it costs $1 500 for a 15% fuel efficiency gain, the stats show customers are more willing to pay $3 500 for 35% fuel efficiency improvementas it offers the prospect of a purer hybrid experience. Indeed, mild hybrid sales are expected to fall over the next three years.
Looking to what's happening in Japan, Dr A notes Honda has replaced its Fit mild hybrid and is offering two new powertrains: the P2 strong hybrid and the Micro-2 hybrid with ultracap pack.
While Honda and GM are likely to continue shrinking their moderate/mild hybrid offerings, European car makers are developing 48V mild hybrids for Model Year 2016 and beyond.
But at current cost levels, these can only be justified for high-end cars. Automakers have to absorb much of the extra cost and the positive business case is probably still beyond 2020.
The debate was taken on by the car manufacturers, which are looking to 12V stop-start as far as possible to meet emissions regulations in the mid-2020s. Ford's Daniel Kok said the business case for 48V was a challenge and may well not bother with it.
Compared to Europe with 25% of new sales, stop-start cars are relatively small phenomenon in the US. But if there is one projection on which you may wish to bet your house, it is the adoption of good old lead-acid 12V stop-start in the US will soar.
Unlike hybrids there are common standards for stop-start for almost all processes, and it is cheap, low-hanging fruit for emissions reductions. The question is: will 12V lead-acid stop-start be enough in the US?
Probably not; Ford, for example, needs to reduce emissions by 4% a year. Chrysler, meanwhile, was sweating cups about its gas-guzzling pick-up trucks ruining their future average fleet emissions.
Besides, lead-acid stop-start doesn't always work as it should and this makes customers uncomfortable; Ford says 30% of its customers deselect stop-start. So, Ford is looking at 12V lithium-ion stop-start not only as a fix to the increased energy demands of cars, whose cabins are rapidly becoming entertainment centres, but also to harness regen power.
Kok says 12V lithium-ion is a very feasible option but the costs need to drop 30-50% to get there. LG Chem agreed, seeing 12V lithium coming down the track before 48V.
Jeff Kessen of A123 Systems says the 11.5kg weight reduction and 3-5% fuel economy saving due to increased charge acceptance puts the value of a 12V li-ion battery system at the $200 mark compared to $78 for 70Ah AGM lead-acid system.
In cash terms, the pack costs of a VRLA lead-acid battery are roughly $115 versus $600 for an equivalent lithium iron phosphate pack. This $500 cost premium could drop to $300 by the end of the decade. Although even then it will still be more than twice as expensive as VRLA, this does seem as a relatively cheap way to meet emissions reduction targets.
A123 says there is a positive business case for 12V lithium now, but where are the sales? The cost of lithium remains the biggest hurdle, while there is also the 'hot button' issue of cold cranking temperatures.
12V lithium-ion could potentially offer 4 kW compared to 10-15 kW for 48V. In effect this would be a micro-mini hybrid; not quite up to 48V levels, but offering significant fuel economy and emissions reductions on existing 12V stop-start.
Bright lights, big city
The final day was a little PR heavy and only 90 brave soldiers managed to stay the course for the full five days of AABC. Yet one of the most interesting sessions was saved for last – on charging infrastructure.
The key messages was using the public purse won't be enough to pay for chargers – it needs capitalism – and, like the Kevin Costner movie 'Field of Dreams', build it and they will come.
For Chargepoint, which is doing a roaring trade in installing EV equipment for private parking lots in the US, capitalism is working. So much so, in fact, that the wife of Chargepoint's CEO Richard Lowenthal has a housekeeping allowance which stretches to buying him a Tesla S for Christmas.
Lowenthal explained how free electricity for EV charging is worth $550 per employee per year to Google as a tool to retain employees. In contrast, Microsoft makes a profit from employee charging.
The 'build it and they will come' model may well work in the US, where many businesses have their own parking lots in which to offer subsidized charging. In countries where there is not a mall on every corner and citizens make use of their legs to get around, however, public charging may be needed for EVs to take off as hoped.
This remains a very tough nut to crack. EVs are being sold as city cars, but many city dwellers live in apartments without practical access to charging. Furthermore, with space in cities at a premium, installing charging infrastructure may mean retrofits.
Mark Duvall of EPRI put the cost of retrofitting car parks at $100,000 for a DC charger. Who is going to pay for that? In this case, capitalism won't be enough; it'll need grants, subsidies, mandates etc.
An elephant in the room
One of the main takeaways of the 14th Advanced Automotive Battery Conference was the future cost of electric vehicles versus their ever more efficient internal combustion engine rivals over the coming decades.
Next-generation ICEs, which may feature turbo-charged dedicated EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) engines, will match or even exceed the fuel economy of hybrid cars. For a Toyota Camry, the engine efficiency rise from 36.3% to 38.4% in 2030 and 42% in 2050 will translate into a fuel economy rate of 32.2 mpg today rising to 65.6 mpg to 88.5 mpg respectively.
The message is that one of the strongest arguments to go electric – fuel savings – may not always be so.
Yet for most of the advanced powertrain technologies there is a single point in the future where the costs start to get very similar. John German of the International Council for Clean Transportation had a number of interesting slides that showed the manufacturing costs of ICE, plug-in hybrids, pure EV, and fuel cell cars would converge in the 2040s.
When the manufacturing costs of ICE cars will exceed battery EVs, hybrid EVs, fuel cell cars (if not plug-in hybrids), and the cost of ownership issue will likely disappear. But this may not be for decades.
At the moment the industry is at 80 real-world miles range for a mass-market vehicle, but what happens when we get to 120 miles? The greater range will simplify charging infrastructure.
A lot of the need for convenience charging goes away and the need for public charging infrastructure comes from PHEVs, and they'll be lots of them. Domestic charging will be sufficient for metropolitan day-to-day charging. Fast charging will take care of the rest.
Dr A sees 120-150 miles real-world range needed for mass-market appeal of EVs. This is someway off at a realistic price point with lithium. Or will Tesla prove everyone wrong?


text:
- Toddler
- Make play dough and play together.
- Play dress up.
- Play in a toddler pool or water table.
- Run around at a park.
- Play in a sprinkler or with a hose.
- Wash the car!
- Eat popsicles or ice cream from the Ice Cream Man that drives around selling ice cream.
- Make giant bubbles (there are recipes online).
- Visit a petting zoo.
- Have story time every day.
- Watch all your Disney movies.
- Child
- Make a giant chocolate chip cookie (or their favorite treat).
- Catch fireflies.
- Have a sleep over.
- Let the child "camp out" in the living room – sleeping bag, flash light, tell stories, have a special treat.
- Play catch.
- Go to a pool.
- Fly a kite.
- Play hopscotch.
- Go to a children's museum.
- Decorate cookies.
- Have a treasure hunt.
- Teen
- Interview an older relative.
- Have a scavenger hunt.
- Collect family history.
- Write a short story.
- Publish your own stories in a book – there is a site called Lulu.com that can be used for self-publishing.
- Eat five things you've never eaten before.
- Keep a journal.
- Go to the beach.
- Go to a water park or an amusement park.
- Make friendship bracelets.
- Go to a fair.
- Get a summer job.
- Set some goals, then achieve them!
- Adult
- Take a craft class.
- Go to summer school for something that fascinates you.
- Make beer or wine.
- Bake a pie from scratch.
- Learn to bake bread.
- Go to a concert.
- Go to the symphony.
- Be a tourist for a day.
- Plant a garden.
- Raise herbs in planters.
- Have a yard sale.
- Outdoors
- Build sandcastles.
- Go to the zoo.
- Go to a baseball game – or a game of your favorite summer sport.
- Play basket ball or another team sport with friends.
- Go stargazing.
- Watch a sunrise.
- Watch a sunset.
- Play Frisbee.
- Play golf.
- Play tennis.
- Indoors – Hot/Rainy Day
- Have a movie marathon.
- Make treats for neighbors.
- Go indoor rock climbing.
- Learn a foreign language.
- Watch some documentaries.
- Read a biography or an autobiography.
- Write and publish your own book.
- Make a video tutorial and post to YouTube.
- On a Budget
- Go bike riding.
- Blow bubbles outside.
- Drink your morning coffee on the patio or porch.
- Read a book a week.
- Tie-dye tee shirts.
- Make jam.
- Go play mini-golf.
- Take a picnic to the park.
- Collect seashells on a nearby beach.
- Make a root beer or Coke float.
- Family
- Have a weekly family game night.
- Make pizza.
- Cook a meal together.
- Have movie night.
- Go to a concert – some locals have free concerts or concert series over the summer.
- Have a movie marathon.
- Go tubing.
- Take a day trip.
- Put on a magic show.
- Have story time.
- Have water gun fights.
- Couples
- Get a couple's massage.
- Learn a romance language together.
- Build a blanket fort.
- Take a dance class together.
- Go stargazing together.
- Kiss at the top of a Ferris wheel.
- Share a soda or milkshake.
- Work at a soup kitchen together.
- Take a spontaneous weekend trip.
- Take up a hobby together.
- Miscellaneous
- TaMake homemade ice cream.
- Take a picture every day.
- Go a week without electronics.
- Make s'mores or some other summertime treat.
- Do random acts of kindness.
- Cook out.
- Write down something that makes you happy every day.
- Learn to play an instrument.
- Learn to scuba dive.
Tag Archives: Family
2015 Summer Bucket List
10 Ways to Organize at the Start of a New School Year
Ok, my children are in second and fourth grade. I have put this off long enough. I have been trying to find a workable system to keep track of appointments, school events, paperwork, things that are to keep at home, things to return to school, and so forth. So…finally I have committed to doing this for 2014-2015 school year. Go me…lol. Better late than never!
This year I have started some new things in an effort to start getting my family more organized. Here is my list of projects:
- Notebooks for each child. Name, teacher's name, grade, school year and school will go on the front page. Name and year on the spine – if I can get that arranged. In each:
- Page with school address, telephone number, fax, school nurse name and contact information, and hours. I will also put the teacher, her email address, contact number (phone extension) and hours I can reach her.
- Copy of the school system calendar for the year, along with information on make-up day schedules
- Section for correspondence with the teacher and with the nurse as needed
- Section for IEPs, report cards, etc.
- Section for notes from meetings and the like
- Section for papers to save
- Create a place to save special artwork and larger documents. Ideas include:
- Files in a file cabinet
- File specially designed for the purpose
- Frame that allows you to easily rotate artwork out
- Put together a "study basket" with necessary materials (not all of these apply to my son, who is 9, but would be good for older kids):
- Pens
- Pencils/pencil sharpener
- Eraser
- Scratch paper
- Calculator
- Loose-leaf paper and clipboard
- Crayons
- Organize school lunches. One thing my husband and I have started doing is making up snack bag servings of sides and treats for lunch boxes for about a week at a time. Sunday evening is when my husband usually gets these ready; we've broken down getting-ready-for-school activities – he gets lunches ready and I feed and dress the kids in the morning.
- For next year, I want to try following a checklist that I found here. Mind you, the actual checklist is one on a list of organizational ideas linked from other locations. Still, it breaks down all the different things you need to do to get ready ahead of time for the start of a new school year. Great checklist to follow!
- Organize the calendar. Put all of the appointments, school events (print out school system calendar as soon as its available), and family events – then color-code by individual. It makes it so much easier to see at a glance who is doing what during the week. Also, find out if there are any due dates known up front for applications to things, deadlines to have information in by, and the like – add those to the calendar and highlight in their own color!
- Designate a place in your house to store school supplies and store them there. At the end of the year, place the unused supplies there as well – next year, you may not need to buy as much.
- Clean off the fridge and start the new school year fresh. Put the new school calendar or class calendar for the month up, list of school supplies, and a plastic bag for box tops.
- Establish the daily routine early. Kids do so much better with a regular schedule, especially a lot of special needs children. Get them into the routine of doing homework first, relaxing, going outside and playing, dinner with the family (as much as possible with multiple schedules…sigh), and taking a bath. Develop a bedtime routine for younger children and try to be consistent, even on the weekends.
- Establish a checklist near the door, if possible. Ask some questions before leaving the house, or before breakfast:
- Does anyone need lunch money?
- Does anyone need money for a field trip?
- Are lunches in backpacks?
- Is homework where it is supposed to be?
- Establish good routines EARLY in the year.
- Make sure everyone has enough time in the morning for everything that needs doing: getting dressed, eating, brushing teeth, and making sure everything is in backpacks.
- Adjust after the first few days. Get homework and supplies for the next day at night and put it in the backpack.
- Lay out clothes, if necessary.
- Get older children to help with younger ones, if possible – or to help with getting breakfast materials out and on the table.,
- Keep bedtime at the same time as much as possible.
- A few extra tips:
- Keep the school's list of supplies that are needed each year. If you maintain a file, it should help limit buying multiple items like calculators, rulers and so on that can carry over from one year to the next.
- Make sure your child has a school planner. Some schools are starting this process on their own; my son's third grade class actually provided one. If they don't, start teaching your child to use one early. There is a wide selection out there and many for different grade levels.
- Some families use a checklist for each family member – morning checklist, homework or afternoon checklist, night checklist.
- Consider using a hanging shoe organizer to keep scarves, gloves, water shoes, and other small things handy.
- Organize your pantry and make sure you have supplies for easy meals.
I will say that my circumstances – having a special needs child that gets into everything and pulls things off of the wall – changes the way I do things. I have seen a LOT of ideas online for creating a communication center where put correspondence from the school that needs responses from parents or signatures, things that need to be paid, and the like. I've seen suggestions for giant calenders on the wall, where you can put color-coded appointments for each family member. All of those are great ideas, but unworkable for me, unfortunately. At any rate, here are some suggested sites for good organizing ideas for families without the complications that our family faces:
Simplify101 – Back To School Organizing Tips
Babycenter – 12 Ideas for Back-To-School
Filed under Blogroll, Family, Lists, Parenting, Uncategorized
15 Father's Day Gift Ideas – 2014 Edition
Last year, I tried to brainstorm gift ideas for father's day. My husband is NOT easy to buy for and I figured others are probably in the same boat. That list and my list of gifts on a budget are two of my more popular posts, so I thought I would try this again last year (also, I had a request from a reader 🙂 . Here are some updated ideas.
- A Father's Day Weekend: Take over the responsibilities around the house – for entire weekend. For example, my husband let me sleep in both Saturday and Sunday on Mother's Day weekend; normally, I sleep in Saturdays and he sleeps in Sundays. If your husband normally takes out the trash, then take that over for the weekend. If you are doing this for your father, then do things to make his life a little easier – take the car and put gas in it. Cut the grass.
- Handmade "certificates": good for "one day out without complaint," "one day without taking out the trash," "one day child-free," "one day out with the guys – with no complaints," and anything else you might think he'd enjoy. Children could also make something along these lines – with coupons for "one bedroom cleaning without complaint" and so forth.
- For the reader: handmade bookmarks, preferably by your child(ren). Audiobooks are good for fathers that have a commute – even books for Kindles if they commute by train/light rail/bus or if they simply like to have things to read wherever they are! Other ideas: a container with his favorite beverage, a snack, and a book (or gift certificate to a book store.)
- Dinner: with your little (or not so little) helpers, make his favorite dinner and have all of the family eat together. Two years ago, I took my oldest with me and let him pick out things to make for dinner for Daddy; he did a very good job of picking out things that Daddy really enjoyed and I think it was good experience in thinking about others.
- Little every-day gifts: Really listen when he talks. If he has a bad day, step in without complaint and do the day-to-day things around the house that he normally takes care of and do it without complaint and without being asked. Encourage him to spend some time with his friends. Take pictures of him with the kids – frame his favorites. Push him and the kids out the door with balls, rackets, etc. so they can play together.
- Touching: Write him a letter about how much you appreciate what he does as a father. Have your kids write one too.
- Nuts: If he likes nuts, buy a big container of them and attach a handmade decoration that says "We're Nuts About Daddy." Another idea: take a peanut M&M bag (not the big bag) and put a string or rubber band around the middle to make it look like a bow-tie. Then attach a note that says "To the best Daddy, from your little Peanut" (or peanuts…LOL).
- For a wife to give: go with him to do something that you don't normally: monster truck rally, sports event, paintball, fishing, or learn to do something that he enjoys (like his hobby).
- Cute: A bottle of soda with a tie and a note: For the Best Pop Ever, a container of Reese's Pieces with a note -"We love you to pieces".
- A Man's Bouquet: attach candy to his favorite pens/pencils and put in a cup of his favorite sports team or TV show.
- Make homemade ice cream cookies – using homemade cookies (his favorite of course), scoop out ice cream on to one and press the other on top. Smooth over the sides and it is finished!
- Craft stores frequently have coffee mugs that children can put a drawing in; have the kids finish that and then fill with samples of coffee or his favorite candy.
- For the reader (2): have the kids make book marks, then laminate them (or use the laminating sheets you can get at an office supply store). Another great idea: scan your child's artwork, shrink several down, and print out several in a row to create a memorable bookmark to laminate. You can also use the scanned artwork to print miniatures out, put
- Picture: Frame his favorite picture of the family in a beautiful frame – or have it professionally framed. You could also put a favorite quote about fathers or fatherhood in a frame – print it out yourself in a nice font.
- Super simple but from the heart: write your father a letter and tell him what you love most, your favorite memories, and so on. Have your children do this for your husband.
- Candy bars: there are a lot of really cute printables out there that you can wrap around his favorite candy bar ("Million Dollar Dad", "We're Nuts over You" – over a Payday Bar, and more).
- Miscellaneous: digital photo key chain (sometimes are found at drugstores relatively inexpensively), cheese/sausage/cracker tray, his favorite beer, have a lawn service cut the grass for June.
- Shocking thought: ask him what he would like MOST for father's day…
If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments. I'm looking for more ideas too!
15 Father's Day Gift Ideas
Now, I have to admit, this has taken some time and effort. My husband, father of my two children, is not particularly easy to buy gifts for; he likes very specific types of games, very specific types of books, and very specific electronic items. He doesn't wear ties, doesn't wear long sleeved shirts or sweaters, and doesn't play golf. This holiday almost always stumps me. So, this year I thought I might brainstorm in advance and share what I come up with, in the hopes that it helps someone else out there with a similar problem.
- Sports gift basket: tickets to a game (obviously, has to be one that is currently playing…lol – like baseball), plus a shirt for his team, a hat, or something else team-oriented. Sunscreen could be good, if the game will be outside during the day.
- Handmade "certificates": good for "one day out without complaint," "one day without taking out the trash," "one day child-free," "one day out with the guys – with no complaints," and anything else you might think he'd enjoy.
- For the reader: handmade bookmarks, preferably by your child(ren).
- Also for the reader: a container with his favorite beverage, a snack, and a book (or gift certificate to a book store.)
- Dinner: with your little (or not so little) helpers, make his favorite dinner and have all of the family eat together.
- Little every-day gifts: Really listen when he talks. Take pictures of him with the kids – frame his favorites. Push him and the kids out the door with balls, rackets, etc. so they can play together.
- Touching: Write him a letter about how much you appreciate what he does as a father. Have your kids write one too.
- Nuts: If he likes nuts, buy a big container of them and attach a handmade decoration that says "We're Nuts About Daddy."
- For a wife to give: go with him to do something that you don't normally: monster truck rally, sports event, paintball, fishing, or learn to do something that he enjoys (like his hobby).
- Cute: A bottle of soda with a tie and a note: For the Best Pop Ever
- For the reader (2): have the kids make book marks, then laminate them (or use the laminating sheets you can get at an office supply store).
- Quotable: Find a touching quote about fatherhood, print in a nice font on nice paper and frame.
- Picture: Frame his favorite picture of the family in a beautiful frame – or have it professionally framed.
- Brag book: make sure his wallet pictures or his brag book is updated – or replace it with something nice.
- Shocking thought: ask him what he would like MOST for father's day…
To be honest, I had hoped to have more ideas…but I didn't allow myself enough time this year. And I didn't take into account that I would get sick just before needing to plan two birthday parties and Father's Day. Sigh. At any rate, this list is a start. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments. I'm looking for more ideas too!
October 2010 – Interesting or Useful Websites
Ok this month, I can't say the sites are exactly USEFUL or exciting, but hey, they are thematic! That counts for something, doesn't it. Actually, they do provide some interesting alternatives to common issues: sweets for children, for example. And if you like history, I found some interesting history-related sites. So…here are this month's websites:
- October Celebrations
- National Arts & Humanities Month – the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the United States. It was established in 1993, to encourage Americans to explore arts and humanities. Here is President Obama's Presidential Proclamation.
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP) is now a diverse partnership of "local, tribal, state and national domestic violence organizations and networks." They work toward collecting, developing, and distributing resources necessary to continue educating the public and working toward prevention of domestic violence. This website is such a wonderful source of information; they have a section for campaigns, about the network/partnership, materials that are available, video resources, and links. Of course the provide a number for people in trouble to call – as well as a way to contact them. Please take a look at this site – it may help you or someone you know.
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are a lot of sites with helpful information on breast cancer. One important thing to remember – that frequently gets overlooked – is that men can have breast cancer too. Everyone needs to pay attention to this disease; the best way to fight it is to detect it early. The National Breast Cancer site above is a wonderful source of information and there is a lot to learn. For example, I had no idea there were so many different types of breast cancer. There are FAQs, a list of myths, and a description of stages and types. In addition, they have pages on ways to help, communities, and a blog. There is also a newsletter. Please go take a look – I bet you'll learn something like I did.
- Historic Events
- Smithsonian Magazine has a wonderful section on This Month In History but the whole site is interesting. You can spend quite a bit of time perusing it. It has sections like:
- History and Archaeology
- People and Places
- Science and Nature
- Videos
- Games and Puzzles
- Another good site is BrainyHistory. It lists events that took place on this day in history, birthdays, events by year and by month! Apparently you can also add "Today in History" or "Today's Birthdays" to your own site, but I couldn't actually do that since I don't have a site at this point!
- On This Day is an interesting site as well. It has Famous Birthdays, Today in History, Today in Music History, as well as many other sections that are pretty specific:
- TV History
- Middle East
- World War II
- U.S. Civil War
- Sports sections
- There is also a section for recommended books.
- Smithsonian Magazine has a wonderful section on This Month In History but the whole site is interesting. You can spend quite a bit of time perusing it. It has sections like:
- Halloween
- Costume ideas
- Costume Idea Zone. This looks like an interesting site. There are some cute ideas right on the home page and then there are different sections: unique costume ideas, couples, groups, traditional, and quick and easy. There is a section for advice and inspiration and tips. I will say I got a pop-up as soon as checked out the site.
- What better place to start than Halloween.com? They have it all – forums, chat, screensavers, crafts, masks, stories, and so on. This also includes cute last-minute ideas. I really enjoyed checking this site out. There is even a section on Halloween News. Lots to see!
- Traditions
- A good site is Religious Tolerance. Their page on Halloween traditions include Celtic traditions, traditions developed since then, origins of Christian holy days, traditions in numerous countries.
- History.com has a good Halloween section as well. There are videos, a photo gallery, and some interactive things. There are links to related articles like pumpkin facts, and Halloween Around the World, as well as Haunted Historic Places. The rest of the site is excellent as well, for history buffs.
- Alternatives – Here are some links that I found for alternatives to Halloween for those who choose not to participate in Halloween:
- Christian Alternatives.
- Thrifty Fun has some interesting ideas, particularly if you want to do something a little more educational. Their Halloween Alternatives article is here. The rest of the site is interesting as well. There seem to be tips, pets, requests for help, contests and more!
- Here is an interesting article on alternatives to all the sweets for Halloween.
- Modern Mom has an article on party favors that are less sugary or not candy.
- Family Education has a short article on 10 alternatives to candy that I know my 5-year-old would love. I will say that I got an advertisement every two pages or so, just as a heads-up to anyone who goes to check out the site.
- Costume ideas
Filed under Lists, Uncategorized, Writing
Helping Someone Who is Depressed
Some things to keep in mind if you know someone who is suffering from depression:
- First of all, this isn't a case of the blues. It isn't a passing mood. Clinical depression does have its ups and downs, but the person suffering won't just "get over it."
- Second of all, the person may push you away. People who are depressed tend, involuntarily, to isolate themselves. They tend to think that they are affecting people around them and to avoid that, they push people away. Don't take it personally and don't let it affect your relationship!
- Third, this is a disease.
Now then, to help someone who is depressed, you may actually have to drag them kicking and screaming (NOT literally!) out of the house. Reach out to them, get them out of the environment that they are trying to hide in. This may not be what they think they want, but it is very, very good to get them out, away from the environment for a while. Many people who are depressed tend to retreat from the world and isolate themselves. Help them fight this tendency. Go for a walk, go to dinner, go shopping, go to a park. If they complain, be persistant but not unkind – recognize if they truly aren't ready but keep coming back.
When you are helping someone who is depressed, it is VERY important to remember to take care of yourself as well. Take time to do things you enjoy, to spend time with people who are NOT depressed, to do things unrelated to depression or the depressed person. Get your rest.
Be there for the person. If they just need an ear, listen to them and let them pour it out. Avoid giving advice – just be supportive. If you've done some research about depression, share what you've learned and emphasize it is not their fault.
Try to remain upbeat and positive and be patient.
Spend some time together around animals: puppies, kittens, at the zoo, whatever. Animals can help reach someone who is isolating themselves.
Know the warning signs of suicide – and DON'T be afraid to ask if they are considering it. Do NOT ignore talk of suicide; take them to the emergency room or to a doctor immediately.
Ask what you can do to help. Perhaps you can help get the kids to school, clean the house, cut the grass. Does the car need to be inspected?
One other thing to remember: don't do too much for the person. I know that sounds silly but people do also want to help themselves. Don't overdo the care!
Sources of Information
If You Know Someone Who's Depressed
Depression.com – Help Someone You Love
WebMD: Supporting Someone Who Has Depression
Filed under Depression, Family, Health, Relationships
52 Ways to Say I Love You
- Take the time to really listen to those closest to you. Listen – don't necessarily rush in to fix things; sometimes people just need a friendly, attentive ear.
- If there is a chore the person really dislikes, take over doing it – permanently or for a set period of time.
- Cook a favorite meal.
- Leave love notes for your favorite person (people) to find throughout the day.
- If you have children, take a day to do things that they enjoy. Do what they want to do: go to the park, the zoo, the library. Make a special meal or allow them to chose what's for dinner (or lunch or breakfast).
- Write a love letter to your spouse and describe all the things that you love about them.
- Write a thank you letter to your spouse's parents, thanking them for sharing such a wonderful person with you.
- Be supportive – if someone you love is having a tough time, do what you can to make things easier. Take an interest in their hobby and ask questions. Run errands if it will lighten their burden. Surprise them with a hot, home-cooked meal.
- Overlook faults!
- Cuddle together under a blanket while watching a movie.
- Take a weekend vacation at home – and really make it a vacation. Discourage your partner to forget the chores for the duration of the vacation.
- Arrange a surprise weekend for your spouse – and arrange for grandparents to take the children.
- Make dinner reservations at their favorite place.
- Let him enjoy his favorite sports day – or let her enjoy hers – in peace!
- If she's into musicals, watch "My Fair Lady," "The Sound of Music," "Funny Girl," or other similar, romantic musicals with her.
- If he or she is not a car person, make sure the car is serviced for them.
- If she loves pens, buy her a nice fountain pen.
- For a gamer – if you aren't one – ask friends which games would be good gifts.
- Admit it when someone you love is right.
- Get dinner from their favorite restaurant.
- Run a bath for your lover.
- Place chocolates on his or her pillow!
- If you love your partner, STOP trying to change them!
- Arrange for a weekend in a bed and breakfast, away from the buzz of everyday life.
- Hold hands.
- Take your partner – or your children – to lunch.
- For friend, find gifts that are really suited to their interests. Take the time to go out of your way to do it.
- Change a bad habit that drives your partner crazy.
- Arrange a "midnight snack" by moonlight – wine, cheese, bread under the stars.
- Hire a maid, even if it is only a one-time thing.
- Hire a chef, even if it is only a one-time thing.
- Set up his or her tee time – voluntarily!
- Buy her a nice wrap – or something cozy – in the winter.
- Buy him tickets to a big sports event.
- Call in sick for them – and make sure they'll have a peaceful day.
- For readers – buy them meaningful bookmarks, something that reflects their interests or something with a meaningful quote.
- Write a thank you card for your partner, or for your children or parents.
- For two weeks, spend one hour a night with your spouse.
- Learn to give a good massage.
- Learn to rub feet.
- For plant lovers, find an unusual plant that you know they would be interested in.
- Share funny things you find with friends.
- Reach out to those around you, in tough times as well as easy ones.
- Email, write letters, call people you don't see often.
- Devote yourself to your spouse's needs and/or wants for a night or a weekend.
- Rent a honeymoon suite for the weekend.
- Put "I love you" notes in your child's lunch.
- Give yourself a weekend off.
- Stop the craziness of your life long enough to have family night once a week.
- Be kind.
- Empathize – put yourself in someone else's shoes and respond appropriately to them.
- Try hard to be nonjudgemental for a week and see what happens!
Filed under Family, Gifts, Relationships


text:
We are dedicated to ensuring we provide the highest standards in our testing methods, surveys and business practices. We are proud to hold a range of accreditations.
- VPS is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards for fuel quality testing and technical fuel advisory services.
- All our laboratories are ISO 17025 accredited. Rotterdam (RvA, L096), Singapore (SAC-SINGLAS, LA-2014-0573-A), Houston (A2LA, 2744.01) and Fujairah (DAC, LB-336-TEST).
- Our Singapore Operations Department is ISO 17020 (SAC SINGLAS, IB-2014-105-C) accredited.


text:
Grade 6-8 MVMMS
At Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School, students take science for a full block every day for each of the three years that they are in Middle School. The content outlined by the Massachusetts Science Frameworks is taught in an integrated manner with the following topics covered at each grade level:
- Grade Six: Earth and Space Science including Earth's Structure, the History of the Earth, and Heat Transfer in the Earth System; Life Science including the Classification of Organisms and Evolution and Biodiversity; Physical Science including Heat Energy
- Grade Seven: Life Science including Structure of Function of the Cells, Systems in Living things, and Living Things and Their Environment; Physical Science including Properties of Matter; Motion of Objects, Forms of Energy
- Grade Eight: Earth and Space Science including Mapping the Earth and the Earth in the Solar System; Life Science including Reproduction and Heredity; Physical Science including Properties of Matter and Elements, Compounds and Mixtures
Students learn about computers and technology in elective courses. In both computer class as well as technology education students learn age-appropriate skills in computers including the use of Microsoft Office and Google Sketch-up as well as best practices for the protection of personal information. In addition, there is an emphasis on the design process in our technology education classes. Students use the design process to effectively design, test, and evaluate projects.


text:
Tell Me No Secrets by Lynda Stacey
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Mystery
Release Date: 9th April 2017.
Publisher: Choc Lit
Can a secret be worse than a lie?
Every time Kate Duggan looks in a mirror she is confronted by her guilt; a long, red scar reminding her that she was 'the one to walk away' from the car accident. Not everyone was so lucky.
On the surface her fiancé Rob is supportive – but the reality is different. He's controlling, manipulative and, if the phone call Kate overhears is anything to go by, he has a secret. But just how dangerous is that secret?
When Kate begins work at a firm of private investigators, she meets Ben Parker. His strong and silent persona is intriguing but it's also a cover – because something devastating happened to Ben, something he can't get over.
As Kate and Ben begin their first assignment, they become close. But, what they don't realise is how close to home the investigation will bring them, or who will be hurt in the process.
Book Review ~ 'Tell Me No Secrets' by Lynda Stacey ~ 5 Stars!
What a brilliant second novel from Lynda Stacey. I say this many a time, but Choc Lit has done it again!
Kate's story is one that will resonate with many; how long can you allow yourself to be in the dark when someone you love has secrets that are damaging your life? I adored Kate, she was hard-working, had sound morals, and above all cared about those in her life. Her history was tragic, and in taking care of her twin sister Eve, paralysed from a car accident that killed their brother James and left only Kate walking away without serious injury, you can feel her survivor's guilt seep off the page, and makes you root for her.
In walks Ben; (oh Ben, what a guy!) the Son of the 'Parker & Son' where Kate begins her new job in the world of Private Investigating, she begins to really accept how out-of-control her relationship with her fiance Rob has turned. Suspicious of his secrecy, and lack of warmth, their current investigation turns personal, and Ben is there to hold her up, and make her understand how badly she is being treated. Ben was a superb hero for our story, and I loved seeing how their individual healing processes developed after they met each other.
With twists and turns, mystery turning into a dangerous game of life and death, Tell Me No Secrets had me racing to the finish line, desperate to see how my new friends would fare in the war against drugs. Lynda Stacey made the situation feel so real by including a number of brilliantly created secondary characters, who you could relate to, or at least recognise from day-to-day life. Eric and Eve's story was one that had me grinning from ear to ear, and I really enjoyed seeing the inner turmoil of Isobel, who even if you don't like, you'll see as a real human being with true emotions and fears.
A brilliant 5 Star read from Lynda Stacey!
Lynda Stacey


text:
Given the strong supply response to years of robust demand, it's no surprise that concessions are now on the rise in many multifamily markets. Interestingly, operators and developers are increasingly turning to non-traditional concessions—cash gift cards, free parking, transportation credits on ride sharing platforms, beer-of-the-month memberships and more.
CBRE Econometric Advisors' same-store rent index is an index of effective rents, meaning it takes concessions into consideration. Data providers only account for concessions of free rent, however, as non-traditional concessions are recorded as operating expenses and, hidden in marketing budgets, are difficult to track.
This accounting impacts NOI all the same, but an investor might see a marketing budget that appears bloated and want to downsize it, only to learn that many of these "marketing" dollars are in fact much stickier non-traditional concessions.
The impact of non-traditional concessions on calculated returns can be significant. Consider this example:
The following table models IRR where the investor can reduce OpEx by the total amount of non-traditional concessions (Case #1), and IRR with zero reductions (Case #2).
The cash concessions reduce IRR by 100 basis points (bps). This 100 bps is no small change, making it clear that non-traditional concessions can have a material impact on returns. During the acquisition process, special attention should be given to a property's marketing budget.
And while due diligence is an important part of understanding cashflow performance, the path of the economy drives returns—so it's important to select the right economic outlook when underwriting. If we apply CBRE EA's baseline economic scenario (rather than the upside) to our example above, both IRRs fall by a whopping 7.8 percentage points.


text:
It had been nearly two years since Caleb King had tasted paydirt.
The redshirt freshman running back was injured the second half of his senior season in high school, then spent last year redshirted on Georgia's sideline.
So when he was given the ball on Central Michigan's 3-yard line in the second quarter of Georgia's 56-17 win Saturday, King knew what he had to do.
Only, his first crack at the end zone came up short as King was stood up at the 1-yard line. King was terrified that might be his last shot.
"I thought Knowshon was going to run it in and get me out, but he didn't," King said.
On the next play, King drove a wall of defenders backward into the end zone for Georgia's second score of the game and the first of his college career.
"I hadn't scored in a long time," King said. "It felt good."
King took a backseat to teammate Knowshon Moreno for much of the game, but still managed to tally 28 yards on seven carries.
Freshman running back Richard Samuel, who has been battling King for playing time throughout the first two games, came on in the fourth quarter and scored on a 1-yard run for his first career touchdown, too. On the sideline, King was one of the first to offer a hug.
"I congratulated him," King said, "then I said, Let's get another one.' "
During the summer, quarterback Matthew Stafford attended a camp where he got some lessons from Indianapolis Colts star Peyton Manning. Saturday, Stafford did a nice imitation of the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
Against a Central Michigan defense insistent on throwing varying looks at Georgia, Stafford routinely ran up to the line of scrimmage to check out of plays at the last second a signature Manning move.
A year ago, Stafford said he wouldn't have been confident enough to make those changes at the line of scrimmage. This year, however, he's in complete control of the offense.
"I think why not," Stafford said. "It's the ability to get us in the right play at the right time. Coach trusts me to do that, and I trust the offensive line to hear what I'm saying and execute."
That trust paid off to the tune of 552 yards of total offense, with Stafford topping 200 yards passing for the second straight week without an interception.
"The way they run their defense, they do a lot of twisting, they do a lot of blitzing, so Matt was trying to put us in the best scenario to score," left guard Vince Vance said. "And I think he did a heck of a job of it considering we scored 56 points."
All week, Georgia's coaches and defensive players were quizzed on the electric quarterback from Central Michigan. A year ago, Dan LeFevour became only the second quarterback in history to throw for more than 3,000 yards and rush for another 1,000.
Saturday, the Bulldogs made it their mission to slow him down, but that didn't mean he didn't leave a good impression.
LeFevour finished the game with 250 yards passing and two touchdowns, but his work ethic is what really impressed his counterpart on the Georgia sideline.
"That guy is a heck of a player," Stafford said. "He does a lot of great things for that team. He's a tough dude, he's a heck of a football player. He got hit a bunch by our guys, and he kept getting up."
Blair Walsh's first kickoff last week went into the end zone. After that, the results weren't as pretty.
Head coach Mark Richt listed Walsh's ability to prevent long kick returns as a top concern heading into the Central Michigan game, and the results didn't ease his mind.
The Chippewas started seven drives beyond their own 30-yard line and Walsh was able to pin them inside the 20 just twice.
"He's not been real consistent with his kickoff yet," Richt said.
Walsh said coaches had asked him not to comment on the situation, but Richt said the team may consider giving walk-on freshman Jamey Lindley a chance to earn the job.
"We may go with him, I don't know," Richt said. "I think they're both capable, but right now, we're not consistent."
King's touchdown came after Moreno came up lame early in the second quarter and was forced to the sideline.
This was the second straight game Moreno was forced out of action last week he left with leg cramps and didn't return but he said there was nothing for fans to be concerned about.
Moreno returned to action on Georgia's next series and finished that drive with a 1-yard score of his own.
"He got dinged a little during pass protection," Richt said. "I think he got knocked a little silly for just a second. He just had to clear his head a little bit."
-- Georgia's win moves them to 32-2 in non-conference games under Mark Richt. That record includes a 22-0 mark at home.
-- The 56 points were the most scored at Sanford Stadium by a Richt-led Georgia team. It was the second most point scored in his tenure behind the 62 UGA scored at Kentucky in 2004.
-- Dobbs' interception return was the longest by a UGA defender since Odell Thurman returned one 99 yards against Auburn in 2003.
-- The return was Dobbs' first career touchdown, joining both Caleb King and Richard Samuel, who also scored for the first time in their careers Saturday.
-- Rennie Curran led UGA in tackles with 11, including two for a loss. It was the third 10+ tackle performance of his career.
-- Georgia's 99-yard TD drive capped by a 1-yard Moreno TD in the fourth quarter was the longest for the Bulldogs since 2001.
-- Israel Troupe caught two passes in the game -- the first two of his career.
-- This was the seventh 100-yard game of Moreno's career.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
UGA-CMU Postgame Notes
It had been nearly two years since Caleb King had tasted paydirt.


text:
By Tate Thomson
Sports reporter
"Viking power" filled the gymnasium during the beginning of Friday night's game against Orcas on Jan. 12, but the Friday Harbor Wolverine's took their victory during the final seconds of the game.
At the end of the first quarter, the score was 7-11, the Orcas Vikings taking the lead. The Vikings scored another 11 points in the second quarter giving them a stronger lead, with a score of 12-22 going into halftime. The third quarter remained in favor of the Vikings, who scored 6 points while the Wolverines scored 4.
Intensity peaked in the fourth quarter when the Wolverines caught up to the Vikings. With 2:30 on the clock, the Wolverines were trailing the Vikings by two points, with an overall score of 28-30. At just under 1:30 on the clock, the Wolverines took the lead. Orcas quickly took back their lead with a 2 point shot, and it wasn't until a basket made during the final buzzer when the Wolverines claimed victory. The final score was 34-33.
This victory follows two losses for Friday Harbor, one against LaConner on Jan. 9, 22-34. The other defeat was the Jan. 6 game against Overlake, 29-35. Six games remain in the season. The next game is away on Tuesday, Jan. 16 against Mount Vernon Christian. The next home game is Friday, Jan. 19 against Darrington.


text:
revolution by simplicity
Labels: bookbinding, bruce rogers, harunobu suzuki, hiroshige ando, paper, paul bransom, sakai hoitsu, sarah wyman whitman, sipkema, zeshin sabata
Labels: bookbinding, bruce rogers, harunobu suzuki, hiroshige ando, paper, paul bransom, sakai hoitsu, sarah wyman whitman, sipkema, zeshin sabata
posted by lotusgreen at 1:58 PM
I love bookbinding experiments!
doing them or looking at them?
Another lovely post
crammed with inspiration...
Ta Ms Iris
such a sweet way to begin the day. thank you.
Cool little article...& it strikes home. my current challenge is trying to figure out how to stylize different elements (landscape & figurative) in a way so that they look like they belong in the same picture. It's been done before, of course, but the other piece of the challenge is doing it in a new way, or at least in a way with my stamp on it...this is a little dose of inspiration...
well, that's very cool. thanks, evan. it is really interesting to me that that word "inspiration" comes up here a lot. i love it.
I love the book covers made during the period when Western art was most influenced by Japanese art. I think those styles stand the test of time. As for contemporary book covers, well, some are notable for other things like the trashy but fun covers of 50's sleezy novels (No Japanese influence there). I think that David Lance Goines is one of the contemporary designers whose work shows Japanese design influence and Robert Kuchner a contemporary painter who almost breathes the spirit of Japanese art.
ooo now i have to go look up robert kuchner. yeah, do you know david? he's definately a student of the japanese work, as well as the early 20th century posters (german, english, american) as well.
you can see reflections of them in many of his pieces.
Very-very interesting blog. Sorry, I dont speak English very well. I Invited you to visit my blog:
I get your link in my list of favorites blog.
Regards, Elena (Helen)
muchas gracias por sus amables palabras. Por favor, siéntase libre de usar su propio idioma a comentar, a continuación, podemos tratar de google que traducir.
Breathtaking, indeed!
Such beauty in such simplicity.
Thanks, Ana. It sounds like you really get it.
hi, and thanks so much for stopping by. i spend all too much time thinking my own thoughts about this stuff, so please tell me yours. i thrive on the exchange!


text:
When we return to Degrassi this week, students are just beginning to grapple with Cam's suicide. Eli, who has always had morbid fascinations of various kinds and who had a former girlfriend die when a car hit her bike, is this week's focus, and Fiona is determined to help him move forward.
Eli, Jake, and Mo are playing video games when Fiona comes in, unplugs the TV, and tells them she has a film proposal for Eli. His film career is on hold, he tells her, as Clare doesn't think that working on a zombie film is a healthy idea for him in the aftermath of Cam's death, but Fiona insists.
This film, she says, will still have people talking about it in 50 years – however, he must agree to do it before she tells him anything more about the project. Eli agrees.
The film, it turns out, is a project for the yearbook, and Clare put Fiona up to it, hoping to distract Eli from his thoughts about being a magnet for death. So Eli goes around the school with a camera, asking people questions about their favorite things they've done all year and their biggest regrets and where they see themselves in ten years.
In one clip, Imogen asks why the school administration has decided to barricade the garden. "It's so miserable," she says. And in another clip, she and Fiona are shown introducing themselves as girlfriends and then twirling around the Winter Festival. (And then later they're shown in a section about "Romeo and Jules," and then Imogen appears once more with Whisperhug – basically, the message I'm getting so far is that our favorite ladies own this school!)
One girl who Eli catches on camera hands him an invitation for a secret party, and he looks it over, intrigued.
When Eli previews the first cut of the film for Fiona, Dallas, and Clare, Dallas notices that Cam has been cut from the hockey section (just like he's been cut from the opening credits…) and suggests that perhaps Eli should add a tribute in his honor. Fiona disagrees about the tribute idea, arguing that it's weird messaging, but Dallas wants Cam in the video somehow, so Eli begrudgingly agrees to put him back into the hockey section.
Clare, noticing his hesitation toward working on the film again, asks if he wants her to stick around and help him edit the footage so that he's not alone for it, but he tells her not to worry. Then, struck by another idea, he suggests that instead, the two of them should go to this secret party, and he'll deal with the video another time.
Clare turns down the suggestion, not wanting to facilitate Eli avoiding his demons, so Eli enlists Mo and Jake to attend the party with him instead.
Once there, they discover it's a massive paint party, with everyone running around and splattering the walls and each other with color. Eli accidentally knocks over a bucket of blood-red paint and loses himself in his thoughts for a moment.
The girl who invited him, Talia, spots him and tries to bring him back to the present – with MDMA.
Meanwhile, Katie is grappling with the demons she brought home from Vegas – namely almost sleeping with an older guy in order to fund her Stanford tuition – by hanging out with her sister instead of her friends, and Jenna is giving the awkward and nerdy Connor a chance. Until next week, everyone!


text:
You've been challenged to pit your wits against the Market Masters trading game
It doesn't matter if you're an experienced trader or you've always thought you've got what it takes – the real question is: can you make a bigger profit and beat your challenger?
Can you navigate the fast-changing simulated market and market events to your advantage? To beat your challenger, you'll need to be quick, balance the risks, and make the right trading decisions.
Winner of the 2018 B2 Award for Innovation
How to use your unique codeC O M P 5
- Download game via the app buttons
- Enter your event challenge code by pressing the 'Enter challenge code' option, found on the opening screen
- See your result compared to your challenger at the end of your gaming session
- Save your score and see your position on the leader board live.
How to play
Inspired by market dynamics, the S&P Global Platts Market Masters game responds to shifts in supply and demand – to make a profit you need to work out whether the price will rise or fall. If you think the price will rise then go 'long' – buy while the price is low and sell for a profit when the price peaks. If you think it will fall, go 'short' – sell now and increase your profit by buying back at a lower price.
It's a race to the finish – with a trading period of just one year you'll need to quickly respond to market events and utilize insights to come out on top. Don't be caught out by extreme price movements during periods of high volatility – make sure you're ready to master the market in rapid change… otherwise it's game over and your challenger will have defeated you.
Prepare for the challenge – watch the trailer.


text:
ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at email@example.com.
- Feisst, Sabine
- 1 Arizona State University
- 1 Koonce, Frank
- 1 Landschoot, Thomas
- 1 Mclin, Katherine
- 1 Rotaru, Catalin
- 1 Savic, Nenad
- 1 English
- audio/mpeg
- 1 application/pdf
- Sound
- 1 Doctoral Dissertation
- 1 Public
- Recording
- 1 Duo
- 1 Guitar
- 1 Johanson
- 1 Music
- 1 Musical Performances
- 1 Performance
- more
- 1 Suite
- Mobile Crowd Sensing in Edge Computing Environment
- The Effect of Disability on Subjective Well-Being across the Adult Lifespan: The Moderating Roles of Age at Disability Onset and Disability Type
- Mechanically Active Heterogeneous Polymer Matrix Composites
- Attribute-Based Encryption for Fine-Grained Access Control over Sensitive Data
- 并购背景下教育行业品牌价值研究
The purpose of this project is to introduce Bryan Johanson's composition for two guitars, 13 Ways of Looking at 12 Strings, and present an authoritative recording appropriate for publishing. This fifty-minute piece represents a fascinating suite in thirteen movements. The author of this project performed both guitar parts, recorded them separately in a music studio, then mixed them together into one recording. This document focuses on the critical investigation and description of the piece with a brief theoretical analysis, a discussion of performance difficulties, and guitar preparation. The composer approved the use and the scope of this project. Bryan Johanson …
- Contributors
- Savic, Nenad, Koonce, Frank, Rotaru, Catalin, et al.
- Created Date
- 2011


text: The customer is responsibility to provide competent adult supervision for the safety of the users is required. Our contract states and makes it very clear that an adult supervisor must be present when anyone is in the unit to ensure its safe operation. We gladly offer supervision for your party at an additional fee.


text:
If you've read the information in the category you're interested in (Goblin, Formula 24 or Formula 24+) and want to go ahead with the project it's time to register your team.
The steps for registering are:
1) Send your request for registration to Greenpower USA by filling out the form below.
2) When events are open for entry apply to those you would like to take part in.
3) We will approve or disapprove your entry dependent on the terms and conditions of entry.
4) GreenpowerUSA will invoice you for the entry fees based upon the terms and conditions of entry.