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Currently, a limited number of photographs, CT scans and X-rays exist of specimens from the skull collections. Pending funding, CDHCS will increase the sample of digital photographs and CT scans and make them available for research and teaching.
CDHCS retains all reproduction rights for its photographs, CT scans, and X-rays. Requests for permission to publish, electronically transmit, or publicly display in exhibits images supplied by CDHCS from its archives must be submitted on the Reproduction Use Permissions Request Form. In addition, the user must provide a written document explaining the context in which images will be used. Permission is granted for one-time use only. CDHCS must receive a copy of any publication, brochure or other materials containing these archival images at no charge.
To help defray the administrative costs of duplication services, a use fee will be charged in addition to the materials costs associated with producing duplicate copies. As determined by CDHCS, reproduction use fees may be waived for non-profit or scholarly use by individuals. An additional letter, detailing the use of the requested archival image(s), as well as proof of non-profit status, may be required.
Commercial use is subject to approval by CDHCS. Listed below are minimum fees. Fees are for one-time use.
|Editorial Use
|Scholarly — individuals: Publications, dissertations
|Scholarly — press related: Print or electronic media (editorial, periodical or newspaper), television program, film, website
|Non-Profit Business
|Government Agencies
|Commercial — individual/business: Print or electronic media, television program, film, website
|Exhibition Use
|For-Profit — individual/business
|Non-Profit — business/institution
|Internet, Website Use
|To be negotiated
Pending funding, digital CT scan image series and digital photographs of a portion of the skull collections will become available for research and teaching purposes.
When available, digital images will be provided electronically through Dropbox.
The University of the Pacific maintains a partnership with developers of the FOROST metabase to provide images and documentation of specimens as reference material for forensic osteologists and related professionals. Found at the forensicosteology.org Web site are 100 digital images and accompanying descriptions of 29 Atkinson Collection individuals that exhibit evidence of trauma to the skull.
Higher-resolution copies of the Atkinson Collection images found in the FOROST metabase are available from CDHCS for teaching, presentation or publication purposes. Currently, CDHCS does not provide services for online purchase and distribution of these images. Therefore, digital images will be provided electronically through Dropbox. Purchase prices given below cover staff time and incidental costs.
Individual image: $20
Complete set of 43 images: $215
Additional charges per order:
Sales tax: Add 8.75% (required for all purchases)
See below under "Teaching and Images" for descriptions and pricing.
Specimens from the skull collections are available, on a selective basis, for photographing, CT scanning, X-raying or videotaping, in relation to research study of the collection. A PDF of each relevant publication or an abstract of each presentation resulting from the study must be sent to CDHCS for the museum archives. In addition, if the skull images are used in a Master's or Ph.D. dissertation, a copy of the dissertation must be sent, upon completion, to the Curator, Atkinson Collection, CDHCS, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, 155 Fifth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Image production is permitted with the following restrictions: Specimens may be CT scanned, photographed, X-rayed, videotaped or otherwise imaged only for the purposes of illustrating academic publications or presentations. Images may not be given to a third party without written permission from CDHCS.
On the day of the visit, the researcher taking images of specimens from the skull collections will sign the Image Use Form that contains the following information: Researcher's name, phone number, affiliation or professional address, email address, a brief description of conditions governing image use, and a list of specimens photographed, CT scanned, X-rayed or videotaped. The Image Use Form serves as a means of efficient recordkeeping for CDHCS.
Three teaching sets illustrating craniofacial trauma, congenital craniofacial and related disorders, and dental anomalies and pathological conditions of the jaw found in specimens from the Atkinson Collection are available for purchase as digital images from CDHCS. These images may not be reproduced or used for research, exhibit or commercial production without specific written permission of CDHCS. Duplication services costs are built in to the fee schedule given below. Image descriptions and fees are as follows:
This set of 100 Atkinson Collection digital images is now available for viewing at forensicosteology.org (see purchase pricing above at Forensicosteology.org Atkinson Collection Image Pricing section). These images illustrate the effects of trauma on bony morphology, providing examples of healed, unreduced craniofacial trauma at the following fracture sites: nasal, zygomatic, maxillary, pterygoid, occipital, mandibular condyle, cranial. Examples of secondary infection are shown. Each image is accompanied by descriptive information on the specimen.
This set of 60 digital images is ideal for discussing concepts of craniofacial growth and development and the morphology of particular syndromes. Featured are examples of untreated cases of microcephaly, hydrocephaly, bicoronal, lambdoidal and sagittal synostoses, hemifacial microsomia, microphthalmia, and complete and partial cleft palate, among others. Most cases are presented in more than one standard view. Radiographs of a subset of cases are also included. This image set is accompanied by descriptive information on individual specimens and their conditions.
Designed to illustrate both congenital and pathological conditions of the teeth, occlusion and jaws, this set of 51 digital images is excellent for instruction in dental anthropology and anatomy laboratories. Subjects include the appearance of teeth in cleft palate individuals, malocclusion and dental crowding (underbite, overbite, edge to edge and other absolutely incredible forms), disturbance in tooth formation (number, crown form, root morphology, enamel hypoplasia), disturbance in tooth position (ectopic eruption, transposition, impaction, retention of deciduous dentition) and disease (periapical abscess, excessive tartar accumulation and degenerative joint changes). This image set is accompanied by descriptive information discussing each slide.
Digital images will be provided electronically through Dropbox. Purchase prices given below cover staff time and materials costs.
Pricing for purchase of one or two sets, as follows:
|Set II
|60 digital images
|Set III
|51 digital images
|Sets II and III
|111 digital images
Sales tax: Add 8.75% (required for all purchases)
Photographs, CT scans, X-rays and videos of specimens from the skull collections may not be used in an exhibit without the specific written permission of CDHCS. Use of images for promotional materials (i.e., posters, postcards, booklets, photographs, etc.) related to an exhibit, or items bearing those images (i.e., gift shop mugs, key chains, etc.), also requires explicit written permission from CDHCS.
CDHCS has developed explicit policy and fees relating to the borrowing of specimens from the skull collections for the purpose of producing images for commercial or business use. Fees are for one-time, non-exclusive use, world rights, in one language only. With respect to electronic media, "one-time use" means that once an electronic product has been published, distributed or exhibited, you may not subsequently reformat, redesign, or otherwise alter the disk or screens on which the image appears, nor re-use the image in other products, nor allow others to use it. Similar restrictions and fees apply to the on-site capturing of images (photographs, CT scans, X-rays or videotaping) or the use of Available Image Reproductions (see below) for commercial or business purposes. Copyright of all images taken by the commercial/business use entity or provided by CDHCS to that entity is held by the University of the Pacific. Image production for commercial/business use is permitted with the following requirements and restrictions:


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I've taken a stab at describing how I go about "dialing in" an espresso at various points in time and in various venues.
As time has gone by - I've refined my methodology and practice.
For what it's worth - here is my current model.
The idea: you have a coffee that is new to you, and you want to figure out the extraction parameters for this coffee that give you the best results (for your tastes).
The caveats: some of the stuff in here is specific for my own taste/perception/expectation of espresso. In particular, my concept of espresso is that it is a unique and different way of preparing coffee. In other words - I'm not trying to re-create the flavour of the coffee when cupped or brewed as drip or press-pot or something. I'm also not trying to create something that (as D Schomer put it - "tastes like ground coffee smells"). And I'm not trying to create some sort of HeMan beverage that "puts hair on your chest." For me - I'm trying to extract a balanced and complete mix of clearly defined and differentatiated flavours -- a round balance of sweet, sour, bitter -- that expresses the unique flavours and aromatics of the coffee. In addition, I pay for a small percentage of my beans and can thus afford to "waste" a lot of coffee. And finally, I work on equipment that is easy to "tune" and change quickly.
The process:
I try to start with some constants that are as likely as possible to be accurate for the majority of coffees. In this case, I start with an LM ridged double basket and a target volume of between 1.75 and 2.0 oz with a moderate flow rate (somewhere around 25 seconds for that volume, though I evaluate by flow not time).
I'll also try and understand up front the "signature taste" of the coffee.
The "signature taste" requires some knowledge of the roaster's style and the desired flavour profile of the coffee. Is the person roasting this coffee a fan of low acidity espresso? Are they a "chocolate bomb" aficionado? If you know what they like out of their espresso you can do minor adjustments to your dose. In many cases (these days) you can use the interwebs to research and find out what the roaster looks for. Otherwise, go by the retail location of the roaster and taste the shots.
This allows me to understand what I'm "shooting for" in the cup.
Once I have this information, I'll start making some guesses on the primary variables.
My initial goal is to make a quick estimate of likely dose volume.
I do this based upon the coffee (the bean/blend composition.)
If the coffee seems likely to have low pH (has robusta or aged coffees or a lot of naturals) I'll start with a down dose. If it seems likely to have a moderate pH (pulped naturals, a mix of naturals and washed coffees) I'll go with a moderate dose. If the coffee is high pH (mostly high-grown washed arabica) I'll up-dose.
This baseline is then slightly impacted by degree of roast (for a darker roast I'll drop the roast a percentage, for a lighter roast I'll up it).
On a side note - this focus on pH of coffee is new to me and is the result of reading the results of a research study done by Nestle Labs. This study found that coffee compaction in espresso brewing is dependent upon pH of brew water and pH of coffee. Coffee compacts under brew pressure - but according to this study, how much it compacts depends upon pH. Low pH coffees (robusta and aged or monsooned coffees at the extreme) compact the least and high pH coffees (high-grown washed arabicas) compact the most. Focusing on the pH of the coffee seems to have enabled me to more quickly estimate dose volume -- and this (so far) seems to my taste to be a very consistent system.
Anyway... once I have a starting point for dose, I'll try to come up with a starting point for brew temp.
I'll evaluate the coffee for two characteristics. First - roast degree and second - bean composition.
With the former, I tend to make some quick rough decisions. If the roast is light, I tend to start with a baseline temp of 202F. If medium, I will stick with 200F. If dark, I'll drop it down to 197F.
Now... I'll also adjust this based on the bean composition. If, for example, I'm working with high-grown washed arabica I'm going to reduce the brew temp. If I'm working with aged or monsooned coffees I will up the brew temp (both from the baseline above).
So a light roasted coffee with monsooned beans will move up to 203F as a starting point.
Once I've got temp and dose I dial in the grind and then I'll start experimenting.
I always start by re-evaluating temp. So I'll pull a shot and evaluate it for brew temp. Is it alkaloid? Is it thin? Is it sour or bitter? Astringent or burnt? Does it taste ashy or like fish oil? Based on the taste, I will alter the temp by small degrees to find the sweet spot. If it's sour - I'll take the temp up. If it's ashy, I'll take it down. If it's thin and lacks sweetness and fruit, I'll take it down. Etc. It's basic pattern recognition.
I'm not looking for a great shot here -- I'm just looking for the right brew temp. The idea is to get the balance of sweet, sour and bitter. If any of these dominate too much, I need to change brew temp.
Once I've found what I feel is the brew temp sweet spot, I'll start working on dose.
The way I tend to do this is focus on two things. First - clarity of flavour and second - roundness and balance.
If the cup is "muddied" I'll reduce the dose. If the cup isn't fully developed and sweet and rich I'll up the dose. Mouthfeel is one of the critical attributes I'm looking at here - as is sweetness and definition. If I need a "denser" cup I'll up the dose. If I need more sweetness, the dose goes up. If there is a lack of clarity in the cup, or it's out of balance (with the low end dominating and limited aromatics and high end) then I'll reduce the dose.
This is usually enough. It usually gets me to the point where I have a shot that I feel matches well with the signature profile and optimizes the coffee.
Now... that doesn't mean I like the shot. There are coffees that I just don't like. It means that I feel like I have a cup profile that fits the coffee.
From here I can "tune" with small changes in flow rate, volume of shot, etc.
This allows me to then tune the extraction for what I really want out of the coffee -- to force it a bit in my desired direction.
And that covers all but the edge cases.
But there are exceptions. There are these edge cases where all the above doesn't get me to where I want to be with the coffee.
It's usually only at this point that I start looking at changes to extraction volume and basket size.
For example, I've found that some lighter roasted delicate coffees tend to end up poorly developed no matter what I do - especially when they are pulped naturals. But if I then swap to a triple basket and deliberately down-dose (19 grams) I "open up" the coffee and it becomes more defined and clear. Or with monsooned coffee I find that the only way I can get the desired sweetness without getting a "wet cardboard" aftertaste is by going with a triple basket, normal dose and then pulling a ristretto shot. Sometimes I find that some high-grown washed coffees are best pulled very short and slow. The same is true of some Indonesians.
You get the idea.
I know that some people are simply not into this sort of fiddling.
And others find the lack of "science" associated with this approach to be problematic.
For me - however - this process and approach is not only successful, but quite enjoyable.
And most importantly, by making it entirely taste based - I learn from each and every coffee and each and every change. By not tying it to measurement and machinery but instead to what I taste in the cup - I learn.
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Opera House in Roslyn Heights: First bites
Opera House, the four-month-old Asian-fusion restaurant that opened in the former Roslyn Heights home of Tofu, proved to be a very mixed bag on a recent visit, with high highs, and very low lows.
I was there with a friend who had never tried honey-walnut shrimp, the resolutely inauthentic and improbably delicious Chinese dish made from battered, deep-fried shrimp and sugar-infused, deep-fried walnuts, served with steamed broccoli and mayonnaise sauce. At Opera House, the shrimp ($16) were encased in a soggy crust, the walnuts had an off taste, the mayonnaise sauce was limp, and in place of the broccoli was shredded lettuce. (I'm going to have to drag my friend to The Orient in Bethpage for some remedial eating.)
Also disastrous: "7 Spice Chicken" ($18), comically marked as "spicy" but whose overcooked meat and wan skin made Boston chicken seem like the fieriest Jamaican jerk.
These two missteps were in sharp contrast to our starters. The addictive roti canai, pleasantly greasy Malaysian flatbread served with curry dip, was only $5; we should have ordered a few more. And the Opera wrap ($10), a rich flatbread rolled round truly spicy beef and peppers, was gutsy and original.
I still don't know what to make of the Malaysian sambal beef ($12), a stir-fry of beef, snow peas, asparagus and pineapple that was shockingly assertive in its use of fish sauce. Was it a proud, South Asian shot across the bow of defanged American culinary expectations? Or a sour, almost fetid screw-up by a careless line cook?
In addition to Chinese and Malaysian, Opera House's large menu also includes a little Thai and a whole lot of Japanese hot dishes and sushi.
Opera House is at 255 Willis Ave., Roslyn Heights, 516-484-7456, operahouseny.com.


text: I have always loved art and being creative. My inspiration comes from beautiful imagery and I try to convey this beauty on canvas using inks, water colours and gouache. Limited edition prints are produced to an excellent quality on art paper at an affordable price so that an option is available for anyone who appreciates art and would like to start collecting. There are a selection of amazing charities supported by the sale of my artwork - as you will automatically donate 10% to a wonderful cause each time you buy a print or original painting. I hope you find something you love on artpal or visit my business website for further artwork and information www.artbyhew.com


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The U.S. House of Representatives has approved near-universal health care coverage.
Read about intense efforts to sway Rep. Scott Murphy's vote here, and weigh in: Which way would you urge Murphy to vote and why?
Rep. Scott Murphy voted yes on the legislation, which passed with a final tally of 219-212. Here's the roll call for all of New York's representatives: Democrats – Ackerman, Y; Arcuri, N; Bishop, Y; Clarke, Y; Crowley, Y; Engel, Y; Hall, Y; Higgins, Y; Hinchey, Y; Israel, Y; Lowey, Y; Maffei, Y; Maloney, Y; McCarthy, Y; McMahon, N; Meeks, Y; Murphy, Y; Nadler, Y; Owens, Y; Rangel, Y; Serrano, Y; Slaughter, Y; Tonko, Y; Towns, Y; Velazquez, Y; Weiner, Y.
Republicans — King, N; Lee, N.
Share your thoughts on the legislation here.


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The Rainforest Alliance
Web Resources on Biodiversity Conservation
The Rainforest Alliance helps people of all ages to understand the role that each of us plays in biodiversity conservation, and how we can help protect our planet. Through their K-6 curricula on the socioeconomic and environmental issues facing Latin America, the Rainforest Alliance helps students relate to the environmental and economic effects of banana production in Honduras.
By tracing the journey of bananas from tropical farms to their breakfast tables, students learn in a memorable way their role in the global community. The hands-on, interactive lessons created by Project Learning Tree and the Rainforest Alliance give students the opportunity to explore the origins of the banana as well as the communities and wildlife affected by the production of this popular fruit.
This program is unique in that it teaches science, math, language arts, and social studies while addressing the national standards for science.
Teachers can access free K-8 curricula, sign up for the Eco-Education Matters monthly e-newsletter, and browse through the new educational resources at the Rainforest Alliance Learning Site.
The Rainforest Alliance works to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Companies, cooperatives and landowners that participate in our programs meet rigorous standards that conserve biodiversity and provide sustainable livelihoods


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Clean slate: Capshaw's Fifeville apartments break ground
The last vestiges of the urban forest that long provided the backdrop to Union Station– home to Amtrak and the recently departed Wing Wing Café– were felled last week to make way for an upscale apartment complex. A few small structures, including the old Glass & Plastics building, had already been demolished.
"They've cleared the whole site, and it looks spectacular," says Gabe Silverman, owner of Union Station. "It has changed the way I view the building."
Silverman's view will soon include eight new four-floor structures containing 225 apartments– as well as 293 parking spaces and a health club, according to documents on file in City Hall.
The six-acre site, partly owned by Dave Matthews Band manager Coran Capshaw, will also feature two mini-parks and numerous pedestrian connections to the Fifeville neighborhood. The architect is Edward Winks of Richmond.
The developer, Nathan Metzger of Atlanta, says the location, about halfway between UVA and the Downtown Mall, provides another bonus for residents. "They can walk to restaurants, and they can walk to work, and that's pretty neat in this day and age."
Eugene Williams, who owns several rental properties in the mixed-race neighborhood, welcomes the development.
"Gentrification does a lot of good things," Williams says. "I translate gentrification into integration."Read more on: coran capshaw


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The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Paperback)
Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
One night, Stevenson's wife was disturbed by the movements and sounds of her sleeping husband; he seemed to be having a nightmare. She woke him. He was indeed having a nightmare, but he complained, on being awakened, that he had not come to the end of what was proving to be a fascinating tale. That morning, he rapidly wrote down the story that he had dreamed, adding an ending. When he read the tale to his wife, she was dissatisfied; she thought that it was simply a "crawler" (standard gothic horror tale) and that he should develop the moral issues inherent in the tale. He argued with her vigorously but in the end accepted her view and burned the first draft. The tale still had a strong enough hold on him, however, that he composed the second draft (the version that was published) in only three days. Released to the public, the tale captured the public imagination and has not let go to this day. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydemade Robert Louis Stevenson a household name, and it made Stevenson's fortune. In less than a year, "Jekyll and Hyde" was an English colloquialism. In 1887, when Stevenson went to the United States, it was his notoriety from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde that induced Charles Scribner's Sons to offer him a lucrative contract. That contract gave him his first taste of financial independence. The story that produced such wide-ranging effects begins very quietly with a sketch of the passive, observant, tolerant Mr. Utterson, Dr. Jekyll's lawyer, the man from whose point of view this third-person narrative is told. Utterson's tolerance is being strained a little by Jekyll's curious deference to a Mr. Hyde, a man to whom Utterson takes an instant dislike. Only gradually does the intensity of the narrative increase as Utterson becomes more curious and Hyde becomes more disreputable. The story comes to a climax as Utterson helps break down a door to get at Hyde. The lawyer moves, then, from tolerance to judgment, from observer to participant; if it were not for the title of the tale, one would call Utterson the protagonist.


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I have a couple Provo Craft projects to share with you today. These are my May projects, and I was assigned to do 3 home decor items. First up is this family sign, using the Home Decor, Lyrical Letters & Plantin Schoolbook cartridges and my Cricut Expression. Up next, I was assigned a glass etching project. I cut the chandelier from vinyl, and then stuck the negative image directly to the glass. Then I followed the direction on the etching creme, and this is what it did. I think it is pretty neat!
And last, are just some blocks that I decorated to match the set. These can be used as a centerpiece, a wall hanging...anything your heart desires!
Well, I better get going for now! Time to get back to school. I hope you have a wonderful day. I will start sharing photos once we start shooting!
Until later,
18 comments
AWESOME projects girl!!! :)ReplyDelete
Gorgeous projects Lea! I've been missing your crafty goodness!ReplyDelete
(-: Heidi
- AnonymousJune 5, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Beautiful projects!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 5, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Hi Lea Your projects are `gorgeous`...ReplyDelete
Have a lovely weekend:) x
ahhhh...gotta love chandeliers!!! FAB projects!!ReplyDelete
Super creatve! Wow, I really love the blocks! Amazing workReplyDelete
These are fabulous, Lea! Good luck in those classes--you WOW them!ReplyDelete
Incredible creations!! The first one may be my FAV. Hope classes are going well ;)ReplyDelete
i love those blocks, totally gorgeous!! loving your blog xxReplyDelete
Hey Lea! love your projects....I'm glad to hear you're still kickin'!ReplyDelete
isn't etching just the coolest?ReplyDelete
I can't believe how fast and easy it is!
oh that glass is AWESOME! I gotta give that try someday when i can get messy with no worries. LOL! Hey, I emailed you. ;)ReplyDelete
gorgeous projects Lea!! Have fun at school!ReplyDelete
Lea, these are gorgeous home decor items! You're SO creative! Have a great time at school. Can't wait to see your work.ReplyDelete
Lea, I love all these chandelier projects...they are beautiful and my favorite colors (red and black)! Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Hey Sugar! I was just checking in to see how school is going. I hope everything is going well!ReplyDelete
Wow are these wonderful! Clever and cuteReplyDelete
Hi Lea! I know you've been busy with your photography classes but I just wanted to drop you a quick note. I'm hoping you are enjoying your classes and that it's going well. You're SO talented in many ways, I'm sure your the star student! ;o)ReplyDelete
I sure do miss your beautiful, amazing creations!
Have a fun and relaxing holiday weekend!
♥♥ Kay


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Trelleborg Road Show 2015. Produce more, with less.
Discover how to boost productivity while preserving your land.
The Trelleborg Road Show 2015 provides you with multiple field demonstrations showcasing how you can enhance your operations and protect the future of your business.
To have the chance to join farming professionals from across Europe at the Trelleborg Road Show 2015 register now or reserve your free invitation at www.trelleborg-roadshow.com
Download the Brochures "Trelleborg Road Show 2015. Produce more, with less.


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510 922 8481
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Mon 8am-2pm, Tues-Fri 8am-5pm
With all of our scanning services, we let you choose between a raw scan & pro scan. With raw scan you receive back the images as-is, without post production. Pro scan includes cropping, rotating image, & color correction.
Raw scan is suggested for clients who have experience using photo editing applications, or who simply want the image backed-up for preservation. This ensures that the image has been digitally duplicated so you have more than one copy, and can rotate or adjust colors at a later time if desired. Raw vs Pro Scan examples here
Pro scan includes post-production of the digital images which you don't receive with the raw scan. With pro scan we crop the border that is around the image along with photo rotation & color correction. This provides a view-ready collection without any additional efforts on your part. Raw vs Pro Scan examples here
You have the choice of two resolutions when scanning your loose photographs and photo albums, either 300 PPI or 600 PPI. Either option is a high-resolution scan that yields beautiful digital images and reprinting up to the size of the original photograph; 300 PPI is most common. If you plan on having prints made larger than the original size, then 600 PPI is advised. Please speak with one of our technicians if you are unclear about what resolution may be best.
We scan of all styles of photo albums and scrapbooks. Most scrapbooks and many photo albums have the images glued to the photo album pages, which makes it nearly impossible to remove them without damaging the original materials. Because of this, we'll never remove a glued item from its album page, but instead scan the entire album page; you have the option of receiving a full-page scan or the individual images cropped out in post production. We do not recommend scanning over the plastic pages of an album or over glass frames. Photo albums and scrapbooks will have an additional album access fee applied, for more information about this please contact us via e-mail or phone.
Photo Scanning - San Bruno
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Photos up to 5x7 Scanned, 300 PPI
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Photos larger than 5x7 to 8.5x11, 600 PPI
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Photos larger than 8.5x11 to 12x17, 600 PPI
Larger than 12x17, please email
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Album Access Fee, per photo (or per page with no cropping)
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rite that should bring persons or property share in divine power or grace
Blessings are the infusion or bestowal of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.
- May God give you...For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.
- Anonymous Irish blessing, as quoted in The Puppet Master (2009) by Jan Coffey.
- Quoted by Vin Scully in his final sign-off on October 2, 2016.
- Blessings star forth forever; but a curse
Is like a cloud — it passes.
- Philip James Bailey, Festus (1813), scene Hades.
- Life is a creative endeavor. It is active, not passive. We are the yeast that leavens our lives into rich, fully baked loaves. When we experience our lives as flat and lackluster, it is our consciousness that is at fault. We hold the inner key that turns our lives from thankless to fruitful. That key is "Blessing."
- Julia Cameron, Blessings : Prayers and Declarations for a Heartful Life (1998).
- The growth of one blesses all. I am commited to grow in love. All that I touch, I leave in love. I move through this world consciously and creatively.
- Julia Cameron, Blessings : Prayers and Declarations for a Heartful Life (1998).
- I honor my importance and the importance of others. None of us is dispensable, none of us is replacable. In the chorus of life each of us brings a True Note, a perfect pitch that adds to the harmony of the whole. I act creatively and consciously to actively endorse and encourage the expansion of those whose lives I touch. Believing in the goodness of each, I add to the goodness of all. We bless each other even in passing.
- Julia Cameron, Blessings : Prayers and Declarations for a Heartful Life (1998).
- A spring of love gushed from my heart,
And I bless'd them unaware.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798; 1817), Part IV.
- For blessings ever wait on virtuous deeds,
And though a late, a sure reward succeeds.
- William Congreve, The Mourning Bride (1697), Act V, scene 3.
- God bless us every one.
- Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843), Stave 3 (saying of Tiny Tim).
- Like a led Victim, to my Death I'll go,
And, dying, bless the Hand that gave the Blow.
- John Dryden, The Spanish Friar (1681), Act II, Scene I.
- I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
- Genesis 32:26 (KJV).
- Das Leben ist der Güter höchstes, und das schlimmste Übel ist der Tod.
- Life is the greatest of blessings, and death the worst of evils.
- Heinrich Heine, Ideen (1835), Das Buch Le Grand, Ch. 3.
- When God at first made man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by,
'Let us,' said he, 'pour on him all we can:
Let the world's riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.'
- George Herbert, The Pulley (published posthumously, 1633).
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
- Jesus Christ as quoted in the Gospel of Matthew 5:1–12 (NIV); ofen referred to as "The Beatitudes" this is the start of "The Sermon on the Mount".
- Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
- Jesus Christ as quoted in the Gospel of John 20:29 (AKJV).
- The blest to-day is as completely so,
As who began a thousand years ago.
- Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man (1733-34), Epistle I, line 75.
- Steal immortal blessing from her lips.
- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1595), Act III, scene 3, line 37.
- The benediction of these covering heavens
Fall on their heads like dew!
- William Shakespeare, Cymbeline (1611), Act V, scene 5, line 350.
- In vita itaque apprime utile est, intellectum seu rationem, quantum possumus, perficere, et in hoc uno summa hominis feticitas seu beatitudo consistit; quippe beatitudo nihil aliud est, quam ipsa animi acquiescentia, quae ex Dei intuitiva cognitione oritur.
- Thus in life it is before all things useful to perfect the understanding, or reason, as far as we can, and in this alone man's highest happiness or blessedness consists, indeed blessedness is nothing else but the contentment of spirit, which arises from the intuitive knowledge of God.
- Baruch Spinoza, Ethics (1677), Part IV, Appendix, IV.
- Blessedness is not the reward of virtue, but virtue itself. We do not enjoy blessedness because we keep our lusts in check. On the contrary, it is because we enjoy blessedness that we are able to keep our lusts in check.
- Baruch Spinoza, Ethics (1677), Book 5, Proposition 42, as translated by Samuel Shirley, Complete Works (2002), p. 382
- Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
- For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes. But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course that's Moses, not Jesus. I haven't heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere.
"Blessed are the merciful" in a courtroom? "Blessed are the peacemakers" in the Pentagon? Give me a break!
- Kurt Vonnegut, Cold Turkey at In These Times (10 May 2004).
- Like birds, whose beauties languish half concealed,
Till, mounted on the wing, their glossy plumes
Expanded, shine with azure, green and gold;
How blessings brighten as they take their flight.
- Edward Young, Night Thoughts (1742-1745), Night II, line 589.
- Amid my list of blessings infinite,
Stands this the foremost, "That my heart has bled."
- Edward Young, Night Thoughts (1742-1745), Night IX, line 497.
Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical QuotationsEdit
- Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 71-72.
- 'Tis not for mortals always to be blest.
- John Armstrong, The Art of Preserving Health (1744), Book IV, line 260.
- Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament;
Adversity is the blessing of the New.
- Francis Bacon, Of Adversity.
- Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
- Deuteronomy, XXVIII. 5.
- O close my hand upon Beatitude!
Not on her toys.
- Louise Imogen Guiney, Deo Optimo Maximo.
- To heal divisions, to relieve the oppress'd,
In virtue rich; in blessing others, bless'd.
- Homer, The Odyssey, Book VII, line 95. Pope's translation.
- A man's best things are nearest him,
Lie close about his feet.
- Monckton Milnes, The Men of Old, Stanza 7.
- God bless us every one, prayed Tiny Tim,
Crippled and dwarfed of body yet so tall
Of soul, we tiptoe earth to look on him,
High towering over all.
- James Whitcomb Riley, God Bless Us Every One.


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1 egg
Prepare muffin tins (either grease or line with paper cases). Preheat oven to 190-200C or Gas Mark 5-6.
In a large bowl, sift together: flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar.
In a separate bowl, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk, mincemeat and oil/melted butter.
Pour all of liquid ingredients into dry mixture. Stir until just combined, adding the raisins or sultanas in the final few strokes. The batter will be lumpy but no dry flour will be visible. Do not overstir.
Fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are lightly browned and spring back when pressed gently. Allow muffins to cool for several minutes to make removal easier. Sieve icing sugar over the top.


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The latest installment of Robert Jaz's "The Mystery Box" over at the Forces of Geek website interviews Donna and I at length on the occasion of VIDEO WATCHDOG's 20th anniversary and the publication of our 150th issue. There's also an exclusive photo or two, including one of me looking very bummed about the shirt cardboard on which our first issue was printed. We thank Robert for his kind interest and generous attention!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
VIDEO WATCHDOG 150 On the Way!
Our landmark 150th issue has been mailed to subscribers, so First Class supporters should be seeing its arrival in their mailboxes early next week. This issue is notable for many reasons, but one not previously mentioned is the presence of three ads tied into our "150th" theme. Donna doesn't want me to broadcast the details of these sales because they are for VW readers only, our way of thanking them for their continued support, so you'll have to pick up the magazine to find out the details that will help bring you considerable savings...
Posted by Tim Lucas at Saturday, July 25, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
SUSPIRIA in HD
Stefania Casini welcomes you to SUSPIRIA.
I want to caution WatchBlog readers that the version of Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA which is being shown this month on Action Max, the Cinemax subsidiary, is not only the cut US theatrical version (which renders nearly all the violence incoherent) but, for some reason, the stereo surround track is lacking much of its original, room-shaking bottom end. However, on the plus side, it IS being shown in True HD -- as far as I know, the film's high definition debut. For this reason alone, I found it hard to peel myself away... the wallpaper alone (blue velvet, silver foil...) is enough to poke your eyes out. Next showing is at 2:30am eastern, tonight -- and sister station Thriller Max HD is showing MOTHER OF TEARS just before at Midnight.
Posted by Tim Lucas at Saturday, July 18, 2009
Labels: Dario Argento, Suspiria
Friday, July 10, 2009
Notes on SZAMANKA
In preparation for 200 words I needed to write about writer-director Andrzej Zulawski, last night I watched what is presently his penultimate feature, SZAMANKA, a French-Swiss-Polish co-production from 1996. Set in Warsaw, Poland, the film is, like much of Zulawski's work, a human story staged against a shifting political dynamic and it is also, like all of Zulawski's work, a shriek directed at the cosmos in objection to the essential incompleteness of man. His films have a reputation for being erotic, but they seldom are; they are about sex, and they are often graphic without becoming pornographic, but the sex is never satisfying for the characters or the viewers because they are meant to lay bare yearnings that can only be satisfied by our ultimate return to God. The sex in SZAMANKA ultimately takes on a religious connotation, which can be seen here in the face of actor Bogoslaw Linda, who gives a remarkable performance.
Linda plays Michal, a Polish archaeologist who meets a college student known only as "the Italian" (Iwona Petry) when his suicidal priest brother abandons his apartment. When the Italian expresses aggressive interest in taking over the lease, the archaeologist takes sexual advantage. She doesn't object but doesn't seem to like it either, until she turns to him mid-coitus with a "gotcha" smile that makes sense only as the story continues to unfold.
The two characters embark on what seems a mutually addictive, LAST TANGO-like sexual relationship within the claustrophobic apartment. One of their trysts becomes humorous in that, every time we assume it has ended, it begins again, for what seemed to me five times running, at which point the perspiring couple begin laughing themselves.
But, as in all Zulawski relationships, where there is desire, there is pain -- pain tapped by the impossibility of true spiritual connection. The Italian's emotions are played so as to seem rooted in the objectification and sexual imposition that all attractive women suffer, and though the film might sound exploitative, it paints a very bitter portrait of the indignities women endure in an exploitative culture.
But the Italian is more than she appears to be. As the story gains a sometimes baffling philosophic complexity, Michal is changed from sexual predator to the predated. (Often in Zulawski's work, the most initially repugnant characters become surprisingly sympathetic.) Here we see him literally brought to his knees by photos of details of the Italian's nude body, arranged into an icon appropriate to his new religion.
As the dialogue explains, the Italian is actually a szamanka (shaman or succubus) who, while Michal believed he was ejaculating inside of her, was in fact ejaculating "female sperm" inside of him, which has infested and taken possession of him. Consider this information only a semi-spoiler, as where their relationship finally takes them is, I think it is safe to say, astonishing.
While this bizarre love story is proceeding, Michal is having exciting times in his day job, as the ancient mummy of another shaman, male, is unearthed for the examination of his team. The shaman's body (discovered in possession of psylocybin and other antique hallucinogens) is covered in tattoo spirals and other arcane markings, and the back of his head has been shattered, ostensibly to permit the fleeing of his soul.
In a tremendous sequence, the archaeologic team appear to succumb to mass insanity as a result of exposure to the shaman's remains and undertake to revive him while getting high on his stash.
The moment when the mad team of scientists walk like Egyptians across the screen is simply one of the most impressively preposterous in Zulawski's filmography.
But greater still is the moment when -- possibly real, possibly hallucinated -- the shaman does revive and whispers words of wisdom into Michal's ear. Alas, it is too late for wisdom and the story to which the principals are doomed must play itself out, as indeed it did centuries before.
SZAMANKA (in Polish, the feminine form of "shaman") is available only as a Russian import DVD on the Premier Digital label. It is NTSC and all-region with French and Russian audio and English or Russian subtitles. (Alas, no Polish track so all the audio is dubbed -- with the Russian being dubbed over the French track in the manner of verbal subtitling.) Tony Simonelli at Xploited Cinema tells me he has only one copy left in stock, which they will not be renewing, so I would recommend that anyone interested in seeing this fascinating, mad picture should act... like yesterday.
Posted by Tim Lucas at Friday, July 10, 2009
Labels: Andrzej Zulawski, Shamanka, Xploited Cinema
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Now Accepting Comments
By popular demand, Video WatchBlog is now accepting comments from its readers! In other words, now you can help me to do the work I so often don't want to do.
All 870 postings (to date) can now be commented on, but anything older than five days requires monitoring by me and will not appear immediately... but it will, once approved.
Mind you, the Comments box is not a letters page; the correct address for that is email@example.com. The comments are to be used for responses to what I post here on Video WatchBlog. Within that framework, I welcome and look forward to your participation.
All 870 postings (to date) can now be commented on, but anything older than five days requires monitoring by me and will not appear immediately... but it will, once approved.
Mind you, the Comments box is not a letters page; the correct address for that is firstname.lastname@example.com. The comments are to be used for responses to what I post here on Video WatchBlog. Within that framework, I welcome and look forward to your participation.
Posted by Tim Lucas at Tuesday, July 07, 2009
What Gets Your Dark-On?
I recently saw a reference to DARKON (2006), a documentary about the gaming subculture, and thought to myself, "Now there's a word that should be hyphenated." So here's my latest contribution to the lingo of the horror culture: "dark-on." As in, "I've got a real dark-on for Jess Franco movies." Or "I've got a dark-on for H.P. Lovecraft stories."
Okay, people -- go to town with it! And don't forget to send me my cut, should it become profitable for you. ; )
In the meantime, tell me... What gets YOUR dark-on?
Okay, people -- go to town with it! And don't forget to send me my cut, should it become profitable for you. ; )
In the meantime, tell me... What gets YOUR dark-on?
Posted by Tim Lucas at Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Blogging 'Bout the 'Dog
VIDEO WATCHDOG contributors par excellence Stephen R. Bissette and Sam Umland have devoted space in their blogs today to write about the milestone that is VW's forthcoming 150th issue. I was very touched to read these articles and commend them to your attention, and I am grateful to both of these gentlemen for what they expressed and for what they both continue to bring to VIDEO WATCHDOG itself. Click on their names and you will be taken there.
Posted by Tim Lucas at Sunday, July 05, 2009
Labels: Sam Umland, Stephen R. Bissette, Video Watchdog 150
First Look: VIDEO WATCHDOG #150
A little late, but worth the wait!
Full details, free samples and the proverbial much much more now at the VW website's "Coming Soon!" page.
Full details, free samples and the proverbial much much more now at the VW website's "Coming Soon!" page.
Posted by Tim Lucas at Sunday, July 05, 2009
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text:
@ ocinside.deThe Xigmatek Gigas PC case does not look like a standard Midi-Tower, but rather like a subwoofer in a high-quality aluminium chassis.
So the enthusiast can decide to use the Xigmatek Gigas case cube made of brushed aluminium as HTPC in the living room or as stylish gaming PC.
Because the case is not only very attractive, but provides also great cooling for high-end PC hardware.
We examined the Xigmatek Gigas enclosure and test the practicality on the following 5 pages.
Additionally, you can win this nice Aluminium case in the Longest Topic battle at our Hardware Forum.
Friday Web Reviews:
Adaptec by PMC ASR-72405 Enterprise RAID Controller Review
OCZ Vector 256GB SATA III 2.5'' SSD Review @ Madshrimps
ASUS S56C 15.6-inch Ultrabook Review @ Techgage
AZZA Silentium 920B Mid-Tower Chassis Review
Silverstone SUGO SG09 Small Form Factor Chassis Review
Corsair Hydro Series H90 Review @ OCC
DeepCool IceBlade Pro V2.0 Heatsink Review
Silverstone Raven 3 @ LanOC Reviews
Kingston LSI SandForce B02 for Low Power SSD's - Power Consumption Investigation
Patriot Supersonic Magnum 256GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review
Apotop DW06 Travel Wi-Fi Router Review
Corsair H90 and H110 CPU Cooler Review @ Hi Tech Legion
SanDisk Ultra Plus 256GB SSD Review @ Hardware Canucks
PC Power & Cooling Silencer MK III 750W @ DreamWare Computers
Thermalright AXP-100 Low-Profile CPU Cooler Review
Corsair H90 and H110 Hydro Liquid CPU Cooler Review @ [H]
Lian Li PC-7HX @ LanOC Reviews
ECBC Poseidon Messenger Bag K7202 Review @ OCC
Zotac ZBOX ID83 Plus Mini PC Review @ Hi Tech Legion
Cooler Master Seidon 240M CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Canucks
Unigine Oil Rush for Android Review @ Hi Tech Legion
Thermalright Archon SB-E X2 CPU Cooler Review
OCZ Agility 4 256gb @ LanOC Reviews
Phanteks PH-TC12DX CPU Air Cooler Review @ [H]
HighPoint RocketRAID 2720GSL & OpenMediaVault
Ineo Alienvibes W401 Speaker Review @ Hi Tech Legion
Razer Ouroboros Gaming Mouse reviewed in Metku.net
Cooler Master CM Storm Ceres-400 Gaming Headset Review @ Neoseeker
Asus ROG Vulcan ANC Pro Gaming Headset Review
Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX HD Smartphone @ Benchmark Reviews
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Review – Too Automated to be Simulated? @ Techgage
Need for Speed Most Wanted PC Review


text:
Ohio State puts 63 on Nebraska in win
Announced crowd highest ever at Ohio Stadium
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Braxton Miller rushed for 185 yards, an Ohio State single-game record for a quarterback, in leading the undefeated Buckeyes over visiting Nebraska.
Carlos Hyde contributed a career-high 138 rushing yards on 28 carries and scored four touchdowns for Ohio State (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten). His third touchdown run sparked a 21-0 second-half surge that pushed the Buckeyes' lead to 56-31.
Rex Burkhead rushed for 119 yards on 14 carries for Nebraska (4-2, 1-1), before leaving early in the second half with a leg injury. Burkhead missed two games earlier this season with a sprained left knee.
The teams traded leads four times in the first half before Miller scored on a 31-yard run with 23 seconds remaining in the first half to push Ohio State's lead to 35-24.
The Buckeyes were limited to 17 total yards in the first quarter and did not record a first down until Miller ran 72 yards to the Nebraska 3-yard line with just under 12 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Hyde scored two plays later to cut the deficit to 17-14.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The announced attendance was 106,102, an Ohio Stadium record. … A 73-yard run midway through the first quarter by Burkhead was the longest of his career. … Ohio State senior linebacker Etienne Sabino left the game in the first half with knee injury and didn't return. He was replaced by true freshman Joshua Perry. Sabino had a team-high eight tackles in last week's victory over Michigan State.


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Opinion: Photography has ruined travel
When concert pianist Krystian Zimerman stormed off stage this week because an audience member was recording him through a camera phone, he re-opened the debate on the pros and cons of camera-phone technology. Our senior producer wrote about this topic in 2011 -- here's the piece again. Let us know what you think in the comments.
There's an addiction that has passed unnoticed into modern society, threatening to ensnare the minds of everyone reading this article, and more.
It's creeping up on reasonable members of the civilized world, turning us all into beaming, giggling fools, our faces locked into clownish grins and our brains distracted at the slightest click.
The bane of 21st-century life is the phone camera, a product of such technological prowess and immediate convenience that no one would blame you for "just trying it."
But one click leads to another; if you don't like the first hit you delete and try again.
More on CNN: 10 of the world's most hated airports
Before you know it you have 300 pictures on your phone comprising beaming, giggling fools, plates of food and cats making funny faces and you have succumbed; you have been dragged in; your life is now defined by images on a handset and the same goes for all your friends.
A menace to memory
The real victims of this click-happy menace are travelers.
Not just the travelers who hope to see a spectacular waterfall in Chile only for the view to be blocked by hundreds of beaming addicts, but also those camera-phone addicts who are themselves travelers.
Because much like the wretch who drinks to be happy, the snappers are deluded: they think their photos are creating memories, when in fact they're sabotaging them.
I was one of them.
My junk was the real deal. Class-A stuff, the cocaine of the photography world -- the digital SLR.
With this oversized device I felt confident. I felt virile. It made me feel superior to the beaming, giggling amateurs fumbling about with their pathetic phones and small, flaccid point-and-shoots.
More on CNNGo: Nat Geo's Steve McCurry on travel photography
It took an epiphany for me to kick the habit.
I was diving in Thailand, when a whale shark emerged from the gloom. I snapped away at the beast with my underwater apparatus for the few minutes of air I had left, then returned topside to high-five and celebrate this potentially once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As I scrolled through the 100-odd pictures I had, I realized: they were all I had.
My memories are framed by the 2x2-inch blurry screen of my camera. Not once did I look up to see the fish with my own eyes.
Trapped by technology
The problem runs much deeper than a small camera addiction too. The technological age has trapped us inside cotton-wool cages.
Just over a decade ago there was no Google to point you to the nearest café. No satellite technology connecting you, via your phone, to a computer to an ATM to the nearest hotel.
When people traveled, they got off the plane and explored. They asked people, real people, where to go for a great night out, not some kind of Stephen Hawking robot girl inside your phone.
Sorry, Siri, you're not my type. Great fun for profound philosophical inquiries, but when it comes to places to get good dim sum, "25 alternatives within half a mile" is such a turn-off.
On the other hand: iPhone photos like you've never seen
Too often the Internet search is a first resort rather than a last, a shortcut that, at least for travelers, gets us to the end while bypassing the means. It's the destination without the journey.
So here's a challenge: get lost. Seriously.
Next time you're in a new town, ditch the phone. Disable your GPS. Close your eyes, point, then open them and walk. If you need to find somewhere, ask someone.
Even if the place recommended by Real Human is a dive, takes you for US$15 a beer and gives you an intestinal worm, at least you get a good story.
At least you've traveled and explored and discovered, for yourself.
But in fact the place recommended by Real Human is far less likely to be a disaster than one randomly suggested by an algorithm.
More from James Durston: Boozing Brit expats should be chained up
Getting lost is something to be embraced, not feared.
That's when you discover the cafe with the bubbling soup served by cats in bowler hats that somehow Lonely Planet (or even CNN Travel) managed to miss.
Far more fulfilling, I think, than the perfectly efficient evening of hotel-restaurant-hotel, courtesy Google Maps.
What do you think? Is technology enhancing or ruining travel? Leave a comment.
If you must take photos on your travels, check out these articles first:
- How to take stunning city photographs
- iPhoneography: Travel photos made easy
- How to make a pinhole camera ... out of a duck
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Durston.
First published November 2011, updated June 2013


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Right now, as my wife approaches the end of a challenging pregnancy, I'm doing a lot of planning for the next six weeks so that you'll continue to have fresh posts to read while the baby arrives. This means a lot of extra writing right now to ensure this happens.
However, I still might miss a post or two if the baby arrives very quickly or something like that, so if you see a day without a post, you can be pretty sure that I'm holding a tiny baby instead of writing.
I am looking for a cost-effective data storage/back-up solution. Currently I have photos, music files, and financial docs on my laptop hard drive, and I back up periodically to an external hard drive. However as I get more and more financial information electronically now, I am considering whether I should have some off site back up solution. I've been looking at services like Carbonite that offer online data storage for ~ $50-$60 / yr. Any thoughts on whether or not to sign up for this?
I back up static information to DVD-Rs. Things like photos, music files, home movies, and so forth are static – they're not going to change. I make an annual DVD-R set with all of these documents on it and I make monthly "additions" on CD-R. This costs me maybe $5 a year.
For data that changes a lot, I usually just keep it backed up on a flash drive. I back it up regularly, encrypt it, and keep it on my keychain.
As I've said many times on here, I don't trust sharing lots of personal data with additional companies unless there's a deep need for it. My financial information in particular is something I don't like to share.
My father passed away in 2006. For many reasons, including being financial naive, I did not take inventory on what he left behind. He left my mother 4,000 shares of Hudson City stock (HCBK) and I want to help educate her so we can maximize its potential.
Right now she gets paid a dividend four times a year which she uses to help pay her home taxes. A third party administrator who worked with my dads company is advising my mother and wanted to reinvest in more HCBK stock. Here is where I get lost and have questions. Shouldn't she diversify? Is that not the case because my mom is semi dependent on the dividend payments? My feeling and advice would be to hold with belief it will get back around the 19.15 price it held in Sept 08 and at that point sell half investing the earnings conservatively because my mom is 59. As my financial where-with-all has grown, I am far from an expert and don't feel totally comfortable providing this advice. I guess I am looking for some reassurance before I suggest things to the professional. Ultimately I just want to do what is best for my mother and would appreciate any thoughts you had based on the information provided.
- Ed
I agree with you that diversity is good. If all of the money is in one particular stock, you're completely out of luck if that company goes out of business.
However, I think you're focusing on the sticker price of the stock way too much. It's pretty clear that your mother isn't going to sell the stock unless she's desperate. Instead, she seems happy to be receiving the dividends from it.
Thus, if she's going to invest more, I'd suggest identifying and then investing in a company that issues a healthy dividend like clockwork. Don't worry about the stock price at all – just focus on finding a healthy company to invest in.
I'm a recent college grad who just started working and I've got about 20k in loans (6.8% interest rate) with no other significant debt. Using a debt snowball calculator I figured that I could pay it off in 30 months using about 15% of my gross salary. However, right now my parents are letting me stay at their home for free for the next five months. I figured I'm saving anywhere from 700-1100/month by living with them. I've already got about 1k in my emergency fund. Should I use my extra money I'm saving in rent to pay off my student loans faster or use it to build up a bigger emergency fund?
- Bryan
I'd probably put aside some amount for the expenses you'll have starting out living on your own – a deposit on an apartment, for example, and a bus pass, and basic kitchen supplies and an initial food purchase to fill your cupboards. I'd put aside $1,000 for that outside of your emergency fund (and perhaps more, depending on where you live).
Since you have no assets, I'd probably put a bit more in the emergency fund, enough to cover at least a month of living expenses after you move out.
After that, I would pay down the debt. Debt freedom is definitely a worthwhile goal.
What do you think about life insurance and prices? Is it possible for me to buy life insurance through my business to insure my son because he completely refuses to buy it himself even though he has a family of 7. If something happened to him, we would feel responsible in caring for his family. Personally, I don't think that is quite fair.
- Rosalie
I agree with you that he should take out some life insurance on himself. It is the responsible thing to do, especially with a number of children.
If he's not going to do it, you absolutely can take out a life insurance policy on him with you as the beneficiary. This is to protect yourself in that situation. If he passes, you can then use the money in whatever way is needed to secure the situation for your grandchildren. I'm not sure this is an expense for your business. I'm pretty sure that this would be a personal expense.
As for what to buy, just buy a term policy. Don't worry about any of those policies that have some sort of investment package tied in.
Recently I've been very focused on improving 2 aspects of my life – my physical fitness, and my career. I've made strides on both, having lost about 20 pounds and sitting about 10 pounds from my target weight, and I've done it by making what I hope are sustainable, gradual changes. This has GREATLY increased my energy level, and given the the confidence to tackle my career goals, as I'm actively looking for the right move for a new job.
Since you've written about your weight loss and work on your book, I thought you might have some thoughts for someone who's managing multiple goals looking to take that next step. Ideally, by June I'll have reached my weight goal for beach season, and by September I'll be happily in a new job with a realistic chance at making six figures by the time I'm 30 (which would nicely dovetail with my goals of buying an engagement ring in 2010 and a house by 2012.)
In the past I have motivated myself with small rewards, ie, if I write 3 cover letters tonight, I'll get myself a nice bottle of wine. It usually works great, but I'm running out of rewards that don't directly conflict with my new lifestyle. Using food as a reward conflicts with my fitness goals, and probably isn't a great idea anyways. Buying something I don't need, likewise, doesn't really fit my financial goals. On top of that, I've found solid, affordable replacements for so many of the things I *thought* I wanted that I can't find the right things to motivate me to make the next level of effort.
As much as I'd love a PS3, my PS2 keeps me entertained just fine. As much as an expensive bottle of wine sounds nice, I've got a group of $10-12 bottles that I'm totally happy with. Even a nice, but healthy meal out isn't really a big deal since I've gotten good enough in the kitchen that I can make most of the things I really love It seems like all I have left is literally taking things off the board so I can reward myself with them later (I'll let myself do the Sunday crossword AFTER I run) but that doesn't seem like the kind of self-deprivation I can maintain long-term.
All of the above are great, since they allow me to keep my spending down and really appreciate the value of the things I have. The problem is that for the last 2 years, I've had a checklist of things I wanted (cookware, books, clothes) that I've slowly accumulated as I've rewarded myself for various goals. Now I'm tackling two major goals, and I'm running out of short-term motivators to keep me from feeling too deprived. I just hit a major goal in my savings ($20K) and took a long-planned vacation in February. Now I'm looking at a spring and probably summer of job searching, exercise, and eating right. I need some form of reward to keep myself going on those slow days.
I'm on a great path, but I need a little motivation along the way. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
- Matt
Honestly, I use time as a motivator. It really works well for me.
What do I mean by that? I promise myself blocks of time doing something that I deeply personally enjoy guilt free if I accomplish certain things. So, for example, if I get twenty articles finished this week, I'm going to spend half of Saturday doing something fun. If I keep on my weight loss pace, I'll allow myself two hours one evening doing something purely fun instead of washing dishes or something.
If I waste time, I usually feel guilty about it. If I do this, however, the guilt is gone. I just get to enjoy myself because I know I worked for this free time.
This really works well as a motivator for me because I don't want stuff. I want time.
I've gotten my credit card debt to $2,700 from $6,000 this February. I have $5,800 in a 401K, and about $1,500 in a checking account. I'm also going to need about $1,000 in repairs to my car soon. My credit card company (Citi Visa) mentioned the other day some program they have to help pay off the balance of the credit card. I don't remember the specific details, but it was an incentive to pay more than the minimum payment. Their deal is that every time you pay more than the minimum payment, they would reduce the amount you owe by a certain percentage. They cap the incentive at 20% of the existing debt I believe. It sounds like this could save me up to $500 or so.
My question is if I do something like this, would it count as a settlement and affect my credit rating? Part of their program requires you to freeze your credit card usage until everything is paid off.
- Joe
It depends on the specifics of their offer. You need to ask them specifically how this is reported on your credit report.
They may view this as an internal program and will just report that your debt is being paid and the balance is going down rapidly. On the other hand, they might report it with some sort of notice that could result in a negative on your credit rating.
You have to read the terms of the offer. You should start by simply calling them up and asking specifically how this is reported on your credit report.
I'm 25 and live alone (well, with a roommate) in the Los Angeles area. I have a good job and make what was a good salary when I started, before three years of "cost-of-living" raises that didn't live up to the name. I have no debt except for very easy informal school repayment to my parents, and I have a 3-month cushion saved (though I'll feel much better when I get up to 6 months).
I have two major goals in life. The first is to own a house, which is something I have wanted intensely since I was about 10 years old – with or without a husband to help me buy it. I picture this as part of a larger financial independence. The second one is that, now that marriage really does seem unlikely, I want to develop friendships and a social life that can sustain me happily through middle age and beyond.
The problem is that I cannot keep within my "investing and entertaining" budget. (I call it that rather than the more conventional "entertainment" to remind myself that the purpose is outgoing, to develop relationships, not to selfishly amuse myself.) I am always overbudget, but even then, if I'm invited to do something, I never refuse, because I can't bring myself to miss any opportunity of being with friends. It should be mentioned that none of these outings are particularly expensive – they average around $15 – and in general I hang out with people about once a week. My group of friends also entertain each other frequently in our homes, but I actually don't find this to be much cheaper as either I have to take something to share, or if I'm hosting, have to fill in the gaps of what others have brought. The obvious solution is just to cut back and start refusing invitations, but so far I've been unwilling to do this because I value these events too highly.
To be clear, even if I'm over-budget, I still have the money, it just has to be re-allocated from somewhere else. Since I've trimmed everything as tightly as I can, that usually means savings. And then I feel horrible about that, because of my other goal of house/financial independence. I can only save about $100/month even if I don't dip into it – which I feel bad enough about anyway.
So the question is – how do I reconcile the two goals and/or cut my entertaining expenses? Is there a solution I'm missing? Or is there nothing more I can do other than start making more money?
- Ashley
It sounds to me that the problem isn't with you, it's with your budget. You're putting an unrealistic "cap" on your entertaining budget and feel disappointed whenever you exceed it.
Clearly, by the way you live your life, you value these entertaining experiences. They're one of the key parts of your life. I'd encourage you to go ahead and spend roughly what you're spending on it. What you need to guard against is escalation of that spending.
The warning bell for me is that you say you've "trimmed everything as tightly as I can." This is very rarely true in anyone's life. Are you buying generics? Do you have a programmable thermostat? Have you disconnected your cable television? Do you still have a landline phone? Are you making inexpensive meals at home (think vegetarian, particularly vegetables bought on sale)?
There are many, many ways to make cuts to your spending in other areas, the areas that aren't important to you. Look deeper.
How do you steel yourself against all the unsolicited advice offered as comments to your posts? I recently read the frugal pet tips post and found myself getting increasingly irritated as people offered up advice you had in no way requested and that had nothing to do with frugal pet ownership, like don't get one since you have a baby on the way and pleeeeeeease don't tie up the dog all day in the yard.
Anyway, it's really a question that needs answered since you have a billion subscribers and questions but just wanted to show some solidarity – maybe it doesn't tick you off, but if it does, you're not the only one!!!
- Kelli
When people read an article I've written, they filter it through their own experiences and then offer up a comment based on the mix of the article and their own experiences. Most of the time, it's because they genuinely care (yes, there are some people out there just trolling, but most commenters care or they wouldn't bother).
The person who writes in with concern about the baby has probably witnessed an aggressive dog biting a child. There are vast differences in dog breeds in terms of their behavior and I have no interest at all in getting any dog that's aggressive at all. I have negative interest in a "guard dog."
The person who writes in with concern about tying up a dog has seen a neglected dog tied up outside all day and felt a lot of sympathy for that dog and wants to make sure that I wouldn't treat a dog like that (I won't – the only time the dog will be tied up is when they're on a leash for a walk.)
They're seeing my situation, reflecting on their own experiences, and sharing their thoughts and concerns. Yes, sometimes they go off the train of thought. Yes, sometimes it can be frustrating (for me, too). Usually, though, they're saying something of some degree of value and they obviously care about something. In short, I don't mind them at all as long as they're not attacking anyone.
Sometimes, such comments seem like an attack on me. They seem to be assuming that I would engage in the negative behavior they're describing. That used to bother me a lot and I would respond pretty defensively. For example, I could easily see the above comments as saying "Trent, you're so stupid you'd get a pit bull and put it by your baby" or "Trent, you're so cruel that you'd get a dog and tie it up outside all day."
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that most of the time, people writing such things aren't even thinking about that in that way. They're expressing concern about something that bothers them and not even thinking that they're implying that I would do such a thing. They're just relating a concern they have that has little to do with me other than to just give me something to think about. And that's cool with me.
I have a question about the relative benefits of moving. Here's our situation: My fiance and I are 31 and 27, respectively, and live together in the Bay Area. He is an IT professional (he makes $65-70K) and I am a PhD student (I make $30-35K). I hope to finish my research and PhD thesis in late 2010 or early 2011. After that, I'll look for a permanent research position in the Bay Area. Because the market has gone down so much, we want to buy a house, but we can't yet afford the size of house or the neighborhood we desire. We rent currently (with a housemate) and have been saving as much as possible for a 20% down payment on a house we hope to purchase when I am permanently employed. We have $80K saved, but our target house price will be $500-600K, so we need $100-120K.
We seemed to be on track to saving enough money until our housemate indicated that he wanted to move out, to a place with cheaper rent. If he moves out, we'll probably have to pay his portion of the rent (it's a fancy place, our landlord prefers "established couples" and didn't want us to have a housemate in the first place, and I don't think he'd allow us to sublet or add a new person to the lease). This means that our rent as a couple would go from $1533 to $2295 per month, which directly impacts our ability to save for a down payment. We could move to a cheaper apartment, but it would only be for about a year, and the considerable expense of moving and hassle of changing our address several times in a short period of makes us hesitant. Do you think (if we can't convince the landlord to let us get a new housemate) that we should stay put and pay more rent or make the effort to move, even if it's just for a year?
- Ann
It depends on how much you save. If you're willing to live in a tiny apartment for a year, you'll be able to save quite a bit over the next year and probably buy sooner than you might otherwise be able to. If you're not willing to do that, then you'll live better for a while, but will be in financially worse shape over the longer haul.
Whenever I read a question like this, I always think of the old Dave Ramsey nugget, "Live like no one else so you can live like no one else." If you want something exceptional in life, you have to make some sacrifices along the way.
If I were you, I'd get a tiny apartment for the next year. If you have too much stuff, rent a storage place for the extra stuff (or sell off a lot of it – even better). Handle as much of the move yourself as you can before hiring a moving service. Put some sweat equity into it.
My credit is apparently good enough now that a company called me this week wanting me to refinance my 30 year fixed mortgage (24 years to go) at 6.375% to a 15 year fixed mortgage with a rate much closer to 4%.
Problem is that I have about 23k in high interest credit card debt. I've called several times and asked for a lower rate and threatened to jump ship, but I get the same excuse that credit is very expensive right now and they can't reduce my rate. More importantly, I got so mad after one of those calls, I took the card out of my wallet several months ago and haven't used it (or any) since.
I don't think refinancing the house is the best move until I eliminate or at least majorly reduce the interest rate on my credit card debt. I'm trying to figure out the best way to do that. Do I seek a low rate credit card with an attractive balance transfer? Do I look into a second mortgage/home equity loan with an eye to shift some of the credit card debt to a lower rate (i don't have enough equity to get it all) and at the same time reduce the existing mortgage to eliminate PMI?
The other question I have is timing. I'm currently on leave from work with a 7 week old. I won't have a full time pay stub for income verification until probably June. I'm eligible to pull my free annual credit report again in late April. Should I try applying for a low rate card now and transfer the high interest debt as soon as possible? Should I wait until I review my credit report? Should I wait until I'm back to work so that I can provide documentation of my income for credit applications?
For further background, I'm married, 2 kids, have about 2 months income in savings, both of us are in early 30s, we both have retirement savings through work though I'm not contributing while on leave, all of the debt is shared and my husband is finally committed to paying off the debt.
Your opinion? Do you have other suggestions for me?
- Joyce
This might be an opportunity to roll some of that credit card debt into the mortgage. Call the people who offered the refinance and ask if you can refinance for more so you can take the difference to pay off some or all of the credit card debt. It really depends heavily on what your home is worth whether this will work or not.
I'm fairly surprised that you can't use an older stub for income verification in this situation. Have you checked to make sure that you can't use an older stub?
If you have to wait until June until you can get the refinance, I would probably try to apply for the new card right now to minimize the impact it will have on your credit rating later. You can then transfer the balance to the card to eliminate interest for now, but I would still try to take out extra on the home mortgage to pay off that credit card debt.
Remember, your entire goal is to minimize the interest you're paying each month. I think, given the information you provided, that this is the best route to take.
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NRCS Seeks Comments on 590 Nutrient Management Standard Update
during a 30-day comment period on their draft revisions to the Nutrient Management Practice Standard ... (Code 590). If approved, this Nutrient Management Standard would revise the current Ohio Field Office ... and technical assistance related to the application of plant nutrients and manures. "NRCS, with our ...
lower the soil test, the more micronutrient fertilizer is needed to correct a deficiency. Micronutrient ... fertilizers can be soil or foliar applied. There are many micronutrient fertilizer formulations currently sold ... Micronutrients are essential plant nutrients that are found in trace amounts in tissue but play ...
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Post Soybean, Going to Corn: Use Oats/Radish
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Potassium Deficiency?
If soil test K is <120 ppm, fertilizer may be added in-season according to Tables 2 (corn) and ... analysis. Nutrient Management ... leaves with edges exhibiting symptoms first. Potassium deficiency symptoms can indicate low soil test ...
Double-Cropping Soybean Following Small Grains
stored soil moisture, rainfall, or irrigation. Double-crop soybean management differs from traditional, ... full-season soybean management. Following are the differences in management practices. Planting Date. The ... and seed germination percentage and depends on such things as soil moisture conditions, seed-soil ...
This insect could be detrimental to Ohio's wine industry
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Fifth letter of a Nasdaq stock symbol indicating that the stock has warrants or rights.
A symbol appearing next to a stock listed on NASDAQ indicating that the stock is not common issue, but has a warrant attached to it. All NASDAQ listings use a four letter abbreviation; if a T follows the abbreviation, this indicates that the security being traded has a warrant attached.
1. Used in the dividend column of stock transaction tables in newspapers to indicate the market value as of the distribution date of stock dividends paid during the preceding 12 months. Stocks with this listing paid no cash dividends: Jetron .71t.
2. Used in bond transaction tables in newspapers to indicate a floating-rate bond or note: Amoco 8.05s89t.


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One more story refers to so-called "Magnitsky list" of the American government. The US forbade 60 Russian citizens from this list to visit USA and initiated the arrest of their American accounts and property. All the members of the list are Russian public officials, involved, according to the Americans, in the case of Sergei Magnitsky. Magnitsky is the lawyer of the American Hermitage Capital Fund, who died in the Moscow isolation ward during the investigation of his law suit. Formally he was accused of helping his firm to avoid paying taxes. But his colleagues from Hermitage Capital are sure that the real cause of the arrest was personal investigation of Sergei Magnitsky, in which he found out the monstrous volume of corruption in the Russian law-enforcement system. According to this version, the exposures of this inquiry threatened the reputation and freedom of the highly-ranking corrupt officials. The press and Magnitsky's colleagues widely discussed that his death in prison could have been directly caused by the improper treatment during the investigation, including tortures. But the inspection of the Russian authorities predictably did not prove it.
The American parliament decided to put a word in this case and punish the officials who are supposed by the US MPs to be guilty in Magnitsky's death. I do not know the causes of this decision and whether it is defined only by the American humanism, but its effect on the Russian elite was volcanic! Giving the public comments, various Russian officials looked like resentful children, who cannot hide, how much they are offended. The speaker of the Russian Parliament Valentina Matvienko called the gesture of Amercians "a wildness" and announced, that Russia has a lot of ideas how to respond to such offense. Immediately after this the jokers started to laugh at the fact, that the Russian government cannot, unfortunately, arrest the Americans' accounts, because they do not keep their money in Russian banks. All the hysterics of the elite shows: here it is – the Achilles' heel of the Russian rulers, so accurately found by the US! Visas, accounts and property in the "brave western world". They are addicted to the western life and the ability to spend the money in US and Europe. Russia is a place to make money, not to live in and enjoy the life, they suppose. Such a pity for them and for the country they try to rule. Just compare: will you have the same attitude to the apartment you rent and to the one, which you own? The Russian elite behaves now in their own country like in a rented flat – they use it and not build and equip...
And one more thing – to finish the pitiful picture of the several thousand people, who try to seem Russian elite and are subsisted, by the way, by the Russian tax-payers. At the end of June the St. Petersburg Economic Forum was held in the northern capital, where came a lot of businessman and politicians from Russia and from all over the world. The organizers of the forum shook the whole world this year! And not with the sum of contracts, signed during the forum – no! They shocked the public with the reception, held by the governor of the city Georgy Poltavchenko. Imagine the decorations of the imperial city and the number of VIP-persons, invited to the pathetic party. And amid the feast a big bath, where 4 children, standing up to their necks in water, are blowing little ships, pretending to be the gods of wind. This installation with the child actors should symbolize the foundation of St. Petersburg. I would say, this picture does not need comments at all, but needs a special black list of people who were the authors and supporters of this idea. It reminds me so much the court life of Anna Ioannovna – the Russian empress of the 18th century, notorious for her despotism, repressions, the power of secret police in the time of her governance and... the big extravagant balls,
often wild and cruel. The tough elite enjoy the way it is able to.


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This crescent moon pendant is perfect for the stargazers, the night owls, and the dreamers. A dark, moody labradorite adds to the nocturnal mystery of this piece, with its sterling silver bezel deepened by an oxidized finish. This pendant begs to be worn with your favorite little black dress, or your most enchanting outfit you own!
All weights pertaining to gemstones, including diamonds, are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. View Gemstone Enhancements and Special Care Requirements for important information.
Sterling silver, also called fine silver, is a beautifully lustrous cool-toned precious metal favored in fine jewelry among other products. The most reflective of all metals (excluding mercury), sterling silver looks stunning by itself and brings out the best hues in an array of colorful gemstones.
Sterling silver can be polished to a higher sheen than platinum. In fact, Ag, the chemical symbol for silver, comes from a word that means "white and shining." The surface of silver can boast that shiny, polished appearance, or can be brushed, satin, matte, sandblasted, antiqued or oxidized (chemically blackened).
In order to be called sterling silver, a metal must be made up of a minimum of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% alloy (meaning other metals), including but not limited to copper and nickel. The alloy is added to pure silver to make the metal more durable, tougher and harder. Sterling silver is designated a fineness of "925." Pieces with sterling silver may be marked "sterling."
Finishes on Sterling Silver
Finishing, or plating, is a common treatment with sterling silver. Popular types of plating are rhodium plating, gold plating and anti-tarnish plating. Plating is used to extend the life and sheen of the jewelry. After sizing or buffing a piece of jewelry with a machine, it must be re-plated to restore the finish.
Caring for Sterling Silver
Sterling silver becomes tarnished as the result of a natural chemical process that occurs when sterling silver is exposed to chemicals in the air, rubber, wool and latex. Humidity also plays a role in accelerating tarnishing. It's easy to keep your sterling silver sparkling, though, by taking a few steps to prevent tarnish and other wear and tear.
Labradorite is a beautiful mineral whose charm is not fully noticed and may be overlooked if not viewed from the proper position. Generally a gray to smoky black color, it displays a strong iridescence when cut correctly. In fact, labradorite's value increases with the skill of the lapidary and strength of the iridescence. Ranking a 6.0-6.5 on Mohs Scale, its name is derived from Labrador, Canada, which is the main source of the stone. Modern folklore says that labradorite brings forth each person's strengths, originality and ability to relate to others.


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Get Goldfish avatar parts and 1400 Jewels!
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Get Goldfish avatar parts and 1400 Jewels! is a series of one quest in Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ / Union χ, in which the Player is granted the Goldfish Avatar Parts. In the English version, it was available as a bonus for buying the Weekly Jewels Extravaganza from August 19 to 25, 2019.


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Gene Luen Yang is the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.
Jin Wang starts at a new school where he's the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn't want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he's in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee's annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny's reputation at school, leaving him with no choice but to transfer somewhere he can start all over again. The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and mastered the arts of kung fu and the heavenly disciplines. He's ready to join the ranks of the immortal gods in heaven. But there's no place in heaven for a monkey. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? They're going to have to find a way—if they want fix the disasters their lives have become.
American Born Chinese is a 2006 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, an Eisner Award nominee for Best Coloring, a 2007 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and a New York Times bestseller.
This title has Common Core Connections
"Gene Luen Yang has created that rare article: a youthful tale with something new to say about American youth." —New York Times Book Review
"Like Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Laurence Yep's Dragonwings, this novel explores the impact of the American dream on those outside the dominant culture in a finely wrought story that is an effective combination of humor and drama." —School Library Journal, starred review
". . . brilliantly written and designed, sophisticated and wise." —The Miami Herald
". . . one of the most powerful and entertaining works of literature to be published this year . . ." —The San Francisco Chronicle
"Yang accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book: accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others." —Publishers Weekly
"Kids fighting an uphill battle to convince parents and teachers of the literary merit of graphic novels will do well to share this title." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Each of the characters is flawed but familiar, and, in a clever postmodern twist, all share a deep, unforeseen connection. Yang helps the humor shine by using his art to exaggerate or oppose the words, creating a synthesis that marks an accomplished graphic storyteller. The stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects––shame, racism, and friendship––receive thoughtful, powerful examination." —Booklist
"This graphic novel could be especially cathartic for teens and adults of Asian descent, but people of any ethnicity would find themselves reflected in the universal themes of self-acceptance, peer pressure, and racial tensions." —Voice of Youth Advocates


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Barking Shark
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text: These rugs are available as single rugs or as multiples where 2, 4, 6, or 8 skins are expertly matched to form spectacular large rugs. Although these rugs are predominantly used on the floor as luxurious coverings, they can also be used as a throw, on beds, or draped over any type of seat. LWWQRT Features: Long wool natural shaped (4 piece rug) Clean Care: Dry-clean only Finish: Ivory Dimensions: 71″ x 39.5″.