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These were the rules: No chicken tenders. No mac 'n' cheese. And definitely no French fries.
My husband and I have no illusions about our child's eating habits. Our 22-month-old daughter, Lydia, goes for the same boring food as every toddler — buttered noodles, starchy pancakes, sometimes just toast and jelly. But we like to push her palate when dining out, introducing flavors she won't find in her parents' kitchen. If the food is good, we also like stealing a few bites from her plate.
We prefer ordering off kids' menus for her because of the cost. So our family of three set out to find an assortment of made-for-children restaurant dishes with both affordability and flair. Our daughter sampled Korean barbecue, slurped pulled pork and, perhaps most impressive, demolished an order of fresh zucchini slices. All with a smile on her face. Here's where we found the best restaurant fare especially made — and priced — for kids:
This is a great option for passionate carnivores like our pork-crazed daughter. Lydia was seated with a paper place mat and some extra-fat crayons, a hit for the novelty factor. Soon she was gulping pieces of pork drizzled with cilantro-ginger-lime mayo. For just $7, she also got a side of plantains, a generous glass of organic milk and a chocolate chip cookie. Other options on the kids' menu include sweet-and-spicy beef and roasted or pulled chicken. My family chose to dine at the St. Paul location with its more spacious dining room. Sure, the high ceilings made for a constant din, but we didn't mind. More to the point: Other diners didn't mind, or even notice, when our daughter dropped her half-eaten cookie and proceeded to howl.
Brasa, 777 Grand Av., St. Paul; 651-224-1302; 600 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls., 612-379-3030. www.brasa.us
The long waits for tables are definitely not toddler-friendly. My family avoided the problem by visiting this popular Linden Hills restaurant for an off-peak brunch on a weekend. The dining room was still buzzing as our friendly, kid-crazed waiter delivered a lunchbox filled with distractions — toy trucks and dinosaurs, sketch pads and crayons, even a pair of googly eyes (perfect for daddy's nose, or so decided the toddler). Still, the best part was watching Lydia have a transcendent food experience. She devoured her acorn squash purée with brown butter and maple syrup ($4), even using her spoon to scrape the bowl clean. Kids' dinner options include stir-fried shrimp and chicken-and-numbers soup as well as gourmet takes on the classics — pasta with Cedar Summit Farm cream, anyone?
Tilia, 2726 W. 43rd St., Mpls.; 612-354-2806. www.tiliampls.com
World Street Kitchen
Lydia was sleep-deprived and fitful one Thursday evening. Let's be clear: So was her mother. What a relief to learn this street cart-inspired restaurant will motor meals to our neighborhood in south Minneapolis. I simply hopped online for a peek at the kids' menu. I was tempted by the crispy marinated tofu and the grilled chicken with shiitake mushrooms, Chinese broccoli and herbs. Given Lydia's meat obsession, I went for the Korean BBQ beef short ribs and rice ($6), a generous dish that fed our picky eater for two whole nights.
World Street Kitchen, 2743 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls.; 612-424-8855. www.eatwsk.com
Half Pint
Half Pint offers kid-oriented, grab-and-go service in the lobby of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. We dropped by for lunch one recent Saturday, wheeling our stroller past Roman and Greek antiquities before ordering up a $6 meal for the overstimulated kiddo. Her bento box-style spread featured a teensy ham-and-red cabbage sandwich on crispy bread, which went down easy. Lydia needed to be coaxed into eating the fresh zucchini slices served with a thick, sloppy black bean dip, but she eventually devoured the whole thing. Half Pint also makes a vegetarian version of the lunchbox — it was packed with a cheese sandwich, veggie slices and bright beet hummus on the day we visited. Bonus: Half Pint sells cookies from Rustica Bakery for just $1 apiece.
Half Pint, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls.; 612-870-3000. www.artsmia.org
Sen Yai Sen Lek
Servers distribute neither toys nor coloring crayons — nor even milk at this northeast Minneapolis restaurant (we ran to nearby Subway for Lydia's nightly fix). The place was still hopping with preschoolers when we visited one recent Tuesday evening. Sen Yai Sen Lek translates as "Big Noodle Little Noodle" so, fittingly, the kitchen serves up an assortment of traditional Thai dishes for big and little people alike. We went for the kids' fried rice with peas, carrots and chicken, which Lydia happily shoveled into her mouth. Other options include stir-fry, sticky rice and Thai noodles. All come with veggies and mild Thai sauces, plus a scoop of Izzy's ice cream. Everything is just $6.50.
Sen Yai Sen Lek, 2422 Central Av. NE., Mpls.; 612-781-3046. www.senyai-senlek.com
Lake & Irving
Take a look at the bustling playgrounds near Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles and you'll see that oodles of families, like ours, live in the neighborhoods surrounding Uptown. Yet few Uptown eateries have, historically, bothered to offer a kids' menu. Thankfully, a few newcomers are reversing this trend. Our tiny food critic likes the protein plates from Agra Culture, the sausage and biscuits from BoneYard. But her favorite is Lake & Irving, with its gourmet bacon cheeseburger ($7) and creamy tomato-basil soup ($5 with a grilled-cheese sandwich). Other highlights include plastic cups, bendy straws, crayons and paper place mats, plus a spacious dining room with a good amount of background noise to mask any meltdowns.
Lake & Irving, 1513 W. Lake St., Mpls.; 612-354-2453. www.lakeandirving.com
Birchwood Cafe
Health-minded parents will love this kids' menu, with its turkey burger, black bean quinoa burger and rice and veggies plate (all $6). Breakfast is equally virtuous with house-made granola and "egg in a nest" (i.e., protein planted in a slice of birdseed toast). Our family visited on an idyllic July evening and opted to sit outside. While waiting for our food, we enjoyed the views of residential gardens and dogs prancing by. Lydia especially liked watching the cyclists come and go from this biking hot spot. And she wolfed down her turkey dog (from Ferndale Market in Cannon Falls, Minn.), served on a fluffy bun with delicious house-made ketchup so tasty that Lydia ate it with a spoon.
Birchwood Cafe, 3311 E. 25th St., Mpls.; 612-722-4474. www.birchwoodcafe.com
Big Bowl
We checked out the Edina location of this small national chain (with additional outposts in Roseville and Minnetonka). The place doesn't look like a children's haven, with its disco lighting and pulsing soundtrack. But sure enough, we spotted many a tot as we walked through the dark dining room. Like us, they had come for a kids' menu filled with favorites from China and Thailand. Think satays, potstickers, beef stir-fry with choice of vegetables (all in the $4.95-$7.95 range). We ordered the chicken pad Thai with a spicier-than-usual sauce ($6.95) and Lydia managed it just fine. Toy chopsticks, crayons and organic milk are included.
Big Bowl, 3669 Galleria, Edina, 952-928-7888; Ridgedale, 12649 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka, 952-797-9888; Rosedale, 1705 Hwy. 36, Roseville, 651-636-7173. www.bigbowl.com


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Millenial Thoughts
Only One?
A Millennial
January 17, 2017
In the 'New Year', there is an incredible amount of discussion with others and internal dialogue that we engage in regarding what we are going to do new, different, or change in the next 365 days. Some of us come up with an exhaustive list of all of the ideas we want to implement, changes we want to make, and habits we want to form. What we do not do, however, is think about and discuss these goals, or resolutions, in a realistic way. We say phrases such as "I am going to lose 50 pounds this year" and "I am going to read a chapter of the Bible every day, or every week" or "I am not going to do such-and-such ever again." What we do not realize is that we are setting ourselves up for failure – grand failure. We are either setting unrealistic goals for ourselves, or we are failing to plan out how exactly we are going to achieve these goals.
If we do indeed fail at achieving our goals initially or by a set period of time, many will simply drop the goal entirely for the entire year until the 'new year' comes around again. Thus, because we have failed to achieve our goal, we choose to ignore whatever it is we wanted to change for almost an entire year. We are quite literally choosing to make zero progress, to move forward no further, to sit idly by, and wait for nothing, essentially.
The Bible has a few things to say about setting goals, so, stop and take a moment to read these passages in the Word of God and consider their meaning:
Luke 14:28-31 (NLT) "But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, 'There's the person who started that building and couldn't afford to finish it!' "Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him?"
Proverbs 21:5 (NLT) "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty."
Proverbs 21:5 (NIV) "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."
While it is sometimes difficult and painful for our pride to examine ourselves and judge ourselves as the Bible says, it will help each of us to align ourselves with the Word of God and achieve our goals. The two main takeaways from these scriptures are: first, to actually go about setting proper goals without taking any shortcuts or making excuses (Proverbs 21); and second, to consider how you are exactly going to accomplish your set goals with the given time and resources (Luke 14).
Let us take the goal of reading a chapter of the bible every day, or even every week, and apply these scriptural requirements to our goal and consider these questions. Do you have the time to read one chapter every day? Do you have the discipline to read one chapter every day? Will you read to understand the word and meditate (to think on and apply to your life) on it, or read simply to say that you have read? Have you considered what happens if you miss a day, or a week of reading: will you choose to stop reading entirely or simply pick back up where you left off? What happens if someone opposes your goal or criticizes you?
When you consider these questions, one may very easily become overwhelmed with the acknowledgment of the possibility that you may not be able to achieve these goals, and worse that you might fail once you have begun. How then, can we be diligent, wise, and plan a goal so that we may finish it?
I say – start with one. Only one. Exactly One. No more than One. One. Just, One.
You may acknowledge that you will have a hard time reading one chapter a day, let alone remembering and applying that chapter to your life. But, what happens if you read, examine, and meditate on only one verse a day? One verse – no more and no less. No one, not one person, has an excuse that would actually support the idea that they are unable to read one verse a day. Reading one verse will likely take you less than a minute complete. To then stop and consider that verse for a few minutes after you read it and then at other points throughout your day will add up to maybe 10-30 minutes of combined time depending on the person – all of us have that kind of time.
Following this idea through the end of the year, you will have read over 300 verses (give or take missing a few days). But, you will not only have read those 300 verses, those are 300 verses that you will know, have studied, have applied, and have seen work in your life. I would even argue that many of you will have increased the number of verses you read in a day and even double those verses in a year. How much more would we know about the Word of God, and how much more of a relationship with our heavenly Father would we have if we took this into practice and read one verse a day instead of failing to read and study the Word of God with consistency and, by our inaction, choose to do nothing at all? With the start being the hardest part of starting anything new, I am challenging you to remember what Luke and Proverbs says and make a goal that you can complete.
The best part about the idea of one is that it is by no means a new idea. The benefits of setting micro-goals are well documented, and the idea of one has been written about, discussed, and taught on many times – even at our church. The hard part is actually doing it, and it is almost comical how we (myself included) have such a hard time just starting even a small new action. We can all relate to this idea regardless of if we are in school or any kind of working professional. If we would simply stop for five minutes and write the starting paragraph to a paper or report, begin the draft of a new architectural design, tape the trim on the next wall for paint, or lay that first brick while we have the time, then we will be so much further along at the end simply by starting. So, whatever you are going to do in this new year, start small and 'do' one. However, take it one step further and go to the Lord in prayer and ask what is that 'one thing' you can do each day or each week. Regardless of what that answer might be, we can all choose to read one more verse, pray for one more minute, or do one more thing.
Find someone to help keep you accountable to this idea of one, and do not quit if you miss one or a few of whatever you are doing.
– A Millennial's Thoughts[social_warfare]

subset: commoncrawl


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I. M. Pei and the New Suzhou Museum
The Architect
I. M. Pei has an impressive resumé. His work on the Pyramids of the Louvre in Paris have garnered much attention. But equally impressive is his work on the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, and the Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha, Qatar. Another of Pei's works, The Gateway in Singapore, is an intriguing complex that creates a sort of optical illusion as you walk around it. From certain angles, the buildings appear to be paper-thin.
Born in 1917 in Guangzhou, China, Pei left China at age 18 to study architecture in the US, where he attended both Harvard and MIT. An illustrious career followed, in which he designed prominent buildings in cities all around the world. What is most impressive about his work is the way he fits it into the local cultural tradition of the site where the building is to stand, but with a modern flair.
The New Suzhou Museum
The New Suzhou Museum, opened in 2006 in the city from which Pei's family hails, is a prime example of Pei's ability to incorporate rich tradition with contemporary style. The structure has the distinctive feel of the traditional Chinese gardens for which the city of Suzhou is famous. The techniques of framing and expansion central to Chinese gardening are to be seen everywhere in the way the building is structured.
Upon entering the museum, one is greeted by a large window opening onto a pond. In the pond are countless koi swimming about, and behind lies a rock formation that appears to be a mountain range off in the distance behind a lake.
Sheltering viewers of the pond is a structure that feels very typical of Pei's work, a large pyramid-shaped enclosure in the ceiling. It serves as a beautiful piece, and allows a flow of natural lighting that makes the atmosphere of the hall just right.
Wandering through the museum, you will continually be greeted by such techniques of framing and highlighting, all built into the structure of the facility itself. It is a truly magnificent piece by an amazing architect.
©2009 Shelly Bryant
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Standing at the terminus of Clevelands East Ninth Street where it meets the shore of Lake Erie is The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (locally referred to...
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CREDIT: This story was first seen in TES
Almost one in five teachers know of foreign-born colleagues who have suffered verbal abuse at school because of their nationality since last year's Brexit vote, a poll has found.
The finding comes in a ComRes survey of 800 British teachers, commissioned by the NASUWT union, which showed 62% voted to remain in the EU, TES reports.
The majority (60%) who took part in the poll said they were worried about the impact of Brexit on investment in schools, while 43% were concerned about its effect on teachers' job security.
Chris Keates, general secretary of NASUWT, said: "With one in five teachers reporting witnessing or experiencing foreign-born colleagues being subjected to verbal abuse because of their nationality, it is also abundantly clear that urgent action is needed to demonstrate that such abuse is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."
The survey found:
- 18% have heard about or experienced foreign-born colleagues being verbally abused about their nationality on school premises since the Brexit vote;
- 29% are worried about the impact of Brexit upon their jobs;
- 29% are worried about the impact of Brexit upon workload;
- 49% believe schools have an important role in preparing students for Brexit, but 54 per cent said their school is not supported in helping to prepare students for Brexit.
Ms Keates said: "This research demonstrates the genuine concern amongst teachers about what Brexit will mean for their jobs, working conditions and rights at work.
"The survey suggests that the recruitment and retention crisis which is engulfing schools will not be addressed if Brexit results in reduced levels of investment in education.
"The research confirms that schools and teachers need immediate support in order to help educate today's children and young people for a future where the UK is no longer a member of the European Union."
Tom Jones, head of policy at Thompsons Solicitors, told a meeting at the union's annual conference that "there's a huge threat coming your way through the Brexit changes".
He listed agency workers, part time workers, pregnant women and those facing redundancy as groups that could be affected by a potential loss of employment rights when Britain leave the EU.
"[The government] wants to control you, and Brexit gives them the perfect opportunity to do it," he added.
In January, Theresa May pledged to "ensure that workers' rights are fully protected and maintained" after Brexit.
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This Thursday at 3:35PM I will be checking my email.
Doesn't sound too exciting, does it?
Well it actually is.
Let me explain.
A few years ago, I started trying several techniques to improve my productivity. Like you, and pretty much every other entrepreneur I know, I have tons of ideas and a massive list of things I'd like to accomplish.
So, I figured it was worth investing in productivity techniques that would allow me to do more in less time. Although, I must admit I was extremely skeptical at first, and thoughts of "how can anyone possibly give me tips on how to be more productive," raced through my mind.
And for the most part, I was actually right. I read several books on productivity. And most didn't really help me. The books took up pages and pages telling stories. Which were interesting…but I was reading the book to save time, not to spend time.
And most of the techniques I read about were common sense. Like do the hardest stuff first so it doesn't get brushed aside. (We all know this; making me read it in a productivity book isn't going to help me).
And then there were techniques like the Pomodoro Technique. In this productivity technique, you work in 25 minute chunks of time, and have a physical alarm that goes off to mark the time.
This one wasn't for me. Not only was I not thrilled to hear alarm after alarm after alarm, but 25 minutes just isn't enough time for me. In fact, I've been writing this essay for nearly 25 minutes already. Should I just stop now? I haven't even gotten to my main points.
Ok. So, while I read a lot of common sense stuff, and tried some techniques that didn't work for me, there WERE some techniques that worked well. In fact, they worked really well and have allowed me to skyrocket my productivity.
The most important one of those techniques is scheduling all of my days.
Before I tell you about my scheduling habits, I want you to know about Parkinson's Law. Parkinson's Law states that "work expands to fill the time allotted to performing it." What that means is that if you have three hours to complete a task, most likely, it's going to take you the full three hours to complete that task.
Now most people go through their day without a schedule – without a minute by minute, hour by hour schedule. And as a result, they don't have any deadlines and thus they take a lot longer to complete a task. Parkinson's Law says that if you have to work on a report, and you allocate 3 hours to it, that you are going to work during that 3 hours, and you are always going to stress at the end and procrastinate a little bit and really work hard that last 15 minutes to accomplish that goal within the 3-hour period.
On the other hand, if you only gave yourself only an hour to complete the same report, perhaps scheduling it from 10AM to 11AM, what would happen is this: you would work harder during the hour. You would be much more focused. And you would complete virtually the same work – or even better work – in just one hour.
By setting deadlines for tasks, you complete the tasks faster. You are much more focused on them. You race against the clock, but not in a bad way. I'm not talking about creating stress here. Rather, you are creating a friendly competition against the clock. You start thinking, "it's 3:19; I have to complete this project by 4 o'clock because at 4 o'clock, I have to get to my next meeting…what do I have to do to get this done?" Your mind starts working and you accomplish it, and it's fun. You are much more productive and successful.
So the solution is to schedule every hour of every workday. What I do each week is set my weekly goals. Then I break the goals into pieces that take no more than 2 hours each. And then I schedule each of those pieces into my calendar.
Importantly, I treat these calendar appointments as importantly as I treat a meeting with another person. I don't blow them off. I'm not late to them. I'm there on time and I get to work.
Now, what happens if I receive a phone call? Well, it goes into voicemail. Just like I wouldn't take a phone call if I were in an important meeting with a client, I don't take it if I'm in an important meeting with myself to accomplish a task.
What I do, however, is schedule several times throughout the day to respond to phone calls and emails. In fact, I typically schedule three half-hour blocks each day (and as you learned form the title of this essay, on Thursday, one of my blocks is from 3:30PM to 4:00PM).
Scheduling your days and working in time chunks will significantly boost your productivity. You will get much more focused on accomplishing tasks (FYI, I now have 11 minutes to complete this essay before my next task; so I'm highly focused on completing it right now).
And it forces you to get your high priority tasks done since they are hard scheduled into your workday. I recommend scheduling your entire week before 9 am on Monday. And, in addition to half-hour blocks to check email and call back voicemails, you can schedule 30 minute blocks for employee or customer questions, etc.
The key is getting the critical tasks on your calendar and not letting anything interfere with you working on them and completing them.
It is important to note that scheduling your days and sticking to your schedule takes discipline. You can't expect to start doing it cold turkey. It takes time. What happens is that it's too easy to ignore your calendar if you're not used to it. And at first you won't be as good at estimating how long things take. So your time will run out and you'll cut into your next appointment time.
So start slow. Schedule just a few meetings with yourself this week (and stick to them). And then next week schedule a few more. And so on.
Before long, you'll be calendaring out your weeks and accomplishing so much more than you ever thought possible.
Suggested Resource: I've just uploaded a new video that teaches you even mroe about increasing your productivity. Watch it here.
Productivity Secrets For Entrepreneurs
When you become an expert at Productivity, you can achieve extraordinary results and make more money while working less.
In our Productivity Secrets training program you'll learn proven methods to maximize your productivity and achieve massive goals.


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Guest Blogging, Part II
You know the saying that bad facts make bad law. That's what came to mind when I read Jay Fleischman's response to my original post, Just Say No to User Generated Content. Whereas I'd argued that providing user-generated content to others is exploitative, Jay responds that there are benefits to be had by guest blogging. And further, he says that there's also value to platforms like HuffPo that aggregate and broadly disseminate content. Of course, if all bloggers provided as much value as Jay – both at his site and when he's guested here, I probably would have never complained.
For starters, Jay's blog entirely different from HuffPo. Whether or not Jay includes guest posters at his blog or not, he's got enough content and then some for it to stand on its own two feet. What I can't abide are free riders like HuffPo – which do nothing more than aggregate free content off the backs of the desperate – and then turn a profit. Maybe those who participate do accrue some benefit from exposure, as Jay suggests – but it's surely not making them as rich as the platform that they're benefiting.
The other problem with aggregated-content models is that the good ones rarely survive and the lousy ones stink. The aggregate sites that draw high quality content never last because the authors eventually prioritize paid work over free. As a result, aggregated-content sites become a nest for sales pitches and inanity.
When I started MyShingle back in 2002, I'd opened the site to guest posters. Back then, however, lawyers who liked to write either started blogs themselves, or simply didn't read them. Even so, I received some wonderful pieces. But as time went on, guest submissions were few and far between – and when I later opened my blog to guest posts, I was inundated with some really bad stuff, with Jay and a few others being exceptions. That experience too colored my views of guest blogging.
Ultimately, I agree with Jay more than not: guest posting can offer enormous benefits, and if it's an occasional gig and the quality's good, then it's win-win for the blog-host and the guest blogger. But when a blog relies entirely on free or crowd-sourced effort and doesn't bring anything other than a platform to the table (and with technology, platforms are cheaper than ever), then it's time for the guests to pack up their content and go home.


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Greetings and welcome to post #47! If this is your first visit to Shopping my Wardrobe, a special welcome to you today. For the new visitor, you might find a quick tour around some of our most popular articles helpful…. last week's posting shows you where you might like to stop off for a quick visit, before coming back to you join us here.
Today is the halfway point of the challenge. It is June 15 2010 and I've been on this challenge for six months. The photo accompanying this posting is apt – it's a real road sign from the town of Kimba in South Australia, which is situated halfway across Australia on the Eyre Highway. I've not been to Kimba but it could be that that sign is the most interesting thing there. The outback is only romantic in the movies.
You said it was big, but I never knew it was…. big! Ok! So, we're halfway huh? Who knew I'd make it this far? C'mon – show of hands now, don't be shy. I'm a pretty stick-at-it kind of person; there's not much I simply give up on. But this was a real challenge, not one of those faux challenges that aren't really hard at all. Nosiree – no mock quest here! And why was this such a challenge? Well, let's start with the obvious. I love clothes. Some of them even love me. My wardrobe is humongous — if you want to see some shots of it, check out the NZTV segment from Breakfast. I felt a little exposed, with so much footage of my wardrobe on that segment, but then again, I did send them the file and it kinda puts this challenge into perspective, right? Anyway, it gives you a visual of how large my wardrobe is. It has furniture in for Pradas sake! I have been known to sit in with with a girlfriend, champagne glasses in hand, for minutes at a time.
If you build it….This is one of the reasons this challenge has been a true test for me. I've been building my wardrobe for over a decade – I buy well so I don't need to throw things out for seasonal reasons – if it's not "in" it can't really go "out". And I like what I have so I don't tend to throw things out for "I'm over this now" reasons – I'm fairly loyal to my clothes. I don't have many 'orphans' so I don't need to throw things out because they don't work — everything in my wardrobe pays its rent and plays well with all my other clothes.
Tell me again… why? Being asked this question a few times recently, I've had time to reflect on and polish up my answer to it. And halfway through the challenge is a good time to review why I'm doing this challenge. There are actually five reasons I'm doing this challenge, which you can skip on over to the new site and read. What I'd like to talk about today, on this special day, are the psychological and emotional reasons (Reason #3).
Psyched, man! The biggest thing I have learned so far on this challenge is that I've had an unconscious set of habits around clothing consumption (that's part A) and that I truly am able to develop new habits (that's part B). Ok, so I know about changing habits and patterns – that's been a large part of the work I did as a corporate facilitator, coach and trainer. But it's one thing to help other people attempt to change their habits and patterns, and it's quite another to be your own best coach and change your own.
I'm calling this the Silencing of the Seagulls. Remember the seagulls from Finding Nemo – chanting "mine! mine! mine!" when they saw something (like a potato chip) they wanted? That's what the voice in my head was like when I saw something in a store that I desired. And I'm talking clothes, shoes, earrings, handbags, here, people…
Emotocon. Well, forget the 'con'. The emotional stuff has been owning up to that voice — who wants to admit you have Pixar characters in your brain? — and really claiming that. The 9.6 degree of difficulty with this manoeuvre is not making myself bad or wrong because of it. I've felt a range of emotions as I've reflected on my buying behaviour – a dusting of delight, a spritz of shame, a pinch of pleasure, a sprinkle of self-loathing…. you know, the usual.
What this buffet table of emotions has led me to is recognition that there is stuff to be uncovered, work to be done, unconsciousness to be awoken in this a-here space. And I'm doing it. Some days the editing voice is strong ("you idiot – how could you have gotten into a situation where you own 3, yes, 3, animal print trench coats? children in India don't even have one!"). Carl Jung spoke to this point when he said "we cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses". So, being a fan of Jung, on other days I'm kinder on myself ("you genius! how did you ever convince yourself to buy 3, yes 3, animal print trench coats! there are women in Paris who only own two!").
So far, the emotional and psychological factors have been the biggest hurdles and the most rewarding wins… I feel like I've just come out of the Thieves Forest. A sense of satisfaction at where I've come from, and a growing sense of anticipation about what's to come. And who knows what the next 6 months will bring? Large hail? Damaging winds? Margaritas with umbrellas?
Thank you. To those who have supported me by reading this blog and contacting me "off-blog" with words of inspiration, encouragement and support… I salute you. I've never yearned to be Robinson Crusoe and don't believe that anything worthwhile is ever accomplished on one's own. Basically, I need you. There, I said it. I need you to keep reading, to keep emailing, and to keep sending those cheques. Ok, no-one has sent a cheque, but it's never too late to start, right? Ha!
What now? Well, it's onward and upward… another six months to go. My focus will remain on blogging my usual fresh, fruity and faintly informed insights here. And I'd like to grow this blog a little. You can help! I'd love it if you could share the word about the challenge and this blog and its matching website…. If you're new here and aren't yet signed up to read my blogs as they're published, please do — it's free! (and you wont get sent any rubbishy emails) — When you sign up, it tells me I have a readership (and any passing literary agents that we have a potential best-seller…. sorry, did I say that out loud?). When you write into the great boundless blogosphere, knowing people are reading makes a huge difference to your levels of enthusiasm. (Why am I writing that in the third person? It makes a huge difference to my levels of enthusiasm!) So thanks for reading, thanks for being (or becoming) a Follower, and thanks for sharing the word.
Your own year without clothes shopping? If this idea has taken root somewhere in your brain or body…. pay attention! I wish I'd had what I'm developing to help me as I've been going through this challenge…. But you don't have to wish – I'm building it, just for you. Oooh, what a creative delight this project represents! I guess that's what Albert Einstein meant (I'm pulling out the big guns with the quotes in this post, aren't I?) when he said "in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity". Right?
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The Value of Responsibility
An EL/WLA Event – Hosted by Hrvatska Lutrija
How do lotteries create shared value by operating responsibly? And how do lotteries prioritise responsible practices when there are commercial objectives to meet? This seminar will provide inspiration and practical guidance to help lotteries to develop their Responsible Gaming (RG) and broader Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes so that they create value for the operator, society, consumers, and beyond.
Following the success of previous seminars, this year's event will be held in collaboration with EL in beautiful Dubrovnik, Croatia. It provides an excellent opportunity to hear from experts in RG and CSR, understand how other lotteries are implementing their programmes, and network with peers working across a range of business functions. Come and join us for a stimulating seminar… can your lottery afford not to?
Naomi Goldapple
Naomi Goldapple is the Head of Products for Transportation and Logistics at Element AI, a software company delivering cutting edge AI software products at scale to make businesses safer, stronger and more agile. Her unique experience combines both start-up entrepreneur and seasoned technology and business consultant. Naomi has an International MBA, specializing in developing markets in Latin America, from the Schulich School of Business as well as a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University.
Neven Ricijaš
Dr. Neven Ricijaš is a professor at the University of Zagreb. His main professional interests are high-risk behaviours, gambling and behavioural addictions. His research focuses on different aspects of gambling – from exploring the prevalence and etiology of problem gambling to creating and evaluating interventions. His mission is the transfer of science into practice, with the aim to ensure evidence-based interventions.
Rune Aune Mentzoni
Dr. Rune Aune Mentzoni has a background as a clinical psychologist, and is now associate professor at the National Centre for Gaming and Gambling Research, University of Bergen. His research has focused on various aspects of non-chemical addictions such as gambling and video games, and on how structural characteristics of gambling and gaming influence behaviour and cognition.
Who should attend?
The seminar will be of particular interest to all those engaged in Corporate Affairs, Public Relations and Corporate Communications activities, as well as those with a specific interest in Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsible Gaming.
The seminar will start on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 with an optional networking at 17:00 with the members of the working group, followed by a welcome dinner at 19:00 and end on Friday, September 20 at 13:00 followed by a departure lunch .
Ul. Iva Dulčića 34 | 20000 Dubrovnik
t +385 52 465 000 | www.valamar.com
Airport transfers are not organized.
The seminar will be conducted exclusively in English.
EL/WLA Lottery Members 1'740.- CHF
EL/WLA Associate Members 1'960.- CHF
The fee includes 2 nights' accommodation, all meals, meeting rooms, technical assistance, working material. Extra nights are to be paid directly at the hotel.
Please confirm your attendance to the EL Secretariat no later than July 24, 2019 by registering at www.european-lotteries.org.
The programme will be available on the EL and WLA websites. A written confirmation will be sent to you upon receipt of your registration, together with the corresponding invoice.


text: Miguel Angel Posted October 8, 2018 Hi guys, A month ago I had the great opportunity to shoot 5 commercials for a health insurance company in Spain with my friend Jota Aronak. The premise of the 5 commercials was to make bright, warm, inviting and low contrast images so we decided to do that BUT giving it a little bit of character. The project involved a lot of CGI and I had to maintain the same type of light for all the spaces in the 5 commercials so I decided to not let natural light in, which, when you don't have a great budget and have to emulate the sun is a bit difficult! But we tried our best, the client ended up being super mega happy and we had so much fun shooting them in the 2 days that we had scheduled for them, we even finished a bit earlier on the second day! :D :D I've wanted to use the Cooke S5 lenses since Adam started that thread on here so I gave them a go on these ads.. and I fell in love with them!! I also used a lot of filters but the overall image coming from the Cooke S5 is really beautiful on its own. I will use them again probably and hopefully very soon! :) hence.. thanks Adam and Freya!!! The colour grading was done in El Colorado by Jorge Jesús. So, here we go! The 1st commercial out of the 5 :) Sanitas Hope you like it! :) Have a lovely day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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What James Crow's Sour Mashing Was Really All About
Putting a few things together, it is clear, not just that E.H. Taylor whom I discussed yesterday used backset – the spent beer of a previous distillation – to yeast his mash, but that he got the idea from Dr. James Crow. Correlatively, it shows that adding backset to mashes was not the only part of Crow's important work: the use of it to substitute for yeast was just as important, indeed more so from the standpoint of flavour and quality.
Crow was a Scottish physician who came to America in 1823 and worked in distilling for the Pepper family. They were long-established distillers in Kentucky, claiming origins from 1776 in pre-Kentucky Virginia. Their stone buildings now house the Woodford Reserve facility where Brown-Forman makes bourbon which incorporates some pot still whiskey.
First, I should make clear modern whisky-writing has not omitted to notice that E.H. Taylor did not add yeast to his mashes to ferment them. Gerald Carson, in his 1963 The Social History of Bourbon, wrote at pg. 88:
[Taylor's] beer was a creamy liquid, rich in yeasting power. His fermentation was faultless.
This elliptical statement is nonetheless clear: the spent beer, or backset, Taylor used had "yeasting power" and was "creamy" from evident biological activity. Carson saw, then, the significance of this part of Taylor's remarks quoted in E. Stoddard Johnston's 1896 history of Louisville I linked yesterday.
But where did Taylor get the idea? According to the January 10, 1884 issue of Bonfort's Wine & Spirit Circular, a trade magazine of the beverage alcohol industry, Dr. Crow had perfected the technique working with Oscar Pepper. In Bonfort's words:
While Oscar Pepper was carrying on the business, James Crow came to this country and applied to him for employment and got a position in the business. Mr. Pepper noticed the fermenting capacity of spent beer, and mentioned one day to Crow his belief that a mash could be fermented by its use without yeast. They commenced a series of experiments, and the result was the discovery of sour mash whiskey.
It makes sense Oscar Pepper would know about backset, as recipes from the frontier for sour and sweet mash whisky had been known since the early 1800s, see e.g. these recipes in Henry G. Crowgey's Kentucky Bourbon: The Early Years Of Whiskeymaking (1971). By starting in distilling in 1776*, perhaps the family had used the technique, or discussed it with neighbours who used it. To say Crow or even Pepper "discovered" sour mash would not be correct but as Crow was a trained scientist, he used scientific methods to approve and refine the technique.
Taylor was primarily a business figure, and he worked with practical distillers and chemists but there is no cause for thinking he came up with the notion. Bonfort's explanation makes good sense, but what is the link between Crow-Pepper and Taylor? Chuck Cowdery, in his excellent Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey (2004) explains that Taylor's first distilling venture, W.A. Gaines & Co., bought the Pepper/Crow distillery in 1867. Taylor had known Crow, and was close to the Pepper family (see Cowdery again on this).
It seems obvious that Taylor's knowledge and respect for sour mashing all derived from James Crow's work at the historic Pepper distillery (near Versailles, KY) which Taylor's business interest acquired.
Understanding that Crow and Taylor used backset, not just as mashing liquid, but to stand in for yeast, answers a question that has long puzzled me. It has often been written, indeed ever since the later 1800s, that the sour mash method was less efficient than sweet mash bourbon production: it made less alcohol but better whiskey. But if a sterile spent beer substituted for part or all of the water in mashing, it is hard to see why inefficiency would result. Whatever mashing liquid is used, yeast must still be added and it will consume the grain sugars the same way. If anything, one would expect sour mashing to be more efficient. Its well-known control of unwanted bacteria ensures the yeast can do its job of making alcohol unhindered. Bacteria love consuming sugar, but they don't excrete alcohol as a result.
The answer lies in the fact that Crow's sour-mashing had the backset doing the fermenting, via the action of wild yeast or a cocktail of them. That yeasting capability was never as strong and reliable as a selected, jug-stored, uncorrupted yeast. This is why the yield in alcohol fell a gallon or more under what people could achieve with a carefully-selected jug yeast. In conventional beer-brewing, you would call the result under-attenuated.
The flipside was, in Taylor's explanation, that the unusually high level of unfermented sugars remaining in the mash contributed positively to flavour, i.e., when put through the still. Whether sour mashing in this old way had the taste results claimed by Taylor, I can't say, but generations of whiskey-makers seemed convinced of it in the 19th century.
Also notable is Taylor's explanation, in J. Stoddard Johnston's whisky chapter again, that a slow fermentation with backset produces less fusel oils than a faster, hearty ferment from freshly-added yeast. It would be interesting to hear the views of modern fermentation science on this.
Final point: when distilling began anew each season (Spring and Fall), the first tubs were set with added yeast unless backset was obtained from another working distillery. But after a few fermentations and distillations, you had enough backset to use only that going forward. This is made clear in C.K. Gallagher's impressive article from 1883 in The Pharmacist And The Chemist on the Kentucky sour mash method.
By the 1900s, considerations of yield became primary and/or people felt sour mashing a la Crow and Taylor didn't produce special effects on palate. No large distiller today uses backset to ferment. Few if any craft distillers would, either. If one has tried it, I'd like to know.
The upshot: today's sour mash is quite different from the 19th century's. Quite possibly, no whiskey palate achieved today can approximate James Crow's and E.H. Taylor's finest bourbon.
*Note added June 15, 2016: this date is probably too early. There is contradictory information about when Elijah started to distill, and it is known that his son Oscar built a distillery in the 1830s where Crow was ultimately employed. I am not concerned here with the specifics of Pepper family distilling history except to note that Bonfort's, a reputed industry journal of the 1800s, associated Oscar Pepper and James Crow with the sour mash method which eschews use of added yeast.
Note re image: the image above, of the still room at Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY, is in the public domain and was sourced here. Believed available for educational and historical use. All feedback welcomed.


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Timm Wainscott
The Town of Florence purchased the Hydra Stop tool recently. We looked at similar products, but are extremely pleased we went with Hydra Stop. The tool is easy to operate and has saved the town both time and money. You and your staff are very helpful at making sure all of our needs are met. The training you provided was simple and easy to understand. I would certainly recommend Hydra Stop to any utility system looking for this type of equipment.
Timm Wainscott.
Utility Superintendent
Town of Florence, AZ
Councilman Deshawn Manor
On behalf of the Mayor and Council I would like to thank you for the work you did to insert valves in our system. We were able to finally repair these problem areas. We look forward to doing business with Hydra-Stop in the future.
Councilman Deshawn Manor
Allendale, SC
SUEZ Water Pennsylvania
SUEZ Water PA has always been customer focused by striving for ways to improve service and reliability. Most recently we made the decision to invest in the insertion valve equipment and to train our internal employees to be able to utilize the equipment. The first project this equipment is being used on is a $3.5 million infrastructure replacement project in our Mechanicsburg operations. This project includes the replacement of 16,000 feet of water main, 250 service line replacements, and 16 new fire hydrants. By utilizing the new insertion valve equipment, SUEZ has been able to minimize the disruption of service to these 250 customers including a large service to the US Navy Depot. This equipment eliminates the need for customer notifications while increasing the reliability and eliminating the necessity to curtail service while connections are being made.
We look forward to utilizing this equipment in future projects and our day-to-day operations.
William C. Kelvington
Director of Operations
SUEZ Water Pennsylvania


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By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Klal Yisroel's greatest Sofer Stam, Rav Menachem HaKohain Davidovitch zt"l. He was known as the Avi HaSofrei Stam. Rav Davidovich was approximately 85 years old. He was a Chassid of Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok. The current Rebbe is HaRav Avrohom Yitzchok Cohen in Meah She'arim.
The current method of writing that virtually all Sofrim now use was promulgated by him. There is a very terse Bais Yoseph that describes how to write the letter Pay is written. It was Rav Davidovitch that figured out the mystery of what he meant. He presented his findings to Rav Yitzchok Weiss zt"l, the author of the Minchas Yitzchok and the Gaavad of the Eidah Chareidis.
Rav Weiss declared Rav Davidovich's re-discovery a revolution and since then virtually all Sofrim make the Pay in this method. We no longer write it like the Mishna Brurah recommends.
There are other halachos that he had promulgated. His explanations and illustrations of when a letter has become invalid have been accepted by every religious Jewish community – from litvish to Chassidish.
Six months ago, Rav Davidovich was hospitalized with a stroke at Hadassah Ein Kerem. He went to rehab in Hadassah Har HaTzofim. He was unable to communicate but he was able to respond with yes and no. He had a fall a few weeks ago. He passed away on Friday night.
Avrohom Gutman a sofer from Ramat Beit Shemesh would go to him for continuing education in Safrus, as did many others.
The Sefer of his rulings is called Minchas HaSofer. It came out in 5775. He would give shiurim every Tuesday night at the Puppa Shtiebel in Batei Ungarim.
He lived on Avinoam Yeled mispar 8, in Geulah (corner of Yechezkel and Yoel) next to the Satmar Shtiebel – where they are sitting Shiva.
When he had kidney problems he took it upon himself to say additional shiurim on Rechov Chazon Ish in Beit Shemesh.
He made sure never to miss shiurim, even if he had a wedding of a grandchild. The shiur was always between eight and nine p.m. In Beit Shemesh the shiur began between 8:30 and 9:00 PM.
He was completely open about sharing his knowledge with others.
He is buried in Har HaZeisim, near his grandmother (Rebbitzen Hess).
The levaya took place at 1:00 AM. Rav Ulman of Givat Shaul from the Eida Chareidis spoke at the Levaya. Rav Roth, his son-law also spoke. He was Moiser nefesh all the years for Safrus. He was very close to Rav Doshinsky. He was also close to the Divrei Emunah. He wrote him a sefer Torah but refused to take money for it. Rav Aharon Samet from the Avrohom Yitzchok Kehilla.
The author can be reached at email@example.com.


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"You are the creator. Make sure you own all your masters and your singles. Build a team and a budget. Create as much music as possible. Marketing is key."
Check out the interview with Swaggdad Himself exclusively on Skilly Magazine Online.
Skilly: Tell us where this all began. What is your history in the music scene?
Swaggdad Himself: My whole life music has been around me. Both of my uncles were DJs. My mom was in the choir and my aunt sung at church as well. I was introduced to rap by cousin at 9. They would get me to freestyle with them because they were rappers.
What are the best ways to promote yourself as an artist? Any tips you can give us?
I think just keeping content. Staying active with fans as much as possible. Keeping my website up to par with content and visuals.
What do you ultimately want to become in your career?
I want to become a CEO of a label that manages and signs various styles of music from rock to rap to gospel – I mean whatever. I want to be able to shift hip hop culture to a more uplifting side.
What is the hardest thing about being in the music business?
I would say trusting people with your career whether it's a contract with your manager or the club owner. It's hard to trust people and may I add maintaining a budget with very few resources you have to devoted.
What is it like in your city? What is the music scene like, and how is it like living there overall?
First and foremost, I love my city. My city is in a time of need of guidance and wisdom. It's like any other city, you have good and bad. It's your life though, not the city's. I believe there's a lot of talent in Chattanooga. Vinnie The Shark and Lil Peanut were the artists that were on the verge of blowing independently in the late 90's and Isaiah signed with TDE. So no excuses. There's a chance to make it out with music.
What are some of advice you can give and share to other artists who are still trying to come up?
You are the creator. Make sure you own all your masters and your singles. Build a team and a budget. Create as much music as possible. Marketing is key.
What is the best thing that's ever happened in your career?
I think flying to LA; I've never been to Cali before. Shooting my "Flawless" and "Amen" Videos. Being able to sell a single on Google play featuring Lex Luger.
What is your inspiration?
Music is my inspiration. Music inspires me to create. The fact that I could live how I want and do what I want to. Raising my kids how I want inspires me too.
Do you feel anyone can be successful now in today's world of music?
No, I don't think just anyone could this. It's hard work. Look at all the people that got money or success and blew it like a whistle.
Where can we find you on social media?
Official Website: www.Swaggdad.com
Facebook: @SwaggdadHimself
Instagram: @SwaggdadHimself
Twitter: @SwaggdadHimself


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Key Elements of a Nonprofit Program
There are many different types of nonprofit programs, including charities, unions and trade associations. The similarity between the nonprofit programs is that each one provides a beneficial service to the community. Some no-profits are "here today and gone tomorrow," due to lack of proper planning. To ensure longevity of your program, there are several key elements that must be in place.
Mission Statement
In order to be successful as a nonprofit organization, you need a mission statement or vision statement. This statement sums up what your organization is all about, including the type of people you desire to help through your organization. When you have a vision statement, others can read the vision and help you run with it, by supporting the efforts of your organization.
Articles of Incorporation
Technically, you can't call yourself a nonprofit organization unless your organization is properly registered as a nonprofit corporation by the state you are operating out of. To register as a nonprofit, you must submit Articles of Incorporation and a processing fee to the designated agency, which is likely the Secretary of State's Office. Articles of Incorporation are a matter of public record. The articles state the name and location of your nonprofit program, along with the board of director names.
Board of Directors
Some states require all nonprofit organizations to have a board of directors, including at least three members. If your state does not require a board of directors, it is still wise to create one. By having a board of directors, you can pull from the expertise of each board member. The board of directors can also ensure financial accountability and thwart unethical behavior.
Tax-Exempt Status
Just because you are registered as a nonprofit in your state does not mean your program is "tax-exempt." All businesses are required to pay taxes to the IRS, unless the IRS exempts your business. Charitable programs can qualify for exempt status, also known as 501(c3). In many cases, a donor will only make donations that can be written off on his taxes. If your program does not have 501(c3) status, you risk losing donors. To apply for 501(c3) status, your program must complete and submit IRS Form 1023.
Financial Elements
As a non-profit program, you rely strictly on donations to operate. Otherwise, you pay out of your own pocket to run your organization. Your program needs a budget to ensure all money is properly allocated. You also need a fund raising strategy to generate income throughout the year, especially during months when donations are down. Consider getting a checking and savings account for your nonprofit organization, separate from your personal bank account. When you have a bank account for your program, a donor can write a check payable to your organization, instead of making the check payable to you.
Photo Credits
- Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images


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View All Calendars is the default. Choose Select a Calendar to view a specific calendar. Subscribe to calendar notifications by clicking on the Notify Me® button, and you will automatically be alerted about the latest events in our community.
December 24, 2018, 8:00 AM - January 1, 2019, 5:00 PM @ La Habra Community Center
The La Habra Community Center will be closed for renovation Monday, December 24th through Tuesday, January 1, and will open on Wednesday, January 2nd.
December 29, 2018, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Interactive ways for young visitors to explore the concepts of Science, Math, and Art! Activities change weekly and are geared for even the youngest to tinker and experiment with. Free with Museum admission.


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Regular service hours for the SJC Testing Center is open Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. On Fridays, they are open from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Please call in advance to confirm hours during holidays and vacations.
Both the Dual Credit Office and the SJC Testing Center are located next door to Clear Horizons in Building 8 of the South Campus.
The New Student Orientation presentation from March 2019 is attached here:
New Student Orientation March 2019.pptx


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Junior Explorers is a North Island-based, educational childcare organisation.
Junior Explorers operates in Hamilton, Tauranga, Te Puke, Papamoa, Rotorua, Taupo, Wellington and outer areas.
Childcare takes place in educators' homes, where each child is provided with a personalised care environment in a group of no more than four children under the age of six.
The Challenge
Junior Explorers' existing servers were site-based and at end-of-life. There was also a lack of standardisation across all of Junior Explorers' offices and users were limited in their mobile access and remote access options.
For small to medium businesses, having a simple, lightweight and reliable IT environment is essential and even liberating. Junior Explorers didn't the time or the resources to be constantly managing their IT, so the organisation needed an on-demand, 'set and forget' solution.
The Solution
Datacom spoke to Junior Explorers to understand their needs and discussed the range of opportunities available and market direction towards the cloud. Datacom suggested Junior Explorers move to a cloud-based infrastructure that could be accessed from anywhere on multiple devices back to a central system common across all offices to enable efficiency gains via standardisation.
The solution, which was implemented in May of this year, was based on Datacom's LimeLite technology. LimeLite is a desktop as a service solution that looks and behaves like a regular desktop PC, but the software and data is hosted in Datacom's NZ-based data centres and streamed to a variety of devices.
LimeLite provided Junior Explorers with a highly stable IT environment with remote and mobile connectivity. The organisation now has full helpdesk support, all new desktop equipment in Hamilton and Tauranga, and improved application protection because data is stored off-site. Having a reliable, on-demand IT environment in place meant that Junior Explorers could focus its attention on the needs of the families it supports, rather than the needs of an ageing server.
The solution also gave Junior Explorers peace of mind, as the organisation's IT costs are now fixed and the solution was completed with zero upfront cost.
The Technology
LimeLite, Datacom's desktop as a service solution for small to medium businesses, with data hosted in Datacom's Kapua data centre. This solution involved thin clients, Citrix, managed backup, managed Wi-Fi, Internet, Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft Office.
The Partnership
Datacom had an existing relationship with Junior Explorers which began when the company was first expanding. In discussions with Datacom, Junior Explorers talked about the direction the organisation was heading in, and issues hindering its progress.
Datacom investigated the various options available and worked out what the best, most financially viable option was for Junior Explorers. It had to be adaptable, easy to use and affordable.
Throughout the process, Datacom delivered on its promise and adapted quickly to changes in customer requirements. The owner of Junior Explorers was impressed by how Datacom handled the transition to LimeLite, and said the cloud had enabled the organisation to centralise and simplify. The company now enjoys a more efficient and user friendly IT environment.
Jenni Ellis - Junior Explorers
The Results


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|Back to Forum Index : Back to Installation
14 Sep 2009
Posts: 215
When testing a new version I create a new jojo folder and point the config there. The result is that any plugins other than the default aren't there anymore. Obviously copying them over is the answer but it got me wondering if anyone else had a different approach.
Or perhaps we need to define a plugin directory in the config file too?
Lead Developer
14 Sep 2009
Posts: 67
The way we do it is we have one folder with all the plugins in it (checked out from SVN in our case but equally a copy of the plugin pack would work). Then in each site we create a symlink for each of the plugins we are using.
- Mike
14 Sep 2009
Posts: 19
We have a file that we access via ssh
php plugins.php - that svn updates all the plugins individually.
Please note the one line that needs to be updated for your specific install.
I have a local version of the plugin svn, that gets all the available plugins. When new ones are added, I manually add to the plugins.php file.
I have added a rar compressed version of the plugins.php file that I use. It gets things from the trunk - so could be enhanced to have the option of pulling from the branch and tags that have been created in the last week.
Attached Files
Mike, I haven't heard of a symlink before. Would you mind explaining a little further? Using it are you able to control what is and isn't seen by the user in the list of plugins? Like each plugin is located in the mysite dir but only one code base?
16 Sep 2009
Posts: 379
if you have the same folder structure on your dev environment, you can make symlinks there, tar the whole lot and extract it again on the live server and the links will be maintained, which is handy also. but again, if you don't have shell access you won't be able to extract archives on the hosted server either...
we put symlinks to a single collection of all plugins into each site's mysite/plugins folder so that users only see what they've been given. Given that we charge for adding new functionailty, it would be bad business practice to give clients access to every plugin available that they could then just install and use themselves.
I will setup the php file that harvey setup for searchmaster. In the mean time I will sick to blocking users from the manage plugins page through their user group. Not fool proof but a step in the right direction.
|Back to Forum Index : Back to Installation


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- "Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite... And who am I? That's one secret I'll never tell. You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl."
Gossip Girl is the anonymous, unseen narrator of the Gossip Girl television series and the novels of the same name. In both the novels and the television adaption, Gossip Girl is a blogger whose true identity is never revealed. It is later ultimately revealed in the television series finale to be Dan Humphrey, although Georgina Sparks and Serena van der Woodsen both have times where they take over the blog. Gossip Girl is voiced by Kristen Bell.
Despite the gossip site's shutdown in the finale, in the five year time jump, it is revealed that a new blogger has assumed the mantle of Gossip Girl.
Overview Edit
Gossip Girl runs a blog documenting the lives of Manhattan's elite, or the wealthy teenagers residing on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Posted on the blog are gossip, a "Spotted" map to keep track of frequently mentioned people, photos, and party invitations.
Like most major gossip sites, Gossip Girl relies on tips sent in by people who have any information to give. In The Goodbye Gossip Girl, Jonathan Whitney hacks into the server and is able to find who has been sending what tips in. Later on, Nate Archibald creates a website where people can look up Gossip Girl's sources, although it gets taken down quickly (All the Pretty Sources).
Until the finale, the only other character to know the identity of Gossip Girl was Jenny Humphrey. In an interview, Penn Badgley admitted he didn't know he was Gossip Girl until he read the finale script.
Novel SeriesEdit
In the novels, Gossip Girl was very similar to how she is portrayed in the television adaptation. The main difference is her identity is never revealed.
Seasons 1-4 Edit
During the first five seasons, Gossip Girl's identity is never identified. In the season two finale The Goodbye Gossip Girl, Serena attempts to track her down on the night of graduation. However, Gossip Girl outplays her and has everyone from Constance Billard/St. Jude's meet, where she reveals in a blast that they are truly Gossip Girl; as she wouldn't have anything to write about if people didn't send in tips.
Season Five Edit
In Riding in Town Cars With Boys, Gossip Girl sends a blast revealing that Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass are together; despite Blair being engaged to Louis Grimaldi. That night, Blair and Chuck are involved in a horrififhgvbj reeellllllllllllllllllllluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu goood
ich leads to Chuck nearly dying and Blair losing her unborn baby. After this, Gossip Girl abandons her site, only to have it picked up by a new user.
In G.G., it's revealed that Georgina has taken over the site and is posting as Gossip Girl herself. Soon after, in Crazy Cupid Love, Dan figures out thdfy
at Georgina is Gossip Girl and threatens to expose her. Not wanting to be exposed, she agrees to not release a photo of Dan kissing Blair. In The Princess Dowry, Dan outs Georgina to Blair and Chuck, and she does each of them favors to earn one in return in case the secret ever got out. Afterwards, Georgina sends the laptop with the admin site access to Serena, along with a note encouraging her to take over.
Serena then takes over the site and begins to enjoy running it. However, her cousin, Lola Rhodes, suspects that she is Gossip Girl and attempts to out her. In Salon of the Dead, she realizes that Serena is Gossip Girl but keeps the secret to herself. She eventually tells Nate, who doesn't say anything either. Meanwhile, Diana Payne agrees to help Serena blackmail the real Gossip Girl into letting her keep the site. However, this doesn't work and Nate and Lola help the real Gossip Girl get the laptop back after seeing Serena ruin her friendships while running the site. In The Fugitives, the real Gossip Girl begins posting again.
Season Six Edit
In the series finale, New York, I Love You XOXO, Dan reveals that he was Gossip Girl all along. He reasons that he did so in an attempt to write himself into the world of the Upper East Side. After he explains everything, he confesses that Gossip Girl is now dead and they can all move on with their lives.
In the time jump, it's revealed that a new high school student that bears a resemblance to Dan has taken over as the "new" Gossip Girl.
- Gossip Girl is arguably the true main antagonist of the series.
- In season four, Gossip Girl added the ability to livestream on the site.
- Kristen Bell voices Gossip Girl during every episode of the series, including the ones where the identity of Gossip Girl changes characters.
- There are only a few episodes where Gossip Girl doesn't do a voiceover in the beginning of the episode.
- In Pilot, Gossip Girl thanks Melanie91 for sending in a tip but after this episode, it becomes important to keep the identity of tip senders hidden.
- Nate, Lily van der Woodsen, and Rufus Humphrey are the only main characters to never send a tip in to her.
- In the original cut of Pilot, an audience who got an early screening says it was too obvious that Dan was Gossip Girl. As a result, the editors worked to change how it came across.
- Gossip Girl also reports on the other major private schools in the area but mainly focuses on Constance/St. Jude's.


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Grayson McCouch
STARmeterSEE RANK
Up 4,451 this week
McCouch grew up in Chappaqua, NY and received a Bachelor of Arts Honors Degree in theater from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY where he also played varsity lacrosse and rugby. McCouch went on to receive a graduate degree from the British American Drama Academy, Oxford-Yale program in London. McCouch spent four seasons with the Williamstown Theater ... See full bio »
Born:in New York City, New York, USA
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Elizabeth Weinreb Fishman has been tapped as VP of strategic communications at Sesame Workshop, where the former Columbia Journalism School associate dean for communications will oversee media relations and messaging for the company's businesses, philanthropic projects and executive team.
Fishman's communications team will collaborate with the marketing team to increase the global awareness of Sesame Workshop, including both the Sesame Street series as well as the nonprofit organization's global social impact work. Her hiring caps off a year that saw the Workshop welcome a number of former Nickelodeon executives, including the addition of Kay Wilson Stallings in August.
Fishman served at Columbia Journalism School for eight years, managing strategic communications, media relations and special events. Prior to that, she worked at CBS News as an associate producer for 60 Minutes from 1997 to 2003, where among her more than 40 stories were segments on J.K. Rowling and George Lucas.


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A 1-Month Beauty-Prep Timeline for Procrastinating Brides
Maximum results, minimal time, minimal effort.
If you're a betrothed person with a wedding in your near future, a lot of other things are probably happening all at once—besides actually, you know, being super excited about spending the rest of your life with your best friend (!!)—like choosing calligraphers, dress shopping, following all kinds of sometimes (OK, almost always) dated etiquette, and, of course, actually planning the damn thing, which I've waxed poetic about here and here. And the never-ending to-do list and Pinterest black hole of overly cupcake-y bridal stuff can get overwhelming, so with months to go to my own nuptials, I'll be writing to you weekly with a little bit of what I've learned, mostly from Google and firsthand experience—like that time FedEx lost my wedding invitations.
As a beauty editor, physical prep for my upcoming wedding means a lot. I'm not about changing your entire look, going through extreme workouts, or putting a ton of pressure on yourself to look a certain way, but I do want to look healthy and glowy—basically like the best possible version of myself (without resorting to a ton of makeup that I'm inevitably going to cry off). So that ultimately means maintenance, some professional treatments, and taking obsessively good care of my skin long before the day arrives. The goal is to look sensational all wedding weekend long—without wearing a stitch of makeup.
With four months until the wedding day (eeeeek), I've been trialing some beauty treatments to gauge results and see whether I should commit before the ceremony. Below, I've rounded them up and brain-dumped all my thoughts, just for you.
Eyelash Extensions
Permanent eyelash extensions are a wedding must-have for a lot of brides (as opposed to applying individual falsies the day of), but there are definite pros and cons to consider. There's the price factor—a typical set can cost about $200 (look on Groupon, but do your research and choose a reputable salon)—maintenance (you can't wear mascara or, like, rub your eyes), and the fact that you have to sit still with your eyes closed for two hours during the application (seriously, download a podcast). But trying them before the event date is important (even if you've had them before) because there are a lot of options—you'll have to choose between numerous looks, lengths, thicknesses, and curls—and it might take a couple treatments to get them perfect. The first time, I was overwhelmed by choice and ended up getting lashes that looked too natural; the second time around, Sugarlash PRO showed me a variety of "bridal-appropriate" lashes that were thicker and more voluminous. Treat it like a hair appointment: Know what you want, come prepared with photos, and communicate everything to your technician.
Teeth Whitening
Having your teeth professionally whitened is a no-brainer for you and your significant other (just make a dual appointment!). It makes your whole face light up and looks insanely good in photos. I always assumed this was something I would do the week of the wedding so they looked extra sparkly. But after undergoing a serious three-hour bleaching session with cosmetic dentist Dr. Marc Lowenberg, I learned a few things. Mainly, don't get your teeth whitened the week of your wedding! I experienced serious zingers (sharp pains in my teeth, otherwise known as one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever felt) and pain for two days after. "For women or men that are getting married, I tell them two weeks, because the week before they're getting married they're probably insanely busy and don't want to bother with their teeth," Dr. Lowenberg told me. So in the interest of playing it safe, go two weeks before, and then use at-home trays or strips to maintain up until the night before.
Hair Color
I've had a bit of a hair disaster this past year following a coloring appointment gone wrong (another tale for another day), but multiple days spent in a salon chair later, and I know for sure now that on my wedding day I'd like to have my hair exist in its natural dark brunette state. No ombre or balayage business. And a lot of this has to do with photos! Hear me out—adding blond to dark hair is tricky because it can turn brassy fast. You may not notice it in your bathroom mirror, but have your photo taken in different light or, even better, with a flash on a proper camera, and you'll see what it actually looks like and how it photographs—aka how it will look on your big day. Don't undergo a drastic color change right before your wedding; just touch up the look you've been doing for years, and after the wedding, feel free to try going red, or platinum, or whatever your heart desires.
Spray Tan
You may think you're either a spray-tan kinda person or not a spray-tan kinda person. But if you fall into the second camp and you've never had one (or haven't since high school prom), well, you may want to try it out. A bronze can hide a variety of sins and make you look more toned. Plus, overly tanned orange faces, streaky wrists, and Cheerio-smelling skin isn't really the reality anymore—the spray-tan industry has, well, evolved. Staying out of the sun and loading up on sunscreen (I've become one of those diligent people who use it on my hands, too) in the summer months before the wedding is crucial, because although I want my olive skin to have a subtle tan as opposed to its pasty yellow-tinged winter hue, I don't want any of the sunspots, damage, or worse, sunburn that comes with UV rays. A really good spray tan is more like a full-body contour (or like swiping your body in Hoola Bronzer). You'll have to pick a shade that works for you, decide how deep of a tan you want, and then—most important—wait and see how your glow changes and how long it lasts. Take photos, check it out from all angles, and pay attention to what areas fade first.


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Serves: 4
Prep: 15 min
Main Ingredient: Eggs
● 4 slices (nitrate-free) turkey bacon, small dice and cooked until crisp (See Ann's Tips)
● 1 tablespoon olive oil
● 2 small shallots, small dice
● ½ cup kale, shredded
● 3 whole eggs
● 3 egg whites
● ¼ cup milk
● ½ cup Swiss cheese, shredded
● 1 teaspoon salt
● ½ teaspoon pepper
● cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small sauté pan heat oil over a medium high flame. Add shallot and sauté until soft, about 1 minutes. Remove from pan and add kale. Sauté until soft about 4 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool.
3. Place a 24 mini muffin tin in the preheated oven on a middle shelf. Let the pan preheat in the oven for about 10 minutes.
4. Whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, cheese, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
5. Remove hot muffin in from the oven. Spray the pan well with cooking spray. Using a small ladle, fill each of the moulds in the muffin tin about half full with the egg mixture. Place a few pieces of turkey bacon, shallot and kale in each one. Top to cover with more egg.
6. Bake in oven for 5 minutes or until the egg is set and the top is golden brown


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While in Sydney at the Baby as Art workshop at the end of last year we had two gorgeous expecting mums, Heidi & Jodie, in our group.
We headed to the beach one afternoon to photograph some seaside babies, but our little seaside baby was not very interested in having her picture taken! So what do photographers do when they have cameras, gorgeous light and beautiful subjects? Make them pose of course!
Here are my portraits from the afternoon of absolute delightful light.
Thank you Heidi & Jodie! You are both simply stunning! I hope your beautiful babies are making you smile every day 🙂 xx


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May I tell the gentle reader a tale of the unreality of reality shows?
I was a young, starving filmmaker in Seattle (though no longer young today, I am still a starving filmmaker, now in Los Angeles) when I eagerly accepted the opportunity to work as a production assistant (PA) on ElimiDATE. My experience with this reality television show, although it was a number of years ago, still reflects what is true for most of the reality shows that are broadcast today.
Though they call it "reality," nothing you see on the screen is actually real. They may call it "unscripted," but it is as close to a scripted show as you can get without the persons who appear on screen having sides (pages of a script) or a teleplay to hold in their hands. The dialogue and plot are planned by the production team in detail. The shows are carefully edited and re-shot to appear spontaneous.
ElimiDATE (which last aired original episodes in 2006) travelled from city to city each week, shooting in the dating hangouts of the 20-something crowd in each locale. One single man started out what was supposedly a week of dating adventures with four young women (or conversely, one woman with several men, a format that was not as popular.) On the first fictional evening, the gang of five would go on a group date, each woman vying for the man's interest. At the end of the evening, he would eliminate one woman, till, near the end of the broadcast hour, he was down to one date. Those two would go on a super glamorous evening and come back the next day to report to the audience how it went.
A very small core production crew based in L.A. stayed with the show throughout the season. There was an overall field producer with two other producers; there were three camera people who did their own lights and their own sound. That was it. No makeup, no wardrobe, no location managers, none of the other professionals who normally work on a quality television production; thus the show (and, in general, any reality show) was relatively inexpensive to produce, even with travel costs.
The show picked up minor crew members in each city where they shot. In Seattle they picked up four PAs and one runabout. The show's producers were pretty good about locating film professionals who wanted to work on a nationally broadcast television show, or perhaps those local film professionals who just needed the job for a week. Normally a crew traveling to a remote location would contact the film office; in this case, the production company also contacted Women in Film, which I was a member, to recruit crew.
Though a number of my peer filmmakers turned down the job (perhaps knowing better), I and four of my colleagues signed up. Two of us were independent filmmakers, one a corporate video producer, one was a graphic designer and set designer, and one of us had worked as a production assistant on a number of independent films.
When I interviewed for the position the producer said to me, "You're a film producer. Don't you think this job would be beneath you and you'd be bored?"
My response was, "I love your show and am excited to work in television!" Of course, the truth was simply that I needed the money; I had never seen the show.
Before the show shoots, and even while they're recruiting contestants, the producers assign a character type to each woman. They recruit a couple of slim women and a couple of full-busted women. They'll make sure to recruit varying hair colors. They'll direct one of the contestants to behave like the sexy looking tramp; they'll direct a second one to be the flirtatious girl next door; they'll direct the third to be the vindictive bitch; and perhaps the fourth will be the crybaby or the peacemaker.
Before the first "date," the producers will take each contestant aside and — not explicitly telling them the role they are to play, but skillfully and emotionally manipulating them — will mold them into their pre-assigned roles.
An example of this would be the producer speaking to one contestant — let's call her Julie: "I overheard Billie saying that you are too trashy." The producer goes on to coach Julie, "How do you want to respond to that?"
If Julie says something like, "I'll just ignore that," the producer will go on to nudge Julie.
"Don't you think you want to flaunt it in her face? Why don't you just walk by, hike up your skirt to show her how great your legs are, and give her a dirty look?"
And so it goes. During the cut scenes — where they interview contestants after they've been eliminated from the show — a contestant called Lisa said, "I think Genevieve is really a nice chick. I'd like to party with her after the show is over."
The producer indicated for the camera to stop rolling and asked Lisa, "Don't you think she was actually a bit old?" The camera began rolling again.
Lisa said, "No, she wasn't any older than me."
This time without stopping the camera, the producer asked Lisa, "Do you mean Genevieve was very old and very haggard? Come on, darling, we want to see a reaction shot of your beautiful face saying that. We want more of your face on camera. The more you trash Genevieve, the longer screen time you have."
Lisa, wanting more of her face on camera, complied and — with the cameras rolling — said vehemently, "Genevieve was an old hag!" And this was the take that made it into the show. Not reality, not unscripted; but very scripted and plotted by the producer.
Just before another scene was shot, the (male) producers would go to each woman and elicit snide remarks from her about each other woman's clothing choices. One contestant was asked to wear a wig. The producers then told the bachelor that the woman was wearing a wig and prodded him to proclaim his disgust for phoniness.
Later, when this particular contestant was eliminated, they shot her cut scene. She was sobbing. They broadcast — let's say they added it into the broadcast — the sobbing, but they entirely cut her harangue against the producers who had encouraged her to wear the wig in the first place.
We all recognize that these shows are escapist, time wasting and full of false thrills. Some can tolerate the phoniness. I, on the other hand, am still not a fan of the UNreality show.


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FINALLY! Fall is actually here! It's time to break out the maps, let the windows down, and experience what Georgia has to offer- because trust me it's a lot. Check out this list of the top destinations for a day trip from Atlanta. Oh, and check out the All Trails app; it's awesome for finding details on these and a bunch more!
Amicalola Falls- 77 miles, 1 hour 40 min
At a whopping height of 729 feet, Amicalola Falls is the tallest Cascading waterfall in the Southeast. There is a combination of ways to view the waterfall from an accessible pathway to more challenging hiking trails. The great thing about Amicalola Falls is it's just as easy or hard as you want to make it.
Brasstown Bald- 102 miles, 2 hours 20 minutes
Brasstown Bald is the tallest mountain in Georgia standing over 4,700 feet above sea level. On a clear day at the peak you can see the four states of Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. If you are feeling more adventurous, there are three other trails accessible from this site, one of which leads to the Appalachian Trial. Nearby you can take the Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway and drive through the national forest. From here you can stop at the Vogel State park, which has camping, hiking, fishing, and lake swimming.
Callaway Gardens- 80 miles, 1 hour 20 min
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Callaway Gardens has an activity for everyone. They are best known for their natural exhibits of different gardens and habitats. However, they also offer biking trails, golf, tennis, suspended obstacle courses, and a lake where you can fish, kayak and jon boat. For all of you who the outdoors may not be your thing, you need to check out their spa!
Dahlonega- 65 miles, 2 hours
Close your eyes and picture this- hills of vineyards surrounded by running streams and waterfalls, all in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. That right there is Dahlonega, GA. Historic Dahlonega offers live music, culture festivals, and food that is worth the trip itself. For all you wine enthusiasts, Dahlonega has five vineyards which annually produce 100 acres of wine grapes.
On top of the vineyards and entertainment, there is also kayaking, tubing, horseback riding, gardens and even a zoo. For the little ones, there are multiple gold mine tours and panning. Afterall, Dahlonega is located on top of the largest gold deposits found east of the Mississippi river. Not to pick favorites, but Dahlonega has stolen my heart.
Helen- 90 miles, 2 hours
Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure there is something for absolutely every kind of person in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For the H2O lovers, there is white water rafting, floating, kayaking, waterfalls and even a water park. For the outdoors lovers, there is hiking, horseback riding, multiple adventure parks, and mining and gem panning. For the food lovers, there are tons of different restaurants and shopping as well as wineries. You will have enough activities to last you well over a day trip.
Providence Canyon State Park- 147 miles, 2 hours 15 minutes
If you can't make it to the Grand Canyon, you need to check out Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon". Here you can hike the trails that overlook the 150-foot deep gullies. If you are a more adventurous hiker you can explore the deepest canyons and also backpack overnight with a trail that has a mix of forest and the canyons.
Tallulah Gorge- 96 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes
Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and 1,000 feet deep. You can choose to hike around it or walk over it on a suspended bridge 80 feet above high. The visitors center is packed with historic information on the town as well as the forest life. You can also chose to hike the gorge floor at certain times of the day. However, they only give out 100 permits a day so make sure you are early if you know that is something you want to do.
Yonah Mountain Vineyards- 85 miles, 1 hour 30 minutes
This 200-acre family winery is located on the southeastern base of Yonah Mountain, and is perfect for wine enthusiasts. Here they offer walking tours, wine tastings, a chance for you to get to experience how they craft their own wine from the grapes that they grow on property. There is also live music every saturday and a festival once a year where there is live music, food trucks, wine tastings, and a chance for you to participate in barefoot grape stomping.
Have you fallen in love with with Georgia and all of its natural beauty? We have, and we don't want you to miss out on all of the great homes for sale in our beautiful state. Go check them out! Start your search at www.gingerlightburnteam.com. If you know someone wanting to move to or somewhere new in Georgia, tell them to call me! I'd be honored to be their Realtor!


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Militants Seize Control of Key Iraqi City, and More
What's News: Al Qaeda-inspired militants take control of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city as government forces flee. Google buys satellite imaging company Skybox for $500 million. United Airlines changes frequent-flier program. Joanne Po reports.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... thusly has helped ... inspire will to seize control of Iraq's second largest city of Mosul on Tuesday ... after four days of fighting ... this is what's news I'm WS J live I'm Thailand Co ... rebels link to the Islamic State of Iraq and I'll show aam Dr government security forces from their post ... season the governor's headquarters police stations ... military bases and other key buildings ... use all underscores the weakness of the Baghdad government across large parts of the country Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki is pressing Parliament to declare a state of emergency ... but has not yet indicated whether government forces are mobilizing to retake Mosul ... I the limit when it comes to Google is buying spree this time the tech giant is vying satellite imaging ... company sky box for five hundred million dollars sky box gives Google technologies like satellite images to read ... it can incorporate into a global Earth mapping products United Airlines is changing how travelers earned mileage for words fall in other U S airlines ... that have begun the so-called warrants ... on how much you spend and not how many miles to travel ... starting next March elite members of the night it's freaking flier program will earn between seven and eleven miles for every dollar they spend on tickets ... regular members of the program who fly less than twenty five thousand miles and spent ... less than twenty five hundred dollars the year will get five miles per dollar ... store toward travel ... experts say that those most affected will be business travelers who work for companies that close to control travel costs ... more to follow the stories ate into Des beest live or log onto the beest dot com I'm Joann Co ...


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In SF appearance, optimistic James Comey puts on the charm
Lisa Brown is a Democrat and her husband, Ben Patty, is a Republican, but the Moss Beach couple were surprised to agree on something after seeing fired FBI Director James Comey speak Monday night in San Francisco.
"I thought he'd have an ax to grind or it would be some boring lecture," Brown said after hearing Comey hold court for an hour before a sold-out 1,667-seat Curran Theater. "But he's actually funny. I think I have a crush on him."
"And he focused on the truth," Patty said.
After a week where he was a nonstop presence on East Coast national media outlets, San Francisco is an early stop on Comey's tour in support of his best-selling new book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership." The book is far from the anti-President Trump screed it is often portrayed as on cable news — only three of its 14 chapters are about the president. The rest is part memoir, part meditation on leadership. And so was Monday's show — which ended with a standing ovation.
The show's format was bare-bones. It was just the 6-foot-8 Comey — clad in a tan sport jacket, brown slacks and an open-necked dark shirt — standing upstage in front of the Curran's gold curtain ... and talking. No notes. And he looked and sounded pretty comfortable, even if he professed to not be so as the show started.
"I'm freaked out enough," he said, trying to calm a nearly 30-second ovation after he walked on stage; kissed the evening's host, Book Passage owner Elaine Petrocelli, on the cheek; and flashed a wide smile.
He couldn't have been too freaked out, given that he breezily arrived at the Curran at 6:25 p.m. — 35 minutes before walking onstage. A black SUV pulled in front of the theater, and Comey unfurled from within. As he strode into the theater's side door, he waved to people filing inside, but didn't stop to chat or pose for photos. Photo taking was banned inside the theater, where tickets were going for more than $150 Monday on Craigslist. Those prescient enough to buy early paid a face-value price of $45 to $85, which included a copy of the book.
Comey spoke for roughly 30 minutes, sharing a couple of stories about leadership — neither of which directly involved Trump — except to show that he was the antithesis of a good leader. Then he answered questions that audience members had submitted in writing moments before the show started.
In the book, Comey acknowledged that he doesn't have fans on either side of the Republican-Democrat divide. Republicans blame Comey for inspiring the special counsel's investigation into whether the Trump campaign was involved in Russian meddling with the 2016 election. Democrats blame Comey for costing Hillary Clinton the presidency by sending a letter to Congress 11 days before the election saying he was reopening the investigation into her use of a private server for government emails.
Despite that, in a very un-San Francisco moment, there were no protests outside the event.
San Francisco resident Alex Edwards was disappointed that Comey wasn't asked about Clinton's emails.
"I get that it's San Francisco and it's a liberal audience, but I can't believe that wasn't asked," Edwards said.
Gina Edwards, Alex's mother, acknowledged that "there was a time that I was mad at him" for his handling of Clinton's email investigation "and his explanation hasn't really vindicated him."
But after hearing him Monday, Gina Edwards said, "I liked him a whole lot more than I thought I would. I like his emphasis on the rule of law — and I'm not getting that message a lot every day from Washington."
If you didn't know Comey's previous job, it would have been hard to guess that this funny, self-deprecating, self-professed high school nerd was previously one of the nation's highest-ranking law enforcement officers. J. Edgar Hoover he was not.
Twice he verged on tearing up. Once, when he described the moment he faced rank-and-file FBI officers in Los Angeles shortly after he learned he was fired from a cable TV news headline flashing in a corner of the room. And the other, when he mentioned his infant son who died days after birth.
Monday was also the rare Curran show where FBI agents got a shout-out from the stage — and roared back their approval.
John Bennett, the special agent in charge at San Francisco's FBI office, was in the audience and said the Comey on stage Monday is just like the one he knows from work.
"I've seen him do this many times," Bennett said, who estimated there were "double digit" FBI officers in the audience. "James Comey is always talking about leadership," and the responsibility involved in being a leader.
The lack of leadership traits is mostly where Comey got his digs in on Trump. "He stains everything he touches," Comey said.
Comey said all leaders are measured by how they are "tethered to the truth." He recalled how President George W. Bush spent much of his administration explaining how he had lied about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, and President Obama had problems regaining trust after he said Obamacare would allow people to keep their same doctor.
But Trump, Comey said, is much more untethered to the truth than either. And he excoriated Trump's fellow Republicans for not calling him out for it. "What will you tell your grandchildren? Shame on you," Comey said to loud applause.
He encouraged the audience not to ignore erroneous things they hear from Washington for fear of normalizing them. And he urged people to vote, without telling them whom to support.
He also sought to clarify one of his remarks about Special Counsel Robert Mueller from one of his many interviews last week. He meant to say that he's confident that Mueller — his predecessor at the FBI — will end up at the truth.
"I don't know where Mueller will end up and I don't care," Comey said, "as long as he is able to complete his work."
Ultimately, Comey was optimistic. One questioner asked if he thought the nation's institutions would withstand the stresses currently on them. He said he did. Besides, he said, "no president serves long enough to screw it up."
Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicle's senior political writer. Email: email@example.com Twitter: @joegarofoli