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Street photography in Jakarta Pusat (, ID)
Maybe you are already used to street photography or are you completely new to the genre? Regardless, I hope that this article about street photography in Jakarta Pusat can give you some advice and tips along the way, as well as ideas and inspiration. After reading the article and looking at the pictures, I hope you are full of motivation to just go out there, walk the streets of Jakarta Pusat, have fun and capture moments that become motifs for your next wall painting, exhibition or something that forever will be etched in your memory.
What exactly is street photography?
I do not think there is a generally accepted explanation, but I really think that street photography is everything that can be taken during a walk, with the camera in hand, through in a city or suburban environment. The motives can be anything, yes - really anything. Everything from how the city pulsates to how it lies deserted during night. Who are the people in Jakarta Pusat? What do they do? What is chareteristics about the people in Indonesia? What people do meet on the streets and what emotions do they express? Which musicians perform in the street corners? What food is sold at the square? When is CITY most alive? Is there any activity in Jakarta Pusat at night?
Can I walk through the Jakarta Pusat and photograph everything I want, without permission?
It is difficult to answer this in detail, but yes, as a guidance you can say that you as a photographer have the right to photograph everything in Jakarta Pusat unless there are special regulations or that you happen to photograph near a security-classified object (government building etc.), but in those cases it is always signs telling you this.
If you are going to Indonesia on a holiday, do a quick research but I think you can assume that you can move around the Jakarta Pusat without any worries because in most countries it is no problem to walk around with a camera and take pictures of the everyday life on the streets and the strangers who walk there, in front of you. As with all photography, street photography as no exception, must always be done with respect for the individual. And maybe it's just this, the fear of being "intrusive" that often prevents us from letting go of creativity out there on the street. And letting go of this fear is a key and once started you will quickly realize that you can practice street photography to the max without intruding on other people's privacy or make them angry.
So much joy - so much history
Street photography is one of the forms of photography that has given me the most joy over the years. Do not really know why but to going back and looking at some of the pictures I have taken gives me so much joy. I think my joy is related to the feeling of being a photographer that blends in, that is somewhat invincible and that is capturing an ever-changing environment where nothing can be directed. Your pictures will really be photo journalism, illustrating the everyday life in Jakarta Pusat. Surely the idea of this is really amazing? If you are thinking of older, really old, photographs - do you think the portraits or street photographs are most interesting? I absolutely love to see pictures from, for example, a 100-year-old everyday life as these pictures say and give me much more than the portraits that of often quite stiff. Street photography is journalistic in nature as it often shows how we lived there and then, when the picture was taken.
The first time you are going to take photos in Jakarta Pusat?
Imagine that you are the journalist who will document our time and our change as humans. If it is the case that you will return to Indonesia and Jakarta Pusat later in life, it might be interesting to choose a couple of places that you can return to for later visits to Jakarta Pusat. Wouldn't it be interesting to document everyday life at around a certain street or intersection with a few years interval? Imagine over time seeing how the fashion changes, how the cars looks different etc?
Easy to get started but difficult to master
To get started with street photography, you really do not need expensive equipment and you can do just as well with your mobile camera as with more expensive camera housings and nice lenses. It's all about us always being surrounded by interesting motives and it is mainly your own comfort and will that set the limit in succeeding as a street photographer.
As you practice street photography, for example now in the Jakarta Pusat and next time in a completely different city, you develop yourself as a street photographer and slowly but surely your ability to be in the right place develops, see the motives that have always been there and then capture them technically. There is generally a lot to say about street photography but nothing is right and nothing is wrong. All street photographers develop their own technique and style and you will do the same. Maybe the city of Jakarta Pusat will make its mark on your photos as well.
A bigger city gives you more to photograph
Although it can be just as much fun to walk around a small town and take photos, there are of course some parameters that a larger city inevitably gives you as a photographer:
- More people on the move
- More buildings
- More traffic
- More anonymity
With that said, it does not necessarily mean that it will automatically be better to perform street photography in a larger city but. Yes, thought it was worth mentioning here anyway.
Getting started
As mentioned above, there is nothing right and nothing wrong when it comes to street photography but however, here are some tips along the way and if you want to go directly to ideas for pictures and motifs when you take street photos, you can go here.
Turn off Netflix or YouTube
Yes, it must be said. Whether you are living in or visiting Jakarta Pusat; we all (myself included) consume lots of digital content via eg TV, Netflix and Youtube. It is comfortable and it keep us entertained. Instead of lying in the hotel bed or sinking on the sofa at home and watching all these movies and series, or clips on Youtube where photography is discussed - turn off all that for a while and go out and take pictures, create magic! Maybe you are only in Jakarta Pusat once? An inner voice of bad conscience and lack of character often calls for me to urge myself to really make something of my time and control my own agenda instead of letting others' creativity completely devour me. Is it the same for you? Can you make street photography prevail over your convenience?
Dare - Just do it
On top of the convenience and laziness is precisely our own barrier and fear of standing out, of becoming a little uncomfortable or questioned, the biggest factor that prevents us from evolving from a good photographer to also being a good street photographer. You need to go out there and start defying the feeling of being a little uncomfortable. You might be thinking:
- But, what if they look at me?
- What will they think when I come with my big camera?
- It feels like I squeeze into their everyday life, is it even allowed?
- Are there really enough motives in Jakarta Pusat?
- I probably do not know all the rules in Indonesia, do I dare to go out?
Every time you pick up your camera and for every picture you take, you will slowly but surely come across the threshold, your own threshold, that this is actually OK to do. And you will realize that the inhabitants of Jakarta Pusat often completely ignore you. Some might even smile back at you, I promise.
Start at a small scale
Start by heading out to central Jakarta Pusat with the camera hanging over your shoulder. Walking up and down the streets, pick up the camera when you have at least a few people around you and try to see the city through your viewfinder. Take a picture. Take another picture. Did it go well? Yes, of course it did! You see quickly that street photography does not have to be linked to feeling uncomfortable and you can continue capture those amazing everyday images. Wonderful!
Say "thank you" with a big smile
Again, imagine that you walk through Jakarta Pusat, taking pictures of people in the middle of their hectic everyday life. Of course, someone might notice that you took a picture of them and yes, if someone notices that you photographed them - smile big and maybe say "Thank you". All to de-dramatize the situation. Are you starting a conversation, maybe you can even offer to send them the picture when you get home?
Street photography gives you exercise
For every kilometer and mile you walk, with the camera in hand, you have also exercised. This may not be related to how you become a good street photographer, but since street photography can mean long walks, you should make sure you have walking shoes.
Do not let (lack of) equipment stop you
Do not think that you need the latest camera or the most expensive lens to succeed as a street photographer, because you really don?t. Many times, it is liberating to have a smaller and lighter camera and lens, or maybe even just your mobile phone then, than to have a full-size camera body and a heavy professional lens. It is your ability to see situations, motives and people that is the main key to becoming a good street photographer - not your equipment.
Maybe you are on holiday in Jakarta Pusat and just have your cell phone with you? If so, challenge yourself and test and see what you can achieve with, for example, only your iPhone. I remember being in New York once with my wife and both of us had an iPhone 4 at the time and we had so much fun capturing the city during that week.
If you want to increase the camera size and quality a bit, many people think that the compact cameras are perfect for street photography since they are easy to handle and rarely attract attention either, thanks to their size.
Those who want to bring a camera with interchangeable lenses can basically choose any camera and the flora of lenses that are suitable for street photography is gigantic.
Camera selection
May I choose, then I choose a "real" camera in front of the compact camera or the mobile phone - every day of the week. For me, it has always been different and more amusing to use a viewfinder in a camera than a digital screen on a mobile phone. If it was me who would walk around the streets of Jakarta Pusat tomorrow, I would really like to use a system camera, but it would not have mattered so much which model it was. I have photographed a lot of street photography with models like Nikon D80, Canon 40D, Canon 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 1D Mark III and have appreciated them all.
Weight matters
If you are going to spend long days on the streets of Jakarta Pusat, you will appreciate gear that is as light weight as possible. And then I mean not only the weight of the camera body but the total weight where both the weight of the camera body and the lens are summarized.
Best lenses for street photography in Jakarta Pusat
Now I understand that it feels strange that I mention this, ?Best lens for street photography?, right after I have talked about that equipment does not matter, but you who read this probably think that photography and lenses are fun so why not also give some feedback on which lenses are the most suitable and extra good for street photography?
If I had to say a couple of lenses in which I had chosen for each manufacturer, it would probably have been these:
Dare to prime lenses without zoom, especially if you happen to have two cameras
Above I listed both zoom lenses and fixed lenses (where the possibility of zoom is not present). These fixed lenses can really be an incredible challenge - but a fun challenge - because when you will walk around Jakarta Pusat, it is not always that you can stop and slowly compose your image by, among other things, zooming in and out. You sometimes need to act lightning fast and if you add to that the challenge of not being able to zoom in and out, but for example being stuck with your 50mm focal length - it can be a wonderful challenge. The prime lenses often provide you with a great image quality as well as nice aperture values of f/1.4, f/1.8 etc. that can be useful.
A discreet telephoto lens can make it easier
Above I also listed telephoto lenses. Many telephoto lenses are heavy and bulky, which can also attract a lot of attention. One of my absolute favorite lenses is the Canon EF 135mm f/2 L USM which with both its low weight (750 gr), neat size and its aperture f/2 makes this lens a completely magical lens to have in your camera lens lineup when taking the streets. If you are shooting with Canon, I - from the bottom of my heart - really recommend this lens.
Make sure you have purchased everything before the trip
Maybe you are going to go to Jakarta Pusat on holiday and plan to start photographing immediately upon arrival? If so, make sure you have bought everything you need before departure. In general, the equipment list for street photography looks like this:
- Camera bag
- Extra battery
- Extra memory card
- Cleaning cloth
- Comfortable shoulder strap
Well, it is the truth - you do not need more than that. Sure, the camera bag can also contain more camera housings and more lenses, but the lighter the weight, the better.
As for the camera strap, the original straps are not always the most comfortable for longer periods. I used straps from a company called Black Rapid which gave me a comfortable strap in neoprene and with a solution to quickly get the camera up to the eye when the opportunity came.
Camera retailers in Jakarta Pusat
Unfortunately we do not have any physical stores in Jakarta Pusat in our database.
When it comes to buying camera gear before your trip, you should also check out these retailers:
Do not carry the camera in your bag
No photographs are taken while the camera is in the camera bag, so always try to have the camera easily accessible, in the hand or over the shoulder. In street photography, the motifs appear in a flash and during a walk through the city of Jakarta Pusat it will be no exception. Be prepared!
Camera settings - File format
Shoot in color and in RAW format if possible.
To have the best possible conditions to process the image afterwards, always try to shoot in raw format. This gives you greater opportunities to process the image in applications like Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop have more creative freedoms to work with.
Camera settings - Autofocus
Photographers can have very different settings for their autofocus, but personally I liked to always separate the autofocus and shutter, so that the shutter on the camera was only used to take the picture and had nothing to do with the autofocus. No matter what settings you prefer the important thing is that you can quickly and accurately control the selection of the autofocus, and perhaps also select exactly where in the picture you want the focus point, when the subject suddenly appears.
Camera settings - Shutter speed
If you know that you will be photographing people in fast motion, it can be good to use the camera in Shutter mode, where you specify the desired shutter speed, and the camera can then adjust the rest. For example, if you know with yourself that you will photograph people walking towards you at a pedestrian crossing, use for example 1 / 500s as a starting point and see where you need to go from there.
Inspiration on what to capture
In a town there are tons of things to shoot. Here is some inspiration along the way:
The people of Jakarta Pusat
In street photography, of course, nothing is more interesting and more photographed than the people of the city. What is everyone doing? Who are they? What personality types are there? Where are they going?
Capture the dream
We all carry dreams. Maybe the dream is coming to Jakarta Pusat? People or situations that point to a dream come true can really leave an impression.
Joy, sorrow, fear and frustration are just some of the emotions that can be captured as a spectator in a city. Dare to stop, watch and listen to the people in the park. Maybe these emotions and your next motive is there?
Different living conditions
Although we often hear that everyone was created equal, it is unfortunately the case that many later in life have very different conditions. In many cities, there is widespread poverty, with homelessness and begging as a result. These situations can give very strong impressions on the picture, but as I described earlier in the article, you should take these pictures with finesse because even though there are many stories that need to be told, it must never be done at the expense of the weak.
Personal meetings
Everywhere in our cities we interact with other people. Maybe it is two old friends who are finally reunited? Maybe it is a family debating which issue should be given priority? Maybe it is an old lady who needs assistance across the street. In all these meetings, there is much to capture.
Photograph photographers
Maybe there are more tourists than you in Jakarta Pusat? Maybe there are more of you who stand and take pictures of the exact same buildings and sights? Try pointing the camera at those who also take pictures and see if you also get something typical with Jakarta Pusat in the picture.
Capture what is happening around a show
In some cities, there are various forms of street entertainment. Maybe it is musicians, gymnasts or magicians. There are always interesting motives around these gatherings. Who will perform in Jakarta Pusat this weekend?
Have fun and it will show
If you have fun as a photographer, it will also be reflected in your photos. Often there are also an incredible number of fun elements just around you when walking around a city such as Jakarta Pusat. Fun signs, encounters and situations are all around you. They are often difficult to predict so it is important to be on your guard and always have the camera ready.
Street vendors
What are the street vendors in Jakarta Pusat? Do they offer something interesting? Is their presentation of the products or the people around them of interest?
Public transport
In a city there are always different forms of public transport. It can be the subway/metro, train and bus. On board these, we humans stand or sit close together and suddenly you get very close to other people. Maybe there are interesting motifs in the seat opposite you?
Dare to look up or down
Sometimes we are so focused on just looking and moving forward that we can completely miss what is on both the right and left but also at ground level or above us. To succeed as a street photographer requires that we will be present, here and now and dare to stop to capture the greatness of the small things.
Play with focus
Not all images need to be sharp. Deliberately taking blurry images can, for example, cause light sources to have a completely different appearance. Play around with it?
Project: Yellow
When the imagination runs out, it can be good to come up with a project. On a trip to New York, I spent several days photographing things containing the color yellow. It turned out to be an incredibly fun gallery to show off upon returning home.
Play with colors
There is a lot of color around us. We love color, right? See if you can walk around Jakarta Pusat and catch some of the colors red, blue, green and yellow. Give it a go!
Find other projects
In addition to taking pictures of colors, you can, for example, focus on signs, shop windows, rubbish, buildings, entrances, people in hoodies, people talking on mobile phones or people smoking. It is possible to make small mini-projects of everything.
Have patience
Just as with your general development in photography, nothing comes for free in street photography either. Sometimes it takes time and many turns back and forth along the main street to get that special picture you were looking for. If you have a picture idea, be prepared to put in some time and extra energy to make it happen. When you finally get the desired picture it is incredibly nice and you will forever be able to carry the warming reward every time it is shown.
Is there anything that can frame the picture?
Sometimes you get help from the environment in creating a background or framing of the image. Dare to play and be creative with what you get for free. If you see an interesting frame or background, move to where it feels optimal and wait for the right picture moment. Patience, as I said above. Patience.
Unique food for Jakarta Pusat?
Maybe there are special food stalls in Jakarta Pusat? What do the people or Jakarta Pusat eat, and what do the tourists eat? What sweets are sold and what drink is consumed? Street photographers often want to bring a feeling that the spectator himself is walking around the city and what could be better than bring the food and maybe even scents through the screen or picture?
Animals in the middle of Jakarta Pusat?
In many cities, animals live among us, free to move as they please. The animals often leave an impression, so see if you can capture the animals where it is clear in which environment they were.
A city has a pulse
Some cities sleep in the evenings. Some cities never sleep. But all cities are busy and have people in motion and it can be really interesting to try to capture this pulse.
Traffic is part of our cities
When you are in a larger city, you hear sirens, trucks and mopeds all night long. Traffic is a part of our urban lives and thus also a part of the cities' DNA. Which sounds and vehicles are typical of Jakarta Pusat?
No city is complete without buildings
What would a city be without its buildings? Nothing, of course. Many buildings offer fantastic architecture and shapes. The most famous building in Jakarta Pusat - what is it? Is it possible to get a different picture in of that building? Maybe you can take pictures of people where the building is shown in the background, even maybe a little blurry? Maybe there are details on the building that are a little extra exciting?
What is amazing about Jakarta Pusat?
Above picture is some parts of the electrical network in Kathmandu which, several years later, still makes me smile a bit. Imagine being an electrician there! When you go out in Jakarta Pusat, really think about whether there are any interesting and amazing things to capture. But lets hope that the electrical network in Jakarta Pusat is better than in Kathmandu, hehe.
Street photography loves black and white
Or vice versa, that black and white loves street photography. Because yes, there is a love between them. There is something about the black and white scale that is particularly appealing when it comes to street photography. Maybe it is because our world is so full of colors and impressions that the black and white scale brings out the simplicity of our streets. I do not know, but no article on street photography is complete without some black and white photographs to wrap it up.
I truly hope that this article on street photography in Jakarta Pusat has given you a lot of joy, ideas and tips. So, time to leave the sofa and hit the streets. Enjoy!


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Tale of 2 theaters in Northern Michigan
By RICHARD CROFTON
It is the tale of two theaters in the region when looking at what the affect may be as Hollywood decides to make a major move in the movie industry.
On one hand, you have the Kingston Theater in Cheboygan that is making a major upgrade to play digital movies on its big screens. Then on the other hand, you have a small town theater, Rogers Theater in Rogers City, that is contemplating dropping the playing of new movies altogether.
What is causing this dilemma for small town theaters across America?
According to Karl W. Hidemann, owner of the Rogers City operation, Hollywood has decided to go digital and is doing away with sending feature films out on 35mm film. Instead, they will be switching to a DVD-like disc.
"The movie business is going through a radical change. It is like going from 100-year-old technology with film on reels to digital," he said. "The projector that was put in here in the 1960s is a fine machine, but it is obsolete now."
Hidemann said there are a lot advantages for Hollywood to want the switch. Some of them are allowing the use of 3-D and it is cheaper to produce, which is a real savings for them.
"For me to put in a digital projector and revamp the booth, the cost would be about $100,000 for the conversion," he said. "We don't have the population base here. We also are only a uniplex (one screen), not a multiplex."
In Cheboygan, Manager Lynn Tellefsen said the Kingston theater is making the switch.
"We are scheduled to be switched over around the last week of April," she said. "We have five screens and we have to add surround sound. I believe it is going to cost at least $400,000."
She said the theater will be able to make up some of the cost because of less wages. With the new digital system, there is no reason to pay someone to rewind film.
Tellefsen said there has been no word whether Mackinaw City will switch or not. If not, there may only be two theaters on the Lake Huron side between Mackinaw City and Alpena that will have movie theaters.
"It is kinda sad," she said about how smaller theaters are having to close up. "Film companies have all the power. You gotta play along or go out of business."
Hidemann agreed.
"It is a known fact that most small town theaters will shutter," he said. "It is like going from silent to sound in the 1920s."
Tellefsen agreed and said it has even changed from 20 years ago.
"In a few years, they are saying we will have to switch to laser," she said.
The Rogers City owner said some of the smaller locations may be able to get used projectors that first came out, but the dealer he works with will not sell them because they include old technology.
"These digital projectors also have a cost built in," he said. "They will have to continually be upgraded like a computer."
Hidemann said a few years ago, the theater did install surround sound and he is trying to give the theater its old historic look back by having the inside redone in 1937 deco.
"At the end of 2013, Fox said it won't ship film anymore. When Fox makes this move, others will follow," he said. "Some small operations will borrow money. I am not sure I want to take on additional debt at this point."
Hidemann said there was some talk of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. finding some money, but that has not panned out.
"Some theaters have done fundraising and some have used Kickstarter," he said. "In 60 days, one theater was able to raise $175,000. I will try it this summer and see what happens."
Kickstarter is a site that allows for-profit companies to try and find investors. The amount has to be entered and if the goal is not reached by the deadline, potential investors get their money back.
In Rogers City, there is one more option — shutting down.
"It has come to the time where you go digital, or you go dark," he said. "We do have live shows here; maybe I will just increase those."
Hidemann has owned the theater for 10 years. At that time, there were 575 seats, but some had to be removed because of damage. That took the number down to 475. After an upgrade to allow handicapped moviegoers a place to sit, the total is down to 380 seats.
Hidemann said it has been difficult to continue operating because Hollywood tends to cater to the multiplex theaters.
"If I want a movie when it first comes out, I have to pay 90 percent royalties and agree to show it for four weeks," he said. "If I wait four or five weeks, I can get it for 40 percent royalties and only have to show it for one week. Today, young people want to see a movie right away."
Hidemann said the live theater shows he puts on help because people get things out of them.
"I have to decide if I need the movie business to support the other things I do here," the Rogers' owner said. "That is the big issue."
Rogers City Mayor Beach Hall said it is a concern for him that the theater may stop showing movies.
"I am going to send a packet to the Preservation Society and show them that little movie theaters are an endangered species," he said. "It is a soul of the city. This has been here for 75 years. It is a lynchpin to downtown business."
Hall said the theater tends to pull people in from outlying areas and that is good.
"People will come here to see a show, and they will have dinner," he said. "To some degree the theater is a social scene. Without the theater, some people would do nothing. This is one of the premier assets of the entire community."
Hidemann said he has a lot of thinking to do before making a final decision but there is an move going on.
"Downtown theaters or a casualties of progress," he said. "As a business model, it makes no sense to upgrade. I have to decide what to do as a hobby model."


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Obama to campaign for gun proposals in Minnesota
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The fate of his gun proposals on Capitol Hill uncertain, President Barack Obama is seeking to rally support from the public and law enforcement community for his calls to ban assault weapons and install universal background che...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The fate of his gun proposals on Capitol Hill uncertain, President Barack Obama is seeking to rally support from the public and law enforcement community for his calls to ban assault weapons and install universal background checks for gun buyers.
Obama will pitch his proposals to stem gun violence Monday in Minnesota, a Democratic-leaning state where officials have been studying ways to reduce gun-related attacks and accidents for several years. His visit to the Minneapolis Police Department's Special Operations Center will mark the first time Obama has campaigned on his controversial proposals outside of Washington.
Ahead of the trip, the White House released a photo of the president skeet shooting at Camp David, the presidential retreat. Obama cited skeet shooting when asked in a recent interview whether he had ever shot a gun.
The president unveiled his sweeping package of proposals for curbing gun violence last month in response to the horrific mass shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. He vowed to use the full weight of his office to fight for the proposals, many of which face tough opposition from congressional lawmakers and the powerful National Rifle Association.
The reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004, is expected to be the steepest climb for Obama. Universal background checks for gun purchasers may have an easier time passing Congress, though the NRA also opposes that measure.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has said he hopes his panel can write gun legislation this month, though it's unclear what it will contain.
The White House picked Minneapolis as the backdrop for Obama's remarks in part because of recent steps the city has taken to tackle gun violence, including a push for stricter background checks.
After a spike in violent crimes, the city launched a program in 2008 aimed at providing more resources for at-risk youth and helping rehabilitate young people who have already perpetrated crimes. In January, Minneapolis also hosted a regional summit on gun violence for elected officials from around the Midwest.
Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau and Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek are also among the officials Obama has consulted as he pursues his anti-gun violence measures.
Stanek has also been leading a group of Minnesota sheriffs pushing for stronger background checks for people trying to buy guns.
Obama is expected to make more trips around the country to build support for his anti-gun violence measures. The outside group Organizing For Action, an offshoot of Obama's presidential campaign, is also promoting the proposals.
White House officials say quick action on the president's gun measures gives them the best prospects for passing legislation in Congress. They fear that as time passes lawmakers will have less incentive to back the measures as the shock of the Newtown massacre fades.
In addition to the gun control measures, Obama's anti-violence proposals also included increasing mental health resources, boosting funding for school security, and lifting restrictions that prevent the government from studying the causes of gun violence.


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The Eve of St Agnes is a stained glass masterpiece designed and made by the great Irish artist Harry Clarke. To the right here you can download art activities inspired by this beautiful window.
About Harry Clarke (1889-1931)
Harry Clarke was born in Dublin on 17 March 1889. His father, Joshua Clarke, was a stained glass maker and church decorator. As a young boy, Harry Clarke worked in his father's stained glass studio which was at the back of their house at 33 North Frederick Street. Working for his father instilled in Harry the importance of good craftsmanship. Harry Clarke went to school at Belvedere College, a short distance from their house, but left in 1905, shortly after the death of his beloved mother Brigid. He continued to work as an apprentice in his father's studio while he was a student at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin. He was a talented and hard-working student and won scholarships which enabled him to study full-time at the art college. The scholarships also meant he could travel to France and England to see the magnificent stained glass windows in the medieval churches there. He entered competitions at the South Kensington School of Art and Design in London and won gold medals for the stained glass designs he submitted. Following his studies, Harry Clarke worked as a book illustrator for the London publisher Harrap and was highly praised for his drawings for Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination and for Goethe's Faust. Harry Clarke loved reading and going to the theatre and much of his art is inspired by great plays, fairy tales and legends. He especially loved stories that were fantastical, strange and wonderful. Between 1915 and 1917 Harry Clarke made eleven stained glass windows for the Honan Chapel at University College, Cork and from then on he received many important commissions for his stained glass work. He worked constantly, often late into the night. Around 1929 he became very ill and was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), a disease of the lungs. He went to Switzerland for treatment and rest. However, two years later, on 6 January 1931, on the way home from Switzerland to Ireland, Harry Clarke died from his disease at the young age of forty-one.
The Eve of St Agnes by Harry Clarke
In April 1923 a Mr Harold Jacob asked Harry Clarke to design a stained glass window for the landing of his father's house in Ailesbury Road in Dublin. Harold Jacob was the owner of the famous Jacob's biscuit factory. Stained glass was usually associated with religious art in churches so it was an exciting commission to make a window for someone's house. Harold Jacob suggested that 'night and morning' or 'summer and winter' might be good subjects for the window. While these were nice ideas, Harry Clarke was an artist full of imagination and he loved a challenge. He suggested instead some ideas inspired by fairy tales, plays and poems. These ideas included the story of Bluebeard, Sleeping Beauty, The Playboy of the Western World by J.M. Synge and the poem The Eve of St Agnes by John Keats. Mr Jacob very much liked the idea of The Eve of St Agnes and three days later a delighted Harry Clarke wrote again saying: 'I shall set to work on The Eve of St Agnes and submit my first coloured draft for discussion'. Harry Clarke made a number of beautiful preparatory studies for the window in pencil, watercolour and gouache, a type of watercolour, and these are now in the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork. One year later, on 1 April 1924, Harry Clarke completed The Eve of St Agnes. Mr Jacob paid Harry Clarke £160 7s 6d (160 pounds, 7 shillings and 6 pence) for the window. When The Eve of St Agnes was exhibited at the Irish Art Exhibition in Dublin in 1924 it won the gold medal for Arts and Crafts. In 1978 the window was bought by the Hugh Lane Gallery, where it is on view today.
Inspired by a Poem
The poem The Eve of St Agnes was written by the English Romantic poet John Keats in January 1819. There are forty-two verses, or stanzas, so it is a very long poem. The poem was inspired by an ancient tradition where young maidens would fast and go to bed early on 20 January and hope to dream of their future husbands. To 'fast' means to eat nothing. The feast day of St Agnes takes place on 21 January so the 'eve' means the evening before. In John Keats's poem Madeline had been forbidden by her father, Lord Maurice, to marry Porphyro. (Porphyro is pronounced 'pour – fear- o'). Despite this, on a cold and wintry night Porphyro secretly enters the castle and, with the help of Madeline's nurse Old Angela, goes to find Madeline, who is asleep in her bedchamber. As it is the Eve of St Agnes, Madeline has gone to sleep hoping to dream of her future love. When Porphyro's music wakes her, she is unsure whether she is dreaming or awake. Porphyro reassures her that it is not a dream and they flee from the castle and away across the moors.
John Keats's poem is full of beautiful descriptions and Harry Clarke was inspired by these when choosing which parts of the poem to illustrate. The poem is full of colour, especially purple, blue and red, and this is why you see so much of these colours in Harry Clarke's stained glass window.
How the Story is Told
As well as revealing his superb skill as a stained glass artist, The Eve of St Agnes stained glass window is a magnificent example of Harry Clarke's storytelling ability.
The artist chose to tell the story of The Eve of St. Agnes in fourteen panels. If you look closely you will see that each of the panels is accompanied by a quotation from John Keats's poem. In addition, at the top of these panels are two semi-circles, called lunettes. Running horizontally along the bottom of the panels is a frieze showing characters from the poem. Throughout the window there are borders full of wonderful decoration and ornamentation. In his art Harry Clarke was inspired by many sources, including Old Masters such as Diego Velazquez and Albrecht Dürer, Japanese art, music and literature, and Symbolist art. He combined many different ideas and visual inspirations with his own vivid imagination to create a vision which is very much his own.
Jessica O'Donnell
Further reading
The Eve of St Agnes is a stained glass masterpiece designed and made by the great Irish artist Harry Clarke. Harry Clarke The Eve of St Agnes (2012) by Jessica O'Donnell is a fully illustrated book which looks at each magnificent panel and relates the window closely to John Keats's poem. This book is on sale from the Gallery Bookshop tel. 089 2202855 or email JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING
The Hugh Lane's magnificent The Eve of St Agnes stained glass window by Harry Clarke is also explored in new research by Jessica O'Donnell published in Harry Clarke and Artistic Visions of the New Irish State edited by A. Griffith, M. Helmers and R. Kennedy (2018, Irish Academic Press; ISBN 978-1788-5550-451) Her chapter'A Gorgeous Gallery of Poetic Pictures: Harry Clarke, Harold Jacob and John Keats's The Eve of St Agnes' offers new insights into the distinctive imagery employed by Clarke by closely relating it to John Keats's poem as well as adding to our knowledge of its important patron, Harold Jacob of Jacob's biscuit factory. This superb work, a firm favourite with visitors to the Gallery, is on view in the Hugh Lane's stained glass room with Harry Clarke's stunning Mr Gilhooly made for The Geneva Window close by.


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Booker T. Jones' historic life in music has brought him international fame, awards (he's a three-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer), and iconic status as one of the architects of American soul music. With his new album 'The Road From Memphis,' due May 10 on Anti- Records, Jones traces his journey from his hometown of Memphis, TN to the world stage. The album follows Jones' 2009 Anti- release 'Potato Hole' which won the Grammy for "Best Pop Instrumental Album."
Produced by Jones with The Roots' ?uestlove and Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliot Smith), 'Memphis' was recorded by Daptone Records mastermind Gabriel Roth with backing by The Roots. 'The Road from Memphis' refers not only to Booker T's journey but to the evolution of the soul music he helped invent as it traveled from Memphis to Detroit, Philadelphia and beyond. The music's many iterations are represented here with a broad range of guest vocalists including Matt Berninger of the National and Sharon Jones on "Representing Memphis," Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket on "Progress" and Lou Reed on "The Bronx." The album also features a rare vocal from Jones himself offering a first-hand look at his hometown on "Down in Memphis." Legendary motor-city guitarist Dennis Coffey contributes to the album as well.
Full track listing for 'The Road from Memphis:'
Walking Papers
Progress (feat. Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket)
The Hive
Down In Memphis
Everything Is Everything
Rent Party
Representing Memphis (feat. Matt Berninger of The National and Sharon Jones)
The Vamp
Harlem House
The Bronx (feat. Lou Reed)
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Indian Overseas Bank Thirukattuthurai IFSC & Branch Info
The IFSC Code of Indian Overseas Bank Thirukattuthurai branch is IOBA0001051. The branch is located in Karur district of Tamil Nadu. For address and phone numbers, scroll down.
IOB Thirukattuthurai IFSC Code: IOBA0001051
Indian Overseas Bank Thirukattuthurai MICR & Contact Info
Address, MICR code, branch contact number etc of IOB Thirukattuthurai branch is given below. You may contact the branch or the Customer Care number of the bank information relating to your Indian Overseas Bank account.
|Branch Name
|Indian Overseas Bank Thirukattuthurai
4 By 61 Kodumudi Main Road Nadayanoor Po Thirukattuthurai, Karur - 639117
City : Thirukattuthurai
District : Karur
State : Tamil Nadu
|Branch Phone Number
|Customer Care Number
IOB branches in Karur | IOB branches in Tamil Nadu
Along with your account number, account name and account type (ie., savings or current) the following information about the branch is to be provided for fund transfer:
Bank Name : Indian Overseas Bank
Branch Name : Thirukattuthurai
IFSC Code : IOBA0001051
Location : Thirukattuthurai, Karur, Tamil Nadu - View full address & contact number
To make NEFT or RTGS money transfer to Indian Overseas Bank Thirukattuthurai branch from any other bank in India, IFSC code is necessary. For hustle free payment transfer, share the accurate IFSC, branch name and account number with the transferer.


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Our team of specialists and staff believe that informed patients are better equipped to make decisions regarding their health and well being. For your personal use, we have created an extensive patient library (written and video) covering an array of educational topics. Browse through these diagnoses and treatments to learn more about topics of interest to you. Or, for a more comprehensive search of our entire Web site, enter your term(s) in the search bar provided.
As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.
Chilblains are caused by the skin's abnormal reaction to cold. Circulation is a determining factor for chilblains; people with poor circulation in the feet are more susceptible.
Chilblains are characterized by small itchy, red swellings on the skin, which become increasingly painful, swell, and dry out, leaving cracks in the skin and exposing the foot to the risk of infection. They occur on the extremities—the toes (particularly the smaller ones), fingers, the face (especially the nose), and the ear lobes. They can also occur on areas of the feet exposed to pressure, such as on a bunion or where the second toe is squeezed by tight shoes. Symptoms include burning and itching, swelling or redness, breaks in the skin, and ulcers.
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Recently, I left what my father would have referred to as an unkind "Jupiter Pluvius" behind in California to attend a professional meeting in D. C. While I was in the area, I took a bit of a trip down memory lane. My first stop was a visit with my oldest friend, Melana – we've known each other since we were eight – and her husband Derek. Then I hung out with my niece M'Balia and her sons, Shomari and (Little) Ron. M'Balia and I drove up to Havre de Grace, Maryland, where my mother spent many a summer with her cousins – the Williams branch of the family. This family of 10 kids was legendary in our household.
They grew up on a farm on Old Robin Hood Road. Their mother, Hattie, and my mother's father, John Henry Brown, were brother and sister. The Williams's were highly educated with doctoral, medical and other professional degrees many, but not all, from historically black institutions. And they called my mother "Willie," short for Wilhelmina, her middle name. This probably had to do with the fact that there were a lot of Marys on both sides of the family. When M'Balia and I made our plans to visit the farm in Havre de Grace, we expected to visit with the three cousins who now live in the house they grew up in and their sister, Catherine, who built a home on the land after she and her husband, Jimmy, retired. But they must have sent out the word, because every living sibling showed up to greet us. They shared family stories, read this blog with fascination and encouragement, cheered on M'Balia, who was on the cusp of earning her first degree in criminal justice with high honors. And they insisted on treating us to lunch.
I found out some things: Why their eldest sister, Ruth, was not listed on the 1930 census document I found. (She was already married and had left home.)
I also learned that my mother's nuclear family was the second for her father. That John Henry had had a first marriage and that I have a living cousin named Rosie I never knew existed.
As for my father, my mother's cousin Eva said, surprisingly, that she had only met him once, when he and my mother came for a visit to the farm. "He was very quiet," she recalled.
On to D. C. I had a chance to visit with my friend Laurence, who I met when I first came to Stanford in 1995. Back then, her oldest son, Benjamin, and my daughter, Zuri, were just five years old. The last time I'd seen Laurence, she and I, her husband, Michel, and their daughter, Chloé, braved the frigid January weather to witness Barack Obama's inauguration.
And speaking of D. C., I found this column my father wrote following his first visit to the nation's capital in the fall of 1934. Unlike the chilly but glorious weather I enjoyed the weekend I was there, he saw the city on what sounds like a particularly rainy day.
I wonder what he would have thought about the fact that the nation has its first black president. I passed the Old Executive Office Building, which he mentions was under construction in 1934 and is covered with scaffolding today.
"Washington, with its tree-bedecked boulevards, is a beautiful city – even on a rainy day," Ebenezer wrote. "Au revoir, I hope not goodbye."


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New Paths to Home Performance
Through its training courses, the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) gets to know contractors interested in home performance and others you wouldn't expect.
September 07, 2008
A version of this article appears in the September/October 2008 issue of Home Energy Magazine.
Through its training courses, the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) gets to know them all: the experienced general contractors with an instinct for creating energy-efficient, healthy homes who want to quantify the results of their efforts; the HVAC contractors who know their business inside and out, but who want to integrate their work better with the work of other re mediation professionals; and the insulation contractors who base their estimates on the HVAC system, but who want data to identify the flaws in that system when those flaws affect their work.
But what about the green designers, ecoconsultants, and real estate agents? What are they doing learning how to use blower doors, infrared cameras, and smoke pencils? Well, they're just taking a page from the contractors' playbook, finding ways to use home performance to provide better service, attract customers, expand their businesses, and gain more referrals—and to support their over arching goal of providing their customers with more comfortable, energy-efficient, and healthy homes.
Harry Ford, program administrator of the CBPCA, explains it this way: "These folks don't necessarily take their classroom skills, buy the equipment, and begin home performance testing (although some do), but they take the idea of whole-house evaluations and remediation out into the world. By channeling the home performance concept through their daily work and interactions with homeowners, they can make the public aware of its benefits and reach qualified new customers in a way that contractors may not be able to."
The CBPCA contacted four of its former students to see how they were using their home performance knowledge in their businesses. Charisse Dunn is a green designer who owns Healing Spaces by Design, in Pasadena, California. Galo LeBron is CEO of Energy Inspectors, with offices in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Diana England is a green consultant and the owner of Homes 2 Health, in Lake Arrowhead, California. And Bryon Minton is a Realtor who owns Live Green Realty Group in Tustin, California. Their stories show that home performance isn't just for contractors anymore.
Healing Spaces by Design
Charisse Dunn was halfway through design school when a relative's illness made her realize that she wanted to focus on green design that minimized the use of toxic substances. When she graduated, she worked with other designers on remodels, using traditional approaches and materials. But she wasn't happy with the results. "I had finished a couple of remodels when I realized that it was like putting icing on a rotting cake," says Dunn.
In 2006, Dunn went to the West Coast Green conference, and that changed everything. She took training from Build It Green and started performing green home assessments. Her first major project was an 1,800 ft2 house that the owners loved but could barely stand to occupy for four summer months, because the house was unbearably hot. Dunn quickly realized that she needed home diagnostic skills and tools to address the house's problems.
About two months into that job, she took the CBPCA's home performance training and brought the trainer, Rick Chitwood of Chitwood Energy Management, to the project to conduct home performance testing. When Dunn conducted her initial assessment before the home performance test, the wife was excited, but the husband was skeptical.
"He looked like 'You're going to tell me what's wrong with my house just by walking around it?'" says Dunn. But she gained his confidence when they looked at the roof and she suggested improving the roof insulation when he had expected her to suggest adding solar panels. "My job is to find the low-hanging-fruit first," she told him. "Once we reduce your energy use, then we can look at solar panels."
The owners did eventually decide to add the solar panels, but not until they had decided to take care of the more basic issues first. These included reducing the size of the air conditioner, adding more roof insulation, and installing Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient lighting.
The most startling suggestion that Dunn and Chitwood made after the testing was to replace the 10-SEER 4-ton air conditioner with a 13-SEER 1.5-ton unit. The couple was floored by the idea. "They told me they couldn't get cool enough as it was, and just couldn't understand how that would work," says Dunn. "Rick explained to them how it would, based on the testing results and the other work that would be done to the house."
Because Dunn is not a general contractor, she recommends good, qualified contractors trained in home performance. The homeowner then contracts directly with one of these contractors. However, Dunn acts as project manager. She was in the house when the polyisocyanurate insulation was being installed, and she realized that the polyiso would off-gas through gaps in the tongue-and-groove ceiling. She had the contractor seal all the gaps, which not only protected the homeowners from the off-gassing, but also improved the aesthetics of the ceiling.
Another personal touch is the home maintenance manual that Dunn leaves with homeowners after the work is done, complete with before-and-after photos, maintenance tips and a schedule, equipment manuals, and contact information for all the project contractors.
When Dunn's first project was finished, the homeowners were delighted with the results. "They wrote me a very nice letter expressing how grateful they were," she says.
Not only did the work increase the homeowners' comfort, save energy, and improve the aesthetics and usability of the house, but the roof insulation also helped soundproof the home.
The success of that initial project, and Dunn's interest in home performance, have expanded her business. The president-elect of the Pasadena chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) heard her give a presentation on "Green Design and More" at a Green Pasadena Leadership Summit and asked her to present the material to ASID as well.
Dunn also began conducting GreenPoint ratings, has been in the pilot for GreenPoint ratings for existing homes, and has introduced the system to Pasadena Water and Power as a means of rewarding homeowners who conduct energy efficiency retrofits. She thinks the ratings are valuable, but for her own projects, she wants another rater to do the job. "I think it gives the work more credibility," she says.
Dunn is also developing a library of green products, with displays of insulation made with recycled or renewable materials, bamboo flooring, and so forth, so that designers and contractors can become better acquainted with these materials. She hopes to have a resource facility available by the end of the year, with one area for professionals and one for the public. She believes that better familiarity with green materials will increase their use.
Energy Inspectors
Energy Inspectors is the largest HERS company in the United States. Conducting energy inspections and consulting for more than 25,000 new homes and smaller commercial structures in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah each year, the company has found its successful niche in the home energy market. Energy Inspectors was Energy Star Partner of the Year two years running, in 2007 and 2008—the first company ever to achieve that distinction. To top it off, EPA has the company participating in a pilot project to develop and apply energy efficiency standards for high-rise buildings.
So with success in so many areas, why branch out into home performance contracting? "We wanted to take it to the next level," says Galo LeBron, CEO of Energy Inspectors. "To do thorough energy audits of existing homes." In April 2008 LeBron took the CBPCA training course, which helped him chart his company's future course.
Conducting the home performance audits quickly led to a decision to expand into the remediation aspects of the work as well, and the company is now developing its employee base to provide those services. To ensure reliability, LeBron prefers to provide HVAC, insulation, and other services in-house, rather than contracting them out. "Everyone will be employees of the company," he says. "That way we'll be able to provide a consistent service that we can stand behind."
Energy Inspectors has been a licensed general contractor in Nevada for eight years, and the company is in the process of becoming a general contractor in California and Arizona, so that the company can perform home performance contracting work in those states.
Homes 2 Health
In a world of specialization, Diana England refuses to be constrained. "I help homeowners create a healthy home by using a green approach," she says. "We may start with simple life changes and end up remodeling their home, from the floor to replacing attic insulation and HVAC systems."
When England started her business, she focused on steering her clients toward less-toxic products, to make for a healthier indoor environment. But she quickly realized that this didn't offset the basic problems that she saw in the houses themselves. "My customers complain that their homes aren't comfortable and their utility bills are too high, but they don't know what to do about it," England says. —And like her customers, she felt less than fully equipped to address those larger issues. "I felt I was doing them a disservice," she says. "I could recommend using low-VOC paints, but it was clear that because of a bad HVAC system, the air quality in the home would still be a concern."
Casting about for solutions, she attended a Build It Green conference, where one of the participants suggested that England take the CBPCA home performance training classes. "I thought the CBPCA class was incredible," she says. "Every green consultant should attend these classes. I took my brother, who has been in home remodeling and repair for years, and he learned a lot too." In particular, England was impressed by Rick Chitwood, one of the instructors. "He has incredible integrity," she says.
"He kept emphasizing how it was always necessary to get in there and do the right thing—to work toward the best solution for the whole house."
Today, conducting home performance audits is a big part of England's work. For the remediation options suggested by the audits, she recommends a team of contractors she knows who have taken the CBPCA training. Her clients contract directly with members of this team. There are not a lot of green contractors where England lives, in Lake Arrowhead, California, but she has another team waiting in the wings who are looking forward to taking the next CBPCA class.
England's customer base is more limited than it would be if she were in a more populous area. Still, she's finding that local homeowners are interested in home performance. "I have three inspections scheduled for next week," she says. "The home performance work is getting me in the door of clients that might not have otherwise contacted me for my other services. Coming from an energy perspective, people are more open to it, and they're more educated about energy use."
England continues that education, carrying the torch of home performance in presentations at the library and Rotary Club, and with Realtors and brokers. Recently she even went to a local contractors show and just talked with individual attendees. "I got a great response and a lot of interest from the contractors. This is a grassroots effort that can change the housing industry," she says.
Live Green Realty Group
Bryon Minton started in real estate a decade ago. Since then he has worked as an agent and trained hundreds of agents for Century 21's Superstar franchise and for ERA. Last year, he and his wife, Joanna, started their own company—Live Green Realty Group, in Tustin, California.
Live Green Realty Group's mission—"Saving the Planet One Home at a Time"—is listed prominently on its Web site. To work toward this ambitious goal, Bryon knew he needed some pretty effective tools. First, he decided to have all his agents take the EcoBroker training. Certified EcoBrokers identify and market real estate properties with green features to the increasing number of buyers eager to purchase energy-efficient, healthy homes. The training familiarizes agents with the major environmental and energy issues that may arise in housing transactions.
Live Green Realty also does what it can to maximize a healthy office environment and minimize its carbon footprint by using sustainable materials and milk-based paints, by recycling, and even by turning the usual mountain of real estate closing documents into a paperless transaction. At the closing, clients are given a CD of all their home's important papers.
However, Minton was interested in finding yet better ways to meet customers' desire for a green home. Joanna Minton researched possibilities on the Internet and found the CBPCA Web site. "She told me the courses sounded like exactly what I needed," says Minton, "and they were. I was blown away by all the great information. It was such a wonderful education in those nine days."
Minton brought his knowledge and training back to the office, and the company began conducting home performance evaluations for its real estate clients. Live Green Realty offers a free evaluation to anyone who buys a house through the company. This gives clients sound guidelines for actions they can take to make their house healthier and more energy efficient. "The classes definitely give me an advantage over my competition," says Minton.
The home performance training is helping Minton to expand his professional contacts in other areas. Recently the California Association of Realtors (CAR) chose Minton as one of three participants in the state to attend a green roundtable meeting about green home issues. Headed by CAR's vice president, the event was covered in the association's magazine, which is sent to Realtors throughout the state—giving Minton's company broad exposure.
For a fee, Minton will conduct home performance evaluations for nonclients, but he has to fit them into his real estate schedule. As for contractors to recommend for remediation work, he's still looking. "In my area so far, it's hard to find home performance contractors to recommend to clients," he says. He's working with CBPCA to change that.
Asked if he has trouble finding green homes to sell, his answer is unequivocal. "Every home is a green home," he says. "By that I mean, there aren't many green homes available, but with a little home performance and a little time, they can be turned green."
Minton is happy to have home performance in his tool kit. "Now we encompass so much more than finding a healthy home for our clients," he says, "and it's great to have found a way to educate clients in such a simple manner. A few things can make such a difference in comfort, health, and energy savings."
No Matter What the Path, It's a Winning Game
Conversations with these four graduates of CBPCA's home performance training illustrated the very different paths that can lead from the training. They also highlighted some key benefits of the training—both for the individuals themselves and for the field of home performance:
- Noncontractor home professionals can use home performance training to expand their services to their existing client base.
- The training often gives noncontractors access to, and credibility with, highly qualified homeowners who would not otherwise be aware of ways to improve their home's performance.
- Home professionals who take home performance training but do not conduct remediation themselves can ally themselves with trained home performance contractors whom they can recommend to clients. The home performance contractors will provide quality assurance and help to ensure good customer relations. Some home professionals may move into contracting.
- Public awareness of the existence and benefits of home performance is increasing as more noncontractor home professionals discuss it with their clients.
Mark Wilson writes about energy and environmental issues from Nevada City, California. He can be reached at
For more information:
To find out more about the California Building Performance Contractors Association training and other
services, go to www.cbpca.org.
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Patriots: For Brady, it never gets old
FOXBORO — Tom Brady was 24 years old in his first season as a starter. It ended with a Super Bowl triumph.
Now he's 35 and without a championship in seven years.
Yet as the time he has left to win another title decreases, the 13-year veteran doesn't consider each new playoff chance more meaningful. For Brady, they're all very important.
"From the day we're born, I think we're always one day closer to dying, since we're a little kid," the New England Patriots quarterback said Thursday. "(But) I don't quite look at it like this chance means more.
"I know it's meaningful for our whole team, what we're attempting to accomplish," he said. "You don't take these things for granted. It's a privilege to be in this position that we're in and certainly one of four teams to have played well enough over the course of the year to deserve the first-round bye."
The Patriots (12-4) find out this weekend who they'll host in the divisional round on Jan. 13. The Houston Texans will be the opponent if they beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Saturday's AFC wild-card game. If the Texans lose, the Patriots will face the winner of Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts.
They've played all three this season, beating the Colts 59-24 and Texans 42-14. They lost to the Ravens 31-30.
Regardless of the opponent, preparations already have begun. Brady, in fact, brought a stack of papers into his weekly news conference on Thursday and set them on the podium.
"We've been working hard to figure out a bunch of things," he said. "There's a packet full of things we need to do better and things that we're really trying to work hard to improve on."
Brady will soon throw his first postseason pass since the final play of last season's Super Bowl, a desperation heave that fell incomplete in the end zone, clinching the New York Giants' 21-17 victory.
"I think every guy in the locker room wishes they could have done a little more," Brady said after the game.
The Patriots have a lot of work to do to get back to that spot, in New Orleans on Feb. 3. And bye weeks haven't always been a successful steppingstone. They had a bye in the 2010 season, then lost in the divisional round to the New York Jets, 28-21. The previous season, without a bye, they were beaten by the Baltimore Ravens 33-14 in the wild-card round. Both games were in Foxboro.
Clearly — week off or no week off, and even with home-field advantage — there are no guarantees in this league.
The Patriots were 6-2 at home this season, finishing with a 28-0 win over the Miami Dolphins in which Brady threw two touchdown passes and the defense posted its first shutout in three years.
"We've worked pretty hard to get to this point. I don't think you want to go in there and change everything," Brady said. "There is always pressure in this game. There's pressure in practice. There's pressure to make the team. There's pressure to keep your job. Certainly there's pressure to win games and that's what we're going to try to do." Brady was the Super Bowl MVP in wins over the St. Louis Rams in the 2002 season and the Carolina Panthers two years later. The following season, wide receiver Deion Branch earned the honor against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Before that game, Branch sat with former NFL stars Dan Marino and Cris Carter for a television show. Marino and Carter had just one Super Bowl appearance between them in tremendous careers.
"They were just looking at me like, 'You're playing in your second Super Bowl in your third year?' It was like they'd give up anything, all those records that these guys have, just to play in another Super Bowl," he said. "You should take full advantage of every opportunity because you never know if you get the opportunity again."
At 33, this may be Branch's last. He was released and re-signed twice by the Patriots this season. "Regardless if this is your first, second, third year or if it's your 10th or 11th," he said. "You never know if you'll make it back."
Brady has said he'd like to play into his 40s and shows no sign of faltering. He threw for 34 touchdowns and just eight interceptions this season and was the second highest-rated quarterback in the AFC, behind Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos.


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Professional semi-endearing obnoxious person Howard Stern has backtracked (not apologized, he clarifies) from ragging on professional semi-endearing obnoxious person Lena Dunham. After Girls co-star Jemima Kirke tipped Dunham off that Stern had called her "a little fat chick who sort of looks like Jonah Hill and keeps taking her clothes off," she called into his show yesterday to discuss their beefs and they discovered they're really not that different, after all. "I don't even know where to begin with all of this," he said. "The reason I felt so awful was because when Perez Hilton wrote his article, he told half the story... I started to compare you to Woody Allen... the whole thing came together for me."
She told him that she'd remain his fan regardless of how he felt, to which he responded: "I realize: not only am I addicted, but I totally get you. I'm in love with you and your character." Dunham: "I'm not that fat. I don't mean to take major issue with you about this. I'm not super-thin, but I'm thin for, like, Detroit."
"You're not obese or anything," he allowed.
SO LET IT BE WRITTEN. [Page Six, Us Weekly]
Today on the noted game show Real Life or Portlandia?, Skrillex leaned over his birthday cake and set his dumbass scene haircut on fire. Back to you, studio. [TMZ]
Highlights (mostly lowlights) from Jessica Simpson's appearance on Leno, who says that her second pregnancy WAS planned. By the Lord. ("It's just God's plan for my life.")
"The last time I kind of ate everything in sight. I guess I didn't realize you could gain that much weight that quickly … (I gained) a lot more than probably doctors recommend."
"I think [Weight Watchers] were as shocked [at the second pregnancy] as I was. But they were really supportive."
On the delayed wedding to fiancee Eric Johnson: "He keeps knocking me up! I'll just keep my legs crossed, I guess, this time." Hurk. WHEN is the last time she sang? Like, is she not basically a Kardashian at this point? [NYDN]
Although her family-oriented sitcom is nigh, she still wants nothing to do with dad Joe. [Radar Online]
Right before the Golden Globes, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart went on another "break," Pattinson's call. He wants to just be "good friends" so they can "focus on Twilight," the most important franchise of our time. On the next episode, he sleeps with the cute Xerox girl, and Kristen totally finds out (Audience track: Oooooooooh), and she's really mad, but he's all, "WE WERE ON A BREAK!!!!!11" (Audience track: ROFL!) [The Sun]
Comcast, which owns E! and NBC, slapped Chelsea Handler on the wrist after she made a joke sort of about Al Roker's pooping himself at the White House but mostly about Matt Lauer being an asshat: "This isn't the first time a Today show cast member was in the news about this sensitive subject. For years it was common knowledge that Matt Lauer spent every morning shitting all over Ann Curry."
Chelsea's writers were warned to lay off Matt [Lauer]. They don't want them making more fun of Matt and the Ann Curry situation right now." Lauer's been a public target since Curry was canned as co-host of "Today" and replaced by Savannah Guthrie.
[Page Six]
NBC reportedly wants Ann Curry off the air for six months. [Radar Online]
"That is a black African python. She's really nasty. Two years ago, one of those ate an 11-year-old boy in Africa." —Totally normal Tracy Morgan lives in a completely average house in New Jersey. [Page Six]
Las Vegas casinos are bidding on headliner Britney Spears. [TMZ
Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift are
tributes from District Blonde Country Crossover fighting to the death"not close." [Radar Online]
YES. Gina Gershon did some Everclear Jell-O shots and, um, "sang" a song by The Carpenters. [TMZ]
Elsewhere, Dita Von Teese sang and it wasn't as fun as Gina Gershon singing. [World of Wonder]
If you're in Austin:
We've learned Little Woodrow's in Austin is having a "Watch Oprah Ride Lance" viewing party.
We call that "class," ladies and gentlemen. [TMZ]
Professional senior citizen shit-stirrer Betty White turned 91 yesterday. [HuffPo]
Ellen Page got a 3-year restraining order against a stalker, Joshua Michael Myers. [TMZ]
You can stay on my pull-out couch, Cuba Gooding Jr.! [Page Six]
Sofia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon got tea in Beverly Hills and maybe discussed making a movie together. [Page Six]
Jamie Lynn Spears' boyfriend Jamie Watson: "I asked her the other night what the hell is taking so long." IN BED. BAM. No but actually he was referring to her stalled country-singing career. [Page Six]
Pretty Chace Crawford kissed a pretty girl at a bar and it was pretty. So pretty! [Page Six]
Kim Klardashium wants to be divorced from what's his name already. [People]
Connie Britton: "I never knew I could feel so guilty when I work 16 hours and I really don't get to spend enough time with my son. It's awful." Connie! She once came into my coffee shop and I took a creepy stealth-picture of her amazing UNICORN MANE. [People]
Emma Roberts introduced her boyfriend, American Horror Story's Evan Peters to her Aunt Julia Roberts, who I guess is a gaffer or craft services person or something?? [Us Weekly]
In the devastating wake of Bieberloss, Selena Gomez is already holding hands with a guy named Luke Bracy. [Us Weekly]
Here is Shakira and her baby bump in tasteful black and white. [Us Weekly]
Leann Rimes is sometimes afraid that Eddie Cibrian will cheat on her since he cheated with her. Double bind, that. And she mentions half-considering suicide last year when she checked into an inpatient facility. :-( [ABC News]
Tatyana Ali cries three times a day to "reduce bloating" and work on her core. Her favorite things are "bread pudding with chocolate and one night stands." Wait, she's awesome. [NYDN]


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5 free things to do in the Salt Lake City area
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah's internationally-acclaimed ski resorts are the main reason people visit Salt Lake City in the winter, but there are plenty of fun, free and interesting things to do in Salt Lake City while in the area and other times of year. Here's a sampling:
Utah's most-visited landmark, the granite-towered Temple Square invokes the mystery of Mormonism. The 35-acre square is the worldwide headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and features the church's sacred temple, one of the world's largest genealogy libraries and spectacular gardens. The square is open every day of the year from 9 a.m.- 9 p.m., and free tours are available in 30 different languages. Female church missionaries are happy to answer any questions.
The sacred temple — built over 40 years from 1853 to 1893 — is closed except to all but the most devoted churchgoers with a wallet pass. The temple is considered sacred to church members. At the Family History Library, genealogists will help you track down your family roots free of charge. The gardens within the square feature 250 flower beds with more than 700 different types of plants. They are redesigned every six months.
If you visit on a Thursday evening, you can catch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsing at 8 p.m. in the historic Tabernacle.
Built for a reported $1.6 billion in cash by the Mormon church to revitalize downtown Salt Lake City, it's the country's most modern outdoor shopping plaza. It has a trout stream meandering through the center and retractable roofs that keep the place warm during winter. Just don't call it a "mall," a sacrilege to the architects.
The shopping complex spans two city blocks and has outdoor walkways, plazas, fireplaces and metal sculpture. Waterfalls and fountains dot the village-like development, which includes condominiums and is joined by a pedestrian bridge over Main Street. There are more than 100 stores and restaurants, but don't come hoping to shop and dine on Sundays. The church-owned mall is closed on Sundays.
Built with the 2002 Winter Olympics in mind, Salt Lake City's light-rail network is free for passengers as it weaves through downtown. Riders can get to and from major attractions such as Temple Square, City Creek Center, Salt Lake City Library, Energy Solutions Arena and the Gateway for free. An extension leading to the airport is expected to open this spring, but trips on that section will cost riders.
The last trains run anywhere from 11:30 to midnight Monday through Saturday and up till about 9 p.m. on Sundays.
Making this library more than a place to read was the goal of renowned architect Moshe Safdie.
"My ambition was for it to be the best library in the world," he said.
Safdie designed a six-story crescent of concrete and glass with vaulted ceilings is a place that invites people to linger. It has a cafe, shops, high-speed Internet connections, art exhibits that turn over every six weeks, film lectures and occasional live music.
The $65 million building, with a roller-coaster look, has a 360-degree view of the city and mountains and a rooftop garden. A curving ramp — the library's signature outdoor feature — winds up to the garden.
Recently ranked Utah's best museum, it's a four-time recipient of funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation. The museum is now featuring works by up-and-coming Utah artists Siren Bliss and Megan Geckler, and other exhibits by Jonathan Horowitz.
The second Saturday of each month the museum hosts a family arts event in which children and parents are led through creative art projects by trained artists. The museum has a gallery devoted to local artists, and an artist-in-residency program that allows artists to hone their craft while gaining inspiration from the art around them. A new exhibit called "Analogital" is set to open on Jan. 18. The collection looks at art forms that have emerged during the culture's conversion from film grain to computer pixel. It will feature artists such as Eva and Marco Mattes and Christian Jankowski.
Visitors can see most of the works in 30 minutes, but museum spokeswoman Sarina Ehrgott recommends an hour so that people can take the time to spend time and understand each piece. "It's really quite thought-provoking if someone were to take the time," Ehrgott said.


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Rat Worx (Research And Testing Worx, Inc.) is known in the industry as a class II firearms manufacturer. Rat Worx complies with all Federal, State, and Local laws. Rat Worx does not sell "Ghost Guns" or similar products. DISCLAIMER: "STEYR" is a trademark of STEYR ARMS GmbH and is one of many trademarks owned and/or registered by STEYR ARMS, Inc. or STEYR ARMS GmbH. Neither Research And Testing Worx, Inc., nor this site are affiliated in any manner with, or otherwise endorsed by, STEYR ARMS, Inc. or STEYR ARMS GmbH. The use of "STEYR" on this page is merely to advertise the sale of STEYR firearms, parts, or components. For additional genuine STEYR ARMS, Inc. and STEYR ARMS GmbH products and parts visit https://www.steyr-arms.com/us/.
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The Wine emulator, which is used to run Windows programs on Unix-like systems such as Linux and OS X, is being ported to Android.
Wine project leader Alexandre Julliard delivered a keynote yesterday at the FOSDEM open source conference in Brussels, where he did a "brief showing of Wine on Android," reports the tech news site Phoronix. Performance in the demo was reported to be "horrendously slow," but that was at least partly because Julliard was using an emulated version of Android on a laptop rather than an Android phone or tablet.
Wine, by the way, stands for "Wine Is Not an Emulator," although the Wine wiki notes that it is more accurate to say "Wine is not just an emulator" because it does more than simple emulation.
Julliard has led development of Wine since 1994 and is an employee of CodeWeavers, which sells a proprietary Windows emulator based on the open source software. It's hard to imagine running a Windows application on an Android smartphone, but it might make sense for tablets—or Android-based PCs and thin clients. (There are already ways to run Android apps on Windows.)
Wine on Android is not entirely surprising, since Android is Linux-based, and there was already a project to bring Wine to ARM processors.
"While Wine is coming to ARM and there's quite a lot of interest there, CodeWeavers is quite interested and hopeful for the success of Intel x86 Atom CPUs for tablets," Phoronix founder Michael Larabel wrote. "If Android gains traction on x86-based tablets and other mobile devices, CodeWeavers has a lot of commercial opportunities for pushing the running of Windows software on Android."
There's no word yet on when the Wine port for Android will be ready for prime time. However, it's not the only project bringing Windows applications to Android. If you're itching to play some '90s-era Windows games on your Android device, check out Winulator on the Google Play store.


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Top Ted Dekker Books to Read Online
Below is a list of all-time favourite Ted Dekker pdf books collected from various renowned sources: Gutenberg project, Goodreads etc. The counters while making the list comprises of book rating, reviews, views, Author popularity and many more. Please feel free to contact us for any suggestions or corrections.


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Ice Climber Falls Entire Pitch, Dies
Runout results in fatal fall.
The frozen northwest flank of Mount Dennis near Field, Alberta, Canada, houses the "Beer Routes," a collection of steep and imposing lines such as Pilsner
Pillar (III WI 6), Carlsberg Column (III WI 5) and Cascade Kronenbourg (III WI 6). Nestled among these testpieces is the inviting and popular 800-foot
moderate Guinness Gully (II WI 4), which consists of three pitches of vertical ice separated by low-angle snow hiking.
On March 30, Ivo Minkov, 28, and Janice Nguyen, 24, left their homes in Calgary at 7:30 a.m. and began the approach at approximately 11:00 a.m. At first,
they confused the descent gully for the actual climb and did not realize their mistake until 1:30 p.m. when they found a tree with a fixed rappel station.
They had accidentally hiked to the top of Guinness Gully.
The two rappelled 60 meters from the tree. Minkov rappelled first and just barely reached the snow slab at the base of the third pitch. Nguyen, the lighter
of the two, reached the end of the ropes, about six feet above the ground. Minkov handed her a screw, which she placed, then made a second, short rappel
to reach the ledge, where she clipped into a two-screw anchor.
Minkov started up the pitch, using the screw Nguyen had placed as his first piece of protection. He climbed an additional 20 feet to an obvious stance
and placed a screw beneath the steepest part of the pitch. About a body length above the screw, Minkov began tiring. He placed another screw and clipped
into it directly to rest. In the ensuing 20 feet, Minkov placed three screws, resting on all of them and commenting to Nguyen that the hard ice was
particularly strenuous to protect.
After his fourth rest, about 90 feet above the belay, Minkov surmounted the steepest section of the pitch. He disappeared from Nguyen's view and earshot
and she fed out slack until she reached the ends of the 60-meter double ropes, at which point she felt a tug on the ropes. Soon after, Minkov, who
was approximately 90 feet above his last screw, plummeted down the pitch and landed on the ledge about 30 feet to Nguyen's left. Minkov died on impact.
BECAUSE NGUYEN had fed out all 60 meters of the rope, it is likely that at the time of his fall, Minkov was at, or very close to, the tree anchor he had
rappelled from earlier. The upward pull might have indicated that Minkov needed slack to reach the fixed slings or was attempting to clip them. Though
we will never know what caused Minkov to fall, it's possible he simply slipped or lost his balance. Also, given that Minkov had hung four times, he
was on a route that was above his ability. Perhaps he fell from the upper slab because he was shaken by the steep climbing and lost his concentration
and his footing.
The team that recovered Minkov's body found two of his ice screws lying in the snow beneath the climb, presumably having been dropped. The recovery
team also found one screw on Minkov's harness. Perhaps he was saving that screw to back up the belay, but it is also possible he forgot it was attached
to his harness. Regardless, Minkov did not adequately protect the easier upper portion of the pitch.
Ice climbers experience difficulties that are not expressed in Waterfall Ice ratings. Sometimes ice conditions are favorable, making routes feel easy.
However, other times the ice may be unfavorable and climbers should probably select easier routes or simply turn around. Because ice screws are generally
not as reliable as bolts, nuts and cams, they are not ideal for hangdogging, especially in an alpine setting. If you drop pro or find yourself on terrain
that is too difficult to climb without resting, consider retreating by down-climbing to safer terrain or lowering off an equalized two-screw anchor
or a v-thread. Come back when conditions are better, with a guide or more experienced partner, or when you have gained fitness and experience. Also,
because ice has a friction co-efficient of near zero, a fall even on a slab is nearly as severe as free falling down a vertical section. Don't underestimate
the danger of ice slabs—protect them!


text: Deadeye Gun & Pawn is a locally owned class 3 (FFL/SOT) firearms dealer! Being a class 3 firearms dealer we can legally sell and handle paperwork for silencers, SBS (short barreled shotguns), SBR (short barreled rifles) and machine guns (full-auto) to anyone who can legally own a firearm. We carry several different brands of silencers in stock at all times. We also have one of the biggest supply of AR-15 parts (compete uppers, stripped & complete lowers, build kits and misc. parts in Southwest Missouri. We carry a huge range of ammo both common and hard to find.


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