text:
So, the all-the-rage Christmas gift this past year was apparently the Fitbit or it's cousin the Jawbone. If you're unfamiliar with these little devices, they are designed to help you keep track of your healthy habits. Or so they tout. Personally, I don't get it, but I've noticed a lot more people in my zumba class with these little babies strapped to their wrists.
Now, if you are a lover of these technological devices, and they are "working" for you, please don't be offended by this post. I love that you're working on getting or staying healthy. For me, they seem like a gimmick.
First of all, the only people I see wearing these things look like this:
If you look like this, you are already are a fit bit of feminie loveliness. You are already doing all of the right things and you don't need a fancy schmancy device to let you know it. Just carry on you well-toned beautiful women. I love and hate you all.
The number one problem I see right off the bat with a device like this is – you have to remember to put the thing on. That's going to mess up quite a few people.
Assuming you remember to strap it on, it's my understanding that these thingeys tell you the amount of steps you've taken. I'm not sure why that's important. I mean, let's face it, if I've had my ass in a chair all day writing, or in the sofa watching TV or reading, I can pretty much guarantee you that I haven't taken more than about 16 steps, and those were undoubtedly to the refrigerator for a snack. I really don't need a device to keep track of that or to remind me of my lethargy. Likewise, if I've been working out or jogging I can say, with some certainty based on how much my muscles are screaming and the amount of sweat pouring off my weary body, that I have experienced a good work-out. I don't really care how many steps I've taken; I feel good that I've worked out.
The next problem is that these devices don't hold you accountable. I mean if you set a goal to take 5,000 steps every day, nothing happens if you fall short. If I wear the thing all day and then check my stats when I get home and I've only taken 1,100 steps and my goal was 5,000, am I going to go run 16 miles to make up the deficit? Hell no! I'm just going to say, "screw it, I'll walk more tomorrow," and go to bed.
Now, what would be really helpful is if those little wristbands thingeys had pre-recorded messages. What would be exceptionally motivating is for a really annoying voice, like Gilbert Godfry or someone equally nasally and whiny, to say something like, "get moving lard ass," every time I sat in one place for more than about 10 minutes. Or, "you're slowing down fatso," when I switch the treadmill from jog to walk. That would be motivating. However, I do see a potential problem with this, especially if you're working out at a gym or other public place. You would not want that thing going off and have somebody other than yourself thinking it was directed at them. No sirree, I would not want some Rambo over in free weights to come over and konk me on the head with a 200 pound barbell because my Fitbit offended him.
Although . . . if he looked like that guy . . . maybe a visit wouldn't be so bad. Hmmmm.
But I digress. Maybe instead of a pre-recorded message, a squirt of pepper spray to the face every hour could be used. I mean nothing would get me moving faster than pepper spray in my face. Think of the amount of steps you'd take with that crap on your skin. You couldn't run to the shower fast enough and you'd be dancing a jig the whole time you were in there. Or, every so often a shock treatment like a taser blast could go off to remind you to get up and drink some water. That would get me hopping out of my chair for sure.
That's right, these puppies supposedly will keep track of how much water I've drank during the day. Hmmm. Is that necessary? If I fill my glass 4 times then I can pretty much rely on the fact that I've had 4 glasses of water that day. And, taking this one step farther, if I know that my glass is 20 ounces, and I fill it 4 times, then I've had – say it with me – 80 ounces of water that day. No device required. And how does that thing distinguish between water and gatorade, or soda, or . . . oh I don't know . . . wine? 'Cuz, if it measured wine in-take I'd pretty much meet my quota every single day.
And, supposedly, they keep track of your sleeping habits (again – if you remember to wear them). At the risk of sounding redundant, what is the point of this? If I wake up at 3:00 in the morning and lay there awake for 2 hours, my clock will give me the same information as that little plastic strap on my wrist. I don't need a device to let me know that I was awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night. Contrarily, if I wake up refreshed, having slept straight through the night, I don't need to check my wrist to see how I've slept. This "feature," makes no sense to me.
I'm thinking a much better electronic device to invest in to ensure good health is one that requires you to solve a trigonometry problem before you can open the cookie jar. Or do 20 jumping jacks before the refrigerator door will open. I'm thinking that would successfully solve this problem:
How about your dear readers, do you have a Fitbit, Jawbone or similar device? Do you like it? What gadgets would be helpful in your life to keep you fit and healthy?
Fun fact about me: I am not really into fancy techy gadgets.
Word of the Day: Vugh (alternate spelling)
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, January 2015. Photos courtesy Google Images.


text:
When being in tune with God a believer has made a choice to come closer to God and to try to be one with the Maker of all things. that person as such has made a decision which let him take an action or do a work.
Possibly that person came to take his actions by what he read and understood from writings written long ago. Those old scriptures have brought guidance and insight to that person so that he could make a choice. It even could be that at the beginning it was not so easy to go through and to continue searching, because many people would have opposed his or her actions to search the Scriptures. And the person became confronted with words which did not always seem so nice and where cutting deep into the heart.
We must be aware that the Word of God is not a passive word. It is much alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it is able to penetrate even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. The reader will not only be confronted with himself but also will find judgement over himself, which shall not always be received so nicely. God knowing the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, shall give clear signs. Though we would love to hide many things for others and for God, we must know that nothing can be hidden from God's sight, everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Heb 4:12-13 The Disciple's Bible (12) For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. (13) And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Psa 139:2 The Disciple's Bible (2) Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off.
Jer 17:10 The Disciple's Bible (10) I, Yahweh, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
It was through the Word (Logos) that the world(s) were framed – that is, they came into existence. (Genesis 1.1ff; Psalm 33.9) By the speaking of God everything was created. From the moment God created He had a plan with His creation. In it fitted man who got to hear His Word. This creature had to get to know that by the Word of God everything is sustained and held in its natural order.
Gen 1:1-3 The Disciple's Bible (1) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (2) And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
2Pe 3:2-7 The Disciple's Bible (2) that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior: (3) knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come, walking after their own lusts, (4) and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (5) For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; (6) by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: (7) but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
God created the soul (the being of man) so that in his heart could be hidden His Word, which heals and delivers. If this Word is hidden in the heart –it will prevent – hold off – put a stop to "sin", the going against the Will of God.
We must be confronted with the Word (σπερμα = sperma/seed of God) which goes in – deep into our heart (into your DNA) remarks Soterios, who calls herself a 'Lover of Jesus Christ' and bibliophile. She writes:
– into good fertile soil – it will yield fruit à it will restructure the way you think (which will be reflected in the way you speak and what you do/actions) à resulting in increase, and bring forth an abundant harvest (some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred fold!!!) {Do You Know The Word?}
Already from early at the beginning man had to make choices. In the Garden of Eden Eve tempted Adam to go with her into an other way than their Creator had asked them to follow. Though God wanted to help them and provided a solution for the future and gave them His Word of promise and the Word of Guidance.
From the early times we can see there where people who wanted to listen to God's Voice and continue their way in the manner God wanted from them. They were taught virtues they should have and today we still can use the same Scriptures to teach us those virtues. It guides us in how to think, act, and changes our spirits from within, helping us turn away from our sinful natures and towards the One who offers salvation for us all.
The Bible also distingueshes what is natural ("soul") and what is spiritual ("spirits"), as well as the thoughts (reflections) and intents (insights) of a person. The word of God exposes the natural and spiritual motivations of a believer's heart. {The Living Word of God}
We all have our soul, our human form, the body with life in it. But being alive does not yet mean we do have true life in it. It also does not mean when we are walking around in this world that we shall have a worthwhile life nor a life which shall become our entrance to an never ending life. In our body we have our mind working and giving us the ability to recognise things and to think. How we use our brains shall be a decisive part for our further life. We can be guided by natural and spiritual motivations which shall be known to the Most High Maker of everything.
Lots of people have grown up in one or another climate of religiousness or atheist visions. We are born in a culture and are brought up with a certain cultural background and when born in a religious family we have been nourished with the doctrines of the parents their religion. people sometimes do find themselves caught up in their parents religion and look for ways to escape from what they find the dark hollow shell. Growing older we may come to be more conscious of what we can accomplish. it also can well be that we shall realize how much power we possess. Though still we have so many uncertainties.
When growing up in a church certain elements seem so evident, often because we do not want to think about them. But should we not question more what we believe? Is it not often that we start centring our own believes around ourself?
I think it's one of the possible curses you get from growing up in a church context your whole life. Most of the time you go one of two ways: you get super self-righteous or you ditch the whole thing. I took that first path. My religion became man-centered. Not around me, but around others. {Following Jesus For Other People to See vs. Having a Good Witness}
Many in such churches go saying those things others like to hear.
I do my Christianity so other people can see. I say things that people want to hear. I do things that people want to see. There's a fine line between "having a good witness" and "following Jesus for other people to see."
Being a Christian should mean "being a follower of rabbi Jeshua, Jesus Christ from Nazareth". But in many Christian denominations we do see that the teachings have gone far away from the teachings of Jesus the Messiah. In lots of churches they made Jesus in to their god and worship in front of graven images, pictures, crosses and statues. Idolatry crept in. And for the Word of God, the reading from the scriptures only a few minutes per service are spend for that.
Fear of man drives a lot of our actions, whether it's an active decision like the Pharisees or something subconscious we just go to. And there's sometimes fear is justified. If someone comes at me with fists ready to fly, and I have no business fighting him and I'm freaked out, I'm running. No question there, I will submit to my fear of that man.
continues the writer who calls himself not a risk taker {A Little Less Self-Control, A Little More Self-Control} He knows that having not enough self-control is at the heart of all giving into temptation. Though human beings very often are attracted by many tempting things.
God cannot be tempted, but even the son of God got tempted many times. He knew very well the Scriptures and read regularly in them and regularly quoted them. He gave an example for his disciples to follow that Word of god. He managed to do not his own will (which he would have done when he would have been God himself), but tried to full-fill the Will of God and demands his followers to do likewise.
Everybody needs to grow in their self-control and God has provided the tools for it.
Logical thinking, reflection and meditation may help to lead man to know himself better and to come closer to certain truths. As they use logic to define their doctrine and interpret scripture they also can be come caught up in human doctrines, and become chained by lies. In case they would take the bible serious and take the words for what they mean and how they are written they would see much clearer.
God, being a God of order and not of confusion, did not make His words too complicated for ordinary man to understand them.
The resource and network that says to connect individuals and churches to 'sound doctrine of the Christian faith' writes:
With so many teachings being passed around and so many new religions and cults coming and going throughout history we need to be sure we hold to sound doctrine and the truths recorded in scripture. There are some other religions that claim to view the bible as divine but then use other sources to add to it or interpret it making their other outside sources equal to scripture in essence. Yet these different religions do not believe the same things and in many ways contradict each other in what they teach about the bible. {Scripture Alone}
Much too often in many denominations we can see too much focus is laid outside the Bible. though we should know that the Bible itself is the Best Teaching tool we can have. Only Scripture has the full right to claim to be of divine inspiration; not man.
2Ti 3:16 The Disciple's Bible (16) Every scripture [is] God-breathed, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness:
Neh 9:20 The Disciple's Bible (20) Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
Isa 41:17-20 The Disciple's Bible (17) The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I, Yahweh, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. (18) I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. (19) I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the fir-tree, the pine, and the box-tree together: (20) that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of Yahweh hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
As wretched and needy lots of people today are looking for answers. They are thirsty for what they do not seem to get to know. Those who want to look for the truth and seriously want to find God, Jehovah the Only One God of gods, is willing to answer. There is none other than Him Who can give us the best reply to the many questions we may have. Jehovah the God of Israel will not forsake them that are eager to find Him. He wants man to find Him and has given the world His Word, written down by His men, so that many may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Elohim has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.
It is up to man to make the choice and to come to see what is written in those many Words God has given. Therefore he should come to read them. No Christian sshould have to confess that they just followed the rest of their church because they took their words for granted. They all shall have to make sure that those church members did not follow cunningly devised fables. They all should look up at the apostles and follow also their teaching, in the knowledge that when they made known to the members of their meetings the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, had become eyewitnesses of his majesty. For Jesus received from God the Father honour and glory, when there was borne such a voice to Him by the excellent glory, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I have found delight" .
2Pe 1:16-17 The Disciple's Bible (16) For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (17) For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased:
The Voice sounding then was the same Voice that sounded at the beginning of the universe and all those years after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Some two thousand years ago the apostles also could hear that Voice which was borne out from heaven, which they also heard, when they were with Jesus at the holy mount. They too got the prophetic word more sure; to which we do well taking heed in our hearts, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in our hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture comes of its own interpretation. For the prophecy was borne not at any time by the desire of man: but … men from God spoke as they were borne along by Divine power.
2Pe 1:19-21 The Disciple's Bible (19) And we have the word of prophecy [made] more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: (20) knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. (21) For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spake, being moved along by the Holy Spirit.
The WordPress site "The Body of Christ" reminds us:
Scripture itself acknowledges the fact that it can and will be misinterpreted and misunderstood; which is why it says to test everything and praise when correctly understood (1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11). The test of truth is tested against the authority of scripture and not any other source. Traditions, Confessions, and other teachings are completely dependent on agreement with scripture (Colossians 2:8). If they contradict scripture, because of the authority of scripture over them; they are declared a heresy (2 Timothy 4:2). Jude makes it clear that scripture is the only source of divine truth (Jude 1:3). {Scripture Alone}
Jesus always gave the authority to God's Word and not his own words, like he also said he could do nothing of his own but let God do His work by him. (John 8:40,44,45; John 5:17-27)
Jehovah has prepared His throne for judgment; and He will judge the world in righteousness, ministering judgment to the people in uprightness. He has given His Word so that His Holy Name shall be know all over the world and shall make that people will put their trust in Him, the Most Almighty who does not forsake them that seek Him. (Psalm 9:7-14)
God condescends himself and his truths so that man can understand them. He makes himself absolutely clear as he sees fit through scripture (Deuteronomy 30:11-14). Scripture helps guide and lead men in God's Will because it is right, truth, and a light in life and enlightening the heart to see the things of God through scripture (Psalm 119:105,130).
Paul makes it clear there are no hidden messages that have to be decoded (2 Corinthians 1:13-14). And if people who don't understand but genuinely study scripture, God will make things clear (Philippians 3:15-16). He tells Timothy that it is Scripture that is what is "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:14-17); therefore it is clearly understood to be "profitable… for every good work". {Scripture Alone}
We should not have to look far away for finding the right answers. We all can find it at our fingertips. Nearly everywhere the Bible can be found.
Take it up, read it, hear it, study and think about it.
some quotes from the Holy Scriptures itself to confirm what is said in this article above. Words to consider and to take at heart.
Bible, sword of the Spirit to come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man
Bijbel, zwaard van de Geest in de eenheid van het geloof en van de kennis van de Zoon van God om tot een volkomen mens te komen
Bible, épée de l'Esprit à venir dans l'unité de la foi et de la connaissance du Fils de Dieu
Bibel, Schwert des Geistes, in die Einheit des Glaubens und der Erkenntnis des Sohnes Gottes
Additional reading:
- Genesis – Story of creation 5 Genesis 3:1-12 Eating of the fruit-tree of knowledge
- The very very beginning 2 The Word and words
- Philosophy hand in hand with spirituality
- Science, belief, denial and visibility 1
- Fools despise wisdom and instruction
- Looking at three "I am" s
- Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
- Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #3 Callers upon God
- Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #7 Prayer #5 Listening Ear
- Challenging claim 3 Inspired by God 2 Inerrant Word of God
- Necessity of a revelation of creation 4 Getting understanding by Word of God 2
- Bible in the first place #2/3
- Bible, God's Word to edify (ERV)
- Looking for wisdom not departing from God's Word
- The holy spirit will bring back to your minds all the things told
- True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
- Words to inspire and to give wisdom
- Eternal Word that tells everything
- Bric-a-brac of the Bible
- We should use the Bible every day
- Feed Your Faith Daily
- May reading the Bible provoke us into action to set our feet on the narrow way
- Hearing words to accept
- Genuine message of salvation
- God who knows the heart
- Bible, God speaking words profitable for doctrine, for reproof and for correction
- Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit
- God Helper and Deliverer
- Gods promises
- Gods salvation
- Gods measure not our measure
- No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
- God doesn't call the qualified
- Change
- Prophets making excuses
- Testify of the things heard
- L'esprit saint vous rappellera toutes les choses dites
- Vrai Dieu donne Sa Parole pour obtenir la sagesse
- La Bible, Parole de Dieu poussés par l'Esprit-Saint pour enseigner, pour convaincre et pour corriger
- Bible, casque du salut, témoignage de Dieu en vue de la perfection pour l'édification utile pour enseigner, pour convaincre, pour corriger et pour instruire
- Bijbel, Gods Woord ingegeven nuttig tot lering, tot bestraffing, tot verbetering en tot onderwijzing
- Bijbel, Gods Woord ingegeven nuttig tot lering, tot bestraffing, tot verbetering en tot onderwijzing
- Het woord van de Ware God gegeven voor wijsheid te vergaren
- Bijbel, Gods Woord tot opvoeding (NBG51)
- De heilige geest zal alle dingen welke gezegd zijn in herinnering terugbrengen
- Hele Skrif deur God geïnspireer om in die waarheid te onderrig en dwaling te bestry
- Die helper, die heilige gees sal julle alles leer en julle herinner
- Der heilige Geist wird euch an alle Dinge erinnern
- Wahren Gott gibt sein Wort für immer Weisheit
- Bibel Gott redet Worte zu unserer Belehrung geschrieben
- Die helper, die heilige gees sal julle alles leer en julle herinner
- Der heilige Geist wird euch an alle Dinge erinnern
- Wahren Gott gibt sein Wort für immer Weisheit
- Bibel Gott redet Worte zu unserer Belehrung geschrieben
- Bibel, Helm des Heils, nütze zur Lehre, zur Strafe, zur Besserung und zur Züchtigung

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Suppose you have just taken an award-winning photo with perfect composition, great exposure, and a Pulitzer Prize-worthy subject. Or, at the very least, you've managed to avoid the five most common photo mistakes, and you want to hang the result in the living room.
In the old days, photo printing was left to the professionals who developed our film. These days, though, we often print our digital photos at home, on our own equipment. All our hard work is for naught if we don't take care during the printing process. That means we have to master the art of photo printing.
This week, I've got five tips to help you get better results from your inkjet photo printer.
1. Choose the Right Print Size
Computers are obedient machines: You can tell your PC to print a photo at any size and it'll comply. That doesn't mean the results will be any good, though. You need enough pixels in your image file for the printed-out photo to be sharp at the desired print size. There are a lot of factors that go into print quality, but it's safe to say that you need at least 200 dots per inch (dpi) for acceptable image quality, and at least 300 dpi for excellent print quality. But what does that mean, and how can you figure out the best print size for a particular photo?
You can ignore any properties in your photo editing program that report a particular dpi value or recommend a particular print size; that's hogwash. Instead, just do this: Determine the maximum recommended print size by dividing the photo's pixel size by 200 (or 300 for higher-quality prints).
Not sure how many pixels are in your photo? Right-click the image file's icon, choose Properties, and click the Details tab. You should see the width and height listed in pixels. (Or, if you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can just click a photo's icon and look for the information in the details pane at the bottom of the folder.)
Suppose your photo measures 2000 by 3400 pixels. Divide each dimension by 200, and you get 10 by 17. That means you could print the photo as large as 10 by 17 inches and get acceptable results. If you want a higher-quality printout, divide the pixel size by 300. That gives you 6 by 11, which means you should print it no larger than about 5 by 7 inches for the best results.
Of course, this is approximate; a lot of other factors affect photo quality. This technique, however, gives you a good rule of thumb for deciding whether a photo will print well.
2. Choose the Right Paper
You can get some stunning photos from modern inkjet printers, but not just any paper will do. Plain paper, for example, absorbs the ink. This washes out the colors and destroys fine detail, reducing the print's overall sharpness. It's fine for text, and you can use it to print drafts of your digital images. For best results, use the printer manufacturer's recommended photo paper.
Of course, you're still not out of the woods. Photo paper comes in a variety of formats. The most common varieties are glossy and semi-glossy (also called matte). Glossy is exactly what it sounds like: It's shiny and gives your photos a resounding visual punch. Glossy paper is very reflective, though, and it can generate glare in direct sunlight. It also smudges easily. If you want a less reflective, less smudgy alternative, consider matte. It's not quite as sharp as glossy paper, and fine detail can get lost in the surface–but, personally, I like the freckled finish of matte paper.
3. Stick With the Manufacturer's Ink
I might not win any popularity contests by saying this, but I highly recommend using the ink recommended (and sold) by your printer's manufacturer.
Printers aren't stand-alone gadgets that work with any fluid you pour into them, like oil in a car engine. They're engineered to work best with specific ink formulations, and using "remanufactured" or refilled ink cartridges will result in lower-quality prints. This can be especially obvious when you're printing photos.
4. Verify the Print Settings
When you're ready to print a photo, double-check all the important settings. You might think that's obvious, but you'd be surprised how often you get lousy prints because some of these settings are loopy.
Is the paper loaded correctly? Photo paper is designed to be printed on a particular side. If you print on the wrong side, the ink won't absorb properly, and your photo won't look good.
Did you set the right paper type and ink type in the print settings dialog? Be sure those settings match the specs on the box. It's not so bad if you configure the printer for premium paper and quality ink when printing on plain paper, but you definitely don't want the printer to think you're using plain paper or draft settings when outputting to high-quality photo paper.
5. Maintain Your Printer
Take good care of your printer. Inkjet printers have finicky print nozzles that occasionally clog and need to be cleaned. Every month or two, it's a good idea to run your printer's print head cleaning and print head alignment utilities (usually available from the printer options in the Windows Control Panel). And you shouldn't let your printer go unused for weeks at a time. Even if you have a printer that's intended just for photos, I highly recommend printing on it at least once a week whether you need to or not. That keeps the nozzles from gumming up, which can spell disaster.
Hot Pic of the Week
Get published, get famous! Each week, we select our favorite reader-submitted photo based on creativity, originality, and technique.
Here's how to enter: Send us your photograph in JPEG format, at a resolution no higher than 640 by 480 pixels. Entries at higher resolutions will be immediately disqualified. If necessary, use an image editing program to reduce the file size of your image before e-mailing it to us. Include the title of your photo along with a short description and how you photographed it. Don't forget to send your name, e-mail address, and postal address. Before entering, please read the full description of the contest rules and regulations.
This Week's Hot Pic: "Grasshopper," by John Litto, Dyer, Indiana
John captured this grasshopper while it was sitting on the sidewalk outside his house.
This Week's Runner-Up: "Web King of the Flower" by Chrystal Lambly, Brown Summit, North Carolina
Chrystal writes: "I used a Canon PowerShot just with natural lighting, and I sat beneath the flower to get this perspective."
To see last month's winners, visit our October Hot Pics slide show. Visit the Hot Pics Flickr gallery to browse past winners.
Have a digital photo question? E-mail me your comments, questions, and suggestions about the newsletter itself. And be sure to sign up to have Digital Focus e-mailed to you each week.


text:
It may notcome in time for Oktoberfest, but the world's first beer to be certified forconsumption in space will soon undergo tests in weightlessness to see if it isbrewed with the right stuff.
Astronauts4Hire,a non-profit space research corporation, will conduct the tests on anAustralian beer that has been brewed specifically for easy drinking in both microgravity environments, as well as here on Earth.
The beer wasproduced as a joint venture between Saber Astronautics Australia, a new spaceengineering firm, and the Australian 4 Pines Brewing Company, located in Manly,a suburb of northern Sydney.
Thedevelopment of space beer is intended to coincide with the burgeoning spacetourism industry, and as the market expands, industry leaders areanticipating a demand for such products.
So how doyou test space beer without a rocket? Drink it, of course.
Testing forthe new space beer is set to begin in November on board Zero GravityCorporation's modified Boeing aircraft, which flies a seriesof parabolic arcs that simulate environments of weightlessness.
AnAstronauts4Hire flight member will act as the primary flight operator. Theresearcher will perform various experiments ? such as sample the beer duringweightless parabolas ? and record biometric data on body temperature, heartrate and blood alcohol content.
Data willalso be collected on the taste of the beverage and its drinkability duringweightlessness.
This will bethe first in a series of similar test flights that will be required to qualifythe brew for consumption in space. The project is funded in part by 4 PinesBrewing Company's sales on Earth.
This isn'tthe first time that beer and space have met.
In 2006, theJapanese brewery Sapporo teamed up with Okayama University in Okayama, Japan,and the Russian Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Moscow, to create aspecial brand of limited space beer.
The brew, calledSpace Barley, was prepared using barley grown from seeds that had flown forfive months on the International Space Station.
In the past,NASA has also sponsored studies on space beer, and whether or not the popularbeverage can be brewed in space. Under current policies, however, alcoholremains forbidden on the International Space Station.
One study,done in conjunction with the University of Colorado, found some puzzlingresults about how yeast ferments in microgravity environments. The researchers,who announced their findings in 2001, discovered that yeast fermented withgreater efficiency in their sample of space beer, making it more alcoholic.
Otherstudies have examined the type of container that would be needed to maintainthe drink's carbonation in spite of the extreme pressure and temperature changes that accompany a ride into space.
- Top 10 SpaceFoods
- 6 Private Companies That Could LaunchHumans Into Space
- Video ? The Zero G Coffee Cup


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Seagate is by far the largest hard drive manufacturer but even their hard drives are susceptible to physical crashes, manufacturing defects, and user error. Every year CBL successfully retrieves thousands of Seagate hard drives containing terabytes of important data or otherwise irreplaceable material.
Having a data loss problem arise, especially in an environment where attention to detail and deadlines are critical to your work, can be detrimental and business affecting, not to mention client affecting. Even home users with endless amounts of photos and home movies stored on their Seagate FreeAgent external hard drive can feel the stress and worry which comes with data loss. With over 15 years of experience in retrieving data from Seagate hard drives, CBL understands your need for receiving prompt, effective data recovery services. With the quality services provided by CBL, your business will be back up and running and your deadlines met.
The Seagate Data Recovery Process
The Seagate data recovery Singapore process for your data can begin with our online data recovery form or, by simply calling toll-free 6588-0261 and speaking with one of our customer care professionals. Your CBL recovery professional will step you through a series of questions to determine the likelihood of data recoverability, potential costs involved and guide you through the process. Depending on the type of data recovery service you choose, your data could be recovered in as little as 24 hours.
As soon as the Seagate hard drive is received, it is immediately logged into our system. At this point, you will receive a call from your CBL customer care professional who will confirm receipt of the unit and gather any further information required by our CBL laboratory engineers. The hard drive is then quickly sent to the Seagate Service Centre Singapore for evaluation. During this evaluation stage, whenever possible, a copy of your media is made. As one of CBL's founding policies, we make sure that the original data and media are never compromised in any way. Once the evaluation is complete, your customer care professional will contact you to inform you of the Seagate warranty, the evaluation results and we will follow up with a written quotation for your approval.
When the data is recovered, it is taken through a strict quality control process to ensure it is in a usable format. Your data is returned to you in the media of your choice. In most cases, DVD-ROM's are utilized but an external USB hard disk can also be provided. In some cases, CBL can send data back via FTP transfer. This allows you to download data from our servers quickly and securely.
To begin the data recovery process for your Seagate hard drive feel free to submit a request online. You can also speak with a customer care professional to get further information and a project ID number.
Call us right now to begin your data recovery process at 6588-0261.
A Special Note to Seagate Customers
While many computer hobbyists and smaller data recovery firms will attempt recovery processes following steps found in various videos on YouTube, CBL possesses the techniques and technology to go beyond these troubleshooting steps and retrieve data that could not otherwise be obtained. Less than 5% of all Seagate hard drives received by CBL during 2009 were the 'bricked' firmware problems associated with Seagate 7200.11 units. The vast majority of units received were hard drives with damage to the media surface and subsequently their read/write heads, due to initial problems arising from the defect map not being able to account for any new errors. While CBL encourages the troubleshooting of hard drives, please be aware that attempting to debug a supposed firmware issue on a hard drive which is not a 7200.11 unit, or a hard drive which is 'clicking', will only cause further problems and/or damage to the disk surfaces.


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Waxed linen.
When I think of it I imagine the colorful options, know it is versatile, and then draw a blank. Its not in my wheel house. Friends like Linda Landig and Erin Seigel, to name a few, use it with great results. But for me… its a challenge. So thats exactly why I decided to join when Diana of Suburban Girl Studio announced this blog hop.
I sat down with my journal – and a coffee – to try to sketch… I like to think visually on paper in doodles. The characteristics of waxed linen that I was drawn to: multi strands, an assortment of treasures, versatility for beads of varying size holes, and I wrote down one word more, that really started the ball rolling. WOVEN.
In Greek myth, Athena ( Goddess of wisdom, war, and patroness of the arts) enters a contest with Arachne. Arachne, a human girl of consumate skill at the loom, commits a fatal mistake by bragging of her talent and offending the Goddess. They weave tapestries in competition, and although Athena wins, Arachne's skill is great. Arachne hangs herself in the tatters of her weaving. Athena, in a moment of mercy, transforms the girl into a spider so she is allowed to/cursed to spin all her days.
I created a hollow polymer focal with aluminum tubing inside to act as a channel for multiple threads. The owl, representing Athena, is cast from a reproduction drachma. The web for Arachne is a linoleum stamp that I carved to use in clay. I toyed with various spider options, but they ended up distracting from the focal…
I have an amazing assortment of waxed linen from Mary at White Clover kiln. I also delved into my Czech glass treasure, from back in the days at the Shepherdess in San Diego. Just making the color decisions was the hard part!
My original plan involved all three of these strands. Two are double strands, knotted at intervals with beads spaced an inch or so apart . The third was denser, knots, 8's and drop beads, continuously knotted. I liked the contrast of the more open strand with the denser strand. But all three – was too busy. Here is what I decided on in the end:
The front: greys, blues and golds. A linen tassle dangling from the embedded loop. ( Note the top. The channel inset in the pendant was too narrow. Wrapped loops solved that problem!)
The back: Arachne's web
So I was left with a knotted strand – just waiting for a pendant. Here is the bonus necklace I created with one of my ceramic fairy pendants. ( Fired to ^10 reduction for you clay people out there)
So – if I can muse philosophical for a sec, I am glad I did this. I don't see waxed linen being my go-to material. I respect it, and designers/artists who work with it. I can see using it as an accent in mixed media pieces. I am happy with my pieces, and would love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks to Diana for organizing the challenge. Please visit her page for the links to all of us participating! There are sure to be diverse offerings, and many beautiful things!
Thanks to Mary Hubbard for the sample bag of the waxed linen from her shop! I purchased it from her at Beadfest a year or two ago, and the plethora of pretty colors really inspired me to try my hand at linen and knotting!
To my fellow participants – I am currently photographing flowering cacti in Austin, TX – and visiting family. I apologize for the delay, but I look forward to "hopping" as soon as I can!


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Robert is comfortable and hard-wearing, and has the timeless look of a stylish derby shoe. The collection is available in leather in Burgundy, Black Bookbinder, Dark Brown, and Espresso Burnished while our suede shoes are available in Brown, Black, Cashew, Coffee, Earth, Lt Grey, Navy and Red.
The Lightweight Robert range introduces Muflone Leather, drum-dried for softness and texture. It is designed as a more streamlined shoe and has no midsole, removing weight without compromising on quality or durability.
2 Items


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Yes, I'm alive and posting again (more writing to come soon–all will be explained)! This is short and sweet but I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me about this issue after church Sunday. Perhaps it will speak to you as well.
It's impossible for a person to be grateful when they possess an attitude of entitlement. Entitlement stifles gratefulness which further fuels attitudes of entitlement. And when people finally get tired of dealing with the entitlement attitude and draw boundaries, the entitled person becomes resentful, blaming everyone else for their misfortunes rather than accepting personal responsibility. Long story short, be GRATEFUL and refuse to believe you're "owed" something from anyone. Work for what you want. Make your own way. And when you're in a good place, turn around and help others as you've been helped. An attitude of gratitude is evident in one's actions not just words.


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Vento is a beautiful, modern, stylish and straight to the point single page portfolio psd layout for Designers. It comes in five different attractive color variations. It is perfect for personal portfolios. PSD is well organised and properly grouped.
It includes 5 Psd files in different colors.
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Images used:
Icons Used (Licensed under GPL):
Please don't forget to rate my design after purchase. Feel Free to contact me if you have any questions regarding my Themes/Templates. I'd be glad to Help.


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Sandusky Abused Children, NCAA Abuses History
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One of the NCAA's punishments of Penn State was the vacating of all its football team's wins from 1998 through 2011. It was in 1998 that Penn State coach Joe Paterno and university officials became aware of the accusation that assistant coach Jerry Sandusky had showered with a young boy.
As a result, Penn State's 112 wins are no longer wins, and Joe Paterno is no longer the coach with the most wins in college football history. Instead of 409 victories, his record shows 298.
Before explaining why this decision is morally wrong, I should note that I consider what Jerry Sandusky did to be an indescribable evil. I recognize that Joe Paterno and the university officials enabled this evil to continue. And I do not take issue with the other NCAA punishments of Penn State.
But it is worrisome that there has been virtually no outcry against the terrible wrong committed by the NCAA's rewrite of history.
Unless Joe Paterno and/or Penn State won those 112 games illegally or immorally, they are wins. No amount of wrongdoing by anyone at Penn State allows anyone to change history. This is another example of how the road to hell is paved with good intentions — in this case, punishing Penn State and teaching everyone how terrible covering up child abuse is.
In our generation, we have seen truth not merely reduced as a value; it has been more or less removed from the list of virtues. History is increasingly what politically correct people want it to be.
In California, the country's largest purchaser of school texts, elementary and high school students, by law, must learn about the contributions to California and America of women, African Americans, Mexican Americans, entrepreneurs, Asian Americans, European Americans, American Indians and labor. This year, the California legislature passed another law — the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful Education Act — which mandates teaching the contributions of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.
That American history is dominated by the contributions of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant males is irrelevant to all those who see history as a feel-good exercise, not the relating of what actually occurred. As the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, which has contributed so mightily to the decline of education in California, said in support of the LGBT bill: "We believe that school curriculum materials should adequately portray the diversity of our society."
In other words, according to California's teachers, the purpose of education is not to teach truth, it is to "adequately portray the diversity of our society."
In defending the new California law, Dean Vogel, president of the California Teachers Association, said, "There is no room for discrimination of any kind in our classrooms, our communities or our state."
But, by definition, history does discriminate. A history of classical music will discriminate in favor of Austrians and Germans. A history of jazz will discriminate in favor of blacks. And a history of the founding of America will discriminate in favor of WASP males. Otherwise they are not histories.
Whatever evil Joe Paterno and Penn State officials failed to stop, the 112 wins are wins.
Where will the NCAA draw its line? What other wrongs that have nothing to do with victories on the playing field will the NCAA nullify?
The lesson the NCAA is teaching young people — that history and truth don't matter if enough powerful people don't want them to matter — can be as injurious to society as the cover up was to the victims of Sandusky.
And not only to society. To individuals as well.
Thanks to the NCAA history rewrite, all those completely innocent Penn State football players who played their hearts out to win those 112 games, played for naught. The false NCAA history will record that they never won a game.
And what about the impact on former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, who is now listed as the winningest coach in American college football history? Until the NCAA revision of history, he had the rather impressive title of second-most winning coach in American college football history. Now, he will be dogged by a permanent, though unwritten, asterisk next to his name.
If, as the NCAA report charges, Penn State's silence spoke volumes about Penn State's culture, what does America's silence in the face of the NCAA falsification of history say about ours?
Dennis Prager's latest book, "Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph," was published April 24 by HarperCollins. He is a nationally syndicated radio show host and creator of PragerUniversity.Com.
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Ted Savas is having a field day marketing his new book about John Bell Hood by author Stephen Hood. He has gone out of his way to emphasize how the book breaks new ground, specifically in reference to the popular claim that Hood was both an alcoholic and drug addict. In one of his latest posts he takes author Allen Guelzo to task for casually referencing this little piece of Hood lore in his new book about Gettysburg. I will let Savas take it from here.
General Hood did not sustain himself or even use alcohol or opiates as Sword and others continue to endlessly prevaricate about, and historians who should know better copy without curiosity or question. Stephen Hood's John Bell Hood: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of a Confederate General (2013) unhorses these (and other) untruths and buries them under a flurry of stomping hooves. He does this in two ways: with newly found original firsthand sources, and a simple if time-consuming comparison of the "sources" originally used by Sword and others to characterize Hood as a drunk, crippled, drugged, hack of a leader.
This new book conclusively demonstrates that, even WITHOUT these newly discovered documents, the sources used by Sword and others were all hearsay or misread or intentionally misused (readers can decide, and the plentiful reviews on Amazon and elsewhere demonstrate that they are shocked by the mountain of evidence). The record is one secondary slander built upon another, piled upon a third, each with its own new purple adjectives thrown in for good measure. If Stephen Hood had left this subject alone, there is no doubt some author would have soon described an inebriated General Hood selling crack and meth in an Atlanta ghetto during leave.
The Civil War is filled with little stories that are told and re-told often with little attention to whether there is sufficient evidence. I've fallen into that trap on numerous occasions and I suspect that many of you have done so as well. Most historians welcome being corrected. Here's the problem. Savas seems to be on some kind of crusade with this particular title as if it alone offers the necessary corrective regarding Hood's drug and alcohol use. Not so fast; in fact, Stephen Hood is fairly late to the game.
In 2010 Brian Craig Miller published John Bell Hood and the Fight for Civil War Memory (University of Tennessee Press). The book offers a thorough overview of Hood historiography, including an analysis of claims made about Hood's supposed drug and alcohol abuse.
Another dominant myth swirls around Hood's life-threatening injuries and how they may have altered his psychological makeup in a significant manner. In order to deal with the physical and emotional trauma, some historians have suggested that Hood drank liquor to the point of intoxication and used drugs, specifically laudanum, to cope with his wounds from Chickamauga and Gettysburg, which relieved pain but supposedly clouded Hood's judgment. Once more, rumors supplant facts, and no documentation is offered to prove Hood ever drank or abused drugs during the war. The rumor of substance abuse began with an undocumented assertion in 1940 and has continued to be reiterated time and time again in the wide range of Civil War scholarship.
If Hood had been under the influence of narcotics, why did his contemporaries fail to mention it? Mary Chesnut and Jefferson Davis, who left a wealth of postwar interpretations about the war and their interactions with Hood, never mentioned any drug usage or excessive alcohol consumption that may have impaired judgment. Hood's personal surgeon's records are unavailable, leaving the idea of laudanum use as nothing more than a fabricated offering to explain defeat. Some artificial limbs arrived from Europe with a bottle of laudanum encased with the limb; yet, no sources have emerged to argue if Hood's artificial leg came with laudanum and no documents indicate Hood took the drug if he had access. These are a set of allegations that have been passed through the historiography without careful examination or foundation and need to cease until evidence surfaces. (xx)
Regarding Hood's performance at Spring Hill.
Any analysis that bases failure at Spring Hill on alcohol and drug usage is problematic, particularly with the limited amount of evidence. Though it is documented that drinking took place among the officers, there are no specific references to Hood being drunk. Furthermore, there are no sources indicating that Hood had taken any painkillers to alleviate the constant pain from his injuries. Thus, until evidence appears directly indicating that Hood had been drunk or under the influence of narcotics, they cannot be included in the analysis of why the Army of Tennessee failed at Spring Hill. (153)
The remarkable thing about Miller's analysis is that he doesn't make any attempt to challenge the motives of other historians who have asserted the addiction narrative. He allows his argument to do the work. If Stephen Hood's book helps to correct this particular aspect of the history than more power to it, but let's move beyond this nonsense about how it is the first to do so.
Finally, I assume that Miller's book is cited in Hood's study on this particular issue given its place in the historiography. Later today I may comment on chapter 11 of the book, which Savas has made available online.


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Play a frenetic first-person shooter and you're often dead before you ever see where the bullet came from. You have to pay close attention to every detail—the click of a grenade dropping, the scrape of boots on concrete—if you want to succeed. The free-to-play massively multiplayer shooter Planetside 2 is predicated on never-ending firefights, and Sony Online Entertainment's attention to detail didn't go unnoticed—the Hollywood Music in Media awards nominated the Planetside 2 team for best video game score this year.
But the Planetside 2 audio team isn't resting on their laurels—they're gunning to topple Battlefield 3 from the first-person shooter audio throne. "DICE is the defacto standard [for shooter audio]," said Rodney Gates, Planetside 2's audio director. "With Planetside 2, we keep improving our audio. We have different ways of firing weapons than we had three months ago. We keep chiseling at it, and we're gunning for DICE."
"Planetside 2 is the first full-bore FPS I've worked on. It was my chance to jump into the Battlefield and Call of Duty waters and come up with something really cool in our soundscape for our players," he said.Gates has been creating video game audio just over nine years; his first project was Capcom's 2D fighter Darkstalkers. Before that, he studied at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Arizona.
Gates said what ties Planetside 2 together aurally is depth. His team worked on that in a few different ways, including manipulating multichannel audio so that two identical weapons firing simultaneously won't sound the same, even if the two players are standing right next to each other.
Planetside 2's three distinct empires needed three distinct identities. Being the biggest empire, the Terran Republic still uses weapons based on black powder. Their weapons were the simplest to design—at least from an aural perspective—because gunpowder firearms produce very familiar, realistic sounds; Gates said his team wanted them "as punchy and real-sounding" as possible in Planetside 2.
"You have the big stereo or quad assets that play when you're firing, which make it feel like it's wrapping around you," he said. "Every time a player fires his weapon, the weapons of their teammates duck [drop in the mix] briefly. You don't really notice it, but it carves a bigger hole for your gun so it always sounds big."
More challenging was the arsenal of the New Conglomerate, which deals in prototype weaponry like rail guns and magnetic propulsion systems. They're still based on real weapon sounds, but Gates said they added other elements so they sound different and have their own identity.
The biggest challenge of all the empires was the Vanu Sovereignty. Because Gates didn't want the laser-based death-dealers to have a high-pitched "pew pew" sound, he looked to cinema for inspiration.
"I listened to the guns in District 9 and blended them with the guns from Battle LA," he said. "All the elements in those weapons are completely synthetic: 808 and kick-drum sounds mixed with all kinds of weird stuff from native instruments.
"The tiny little ramp-ins that happen before the shot fires? That helps sell this completely alien tech that doesn't sound like anything you've heard," said Gates. "There's even a little bit of electricity in there."
His team had to do some significant improvisation to get the sounds they were looking for. Gates says the team kept playing around with the metal clink and clank sounds for vehicle reloads from the massive audio library they share with Sony's console developers, but nothing sounded quite right. So they looked homeward.
"One of our sound designers went home and recorded all the mechanics of his gun safe. A lot of those cool metallic elements of things sliding into place are present while you're waiting for your turrets to replenish their rounds," he said.
And that's just a handful of sound effects in a massive, sprawling game with an equally bombastic musical score. Gates worked on that as well, acting as a liaison between the creative team and Jeff Broadbent, the composer who wrote Planetside 2's score.
Broadbent's been composing for 16 years, working on everything from last year's survival game I Am Alive to licensed music for the Let's Make a Deal game show and a plethora of content for the Discovery Channel. At UCLA he studied film scoring under Robert Drasnin, a veteran composer on The Twilight Zone.
"Film scoring training allowed me to approach game projects with a sense of dramatic arc and thematic development," he said in an email interview. "Motifs and themes are critical to film scoring to highlight the development of the characters and story. When these principles are applied to games, it creates a greater emotional connection between the player and the game."
With how hectic the online battlefield can get, audio –and music in particular—has to be handled with precision. Otherwise it muddles what's really important: tactical awareness.
"A lot of it is achievement stingers that are short and succinct just to give you feedback," Gates said. Music doesn't play all the time in Planetside 2, mainly at key moments like capturing a base.
"It's like when you watch an action sequence in a film: The accompanying music helps to heighten the experience," wrote Broadbent.
Broadbent said Planetside 2's use of ambient music during combat and sections of traversal across the giant maps are meant to bring an emotional element to the game, something that's otherwise lacking in a game predicated on battling platoons of faceless enemy soldiers. Broadbent claims many gamers commented on the music and how it brought an emotional depth to the game.
The three different empires required three different music scores, too. Each faction has its own identity, and that's reinforced through their theme music. The Terran Republic soundtrack is full of choir and orchestral tracks, bluesy rock is the New Republic's theme, and the Vanu Republic steals the show with its eclectic mix of electronic/world music.
"This was very different from other projects I've worked on, where there was a single primary sonic approach for the game," Broadbent said. "What makes a score great is its ability to be a unique fit for the rest of the game: to represent the creative vision and be closely related with the story, characters and environment." Now that Planetside 2 has been nominated for multiple industry awards for audio excellence, it's safe to say Broadbent, Gates and the team of audio specialists at SOE created a pitch-perfect accompaniment to the most expansive sci-fi shooter on the PC.


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Five miles south of Marco Island near Naples, Florida, six igloo-shaped buildings appear to slowly march into the sea. The deteriorating domes of Cape Romano have been rumored to be the work of extra-terrestrials, a community home of a secret cult, or a clandestine research facility protected by guards with machine guns.
In truth it was a cutting edge home, designed and built by an enigmatic visionary with an eye for the eco-friendly and a goal of minimizing his carbon footprint.
Abandoned in the early 1990s, Cape Romano's Dome Home has endured several hurricanes and tropical storms – but it has been unable to win the war against erosion.
cover photo courtesy Mila Bridger Photography
The Vision
It was the 1960s when Bob Lee (pictured at right) began inventing things for his homes. Bob had made his fortunes early in oil production and retired at age 44. Lee maintained a keen interest in renewable energy, experimenting with ways to lower his carbon footprint before building what would become his magnum opus.
Bob once installed a water pipe system under his floors and routed them through his fireplace, using the heat from the fireplace to keep his floors warm as well. Aware of the sun's potential for energy, he strategically placed skylights in rooms to maximize heat and light.
In the mid-1970s Mr. Lee built a prototype of his self-sustaining dome home. Family property in Gatlinburg, Tennessee would be host to the experiment. Over several years Bob honed his craft and learned from his mistakes.
When Lee felt confident he was ready to build the family's dream vacation home, he began to search for the ideal secluded location. Between 1978 and 1979 Lee purchased lots from four different owners on Cape Romano, at the southern end of Caxambas Island on the west coast of Florida.
Sand from Cape Romano beaches was sent to a lab in Illinois to confirm proper aggregate for use in concrete before construction began in 1980. Mr. Lee acquired a barge to haul his building equipment to the island. Among the equipment: Concrete mixers and giant metal forms used to shape the domes.
One spherical form was larger than the other, acting as a sandwich between which Lee would then pour the concrete. The spheres then fit together like a giant basketball; when the mix would harden and the forms were removed, the dome structure was the result.
After two years of construction, the Lee family was able to move into the home by 1982.
Despite its odd construction and shape, the dome home was a fully-functioning yet self-sustaining home. The walls were foam-filled for insulation and pilings underneath the domes allowed for the free-flow of water during storms.
Why domes? Lee's family offer several reasons for this choice: A round roof smoothed the home's profile and minimized wind interference. The spherical shape also helps capture rainwater via a gutter system, which Lee designed to surround the base of each dome (see picture below).
The gutters collected the precipitation into a 23,000 gallon cistern stored underneath the home. A filter system purified the water for use in bathing and cleaning while two hot water heaters regulated water temperature.
Bob's daughter Janet Maples recalled "My dad thought the corners of rooms were wasted space as were the corners of the ceiling. He thought the dome ceiling gave the feeling of openness. He was right. The rooms felt very large and open."
(click thumbnails to enlarge)
(note the distance from the home to the water)
The dome home was not lacking in features and boasted air conditioning, ceiling fans, a hot tub, satellite television, and skylights. Six 400 square foot domes combined to create 2,400 square feet of open living space..
The three bedrooms and three bathrooms were powered by solar energy. Backup generators picked up the slack on the cloudiest days of the year.
Lighted walkways provided access to the water, one to the lagoon behind the Dome Home and the other to the ocean in front.
original photos courtesy Krisitian Maples
Dome Home Life Without Lee
For seven years Bob and his family enjoyed their time in the dome home at Cape Romano, but by 1989 the family sold the residence to George Wendell.
Wendell had plans to acquire adjacent properties on the island for a business venture, but first he wanted to make improvements to the dome home property.
For the next two years a caretaker by the name of Brian Slager was hired to make improvements on the property. Slager lived in the dome home while he built a new dock, upgraded the electrical system, and groomed the grounds with heavy machinery.
"[It was] the best time of my life. It was wonderful."
– Brian Slager
photos courtesy Brian Slager
By 1991 Wendell was no longer satisfying his financial obligations to the property. With the deed still in the name of the Lees, the Dome Home returned to Bob and his family after foreclosure.
Lee and his wife decided to remodel the home and occupied it once again, this time for two years until Hurricane Andrew in the summer of 1992.
The structure had survived the storm, but the windows and walkways had been lost to the category five hurricane (see below).
After the storm, the family abandoned the Dome Home in its state of disrepair – unfortunately one from which they could not remedy. The next twelve years for the dome home were spent abandoned, vacant and deteriorating from exposure to the elements.
Teens used the domes as a hangout, fishermen used them to cast lines, and graffiti artists treated them like a blank canvas.
Somehow the dome home earned a reputation as a scary place over the years. Janet Maples recalls one conversation overheard at a drugstore on Marco Island:
"Some people in the row behind me were saying, 'Have you been by those dome houses?' And the other one said, 'Yeah, but I hear they guard that with machine guns!'"
Tosto Revives the Dome Home
Hope came in the form of John Tosto, a Naples resident whose family trust purchased the dome home in 2005 for $300,000.
The new owner had intentions to renovate the home and return it to full functionality.
"It's just something I wanted from the first time I saw it. That was it."
– John Tosto
Dome home builder Bob Lee had previously advised the next owner would want to install a seawall to protect the home; however by the time Tosto acquired the property it was understood to be futile to try and preserve the location.
Instead Tosto planned to relocate the domes farther away from the coastline and bring them into compliance with county building codes. According to the permit application, the domes would be moved by crane and set atop new concrete and steel pilings more than 50 feet tall and at least 25 feet away from wetlands.
Materials would be delivered by barge, and timed as to not interfere with sea turtle and shorebird nesting seasons. Moving the domes was estimated to take 60 to 80 days while building the dock would take less than a month.
Mother Nature, Legislature
If Tosto was going to save Bob Lee's masterpiece, he would not have the cooperation of the weather. Shortly after he purchased the dome home, Hurricane Wilma pummeled Cape Romano and altered the fragile islet's coastline with 150-mph winds.
Undeterred, Tosto boarded up the home and pressed forward with his project. Acquiring permits proved to be a stumbling block John could not overcome; between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Collier County Code Building and Enforcement Departments, the regulatory oversight was suffocating.
For the next two years progress was hindered by a failure to obtain permits in time between nesting seasons. By 2007 the Collier County Code Enforcement Board issued an order the structure was unsafe and must be demolished or removed within two years.
Tosto was able to produce an engineer's certification which indicated the home was repairable. Ultimately some board members cited his failure to make progress in years prior as swaying their decision.
In November of 2009 the Code Enforcement Board of Collier County levied fines of $187,000 for Tosto's failure to comply. Tosto alleged sea turtle nesting season offered him short windows for heavy site work, and permit delays gave him little opportunities to take advantage of those windows.
He acknowledges "we're right in the middle of the Rookery Bay Reserve. We understand their concerns."
Code Enforcement Director Dianne Flagg told John Tosto the fines could be retroactively waived with compliance of the original 2007 order. Undeterred, Tosto alternatively predicted the fines would go away when he is allowed permits to continue construction.
In 2009 the Tosto family trust had $500k invested; at the time it was estimated another $900k would be required to finish the renovation. In the interim, the Tosto family has offered space to Rookery Bay to store sea turtle research and monitoring supplies on the property.
"I'm not trying to be a rebel here, I'm willing to share." He said. "A lot of people use that property down there. I'm only going to make it better."
above photos circa 2007 & courtesy gunboats
As far as threats, the vandal's spray paint pales in comparison to the natural removal of soil. Known as erosion, it's an exogenic process in which rock or soil is moved from one location to another. Water erosion helped create the Grand Canyon, and wind erosion is responsible for Utah's famous Arches National Park.
[read: S-I feature "The Last House on Holland Island," a story of a Chesapeake Bay home which succumbed to erosion. ]
Due to its location, the dome home has fallen victim to several types of erosion, including sea erosion and soil erosion. After every hurricane the landscape – and shape of the island – is changed. Strong currents and what's called a longshore drift perpetually batter the fragile shoreline.
The danger increased every year.
Ocean waves first began their daily dance with the pillars of the dome home in 2004. The following year Hurricane Wilma severely damaged the shoreline. By 2009 the building was standing in water.
By 2011 the home's foundation was completely submerged. The following year the home was 25 yards offshore, and by 2013 it was sitting in six feet of water.
"I remember when it was actually an exhausting walk to the beach."
– Janet Maples
Unlivable Territory?
One by one, area coastline homes on the island were abandoned (including the pyramid house – also built by Bob Lee) as they were felled by natural disasters such as Hurricanes Andrew (1992), Wilma (2005), and Tropical Storm Fay (2008).
Today the shifting sands have left the domes in water and looking like giant Scrubbing Bubbles cleaning the ocean shore.
Bob Lee's creation is likely no longer salvageable; its submerged location and prolonged exposure to saltwater add economically insurmountable salvage costs to the relocation costs and likely push total estimates beyond those of new construction.
(click thumbnails to enlarge)
photos courtesy Melissa Blazier
On a positive note, Bob Lee's dome home has fostered an ecosystem offshore as an artificial reef. Florida Weekly Correspondent Cynthia Mott went on a snorkel trip to the Dome Home and she spoke of its beauty:
I've snorkeled Grand Cayman, Mexico and Fiji, yet have never witnessed a more diverse, crowded concentration of undersea life than what has taken up residence under the remnants of those domes. It was as if all the fish and rays living along that part of the Collier County coast decided to hangout in one location. To make the sight even more remarkable, swirling like iridescent tornado clouds around the gathering were millions of shimmering, silver baitfish.
Did You Know?
• Cape Romano was first settled by Native Americans around 5,000 BC. The Calusa Tribe was the predominant early power in the area.
• According to Everglades matriarch Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Cape Romano was named for British surveyor Bernard Roman who sailed by it in 1775. In The Everglades: River of Grass, Miss Douglas wrote:
"(the cape) juts boldly south, at the head of the Ten Thousand Islands … where Indian canoes and small Spanish vessels had always moved between Cuba and the beaches north of Cape Romano."
• 2005's Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, and a direct hit on Cape Romano. It caused $29.1 billion in damage and was part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season which included the disastrous Hurricane Katrina.
• The dome home was valued at $1.5M in 1980, but by 2007 had a value of just $300k.
• Getting to Cape Romano: It is located south of Marco Island and only accessible via boat or kayak. The closest boat ramps are Caxambas Pass and Goodland Boating Park, roughly six miles away. Once in the water, be sure to use a nautical chart and GPS as it is easy to get lost in the tangle of mangrove islands in the area. VHF radios are recommended; cell phone service is not reliable in the area. Be wary of tides which can fluctuate several feet.
See on Google Maps • See on Bing Maps
Watch exclusive 4k Dome Home Aerial footage courtesy S-I reader Robb Stan:
visit the Cape Romano Community Facebook Page
Special thanks to Janet Maples, Mike Morgan, Kristian Maples, Brian Slager, Melissa Blazier, Marci Seamples, and Natalie Strom of the Coastal Breeze News


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Welcome to the Insecure Writer's Support Group! If you're a writer, and if you feel in any way insecure about your writing life, click here to learn more about this awesome group!
Gosh, 2012 seems like such a long time ago….
Way, way back in 2012, I wrote a series of short stories about a time traveling news reporter. A few of you have been Internet friends with me long enough to remember that project. It was called Tomorrow News Network.
I say these were short stories, but actually they were kind of long, more like novelettes. The challenge for myself was to produce ten of these stories in a year. It would have been twelve stories, but I wanted to give myself a little leeway in case anything went wrong.
And things did go wrong. I missed my self-imposed deadlines on several occasions, and there were a few stories that really didn't turn out the way I wanted. But still, by the end of 2012, I'd learned a lot about myself and my writing process, and I felt really proud of my accomplishment.
Now here we are in 2019, and I am officially rebooting the story universe I created for myself way back in 2012. I've had a lot of time to think about how I could make Tomorrow News Network better. Also, I've had a lot of time to think about the continuity problems I wrote myself into in the original run of the series. And of course, my muse is here, providing me with all her wisdom and guidance, as she always does.
So now I'm really excited to get the ball rolling again. I'm also kind of scared. I still remember how hard 2012 was and how emotionally drained I felt by the end of it. This time the plan is different, easier in some ways, harder in others. Perhaps much harder.
So in conclusion, wish me luck. I'm going to need it!
P.S.: I realize how busy everyone is on these Insecure Writers' Support Group days, but if you have a few minutes to spare, please click here and check out the first little piece of the revamped story universe I've created. Thank you!


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Solid silver with Jade and 18 carat gold plating
Diameter 12mm cufflinks and 8mm studs
This beautifully crafted dress set will lend a refined note to any black tie wear. The cufflinks have an infinity loop fitting and are set with Nephrite Jade.
Dear valued customers,
Some of you may know that Codis Maya is a very small independent business that has been largely run by me for the past 35 years. I am taking a sabbatical abroad till next year and so will not be shipping orders during this period.
My sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may cause but please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at firstname.lastname@example.com, I will be checking my emails regularly.
Thank you so very much for all your interest and custom in Codis Maya and I look forward to re connecting with you next year.
My very best wishes
Roshini Aluwihare


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" . . . a collection of personal retrospectives that deserve a place in the finest tradition of the American essay."
We are pleased to announce the publication of NER contributor Michael Cohen's essay collection, A Place to Read: Life and Books (Interactive Press). The book includes an investigative essay published in NER 31.4 as well as The King in Winter, which appeared as an NER digital.
From Christina Thompson, Editor, Harvard Review: "Michael Cohen's essays on the reading life are a treat to read. Relaxed, personal, wide-ranging, they contain fascinating nuggets of information and lively assessments of hundreds of books, as well as a whole life's worth of thoughtful rumination on time, love, travel, and family, as well as what it means to be, almost existentially, a reader."
"Each [piece] is in its own way a comment on the human situation, filtered through a personal optic that is both refined and erudite. Amusing, highly personal, insightful, they'll make you smile, smirk, frown, and gasp . . ." —E. A. Allen, author of the Montclaire Mysteries
Since retiring from university teaching, Michael Cohen's essays have appeared in Harvard Review, Birding, the Humanist, Missouri Review, and the Kenyon Review in addition to NER. He is also the author of five books, including a poetry text, The Poem in Question (Harcourt Brace, 1983) and an award winning book on Shakespeare's Hamlet (Georgia, 1989).
"The poetic sensibility itself is characterized by restlessness–a 'daring' aspiration toward fuller meaning, feeling, and vision."
Congratulations to NER contributor Carl Phillips on the publication of his collection of essays, The Art of Daring: Risk, Restlessness, Imagination (Graywolf). An excerpt of this book appears in NER 35.2. His reflection, "On Restlessness," can be read in full online.
From Publishers Weekly: "Abundant autobiographical glimpses lend substance and specificity to Phillips's tenet that 'art and life are forever part of the same thing.' Phillips analyzes individual poems by Shakespeare, Herbert, Shelley, Frost, Gunn, and others, along with his own work. The result is a slim volume memorable for delicate
insights . . . and for its grounding of theory in the life and personality of the poet."
Carl Phillips is the author of twelve books of poetry, including Silverchest (2013), Double Shadow (2011), and Rest of Love (2004). He is the recipient of the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, an award in literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Library of Congress, and the Academy of American Poets. He teaches at Washington University in St. Louis.
" . . . his poems, more than anyone else's, take the shape of fire, all its ambiguity and wind-shreddedness, all its likeness to poppies in the wheat." —H. K. Hix
Eric Pankey has published his tenth poetry collection, Dismantling the Angel (Parlor Press, 2014). Pankey has been appeared in several issues of NER, most recently in 34.1.
"In these precise, dream-like poems, Eric Pankey peers through the clarifying lens of metaphor and parable to meditate on mystery, human sympathy and the divine. Here, the shifting image of fire both articulates and consumes our sense of the vastness of history and the ineffable nature of divinity."—Kevin Prufer
Pankey's other publications include The Pear as One Example: New and Selected Poems 1984-2008 and Trace. He is Professor of English and the Heritage Chair in Writing at George Mason University.
"Kasischke astonishes with her lyricism and metaphorical power as she considers illness and mortality through exacting, imaginative poems."
Laura Kasischke's newest collection of poetry, The Infinitesimals (Copper Canyon, 2014) is now out with strong reviews. Her work appears most recently in NER 34.2.
From Publisher's Weekly: The brevity of Kasischke's lines movingly captures the absence of death and the limitations on memory, and her mastery of meticulous, though seemingly effortless, description shines throughout, as when she dubs a cake once baked for her father as "Soggy church bell on a plate," or describes a tumor as a "terrible frog/ Of moonlight and dampness on a log."
Laura Kasischke has published nine novels and eight previous collections of poetry. For her collection, Space, in Chains, she received the National Book Critics Circle Award. She teaches at the University of Michigan.
"It's the music, the beauty, after all, that's balm to all this sorrow. The American reminds me of this." —Ross Gay
Longtime NER contributor David Roderick has published his poetry collection, The Americans with the University of Pittsburgh Press. His work has previously appeared in NER issues 24.2 and 32.1.
"The Americans is a compelling meditation on the ways we go about our lives at this cultural moment, often unmoored from the facts of history though we drift along its shores. Part complicated love letter to suburbia, these poems demand that we consider not only what we are drawn to but also what we fail to see, how the apocryphal feeds our cultural amnesia. The poet asks: 'Must nostalgia / walk like a prince through all our rooms?' This lovely collection shows us a way to confront that question within ourselves." —Natasha Tretheway, U.S. Poet Laureate
David Roderick's first book, Blue Colonial, won the APR/Honickman Prize. He is a recipient of the Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholarship, and he currently teaches in the MFA Writing Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
New York Times bestselling novelist Susan Vreeland is back with the publication of Lisette's List. Her short story, "Love Burning," was featured in NER 20.2.
Susan Vreeland is the author of four New York Times bestselling novels—The Passion of Artemisia, Luncheon of the Boating Party, Clara and Mr. Tiffany, and Girl in Hyacinth Blue, which was adapted into a Hallmark Hall of Fame television drama. Her books have been translated into 26 languages.
"Vreeland's ability to make this complex historical novel as luminous as a Tiffany lamp is nothing less than remarkable."—The Washington Post
"Vreeland's writing is so graceful, her research so exhaustive, that a reader is enfolded in the world of Tiffany and Driscoll."—Los Angeles Times


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The Art of Consistency
"It's not what we do once and a while that shapes our lives. It is what we do consistently." – Tony Robbins If you forgot I wrote a blog, no offense taken. So did I. It's been 2 months since … Continue reading
Posted in Change, Health, Life, Mind Set, New Beginnings, Uncategorized Tagged 2016, ACL, ACL rehabilitation, ACL surgery, allograft ACL reconstruction, Anthony Robbins, anti-bucket list, Apple, attitude, average, balance studios, Best of Philly, blog, BOSU, bucket list, challenge, Consistency, declutter, Dresher physical therapy, Energy, flexibility, Gracie Jiu Jitsu, halloween, Jim Rohn, Jiu Jitsu, Joe Ciccarone, Knee Surgery, Life Unbalanced, Mac Book Pro, medicine ball, Philadelphia, philly, PT, remarkable, Rickson Gracie, Rothman Institute, strenght, success, surgery, target, Tony Robbins, wordpress, work out, writing 3 Comments
The First 10 Minutes
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Writing, Grammar, Literature, ACT Prep
Education: M.Ed.,Stanford University
Katie is an enthusiastic teacher who strives to make connections between literature and student's every day lives.
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Writing, Grammar, Literature, ACT Prep
Education: M.Ed.,Stanford University
Katie is an enthusiastic teacher who strives to make connections between literature and student's every day lives.
A comma splice is when a comma is used unnecessarily. Commas should not be used to split a subject and verb, a compound subject, or a compound verb. Commas are also unnecessary when joining two independent classes or splitting an independent clause from a dependent clause that follows.
If you've ever gotten a paper back and you've seen the letters CS written on it or have all your commas circled and not quite sure why, chances are you probably had some comma splices. So we are going to talk about those comma splices and hopefully help you so that you don't see those marks anymore. So what a comma splice is, is it's essentially just when a comma is used unnecessarily, called the comma splice. Take a look at this example, "The other day I went to the store, to get ingredients for guacamole, I got tomatoes, cilantro and avocados, then I remembered garlic. That's a long sentence but we've got a lot commas in there. We've got one here, we've got one here and we've got one here.
So let's take a look at those. "The other day I went to the store, to get ingredients." Now going to the store to get ingredients is all part of the same verb phrase. So we don't want this comma here, we do not want to split up that verb phrase. And if we come here, "I got tomatoes, cilantro and avocados." So those are commas in a list, this one's okay but if we look here then, "comma then I remembered garlic." here we've got two independent clauses, "I got tomatoes, cilantro and avocados," and then "then I remembered garlic" joined together with just a comma and we know that that's not one of the comma rules so we've got another comma splice here.
So let's talk about some different ways to identify those unnecessary commas. So, basic tricks are; don't use a comma to split a subject and a verb up, don't use a comma to split a compound subject, don't use a comma to split a compound verb. And then here's the big one; don't use a comma to join two independent clauses if that's all you're using. The simple fix to that is just to throw a FANBOY in there. So we could say, "I got tomatoes, cilantro and avocados and then I remembered garlic." and you've got a grammatically correct sentence. But if you're just using a comma to join those two independent clauses, you've got to add something else there. And finally, don't use a comma to split an independent clause from a dependent clause when the dependent clause follows, so you don't need any mark there.
Let's take a look at some examples. Alright, this first one. "I grow cilantro in my garden, because it is one of my favorite herbs." So we've got a comma here and that's actually a comma splice. If you look we've got this first part of the sentence is an independent clause, it can stand on it's own, it's got a subject and a verb and afterwards we've got a dependent clause. So we've got a subject and a verb but it doesn't express a complete thought because it starts with one of those subordinating conjunctions. And we learned, if your using a comma to join an independent to a following dependent, it's a comma splice, you don't need a comma there. Alright, let's look at this one and see if you can find out what's wrong with it. "Once you get the cilantro plants growing, they are difficult to kill, and get rid of." Alright, so we've got two commas there. Let's look at the first one, "Once you get the cilantro plants growing," you've got a dependent clause then you've got comma and it says, "they are difficult to kill and get rid of." you've got an independent clause here hooked by a comma, so that comma's okay to stay there. But if we move down to this comma here, we've got, "they are difficult to kill and get rid of" and one of our rules for avoiding comma splices is don't use a comma to split up a compound verb; here our subjective they, and what are they doing? They are being difficult to kill and get rid of and we don't want this comma splitting that verb up, so make sure that you eliminate that.
Finally, "Did you know that Coriander seeds, are the seeds of the cilantro plants?" We've got a comma here. If we take a look at what it's splitting over on this side, we've got coriander seeds which is an object, kind of the subject of what we're talking about. And here, we've got the verb that connects to those coriander seeds and we said, one of our tricks was; don't use a comma to split up the subject and the verb. So we have another comma splice here.
Alright, let's step over here and see if you can find the comma splices in this sentence. So, we've got, "Fats found in avocados, olive oil, nuts and fatty fish help lower overall, and bad cholesterol. They can also, help with memory." Alright, so let's go through our commas; we've got one, two, three, four, five commas. And if we look at this first sentence, we've got a list of items, so our commas should be here, we're good here, here and here. They are just separating items in a list. But when we get to this comma, "help lower overall, and bad cholesterol." Alright, we've got overall and bad both describing cholesterol but we've got this word "and" here, "and" and the comma are redundant, so we can lose the comma, in that case it's a comma splice, alright. And then in the last sentence, "they can also help, with memory." Again, we see a subject over here, part of a verb phrase here and then the other part here with the comma in between. So we want to make sure we get rid of that so our whole verb phrase can stay together. So you've taken a look at some of the most common errors with common splices. Just remember these simple tricks, don't use the comma to split a variety of things, you should be good to go.


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Jonathots Daily Blog
Just Jim Dandy
It is just Jim Dandy with me
If you hunt deer, rabbit, bear and flea
As long as you teach your children
That brothers and sisters with black skin
Are not niggers, jungle bunnies or monkeys.
Share your heart about your anger over abortion
As you visit the fatherless and the widows
Chat away about climate change and the melting of the polar ice caps
But please cease to refer to hard-working people who do not share your concern as "deplorable."
Salute the flag, stand for the Star Spangled Banner and support the troops
Struggling with all of us to bring freedom and justice to every American
Choose to deny the existence of God and develop your own moral code
While honoring your neighbor nearby and the sanctuary where others gather to worship
Express your dismay over illegal immigration
While making sure your laments have nothing to do with race, religion or sexual orientation
Yearn for simpler times by keeping things simple
Joke about women and comically complain about men
Remembering that God in His Kingdom has neither male or female.
Make sure your belief is grounded in love
Your opinion has a little elastic on the edges
And decisions are merciful instead of final
Welcome to America!
Be yourself just short of being an asshole.
It's just Jim Dandy to have you here.
The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this inspirational opportunity
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