text:
hi dale .hope you and your family are well.
iam well.you will get your xmas card in the post shortly
Another quick blog as there's so much going on at Q Towers – everyday there's loads of great Christmas gift ideas and that's the thing really.
I've included the arty photo of Toby in the snow from last year, just to get us even more "Christmassy" as December approaches (any excuse!)
At this time of year we know that everyone is thinking the same thing – "what can I get them?"
And, we know it's part of our job to come up with great and varied ideas, as well as giving you a great price and often an Easy Pay option, particularly with our Today's Special Value.
This week is no different and I wanted to give my loyal blog readers a
early warning of two of this week's fabulous TSVs. On Thursday night at midnight I'm back with Kelly Hoppen, the British Queen of Interior Designers, and we've got a stunning Velvet and satin reversible throw from Kelly's collection. Yes, it would make a fab gift for an individual, but it's also something to gift your home – especially if you have family staying over! Very classy!
On Friday night again at midnight I'll be bringing you a superb Bose SoundDock TSV – this is an amazing portable way to enjoy your music anywhere, with the fantastic "life-like" Bose sound! It has a built in iPod/iPhone dock and an aux input that means with a simple connecting cable (not supplied) you could plug in other mp3 players or a DVD and enjoy the fab sound quality. It has its own built-in rechargeable batteries – so as I say, you can listen to it anywhere! Being QVC, we are throwing in a fantastic pair of IE2 in-ear headphones into the bargain, for those moments when you don't want to or can't share your music. Watch out for that great bargain!
As some of you may have noticed from the comments on my last "Smell the Coffee" blog – I bumped into the infamous Marian at Q Towers last week. It was so funny and indeed fate that our paths crossed. As previously mentioned, I was enjoying a week of daytime shifts and was asked by Tina our fantastic Guest Manager to help her out with some guest auditions. Tina is responsible for the thousands of QVC guests you see on-air and she has to decide if a guest is ready to "go live".
It was between auditions that I happened to pass through the Atrium, our huge reception hall, and there she was beaming from ear to ear. I thought, "I know that face and waved back, but I have to confess I didn't realise it was our Ma! I got into the lift to go to the rehearsal studio and Tina said, "there are some of our customers in reception, would you like to go and say 'Hello', as we've got a few minutes before the next audition".
So, I popped back down and as I approached them Marian said, "you haven't got the foggiest who I am, have you Silver Fox" (or something similar). As she said this, she waved her Visitor Pass at me and I stumbled back in horror surprise! I told all the others how saucy some of her comments were – then as quickly as we had met she was whisked away to the Elemis event. So, you could say I was "saved by the smell" – haha, that's dreadful on so many levels. Particularly as Elemis has an aroma rather than a smell! Ma – you know I'm only joking! It's always fun to catch up with our customers and I hope to meet many of you, one day.
Take care, happy shopping
Dale x
17 Comments
November 24, 2011 at 7:03 pm -
hi dale .hope you and your family are well.
November 25, 2011 at 7:16 pm -
"We are not amused" say me and my little tiger to your blog title DALE (note, Sunday name Gail!!)
You know you wanted to whisk me off to the Kelly Hoppen set really!! And I'm having none of your 'story' about only being at The Q by chance either. I reckon you planned it all really. What say Gail??!!
And another thing ….. just wait till I tell Keeley that you said her products smell!! You'll be in right bother! I'm going to suggest that you have to do an Elemis show with me on the couch as a penalty!! Would you like to see that Gail??!! I predict your answer again (see last comment on Dale's last blog – if The Q have published it that is!!!!) will be "Yes, Yes, Yeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss"!!! Though, thinking about it, that would probably be my response after a couple of minutes on the couch next to Dale'icious!!!!!
As for Chris'y presents , as the song goes, 'All I want for Christmas is youuuuuuuuu' Daleo!!
Being serious for a mo (soz Gail and Gill!) The Q is fab for pressies. I've done most of my seasonal shopping off you for the last few years. Of course, The Q could always enhance their customer service by having you deliver my stuff Daleo!! Personally, I hate shopping malls these days. Much sooner stay home and ogle you!!!!
November 27, 2011 at 7:02 pm -
hi dale.
Still enjoying your blogs.
you will get your xmas cards shortly.
Hope you are well
November 28, 2011 at 2:23 pm -
Hi Marian and Martin, Ma or "Tiger" I can just picture it now on the Kelly Hoppen set – you chasing me waving your visitor pass and me "hoppen" from Bed to Bed – hilarious! You do make me laugh Ma and glad the Q have helped you on the gift side – that's one of the reasons we r here. Martin don't stress about the card – it's lovely to receive them from you every year – how many years now ? 7 or 8 I would guess, but if you don't please don't worry – it's great to know your reading my blog and tuning in.
Thanks both as always
Dale x
November 28, 2011 at 5:14 pm -
Hi Dale, I've heard of 'saved by the bell', never 'saved by the smell'. Is everyone at this time of year thinking "What can I get them?" I'm not, I'm thinking "What can they all get ME?"
I love Christmas Dale, I've even got one of those 'Santa Stop Here, Or Else' signs in my garden (I added the 'or else' just in case).
Regarding Christmas shopping, usually I'm a little behind but this year I'm ALL behind (personally I blame the steroids). Actually Dale I'm telling lies. When my husband recently asked if I'd done my Christmas pressie list yet, I HAD, and swiftly handed him all 15 pages of it (only joking, only joking, it was only 14 pages).
As for our Ma's visit, how wonderful for you both to meet like that. She looked at you, you looked at her, she flashed you her …………….. Visitor Pass and you Daleo breathed a sigh of relief. I personally think Ma is secretly planning to take over the Q Dale. Every show will be 'In the Bedroom with Dale' and every Guest Presenter will be, yes you've guessed it, Ma. We may one day even see the Ma And Dale show, or MAD for short. LOL Ma xxx
Daleo, you've been keeping a very big secret from us – the size of your Atrium. I saw it on Saturday when Will was demonstrating the fab Bose TSV. It's huge; a very big reception indeed (phew, he who dares Daleo, he who dares or in this case, she who dares!!).
Lots of love Dale xx
November 28, 2011 at 5:17 pm -
Lots of love to Ma too. xxxxx
November 28, 2011 at 6:58 pm -
Lol Dale! Puts me in mind of the sketch at the end of the Benny Hill Show. I'm sure you know which one I mean! The Q should get all your fan club in one day and film that. You know, all the ones that have ordered you on Waitlist and that!! Yes, I've heard them all calling in, you know I don't miss a trick. Speaking of which, caught that picture of you slanking in the pink/leopard print number yesterday. It did make me smile! x
November 29, 2011 at 5:54 pm -
Ma, I've got the Benny Hill theme tune as a ringtone and it always makes anyone that hears it smile. Cheekie Girl Gail you should have been there, in the reception. You're also quite correct about the size – 3 floors high Missus !! I feel yet another blog coming along shortly. Dale x
November 29, 2011 at 6:39 pm -
Absolutely hilarious but at the same time totally ingenious Gail. I never thought The Q could top 'In the Salon with Alison' but I reckon you're really onto something there. Just needs Daleo to sort it. Go on Daleo, you know you want to! And I want it long and regular! None of that short intermittent nonsense we get from you. You could never get enough 'In the Bedroom' with Dale could you Gail!!! And I don't want none of your flannel either Dale! Oooohhhh but then again, a bit of flannel is lovely this time of year. All warm and cosy. Have you got some Gail? If not, add it to that weeny Christmas pressie list of yours. Sounds like it could do with some padding out!!
And yes, I have to say having experienced it first hand Gail, that Dale has a very big one ……………….. Atrium that is!
November 29, 2011 at 11:45 pm -
Ma, I haven't got any flannel because I'm always sooooooooooooo hot in bed!!!!! I'm sure Daleo does have a big one though, HEADACHE that is, listening to us two. Must go as I'm in the middle of making out my Christmas pressie list for my son. xxx
November 30, 2011 at 6:50 pm -
Big lol Gail, I should av seen that one coming!
Daleo, give us yer phone number. Don't get me wrong gorgeous, I only want to make people smile …. :-)))))
Gail, did you hear that woman that rang in to the Butler and Wilson Show last night? She said she rang in and spoke to Dale once and her parrot (yeah, right!!) was shouting "give us a kiss"!! What a scam, I wish I'd have thought of it. "Who's a pretty boy then"!!!
And I reckon that's about enough from me …………. well, at least for this blog anyhow! You'll have to hurry up and do another though Daleo, you know I can't keep away for long!
Nighty night all
December 1, 2011 at 9:14 am -
Ma, I did hear that lady on the Simon Wilson Show; how funny was that? Mind you, Daleo does have a way with the birds don't you think Ma? Hope she rings in again when Daleo is on, she sounded great fun. Mind you, I don't want that parrot getting any ideas – I'M DALE'S BIRD!!!!
Poor Daleo, how are you Tweetie Pie, oops, I mean sweetie pie? I think I'm going to be sending you some Paracetamol for Chrissie, OR ANY OTHER REPUTABLE BRAND (see, proves I watch the Q Daleo).
Right, that's yer lot.
Over and out.
December 4, 2011 at 4:49 pm -
Hi Dale.I am new to Qvc and have to say you are my favourite presenter. l have been watching you today eating all those lovely thorntons chocolates and as mouth watering as they are you are my eye candy.
keep up the good work. i think Qvc is fantastic Sandie
December 4, 2011 at 5:12 pm -
OMG Gail, I just had to come back on and tell you that Dale is going the Naturally Active show at 9pm on Wednesday! Looks like the Q are getting him trained up to do the Beauty shows. I bet their planning that Elemis Show penalty I suggested! Oh, be still my beating heart (and that's putting it politely!!!!!!)
December 5, 2011 at 8:03 pm -
Hi Sandie ! Welcome to the blog of the Fox! I didn't pace myself very well with the choccies did I – The last 10 mins were a challenge – I just can't resist them! Feel free to join the fun and frolics with Ma, Gail and the Gang every week. M&G, it's true I'm presenting Clogau Gold with fellow "Silver Fox" Graham Stock, Getting "Naturally Active" with the Liz Earle team followed by an hour with a glamorous "Loose Woman" Andrea McLean !Hope you can join us this Wednesday from 4pm ! Dale x
December 6, 2011 at 10:33 am -
Ma, there I was on Saturday relaxing in bed eating my ham rolls, quiche, picnic eggs, cocktail sausages, pork pies, crisps, mince pies, box of chocs and packet of pork scratchings, when I heard Dale's voice. I looked in the cupboard, wardrobe, under the bed, IN THE BED; then realised he was in the bedroom, but in the bedroom with Northern Nights with the lovely Susie. He was demonstrating the 1-2-3 zip pillow. He was soooooooooooooooo naughty teasing the lovely Susie. I know that Susie hates the word GUSSETT; well, naughty Daleo mentioned that word I don't know how many times. I would have said, "1-2-3 zip IT Daleo". Poor Susie. Actually, I'm sooooo jealous Ma, I wish D would tease me in BRAVO, ECHO, DELTA!!!!
There he was Ma, draped all across the bed trying out this pillow when he suddenly said, "I don't know if I prefer the gusset or knife edge" – Well, if you don't know by now Daleo !!!
I sat bolt upright when I heard D say, "Try me price." HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH " I screamed at the TV.
He then presented two more shows, but this time in the company of beautiful women, so there was only one thing to do – SWITCH OFF.
December 6, 2011 at 8:51 pm -
You on a diet before the seasonal pig out then Gail, lol?
I also witnessed D's shameless teasing on Saturday afternoon, over the ironing actually. Of course I would much sooner have been over Daleo but that lucky Susie got there first didn't she! I tell ya, I was drooling that much, I didn't need any water in the iron!
And I'd love to join you at 4pm tomorrow Daleo but, unfortunately, some of us have to do a proper job for a living! I'll be home in time to join you for a bit of Naturally Active though. Of course, I'm up for joining you for a lot any time you like!
Wonder if this will end up on a second page of Dale's blog Gail? Shall we go for it on D's next blog sweetie? After all, tis the season to be jolly …….. fa la la la la la la la Ma (and Gail and anyone else who wants to join in)!


text:
The Things that Make for Peace: Making Friends with Your Emotions
I'm using my blog posts this year to explore a question that emerged from my encounter with Luke 19:42 last year: What are the things that make for peace? Find the rest of the series here.
"What do you do with your anger?" a friend asked me several years ago. I understood his curiosity. By all appearances, I'm a pretty emotionally stable, happy sort of person. It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've lashed out at others in anger. I've even gone back to apologize for lashing out only to have the other person act confused as to why exactly I was apologizing.
Still, my friend was very perceptive with his question. Anger isn't an optional part of the human experience. We all have it. To be a human being for any length of time is to deal with frustration, grief, struggle, and loss. Often the natural emotional response to these unwanted and unwelcome experiences includes anger. How our anger manifests varies pretty widely based on a number of factors, but anger itself is not optional. The question is not will you deal with anger, but how.
It wasn't until several years after that conversation with my friend about anger that I finally had an answer. What do I do with my anger? If my anger goes unchecked for a good while, I get really, really depressed. Anger has a tendency to want to destroy things. My anger is less likely to seek to destroy someone else than it is to seek to destroy me. That's one of the things I'm learning about my anger as I get to know it better.
So I did what you do when you're a (sort of) high-functioning depressive who realizes he needs help—I found a really good counselor and got to work.
Over time, my counselor gave me a really helpful metaphor. "Your emotions are like a bus," he told me. "Every emotion has a seat on the bus. But when something happens to us, different emotions try to climb from the back of the bus into the driver's seat. Most emotions are really terrible drivers."
There's also one passenger on the bus who never drives. In fact, he's pretty small and just sits there and doesn't do much of anything. My counselor named him, the "I'm-not-good-enough." But the thing about "I'm-not-good-enough" is that he's the most important passenger on the bus. Because all the other emotions think it's their job to protect him. So whenever "I'm-not-good-enough" starts to feel threatened, there's old anger, sadness, fear, and all of their friends trying to climb into the driver's seat to rescue him. (This conversation took place before the movie Inside Out came out. If it happened today, he might just tell me to go watch that movie!)
I remember this conversation so vividly, because I thought it was a real breakthrough.
"Great!" I said, "Now that we've identified 'I'm-not-good-enough,' how do we kick him off the bus or make him grow up?"
"You can't!" My counselor told me. "Every passenger on the bus is YOU. You can't kick them off. And "I'm-not-good-enough" will never totally grow up. All you can do is get to know him, find healthy ways to keep him safe, and maybe even learn to love him—and all the other passengers on the bus."
One of the tools he gave me, a brief meditation of sorts, is to catch myself when I'm experiencing negative emotions and ask, "Who is driving my bus right now?"
And, over time, I've discovered I really only have one good driver in the whole busload—my faith. The part of me that believes God loves me and that trusts in God. The rest of my drivers each have their role to play, but if they drive for too long they'll usually put me in a ditch.
I was thinking about all this recently while teaching a class over Matt 5:21-26. It's the first of Jesus's re-interpretations of core teachings from the Torah included in the Sermon on the Mount. "You've heard about not murdering people," he says, "But I want to talk to you about your anger." (I'm paraphrasing.)
In essence, Jesus talks about the things we do when anger drives our bus for too long—we tear people down with our words. We lash out. We destroy others and ourselves and break the often-fragile bonds of peace that honor human connection and relationship.
Jesus says his followers will be people who are learning how to control their anger and build relationships rather than tearing them down.
Preparing for my class, I was struck with this thought: It ought to be an entirely reasonable assumption that Christians—those who bear the name of Jesus Christ and follow his teachings—excel at managing their anger so they can build up relationships with others rather than tearing them down. It's literally one of the first core teachings Jesus offers his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount. And yet … how does it seem like we're doing at that?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
North-West is firing on cartridges
AN IMPRESSIVE 29,238 printer cartridges have been collected in Burnie since 2003.
This number is set to grow with collections under way for the annual Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program.
Australian-based non-profit organisation Planet Ark has run the program for over a decade to encourage people to dispose correctly of their printer cartridges, which if sent to landfill can take between 450 and 1000 years to break down.
Collection points include Harvey Norman in Burnie, Dick Smith in Devonport and Australia Post outlets across the North-West Coast.
Harvey Norman Burnie store manager Adam Evans said he had noticed a steady stream of people coming in to dispose of their cartridges.
Mr Evans said some people's collections to dispose of were so large that separate boxes had to be brought out to store them.
Millions of cartridges in Australia reach the end of their life each year.
They are a valuable resource as they have recyclable materials within them, including stainless steel and plastics, that can be turned into products such as pens and rulers.
Many of this years cartridges will be recycled to make a new type of asphalt called TonerPave, an initiative of businesses Close the Loop and Downer.
"It uses recycled cartridges predominantly from the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program, which are shredded to separate raw materials for reuse," Close the Loop founder Steve Morriss said.
"The toner powder is further refined to make an additive called modified toner polymer, which helps improve performance of asphalt, potentially leading to lower whole of life costs."
Discuss "North-West is firing on cartridges "
Please note: All comments made or shown here are bound by the Online Discussion Terms & Conditions.


text:
The Sheridan City Council held a special session on Wednesday afternoon and announced that they are going to start the search for a new police chief all over again. The Council issued a statement saying they were pleased with the overall process and had six strong candidates near the end. Mayor Dave Kinskey explains why the City will not hire any candidates who made the final cut.
During this new hiring process all candidates will be informed from the beginning that if they make it to the on-site interview and assessment, they will be required to submit a biography that will be released to the public.
Mayor Kinskey and Human Resources Director Heather Doke agree this new search could take another 3 months to complete. The first step will be to re-advertise the opening for at least one month.
Hire a local person for chief of police
There is not a single valid reason why the police chief can not be hired from within the department. There are many very qualified men and women in this department who can assume the duties of chief. Scott Chandler would be perfect for the job but maybe he does not want to get involved in all the politics of the position. If Kinskey would allow the police chief to actually run the department, then maybe he would not have so much trouble filling the position.
Police Chief
Why was the job not given to Chandle? He seems to be very qualified. Or....did he not put in for it.
As a taxpayer I'm truly
As a taxpayer I'm truly disappointed that Mr. Gillispe was paid over $600.00 in travel reimbusement by the City to come interview and later say "No, thank you." Why can't serious applicants pay their own way here? If they are truly interested in being a part of the community they should invest up front at the opportunity and only be reimbursed if they are appointed by the Mayor and ratified by the Counsel. Poor business policy on behalf of the City.
Police Chief
The finalist candidates were all highly qualified; I know. Sheridan is a destination community; but maybe, just maybe, the politics/government are not a good match for those desiring the autonomy necessary to make progressive and positive change?
Look internal before discounting external! Maybe the first step is to address style of government (Strong Mayoral vs City Manager)? Leaders (Chiefs/Directors) want/need to know they are supported; not tied to the politics of current/former community stakeholders/leaders.
Leaders want to feel they have the ability to implement positive change without the cloud of election, new leadership, politics waning over there heads at all times.
Sheridan and the Sheridan Police Department has a ton of potential; but none of this will be realized without first changing the governmental blueprint.
Did anyone think that maybe
Did anyone think that maybe it was not the decision of Kinskey or the City Council and that maybe the highly qualified applicants did not take the position.
Totally agree with
Totally agree with you!
These people are just guessing what happened and have no facts.
Maybe if they left their house once in a while and stepped into the real world, got some sun, they would be a little more intelligent.....I said "maybe"...and "little".
No way.
Absolutely not. It is crazy to think that way. Around here all we want to do is believe that Kinskey is corrupt and manipulative because that is easy. If we are not given clear answers to our questions we will formulate our own based on past experiences. Now tell me in your own opinion. Is it more fun to talk about boring aplication processes that are on the level, or about an exotic corrupt local government where the people in power are always doing dirty deeds? If only we had a tv show.....
I don't believe kinskey is
I don't believe kinskey is corrupt and manipulative,I know he is. This latest police chief fiasco is yet another example of kinskey playing his typical games.And yet again the taxpayer will pick up the tab.There's nothing exotic about kinskey,he's a common criminal.And the checks and balance of city council that should be in place, aren't.Because you have councilman like ketcham who own businesses that owe their exsistance to kinskey and his city contracts.Or people like bigelow who have followed kinskey all over the country since childhood.
First you'd have to find something that kinskey has done on the level.Wether it be his tactics used to screw the three smaller communities out of cap tax,or his latest game of trying to select a pacifist for police chief that he can control.
It's obvious that the six candidates are good judges of character,since all of them figured out that after speaking with kinskey there was no way they could work for him.The turn over rate alone at the PD,supports this.
Heck ya, Gillespie seen he
Heck ya, Gillespie seen he was going to be put between the public he was to going to have to protect, and a mayor who had his own agenda..
I think Gillespie's wife stepped in and said "no thank you"
Police Chief
Well maybe the Council and Mayor will look at the qualified canidates in the Police Department this time. Highly doubtful but we can dream!
only one good thing
One good thing and only one good thing is to be seen in this. We were all up in arms because we had no clue who the 6 were or their backgrounds even to the point that it went in front of a judge. According to the new SheridanMedia report, the new applicants have been told forthright that if they make it to the final review that they will have to provide a biography for the public to see. Granted I'm sure that the backgrounds might be whitewashed to provide Kinsky's requirements...but at least we get to see who and where these finalists are and come from and might get an idea of what they can do for the city.....like I said ONLY 1 good point the rest is BULL!
Nothings changed,the final
Nothings changed,the final candidates all provided biography's last time.The issue the press has,is the public should have access to the names of all applicants.Not just those that make it to a final interview.Just more rhetoric from kinskey trying to make it look like there will be more transparency,when in fact it's just the same old dictatorship.
Card will be tough to replace.A yes man like card only comes along once in a while,which kinskey has already found out the hard way.Card was a relationship that was cultivated years before,when both he and kinskey lived in california.
It'll be fine in the end.The taxpayers of sheridan have plenty of money,to provide plane tickets and lodging to candidates,so kinskey can continue the search for a police chief that will let kinskey be the acting chief of police.
police chief
What did I read in tonights paper- of all the candidates that applied It came down to the mayor offering the job to a guy from California ! WHO WOULD HAVE EVER GUESSED.
Not only is gillespie from
Not only is gillespie from california.But if you remember,he was the only candidate conveniantly with a picture available here on sheridan media,before the big group hug picture of all the candidates was made available.
It was all just coincidence though.
Kurt already explained why?
Kurt already explained why? Last time you tried to pass that agenda.
Gawd, you are annoying with your agendas.
Why were the 6 finalists
Why were the 6 finalists unacceptable? If they were unacceptable then why were they finalists and who decided that? Has anyone ever looked deeply into Kinskeys background?
What a Waste
What a disgrace, tax payers don't deserve to pay for incompetence! Pretty pathetic explanation of why someone wasn't hired. If they made it to the final 6 they obviously weren't that bad, but then the council decides the remaining candidates who didn't withdraw weren't good enough??? Why put them in the final 6 in the first place for crying out loud. Sounds like the problem lies with the council not the candidates!
Yet another example of what
Yet another example of what 161 votes gets you.KINSKEY.
Yes,you had six candidates none of which would allow kinskey to be police chief,so they weren't hired.The search for another yes man is on its way.
Chandler was appointed interim chief,only after the city approached every department in wyoming for an interim candidate and were turned down completely.
This whole process is yet another example of how pathetic city council really is.You don't have a city council.You have nothing but 5 bozo's that will do anything and vote any way kinskey tells them to.And you the public allow this to go on repeatedly.
Really, this clown recieved
Really, this clown recieved more than half the votes!
But they all said they were
But they all said they were excited about making Sheridan their home? Just like Card was excited about making Sheridan his home? I mean the ever brilliant committee with an out of State Chief from Gillette and Mr. Bigalow looked for all the right qualifications- what went wrong? At least Sheridan dodged the bullet of letting someone who grew up here, has a family here, has roots here, has deep department and community roots with a bachelors and extinguished law enforcement history being the chief and not costing us tax payers thousands and thousands of dollars- thanks City Hall for dodging that bullet.
When we are in interviews we
When we are in interviews we ALL say things that make us sound better to get the job.
"ya, i could see myself working here" blah blah.
The fact that they said they were excited to make Sheridan their homes is SMART interviewing.
You guys are just pulling arguments out your rears.
Police Chief
How much more it this going to cost the taxpayers? Maybe they should give the job to Captain Scott Chandler, who has now been given the honor of being the interim Police Chief twice. Just a thought.
How much is this costing us? I take this to mean that the months and months spent looking for a police chief has ended in abject failure. I am quite angry as a tax payer that we are paying these city employees a salary (one would think they are being paid by the hour) and these people failed us. What if this next round of looking for a police chief fails? How long and how much money are we going to spend on this process?
Absolutely stunning news. On paper you had six highly qualified candidates and now we are back at square one? All of this time spent and they don't even get narrowed down to the three finalist?
Someone has some explaining to do. How much manpower, time and money has been spent over the last few months in this process?
It makes one wonder how competent those are who are involved in this hiring process. Unbelievable.
Just wondering
Does anyone have the figures on exactly how much money the first round cost the taxpayers?
Is the audio working for everyone else?
I tried to listen to the Kinskey audio clip and it said the file couldn't be found. Is anyone else having this problem or is it just me?
Who'd have thought.Six
Who'd have thought.Six candidates with distinguished back grounds and none them willing to be kinskeys yes man.
Candidates not only highly qualified, also intelligent
You hit the nail on the head RJones. It's refreshing to see people with backbones stand up to Kinskey and refuse to do everything on Kinskey's terms. He's still in office thanks to the many spineless cowards who live here and the pushovers sitting on City Council. Sheridan's finest, indeed.


text:
It pays to be a credit union member – especially when you're in the market for a loan. As a member-owned financial cooperative, we offer lower rates and better terms for loans than most banks and other lenders. This, combined with our personal service, is why so many are taking advantage of MECO Federal Credit Union as their primary lending source.
We offer low rates with fast and easy access to personal, Debt Consolidation, Vacation, Black Friday, and Short Term, Auto and Equity Loans.


text:
You have your iPod Shuffle 3G clipped on your arm when working out and it looks cool. So now, how about making it look yummy, too?
You can start by putting it in a ChocoShuffle, a new protective case for the iPod Shuffle 3G from SwitchEasy.
The first thing that came to mind when I saw the photos of the ChocoShuffle is that I just wanted to take a bite out of it. The case looks exactly like a piece of chocolate. It even comes in three colors, representing different kinds of chocolate: milk, white, and strawberry. It's made out of shock-proof silicon and offers a nonslip thumb grip.
Is it a coincidence that a tasty piece of chocolate happens to have the perfect size and shape to be a protective case for an MP3 player? Probably. But it's still a neat idea.
The ChocoSuffle is available now and costs a little more than a Hershey bar, at $9.
Now the problem is, will the ChocoShuffle make it harder for those who are on a diet? Or will the fact that it's not actually edible help with their willpower? I'll just stick with my iPhone for now.


text:
Modular Furniture by Sebastian Errazuriz
The "Explosion" is a piece of furniture by young designer born in Chile Sebastian Errazuriz. Each piece of solid wood is mounted on a rail system connecting it to the following, allowing for lateral movement. You must visit and explore his portfolio full of conceptual art, designs and furniture


text:
Microsoft Professional Services
Discover Professional Services that provide enterprise services, consulting, and support solutions while protecting the data you entrust to us.
About Microsoft support and consulting services
Become a digital business with the help of Professional Services. Rely on proactive advisory services and a managed customer experience tailored to your unique IT environment—while helping to protect the privacy and security of your data. Take advantage of a worldwide team of technical architects, engineers, consultants, and support professionals that provide rapid response to unplanned events, Our Professional Services support teams offer continuous hands-on assistance and immediate escalation of urgent issues to help you keep your mission-critical systems running. We also help you evaluate your IT health and provide the staff training, risk assessments, strategic advice, and tools your teams need to support a healthy IT environment.
Learn more about Professional Services
Notice regarding General Data Protection Regulation Contractual Commitments
Protecting your data is our top priority and is critical to all Professional Services. Our customers expect rigorous control and careful handling when it comes to their data, so our security program is based on defense in-depth, industry-leading physical, logical, and data security, including encryption, access control, and network hardening.
Professional Services is secure by design, providing the data protection you require. Rigorous control and careful handling of your data is fundamental to every part of our process at every layer. Continuous monitoring, penetration testing, and the application of strict security controls—as well as robust operational processes—help make Microsoft online services more resilient and resistant to attack.
We understand that customers will use Professional Services only if they can trust us to help protect the privacy of their data and that it will be used in a way that is consistent with our customers' expectations. You can be assured that the Professional Services organization adheres to the privacy guidelines set forth in the Microsoft privacy policies and the Microsoft Privacy Standard:
- We collect and use support and consulting data only to provide support and consulting services.
- We do not use your account credentials to troubleshoot issues on your behalf.
- We do not mine or access your data for advertising purposes.
- We maintain an active training and awareness program designed to reinforce our policies on the access, use, and safeguarding of support and consulting data.
Learn more about Microsoft Professional Services and suppliers
Professional Services has operationalized data protection into a scalable, formalized, verifiable process that enables organizations to adapt quickly to security trends and industry-specific needs. Professional Services engages in regular risk assessments and develops and maintains a governance framework that meets the latest standards. For an additional level of governance and to enable deeper customer trust, our compliance is verified through independent third-party audits and certifications—so you can be confident that the data you provide us meets stringent industry safeguards.
View Professional Services certifications
Our Professional Services organization customers are informed—through clearly stated policies and procedures—where their support and consulting data is stored. We provide easy to understand information on how we help secure support and consulting data, as well as who can access it and under what circumstances.


text:
On Mittwoch, 21. Mai 2008, Luca Scamoni wrote:
Btw, I submitted this as ITS#5464 some weeks ago.Thought I would just drop in a note on this...
There have been changes with glibc 2.8. Now struct ucred is ifdef'd
under _GNU_SOURCE
Maybe configure should detect if it's needed?
Sorry. I missed it. :-o


text:
02 avril 2006
Baca the Holy city of The Muslims pilgrimage is in the Holy Bible
Baca the Holy city of The Muslims pilgrimage is in the Holy Bible By Engineer : Murad Abd-ALwahab Al-Shwabkah. Praise Be to Allah Alone, No a partner in His dominion, To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens And the earth, It is who sent down the gospel and Torah, The lord and Sovereign of every thing, The Omniscient of his creatures He compasses round the secret and clandestine matters behind any thing. Whoever contemplates the Holy Quran, Sura... [Lire la suite]
05 février 2006
And Allah Will Protect You from People
The call of the Messenger (Peace be upon him) to Islam provoked the polytheists and aroused their rage. It also provoked the Jews' grudge and cunning. After the emigration the Jews and the polytheists joined hands to pose a real threat to the life of Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him). Conspiracies aiming at assassinating or killing him increased, and precautions and preparations against such conspiracies and threats represented a burden impeding the task of propagating Islam. Therefore, Allah promised to protect his Messenger... [Lire la suite]
18 janvier 2006
The Prophet's Name
The Hebraic Versions of Torah still carry the name of Muhammad without ambiguity. In the song of songs, chapter 5,Verse 16,we read: Which means: " His speech is the most pleasant. He is the Great Muhammad, this is my beloved, and this my friend." The Hebraic word clearly indicates the name of Muhammad but Jews and Christians refuse to admit that and insist that it is not a proper name but an epithet describing the Prophet, claiming that it means "altogether lovely". "His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely.... [Lire la suite]
18 janvier 2006
Haman as mentioned in the Holy Quran
Praise and glory to Allah (he who said):(Pharaoh said: O Chiefs! No god do I know for you but myself: therefore, o Haman! Light me a (kiln to bake bricks) out of clay, and build me a lofty palace, that I may mount up to the god of Moses: but as far as I am concerned, I think (Moses) is a liar! )( al-qasas, verse 38) Pharaoh is talking to the nobles of his nation telling them that he knows no God for them except himself, so he calls for Haman asking him to build him from the baked clay "which is the bricks" a high... [Lire la suite]
18 janvier 2006
Discovering the Habitations of "Aad"
Allah mentioned "Aad" 's people while talking about His messenger "Hud" (peace be upon him) as He says:(To Aad's people we sent their brother "Hud" .He said: "O my people, worship Allah. You have no other god but Him. You are but inventing"). (Surat Hud, verse 50) The Qur'an specified the location of "Aad" in Al-Ahqaaf that means "Dunes". The Qur'an didn't tell about its location but the tellers said that it is located between Yemen and Oman. Allah says:(Mention that the brother of Aad warned his people at the Dunes and verily... [Lire la suite]
17 janvier 2006
Noah's Deluge Story
Noah's Deluge Story The Glorious Qur'an talked about the past nations and their stances towards the messengers of Allah (exalted be He). One of the stories mentioned in the Qur'an is that of the prophet Noah (peace be upon him) and the Deluge; Allah says in Surat Al-Shu'araa (The Poets): (The people of Noah rejected the messengers (105)when their brother Noah said to them "Will you not fear Allah? (106)Surely I am a faithful messenger to you (107)So fear Allah and obey me (108)And I do not ask you any reward for it, my reward is... [Lire la suite]


text:
How To Execute A Compelling Vision
Paul Saginaw, co-founder of Zingerman's Family of Businesses, unveiled the secrets required to build a $40 million enterprise with 600 employees—without any proprietary products or services at Friday's DO GOOD SUMMIT. The company's outstanding success hinges on a business philosophy that enables people to tap into and grow their talents in an honest, open, and supportive environment.
A Winning Combo: Strategy, Culture & Structure
Zingerman's offers a prime example of how powerful an authentic company can be. It starts with vision. In fact, Saginaw had the audience salivating as he described the vision he and his partner, Ari Weinzweig, created before opening Zingerman's in 1982.
Imagine the finest artisan food products from around the world presented in a setting so friendly and accessible that customers would feel comfortable asking questions. Combine that with a busy, bustling sandwich shop and sandwiches filled with tasty condiments that would drip down your chin from the first bite and so large they'd take two hands to hold.
Add to that picture a company that would create meaningful work based on dignity, a sense of community, and democratic values. Everyone who would work at Zingerman's would not only have a voice, they'd have the power to make decisions. The founders wanted to establish a workplace that decoupled decision-making from titles. They wanted every employee to feel personally responsible for the business' success.
The vision worked. Zingerman's became an exceptional workplace… the kind you read about in books like First, Break all the Rules and Primal Leadership. Mind you, Saginaw and Weinzweig did this long before published research demonstrated their approach would build a business that would outperform and outlast competitors.
When it comes to the competition, Saginaw says he doesn't worry about it. Zingerman's stays on path by adhering to what he calls the natural laws of business. Zingerman's has successfully developed a strong identity by embedding a sense of purpose in everything it does. Vision, operating principles, systems that support those operating principles (including wholly open books), culture, and servant leadership produce extraordinary results.
Saginaw noted that operating principles set the standards by which all actions are recognized and rewarded. They guide decision-making to keep culture and systems aligned. By adhering to its principles, the company creates a level of trust generally unheard of in any industry. And this trust allows people to do extraordinary things. This is the magic that enables Saginaw to operate without worry for what competitors have up their sleeves.
Saginaw will also tell you that principles aren't principles unless they cost you something. When someone is out of integrity you have do address the issue head on—even if that means you have to ask a partner to leave.
Course Corrections
About 10 years into operations the founders noted that Zingerman's had lost its specialness. A leadership team that had been brought on board to manage the company held more traditional business philosophies than the founders. A top down management style, title-based decision-making, and risk aversion had crept into the business.
Saginaw and Weinzweig recognized the root cause. Zingerman's had strayed from its founding vision. They re-evaluated purpose and decided to grow the company in a way that stayed true to their original vision. Call it a cultural reboot.
Zingerman's fosters growth by growing its people. Employees can extend the brand by opening new, food related businesses in the county as long as the new businesses bring quality improvements and align with established vision, culture, and operating principles. Today 18 different ventures comprise Zingerman's Family of Businesses within a single county in Michigan.
That's right. Zingerman's Family of Businesses operate in a single county and function as a community within the larger community. This community-minded strategy has helped build a strong local economy. In fact, Zingerman's current vision seeks to mirror demographics in the county with diversity in the workforce. Think Local First DC, sponsors of the DO GOOD SUMMIT, invited Saginaw to give the keynote as a way to inspire local businesses to adopt Zingerman's model for building healthy, local communities.
Lessons Learned
At the end, Saginaw will tell you that that one of the most important lessons he has learned has to do with humanity. Whenever he has the choice between being right and being kind, he chooses to be kind.
"When you don't care who gets the credit, you can achieve some extraordinary things," claims Saginaw. Like deliberately building a thriving community. Adhering to the basics the way Zingerman's has requires clarity, courage, and discipline. It's nice to see how well contemporary leadership practices (put into place before the research backed them up) have worked. Now that's truly visionary.
This post first appeared as How to Differentiate on Business Philosophy Alone in Modern DC Business. The Zingerman example shows how to hit a home run by mixing strategy, structure, and culture in a way that works effectively for these particular founders. The recipe will be different for every organization, and execution requires focus and discipline. You can, however, learn more from Zingerman's.
© 2012. All rights reserved.
Share this:
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)


text: 2019 Black Friday great sales run up to 90% off for whole range of Curtains. Are you ready to welcome the coming cold winter? High quality Curtains must be the best choice for you. Want to experience the incredible comfort at home? 2019 Black Friday Curtains Deals is really wonderful for you to get. They are in high quality and special design but competitive price. These impressive Curtains not only keep you happy, but also make you feel cozy and relaxed. Hurry up to grab this infrequent great sale for you and the ones you care.


text:
Lars Larson
12:00pm - 3:00pm
Listen Live
2012-12-06 17:39:00
KBND News Sources
The Clark County Auditor's Office expects a rush of same sex couples applying for marriage licenses now that it's legal. Paul Harris is the License Manager. For years...he's handed out licenses, but hasn't been allowed to get one for himself and his partner. Now he can...and he says it means a lot. Brooks Barrent, Pastor of Vancouver's First Congregational Church, says he expects to perform several marriages this Sunday. Sunday is the first day there can be marriages, because of the three day waiting period.
Tweets by @1110KBND
Home | Public File | EEO | Employment Opportunities | Advertising Information | Links | Contact


text:
We´ve done it again!!! Another H-U-G-E collab, this time with a zoo theme. You´ll be busy the whole weekend visiting blogs, downloading all the parts and admiring all the great stuff there is!!! It´s been so much fun making it!!!! I was only gonna make a little bit this time, but as most of the group I just couldn´t stop!!! I´ve got 5 downloads for you! Just take a look at my parts:
(woops just noticed a spelling error in uppercase....)
Here are the other parts I made, only I´m not able to upload them now as my computer broke donw, and where I´m now I won´t have the time or resources to upload, so please please please don´t forget about me, hopefully by next week I have my things uploade and you can grab the other parts!!!!
Here are the links of the blogs of the other participants. Remember, as we´re all in diferent time-zones, one or two might not be up yet, just be patient and try again later. Don´t worry, no hurry, links will be up for at least the whole month of August!


text:
Removing Another Horseman/
Last week I shared one of John Gottman's Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – Contempt. By way of reminder, these are the four attitudes that, if they show up in a relationship, will destroy it. This week I will share another Horseman – Defensiveness.
Defensiveness Defined
Defensiveness can be aggressive or it can be passive. Aggressive defensiveness comes mainly in the form of an attack which tries to set the opponent back to weaken their argument. In a conflict this often shows up as an attempt to flip the quarrel. For example when one person in the relationship expresses a complaint the other person immediately fires back a negative example of their behavior.
Passive defensiveness is a tactic that can be described by this phrase; "talk to the hand because the face ain't listening". There is a stubborn unwillingness to consider the other persons complaint and will change the subject, avoid contact or do anything else possible not to be in the conversation.
How do you know you are being defensive? A good rule of thumb is when we are creating a response in our heads when another person is talking. When we do this we are not listening to understanding but rather listening to defend. Another way of telling we are slipping into the defensive mode is when we feel attacked or condemned. Defensiveness is a natural response in these cases. But unless it is a physical attack our being defensive will only escalate the conflict – it never resolves it. Conflict is reduced when the parties feel understood and their feelings are honored. By the way, did you know according to research that 69% of all relational conflict is perpetual? That means that we really don't resolve most arguments we simply learn to understand and create some accommodation or compromise. Good marriages are not conflict free – they just learn to live with inevitable differences in a way that shows kindness, patience, long-suffering and love. Sounds a lot like the Fruit of the Spirit doesn't it.
The great antidote to defensiveness is the willingness to die to oneself – for that is what it feels like when you feel misunderstood and attacked and don't in turn defend ourselves. As a believer in Christ I find my identity not in my performance or in another person's perception of me but in who God says I am. I have already been condemned as a sinner and I have been forgiven and raised up as a Child of God so the worse and best has been said of me. I can handle the revelation of my imperfections because I have the sure hope that God is continuing to work on my character.
Here are some of the keys to removing defensiveness from our conflicts
- Be determined to listen for understanding not for rebuttal
- Calm yourself with the confidence of being loved by God and that this is an opportunity to grow
- Attempt to connect with the feelings of your spouse even if you can't understand their logic
- Remember that this problem may be perpetual and therefore look for compromise not for ultimate solutions
- Don't let past unresolved conflicts emerge. Stay in the present moment.


text:
Two of my favourite books of all time are Jonathan Safran Foer's "Everything is Illuminated" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." This interview from Slate.com explores his writing style and process.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Jonathan Safran Foer: How I Write
Two of my favourite books of all time are Jonathan Safran Foer's "Everything is Illuminated" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." This interview from Slate.com explores his writing style and process.
Posted by p at 12:17 AM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: books, creativity, jonathan safran foer, slate.com, writers
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Client Work: Hello Dolly
Branding, Product Design, Advertising and Promotional material
We created the branding and product designs for this new gift brand. The brand has been a sell-out success story. The design appeals to women of all ages and needed to be flexible enough to use on anything from hammers to aprons, posters or printed material. The simplicity of the colours and the packaging design create a strong, memorable retail presence enabling the products to sell themselves. The products and trade fair stand have won numerous awards. Click image for more detail.
Posted by p at 9:53 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: advertising, branding, client work, clients, Hello Dolly, product design, promotional material
Client Work: Tax Management New Zealand
Branding, Advertising and Promotional material
Starting with a brand workshop we've worked with Tax Management New Zealand to rebrand their business and raise product awareness across a range of media including advertising, direct mail and online. The work has been highly successful resulting in record product acquisition numbers. Click image for more detail.
Posted by p at 9:44 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Labels: advertising, branding, client work, clients, design, direct mail, promotional material, Tax Management New Zealand, TMNZ
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Finding a place in the world
I recently attended the Semi Permanent conference in Auckland. It was a great event with presentations from twelve creative professionals working around the world in a range of disciplines including graphic design, motion graphics, interaction design etc. Over the two day conference some common themes emerged amongst the speakers. Often their best work and most creative projects were "love jobs". One designer even said that she forgave her fee for a poster to enable the client to afford a very expensive printing technique. The resulting posters were so beautiful that the client decided to sell them online. They sold out in a couple of days. The designer has beautiful photographs of her work but was paid absolutely nothing for this project.
I understand the thinking behind this and can relate to it myself – when an enjoyable project comes along you are more than happy to put everything into it in the hope that the high quality work may be noted by your peers and potential clients, which will then lead to more work. Creative professionals are doing their best work for free and are charging higher prices to do poorer quality or less creative work. I repeat, creative professionals are doing their best work for free and are charging higher prices to do poorer quality or less creative work. Can you imagine a builder working by this philosophy? Or a surgeon? Or anyone else for that matter?
Another theme that emerged during the conference was the old design vs art debate. Is good design art? One designer insisted that it was, whilst another said art and design will never be the same because "design has to work". Perhaps professional creative people have a repressed inner artist who is dying to express themselves. This inner artist is so desperate to work on a creative project that when one comes along they do it for free. Maybe this explains why designers are prepared to work on enjoyable projects for free. If this is the case, then surely creative professionals should satisfy themselves creatively outside of work. If they don't, it's the same as going grocery shopping when you're hungry.
The other argument is that if clients appreciated creativity they would pay for it. Surely then it is our responsibility to educate clients on the benefits of creativity in communication. If clients recognise and appreciate better work then they would be prepared to pay for it. There are effectiveness awards that may help in the client education process, but the work is rarely exceptional on a creative level, so these awards would fail to encourage clients to pay more for something they percieve they don't need. Other award shows judge creativity with no regard for effectiveness of the communication, so these also do not reinforce the worth of creativity. This leads me to my own personal struggle.
I worked as a graphic designer for five years and never understood the general mentality of designers. Designers are employed to produce pieces of communication, however in most cases, they do not care if the work actually communicates. For many their work is a vehicle to deliver selfish fulfillment. For example, a designer will present a logo in the colour orange and post-rationalise the colour choice to the client when truthfully, the colour has no relevance to the brand or the business, it is simply their favourite colour.
This self indulgence never sat well with me so I left design to work in advertising. As an outsider to the advertising industry I liked the lack of pretense. These guys were making ads to sell products and weren't pretending otherwise. I liked the strategic foundations of advertising. Briefs came from understanding both the brand and the consumers and the resulting work reflected these insights. As a creative person I was inspired by the creative ads I saw and I worked as hard as I could to get a job with the creative director who's work inspired me most. Very quickly I discovered that advertising creatives are obsessed by winning awards.
Like the design industry, advertising work considered to be potentially award winning is done for free. I worked in several agencies where day-to-day work on real client jobs was less important than my ability to win awards. I was expected to pro-actively create work for existing or new clients that could win the agency more awards. Award winning advertising is generally made for industry peers. Everybody is trying to be more creative and innovative than each other. Often in the quest for awards, the client, their product and the effectiveness of the work is irrelevant. I personally do not agree with this approach. Clients give us their marketing budgets in good faith. In my opinion I think that providing solutions with no regard for the cost or the outcome is disrespectful and lacks integrity.
Sometimes I do not know where I fit in the world of creative professionals. I know that I enjoy the creative problem solving process and I like that my work can help people grow their business. I love all forms of creative communication when it is relevant to the brief and when it is executed without ulterior motives. I do believe that there are solutions that are both creative and effective. I hope the work we produce for our clients at The Whisper Shop reflects this.
Angela, Creative Director
Posted by p at 10:39 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Labels: awards, Creative Directors, creativity, design, effectiveness, semi-permanent, The Whisper Shop


text:
Happy Tuesday Everyone!
It's time to announce this month's theme for Tag It Tuesday.
As you know, we've been focusing on color this year. Rather than use specific Pantone colors this month, I decided to turn you loose with the primary colors -- red, yellow, and blue -- and see what you create. I'm also hoping you'll throw some basic shapes in there as well. Think circles, squares, triangles, etc. It's amazing to think that we can mix any color we want by starting with only three humble colors!
Here's a quick color wheel reference showing the primary colors and their complementary or secondary colors as well. Do you remember making color wheels in art class in school and starting out with a triangle? That brings back some memories. And those secondary colors? Yep, we'll visit those later in the year, so stay tuned for that!
As always, use whatever style, size or shape of tag you want and alter it with your favorite media style. The link up blog post will go up on May 17, so you have plenty of time to get creative!
As I mentioned last month, I'm toying with the idea of switching Tag It Tuesday to a Facebook group. Let me know in the comments below what you think about that. Would it be easier to follow? Easier to post pics? Give me your honest opinion.
Thanks for looking at my blog. I appreciate all the wonderful comments everyone leaves.
Happy Crafting!


text:
Gokyo [4,890m]
Gokyo, constructed by CAN more recently than Machermo, withstood the earthquake better, as did the various lodges in the vicinity. Much of the repair work was carried out under the direction of the caretakers, Mr Jit Bahadur Rai and Mr Pasang Sherpa. Gokyo is becoming the more significant porter rescue shelter with the increase in the number of trekkers crossing the Renjo La pass (5,360m]. This shelter is also manned by an IPPG UK doctor during both the trekking seasons.
Gorak Shep [5,140m]
Built in 2008, Gorak Shep Porter Shelter is one of the highest
buildings in Nepal; it is certainly the highest ever constructed by CAN. Fortunately, there was very little damage resulting from the two big earthquakes in 2015. It is not manned by an IPPG medic.


text:
Top 5 Smart City Predictions: AI and the Birth of Self-Aware Cities
What will cities look like in the future? With the birth of Machine Learning, explosion in Artificial Intelligence and our increasingly Tech-Centric culture, they may look much different than most people expect. And the process of planning them will as well. But one things for sure – they will be smarter.
As a licensed Landscape Architect working in the Tech industry, I see great untapped potential to adapt innovative technologies to empower landscape architects, architects, civil engineers and city/regional planners. And as these professions become increasingly involved in the Smart Cities process, they would be wise to begin educating themselves about the emerging technologies companies such as Cisco are developing.
So to prepare my fellow designers for their unexpected future creating more sustainable environments, I offer up my top 5 predictions on the future of planning SmartCities:
By 2020: Use of a single city wide digital platform to unify all operations, data aggregation/analytics, and actions across agencies will become popular. This will pull data from all city sensors, cameras, end points, databases, etc. and then aggregate that data into a single source, all in real-time. This data will then be pushed back out for immediate use by city leaders, agencies, businesses (including design firms), universities and even citizens to take immediate actions that result in better outcomes for all. Cisco is already pioneering this concept with its Smart+Connected Communities Digital Platform which provides a great foundation for your Smart City solutions. Plus there will be some very exciting news about that platform coming very soon.
By 2025: As Smart Cities become the rule rather than the exception, local governments will have to adapt their planning methodologies. This will result in the inclusion of language into municipal building codes and Unified Development Ordinances requiring and regulating types, uses and even quantities of digital technologies for buildings, land development and roads. This will initially reveal itself through minimum requirements for sensors, WiFi and other network infrastructure.
By 2030: The use of artificial intelligence in design studios and government planning departments will include the presence of fully mobile androids who will serve as liaisons between technology and humans. They will also serve as base creatives, providing feedback on designs and serving as catalysts to spur new approaches. They will also be given authority as final arbitrators on planning issues that are often biased by human preconceptions.
By 2035: The responsibilities of engineers, architects, landscape architects and other planning professionals will shift significantly as self-aware technologies increase their role in design and planning. This will allow the various design professions to become so efficient that they will be able to merge into a single unified profession. This evolution will also empower the human workforce to engage in more high-level decision making and free them to be more creative in general, spurring a renaissance in planning as well as a much happier workforce.
By 2040: We will be able to create a living, breathing manifestation of a city – an entity endowed with its own self-awareness, across all agencies, assets and communities to make decisions for the common good, better and faster than humans ever could. These self-realized cities will begin collaborating with each other, ultimately planning new communities on their own and building them using automated tools and large scale 3D printers.
Will these predictions come true? The years may be off, but in time, yes. It is a fascinating view from which I find myself these days; immersed within the rising framework of future cities but somewhat subdued by their potential because I feel the environmental design professions are not yet being fully utilized in the process. But this is just momentary. For in the end, the Smart City itself will become designer and builder – the sole-source originator of community.
For the latest news, trends and analysis on Smart Cities, Planning and Tech, follow Kenn on:
LinkedIn: Kenn Dodson, RLA/SME
Twitter: Gircom
Related Article: Will AI Replace Creative Professionals?
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.
2 Comments
Andrew Hadsell
Excellent perspective Kenn, and thanks for sharing. As a forward-thinking civil engineer working with many state and local government clients I often find myself daydreaming during and after project meetings. Sort of makes me feel like the boy on the image you included at the beginning of your message. I listen to all the information my clients share. They always have so much institutional knowledge and they tend to sometimes be constrained in addressing what are perceived to be more traditional problems and solutions. More and more I am finding if you are willing transition a formal project meeting to a more open-minded and interactive discussion the outcome can be something special. In my world, I spend a great deal of time talking about "best available data" but it always seems that term is looking at static data – sets of information that have been collected and maybe analyzed, a bit, but not far enough to bring true value. For this reason, I really appreciate your comment "they would be wise to begin educating themselves about the emerging technologies…" So true, and at the same time in our profession we would be serving them best to help start educating them. As we are not bound by the same degree of politics, and as we have a greater depth of resources to begin to understand the ROI of data and technology, we can help them build their model to advance to more of a "self-aware" city. The past few years I have worked with some innovative applications that leverage existing data sets to provide for more efficient decision making. When I think of AI I often immediately have the picture of a shiny robot working over my shoulder, just like the image in your post. But the more I work with clients to develop smart applications the more I realize AI does not need to walk or talk, it does not need to learn emotions. Much is being discussed right now about AI as a near-term reality and even as a threat. That is just to acknowledge the issues are on the table. From my perspective when I think about AI I am thinking about some of the solutions I am working on in the space of water management and also in emergency management applications. From the water perspective, I look out to the 2020 and beyond horizon and I picture a city where water management through IoT applications becomes the defense to offset the risks of flooding, drought and water quality in the treatment and distribution networks. A city where water is managed to the micro level and continues to be an affordable asset to society. Further, I see AI as a means to make more efficient the coordination of response and recovery efforts as we continue to face natural and man-made hazards in our cities and beyond. Bringing the mass number of systems and data already available into a central platform is a step that helps so many to see the vision and begin to work towards the seemingly endless possibilities.
Kenn Dodson
As you mentioned, a unified platform for data is critical. Once that is in place, a great many things can be accomplished. A great opportunity exist in connected sensors for transportation – especially flooding, severe weather, surface temperatures, materials monitoring.
But one key untapped area would be natural resources – such as tree canopies, parks/recreation and greenways, conservation areas, forestry (including urban forest). I'd classify all of these under the umbrella of Green Infrastructure – perhaps Cisco should take a look at extending our Connected Digital Platform to that area as well.


text:
jeudi 30 octobre 2008
Alice McCall
Australian designer Alice McCall with her SS08 collection (reminder: here in Australia it's spring !). Her new line seems to draw inspiration from all things 60's: mod fashion with strong graphic designs and lots of black and white pieces, as well as more hippie-like fashion with volatile fabrics that flow nicely.
And that powdery pink! My growing infatuation with this very feminine colour was only confirmed when I saw one of my favourite bloggers Betty wear it:
Betty teams her delicate dress with a very cool perfecto leather jacket. Perrrr-fect!
Photo Source: Alice McCall, Le Blog de Betty.
Commentaires sur Alice McCall
Nouveau commentaire


text:
Answer: The short answer is $3 per Airing device, or $0.60 after insurance reimbursement. But it's important to understand the technology behind Airing to appreciate how we plan to produce the device at such a low cost per unit.
The technology.
The invention of the micro-blowers is the technological breakthrough at the heart of the Airing micro-CPAP device. The power source is based on a similar technology Polaroid used in their film packs because it is powerful, mass manufacturable and inexpensive. The integrated electronics are analogous to those in the Kodak disposable cameras. Again, small, mass manufacturable and inexpensive. The rest of the device is low cost rubber and plastic. Each component is small, inexpensive and integrated, so the aggregate result is a very small, highly efficient, tightly integrated device.
The Airing device is designed to be mass manufacturable so as to reduce the cost and allow it to be a single use device. Both the micro-blower technology and the power source can be made using the roll to roll process, an extremely efficient system. The integrated electronics takes advantage of semiconductor processing that is well proven in low cost consumer product manufacturing. The rubber and plastic parts use high speed injection molding, again very cost effective.
By adopting the best design and manufacturing practices from successful consumer products in the areas of health and electronics, we are able to deliver a device that has an end user price of about $3.00, making it inexpensive enough for single use.
Insurance Reimbursement.
We are hopeful that the FDA will view the Airing device as a variant of the existing accepted CPAP therapy and clear its sale as such. If they do, then it is reasonable to believe that the insurance companies who provide reimbursement for this type of equipment and treatment will do so for the Airing device. If the customary reimbursement rate of 80% is available, this would reduce the cost of the Airing device to the consumer to approximately $0.60 per day.
Prove your compliance to your insurance company.
The integrated pressure sensors and electronics that control the Airing device are able to track the patient's breathing cycle and deliver the proper treatment. The appropriate data can be stored for subsequent retrieval. This built in feature can be used for proof of compliance. That will help with reimbursements.


text:
Every day is a choice. Choose greatness with the Skechers GOwalk Sport - Active shoe. Features innovative 5GEN midsole design and an advanced knit mesh fabric upper with new Skechers Goga Max insole for the most advanced walking experience ever.
Copyright © 2011 Skechers Malaysia. Powered by BackZtage Media Web Design.
Store Locator | About Us | Contact Us


text:
VeggieTales: Dave and the Giant Pickle
From the Cover:
Have you ever felt too small to do a really big job? That's what a little shepherd boy named Dave feels when his big brothers head off to defend their country, leaving Dave behind with the sheep. "Big people do big things, and little people do little things,"they tell him. They're in for a surprise, however, when they find out their foe is much bigger than they thought! This telling of the classic biblical story of David and Goliath teaches kids that "with God, all things are possible." It makes no difference whether you're 9-feet tall or 2-feet tall — with God's help, even little guys can do big things!
Peter Plum graduated top of his drawer in the crisper, but still can't seem to get on VeggieTales DVD's. So every day he tries to figure out how to get into the shows while reviewing them for VeggieTales Review. When he's not writing reviews, he's busy with his growing family of fruits and attempting to keep things fresh.


text:
The Open ROADM MSA adds new capabilities in Release 2.0
The Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) for open reconfigurable add-drop multiplexers (ROADM) group expects to publish its second release in the coming months. The latest MSA specifications extend optical reach by including line amplification and adds support for flexible grid and lower-speed tributaries with OTN switching.
The Open ROADM MSA, set up by AT&T, Ciena, Fujitsu and Nokia, is promoting interoperability between vendors' ROADMs by specifying open interfaces for their control using software-defined networking (SDN) technology. Now, one year on, the MSA has 10 members, equally split between operators and systems vendors.
Orange joined the Open ROADM MSA last July and says it shares AT&T's view that optical networks lack openness given the proprietary features of the vendors' systems.
"As service providers, we suffer from lock-in where our networks are composed of equipment from a single vendor," says Xavier Pougnard, R&D manager for transport networks at Orange Labs. "When we want to introduce another vendor for innovation or economic reasons, it is nearly impossible."
This is what the MSA group wants to tackle with its open specifications for the data and management planes. The goal is to enable an operator to swap equipment without having to change their control by using a common, open management interface. "Right now, for every new provider, we need IT development for the management of the [network] node," says Pougnard.
As service providers, we suffer from lock-in where our networks are composed of equipment from a single vendor. When we want to introduce another vendor for innovation or economic reasons, it is nearly impossible.
MSA status
The Open ROADM MSA has published two data sets as part of its Release 1.2. One set tackles 100-gigabit data plane interoperability by defining what is needed for two line-side transponders to talk to each other. The second set of specifications uses the YANG modelling language to allow the management of the transponders and ROADMs.
The group is now working on Release 2.0 that will enable longer reaches and exploit OTN switching. The specifications will also support flexgrid whereas Release 1.2 specifies 50GHz fixed channels only. Release 2.0 is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2017. "Service providers would like it as soon as possible," says Pougnard.
Pougnard highlights the speed of development of an open MSA model with new releases issued every few months, far quicker that traditional standardisation bodies. It was this frustration with the slow pace of development of the standards bodies that led Orange to join the Open ROADM MSA.
Orange stresses that the Open ROADM will not be used for all dense wavelength-division multiplexing cases. There will be applications which require extended performance where a specific vendor's equipment will be used. "We do specify the use of an FEC [forward error correction] in the specification but there are more powerful FECs that extend the reach for 100-gigabit interfaces," says Pougnard. But the underlying flexibility offered by the MSA trumps performance.
AT&T detailed in December a network demonstration of the Open ROADM technology. The operator used a 100-gigabit optical wavelength in its Dallas area network to connect two IP-MPLS routers using transponders and ROADMs from Ciena and Fujitsu.
Orange is targeting its own lab trials in the first half of this year using a simplified OpenDaylight SDN controller working with ROADMs from three systems vendors. "We want to showcase the technology and prove the added value of an open ROADM," says Pougnard.
Orange is also a member of the Telecom Infra Project, a venture that includes Facebook and 10 operators to tackle telecom networks from access to the core. The two groups have had discussions about areas of possible collaboration but while the Open ROADM MSA wants to promote a single YANG model that includes the amplifiers of the line system, TIP expects there to be more than a single model. The two organisations also differ in their philosophies: the Open ROADM MSA concerns itself with the interfaces to the platforms whereas TIP also tackles the internal design of platforms.
Coriant, which is a member of TIP and the Open ROADM MSA, is keen for alignment. "As an industry we should try to make sure that certain elements such as open API definitions are aligned between TIP and the Open ROADM MSA," says Uwe Fischer, CTO of Coriant.
Meanwhile, the Open ROADM MSA will announce another vendor member soon and says additional operators are watching the MSA's progress with interest.
Pougnard stresses how open developments such as the ROADM MSA require WDM engineers to tackle new things. "We have a tremendous shift in skills," he says. "Now they need to work on the automation capability, on YANG modelling and Netconf." Netconf - the IETF's network configuration protocol - uses YANG models to enable the management of network devices such as ROADMs.


text:
Saturday's football game marked my last first-game as the videoboard producer for Auburn Athletics. (Remember that whole thing about me quitting my dream job?) During the game, as I watched our crew at work, I was reminded of our very first meeting a few short years ago.
I was responsible for taking a group of people, mostly students who had never held a camera before, and turning them into the best video crew in the Southeastern Conference.
I didn't really know where to start, but on the advice of my friend Andy, we began with an icebreaker. I passed around a bag of pennies and made everyone take one. Each of us had to read the year the penny was made & tell a story about something that happened in our lives that year.
One kid fell off a deck and broke his leg. Another went to a Backstreet Boys concert. We brought it full circle by talking about how each penny represented a memorable moment in that person's life–some good, some bad.
The crew went on to establish our mission statement-
"It is the mission of the AUHD Crew to provide memorable moments to Auburn fans through a clean, professional and ever-improving game day production."
Now, in AUHD's 4th season, I'm confident that our crew is as good as any in the country. To this day, it's not unusual to hear someone on the headset say "there's a penny" when we play a chill-inducing video, replay a big hit or put a smiling kid on the big screen. It's a joy to watch them work and I learn something from them each and every time we produce a show.
A year or so after that first meeting, I was motivated to create my own mission statement.
"Times past exist only in memories, therefore I will strive to create as many memorable moments as I can by doing things to grow myself, my future, my relationships & my faith."
Times change and people move on, but the memories from my years as a member of the crew will be with me for a long time to come.
So here's to pennies. Not the kind made of copper and zinc, but the kind made of adventures, experiences, family and friends; the kind you never want to lose.


text:
A Portfolio is a collection of projects that have unifying characteristics. Those projects usually compete for the same resources, budget, or time slot. You can divide Portfolios into Programs and associate the projects with the Programs before they are added to a Portfolio.
You must have Edit access to Portfolios in your access level to create and manage Portfolios, and you must have Manage permissions on a Portfolio to be able to edit it. Yo must have View permissions on a Portfolio to be able to see it.
For more information about access to Portfolios, see "Access Levels by License Type."
For more information about permissions to Portfolios, see "Portfolio Permissions."
You can use Portfolios and Programs to organize projects. Through organizing projects, you can compare similar projects and determine where resources will be best spent.
For more information about using Programs, see "Creating Programs."
Portfolio creation and organization is done by adding projects to portfolios. To create efficient portfolios that bring value to your organization, you must start with a Project Request where you define the Business Case for each project which is later added to the portfolio.
The Business Case contains the following information:
- General information about the project (description, Portfolio and Program assignments, Project Owner and Sponsor)
- The goals or objectives of the project
- Estimated expense costs
- Resource budgets for labor costs
- An alignment score
- A risk assessment
For more information about the Business Case, see "Creating a Business Case."
These key elements are used in the portfolio optimizer and the capacity planner to assist management in project selection.
Portfolios are usually configured to correspond with Resource Pools. The Programs in a Portfolio also align with a Resource Pool. This correlation helps to ensure all resource planning fits within the purpose of the Portfolio, as the projects within the same Portfolio usually compete for the same resources.
Portfolio Managers can track financial performance inside the portfolio using the Portfolio dashboard. This dashboard is displayed in the header of the Portfolio.
For more information about the financial fields of a Portfolio, see the "Understanding the Financial Fields in the Portfolio Optimizer" section in "Understanding the Portfolio Optimizer."


text:
So here I was last night faced with the fact that I was going to spend the night with 11 random strangers I had Never met before in my life and was never to meet again.
I arrived at the youth hostel at 1130pm and It was very boisterous and noisy as I was checking in, the drinks seemed to be flowing at the bar and there were loads of young people enjoying the atmosphere, jesus did I feel old at that point!
I checked in and paid my £14 for a night in a warm bed and was handed over the codes to get into the front door and the codes to the bedroom, as well as the wifi code (thankyou for the wifi!). The reception was in an old converted Pub and I had to step out into the rain again to get to the accommodation block next door, I punched the code into the front door and got into the building easily enough and found my room.
After three attempts at using the code and cursing at the top of my voice, a kind gentleman came to my rescue and opened the door for me, I went in, the light was on and i breathed a sigh of relief before scanning the room and seeing 6 sets of bunkbeds and realising the time was nearly midnight and there were people asleep. Oops I said to myself before creeping around more quietly, only the more I tried to creep around quietly, the more noise I seemed to make. I undid my bag but the zipper sounded like thunder in the quietness of the room - I could imagine these poor people tutting underneath their duvet.
I went to the bathroom to change into my pyjamas, and There were a few American girl tourists running
I heard a few people coming into the room before i finally drifted off to sleep and the next thing I knew it was 5am, two young girls left and so did a builder. I drifted off again and woke up at 8am! I had such a good night sleep, the bed was comfortable and it didnt bother me sleeping in a bunkbed. I got up and took a shower, it was a great warm power shower - better than some I have used in more expensive hotels before. I went to check out in the reception where there was a basic breakfast of cereals, toast and fruit. As I was kind of in a rush, as I had no idea where I was going to. So I grabbed some fruit and ate on the go.
I stayed at Birmingham Backpackers. and I would stay there again as an overnight visit to Birmingham, if i was on my own.
Thursday, 23 October 2014
I Was A Youth Hostel Virgin........
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Candylocks Straw Mary Doll and Candylocks Surprise Doll Review
Does your little girl like coloured hair? This summer it has all been about bits of candyfloss hair colour in her hair. It's a great way...
Recently we launched a Versace Red Jeans competition over on the sister blog for you to try and win a bottle and today we bring you Versace ...
As I worked on a fragrance counter for 5 years, I thought I would share a little bit of advice and some tips on buying the perfect fragranc...
As I have written, Matilda Turned 9 last weekend and I was sent some brilliant little surprise toys from Zuru for her to enjoy. The Zuru 5 S...


text:
Innovation Hub Sweden
There are no upcoming events at this time.
Use the form on the right to contact us.
You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right.
3 Jakobs torg
Stockholm, Stockholms län, 11152
AmCham Sweden is the voice of American business in Sweden. We are champions of US - Swedish trade and investment and US commercial interests in Sweden and give members a networking platform, critical business information, and an amplified voice.
There are no upcoming events at this time.


text:
How far along? 21 weeks and 0 days
Baby's Size: 7 inches
Baby's Weight: 10-11 oz.
Development: Baby's eyebrows and eyelids have formed. He looks like a mini version of what he'll look like when he's born. He's even getting some hair on his head.
Weight gain/loss: I gained back the 2 pounds I lost last week due to food poisoning. I'm up about 11 pounds overall so far.
Maternity clothes? Usually.
Best moment this week? I found a great second-hand children's store!
Symptoms: Stuffy nose & congestion, back & neck pain, daily baby kicks, dry skin with breakouts, vivid dreams
Food cravings/aversions: Not much sounds good lately except sweets.
What I'm looking forward to: Getting some registry items crossed off my list! I feel like my baby shower is so far away.
Milestones: An acquaintance who did not previously know I'm pregnant saw me and asked, "When are you due?" I guess I'm really showing now.
What my baby and I look like this week:
Saturday, February 12, 2011
2 comments:
- Chelsea said...
Where did you find these little pregnancy updates you do each week??
- February 13, 2011 at 11:14 AM
- Melissa McMommy said...
I stole the format and questions from someone else's blog. I get the size and weight info, as well as the 3d baby image from 3dpregnancy.com. I also use babycenter.com for their info on baby's weekly development.
- February 13, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Just In: Wool! And it's going on sale!
We decided to put out our brand spankin' new wool pieces before our big sale that starts tomorrow (Friday). That means you get to enjoy it discounted right off the bat. What?! We never do that, but we did this time. These are some really, really lovely wool pieces, knit, boiled, stitched and printed. Take a look-see.


text: Making Progress... April 7, 2013 Hi everyone! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I'm very happy that today I was able to make some progress on my Star quilt: I finished the quilt top and basted it. Yay! It is just a few steps closer from being finished and put to use. I can't wait... Martha.


text:
Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 Lens Review
Big sensor, small lens. Is this prime lens the ideal compromise for X-series shooters?
Perhaps the best thing about mirrorless cameras like Fujifilm's renowned X-series is getting the quality and performance of a DSLR in a compact form factor. While the pursuit of smaller proportions has led manufacturers like Olympus, Panasonic, and Nikon to design cameras with smaller image sensors (and thus smaller lenses), Fuji bet big on APS-C sensors—the kind used in most DSLRs.
The result is that while Fuji's cameras are indeed much smaller than comparable DSLRs, its lenses are usually way bigger than Micro Four Thirds and Nikon 1 series glass. The Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens was designed to address that size deficit, providing a useful "normal" focal length and a wide maximum aperture in a lens that's just 0.9 inches thick.
In the lab, the Fuji 27mm proved to be a solid all-around performer, despite its small size; in the real world, we found it to be particularly well-suited to street shooting, though iffy bokeh and a less-than-exciting focal length don't always inspire the way many of Fuji's lenses can.
It's not the flat-out best lens in the brand's lineup, but if you're heading out for a full day of shooting it may be the only lens you need.
Who's It For?
Like all pancake lenses, the Fujinon XF27mm f/2.8 was designed for portability first and foremost. It perfectly complements the compact dimensions of Fujifilm's X-series cameras, adding very little weight to the overall package. It's the ideal companion for someone who wants to capture everyday snapshots, wants a little low-light flexibility, and doesn't want anything big or bulky.
The biggest downside here is that it doesn't focus very close, meaning it's not the best choice for candid, creative portraits. Another thing to be aware of is the lack of an aperture ring; physical (by wire) aperture rings have been a hallmark of Fujifilm's XF lenses from the get-go, and the 27mm is the only XF without one. That can make for some funky compatibility issues with low-end X-series cameras that have fewer programmable control dials.
Look and Feel
There's really not much to say about the Fuji 27mm f/2.8's handling, because there's not much to, you know, handle.
The lens is solidly built, with a tough plastic body, metal focus ring, and metal mount. It locks securely onto your camera while adding less than an inch of depth, and at less than 100 grams it weighs practically nothing. That makes it a great lens to leave on the camera instead of a body cap, so you're ready to shoot at a moment's notice.
Our one hangup is the lack of an aperture ring. Fujifilm designed its camera and lens system to attract camera enthusiasts, and part of the attraction has been a plethora of manual controls. But to make the XF 27mm as small as possible, the company's designers decided to discard the aperture ring.
That means that you'll need to control aperture via your camera body, which is sometimes easier said than done. Usually you can reassign aperture control to a custom button or dial, but that requires a trip into the menu; depending on your familiarity with the user interface, it can be a bit of a hassle. Worse still, some older bodies will require a firmware upgrade to properly make use of the 27mm f/2.8.
The lens is still fully usable even without direct aperture control if you use Auto, Program, or Shutter Priority shooting modes, but half the joy of shooting with an X-series camera is learning to control things manually. That normally goes for focus, as well, but the small focus ring isn't the easiest to focus with manually, even with Fujifilm's wide array of focus assist modes.
Image Quality
Though the Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8's raison d'être is its compact footprint, it also needs to perform. Well, after putting it through its paces in our lab, we found it to be a solid (if not spectacular) prime lens that doesn't try to do too much. It's sharp in the center, but it lacks the superb corner-to-corner sharpness of the best prime lenses, going a little soft in the corners.
That isn't to say this is a bad lens. It has negligible chromatic aberration, minimal distortion, and the sharpness profile is quite good versus similarly sized (if not similarly prices) lenses. The only real hangups we have are with its mediocre bokeh, which isn't usual for a relatively wide and slow-aperture normal prime, and the truly dreadful f/16 performance. Seriously, avoid f/16 like the plague.
Below you can see sample photos taken with the Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 mounted on a Fujifilm X-T1. Click the link below each photo to download the full-resolution image.
From the outset, Fujifilm has been very clear regarding its vision for its mirrorless system. Rather than try to provide an all-encompassing assortment of lenses, the company has focused almost exclusively on well-built, wide-aperture lenses with retro appeal and physical controls. It's helped the brand carve out a distinct niche in a rapidly homogenizing market, but it also means that Fuji's lenses are generally bigger than the competition.
The Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 finds a middle ground between enthusiast-oriented maximalism and the minimalism of rivals Olympus and Sony. It sheds Fuji's customary aperture ring in an effort to slim its profile to the bare minimum, but retains the series' high-quality build and respectable optical performance.
As a result, it's significantly more portable than nearly every other lens in the X-series family—a great option for days when you're not necessarily interested in carrying a full kit around, but want to be ready just in case.
In and out of the lab, we found it to be a competent performer, capable of excellent photos under the right conditions. While best used for snapshot-style street shooting, it can nonetheless do virtually everything any other "normal" prime can do, including Fuji's own XF 35mm f/1.4.
More than anything, it reminded us of the 23mm f/2 found on Fuji's X100-series cameras. Though we like the X100's lens quite a bit more, we found ourselves taking similar types of photos. If you've had trouble deciding between Fuji's fixed-lens wonder and an X-series body, the 27mm f/2.8 could be a reasonable compromise.
Of course, the 27mm f/2.8 has its drawbacks. The missing aperture ring can create awkward compatibility issues with select X-series bodies, and it's also significantly more expensive than similar lenses from competing systems. Canon's EF-S 24mm f/2.8 lens immediately springs to mind; at $149.99, it's a bargain by comparison.
Though the optical performance just about justifies the $450 MSRP, it's not the easiest pill to swallow, as there are simply better-performing lenses in Fuji's system for similar money. But if you're married to Fuji's X-series camera and desperate for something more portable, the XF 27mm f/2.8 will do the trick.
Get Our Newsletter
Real advice from real experts. Sign up for our newsletter
Thanks for signing up!


text:
Electric Powered CYMA M4 AEG (Inbuilt Silencer Black CM513)
The CM513
is the latest release from CYMA in their AEG range of M4's. This M4 comes
complete with an integrated suppressor and complete front rail system. The body
of this weapon is constructed from high quality polymer with alloy internals.
This weapon would be perfect for player who are looking to get into airsoft or
players who are looking for an affordable back up weapon just if their primary
goes down. The benefits of this weapon be polymer are that it keeps the weapon
very light weight and easy to skirmish for long periods of time. This weapon
comes complete with a 300rd high capacity magazine, battery (1100mAh 8.4v
Ni-Mh), wall charger and a two point sling – everything you need to get
you started and get straight out and skirmish.
· Fire Selector: Safe, Semi, Fully Automatic
· Magazine Capacity: 300 Rounds (High Cap)
· Feet Per Second (FPS): 330fps (Using 0.20g BB)
· Powered By: Electric
· Construction: Polymer Body, with Alloy Internals
· Hop Up: Adjustable behind Mock Dust Cover, when Mock Charging Handle to the rear
· Size: 70cm - 78.5cm
· Weight: 1.8kg
· Great starting weapon for any Beginner
· Lots of options for Aftermarket Parts and Upgrades
· Lightweight Polymer Body
· Four Point 20mm RIS / RAS Rail Handguard
· Left / Right Rail for Torches and Lasers
· Bottom Rail for Grips, Launchers and Bipod
· Top Rail for Sights and Scopes
· Mock Suppressor for a Unique Look
· 14mm Counter Clock-Wise (CCW) Threaded Outer Barrel for attaching Third Party Suppressors
· Removable Flip-Up Adjustable Ironsights
· Multi-Position Adjustable Crane Stock
· Rubberised Butt Plate to prevent Slippage
· Standard Finger Ridge Pistol Grip
· Adjustable Hop-Up unit for Range and Accuracy
· Rear Sling Plate for attaching Slings for Weapon Carrying
· 295mm Inner Barrel
· Rear Wired Alloy Battery Powered V2 Gearbox
· Battery are Stored in the Weapon's Crane Stock
· Space for up to a 9.6v Ni-Mh Battery
· 300 Round High Capacity Wheel Wound Magazine Included
· Uses standard STANAG M4 / AR15 / M16 Magazine or P-Mags
· Basic Battery, Basic Charger and Basic Sling Included


text:
Enter your email address to subscribe to the RHA blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
Join 342 other followers
Sign me up!
"Community Update!"
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 7:00 PM
General meeting at Richardson Middle School Cafeteria, at 23751
Nancy Lee Lane.
Hear the latest update on Butcher-Solana project plans, plus what you need to know about local traffic issues, Riviera air quality, Refinery hazards, emergency sirens… and more
Please come prepared to renew your membership or join us for the first time.
Doors open at 6:30. Public welcome.
Light refreshments served.
Annual dues will be gratefully accepted.
If you have a topic or speaker of interest for the Hollywood Riviera community, please email email@example.com
Blog at WordPress.com. WP Designer.