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By traveling, you get to see exciting places, while learning about other cultures. As fun as it is, traveling is often time consuming and costly. Follow these suggestions so you can use the time you have on vacation to have fun and save money.
Dark Clothing
Dark clothing is always a great choice when packing for a trip. Dark clothing tends to conceal dirt and wrinkles, both of which are a normal part of extended travel outside of your home environment. You can complement your dark-colored outfits with accessories in a lighter and brighter color for a more lighthearted appearance.
If you are traveling to another country, you should buy an electrical adapter before you leave home for your electronic devices. Shop around your local discount stores for the best deal. If you wait until you get to the airport to buy one, know that you will pay a huge traveler's markup.
Always keep a picture of your child on you. The idea of losing your child is a terrifying one. Though it certainly feels devastating, it is a reality for many. If you have a picture of your child on you then this can come in handy if they ever end up getting lost.
Sign up for the e-newsletters of all the major airlines. E-newsletters show you any special discounts or last-minute offers they have available. Yes, they will fill your inbox more, but the rewards and savings can be worth it.
If you are driving to a port city before leaving on a cruise, always find a hotel that offers free parking and arrive the night before. Ask the hotel's staff when it comes to parking deals even though none are published.
When traveling internationally, use bottled water. In many countries, potable water has not been thoroughly cleaned, and can be responsible for a wide range of ailments. Bottled water is important even for tooth brushing purposes. It is quite possible to become ill if you do not use it for this type of personal hygiene task.
Reserve a specific seat on the airplane to try and make yourself more comfortable. While not true of all carriers, most airlines will allow you to specify where in the plane you would like to be seated. Make sure to take this option if at all possible. You are sure to be happier with a seat of your choice, rather than having to take any seat that is left.
Jet Lag
Stay up as late as possible, or at least until around 8 o'clock in the evening, to help adapt to the time change. If you go to sleep too soon, it can make jet lag worse by keeping your body accustomed to your old time zone. Jet lag will go away as soon as you're on the local schedule, so get your body adjusted as quickly as possible.
Do plenty of research about traveling with pets before you bring yours on a trip. Figure out any fees you might encounter, as well as what hotels allow pets. Do some research and compare different hotels or lodgings before you decide which one is the right fit for you.
The tips included in this article will help you with your vacation experience. Travel is fun, fulfilling, and highly entertaining. There are adventures to be found around every corner.
Find out more facts all about Wide Angle Lens at Digital Camera Lenses.


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In a stunning move, the state Senate Wednesday night passed a revised version of Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill - without Democratic senators returning to vote on the measure.
Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, cast the lone vote in dissent of the bill. The Democratic senators remained in Illinois and did not vote on the bill, which strips public unions' rights to collectively bargain for benefits.
For weeks, Senate Democrats have remained out of state to block a vote on the controversial measure. However, Republicans on Wednesday modified the bill so that it only needed a simple majority to pass — not the 20 votes that the original bill required.
The revised measure was approved by an 18-1 vote.
The bill is expected to be voted on by the GOP-controlled Assembly on Thursday. If approved, it would eliminate collective bargaining rights for most public employees and would require them to pay more of their health care and pension costs.
"The Senate Democrats have had three weeks to debate this bill and were offered repeated opportunities to come home, which they refused," Walker said in a statement. "In order to move the state forward, I applaud the Legislature's action today to stand up to the status quo and take a step in the right direction to balance the budget and reform government. The action today will help ensure Wisconsin has a business climate that allows the private sector to create 250,000 new jobs."
The bill's passage quickly drew the criticism of Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, D-Monona, who issued a statement say that in 30 minutes, the 18 Republican senators who voted for the bill undid 50 years of civil rights in Wisconsin.
"Their disrespect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights is an outrage that will never be forgotten," Miller said in the statement. "Tonight, 18 Senate Republicans conspired to take government away from the people.
"We will join the people of Wisconsin in taking back their government."
Under the state legislation, collective bargaining is limited to wages for public unions. The wages can't increase consumer price index-based cap, according to a news release from Walker. The cap could be exceeded by referendum.
The union contracts are limited to a year and wages frozen until new contract is settled.
Law enforcement, fire department personnel and state troopers and inspectors are not affected by the proposed legislation.
Other issues that are in the bill include requiring state employees to contribute 5.8 percent toward their pension and 12 percent toward their health care benefits. That move would save the state $30 million as it looks to plug a $137 million budget deficit by the end of June, according to the news release.
Schultz said in a prepared statement that he received tens of thousands of e-mails, thousands of phone calls and spent hours meeting with his constituents who told him they wanted two things.
"First, be inclusive by listening and working with your colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reach a compromise which addresses our fiscal crisis," Schultz said. "Second, public employees are willing to make sacrifices on things like wages and benefits, but we need to preserve collective bargaining as a tool which has helped keep labor peace in this state for decades.
"Ultimately, I voted (with) my conscience, which I feel reflects the core beliefs of the majority of voters who sent me here to represent them.
"I look forward to working with my colleagues in the days ahead as we now need to join together to work through what promises to be a difficult budget."
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in a statement that the action take by the Senate followed the law after confirming the legality of the items in the bill with the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Reference Bureau.
"The people of Wisconsin elected us to come to Madison and do a job," he said. "Just because the Senate Democrats won't do theirs, doesn't mean we won't do ours."
Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) said she voted for the bill because "something needs to be done to balance the budget… and avoid large-scale layoffs of public employees."
Passing the amended bill will prevent layoffs, Lazich said.
Lazich argued that the Democrats "ignored repeated efforts to negotiate on the bill.
But Democrats objected to the hastily scheduled vote and its sweeping impacts.
"In the dead of night and in less than 30 minutes, the Senate eviscerated over 50 years of collective bargaining and labor peace in this state," said Sen. Fred Risser, a Democrat from Madison.
He questioned the legality of the vote, whether it violated state open meetings laws and said it amounted to "nothing more than an abuse of power."
Sen. Julie Lassa, a Democrat from Stevens Point, called the vote a "truly sad night for Wisconsin democracy."
"Deaf to the pleas of the overwhelming majority of Wisconsin citizens, Governor Walker and Republican legislators have demonstrated absolute contempt for the democratic process. They should be ashamed of themselves."
A Green Bay senator, Dave Hansen, called his Republican counterparts "morally bankrupt" and predicted the move would lead to their ouster from office.
"Their actions are reckless, repulsive, unnecessary and mean-spirited," Hansen said.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Ventura County Chidren's Series Announces Its New Season in Thousand Oaks
The Ventura County Children's Series presented by Performances To Grow On has been thrilling family audiences for over 15 years. It is a family series, meaning there are many levels to the performances and they are enjoyed by both parents and kids. A Ventura County parent wrote, "We're always excited and moved by the ventura County Children's Series because like childhood itself, the series is all about possibilities. We find that so buoyant, so hopeful". The series is best suited for children ages 6+. This year's program features four award winning performances at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. All performances begin at 7 pm. Subcriptions are on sale now at the box office at a price of $48 for children and $70 for adults plus a $5 handlling fee. The series subscription is available by phone through subscriber services at 805-449-2775 and by phone at Performances To Grow On, 805-646-8907 and online at www.ptgo.org. Subscribers to the series save $24 on a child's ticket and $26 on an adult ticket and receive reserved seats for all the performances. Tickets for individual performances are $18 for children and $24 for adults.
The series lineup is as follows:
Friday, Oct. 16
The Cashore Marionettes in "Life in Motion"
"Awe-inspiring in the minute detail of their movement, sometimes amusing, sometimes touching, nothing short of miraculous"- The Toronto Sun.
Unmatched in artistry, grace and refinement of movement, The Cashore Marionettes redefine the art of puppetry. The program is based on a series of touching character portrayals and scenes from everyday life set to a succession of stunning, original classical music including Vivaldi, Strauss, Beethoven and Copland. The vignettes presented celebrate life and explore a range of emotions, from comic to tragic, with characters and actions that are amazingly convincing and engaging.
Friday, Nov. 20
Jason and the Argonauts/Visible Fictions of Scotland
Don't miss this memorable performance of Jason & the Argonauts by acclaimed theater company Visible Fictions from Glasgow, Scotland. The innovative two-man production has been described as rediscovering "the vitality of an ancient Greek myth and (performing) it in a way that is as silly as it is serious" (Mark Fisher, Hi-Arts). The tongue-in-cheek play honors the classic tale while making it relevant and accessible to today's youth. Visible Fictions has been performing around the world for more than 16 years. They were honored to be the first Scottish theater company invited to perform on Broadway and they have collaborated with BBC Scotland, Danish ASSITEJ, the Seattle Children's Theatre and the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, among others.
Saturday, Jan. 16
Chasing George Washington/The Kennedy Center
In this charming new musical, Dee Dee, Jose, and Annie accidentally knock George Washington out of his portrait and into real life—turning their tour into an unexpected adventure. As they try to get the nation's first President back into his painting, the threesome encounters other famous White House residents, including Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd, Dolley Madison, and Jackie Kennedy. Together, they learn that the White House isn't just a historic building... it's also a home. The production features a spry score that ably mixes hip-hop, disco, ballads and traditional show music.
Sat., Jan. 30 (with intermission) The North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble
NCYTE's engaging dance performances feature cutting-edge contemporary choreography, along with traditional rhythm tap. Dance-styles include South African Gumboot, sand dancing, buck, vaudeville, body percussion, and jazz, highlighting top choreographers, including the legendary Savion Glover. Imagine Stomp, Riverdance, vaudeville, Fred Astaire and Bring In Da Noise all on the same bill — that's NCYTE!
In addition to these productions, Performances To Grow will be offering some additional performances that are not part of the series subscription but subscribers can take an additional $3 off per ticket. These performances include:
Special Attractions: Not Part of the Season Subscription but Subscribers receive $3 off per ticket. $14 kids, $20 adults except where otherwise noted.
Sat., Oct. 24 @ 1 pm/Charlotte's Web/Theatreworks USATheatreworks' production of Charlotte's Web is based on E.B. White's loving story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a little gray spider named Charlotte. Wilbur has a problem: how to avoid winding up as pork chops! Charlotte, a fine writer and true friend, hits on a plan to fool Farmer Zuckerman—she will create a "miracle." Spinning the words "Some Pig" in her web, Charlotte weaves a solution which not only makes Wilbur a prize pig, but ensures his place on the farm forever. This treasured tale, featuring mad-cap and endearing farm animals, explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship
Tuesday, Nov. 10 (Nov. 11 is a holiday)@ the Fred Kavli Theatre/The Hobbit from Theatre Sans Fill/$20 child, $28 adult. A benefit for arts in the schools
A Giant Theatrical Puppet production based on the book by J. R. R. Tolkien. Who hasn't heard of the superb trilogy of "The Lord of the Rings"? And now, THÉÂTRE SANS FIL has brought to life the story where it all began "The Hobbit" the wonderful journey of Bilbo Baggins to a new level of wisdom. This award-winning Tolkien fantasy will have a new, larger-than-life look with THÉÂTRE SANS FIL's highly successful adaptation that has received standing ovations throughout the world. The company's name means "theater without strings," a reference to the Bunraku tradition of puppetry in which large puppets are directly manipulated by camouflaged performers, rather than by the pulling of marionette strings. Theatre Sans Fils has updated the subtly expressive artistry of Bunraku with the wizardry of contemporary technical theater, including black lights, lasers and Dolby-Stereo quadraphony.
Sat., Feb. 20 @ 4pm/Nate The Great/Theatreworks USA
Introducing the latest and greatest in the grand tradition of crime-solving detectives like Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe and Charlie Chan... Nate! Nate the Great, that is. Who do you call when there's a mystery you just can't solve? Nate the Great of course! He has found lost balloons, slippers, chickens, and even a lost goldfish. But, can he solve the baffling case of the missing painting? Find out in this new musical based on the book by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and from the creative team that brought Junie B Jones to the stage
Feb. 10 @ 7 pm with intermission/Spirit of Uganda/$20 child, $35 adult
Embodying the warmth and light of their nation, Spirit of Uganda is a group of twenty-two children between the ages of eight and eighteen, cultural ambassadors for Uganda's 2.5 million orphans. Resonant with melodic tones of standing drums, dramatic choreography, bright layered rhythms and gorgeous vocals, Spirit of Uganda brings the transformational power of their native song and dance to America in this spirit and hope-filled performance for audiences of all ages.
Subscribe to the Ventura County Star
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-710-6182.
Monday-Friday: 6am-3pm / Saturday: 6:30am-10:30am / Sunday: 7am-11am


text: New stories Upcoming Incoming 40° Mid-Week Musings 07/31/14: Celebrating The Last Of Us Remastered On PlayStation 4 8m ago - The Last of Us Remastered is out now on the PS4, and Ben from Short Pause is celebrating the semi... | PS4 Comments (0) TheDude79 Source 10° Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited Review: Never Forget | GamerTell 22m ago - From the review, "Seeing has how the core of Disgaea 4 remains completely unchanged for Disgaea 4... | PS Vita Comments (0) Mariye Source A-/A+ technologytel... 30° Review: Magic 2015 – Duels of the Planeswalkers | FanSided 22m ago - With the rise of card-collection battle games over the past 12 months, large in part due to the r... | PC Comments (0) Strawmr Source 5/10 fansided.com 30° Chick Chick Chicky Deluxe Indiegogo trailer 22m ago - Dunham Bro's Games is two-man Indie videogame developer, currently working on Chick Chick Chicky... | Arcade Comments (0) zerocrossing Source Ad Looking for a great Pokemon Community? Now - Look no further. Join us at the BulbaGarden Forums, the best community for everything Pokemon | Promoted post Read More SiteBot 40° Third Time's A Charm: Japanese Singer GACKT Takes On Spelunker HD 46m ago - Japanese rock star GACKT and Nestlé (yes, the food and beverage company) have released another "G... | PS3 Comments (0) Pozzle Source


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Not many people envy Vivian Scott her job. Teaching eighth-graders in Cahokia has to be a tough job.
Still, if she wants to keep her job, she needs to get back to doing her job.
She said she fears for her life after a student threatened her on Sept. 13. If so, that's an extreme overreaction. The student didn't physically harm her. Scott said the student ran toward her but stopped two feet away. Obviously that wouldn't be pleasant, but it is difficult to believe that would keep a dedicated teacher away from a job she says she loves.
Listening to Scott, it seems that she's more upset with the school district's reaction to the threat than the threat itself. She wanted the district to expel the student or require that he be home-schooled. Instead he was suspended for 10 days and moved to a different classroom.
The punishment seems reasonable to us. How could the district justify more extreme measures when the student didn't touch Scott?
The district has given Scott until Jan. 23 to return to work or else lose her job. She should make her decision this week. Her students deserve the stability of a permanent teacher; they have been left in limbo long enough.


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Cougar band plans shrimp fry
YORK The York Comprehensive High School band will host a shrimp fry from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8 at the York Middle School cafeteria, 1010 Devinney Road.
Adults tickets are $9, available in advance from any band student or parent. Tickets also will be sold at the door. Dine-in plates are all you can eat. Take-out also will be available.
Money raised by the event will go to pay for the students' trips. Their next trip will be in the spring to New York. Past trips have taken the band to Ireland, London, New York, Hawaii and Florida.
For more on the band, check out their Facebook page on York Cougar bands.
York, Clover students chosen for leadership program
The Council of Chambers of York County announces the selection of participants for the Youth Leadership York County Class of 2014.
The youth leadership program or "YouLead" is an eight-month experience designed for high school students from public and private schools in York County. Besides developing leadership skills, YouLead participants will meet local and state government officials, tour area businesses with local industry leaders, volunteer with York County service agencies and gain a greater understanding of the community they call home.
Nearly 50 students from eight York County schools submitted applications for the program, and finalists participated in interviews held by representatives from area businesses.
Through the program, organizers aim to not only teach leadership skills, but to also encourage the students to further their education and apply their own life experiences as they live, work and become active members of our growing York County community.
Students selected from York and Clover are: David Kowalczyk and Rachel Park from Clover High School; and Julie Comer, Morgan Kuczler, Carrie Lee Lancaster and Matthew Ransom from York Comprehensive High School,
The Council of Chambers is made up of the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Greater Clover, Greater York and Lake Wylie chambers of commerce. For more information, call 803-324-7500.
Students invited to take on contest
YORK COUNTY York Soil & Water Conservation District will hold a Scarecrow Contest this fall for York County students in first through eighth grade; there will be prizes in three age categories.
For more information, call 803-684-3137.
The district office is at 1460 E. Alexander Love Highway, York.


text: Using clear language, Lucas and Jeffrey discuss these two subjects in order to dispel doubts, uncover enemy schemes and propose a practical plan of action for young people, supported by informed leaders and sustained by the power of God. Many of the statistics and testimonies included are revealing and disturbing. However, the book includes solutions and strategies provided by the word of God, expressing His unconditional love. The many resources offered to keep the next generation from falling to these social plagues are definitely superior, achievable and accessible.


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A first time trip to The Netherlands
I've going on another business trip later today, this time to The Netherlands for a little over a week. It's been over 25 years since I've been to Europe and it's my first trip to The Netherlands so I'm excited.
I went to Singapore in February, a place that an urban photographer like me can really get into. The Netherlands is also going to be neat for architecture but I expect it to be very different. More old world, ornate and I hope, dripping with character. While I'll be working in Breda, a smaller city in the southern part of the country, I'm going to fly through Amsterdam. I'm hoping to get a couple of days of photography at the beginning and at the end of the trip.
I briefly considered bringing 3 mirrorless cameras but settled on two. I find that the more cameras I bring, the more I get distracted which ultimately degrades my photography. The Fujifilm X100S is my primary camera this time. I'll use it to document my travels as well as the beautiful architecture. I'll see what one fixed lens, a 35mm equivalent, can do. It's almost like the old days with one camera and one lens.
However, you know how much I like night and urban HDR photography. So, I'm also bringing my smaller Olympus E-PM2 with my wide-angle setup. I'm going to shoot that on tripod. It's a very different kind of photography than the handheld shots I'm doing on the Fuji. The X100S is really not geared towards HDRs, hence the two cameras.
Actually, I'll still end up carrying 3 cameras, if you include my iPhone 5S. I've been shooting Instagrams for my on-the-fly social photography. I'll try to make sure it doesn't distract me too much but you can follow my progress on my Instagram feed, if you are interested. I don't expect I'll be updating the blog during my trip.
See you soon.
I'm in this month's Olympus Magazine, sort of
I was getting some extra web traffic to an older post and I tracked it down. This month's Olympus Magazine (March 2014, both the website and iPad newsstand version) was linking to my website. In the article "5 of the BEST underrated Olympus functions", they linked to my post about turning on the Super Control Panel. Go to page 6 & 7 from this link and click on the yellow circle at the top right (a sample screen shot below).
I didn't know they were going to do this — I'm both honored and slightly amused. If the manufacturer's magazine was linking to my post, I must have done a good job, I guess. I update that post with larger images and in my new format. I'm mentioning this for Olympus users to enable this very useful feature and, I admit, to do a little personal horn tooting.
Here are the 2 "how to" Olympus posts I've written so far.
Unlocking the Custom Menu on your Olympus
Turning on the Olympus Super Control Panel
Paying extra to get rid of Ads
At the end of each post, I see an ugly ad placed there automatically by WordPress.com. You see, when I view my posts from my computer and indeed as a WordPress.com user, these ads are hidden. People outside the WordPress community, however, do get these ads from time to time.
I really don't blame WordPress. They are hosting my blog for free so it just makes sense for them to offset costs or make some money off my content. But, I've worked hard to upgrade the look of my site (I hope you have noticed) and I feel that these ads detract.
I've decided to pay extra to WordPress.com and get these ads removed. Many websites these days are so cluttered. I'm trying to do my part to reduce the noise.
Goodbye old design, the new one is here, sort of
Out with the old and in with the new. This is the last image you will see of the old "black design".
As you can tell, I'm in the midst of the changeover to the new blog design. It's going to take a while but I will convert the key posts over time. Here is a fully converted post, so you can see what I'm trying to do. As I mentioned a few days ago, I rethought the design assumptions I originally had when I started this thing over 3 years ago.
Back then, I was planning to write a lot less. I wanted a black background to showcase the photographs, but I also wanted a sidebar for easy navigation. That of course limited the size of my photographs. There were some conflicting goals but I lived within the limitations.
Here are my new design goals:
1. Make the text as readable as possible I'm writing a lot more content and having a white background is easier on the eyes for most people. I'm also increasing the size of the font. I tested this on an iPad mini, and the larger fonts make it easier to read on smaller tablets.
2. Larger Photographs This is a photoblog after all so I wanted to maximize the photo size. This is one of the things that always bugged me about the old layout.
3. Simplify the Design I'm decluttering as much as possible, increasing whitespace. Removing the side bar and simplifying the header helps.
Overall, I'm trying to increase the production value of this site. Have good content, of course, but also make it look better. Perhaps even a bit more magazine like, if I'm ambitious enough.
There are always cons to any new design, the biggest one is the reduced navigation by removing the side bar. The Popular and Recent links are now located at the bottom. The font is smaller than I like but I don't have much control over that. I do plan to put more related links within the posts to make it easier you.
I have a lot of work ahead of me, but hopefully it is worth the effort. Every photograph needs to be resized to the new larger format. I also need to enlarge all the fonts on every post. Finally there are miscellaneous tweaks to make in color and styling to fit in better with the white background.
I hope you like the new design. Please tell me what you think. And as always, thanks for visiting.
More blog changes coming, the biggest ones yet
Last week's blog tweaks got me thinking. Actually, I'm always thinking about my blog design, never completely satisfied with the way it looks and how all the pieces fit together. What started innocently enough on Friday night with some experimentation is taking me on an entirely different direction, design wise.
I'm making some big changes, soon. Don't know when. I might have it coincide with the Olympus E-M1 review, which I still need to write. I hit upon an idea to create a second, private WordPress blog where I can test out some layouts. After a couple of days, I've warmed up to the new look and I'm going forward with it.
My galleries, hosted on SmugMug are changing too. They recently released a completely new set of tools. Though Sumgmug are giving me time, I get not too subtle hints that they want me to use these new features. I'm biting the bullet and changing both, the blog and the galleries.
Of course, design is a set of tradeoffs. There are still things that I don't completely like but I think it is an improvement, overall. I changed my base set of goals which enabled me to open my mind to new possibilities. It will also take a while to get everything completed. While the new look can be installed in less than an hour, I will need to change every post to fully realize the "vision". In reality, the older, less popular posts will be probably live, unchanged. Hidden away, for the most part, in my sprawling world of 350 posts.
Over time, I'll update my key posts and move on from there. I've also thought about content changes too, but that's a topic for a different post.
Simplifying a WordPress theme with minor tweaks
As you can guess, I love photography. But I also love design. I've always had an interest for architecture and city design, which is probably why they are frequent photographic subjects. Product and graphic design, yup I like that too. That's why I often talk so much about the design and feel of cameras just as much as how well they take pictures.
In addition to all the photos and blog posts, I get also into the look of websites, though I'm the first to admit that I really don't have the chops to truly design websites. I do get really excited though when I see a really beautifully done site. For example, I ran across this blog yesterday that I absolutely love. The simplicity is so soothing.
I'm on a kick to simplify my site where I can. And though it doesn't have a true minimalist aesthetic, I've done small tweaks to reduce clutter. Today, I changed the right side bar. The fonts and layout are more consistent, though arguably it might have lost some character. I'm using HTML tricks to bend this WordPress template to my will (as best I can).
I use the free WordPress.com theme called Modularity Lite. Overtime, I figured out little things to increase consistency and add white space (black space in my case). I know just enough HTML and CSS to be dangerous. Perhaps someday, I'll pay extra for the Custom CSS option to truly change things up.
Three years old, is this blog a toddler yet?
Just recently I passed the 3 year mark with this blog. I almost forgot about it until I received an email from godaddy.com, with their usual busty and attractive spokesperson, encouraging me to renew my internet domain. I did so and instead of the usual 1 year renewal, I signed up for 3 more years. It appears that I'll be around on the "net" for a while.
I like writing these anniversary posts. It allows me to take stock of what I've done and to consider what has changed since a year ago.
Writing has always been a challenge and I never really enjoyed it so I don't know how I ended up starting a blog. But a funny thing happened as I continued to force myself to write posts — I actually started to enjoy it. I can now write posts quicker than before. It's still time-consuming but instead of taking several hours to craft a post, I'm down closer to an hour. It just goes to show that if you practice a skill, you do get better, even if it's something you are not crazy about.
With all this effort, I'm disappointed to say that my daily viewership stats have not grown. They go up and down without a discernible pattern.
But there is a subtle shift that is beginning to happen. Something a mere report does not accurately reflect. I've noticed that over the last year or so I've developed a small and dedicated readership. You've been kind enough to comment and I feel that a semblance of a community has begun to form. This makes me very happy, more than you will ever know. Thank you for visiting and adding your voice and opinions to this site.
My current formula is to balance stories centered around photography with some discussion about equipment. I continue to show a lot of my photographs, perhaps only to prove that I really do use the equipment. While some sites like to discuss photography abstractly or delve just into the gear, I think a photography site should have a lot of real world photographs.
Thank you again for coming to this site. There are so many distractions in the modern world that I feel privileged that you would spend your precious time to visit.
Happy 2nd Birthday, mostlyfotos
Yesterday, February 8th, 2013 marks the 2nd anniversary of my other blog, my one-photo-per-day blog called mostlyfotos. As a two year old, my blog has entered the toddler stage. This description is apt since, like a toddler, I feel like I'm really getting the hang of this thing and then I stumble.
I'm generally satisfied with the photographs that I've posted. I hope in some way, each picture has merit either artistically or shows a place of interest. The good news is that I have loads of photographs that I have yet to publish. Even if I stop shooting, my catalogue of available images will last a year or more. Since I do continue to take photographs like a mad man, I end up generating images quicker than I can post.
On the downside, the side that I've stumbled, is my failure to grow a larger audience. It's really tough to carve out a presence on the internet and I've only had modest success. Often times, I'm at the whim of Google and when they change their search algorithm, my audience changes and usually for the worse.
mostlyfotos runs on the Blogger platform, unlike this one that runs on WordPress. On Blogger the statistics are not quite as good but I suspect my audience there is different from my loyal, core audience on this blog. It's hard to tell especially since I don't have commenting turned on for mostlyfotos — I want the keep the pages there clutter free as possible. If you are reader here and visit mostlyfotos on a regular basis, please let me know. I'm just curious, I guess.
For now, I plan to keep both blogs active. I feel the discipline of posting a photograph a day pushes me to shoot on a regular basis. I strongly believe that, like any craft, continuous practice is key. I also believe that mostlyfotos gives me credibility, in one sense. Sure, anyone can put up a limited portfolio of their best photographs, I've added one myself this year. But when you post 730 photographs over two years, you really get a feel for the photographer. Not all the photographs are brilliant, you many not even like them but you do know that I shoot often. For that reason, when I give equipment recommendations here, you know that I'm not just an equipment enthusiast that makes test shots of brick walls. I use my gear often and in real world conditions.
Thank you for continuing to visit this blog and mostlyfotos. It is such a privilege and in fact an indulgence to share my photographs with you. I hope I have helped you in some way, whether it is a piece of advice, a glimpse into another world or as a slight distraction from your busy day.
My guide to mirrorless cameras
The mirrorless interchangeable lens camera world has gotten crowded. All the major manufactures have jumped in and many have multiple models. I created my guide to mirrorless cameras to help people navigate the waters and make the proper decisions.
If you disagree with my recommendations, that's fine. Add your suggestions in the comments area underneath this post. If you look at my portfolio or mostlyfotos, you'll know that I like urban landscapes, architecture and street photography. I also take a lot of candid family photographs which I don't post on the blog. These mirrorless camera recommendations are based on my experience taking these kind of photographs.
If you are confused by this new and fast growing market, don't be. Just click on my guide for a straight forward look at what you should consider.
If you have friends that want to step up from a point and shoot or a DSLR user who is tired of lugging their beast around, please send them a link to this page or click the Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus buttons. You can also find a link to the Mirrorless guide on the right side under "Recommended Gear"
Introducing my Sony NEX Resource Page
Following on the heels of the Olympus Micro 4/3 Resource Page I released a couple of weeks ago, I now present the Sony NEX Resource Page. You can also find a link to it under the Gear section on the right side.
You probably know that I've shot mostly with the Olympus Pens these days but the Sony NEX is a great mirrorless system. In fact, it is the camera system I recommend for beginners. Unless they want to shoot sports, I see very little these days to get a DSLR. It also has a convenient video system that works great for home movies.
When I went back into the archives, I realize it was the NEX-5 that really started my move away from DSLRs into the mirrorless cameras. The resource page nicely lays out the story of why I went Sony. I also have links to the Sony NEX-5 related posts.
A big thanks to Marilyn
Marilyn Armstrong over at Serendipity blog nominated me for the blog of the year award. Best I can tell, this isn't any official endorsement from some blog committee — it's a personal honor given by individuals — friends — from within the community. And for this, I am very grateful.
Much of what makes the web special are still the small peer-to-peer connections. Like any growing system, the big guys continue to become bigger and threaten to monopolize the most scarce resource we have — time. But I feel lucky that almost anyone these days can publish their thoughts to a world-wide audience. The many who blog collectively add richness and color to a place that otherwise may be dominated by corporate interests and low-grade spammy filler.
Part of me feels guilty for not being more active within the blogging community. Of course I can make excuses about being busy, we all are. Yes, the two blogs and the photography take up much of my free time. Kind of crazy but perhaps it is an outlet. A creative outlet arranging photons and words that balances my increasingly analytical world.
I do, however, need to visit and comment on more blogs. At least things are trending that way. I recently realized that, as well as not watching TV, I hardly ever go to main stream media websites. Blogs from people who I trust and respect are now my source of knowledge and entertainment.
While there is some level of self-satisfaction in creating a tiny, personal corner on the internet, it's aways thrilling to get feedback from one's audience. Marilyn has some very kind and encouraging words and I am truly grateful.
Thank you.
Introducing my new Olympus Resource Page
As I approach 200 posts, things are getting hard to find, even for me. I've decided to create resource pages, displayed on the right.
My first one is the Olympus Micro 4/3 Resource Page, You can access it from the section on the right under Gear. This page references my best articles on the Olympus micro 4/3 and explains why I like them so much. I think it will help orient new readers. Please tell me what you think.
I'll add more pages over time. There will be more on gear but also sections for travel and events. Instead of being just a collection of posts, when completed, the pages will add structure to my blog.
Introducing my portfolio, the best of atmtx
atmtx portfolio, front page
You know I post a lot of photos on my blogs, like a man obsessed. On mostlyfotos, I post a new photograph everyday. I also post some more on this blog. So why do I want yet another site to post photographs? Well, I've been thinking about this for a while and I realize I don't have a true online portfolio. A place where I can direct someone to see my best and/or favorite work.
I've looked around on the web for a good-looking yet budget priced portfolio site and of course they are hard to find. I wanted a modern looking, minimal aesthetic. One where the pictures grow as the browser window is resized. Of course there are beautiful and really expensive sites that do this but I, being frugal, wanted a less expensive alternative. I think I've found what I've been looking for at 500px. There are a few more things I wished it could do but it does most of what I need at a reasonable price.
I mentioned a couple of days ago that 500px's Awesome membership was on sale for $24.95. I jumped at the opportunity and now my portfolio is live. I've actually been working on this 500px site for a while. It takes some effort to go through the thousands of photographs and pick a small number that I truly like. On mostlyfotos, I post what I think are decent or interesting, but not all are of the same caliber. I also post a crazy mix of genres. My portfolio, however, is going to concentrate on a narrow set of topics.
Perhaps it is part of the maturation process but I'm gravitating towards architecture, interiors and the urban life. Particularly in the evening and night-time. I like color, as you can probably tell but I also search for reflections and a certain quality of light which I call "glow". I've added one word descriptive and slightly goofy categories on my portfolio such as Glow, Striking, Structure, Blur and Cozy. I have selected 40 or so photographs and I may change them around once in a while but plan to keep them focused.
Please take a look and tell me what you think.
You can access the portfolio from the link up top but here is the direct URL:
Freshly Pressed, the 2nd time is still a charm
Thank you to the editors of WordPress.com for selecting my post for the honor of "Freshly Pressed" for the second time. Freshly Pressed is a section of the WordPress.com site that showcases blogs on their site. This time, my post Proof: creativity not determined by price made it on their list. Certainly the bump in viewership is always welcome but more than that, it is always gratifying to be recognized by one's peers.
While my first Freshly Pressed post, 2012 Chinese New Year Celebration in Austin is completely original, it is a Photo Essay on an event that I attended, this latest post is different. This time, I linked the primary content to showcase someone else's work, the spectacular work of Dan Chung at The Guardian. Sure, I added my perspective and tied what he did to a point I was trying to make. But this is the first time I really referenced someone else's work as the central theme. In the past, I was wary of just linking to someone else's work; I always wanted to create original content. I'm beginning to change this stance, somewhat. I'm still believe in creating original content but I now think it makes sense to included works by others that fit into the narrative of this blog site.
Earlier today, I linked to a YouTube video which I found inspirational, (Re)touching lives through photos. It fits into my belief about the power of still photography. I'll add more nuggets from the web but will continue to mix it with my point of view. Of course I will continue to add original content as well. Hopefully, as always, you will find these interesting and even worthwhile.
Has it been 2 years already?
2 years ago, I started this blog. And after two years I finally feel like I'm finding my voice. I think like photography, a semblance of a style has begun to form. It is still in the primordial oozing stage so what is currently developing may turn into an evolutionary dead-end. But the good news is that I'm finally starting to move from just creating random posts to developing a set of stories and expressing my perspective on photography and camera equipment.
I continue to learn a lot about writing, developing a site and the general creative process. Much of what I said a year ago on my first anniversary post is still relevant and I won't rehash them here. The main thing I've learned is sometimes it is more important to "just do it" than strive for perfection. I know I'm not the greatest writer but with practice I'm getting better and faster. Getting the ideas down and posting them is what counts. It is analogous to going out there and shooting photographs all the time. Repeated practiced does help. I've learned that writing is a skill and a craft just like photography.
I've learned that creating an audience on the internet is damn difficult. There is so much noise out there that getting noticed and having people coming back is such a challenge. A challenge that I, at times, wonder why I am taking. But over time my audience has grown and the general trend seems to be going up, though to my chagrin, it is quite an irregular climb. I'll be lying if I said I was doing this just for myself. Sure, I'm proud of what I've written, photographed and the site I'm building. But I would love to have more people enjoy what I'm doing and maybe gain some insight or a new perspective from what I have written or photographed. Thank you to the people who have come back and over and over to visit my site. Some have added their comments which is wonderful and I know there is a larger group that just visits quietly. I feel immensely happy when I run into someone and they say they enjoyed what I've written.
I'm begun to add more of my opinion these days. My objective is to be well thought out and not come across as a jerk but I've realized that a blog is a platform for opinion. I try as hard as possible to be factual but this is not journalism. This site is ultimately going to be about my perspective, right or wrong. I've received some more negative comments which ultimately means that I'm doing the right thing. Sure, its tough and at times I feel a bit hurt by some of the comments; I think most people would like people to agree with them. But this is not reality. And I understand that if I express a stronger opinion there will be equally strong opinions that will come back. As long as we are respectful of people's positions, it's all good.
Over the year I've done some design tweaks to the site and got it pretty close to the way I want it (at least within my ability). I've started to add affiliate links in hopefully a non-annoying way. Thank you to the people who have purchased items via my links. Keep in mind that while I my promote a product that I use and like, you can always click on my links to buy any other product, even non camera gear, and I will receive a small commission. I realize that there are many other sites vying for your affiliate clicks so thank you for using mine.
Finally, I've gotten a bit more confident in the commercial aspect of my little operation. Whether it's people who want to license my images or me asking people for money (via affiliate links), I've learned that if you don't take yourself seriously, no one else will. I don't consider myself a natural sales person but it doesn't hurt to be able to sell. So In that spirit, please use the following links to support this site. Click on the links before you buy from these sites and I get a small commission and you will get the product at the same price and the satisfaction of supporting a blog that you find enjoyable.
Thank you.
7,000 and counting – Shooting in Japan
My blog posts have been a lot more sporadic these last couple of weeks, as you may have noticed. I'm currently in Japan and want to maximize my time making images rather than creating lengthy blog posts. I've been to Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo and Yokohama. I've shot about 7,000 photographs these last couple of weeks so I know I'm going to fall even more hopelessly behind in my image post-processing. I have a little less than 1 week left in Japan so we will see what the final image count will be.
I'm shooting all Olympus this trip. I thought about bringing my Sony NEX-5 like I did to India and Singapore but I decided use my Panasonic Lumix 14mm as my wide-angle lens. I picked up the, still rare, Panasonic wide-angle adapter in Japan for the 14mm which basically makes it a 11mm. With the conversion factor, I now have a 22mm on my Olympus Pen cameras. Not quite as wide as my 18mm equivalent on the Sony, but the Panasonic lens quality is a lot better. So, I brought 3 cameras with me. Two of my Olympus E-PL1s and my newer Olympus E-P3. Lens wise, I have the Panasonic Lumix 14mm f2.5 plus the wide-ange adapter, the Lumix 20mm f1.7, the Olympus 45mm f1.8 and the Oympus 40-150 zoom. While I have to juggle a few cameras, the weight is not bad at all. The 3 cameras and lenses together weight about the same as my Canon 7D with the wide-angle Sigma 10-20 lens. A bit more camera juggling but no lens switching required. I find it faster getting my images and I don't have to worry about getting dust on the sensor.
I've already started posting images from Japan on mostlyfotos, my one photo per day site. I'm trying to have a mix of modern and old Japan for a nice slice of life here. Please take a look if you have some time. I will start posting longer form entires and talk about my experiences once I get back.
I took this photograph with my Olympus E-P3 with the Panasonic Lumix 14mm f2.5. Please make sure to click on a photograph to see a larger image and hover over the photo to see the exposure details.
See more images taken with the Olympus E-P3 at mostlyfotos, my one photograph per day photo blog.
Happy Birthday, mostlyfotos
Today, February 8th is the 1st anniversary of mostlyfotos, my one photo per day blog. Readers of this blog may not know that I actually have two photo related blogs. Kind of crazy since one blog by itself takes up enough time. I started this one first, back in the summer of 2010. Of course, I had no idea what I was doing back then and maybe after a year and a half of blogging, I 'm starting to get an idea of where I'm going to take this thing. Like may of my photography friends in Austin, who have their own blogs, I wanted to occasionally post a photo and talk about it. And that is the way I started out. Then as I continued, I started to add more photos per post, my prose increased in length and my blog started to evolve.
But I wasn't completely satisfied with the way the blog and the accompanying photographs came together. I wanted larger photographs but I didn't know how to modify this template to make it work for me. Besides, I like this format for longer posts. I add medium size images along with text, and I think it's nicely structured to tell a story. It would be hard to add another entirely different kind of format, one with large pictures, into this blog. For that reason, I decided to create a second, photo focused blog. I wanted one large photograph per post with a small amount of text underneath. That is how mostlyfotos was born.
Now with the flexibility or pain of having two different kind of blogs, I can focus each one for a specific purpose. The posts on this blog have increased in length. I get to tell stories, share my photographic experience and review the stuff I use. On mostlyfotos, I get to showcase different photographs from around town and my occasional trips away from home. So why do I do all this work? Good question. Sometimes I question myself for spending this much time on blogging. I know that by forcing myself to post an image on mostlyfotos, I forces me, in a good way, to get out there and shoot more often. I need a deep buffer of photographs to be able to put one up every day. And while I don't necessarily think each image is equally good, I don't just post any kind of image to satisfy my one per day "requirement". I believe that each image has some kind of merit, a different look, an interesting scene or a viewpoint that is uniquely mine.
So if you happen to stumble over to this blog and read about my photographic point of view or about the equipment I use, please take a look at the photographs I shoot on mostlyfotos. Good or bad, they are a reflection of who I am. More importantly, if I may be so presumptuous, you may find an image that inspires you. You'll become interested in photography or in blogging and share your work with others. It is fun to talk about photography, the theories and the tools but I think ultimately, it is all about the images. By shooting constantly, I like to practice what I preach and not just become an equipment review blog. So I would greatly appreciate you taking, what little time you have out of your busy schedule, to take a look at my photographs once in a while. And if a photograph floats your boat, please feel free to share it on Facebook, Tweet it or G+ it by hitting the icons at the bottom of the image on mostlyfotos. After all, there is no better honor for a photographer than to have a large audience.
New Year's Photo Resolutions
As a the calendar flips over again to start a new year, I started thinking of what 2012 my bring for my photography and blogging. I'm generally not much into New Year's resolutions. I figure, why wait for the beginning of the year to start a new habit? If something is worth changing, doesn't it make sense to change it immediately? I won't bore you with non-photographic stuff. I did want to discuss observations and changes that have occurred in my photographic realm and my guess at the future direction of these trends.
I talked about some of this in a post called Canon losing the buzz, why I'm not interested but I've noticed this year that my interest in using my big Canon SLR has been decreasing. The initial trend started more than a year ago when I got my first mirrorless EVIL camera, the Sony NEX-5. I would carry by NEX-5 and the Canon 7D along on photo walks. I discovered, however, that the small Sony camera gave me a freedom of composition and expression that I didn't have with the larger camera. Mid-year this year. I purchased the Olympus E-PL1, initially to play with and to get a color and exposure that I wasn't getting on my Sony. It turned out that the slightly clunky E-PL1 especially with the Lumix 20mm f1.7 lens have become my go to camera for casual shooting. When I want a camera to make snaps of may family, the Olympus is in tow. When I want slightly more "serious" images from my photowalks, I still press the Olympus into service. The 40mm equivalent format is really easy to shoot but it also challenges me to see and make interesting compositions. I no longer, just relay upon super-wide images with HDR enhancements to make interesting shots. I'm hoping to create worthwhile images even with a lens that has a normal view and with a single exposure. I'm not sure if I'm succeeding or not but I'm starting to see changes in my newer images. I also feel more freedom when I'm no longer tendered to a larger camera and a tripod. I can move around easily, unencumbered and really explore alternate compositions. For 2012, I'm going to continue with this style. Less weight, more flexibility and a simpler way of shooting.
I also learned that skills and ability drop quickly. The downside of all this shooting with my small cameras is my loss of familiarity with my Canon DSLR. When I used the 7D all the time, I knew the controls and could make adjustments quickly. Now, when I pickup the camera, I'm sluggish and I need to search through my brain to set the controls. Recently, during my son's school performance and at the Christmas gift opening, I broke out the good old 7D. I immediately noticed that my handling skills have dropped off and it took me a bit of fiddling to get the shots that I used to get with ease. Bounce flashes off the ceiling weren't exposed right. I eventually got dialed back in but my hard learned skills were fading quicker than I imagined. While I'm planning to use the smaller cameras more than ever, I must remember to use my Canon and keep my skills refreshed. That, unfortunately, is the downside of having several different cameras — different interfaces. I need to rotate though my cameras to keep their usage parameters fresh in my head.
I'm still looking for the elusive camera/video multi-function camera, maybe 2012 will be the year. When I bought my NEX-5 back in 2010, I thought this might be the camera that combines high quality still images with an easily usable, auto-focusing video camera. As I wrote in The Sony NEX-5 Review and the new NEX-5n there were a few limitations with the NEX-5 that ultimately disappointed. The NEX-5n has addressed much of my frustrations but I've decided to wait. There are rumors of a new Fujifilm EVIL camera coming out, there is always a chance that Canon might finally address this high quality mirrorless market. This market is rapidly changing and I'm excited to see what is in store for this coming year. What will the successor to the NEX-5n be like? Will a Olympus E-P4 come out with a better low light sensor and better video? Will Nikon release large aperture primes (at least f2.0 or better) for their Nikon 1 line? Of course, If I do end up getting yet another camera, I exacerbate the issue I talked about in the previous paragraph. I add yet another interface to the array of interfaces that I need to remember.
Shifting gears to social media, I've noticed that in 2011, keeping up with my photo friends have increasing been difficult. It used to be simple for me. Everyone I knew was on Flickr. Now people have scattered to the different social medial islands that compete for our attention. Google+ is the new shiny site that has pulled many photographers away from Flickr and Twitter. There is also that large Facebook world and lone island that is personal blogs. I have two blogs, this one which has longer form posts and mostlyfotos which is my daily photoblog. I've developed these sites over the last year and a half and put significant effort in to them. And while I like how they are shaping up, concentrating too much on my site isolates me from my online friends. This year, I need to return to my roots, somewhat. I need to post more on Flickr again. When I return there, it feel like I'm back in the neighborhood in which I was born. Some of my old friends are still around and posting just as much. Some of the gang have left for greener pastures and are no longer around. I probably can't spend as much time as I originally did a couple of years ago but I need to show up more often on Flickr. I'm still unsure of the Google+ world. While I have posted some to G+, I really have not spent the time to make too many new friends. I've bumped into people I know from Flickr, which is aways a pleasant surprise. It feels like running into an elementary school friend in the large out-of-state University. Social media seem to be changing quicker than cameras so I know I won't have this figured out in 2012. I will just have to make adjustments that seem to make sense.
Finally, I've learned that writing is a skill like photography. I don't know if my writing has improved any over the last couple of years but I find that I can craft together posts quicker than before. I also found that I have no shortage of topics and ideas that I can write about. Maybe, if I keep at this, my writing skill will continue to improve and I'll be able to crank out these posts. Of course, blog post creation time has to complete with photography, photo processing and organizing not to mention all the rest of my life activities, so it is always an uphill battle to find time. I hope 2012 will bring more interesting and useful posts to anyone that my stumble upon my blog and my photography. I hope you all have a great 2012.
Happy New Year
A Site Index to this Blog
I wanted to do this for a while and I finally finished it. I wanted to create a site index of all the posts I've made on this blog. Even though I've slowed down some, over the last year, I wrote about 70 posts — hard to believe. I broke up my posts into some rough categories that seemed to make sense for me. The Review and Observations sections are the largest and I've broken them down into subcategories. The other categories include some of my photo philosophy and photo industry trends that I have seen. I think my two favorite posts are under the Photo Essays section. There I wrote about my visit to the two old and non-functioning power plants in Austin, Holly Street and Seaholm.
Looking over my posts, I've seen changes over the last year. My earliest posts were simple, short and more focused on one photograph. Over the year, my posts have become longer and many of the entires have multiple photos. Instead of short photo oriented posts, I have started to write more about my thought process and things that I've discovered about photography. My second blog that I started in February, mostlyfotos focuses on the photograph with very little text. Over the next year, with these two blogs, I can focus on different things. This blog will continue to have medium to longer form text content with some photographs, typically to illustrate a point. My one a day photo blog, mostlyfotos, will continue to showcase my range of photography.
If you look near the top right of this page, you will notice the links to the site index and mostlyfotos. These links will be available on every page so you can quickly access them at any time. I've also further revamped my right hand column with my Twitter feed and a link to my Facebook Fan page. I hope you visit these links and read some of my earlier posts or look at a sample of my photography. Thank you for continuing to visit my site and please let me know if you have suggestions for future blog posts.


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Browse All Accessories
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- Lets Be Honest Here G3's Screen Isn't GREAT. about 34 sec ago by DarthRaiderHD 114
- Resizing Gif Files about 1 min ago by oldrtyfrog 2
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- LG G3 Lag. The truth? about 3 min ago by ZombieBreath 49
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Re-watch the entire 53rd Annual Grammy Awards on RapDose.com!
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards take place tonight and we will be live streaming this event. Performances from Eminem, Dr. Dre, B.o.B, Lady Gaga and more.
The show is over, but after the jump you can watch the entire show featuring phenomenal performances from Eminem, Dr. Dre, Skylar Grey, Rihanna, Usher, Justin Bieber, B.o.B, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and more. Thanks to everyone who watched the stream and read our live blog. Follow us on twitter: @KennyPC, @Bamman92 and @RapDose.
Watch live video from rapdose on Justin.tv
The videos are in two parts because during the first 15 minutes of the show I set the quality wrong and viewers complained, so I took the stream off air during a commercial and fixed the quality. That's also why part two is much better quality. Part two also features most of the great performances. Rihanna and Drake, Eminem and Dr. Dre etc.
Below is separate clips of the nights best performances and moments.


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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The newest dormitory at Brown University, one set aside chiefly for African Americans, is called Harambee House, Swahili for "the coming together of community."
Already on Brown's hilltop campus overlooking downtown are Hispanic House, French House, Slavic House, East Asian House and German House.
From this Ivy League school in New England to little-known colleges in the Pacific Northwest, many universities are acceding to students' demands and organizing dormitories by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation--even by drinkers and teetotalers.


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Foxboro Manadrin and the Blue Fin Lounge - located in Bass Pro Shops at Patriot Place - are the most recent establishments to be penalized for serving alcohol to a minor during a Sept. 27 compliance check performed by Foxborough police.
Foxborough's Board of Selectmen ruled unanimously at its Nov. 20 meeting to penalize Foxboro Mandarin with the following:
- Letter of Reprimand
- Waiver of right to appeal to the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission
- Cover the town's costs incurred during public hearing
- Suspend liquor license on Tuesday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to closing
Selectmen agreed to suspend Foxboro Mandarin's liquor serving license for just four hours on Dec. 4 because of the establishment's spotless record prior to Sept. 27 and quick actions during the compliance check.
"The circumstances in this case were a little different than in previous [cases]," said Foxborough Town Manager Kevin Paicos. "In this case there was a mistake made, a violation occurred. There was fairly quick recognition that the there was a problem and the bartender came back and removed the beer."
At approximately 4:15 p.m. on Sept. 27, a 19-year-old woman assisting Foxborough police in an alcohol compliance check, walked in to Foxboro Mandarin and ordered a Bud Light at the bar, according to Foxborough Police Sergeant Richard Noonan.
"She produced her under 21 identification," Noonan said. "Bartender looked at it and brought it over to a light to look at it further. The telephone rang, he answered it, hung up the phone and walked over and handed the ID back to the operative. Asked if she wanted a Bud Light, which she confirmed she did."
The bartender, according to Noonan, then took a Bud Light bottle from the cooler, opened it and placed it in front of the underage operative at the bar.
A short time later, according to Noonan, the bartender came back and questioned the underage operative about her age and stated: "You were born in 1992 are you 21?" The underage operative then told the bartender she is not 21.
"[The bartender] then took the beer back from her and apologized that he could not serve her," Noonan said.
Selectmen agreed that Foxboro Mandarin's actions still resulted in a violation - the establishment's first in 10 years of operating in town. That clean record coupled with the bartender's quick actions after serving the beer to the minor prompted selectmen to issue a less severe punishment.
"We were thinking about a day, frankly a night would be more appropriate," Paicos said. "I think a day would deprive the business. They have a very active lunch business with liquor and dinner and to deprive both would be harsher than [necessary]."
Selectmen agreed, defining 6 p.m. as the dinner crowd and voting 5-0 in favor of suspending the liquor license on Tuesday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to closing (9:30 p.m.).
"They don't have to close they just can't serve liquor," said selectman Lynda Walsh.
Blue Fin Lounge Ordered to Close Early on Dec. 4
Following a Nov. 20 public hearing with the Blue Fin Lounge, located inside Bass Pro Shops at Patriot Place, selectmen voted 4-1 to issue the following penalty:
- Letter of Reprimand
- Waiver of right to appeal to the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission
- Cover the town's costs incurred during public hearing
- Suspend liquor license on Tuesday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to closing
Selectman Lorraine Brue opposed the proposed penalty, saying 6 p.m. to closing was not consistent with other penalties issued because Blue Fin Lounge closes at 8:30 p.m.
"There should be an additional hour to keep consistent with other situation at Foxboro Mandarin," Brue said.
Brue added she felt there was more put on Foxboro Mandarin. Her fellow board members disagreed and Paicos said suspending Blue Fin Lounge's alcohol license at 6 p.m. on Dec. 4 "effectively takes away the dinner crowd."
Similar to Foxboro Mandarin, the Blue Fin Lounge violated its liquor license by serving to a minor during the town's alcohol compliance check on Sept. 27.
The underage female operative entered the Blue Fin Lounge and took a seat at the bar, according to Noonan. When the bartender came over he asked the operative what she wanted and she asked for a Bud Light, according to Noonan.
"The bartender then proceeded to open a beer bottle and place it in front of her," Noonan said. "The underage operative then asked if she could pay for the beer at which time the bartender went over to the cash register and printed up a receipt and came back over to her and at that time he requested her identification, which she produced. He asked if she was 21, she stated she was not. At that time he took away the beer and told her he could not serve her."
Paicos said while a mistake was made there was fairly quick recognition of that mistake and appropriate action taken, similar to Foxboro Mandarin.
"Once again, I think in fairness and for the sake of consistency a short duration of suspension would be appropriate."
Counsel for Blue Fin Lounge informed the Board of Selectmen the bartender was terminated as a result of the incident because Bass Pro Shops has a zero tolerance policy for serving to minors.
It's been a busy month for selectmen as the board has suspended five establishments' liquor licenses as a result of the Sept. 27 compliance check:
- Bar Louie's Liquor License Suspended 5 Days for Serving to Minor
- CBS Scene Hit with 3-Day Penalty for Serving Alcohol to Minor
Selectmen are expected to hold a public hearing with Waxy O'Connor's on Jan. 8, 2013 to address the establishment's alleged violation of its liquor license during the Sept. 27 compliance check. If found guilty, it would be Waxy O'Connor's fourth violation in two years. Paicos said during a public hearing in 2011 that a fourth violation by the establishment would likely close Waxy's.


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TABLEHOPPING Even more places open for brunch and lunch, plus Passover and Easter options!
For some wine-soaked fun, check out the BITE ME Easter brunch 11am–3pm (by Sean Lackey) at vino destination Tank 18 (1345 Howard, SF. www.tank18.com). It's one of the best deals in town: for $29, you get Four Barrel coffee, popovers and honey butter, shaved melon and tarragon foam, frisée and asparagus salad with poached egg and uni vinaigrette, spicy pickled fennel and cauliflower, slow-roasted lamb with couscous, and a seasonal dessert. Whooosh! For another $20, you can add on wine pairings (hic). And no, with those prices, gratuity is not included. Get tickets at www.tinyurl.com/easterbiteme.
Cotogna (490 Pacific, SF. www.cotognasf.com) will be hosting a special Easter brunch 11:30am–2pm, serving some traditional Italian dishes (or you can come for Easter supper, served in the evening for $65).
Foreign Cinema (2534 Mission, SF. www.foreigncinema.com) is a classic spot for a swell brunch, and Easter will ramp things up with a $65 prix-fixe menu — three courses — and a children's menu for $20. Something for the kids!
Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column; subscribe for more at www.tablehopper.com. Get her app: Tablehopper's Top Late-Night Eats. On Twitter: @tablehopper.
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Safari Books Online is a digital library providing on-demand subscription access to thousands of learning resources.
11.3 The Object Identification System (OBIS)
OBIS defines identification codes for commonly used data items in energy metering. The DLMS-UA Blue book and IEC 62 056-61 specify the overall structure of the identification system and the mapping of all data items to their identification codes.
All data items exposed by a meter are uniquely identified by an OBIS code. This is true for measurement data, but the scope of OBIS is wider than measurement data: OBIS codes also cover data used for configuration of metering equipment; or related to the meter status. OBIS codes are defined for all types of utility metering applications: electricity, water, gas and heating.
The concept of an OBIS code is based on a hierarchical structure composed of 6 different "value groups", from A to F (Figure 11.2 and Figure 11.3).


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Basic grade-appropriate math skills necessary for classroom and testing success are covered through engaging, full-color pages. Grade 1 students will study key math topics they'll encounter during the year, including adding and subtracting through 20, word problems, adding/subtracting multiples, adding and subtracting two-digit numbers, counting to add and subtract, drawing shapes, measuring, and organizing and representing data.
Lessons are clearly grouped by skill, and include a brief explanation, an example, and problems for students to solve. A test after each chapter's conclusion provides opportunities for assessment.
Perfect as an introductory workbook, a 10-week summer guide is included for families who wish to use this workbook as a summer bridge to the next grade. All content is aligned to Common Core State Standards.
127 pages, softcover. This is a consumable workbook and pages are not reproducible. Line-list answer key included at the back of the book.


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By CHRISTIN COYNE
A woman originally charged with attempted murder in a knife attack that left one woman severely injured was indicted Thursday by a Parker County grand jury for second-degree felony aggravated assault causing seriously bodily injury in the case.
Laura Anne Cloy, 27, remains in the Parker County Jail with bond set at $100,000.
According to information previously provided by the Parker County Sheriff's Office, a 42-year-old woman was repeatedly stabbed or cut with a knife March 6 in the 100 block of Horseshoe Drive in Western Lake Estates during an argument with Cloy.
The injured woman was reportedly bleeding heavily from cuts to both forearms.
She was transported by witnesses in a personal vehicle to Weatherford Regional Medical Center before being flown by helicopter to John Peter Smith hospital.
Cloy reportedly left the scene and was later arrested.
Brotherly stabbing
Ray Paul Zachmeyer, 23, was indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against a family member.
Zachmeyer stabbed his older brother in the torso on March 27, according to the indictment.
Witnesses transported the injured 26-year-old man to Palo Pinto General Hospital in Mineral Wells. They told deputies that the men were arguing before the incident but did not see the stabbing occur.
The 26-year-old man, who underwent surgery to the wound, told deputies the wound was self-inflicted, that he fell on his knife while sharpening it.
However, Zachmeyer reportedly confessed to stabbing his brother and said he threw the pocket knife into a nearby lake.
Virgil Lee Bias, 70, was indicted on an enhanced, third-degree felony charge of deadly conduct with a firearm in connection with a shooting in the 8600 block of Old Springtown Road on March 16.
According to the Parker County Sheriff's Office, a 43-year-old man told deputies that he had a prior agreement with Bias to park his trailer on Bias' property, and Bias believed he was not moving the trailer fast enough.
Bias became angry and was yelling before going to his house and returning with a revolver that he shot once into the air and again into the ground about a foot away from the man, the man told deputies.


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The Tribune-Democrat
JOHNSTOWN — McDOWELL – Norma E., 96, Johnstown, died Oct. 9, 2012, at home. Born Dec. 10, 1915, in Johnstown, daughter of the late Oscar and Effie M. (St. Clair) Bush. Preceded in death by husband, Melvin R.; four sisters; and five brothers. Survived by daughter, Janet, married to Byron Harrison, Brandon, Fla.; sons, Duane, and wife, Linda (Harshberger), Bruneau, Idaho; and Barry, and wife, Linda (Smuro), Mechanicsburg, Pa.; seven grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. Also survived by sister, Mabel Rose, Johnstown. Norma was a member of Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren, where she and her late husband were a deacon and deaconess. Friends will be received from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Hindman Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., 146 Chandler Ave. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Pleasant Hill Church of the Brethren. Interment will follow at Benshoff Hill Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. Arrangements are in the care of Hindman Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., exclusive provider of "Veterans and Family Memorial Care." Condolences may be made at www.HindmanFuneralHomes.com.


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Found November 24, 2012 on Give Me The Rock:
PLAYERS: Chandler Parsons, Dwight Howard, Russell Westbrook, Dwyane Wade, Jeremy Lin, James Harden, Kevin Love, Andrea Bargnani, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver, Jeff Taylor, Tyrus Thomas, Antawn Jamison, Marvin Williams, Aaron Brooks, Maurice Williams, Jamaal Tinsley, Kevin Martin, Jamal Crawford, DeMar DeRozan, Pau Gasol
TEAMS: Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers
TEAMS: Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers
First, let's just get this video out the way since it was on the national news this morning… your Mom might be asking you about, so you'll need to know. I think YouTube works in all countries, but just in case: It's Dwight Howard (in an ugly ass all white uniform) with Carmelo (in what appears to be an all orange uniform), Joe Johnson in all black (which actually works for that one), Russell Westbrook, and Dwyane Wade, all dribbling basketballs in time to the Carol of the Bells to promote their special (and generally awful) Christmas Day uniforms. If the Celtics have an all green version, I can see that working, and the Heat's all red seems okay, but man, they really put some weird looking ones up there with the Lakers and Knicks. But, whose ever said that the NBA is tasteful when it comes to uniforms and other apparel… Line of the Night: Chandler Parsons (3.15) led the Rockets to a huge victory over the Knicks with 31 points (4 threes, 13-17 from the field), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals, and a 1-0 record against Jeremy Lin's former team. Obviously we'll have to see what happens when Lin returns to New York (they played in Houston last night), but if anyone boos Lin in NYC, they should really be booing the Knicks management since it wasn't really Lin's fault for taking more money to go somewhere else. If someone offered those (presumed) Knicks fans (or you or I) more money to do exactly what they (or you or I) do now, would any of them (or you or I) not take it? I know I certainly would. Parsons is up to 65% owned now, hence the subject of this post. Meanwhile, James Harden (2.88) helped the cause with his 33 points (3 threes, amazing 16-16 from the line), 9 assists, and 2 steals. Troy Taormina-US PRESSWIRE Honorable Mentions: I feel like I have to keep apologizing for every doubting Ryan Anderson (3.03). The guy put up a ridiculous 34 points on 8 threes with 11 rebounds and 2 steals. I assumed his talent was as by-product of Dwight Howard, and now he is making an ass of just me. Wesley Matthews (2.23) put up 30 points (5 threes, 12-17 from the field), and 4 steals while Damian Lillard (2.09) had 28 points (4 threes, 11-17 from the field), and 8 assists to keep the Timberwolves winless since Kevin Love's return. I guess they still need Rubio back to make that playoff run… Andrea Bargnani (2.23) did his best in a losing effort for the Raptors with 34 points (3 threes, 13-20 from the field), 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Raptors lost by 1. Al Horford (1.83) put up 26 points (13-17 from the field), 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks against Charlotte's front line. I know we made fun of them a lot last season, but it looks like they're just as bad up front again this year. Andre Iguodala (1.81) led Denver over Golden State with 29 points (3 threes), 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Dion Waiters (1.78) is 69% owned which just shows you the power the "rookie" mystique has on fantasy owners. Even after his 25 points (4 threes), 5 assists, and 2 steals, Waiters is at #107 on the Player Rater while Chandler Parsons is at #29 (reminder: only 65% owned). If this were the stock market, somebody would be making money hand-over-fist with that kind of irrationality in the marketplace. *** Waiver Wire Line of the Night: Kyle Korver (1.68) put up only 16 points, but had 4 threes and went 6-10 from the field with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks (40% owned). He is ranked #50 right now, and (once again) is a must add for just about any team. He's only shooting 40% so far this week (I know because I'm starting him) but he's at 45% for the season, so he should be an okay add even for Big Ball teams since he gives you some decent rebounding from the guard spot (assuming he's eligible at SG in your league). Pick Up Lines: Markieff Morris (1.42) is now a must-add after his 3rd good game in a row: 23 points (2 threes, 9-12 from the field), 3 rebounds, 3 assists (2% owned). Over the past 3 games, he has a 0.91 WARP, good for #20 in the last week according to the Player Rater. Jeff Taylor (1.04) (fun fact: born in Sweden) had 16 points (4 threes), and 3 steals (0% owned). This was his 3rd pretty good game in a row, and he's been playing pretty big minutes too. He's a rookie, and definitely part of the reason why Charlotte tastes like a special edition Christmas peppermint marshmallow to opposing big men, but with Tyrus Thomas out for 2 months, I don't think the Bobcats really have anyone else more qualified to put in there. Antawn Jamison (0.97) had a good game, FYI, with 16 points (7-11 from the field), and 7 rebounds (25% owned). Let's see if that happens again, say, in the next 20 games… Marvin Williams (0.94) has been better than Jamison, up to #102 in the last week and #126 for the year. He's not really particularly great at anything, as the highlights of his game last night will attest: 20 points and 7-7 from the line with 4 rebounds. But he does give you a little bit of everything across the board… and he should be more than 20% owned. Definitely worth a look in Roto leagues since he won't really hurt you anywhere and will give you a little boost in quite a few categories. It's probably going to change because we're talking about Sacremento now, but Aaron Brooks (0.90) has taken over the starting PG spot for the Kings and put up 17 points on 3 threes and 7-9 from the field (3% owned). He's in violation of the 70% rule, but since he's the starter and played 31 minutes, I'm going to say he's definitely worth a once over. Mo Williams rolled his ankle and gave Jamaal Tinsley (0.90) 30 minutes of playing time, in which he only managed 4 points, but grabbed 6 rebounds, passed for 12 assists, and had 2 steals (1% owned). If Williams is out for an extended period of time, Tinsley will probably get the minutes at PG for the Jazz and would be worth a short term add (especially in deep leagues). Biggest Loser: After scoring 20+ points in 3 straight games, Kevin Martin (-1.41) went 1-7 from the field to end with 3 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists. The Thunder lost to the Celtics and showed what might be a strategy to beat them… Westbrook and Durant both shot well and scored a bunch, and Ibaka even contributed 17 points, but without Martin filling in for James Harden, the Thunder look to be vulnerable. Also, much as I try never to say I Told You So, I already did it with Jamal Crawford and now feel justified in saying it about DeMar DeRozan (-1.27). After a hot start, DeRozan seems to have remembered that he's DeMar DeRozan and put up a much needed 2-9 shots for 5 points, 1 rebounds, and 1 assist. Much more unexepected was Pau Gasol's (-0.88) performance. Memphis jumped out to an early lead, I can only assume due in some part to Gasol's 3-8 from the field and 3 turnovers. He finished with only 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assists, and furthered my suspicions that he is going to be the Odd Man Out when it comes to the Lakers playing in Mike D'Antoni's system. Of course, the Lakers eventually lost to the Grizz, so maybe getting Pau involved is going to be as key to them as Martin scoring for the Thunder will be. *** Daily rankings and stats come from the GMTR H2H Player Rater (beta version). They are based on the stat Wins Above Replacement Player (WARP) an estimate of the number of wins a player produces per week in H2H leagues over a replacement (waiver wire) player. Do not miss a day of the Fantasy NBA. Subscribe to GMTR right now. You can also get bonus (and easily digestible) content by following GMTR on Twitter, or become a fan of GMTR on Facebook! We are so social! If you like what you read here, come back every day for new content! And if you come back every day, please consider donating… Want to see your ad in the GMTR RSS feed? Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Father's Day was at least doubly special for Assistant Scoutmaster Robert Cornnell of Edmeston.
Cornnell, who became an Eagle Scout in 1977, saw his identical twin sons, Jordan and Dante, receive the Eagle rank on Sunday, about 10 years after the boys started in his pack as Tiger Scouts.
"We waited a long time for this day," the senior Cornnell said at the convening of the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Edmeston Troop 9.
About 55 Scouts, scouting leaders, relatives, friends and others were at the United Methodist Church in Edmeston for the 2 p.m. awards ceremony.
"Jordan and Dante have distinguished themselves," Assistant Scoutmaster Rick Syke in welcoming guests. "This is an occasion for pride and joy."
Syke and other Troop 9 senior patrol members reminded the boys of the significance of the Eagle Scout badge and its responsibilities of honesty, loyalty, courageousness and cheerfulness in not only continuing the tradition of a daily good deed but also being always prepared to put forth best efforts.
Troop 9 is part of the Otschodela Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Otsego, Schoharie and Delaware counties. The Eagle Scout rank involves organizing a community-based project and reflects the highest ranking in Boy Scouts of America. Almost 60,000 Scouts earned the Eagle rank in 2012, according to the National Eagle Scout Association.
In the church sancturary Sunday, the 15-year-old twins stood tall and held their hands high when reciting the Boy Scout Oath in reaffirmation. Their grandfather, Allen Cornnell of Marcy, participated in formally charging the twins with further duties as an Eagle Scout to dedicate their hearts, hands and abilities to "the common good."
Both Cindy and Robert Cornnell, the boys' parents, wiped away tears at times during the ceremony, which lasted almost an hour. The boys were recognized with pins, citations, certificates and words of praise. They also received U.S. flags that had flown over the U.S. Capitol on May 20, courtesy of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.


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H. Yvonne Seeley,Senior email@example.com
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Get helpful information from our Family Law Blog.
Ms. Seeley practices exclusively in the area of family law. She has extensive experience in all matters pertaining to family law including divorce, prenuptial agreements, child custody, child and spousal support, paternity, business valuation, complex property division, and high-value asset portfolios. As part of her practice, Ms. Seeley advises clients with international child custody cases involving the Hague Convention.
H. Yvonne Seeley brings almost thirty years of civil litigation experience to the representation of the firm's clients. For the last fifteen years, Ms. Seeley has exclusively practiced family law. Ms. Seeley has appeared as lead counsel in numerous jury trials, bench trials, and appeals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Her family law cases of note include the litigation of a child custody/international move-away matter, and she has appeared before the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco in cases involving child custody and the division of property.
Ms. Seeley graduated from San Francisco Law School with a Juris Doctor in 1980. In 2002, she graduated from Notre Dame de Namur University with a Masters in Science in Business Management. Ms. Seeley has received training in mediation and collaborative law.
The California Consumer Attorneys of California presented Ms. Seeley with an award honoring her as a California Women Leader in 2007. In 2002, Ms. Seeley was elected as President of the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association. In addition, Ms. Seeley served as an officer and board member of the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association for ten years. On several occasions, Ms. Seeley has been invited to speak at seminars for the San Mateo County Bar Association and the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association.
In May, 2012, ABC TV (KGO Channel 7) interviewed H. Yvonne Seeley to discuss the implications of the Facebook IPO for South Bay divorce attorneys. Ms. Seeley appears at the 1:40 mark.
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text: The role one's religion should play in political decision-making remains a debated issue. John Rawls believes ideally that religious reasons shouldn't be used in political argument. In Political Liberalism, citing the examples of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr., he does make exceptions based on his "proviso." But he believes firmly in his ideal of "public reason." On his view, public reason is "characteristic of a democratic people: it is the reason of its citizens, of those sharing the status of equal citizenship. The subject of their reason is the good of the public: what the political conception of justice requires of a society's basic structure of institutions, and of the purposes and ends they are to serve. Public reason, then, is public in three ways: as reasons of the citizens as such, it is the reason of the public; its subject is the good of the public and matters of fundamental justice; and its nature and content is public, being given by the ideals and principles expressed by society's conception of political justice, and conducted open to view on that basis… As an ideal conception of citizenship for a constitutional democratic regime, it presents how things might be, taking people as a just and well-ordered society would encourage them to be. It describes what is possible and can be, yet may never be, though no less fundamental for that." Nicholas Wolterstorff, contra Rawls, has other ideas about the role religion and faith should play in citizens' decision-making and liberal democracy. Here he is speaking with Miroslav Volf.


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The Bottom Line
- Bright And Colorful LED Backlit Display
- Strong Performance
- Luxury Design Elements
- Display Design Causes Lots of Reflections and Glare
- Older Generation Graphics Processor
- Runs Warm
- Intel Core i7-720QM Quad Core Mobile Processor
- 4GB PC3-8500 DDR3 Memory
- 320GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
- 8x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
- 15.6" WSXGA+ (1600x900) LED Backlit Display With 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
- ATI Radeon Mobility HD 4670 Graphics With 1GB Memory
- Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/g/n Wireless
- Three USB 2.0, eSATA, FireWire, HDMI, DisplayPort, ExpressCard/54, 8-in-1 Card Reader
- 15.2" x 10" x 1.3" @ 6.4 lbs.
- Windows 7 Professional, Works, McAfee Security Center
Guide Review - Dell Studio XPS 16 15.6-inch Thin And Light Laptop PC
May 10 2010 - Dell's Studio XPS 16 brought a bit of luxury to the more middle priced tier laptop products. The overall design hasn't changed at all with the latest revision. It still comes equipped with leather and aluminum trim to give it a stylish but gets a few internal upgrades.
The big upgrade to the Studio XPS 16 is the inclusion of the Intel Core i7-720QM quad core processor. This gives the system a significant boost in performance especially for heavy multitasking or tasks such as desktop video work. Those using the system for more single threaded tasks or limiting the number of applications can save a bit by going with a Core i5-520M dual core model instead. 4GB of DDR3 memory is standard and helps the system run smoothly with higher versions coming with 6GB.
While many companies have moved to 500GB hard drive, some versions of the Studio XPS 16 ship with 320GB hard drives. Both of these drives spin at the 7200rpm desktop rate provide them with high levels of performance. Those looking for some additional performance boosts at the cost of storage capacity can upgrade to solid state drives although they do add a fair amount to the cost of the system. A dual layer DVD burner is standard for playback and recording of CDs and DVDs but Blu-ray drives are optional.
Probably the best overall feature of the Dell Studio XPS 16 is the display. The 15.6-inch display may not be edge to edge like the 16-inch, but it still features the LED backlighting and very high levels of color and brightness. Resolution is above average at 1600x900 but falls short of full 1080p high definition video support. It does feature a very glossy coating that produces a large amount of reflections and glare that make it extremely difficult to use in outdoor and even some indoor lighting.
While the processor has been upgraded in the Studio XPS 16, the graphics still use the older ATI Radeon Mobility HD 4670 graphics with 1GB of memory. It will provide a decent level of performance for 3D gaming but may fall short of frame rates at the full display resolution with high details levels. The big drawback is that it does not support Direct X 11 like the new 5000 series graphics processors from ATI.
Dell has made the 9-cell battery pack a more standard feature than previous models. This has helped what was a very limited battery life to be more robust. In my DVD playback test, the system was able to run for roughly two and three-quarter hours. This translates to roughly a three and a half hours of more traditional usage which is fairly typical for systems in this class but far short of what Apple is able to achieve with their MacBook Pros.