text:
40 Mysteries of Fall Style, Solved in Seconds
The Esquire fashion director will now take your tough questions, with easy answers on everything from wearing bright shoes to Letterman's look
By Nick Sullivan
When I dress down, can I wear a V-neck T-shirt with, say, gray dress pants?
When pairing T-shirts and trousers, it's all about the cloth and matching like for like. A cotton-blend V-neck would look great with something basic like light-gray cotton chinos, but because of its flat texture, it would look a little shabby next to the richness and warmth of the flannel. If, however, all you've got is fine wool dress pants, I would go with a knit merino sweater or even a polo shirt. Like with like.
I bought bright shoes for a pop of color, but how do I wear them?
Style now is all about embracing color, but the key to it is not to worry too much about putting things together too tightly. If they pop, they pop. Think about it the same way you would a classic brown boat shoe. For fall, the same goes for casual dressy shoes like brogues, which today, in particular, come in an interesting array of nontraditional colors.
Can I wear a houndstooth suit vest without a matching jacket?
A vest can add a little extra something to many ensembles, even ones that include jeans. Only hitch: You need to wear it with a jacket, matching or non, to avoid looking like an extra from Newsies. I'd suggest sticking to a plain or, at most, grainy cloth for the jacket. Any noticeable pattern is going to make things look very busy very fast.
Is there a way to get your sweater sleeves back to their original shape?
Knitwear of almost any kind is susceptible to stretching because of the natural elasticity of knitting, and that's why you should never store your sweaters on hangers. To get the cuffs or for that matter any other part of your sweater back into line, hand wash it with a knit-specific detergent like Woolite in lukewarm water before ringing it out gently and laying it flat on a towel to dry. This will relax and straighten the fibers and help the sweater return to its original shape.
Can I wear a khaki suit with boots like these?
While boots have their obvious charms, they're not right to wear with a suit. They're just too dang heavy. But how about ditching the suit altogether and going with something casual say, dark jeans, a plaid or chambray shirt, and a tweedy jacket that the boots will enhance?
I've noticed Letterman with his tie about two inches above his belt buckle. Is this a trend?
No. The tip of your tie should dance just about the middle of your belt buckle. And inch here or there is not going to cause you major problems, but much more than that will.
I'm a middle-aged guy who needs to buy a jacket. What should I get?
First, I suggest navy, because it's dark enough to be dressy but not too dark that you can't wear it during the day. Second, look for it unlined and in cotton, which will make it both comfortable and as casual as you need it to be.
Should I alter my Ralph Lauren polo shirts to be the same length all around?
Ralph Lauren's polo shirts are made that way out of respect for history. Early polo shirts were cut longer in the back to prevent tucked shirts from coming untucked in the saddle as the polo player lunged forward, stick in hand. The long and short of it is, tucked or untucked, your polo shirt is right, and you shouldn't feel self-conscious about the longer tail. The problem with polos, however, is often not the length but the girth. Look for the custom-fit label in certain RL polo shirts for an all-around neater look in the torso.
What's the best shirt and tie to wear with a DB six-button peak-lapel tuxedo?
The most straightforward and nonstuffy option — it always worked for James Bond — is the piqué-front white cotton evening shirt with a matching piqué (aka marcella) turned-down collar, available at the likes of Thomas Pink.
Two-button jacket versus three: Is there a preferred style now?
The two-button jacket is having its moment, but it was a long time coming. About 15 years ago, you couldn't find a two-button jacket anywhere except thrift stores, but the slow cycle of male style has come around and the two-button jacket has gradually replaced the three as the go-to for most guys. If you're searching for a new three-button jacket, keep in mind that the more spaced out the buttons, the most dated the jacket will appear — and the more you'll look like an extra from Seinfeld.
Can you recommend some high-rise boots that are stylish and waterproof?
No, because you are not Errol Flynn and this is not the Spanish Main. What you need is a practical pair or rubber Wellingtons, which allow you to march to work through slush ponds without so much as breaking a stride.
When wearing a collared shirt under a sweater: collar in or collar out?
In. Unless you're going for the whole John Belushi look.
What does one wear to a casino?
Avoid: dark dress shirts, hockey jerseys, T-shirts, flashy watches, and showy jewelry. In fact, avoid any clothing that makes you appear like a high roller from central casting or one of those guys in casino TV commercials. Instead, wear a jacket and jeans and a basic button-down shirt, the better to avoid the attention of casino security.
Studio D
How do I go about selecting a sport coat?
Start by thinking about how much use you expect to get out of it: Do you want to wear it every day or just for special occasions? For the former, look for gray woolly herringbone or a discreet tweedy plaid, both of which look great with everyday wear like jeans, khakis, and flannels; for the latter, try Etro it's renowned for its one-off sport coats. Once you've got something in your sights, give it a good look. A sport coat should always have more texture to it than suit jacket, both in the handle and the appearance, so you shouldn't just look with your eyes but with your hands, too.
Studio D
How should I get my jeans' hem adjusted?
It's almost impossible to remake a bottom hem that has been rolled and stitched before (usually) being washed and abraded to give it that worn-in look. What you need is what is called a European hem a good alterations tailor removes cloth from each leg and then reattaches the original finished hem so the join is barely visible. As for a tailor, get some local recommendations; a good test is to ask the tailor how he would tackle it. Ensure he knows that you want the original hem put back on.
I'm looking for a white dress shirt that's the same color white all over.
I think what you're finding is that because the placket (also known as the strip that holds the buttons) involves a double layer of cotton in its construction, it usually looks whiter than the body. (The body of the shirt, being a touch see-through, is often darkened by a shade or two by what's underneath it, i.e., your skin.) What you need is a slightly thicker or denser cotton. You might try a classic white oxford from Brooks Brothers, which tends not to suffer from show-through. The alternative is to wear a white undershirt.
What should I do with my tuxedo jacket when I'm driving?
Option A: Take it off and, if you're hanging it, do so on a properly formed hanger that will maintain its shape — not one of those crappy, wiry metal ones from the cleaners. Option B: Lay it flat in the backseat. Option C: If you're driving any great distance, consider wearing something comfortable for the ride and changing into your tuxedo when you get there. The driver's seat is no place for a tuxedo jacket.
If an invitation says the dress is "cocktail/casual," what does that mean?
It means, "Please feel relaxed but for heaven's sake wash before you come." Which possibly means a jacket, a dress shirt (no tie), and casual trousers.
If I want to step up my shoe game, what shoes do I need?
The key is finding shoes that are properly constructed — that means a Goodyear welt, good leather, and a classic rounded toe. For one thing, they'll last longer, and for another, when the soles give out, you can get them fully resoled. Start with one simple black pair for office, evening, interviews, and funerals, and then one mid-brown pair for weekends and such. Add a pair of casual lace-ups like saddle shoes and a heavier casual shoe (or even a boot for winter) and you should be set.
Can I buy a sleek dress watch for less than $3,000?
Good news: After years of chunky excess, high-end watchmakers are making plenty of watches at your price level that are neither too thin nor as chunky as a pocket battleship. Try something like Omega's De Ville Prestige automatic. It combines modernity with simplicity at a respectable $2,900.
I get holes in the crotch of nearly all my pants. Is my crotch acidic?
Many jeans today go through a process called enzyme washing, in which an enzyme breaks down the fibers in dark indigo denim. This loosens the dye and softens the cloth. Unfortunately, it also weakens the cloth and shortens life span, especially in areas of wear and tear — like the crotch. Consider looking into jeans made of raw denim.
Should leathers on belts and shoes match?
It's all well and good to consider the issue, but spending too much time worrying about matching can get a little sad. Other than avoiding combinations that really don't work � a white belt with brown shoes, say, or a tan belt with chestnut shoes � it's sufficient for your belt and shoes to be in the same ballpark.
How much of my watch should show out of my shirt cuff?
Anything between none and half of your watch should normally show. It's a taste thing, mostly. Right now men are not showing off watches as much as they did a couple of years ago.
Can I wear a patterned shirt with a patterned suit?
You can certainly mix patterns, though it's almost impossible to make a universal rule about it. I find it helps to pick a minor color in the pattern of your shirt to match a major color in the pattern of your suit (or vice versa). Say you have a navy-blue suit with a pale stripe. You should wear a white shirt that has blue in one of its stripes or checks. You should also ensure that the scale and spacing of the stripes in your shirt and suit are different enough that the two don't seem to fuse together. Finally, don't spend your whole life on this, you'll go mad, get fired, and end up living on the street, where well-matched haber-dashery will be of no use whatsoever.
Studio D
Is white the only acceptable shirt color at a job interview?
It's the default setting, of course, but I don' really know why men are so nervous about diverging from white. Light blue is hardly going to kill them. That said, keep your interview shirts plain or minimally striped, as interviewers want people who are impressed with their future job, not with themselves. (Read: no jazzy checks or bold stripes.) And no matter what you decide, make sure your shirt is pressed, clean, and relatively new.
Are rubber-soled dress shoes more informal than leather-soled ones?
It's true that leather soles tend to be a bit more distinguished than rubber ones, but it's not a hard-and-fast rule. Some high-end brands specialize in dress shoes with rubber soles, like these from Geox, and others, like Salvatore Ferragamo, offer rubber-soled options that are just as dressy as their leather-soled counterparts. The truth is that choosing leather or rubber is less about form and more about function. Rubber soles usually last longer, especially in rainy places, and some men bleat about leather soles being less comfortable than rubber ones.
I'm not into undershirts, and my nipples end up showing through. How can I hide them?
Have you considered Band-Aids? Kidding aside, you might need to invest in shirts with less show-through � meaning thicker weaves of cotton and colors (blue rather than white) or patterns (stripes and checks) that, like camouflage, distract the eye. Remember, too, that with repeated washes, shirts lose some of their bulk and therefore tend to show through more.
What pants go with chambray shirts? Should I even wear these shirts?
Sure you should. Chambray is part of that great American workingman look it's what gave us the term blue-collar and it's become very popular in the renaissance of American gear that is going on right now. A chambray shirt goes well with just about anything simple and manly, especially khakis, cords, and even denim, so long as the colors are not identical. A bit John Denver, that.
Does "black tie" actually mean bow tie? Or are long ties acceptable?
Black tie = bow tie, regardless of your politics. It would not be correct to say long ties have become acceptable any more than it would be true to say that mugging is all the rage. Both are ugly, unavoidable truths of modern urban living. The only difference is that wearing long ties in place of pulling oneself together and doing black tie properly is not punishable by a prison term. Not yet, anyway.
Sannum-Lauten/AFP/Getty Images
Can you recommend a simple but stylish overnight bag for $200?
If you're looking at recognizable brand names, you'll be lucky to find anything under $250, and it's safe to say it won't be made of leather. And even if you could find something in your price range in leather, chances are it probably won't be great quality, as cheaper leather bags are usually made from poorer-quality hides. All that said, today is your lucky day: Esquire's sterling fashion assistant and resident bargain hound Michael Stefanov has come across Cole Haan's entry-level weekend bag, the FLX Weekender ($178), made mainly of polyester but with leather straps. Bon voyage and send me a postcard. (Not really.)
Should your socks match your shirt and tie? Or your pants?
Your socks should give the appearance of a longer leg, and you can do that by keeping the colors of your socks and pants in the same general family. It's not essential that they match exactly, and it's certainly not required that they match your shirt and tie. Personally I like a little pyrotechnics in the sock department, e.g., bright red-and-navy stripes. They make a mockery of every sock-matching theory ever devised.
I am trying to settle the brown-suit, black-shoe dilemma. What's acceptable?
Rules are inherently boring, but they do make life easier. Although I never wear black suits and rarely brown suits, this chart works for me.
I gave away another suit due to "shiny ass." Is there any way to remedy this?
It's a problem suffered by suit-wearing men the world over. It's caused by wearing the same suit pants too often, especially if one sits all day, with the offending shine developing after repeated rubbing under arse pressure (to use the technical jargon) compacts the fibers in the cloth. I have heard talk of sour milk as a solution but have not as yet found any conclusive results — except that most men prefer to keep their pants shiny rather than have them smell of sour milk. The easier solution might be to stop wearing the same pants every day and invest in some new ones. Your call.
I recently purchased three new pairs of dress pants. Should I get them cuffed?
Cuffs are a particularly American issue, adopted a century ago as a means of keeping mud off the hem, and whether (or how) you wear them is purely a matter of personal taste. (This book, American Fashion Menswear, shows Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly wearing two different styles of cuffed pants.) That said, if you're on the shorter side, cuffs can visually shorten your legs, while a clean non-cuff finish has a lengthening effect. If you decide against cuffs, have the tailor slant the bottom hem slightly down toward the back to ensure sock coverage and ask for a minimal break at the front.
My boss said my Brooks Brothers button-down shirts are out of style. Is this true?
Discussing the trendiness of button-down shirts is like discussing the sex lives of nuns tasteless and not very interesting. A classic Brooks Brothers button-down will certainly not make you look trendy, but it won't make you look out of style, either, unless you try to dress it up too much. A shirt that has been around and in continuous production for 114 years is surely undateable.
I just bought a new suit, and my wife says I need to get rid of an old one. What do you think?
For me, the one-in, one-out rule should not apply to suits, shoes, or other high-value purchases. By removing the older suits, you will only ruin your new suits quicker because you'll wear them more often. This is not good economics. You know it makes sense. Now go convince her.
Studio D
My leather shoes got stained with urine at a party. Any way I can salvage them?
Getting urine on your shoes is bad news for the leather, and it's not tops for improving your social standing, either. Use Quick n Brite to both condition and clean the leather, maintaining — or, in your case, restoring — the suppleness of the skin. To prevent a recurrence of your little accident, in the future I'd recommend aiming higher or going to a different kind of party.
My messenger bag is stiff. Is there a way to increase its suppleness?
There are a number of possible solutions, most of them involving something called palmitoleic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid that acts as a moisturizer for leather. It's found in mink oil (a byproduct of the fur trade), but if you're antifur, it's also present in sea-buckthorn oil and macadamia-nut oil (allstarhealth.com). Natural neat's-foot oil meanwhile is a fatty yellow liquid that's also a favorite of leather restorers. Whatever you use, apply it sparingly to the leather and massage it in using a clean cloth.
Can I still wear my old Coogi sweaters today?
May I suggest that you move on, and while you're at it, invest in a round of hypnosis to ensure they don't linger in your memory, either. The Coogi sweater, though once an immense success, is proof of the fashion mantra that the more in-your-face a garment is, the less often it gets to make a comeback. It is, accordingly, not scheduled for reappraisal until May 2072.
How many clothes do I really need?
Golden rule concerning items of clothing: The closer they come to your body, the more you need of them. I'd say the following is a good start: 2 suits, 2 blazers, 12 dress shirts (seriously — you can't wear them twice in a row), 2 pairs dress shoes (but ideally 3), 3 to 5 ties (because everyone notices the tie), 2 pairs casual shoes, 4 sweaters, and 4 chinos, jeans, or casual pants. Socks and undershirts, meanwhile, are no place to be economical.


text:
Will the Arkham League elements (particularly the new cards) be released in the Print on Demand program? Printouts work, but it would be nice to have these printed in the style of the rest of the game.
Akham League Print on Demand
Started by
, Sep 07 2011 09:05 AM
No replies to this topic

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sunday, November 07, 2010
NaNoWriMo 2010
Screen Name, a short novel for NaNoWriMo 2010. Synopsis: Dana finally gets a big break, a studio commissions one of her movie pitches, but she's already overwhelmed with a staff writing job at a Spanish-language daytime drama. She knows if she doesn't meet her deadline she'll never get hired again, but she also can't abandon the job she has. She finds her solution online with a "paper writing service" to create her first draft. When the actual script turns out to be better than anything she could have written herself, she decides to track down the talented writer behind the screen name. Update 11/16/2010: after hitting 25,000 words I decided to change the title to Screen Name, which I think fits better. Though I was also toying with Screen Name/Screen Credit as the full title. Thursday, April 15, 2010
According to Google, Candy Blog reviews are not newsFor years I've had Google Alerts set up for many key words related to candy and chocolate. (As well as some related to whales & dolphins.) I find a lot of great coverage via these that I wouldn't ordinarily find and I probably wouldn't go to Google News and just search there regularly. I find candy reviews as conducted by web-only content providers such as The Village Voice or Associated Content but never ones from those whom I consider my candy blogging peers (the blogroll) and of course none from Candy Blog. I've submitted Candy Blog to Google News many times. Here are the reasons that Candy Blog has not been included as a Google News source: 8/3/2006: 8/11/2006: 2/27/2007: 9/18/1007: 6/9/2009: 4/13/2010: I can understand the position of not using "singular voice" websites as news sources, but Candy Blog is an opinion site for the most part. Sure I throw facts in for context, but for the most part it's about a first hand experience with a product. My argument all along is that a review for a candy product is the same as the review for an album, a TV show, a movie, a book or a vacation spot. It's news because it's relevant to everyday life because Americans are consumers. Candy is a $30 Billion industry in the United States alone, few other American food review blogs have had the consistency of content that Candy Blog has and just because it's about candy doesn't mean that it's trifling or should be shuttled off with the "advice columns" as entertainment. The content on Candy Blog is 99% original (I say it's not 100% because I do quote from press releases & packaging plus I use candy company photos for the Candy Tease features), there are few newspapers who can say that. POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:40 am Curious News • Comments (9) Saturday, March 27, 2010
Some things about BeckettBeckett weighed 20 pounds when we got her at the Beagles & Buddies Rescue on Labor Day weekend 1994. For most of the rest of her life she weighed about 40. Beckett liked to "get the moth" which was, in her limited vocabulary, the word for any insect. If it was a particularly large moth, she'd kill it and take it to the center of the rug in the living room and roll on it. Beckett once ate a whole bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures. This was followed by a visit to the vet. When my brother picked her up at the vet, he was offered a little container with the aforementioned RPBCs. He took the dog and left. In Beckett's early years with us she had a problem with vomiting, a lasting effect from distemper. To treat her long episodes, I'd give her a small dose of Pepto-Bismol. It'd administer it in a little syringe, made for babies. One day I came home from work and found the syringe chewed up and stuffed under the fridge. Beckett really liked to look out for us when we were away. For the most part she kept watch in the living room window. However, if the balcony door was open, she was known to squeeze under the railing and go out onto the peak of the roof to stand watch for our return. (We first found this out via a note left in our mailbox by a neighbor that simply said, "you know your dog was on your roof.") Beckett was mostly uninterested in food. At least her own, unless you were interested in it, and then she'd at least be territorial. Beckett had a weird toe that stuck up on her left front paws. She was also afraid of opening doors. In my fiction of our dog's past, I imagined that she broke that paw as a pup by a door. Beckett loved to go in the car. Beckett always wore a harness in the car, she was buckled into the center of the back seat. Beckett was very soft, softer than you'd imagine a beagle mutt would be (I always thought she had some sort of spaniel in her). She also shed more than three normal dogs combined. We bought our furniture and carpeting to go with this dog hair. Beckett acted more like a cat than a dog. She would walk up to me and rub her head on my legs and often do the same sort of cat-like snuggling on the couch. Beckett did not like to wear hats. Beckett loved to zoom. In the early days when we would let her off leash to play fetch at the dead end of our street, sometimes she would tear off, up the stairs. Even in the house she would go so fast racing around the house she'd bank off the walls. Beckett was once stung by a bee, I think she was trying to eat it (see the above "get the moth"). It stung her on the inside of her mouth. At first I thought she'd stuffed a tennis ball in her mouth. For several days her cheek was swollen up like she was hoarding nuts. I don't have enough photos of Beckett. POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:41 pm Curious News • Comments (1) Sunday, February 28, 2010
Go Max Go! Use Twitter to Ruin Your Brand Equity!The week of February 15th, I reviewed a set of four candy bars on Candy Blog from the company called Go Max Go Foods: Mahalo, Buccaneer, Twilight & Jokerz. They're vegan versions of popular candy bars - no dairy, no hydrogenated oils, no animal products and all natural. I bought them at Whole Foods back in January and took photos of them and posted them within the review. (I also reviewed two other vegan candy bars - one before and one after that set - it was an unofficial vegan week.) Some I liked and some I didn't. I took issue with the use of palm oil instead of real cocoa butter, the fact that they were three times the price of a regular candy bar, and the taste profile was overall too sweet. The review results ranged from 4 out of 10 to 6 out of 10. I reviewed them at the request of a reader. I like to make sure I have something to offer all my readers - especially those with special dietary restrictions. The posts didn't get much traffic or comments, no biggie. On Friday, February 26th. someone identified as "susan" left a comment on the review of the Jokerz Bar (a vegan version of a Snickers): The email address associated with the comment (visible only to me as the blog owner) was from the domain of the candy maker itself. My commenting policy clearly states that sock puppets are not tolerated and will be outed. As I was responding to that comment, susan left similar comments on all the reviews.
(Link to Mahalo review.) I didn't want to assume that it was a sock puppet, since a commenter can leave any address, there's no verification process. First, I tried to respond to the email address to verify that she was a representative of the company - what I learned while waiting for a response was that she had also twittered from the official account of the company: I considered that verification that this was a true representative and published my response calling her out in my comments area of the site. I responded there with a Tweet to my followers pointing to her Tweet to me: Within that time she posted two more times on Twitter, this time not replies but original tweets with links to my reviews: It's not the first time I've had a sock puppet on the blog. Heck, it's not even the 10th time. I've had candy makers themselves comment on my posts as well - on both the raves and the pans. (I don't consider giving a candy a 6 out of 10 a pan, I consider it a good candy, just not one I personally plan to keep buying but likely to be someone's favorite.) But this was definitely a first for me where the company tried to rally support for the their product after a perceived bad review. (Candy Blog has been around longer than Twitter or the use of Facebook by companies.) The comments that followed, some apparently arriving via her tweet link, were clear, cogent and both positive about the product itself and negative. Some were from regular readers of my blog, some were not people who had commented before. As if the comments and the initial posts on Twitter weren't bad enough, the train wreck continued as she engaged the Candy Blog followers. You can reread the whole thing here as a screengrab of the Twitter conversations. My followers started checking out what @GoMaxGoFoods was saying and replied. @GoMaxGoFoods started replying to them, often insulting them and ranting about how someone who doesn't like fake fur or fake meat shouldn't be reviewing vegan candy. Choice comments: And this one: And the last one of note:
The strange part is that @GoMaxGoFoods had some interesting points hidden in those tweets and the comments. I took issue with the use of mockolate (replacing cocoa butter with palm oil) for two reasons. One, mockolate doesn't taste good. Two, palm oil isn't forest-friendly - which is apparently something important to people who are vegans because they don't believe in harming animals. (I don't know how the health vegans feel.) Eventually she said that they used sustainably grown palm oil and that real chocolate made with rice milk was not stable enough to be used to cover candy bars. (I pointed out that if its sustainable palm oil, that should be noted on the website at the very least. She agreed.) I did a little more reading on the company, most of what I found out that wasn't quotes from their official website on blogs or webstores was from this article from the Daily Vanguard from November 2009. The founders of the company are noted as Scott Ostrander and Susan Francovig. The article says: I guess she changed her mind about the nonvegans. The stupid part was how fixated she was on my statement that I didn't like faux fur or fake meat. I can only assume that she thought that meant that actually liked the real thing - which is quite clear to regular readers. I haven't eaten red meat in 23 years. (No I am not currently a vegan, mostly because I like gummi bears and real cream caramels too much). For the record, I've reviewed hundreds of candies that are considered vegan. I don't treat them any different because they have special rules. UPDATE 11/30/2012: Go Max Go is currently under recall in Canada due to some labeling issues. They use shared equipment with dairy products, yet advertise their products as dairy free. (More from Vancouver's Straight.com.) The Go Max Go Twitter feed is again saying abusive things, this time to a customer (Meagan H) who said she had a reaction. UPDATE 4/24/2013: The FDA announced a voluntary recall by Go Max Go for labeling issues. Bars include: Snap!, Cleo's, Jokerz, Twilight, Buccaneer, Mahalo and Thumbs Up. The issue comes down to the front of package saying that the products are dairy free, but the actual products are made on shared equipment with dairy products, so it is possible they could contain traces of dairy. That is labeled on the back of the package underneath the ingredients list, at least the ones that I've seen. POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:00 pm Curious News • Comments (13) Thursday, February 18, 2010
Candy as CurrencyI've been cruising around old issues of Life Magazine in search of confectionery-themed morsels that might give me a glimpse into how candy was regarded in our culture in the past. I found this one and thought I'd share it. The Licorice Lira Problem by Dora Jane Hamblin from LIFE magazine November 26, 1971 POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:22 pm Curious News • Comments (2) Thursday, February 04, 2010
The Ranking of Nuts by PreferenceHere are the nuts I prefer, based on eating them whole or in other foods. (Nut butters are a whole other thing.) I've included seeds and legumes as well. (I'm allergic to Walnuts.) POSTED BY Cybele AT 8:38 am Curious News • Comments (2) Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Consumables on My DeskI don't often worry about my perparedness in an emergency. I think I could live for at least a week off of what's in my office. Here's what's on my desk (not in my desk, just on the surface): 1. Cheez-It (with special offer for Star Trek Captain's Tee) Wednesday, April 15, 2009
My Guide for TwitterHere's how I use Twitter. No, this isn't a guide on how everyone uses it, or what it was designed for, but here's what I'm doing: UPDATES If you follow me you'll find that I update about three to four times a day. I try to make a mix of personal stuff such as new candy I've picked up, whale watch results, photo shoot updates, other oddities along with links I'd like to recommend and any official Candy Blog status updates. (Here's the most recent Follow Cost - at this writing I'm an awesome mix of replies, not too many tweets and full tweets.) What you won't find is an auto-feed of new blog posts. I don't do that. If you want a notification of a new post on Candy Blog, just use the RSS feed. FOLLOWING I follow what interests me. I don't follow you just because you follow me, just like I don't read the blog of every Candy Blog visitor. No offense, but I have a pretty narrow (but eclectic) bunch of interests. I'd like to keep Twitter relevant to those. And I'd like to be a good follower to those whom I follow. I do look at everyone who follows me and it's entirely possible that I've added you to my feed reader based on you following me ... at the very least I visited your site based on your follow. REPLIES For the most part, I see all replies (though that all depends on Twitter showing them to me). I don't always respond, but please know that I read them and probably enjoyed them. By the same token, if I reply to you, I don't need a special reply back unless it's necessary by the conversation. WON'T FOLLOW I don't follow auto feeds of new blog posts if that's all the Twitter timeline reflects. (Chances are I'm already following your RSS - I have about a thousand in my various readers & notifiers and if they're not in there I also get keyword notifiers from Google & Technorati for those times when you blog about something I am interested in.) I don't follow people who update too often. I know it sounds weird, but I use Twitter exclusively via the web. I don't want to come to the page and see it dominated by one person. I go to Twitter for little droplets, not a stream. When I read I start at the most recent post and go backwards until I reach the spot where I last visited. I don't follow people who use serial posts like they're paragraphs in a blog post. If your thought takes more than two consecutive Twitters, please make a blog post & put up a link to it. I don't follow people whose streams are requests for me to retweet everything they say or requests for my help in getting them followers. I see no point in following a person who offers nothing but empty promotion (when the entire stream is nothing but follower building without offering any content worthy of reading). I don't follow people who live-Twitter events. I know Twitter is great for telling your friends what seat you're in at that seminar, or letting us all know how you feel about a TV show as it's broadcast, but I'll probably unfollow you, at least for the duration of the event. I follow & unfollow some people, as the above dictates apply and then don't. Some people I never follow, only view their page via the web ... I just can't handle the load (which explains how I might be retweeting (RT) or responding to you). Don't follow me just so I'll follow you back. I don't think Twitter is that kind of social media. Either you're interested in me & what's going on behind the scenes at Candy Blog, or you're not. It's not that big of a deal to me. I'm not out here to be the most popular ... I'm just out here being my real self, I'm not trying to prove anything. TIPS You might want to fill in your profile and make a few posts before following others. If I come to your page and there's nothing there, well, I'm not much of a gambler and I won't follow. However, I might give it another look-see if I get a reply on something I've posted or catch a RT. I rarely request to follow people who have a private Twitter feed unless I know them in real life. You might have something interesting in there, but part of me respects your privacy. I don't believe in publicly shaming people or calling them out on the their Twitter habits. It's a tool. Some folks use blog software for stuff that isn't blogs, I've seen some amazing uses for blenders that don't involve food ... some people use Twitter for stuff that isn't really Twitter-like. Sometimes I wish the whole stats feature of Twitter wasn't front and center on everyone's profile so people could simply enjoy the actual content that flows before them. POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:28 am Curious News • Comments (3) Friday, November 07, 2008
The Redeemer Available from Crazy Dream SoundBack in June I was contacted by Norm Kern. He'd read The Redeemer (via Playscripts) and was interested in producing it as an audio play. Oddly enough I'd often thought about how well this particular play of mine would do as a radio play. And the play has always been very well recieved in readings. It plays with the imagination, that so much of it has to take place in the audience's head that it was ideal. It all happened very quickly. A week of rehearsal in July and then the full day of recording. A month or more of post production with full sound design and original music. I went back for the final mix and to record a talk with the author (hey, there are two CDs, may was well fill them up!). It's available now directly through Crazy Dream Sound (you can listen to the first scene as a sample). Directed by Norman Kern, starring Anna Bullard and Darren Bridgett. Produced by Aifen Wang, original score by G.D. French & Norman Kern. Production assistants were Stephen Gozza and Deborah Taylor Barrera. Original painting by Sally Ann Rodriguez & package design by Eric Akeson. This production is the first of many that Crazy Dream Sound is planning and I think this is a fabulous direction for American theatre to go. There's been a huge resurgence in interest in audio, and this sort of top quality production is going to set the bar very high. See Theater Dog's profile of the project. POSTED BY Cybele AT 1:06 pm Playwriting • Comments (0) Saturday, November 01, 2008
The New Novel: First DayYeah, it's that time of year again! That time of year where I post idiotic lists of numbers in an attempt to quantify the perfect writing conditions. This is the fifth year of my 15 minute record of my writing. time…...running tally….words…words/minute The novel at the moment is called The Retaining Wall and is based loosely on some of the events in The Redeemer, my play. I'm hoping that this work will either inform the next play I'm going to write, or just become a decent novel by the end of the month. Monday, September 22, 2008
Things that happen after you're on the the Today showThe traffic on Candy Blog doubled. My web host handled the increase in web traffic admirably. I got many nice emails & comments. I was interviewed by my "hometown newspaper". The story became the front page story on the following day. I got at least a dozen emails suggesting I try alternative chocolate products. Nine of those suggestions were for the same product, which makes it sound like there are some very passionate people out there about high-antioxidant chocolate. Strangers now know how to pronounce my name. The sweater I bought to wear for the piece is now known as The Purple Today Show Sweater. (I was honestly in a bit of a panic about it after I did the interview. Perhaps I watch too much of The Daily Show & Colbert Report, but I could see how they could edit the piece together to make me look like some obsessed nutjob.) POSTED BY Cybele AT 9:20 am Curious News • Comments (1) Friday, September 05, 2008
I Can't Deny My Support for McCain (at least not to get off their mailing list)Earlier this year I tried to do a cute story for Candy Blog on the presidential candidates' favorite candies. I contacted all the candidates (via email for the most part) through their press contacts and requested the information. Yes, I approached them not as a supporter but as a person doing a story. In some instances I got a reply. In other instances I was subscribed to email newsletters as if I was interested in voting for them or donating money. The worst was the Obama campaign, which not only had trouble getting me off their email lists, they also started calling me. (I gave them my cell number, because, well, I was contacting their press office and thought that my question was legitimate - not something they'd just filter into their fundraising queue.) The oddest part was last night, however, when I got an email from John McCain that said that he accepted the Republican Party's nomination for president. (And asked me to donate ... maybe some other stuff, I didn't read it, I just skipped to the bottom to unsubscribe.) I clicked the unsubscribe link and was taken to this page. I am a McCain Supporter but don't wish to be contacted until closer to the election. I am a McCain Supporter but I am receiving too many emails. Please only send me newsletters and urgent alerts. I am a McCain Supporter but do not wish to receive email any longer. I am no longer a McCain Supporter and want to be taken off the email list. Two of those aren't even unsubscribe options, they're "less subscribe" options. Anyway, as I was never a McCain Supporter (and never opted into their email system) I didn't pick from the list, merely stated in the optional comments box that I never subscribed to this list and hit unsubscribe. The form bounced back with a red error message: Reason Required (go ahead and make jokes about politics and how reason is even present in much of the presidential race). How can I tell the man who might be president a lie just to get off of an email list? I am not and have never been a McCain Supporter ... how can I select a reason from their list that's accurate? I want to unsubscribe because I'm not a McCain supporter. Not only that, I never subscribed and I don't have to give a reason for requesting to be removed. POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:50 am Curious News • Comments (8) Wednesday, August 20, 2008
How Not To Conduct Customer ServiceI sent Hershey's an email via their web request form on Monday looking for the ingredients for the Krackel Bar, which is part of the Miniatures assortment. (They stopped making the full sized bars in 2006.) I emailed them because I didn't really want to transcribe the list on the phone. Let them do the typing. Instead of sending it to me in the response, they replied with a case number and told me to call them during business hours (9-4 Eastern) to get my answers. Okay, I called this morning and gave the representative my case number and she read back my request: What are the ingredients in the Krackel bar. The ingredients list on the Miniatures bag lists them all together and I want to know just what's in that bar. She asked me why I want to know. I stammered that I wanted to know what I'm eating. She asked if it was an allergy issue. I replied that I wanted to know what was in that bar. If I ate only that bar, what would I be eating? (The package does say "something for everyone" so Hershey's understands that sometimes people just pick through and eat only one variety.) She said she did not have that information. It doesn't exist in her records. If she wanted she could escalate me to a supervisor, but they had only the same info that she does. That seemed pretty useless. She asked if I wanted to be transfered. I said no, if they were comfortable with me publishing that they are unable to give me the ingredients for that bar, then I think we were done. So there it is, no way for you to know what's in a Krackel. Well, there's a long list on the back of the package of what could be in a Krackel. So as long as you're comfortable with some combination of those ingredients, go ahead and enjoy. UPDATE 8/22/2008: I got another email from Hershey's and it said this: However, if you read the ingredients on the Hershey's Miniatures package, it includes the ingredients for all four mini bars combined. It goes like this: Based on what I know of the Mr. Goodbar's ingredients, which is also a mockolate bar (Sugar, peanuts, vegetable oil (palm, shea, sunflower and/or safflower oil) chocolate, whey (milk), nonfat milk, contains 2% or less of milk fat, soy lecithin, salt, vanillin.) and the last known ingredients of the true Krackel I've extrapolated the following as the likely ingredients of Krackel: If you're going to give someone a bag of candy with the motto of "A Little Something For Everyone" you should be prepared that folks are not only going to have a favorite, but they might actually eat ONLY that one and they might want to know what's in just that individually wrapped candy. That candy that says on the wrapper nutrition information 1-800-468-1714 ... which they also cannot provide separately. But really I don't think that it's because the "recipe is proprietary" (believe me, I don't wanna make these at home), it's because they're ashamed. POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:03 am Curious News • Comments (11) Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Is not giving change illegal?I got my car washed yesterday, mostly in an attempt to get rid of the bird crap crusted on the front of the car from the Santa Barbara trip. (Note to self: while parking under a tree might seem like a good idea at the marina, it's really just a roosting place for gulls.) Since there was a line, I sat at the little input system long enough to really look at it this time. The price of all washes ends in 99 cents. I pay at the pump with my gas purchase, so I just input my little code and go. But if you decide to purchase the wash here you have the choice of inputting only 1 or 5 dollar bills or quarters ... in any combination. Now I'm no math whiz but I can tell that there is no way to put in $6.99 with those as your sources. Not only that, the machine will not give change and doesn't take cards of any kind. So if you want to pay cash right there, let's call it a one penny convenience fee. (I think the more convenient thing to do is to price the washes at $7.00, $8.00, $9.00 and $10.00 and have a clear conscience about your pinching of pennies.) Oh, and the bird poop ... not really gone. POSTED BY Cybele AT 8:29 am Curious News • Comments (3) Blue Whale AdventureThe Condor Express left a little late on July 26th, a calm Saturday morning. We waited about 10 minutes for the last pair of passengers that called ahead to say that they were running late. And run they did, across the parking lot of the Santa Barbara Marina to join the eager passengers already itching to get out to sea. The water was calm and glassy as we left the harbor. It also seemed oddly empty. Besides the half a dozen California Sea Lions on the buoy, there were no bottlenose dolphins near the sand bar as have often sent us off on our deep channel voyages. So we pressed on, heading straight towards Santa Cruz island and the famed Painted Cave. Sure enough about 30 minutes into the trip with the continued glass calm waters were some common dolphins. It didn't look like much of a group, perhaps 20 dolphins that appeared to be feeding. But as soon as we stopped, it became apparent that they were only a small part of a larger pod feeding in that area. About 300 or so, surfacing, milling about, diving and splashing. There were a few that we could spot zipping around near the boat, chasing fish up and out of the water on several occasions. Others were cow/calf pairs. Some of the babies (sometimes called footballs) weren't more than a week or two old, still almost all gray and with slack skin that needed filling out with rich milk. After delighting and interacting with them for at least a half an hour or literally running circles around them, we pushed on towards Santa Cruz Island. As we could see the land off in the distance, I was talking to Bernardo Alps and we both turned to see a Minke Whale surfacing nearby. In my experience with Minkes (and one in nearly the same location last year) I figured that'd probably be the only look we'd get. Instead this Minke surfaced again and again, in regular succession. Then turned back towards our boat, coming about thirty feet from us and turned upside down, pushed with its strong flukes and came up and out of the water for a moment. It looked a lot like those common dolphins chasing down bait fish earlier - only instead of being six feet long this one was about sixteen. (Still a very small specimen.) We got a good look at his white belly, striped flipper and even the narrow and pointy chin as he lifted it out when surfacing. After a few more cycles another Minke surfaced nearby, much larger, and possibly the mother of our unusually exuberant one. We continued to spot dolphins for pretty much the rest of the voyage, sometimes stopping for a few minutes to enjoy them. We pushed on to Santa Cruz Island to have a look at Painted Cave. It's an interesting opportunity to look at the sea birds that skim the waters near the rocks and perch there. Part of the reason for the early look at Painted Cave was the hope that the fog would burn off out in the Channel. Alas, little luck with that, so we pushed on, into the fog to see what we could see. After putting a photographer on a research vessel from the University of Oregon, they told us of a blue whale in the area. Even though visibility was poor, probably not more than fifty feet, Captain Mat slowed the boat and ran in wide circles. Eventually someone heard one of the blows and there it was a huge blue whale. It was strong and much meatier/fatter than ones I've seen in past years. For the next three or four hours the fog slowly fizzled away and we saw more and more blue whales. Most were in pairs and often we'd have four or five in view at any given moment. The UoO vessel was in sight most of the time as well, though we were rarely on the same whales. Unfortunately I had a bout of motion sickness about the time we spotted the first whale which lasted for pretty much the whole afternoon. This leads to a lot of internal admonishments about bringing medicine or maybe just not going on the full day trips in the future. As the wind picked up though and the air cleared I felt much better and enjoyed our last few sightings. (Though I took fewer pictures towards the end.) What's become clear is that the Santa Barbara Channel has become host to a vigorous group of Blue Whales and the prospect of seeing other creatures like Minke and Humpback (none this time) and of course the many species of dolphins makes this a world class destination. Just 90 minutes from my house. Now I just need to conquer sea-sickness. POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:32 am Whale Watching • Comments (0) |
During November it's all about me writing a novel. Sometimes it's about whalewatching. You know, and then there's other stuff. |


text:
Results 1 to 2 of 2
Hi all, i've just gotten into linux and i am running ubuntu dual boot with xp on my new laptop. which leaves me with an old laptop. 1ghz 256mb ram.
Enjoy an ad free experience by logging in. Not a member yet? Register.
- 01-15-2008 #1
- Join Date
- Jan 2008
- Posts
- 1
Old laptop server, which distro?
I also have a few old hdd's so i want to build a file server. using the drives via usb, i was also hoping to run a SQL server and maybe apache.
i know very little about the differences between different distributions of Linux.
does any one know where is the best place to learn about the differences?
or can anyone suggest a distro that can do software RAID 1 or 5, lightweight and run the serves i need?
- 01-15-2008 #2
- Join Date
- May 2004
- Location
- arch linux
- Posts
- 18,733
Welcome to the forums!
Check this poll for favorite distro for older/weaker hardware.
You can also have a look at the link in my signature for lots of good information on getting started with Linux.
Hope you enjoy the Linux experience...oz


text:
ACS Herbal Tea Company 1-800-422-2851
How to pass a drug test
Passing saliva drug tests
Pass drug tests
Random Drug Tests
Call us Toll Free: M-F 9AM - 7PM EST Sat 9AM - 1PM EST
Pass Saliva Drug tests! Oral Fluids testing is generally a very quick procedure. It is commonly used for detecting the presence of Nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, meth and cocaine in the chemicals in the saliva of your mouth.
If you are faced with a oral swab test this is the product for you.
The Ultra Oral Fluids Cleansing Kit works with the bodies physiological processes to your advantage in passing Saliva Drug Tests. Our Quick Flush Herbal Tea is a true blood cleanser, making that system of the body free of toxins. Then after a short time (4 or 5 urinations), the urine and saliva will also clean up and be toxin free. We provide a urine test of your choice so you will know when to expect your saliva to be clean. We also include a saliva drug test to do after the mouth wash, to double check the whole process. You will pass your drug test. 100% Guaranteed. Ultra Saliva Cleansing Kit: Includes 1 bottle of our Mouth Wash. 1 Quick Flush Herbal Tea. ! Urine drug test lit of your choice. 1 I Screen Oral Fluids Device (oral drug test). Complete instructions. $63.00 Each
Our Oral Fluids Detoxifier Mouth Wash Solution is sold with a full 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! All you have to do is follow the simple instructions and a guaranteed passing result will be achieved. This includes all EMIT and GC/MS confirmation drug tests preformed by drug testing labs.
INSTRUCTIONS for Mouth Wash only: Up to 60 minutes before you desire to be clean. Put 1/4 of the
Our Products conform to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) 2091 for weight and meet (USP) 2040 for disintegration for maximum bioavailability


text:
Software Review and Free Download | Internet and Network Tools | EF Mailbox Manager
» Review EF Mailbox Manager v4.30
(October 2007)
EF Mailbox Manager can manage as many POP3 Accounts as you like. For
periodical checking, polling time can be set individually for each account.
You may check for new messages on a server and/ or delete messages on the
server or download messages to a local computer for further use.
Downloaded E-Mails will be saved in ascii text files and stored in mail
boxes. Should you use Outlook Express or any other E-Mail program which open
attachments automatically, you are strongly advised to open the message
first in a text editor such as Notepad or the integrated Viewer of EF
With EF Mailbox Manager you may remove annoying Spam E-Mails on the server
without downloading them first. Save connecting costs!
If the mail server supports it, EF Mailbox Manager can be configured to use
safe connection (APOP). Thus passwords will not be transferred through the
Internet while logging in.
Several functions of EF Mailbox Manager make use of the installed standard
E-Mail client to create or answer messages.
The following languages are included in the package: English, German,
Bulgarian, Catalan, Czech, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese,
Korean, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian.
A Pentium computer
Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 or higher
2 MB free space on your hard disk for installing EF Mailbox Manager
An Internet connection
One or more POP3 E-Mail accounts
Size: ~MB |
Antivirus Anti Spyware Firewall System cleaner Encryption
Audio and Video CD-DVD tools Media Converter Multimedia Media Players Music management Utilities and Plug ins
Graphics and Design Web Design Image tools Design tools Flash Templates Screen Savers
Learn Articles E Books Business
Internet and Network tools PDF Tools Download Manager Browsers Webmaster Tools Hosting FTP Internet Network
Utilities and Tools Desktop Registry tools Recovery Editor Backup Utility
Phone Tools Free Tools
Action / Adventure Arcade Classic Driving Kids Puzzles / Cards & Boards Simulation Sport Strategy Web Game New Games


text:
Mining in Wisconsin
Mining has been a part of Wisconsin's economy for a long time. However, the legacy of historic zinc and lead mining in Wisconsin has come with great costs. Groundwater and surface water pollution occurred in southwest Wisconsin from abandoned toxic mine wastes covering thousands of acres and requiring cleanup. As a result, along with proposals for much larger and more destructive modern mining, the Wisconsin legislature passed important and comprehensive mining legislation in the early 1980's. This legislation recognized that all forms of metallic mining, whether iron, copper, lead, zinc, or precious metals, are inherently destructive to the environment and have significant impacts to local communities due to its "boom and bust" nature. The boom and bust of mining requires sound planning to mitigate the economic, social,and environmental impacts of large-scale natural resource extraction. Statewide Conservation Congress Spring Hearing results show the public supports mining safeguards.
World's Largest Open-Pit Taconite Mine Proposed
In 2011, a coal mining company, Cline Resources and Development, proposed strip mining a known taconite (iron ore) deposit in Iron and Ashland Counties. Taconite mining is another form of metallic sulfide mining, although some mining companies would like it to be considered a different mining category. Cline's Gogebic Taconite wants to open the largest mine in Wisconsin history in the Bad River Watershed of Lake Superior. Click here to learn more about the proposed Penokee Mine.
Mining Moratorium Under Attack
Acid Mine Drainage, |
Before the 'Prove It First' or Mining Moratorium Law was approved, the mining industry was challenged to give one example of a mine in metallic sulfides that had been safely operated and closed without polluting the environment. Mining metals found together with sulfides causes acid mine drainage (AMD) when the sulfides are exposed to air and water causing acid production that leaches toxic metals in waters. To this day, the mining industry has not documented a single proven example.
In 2012, mining industry lobbyists and legislators targeted Wisconsin's landmark Moratorium Law for repeal. The Sierra Club was one of dozens of state organizations along with thousands of Wisconsin citizens who demanded that the mining industry prove it first. We oppose efforts to repeal this important law. Click here to learn more about Wisconsin's Mining Moratorium
Frac-sand Mining
As hydraulic fracturing continues to be used as a means to extract natural gas, moreand more frac sand, a resource found in western Wisconsin, is being mined in the state. The sand used for frac sand is silicon dioxide, quartz, sand. These sand grains have to be able to withstand huge amounts of pressure, while propping the fractures open, without crumbling.
According to the Wisconsin DNR, frac sand mining has been operating in Wisconsin for 40 years, but only recently, with increased demand, Wisconsin now has 60 frac sand mines operating, and 20 new mines have been proposed. Click here to learn more about sand mining in Wisconsin.
Select Mining News
Republicans unveil mining bill with some 'less stringent' regulations, Journal Sentinel: article about the 'new' AB 426
Mining Bill on fast track as new legislative session begins, Wisconsin State Journal: Assembly Majority Leader Robin Vos mentioning he would like to introduce mining legislation the first week of session.
Senate Select Committee on Mining, WisconsinEYE: Senate hearings with testimony from the DNR, Clean Wisconsin, League of Conservation Voters, the Mining Association and more.
To get involved, please contact Elizabeth Ward at firstname.lastname@example.com or (608) 256-0565.


text:
June 5, 2012
This organization is awesome..They did a fund raiser picnic for my late grandson who had cancer...They helped raise money for him to recieve treatment for his illness. They have a heart for kids, and do a great job at raining money to help needy families who are in crisis. God's Blessings to them and their mission!!
More feedback
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
A lot
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Very Well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
Client Served


text:
National Insurance Contributions Bill
Orders of the Day
5:42 pm
David Gauke (Shadow Minister, Treasury; South West Hertfordshire, Conservative)
Right. Well, I want to make it clear that the HMRC impact assessment refers to the 2.1 million people with earnings above the upper earnings limit who have contracted out. The assessment states:
"These individuals will either see a reduction in their take home pay (as they will get a lower rebate on their NICs than would otherwise have been the case) or a reduction in the money that goes into their pension scheme compared to not introducing the UAP until 2012/13."
Does the Financial Secretary agree?


text:
This morning we discovered a foot diameter hole next to our drip pipe by the AC unit. It was full of water and it first appeared to be a broken pipe blow out as there was dirt and mud all over the AC unit and the area. However, I also notice that the hole was steep and undisturbed on the house side, and sort of shallow with what appeared to be claw marks on the other, suggesting that some animal had dug the hole. Also there was no mud splattered on the steep side of the hole. The house was almost completely clean. The trajectory was clearly toward the shallow side.
To deepen the mystery, we bailed out the water, and dug about another 18 inches along the house where we found the surface to be undermined. We dug the hole (now 1 ft by 2.5 ft) completely dry and found no pipe nor anymore water, just a big dry hole. All plumbing in the house and the irrigation works just fine. We think this occurred last night as my husband thinks he would have noticed it when he mowed yesterday. Here is my theory as we have no other possible idea. I think the ground had probably been undermined all along and filled with water from the constant draining of the AC. (Florida -10 months of AC) and a thirsty wild animal came along during the night looking for a drink and dug the hole. Although we live in a suburb, there are plenty of wild critters around. I saw a coyote wander up the middle of our street one night last year. So, tell me... am I crazy? If I am, does anyone have another explanation? At this point, we have found nothing to fix, so I guess we'll just fill in the hole and wait for the next exciting episode. Any ideas?? Dale |
Follow-Up Postings:
If I understand correctly your drip irrigation has a hole next to it? Drip line is always needing maintenance because critters are constatnly chewing on it looking for water. As far as you AC condensation line you must ALWAYS route the drain AWAY from the house. You would be surprised at the amount of water these units will put out and the resulting problems that can occur. |
- Posted by weedmeister (My Page) on Mon, Aug 6, 12 at 18:36
Does your AC condensate line come from a pump? |
- Posted by palmsatlast (My Page) on Mon, Aug 6, 12 at 20:14
Thanks for both responses. I think we will definitely be doing some modifications to prevent the water collection. Who would have guessed that much water would come out of that little drip. I don't think it is a pump, just a drainline that routes from the unit in the garage to the outside. We have filled in the hole and will probably extend the line next weekend. Thanks, Dale |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Heating & Air Conditioning Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Please review our Rules of Play before posting.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here


text:
Agent 47 has been out of action since 2006, but it seems like the years have only sharpened his abilities. He can silently skulk around without being seen, but he can also hide in plain sight - borrowing a costume from someone nearby who's been quietly convinced that it's cool to be unconscious.
Stay away from those likely to notice you're a fake, and you can move around freely to close in for the kill. Fiber wire is usually the least messy, and lets you immediately drag the body off to hide it in a cupboard nearby. If everything goes as planned, no-one will have even noticed you were there. If things go south, you've always got options.
All the things we love about Hitman are here, but the new additions are all welcome too. Instinct provides a number of tactical advantages (see Trust Your Instinct, next page), while tweaks to the combat and the mission structure make it possible to enjoy the game in a variety of ways. The world itself is gorgeous, and packed full of stuff that's ruddy-bloody brilliant.
Everything in Absolution looks superb, but it never feels overdone like so many big-budget titles. As unlikely as it sounds of a project this heavily-produced Absolution feels like a game made by people. There's a faint quirkiness running right through its core, manifesting itself in repeated in-jokes like garden gnomes and rubber ducks. It never entirely breaks the fourth wall, but that doesn't stop it from winking at the camera.
Absolution's best locations have an amazing sense of place, but they never feel real - for all the right reasons. Each level is designed to revolve around you, ensuring that you never feel like a tourist. It's a world full of situations engineered to entertain, nudging at the darkest corners of your brain. Two office guards debate the sensibility of using live proximity mines in the lobby's glass cabinets. A useless IT support guy tells someone down the phone to "turn it off and on again" while standing too close to an open window. Homicide has never felt so cathartic.
Accidents happen
Despite the regular opportunities for chaos, you're never forced to play the game in a way you don't want to. Purists can work their way through without being seen - making every death look like an unfortunate accident - but there's no sense that this is the 'right' thing to do.
The game constantly offers up a wide range of options, most of which count towards completing a challenge. These usually revolve around killing your target with specific criteria, adding subtle clues to give you direction if you find yourself stuck. The best thing about unlocking challenges is that you don't lose progress when you restart the mission, encouraging you to go off the rails and have a bit of fun when things go pear-shaped. If the stealthy attempt doesn't go as planned, you might as well snag that C4 challenge.
This encouragement to approach things in more than one way is also reflected in the variety of Absolution's pace. Some levels allow you to hide in plain sight while carefully planning an assassination, whereas others see you pushing through a more linear area while trying to remain undetected. Each level is split into lots of small segments, which can then be individually replayed. This, combined with the newly-added checkpoints makes it feel like a less masochistic Hitman game: if things get messy towards the end of a mission, you won't have to replay it from the start.
Groundhog death
Each of these segments also resets your score to zero, leaving any prior mistakes behind. Stepping through a locked door and having your slate wiped clean doesn't feel very realistic, but we're willing to overlook that for the freedom it brings. Nippy loading times make it easy to restart whenever things go astray, but this dividing of levels into smaller chunks makes it far more enjoyable to embrace your mistakes. Getting caught in Blood Money was often frustrating, but this time it's just an excuse for a different kind of fun. Our solemn slaphead has always been ice-cool, but he's never felt this powerful before.


text:
Most Popular Articles
Products & Newsletters
Class of service
When radio technologists think of signal quality, the first things that come to mind are frequency response, noise and distortion. By and large, progress in these areas has been something to be proud of throughout our careers, and the future looks likely to bring more of the same.
But can this also be said for the rest of the radio team? Is the quality of the content that our radio signals deliver tracking the same trend? While broadcast engineers have consistently done more with less, the content side seems to consistently do less with more. Consolidation has pushed profits up, but the variety and depth of material broadcast on the radio have not followed suit (at least on commercial radio — more on this in a moment).
Narrowing interests
Events of the recent past have made obvious the lack of in-depth news content. Anything besides network-provided headlines at the top of the hour is rare. Local news is already extinct in many markets, and unlike other media, no one has praised commercial radio for shining in the face of adversity lately. Following 9/11, the morning zoos barely took a day off, and soon went back to work with just a couple of new pincushions to poke. Perhaps this creates a sense of stability and comfort that helps some Americans get back to normal, but it's a far cry from the call of public service that radio used to answer loudly.
In a longer view, commercial radio has essentially dropped the entire genre of classical music, along with the quintessential American art form of jazz. (For the few who may be unclear, the Smooth Jazz format does not replace jazz, but rather is the current incarnation of the Easy Listening format, which is itself another victim of recently narrowed offerings.) Even sports have become an endangered species, difficult to find or receive adequately in many cases. When they are heard, the quality of presenters is often second-tier, and the audio quality nearly telephonic.
The quest for maximized profit seems to have driven radio almost universally toward the lowest common denominator of content. While there's nothing wrong with the motivation, the metric of audience size seems to have overwhelmed any other element of brand-building such as quality of service, community connection, local enterprise and good will. Those who live in major markets may not have experienced the full impact of this trend, but likely will, as those in smaller markets have for some time.
Migrating down the dial
Much of the content that has departed from the commercial band has found its way to public radio. This is ostensibly due to the different business model found there, in which such premium content motivates listeners to contribute voluntarily to defray stations' expenses. Yet in recent years, public radio has been successful in developing its own form of advertiser support. (Referred to as underwriting, some consider these tantamount to low-key commercials, but in fact FCC regulations tightly control the content of these spots.)
Meanwhile, audience growth rates among public stations have lately far exceeded those of commercial radio, and although the aggregate numbers remain far smaller, public radio continues to attract desirable demographics. The graying of the boomers only adds strength to this enterprise. For this reason, many businesses now include a public radio buy as a prime component of their media portfolios.
A good analogy for this trend can be found in the travel business. The higher class of fare in the front cabin appeals to a small but affluent consumer sector, while the mainstream public flies coach. Extending the metaphor, the FM dial resembles an airline seat map, with most of the public stations inhabiting the small, reserved non-commercial band at the front end of the dial, and commercial stations filling up the bulk of the higher numbered rows behind. Moving down the dial is like walking up the aisle — except for the critically important distinctions that in an airplane all the seats are owned by the same operator, and in radio there is no shortage of seats in either cabin.
There are notable exceptions to these generalities, of course: Commercial radio still has its share of bright stars doing excellent work, and public radio still has plenty of rough edges. But the trend described here is inexorable, and given the exigencies of the current economy, it is unlikely that any reversal will occur. Coexistence will continue, but meanwhile, how many more listeners will choose to upgrade?
Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Today in Radio History
Milestones From Radio's Past
The history of radio broadcasting extends beyond the work of a few famous inventors.
EAS Information More on EAS
NWS XML/Atom Feed for CAP Messages
The feed provides feeds for all US states and territories.
Wallpaper Calendar
Radio 2014 Calendar Wallpaper
Need a calendar for your computer desktop? Use one of ours.
The Wire
A virtual press conference
Information from manufacturers and associations about industry news, products, technology and business announcements.


text:
I was thinking of either buying cranberry bushes or buying cranberry seeds and growing them from seed. Could anyone provide information on how to grow them from seed? Also how easy is it? Anyone success or personal experience would be appreciated. I rather grow from seed just for a cheaper and nice experience if it is easy. The fact though that it might be a few years before they produce doesn't really bother me.(how long is it by the way?)
Thanks ~mike |
Follow-Up Postings:
Are you asking about cranberries as with turkey and stuffing or cranberry viburnum? The Thanksgiving cranberry is a low creeping evergreen shrub grown commercially in bogs. Probably not really what most would think to refer to as a "bush" - whereas the viburnum does produce quite a large erect shrub. |
- Posted by heavenlyfarm pa (My Page) on Sat, Dec 27, 08 at 8:01
Cranberries as with turkey and stuffing and it is called a bush in some of the catalogs....and by the way shrub and bush are the same thing. shrub means bush and bush means shrub. i looked it up to be sure :) |
- Posted by newbirdman 7 b NJ (email@example.com) on Sun, Dec 28, 08 at 6:45
Mike , these grow wild where I live in NJ and unless you have a pond or bog , you cant grow them. They like wet roots . They must be easy to grow since they are all over the place. Also I wouldnt call them a bush or shrub , since they are bascially about a foot tall and grow with runners in all directions. Rick |
- Posted by gonebananas 7/8 (My Page) on Sun, Dec 28, 08 at 8:23
Just look up how to start and grow northern (that is regular) blueberries and do it the same way. Slight modification is probably fine. The seeds are a bit bigger and so might be able to be covered slightly more to start, the soil probably should be a bit more peaty than the minimum needed for blueberries, and the plants may need to be watered more. As with lingonberries, it has been found that you can grow cranberries in a regular yard with some care. Field culture may be harder. Outside of marshes, with their protective water and ice in winter, these may need some heavy mulching for cold protection. |
I don't think cranberries will need any cold protection. They grow wild even in zone 3, where any marsh will be a rock solid piece of ice in winter. Olga |
- Posted by heavenlyfarm (My Page) on Tue, Dec 30, 08 at 9:00
I think I remember seeing an american cranberry or some kind of cranberry that doesn't need the swampy or bog area...I have an area where it is sort of swampy. It always wet but it would only get partial sun. Would that be ok? ~mike |
- Posted by glenn_russell 6b, RI (My Page) on Tue, Dec 30, 08 at 14:53
newbirdman- unless you have a pond or bog , you cant grow them. They like wet roots I think that is conventional wisdom, but I'm not sure it's necessarily true. I have two "Pilgrim" varieties which are doing just fine on top of 6 feet of gravel fill (not wet at all) on a very steep east facing slope. There's a bit of loam, compost and mulch on top of all that fill. One has grown to about 3 feet in diameter, and the other is about 2 feet in diameter in the last 3 seasons. As I understand it, you don't need a bog to grow cranberries, but for commercial harvest, a bog is the most efficient way. But, I'm not an expert here, just telling you what works for me. heavenlyfarm- My 4 year old is used to eating the quite-astringent cranberries fresh off the plant. As a result, the Christmas-eve party we went to, she had everyone cracking up because she was eating all of their garnish. By the end of the night, we're estimating she had 60-75 fresh cranberries. I couldn't be prouder! :-) |
- Posted by gonebananas 7/8 (My Page) on Tue, Dec 30, 08 at 16:45
The overlying ice is the protection, it is thought anyway. |
- Posted by gonebananas 7/8 (My Page) on Tue, Dec 30, 08 at 16:48
They may not need any protection at all even on nonflooded soil. http://www.starkbros.com/access?action=product&productID=3944&collection=0 |
- Posted by heavenlyfarm (My Page) on Tue, Dec 30, 08 at 19:07
gonebananas, that is the one I was looking at in my Stark Bro's catalog. I think I might give it a try. ~mike |
- Posted by Cheffrosty Zone 9(firstname.lastname@example.com) onFri, Mar 25, 11 at 13:19
Opposed to common belief, cranberries do not need bogs at all, but, as previously stated, they are easier to harvest in bogs. In fact, professional growing in the Pacific NW grow them dry and flood them only for harvest. Dry harvested cranberries also last longer in storage. Also, the American Highbush Cranberry is technically not a member of the vaccinium family, but rather caprifoliaceae. They have a SIMILAR flavor, but do not have the same health benefits, textures, or cooking properties. They need a slightly acid soil, much like blueberries, and need a lot of iron, again, just like blueberries. Growing organic is best, simply because they transfer chemical flavors very easily. Cranberries need a lot thick, loamy, possibly clay soil, whatever gives is a good hold without being totally clay. They DO need air in the soil, so if your soil is too clay, add some sand. Also, they're good with just a little more than 1/2 day sun. |
- Posted by Kaye(firstname.lastname@example.com) onThu, Apr 28, 11 at 15:12
The cranberry bush that I would like to start is called highbush cranberry. The berry is about the size of a pea and they grow much like the berry on a mountain ash, in a cluster. When boiled to make jelly, the house smells like dirty,stinking feet. The bush grows about 6 to 8 feet tall. I'm going to try it from seed ...will keep you posted. |
I am going to attempt to grow lingonberries from seed. They are related to cranberries and blueberries, so some things about their culture are similar. As has been stated, cranberries grow just fine without being in a bog. Being flooded aids commercial harvest, but that's the only reason they would ever need standing water. Like other members of the family, they like somewhat acid soil. They also benefit from lots of organic material in the soil. Lingonberries have similar health benefits. I know they do best in nutrient poor soil, though like others in the family, they like acid soil and organic matter. Peat moss, and lots of it, mixed in to the top few inches of the soil does the trick very nicely for both requirements. I think lingonberries are probably the better choice for me because while they are similar in taste, lingonberries have a higher sugar content when fully ripe. Some people even like them raw on their morning cereal. I can't imagine doing that with cranberries. That makes them that much more versatile in my book. I'm growing them from seed because they will be dual purpose, landscaping as well as for harvest. I will need at least 20-25 plants. Buying that many plants will set me back over $ 200, versus $4 for a pack of seeds, a little bit of shipping and some seed starting supplies. The seed starting instructions I've seen for lingonberry are probably the same for cranberry. Seeds should be stratified for at least 30 days. Plant very shallow in a well draining medium with lots of organic material and keep slightly damp. As always, when growing from seed, there is some variability in the resulting plants and fruit, as opposed to complete predictability with cuttings, rhizomes and other vegetative propagation. |
- Posted by trianglejohn z7b NC (email@example.com) on Tue, Sep 11, 12 at 10:56
I have one cranberry plant in a container (large deep tray sunk in the garden between apple trees - needed to keep the soil pH correct). It is the 'Pilgrim' variety. I bought it in March as a one gallon plant and it has tripled in size over the summer. It only made a dozen or so berries and they were small this year. I hope it performs better in the future. They are easy to propagate as they run along the ground they root in every foot or so. An easy plant to grow and a very pretty ground cover for edible landscaping beds but I wouldn't expect a huge amount of fruit from them. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Fruit & Orchards Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Please review our Rules of Play before posting.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here