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Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 8:30 AM
My balance: Jenna Park of Sweet Fine Day
1. What's your work schedule?
During the school year the mornings are quite hectic: getting lunches made and the girls dressed and fed and out the door by 8:20am for school. We also walk our neighbor kids to school two days a week, and it can be like herding cats getting four kids to two different schools. As soon as I get home at 9:20am from dropping the kids off, I have my cup of coffee and respond to emails. Then the work day begins, and it's often a marathon to try and cram as much stuff into 4 1/2 hours as possible, until I have to pick up my youngest from preschool at 2pm. Mark used to have a more flexible kitchen schedule, but he's been consistently leaving the house at 6am to start baking. Sometimes he'll get home by 3pm to pick up our 7-year-old from school. It's a lot of juggling everyday where we're checking with each other's schedules the night before to see which one of us can pick the kids up from school. After the kids go to bed,we'll both work again often until late at night. Then it starts all over the next morning at 7:30am.
School vacations throw everything off. There's a lot of stress, cursing, juggling, drop off playdates and late nights, but somehow things always get done.
2. How do you handle childcare?
We used to have a part-time nanny two days (totaling 16 hours a week) from the time our oldest was three months old up until last year. This enabled me to have two solid days where I could schedule meetings and errands. Mark and I would trade off on childcare the other days. When our youngest daughter started preschool four days a week last September, we reluctantly decided to say godbye to our nanny of six years because we couldn't afford both. We now rely on a combination of school and tag-team childcare to get our work done. It will get a lot easier this September because both girls will be in the same school full time with the same schedules.
3. Where do you work during the day?
On the couch in the living room.
4. What do you like best about your current set-up?
There are quite a few things I learned about myself after I graduated from graduate school eleven years ago.
1) I don't like working in an office situation every day and I feel lucky that I can work remotely from home.
2) Flexibility is really important to me, and it became necessary when we started having children. It was really the only way I could "afford" to work while not giving over the majority of my paycheck to childcare, and it allows me to spend as much time with my kids as possible while still working full-time hours. Because we value flexibility in our lives, we'll do most anything to protect it.
5. What do you find tricky about your current set-up? What would you change if you had a magic wand?
The number-one thing I would change, hands down, is better, more affordable healthcare for freelancers and small businesses. It's almost criminal what we pay a month for a family of four, and I hate having to choose between better healthcare vs. cheaper premiums, but this is exactly what I had to do this year because our healthcare became unaffordable. Everything else in our situation runs fairly smoothly, for the most part. We've had more than seven years to figure out how to maneuver the freelance life with children. It isn't perfect, and we've lost some projects and found ourselves in some hairy situations (like miscommunication about who is picking up the kid from school which resulted in NO ONE picking her up), but now that both kids are school age, I feel like we've won the lottery and we've made it through to the other side.
6. How does your husband contribute to managing the juggle/house/childcare?
Mark does everything. I often joke that he is a better mom than me. He does all the cooking for the family and generally handles bath and bedtime too. Usually when he gets home from work it's my turn to work, so most days we split childcare and house duties into morning shifts (me) and evening shifts (him).
7. Do you have time for yourself? What do you do during that time?
I really savor the late night hours. I'm a total night owl and will head to bed around 2am. It's the only time in the day when it's quiet from both clients and family. I can actually design work done, or I'll watch a movie on Netflix while editing photos and writing blog posts.
8. What advice would you give to other moms about how to balance work and life?
I'm not sure I've found the balance myself yet, but I tell myself that whatever challenging situation I find myself in now, isn't going to be forever.
9. Do you ever wonder how other women manage the juggle? Do you think people are open about it?
I didn't meet very many people who were in the similar work/life situations when my kids were younger, but I've been meeting more and more freelance moms over the past two to three years. It helps immensely to have someone to talk to, who can relate to some of your struggles and experiences. I don't feel there is enough open discussion about it, however, and it could be because we don't want to appear vulnerable or weak or admit to ourselves or to others that juggling a career and parenthood is often really hard. I do think that women need to talk to each other more honestly about it--we can learn so much from each other.
Thank you, Jenna!
76 comments:
- penelope said...
I couldn't agree more about the healthcare issues that go along with families and freelance. Frustrating to say the least. ps..beautiful girls!
- Diana Mieczan said...
Aww..let me just start off by saying how adorable your girls are and the last photo melted my heart! I totally think that if we are honest and talk more about how hard it can get, it will benefit us all in the future. I don't have children yet but after reading your post I'm truly inspired. Thanks, Jenna:)
- Giulia Doyle said...
I can't even imagine having to worry about Healthcare, being in Canada we are so lucky that we don't need to worry about that aspect.
I'm seeing a trend of a lot of 'late night' working in all of these interviews...kudos. - 9:05 AM
- LU~NA said...
your blog is so cute! hope you will follow? http://theworldisarunway.blogspot.com/
- nickandnoragettingmarried said...
Great to see an interview with Jenna--I love "Sweet Fine Day!" As other commenters have said, majorly agree about the healthcare thing. My fiance and I are trying to cobble together writing careers with day jobs and make sure we have our healthcare covered. I can only imagine how much more stressful that issue is when you have children to think about as well.
- Closet Cravings said...
I really love these Q&A interviews. I found the part about healthcare for freelancers part especially interesting. The cost really is ridiculous. I think healthcare insurance companies are probably one of THE most corrupt businesses today. It surprises me how many people don't question the system. I feel a tirade coming on, so I'll end there. =)
Need it? Want it? Crave it? Satisfy Your Cravings For Celebrity Style and Fashion - 9:19 AM
I love these work/life balance posts, and would love to see some from women who have full time jobs without flexibility to shuffle things from day-to-day--teachers, professors, business women--women with fixed schedules, who have to run errands in evenings, don't get to go to coffee shops, etc.... And posts about single moms, or women trying to achieve balance who don't have? Your blog is great, and I'd love to hear from more kind of us (creative, hard working women).
- Melissa Blake said...
Great interview, as usual! :)
- Tuesday said...
Your photography is beautiful as are your family (kudos on bagging a pastry chef husband and being so in shape) x
- Miss Val's Creations said...
Wonderful interview! I love how she can work from home so that she is able to spend more time with her family. The stress is all worth it! The husband sounds perfect. :) ~Val
- asiajane said...
This is my favorite post in this series so far. I feel Jessica was really honest about her struggles and I liked hearing about the financial juggling, too-- so much of the time I feel like we're alone in our struggles, but that is not true! Of course, ours comes from making a different choice-- having one parent stay at home-- but I savor each of these stories because it's so helpful to have these different perspectives. Parents are all in this together, and we can learn so much from one another.
- jenna @ sweetfineday said...
Hello everybody! Thank you so much for the comments. Thanks to Joanna for having me.
Since so many of you so far have been interested in the health insurance issue, I wrote a post about why I felt compelled to switch carriers earlier this year, even if it meant less than ideal insurance for my family. Thanks again!
http://www.sweetfineday.com/?s=gamble+then+freedom&x=7&y=12 - 10:16 AM
- Melissa@Julia's Bookbag said...
I adore 'Sweet Fine Day'! I've been following it ever since I saw them profiled on Ohdeedoh and I just love her blog!
- Chessa! said...
this series has been wonderful. I feel like I've learned something from every single woman you have featured. I completely agree that as mothers who work, or honestly as mothers in general, we need to talk to each other more. It's true, I think, that so many of us feel alone and/or isolated and often overwhelmed by all the responsibilities of our day-to-day and it's helpful to have support from fellow parents who are in the same or similar situation.
I feel so inspired by what all of these woman are doing and their advice on these posts is so helpful and honest. I feel a bit rejuvenated after reading these posts! Mostly bc I know that how I feel is okay and normal and like I can just keep going and figuring things out as I go along. - 10:32 AM
- monkeyandsquirrel said...
i LOVE jenna's blog! she's always so open and honest about exactly how she's feeling... it's refreshing. she doesn't paint that rosy, it's oh so easy to be fabulous, picture and i love her blog for it. her gals are adorable and pictures and always beautiful. such a nice surprise seeing her here this morning :)
- Sarah said...
Joanna, what a greay series! Thank you for this!
- Sarah said...
*great series! ;)
In my family, we have a similar set up to these guest posts, only the gender roles are reversed. My husband is the freelance worker and handles most of the childcare responsibilities, and I work the more traditional M-F 9-5 job. While I enjoy the work I do, it is important for one of us to have this more traditional job mainly for the need for one of us to be able to get benefits, like health insurance and retirement contributions, through an employer. I can't imagine trying to pay out of pocket for benefits on my own, and save some money for retirement as well. Kudos to those who have both working more independent jobs and are trying to do this!
- LoveLife{s.a.h.m.} said...
i loved this post first of all. i love getting a glimpse into other poeple's lives. second the last 2 pic's were so adorable!
thx for sharing!
http://sahm27.blogspot.com/ - 10:58 AM
- Patricia said...
this is a wonderful feature, and thats a beautiful family!!
http://www.pinkpeonieswithlove.blogspot.com - 11:02 AM
- The Wanderers' Daughter said...
I hear you on the healthcare! Our daughter was adopted with a cleft lip and palate, and she has had a couple of surgeries per year since. For the first year my husband was working for a large news corp, and we had terrific insurance, but now that we both work from home, the insurance costs are outrageous. It doesn't seem like a fair tradeoff. People shouldn't be discouraged from working for themselves.
- Tina Z said...
There is a great book about professors and family life titled "Mama PhD". I'm not an author or contributor, it just helped me understand the stakes of balancing work with kids in academia. And I'm loving this series- no kids for me yet, but I will surely bookmark these posts.
- Louise said...
Just loving this series and great to read Jenna's interview. I love her blog and she is a real inspiration to me and my blogging venture www.buttercupdaysuk.blogspot.com
In fact this feature was my two favourite blogs rolled into one! I can totally understand the juggling and childcare tag - I live a very similar existence. But being in England we don't have such healthcare issue. I can't begin to imagine the pressure of finding and affording good healthcare for your family must be. This series however is giving us all hope, or at least a feeling that our hectic lives are in fact quite 'normal' in this day and age. - 11:27 AM
- dolittledesign said...
This post really resonates with me. I am also a freelance graphic designer and manages 3 Etsy shops and my children are about the same ages as yours… Yes, trying to coordinate every family member's schedule can be quite stressful. When to pick up which kid and where? It is different every day!
- Graphic Foodie said...
This is the best series of blog posts. I'm going to be a mum in January and the thought of juggling a full time design job, my blog and life scary to say the least. Good to hear from the mums on the "other side" of birth you really are all heros!
Thank you. - 11:41 AM
Jenna, I can't thank you enough for sharing your thoughts with readers. My husband and I are currently trying to decide what to do in terms of having a child and we are struggling with the idea of healthcare. I am a freelancer and he has a fulltime job but his benefits are pretty pitiful (he is enrolled in something called a "Health Savings Account") so it is putting a huge stress on our decision making process.
I also read your post about being a breadwinner and it was such a relief that other people feel this way!
Thank you again and you have a new reader to your blog. - 11:53 AM
- Aya said...
I so appreciate your open honesty, your succinct eloquent expression and your insight. I just started reading your blog (thanks Jo for pointing me your way when she mentioned your breadwinner post!) and i really relate. I am hapa, a dramatic younger sister and a breadwinner. I imagine my parents were quite like you and your husband in the way you negotiate scheduling. I see my sister and myself in your daughters (we are 5 years apart, and though she used to write stories about "a pest living in my home" we are now best friends). And I relate to you as well. Thank you for blogging, though you have so many other things to do. - 11:58 AM
- Sarah said...
I have to say, even though I'm single and child-less I'm loving this series. I'm working toward quitting my 9 to 5 and at some point hope to be not-so-single and child-less, so it's inspiring to see that it, in fact, can be done. Thanks!
Jenna, I recently left a comfy high paying corporate design job to work for myself, it has not been an easy adjustment as I now work 24/7 and pay for my own healthcare. I can't even imagine what it will cost when I have a family.
The thought of going back to a fulltime job depresses me so for now going to keep going even if money and the future is a worry.
My question is when things get tough do you sometimes think of going back to a office job? or does the freedom make it all worth it? - 12:04 PM
- Cathie said...
Again, great series! I think it's interesting that so many of us are drawn to the series and everyone seems to note how we need talk more about it. My girlfriends and I definitely talk about how hard it is to figure it all out.
A friend and I joked last week that the feminist movement just made it so that now women have to do everything--work, cook, clean, raise the kids! While I enjoy working it is a constant adjustment to find the balance. Thanks for all the great insight from this series. And Jenna--I really enjoy your blog--it's quite thoughtful and honest which is so refreshing. I read many blogs and it's easy to feel like everyone's got a better handle on things but your blog keeps it real!
sustainingmama.blogspot.com - 12:24 PM
- Lenita said...
Great JOanna! Great Jenna! Big idea to talk about motherhood. "we don't want to appear vulnerable or weak or admit to ourselves or to others that juggling a career and parenthood is often really hard"
I hope your vacation is going well and you are not working too hard!
Thank you again for sharing all these posts. They are excellent! You have all inspired me so much. Sweet Fine Day I really want to try your marshmallows, I will be ordering soon.
For someone who is a new blogger any advise? Also would anyone recommend a blogger conference in NYC?
Thank you Leigh
From, mywestvillagenyc.com - 12:34 PM
- Ana Degenaar said...
I love Jenna and I love to see her here. Such a fantastic interview.
- Marnie said...
I am really enjoying this series of posts...thanks, Joanna! I find these 'sneak peeks' into other working moms' lives fascinating. While I am the opposite of the urban, freelancer mom--suburban, 9-5er--the struggles and day-to-day challenges your interviewees face still resonate.
Jenna, your girls are adorable and similar ages to my children--my oldest is also a 'Mia' :) So glad for the introduction to your lovely blog! Also, thanks for sharing! - 1:24 PM
- ibrahim said...
thank you eline sağlık arkadaşım en güzel Yemek Tarifleri burda senide beklerim siteme beklemenin anlamı yok dunyanın lezzetleri bu adreste.
- Monica from Hola!design said...
I love these series, and I love Jenna's blog, thank you for sharing these tips....
- Sweet Emilia Jane said...
Joanna - I have to tell you that I am LOVING this series. I am not a mom yet but I am a freelancer/work from hom-er / workaholic and have been thinking a lot lately about what it will be like when we do decide to have children. It has been quite educational and emotional reading about how these awesome ladies do it!
- Steph Meyer said...
Ah, finally! Someone mentions the healthcare issue! As a mom and a wife to a newly self-employed husband, the responsibility of carrying insurance has fallen on me. It is the only reason I am sticking with my corporate job, something that takes serious daily motivation for me.
My husband's business could easily support our family of three, until we factor in the cost of healthcare. Unfortunately, extraordinarily priced healthcare has kept us from realizing our dream of working together.
I find it sad and disheartening that grossly priced healthcare keeps people in jobs they despise. My husband and I want nothing more than to positively contribute to society, empower ourselves by following our passion and making what we love to do our work and, naturally, take care of our family. I constantly find myself aghast by the difficulties we face just trying to take care of our loved ones. It IS a crime that insurance is so expensive!
I'm not sure how long it will take for things to change, but I hope, one day, our son can experience a time where more value is placed on us as a people, not as commodities. And where he can find the ability to actually follow his dreams, whatever they might be. - 1:45 PM
- Anastasia said...
Jenna is so honest and likable. I love reading her blog and I'm so glad you included her here. Great post.
- inspirationCOOPERATIVE said...
Honestly, where have I been that I didn't know about Jenna Park and Sweet Fine Day?? (I even consider myself an avid blog follower.) Under a rock, I tell you, under a rock. Well, I have found a beautiful new blog to read. Thanks, Jo!
Jenna, thanks for mentioning the healthcare issue (aka racket) we endure here in the States. I'm a SAHM and my husband is self-employed, and we have two children. All too familiar with the high (and continually rising) cost of healthcare. And just when you've researched your heart out to find a plan that is tolerable price and coverage wise, in three months the provider will raise your premium (for no reason)! Ok, rant ending...
Jenna: thank you for your honest words and Jo: I'll say it again, thank you for this wonderful series!
xo, Theresa - 2:04 PM
In a study from McGill University's Institute for Health and Social Policy, the United States, Lesotho, Liberia, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea were the only countries out of 173 studied that didn't guarantee any paid leave for mothers. Among the 168 countries that do, 98 offer 14 or more weeks of paid leave.
How is this possible? The richest country in the world? This issue much like healthcare in the states will never change. So sad and frustrating that this will be one of the factors that will make me move back to Europe to raise children. - 2:10 PM
- Lindsey said...
My husband and I deliberately decided to start our family in Europe. We are both Montessori teachers and there is just NO WAY we'd have been able to have a nice set up at home like we have here. It's wonderful and we're very happy in our life here. But it is so terribly SAD that paid maternity leave is not a legal obligation nationwide in the US. Good point, Anonymous!
On a separate note, I am afraid, very very afraid to see that more than one of these My Balance posts mentions midnight or later (2 am?!) bedtimes. How on Earth is that possible when you have to get up and start all over again with your children at 7am?????
My first baby is due in September. HELP! ;) - 2:56 PM
- Ivana Park said...
great post! inspiring series. Thanks :)
- The Missus said...
This is s a great series. It's good to read about how other moms are trying to balance career and parenting. Thanks to Jenna for being so open and honest.
- R @ Learning As I Chop said...
I love that bottom picture with the doll. Beautiful.
Communicating and sharing your concerns and successes is so important! there are always others in the same shoes, experiencing the same things. Thank you!
- Janna said...
I am really amazed by these women who do not get to bed until way past midnight, yet are up at 6-7am the next day ready to take on the world- bravo, ladies!
- Bunny Terry from NM said...
Great post Jenna, and I applaud you for doing what you love while you also raise your daughters. I was a single mom doing freelance work for years and it never seemed that there were enough hours in the day or days in the week. Now my kids are out of the home (one a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, another a student at University of NM) and they both say they learned from me that doing work you love is much more important than the alleged security of a 9 to 5 job. So be brave (and good luck with healthcare - mine is still crazy expensive with a high deductible. My defense is to stay VERY healthy.) and know that you're doing the absolute best thing for you and your kids
- carina said...
Wonderful post. And thank you for the honesty. I know people say there is a place in hell for women who don't help each other, but I feel the same way about women who are not honest with each other. So I applaud you for that. It is so important to keep reminding ourselves that we are all in this wonderful but sometimes hard life together. You have a lovely family and a wonderful blog - so glad to have been introduced.
About the healthcare issue. I am so sad that you and so many others have to struggle with this. I feel ashamed of myself that I have doubts about whether or not I 'dare' make the transition to a freelance life, living, as I am, in Denmark where I never have to worry about medical bills. It is so easy to take things for granted. - 6:43 PM
Love Jenna and her blog!
- jenna @ sweetfineday said...
to @anon who left her design job: There have been a few times over the 8 years that I've been freelancing where I belabored over a few job offers that "fell" onto my lap. I never went looking for a job because I never wanted to tempt fate I guess. The things that would compel me to seriously consider taking a job is health insurance (obviously!) and other benefits like retirement and paid vacation. The second thing is a steady paycheck which, as a freelancer, is something that I can't underestimate. In the end, however, I felt it wasn't the right answer for my family. I had to cost out the difference between childcare costs and a salary. In the end, I felt like we could come out ahead because I can work "off" hours at night by freelancing and save on childcare that way, not to mention that I couldn't bear the thought of taking an office job. It's taken me 5 years or so to build a steady client base through referrals. I rarely need to seek work and I am grateful, but as I said, it takes a while to do. As designers, we are fortunate, in a way, to be in professions where we CAN freelance and work remotely. I think you can do it!!
- jenna @ sweetfineday said...
THANK YOU so much again for such kind kind words. And for those of you who have commented on the late bedtime, my sleep issues are well documented on the blog ;)
- Sixty-Fifth Avenue said...
i just found your blog through little green notebook and love these posts. sometimes i'm amazed at how little i get done during the day with a 5 year old at home with me. i'm realizing i need to schedule my days better.
- tatum said...
i love this series. just want to say though that for those who say they want to hear perspectives from 9 to 5 women who work outside the home, i think that Joanna picked women who are like her and in the same type of designer/creative-y industries on purpose. it's a perfect fit for her blog and readers who are into that sort of thing. if i wanted to read about moms from the law field, then i'd go find my favorite law blog and suggest they do a series on law moms and how they balance their lives. i'm not trying to be mean, just my thoughts.
- Skinny Jeans Mom said...
I am completely in love with this series; real moms, real kids, real stress, real struggle to balance life with motherhood. No matter what kind of mom you are (SAHM, WAHM, WOHM), we all struggle with balancing this thing called motherhood with that other thing called life. Bravo to all moms who in the end just want the same thing: to be the absolute best mom they can be for their kids, and best person they can be for themselves.
http://blogs.inlandempirefamily.com/author/skinnyjeansmom/ - 2:10 AM
- lilabraga said...
read her blog and find her simply amazing..great choices here!
loveee this series...simply awesome!
lila - 3:56 AM
- Joy said...
I am immensely in love with this series right now. Gosh thanks for this profile because now I can go and follow her absolutely beautiful blog religiously.
- Emily said...
She's got a couple of cute kids. Thanks for the introduction to her blog!
Emily http://www.mywordsinterestslife.blogspot.com - 7:05 AM
- Jenna {i love you too} said...
This interview is such an inspiration for mothers and mothers to be. I love hearing how two parents juggle their careers and children all while remaining successful. Nicely done!
- Mary said...
This is a wonderful interview and series. I do agree it would be nice to hear from people who don't have the flexibility to work from home everyday - who have to be at the office, single moms, etc. It is nice to hear all perspectives, though. Every family's situation is so different, and I find it so interesting to see how everyone manages the juggle. Thanks!
Great interview and the kids are sooo adorable. Reading these series makes me admire mothers so much more. It seems like a hard but very rewarding experience. Makes me want to get married and start a family of my own~! You ladies are incredible, smart, beautiful and inspiring.
- Francesca from Façonner said...
I agree this has been a truly great series. As someone who has had both the experience of working from an office and now, working from home, I can say that for me the key difference which makes the latter more viable is that I no longer work for someone else. The freedom of working for yourself ultimately outweighs many of the struggles faced along the way because it means that what you do is your 'baby' and every ounce of energy you put into it, is fueled with passion.
- Stephanie Sabbe said...
word on the healthcare part! and that last picture absolutely warms my heart!
Jenna, thanks for being so inspiring and honest and for making me feel that I can crack this freelance life and make the most of working for myself.
- Kate Lewis said...
thank you for your inspiring words. i'm happy to have discovered your blog today! love your girls' haircuts :)
Regarding health care, part of the problem is that there is ZERO inter-state competition.
We do not have a free-market system in health insurance.
My agent would like to sell me a better plan at a lower cost that is available in a neighboring state, but not in my state. It can't be done.
This could be solved easily by changes in the law.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203550604574360923109310680.html - 5:34 PM
- Sequoia said...
Thank you for your wonderful insight Jenna! I'm not close to married and don't have children but it's really inspiring to read about women like you who are striving to work independently and raise a family.
I was raised by a single mother who worked hard to support us. I didn't and still don't feel like her working ever took away from our relationship and our time. Her working enabled us to do fun things and travel back to her hometown in Japan to see my grandparents in the summer.
I'm now an adult but find it exciting to share thoughts and reminisce on my childhood. It's wonderful to find out things about your mother that you didn't realize as a child or were too young to understand.
I think your daughters are absolutely beautiful. They remind me a lot of me and friends with their half Asian and half Caucasian looks.
Good luck in your endeavors Jenna. Thanks to Joanna I will now follow you and your blog.
A big thank you Joanna for including Jenna in this series. I read your blog almost daily and always find your posts cheerful, inspiring and fun! - 6:45 PM
I adore Jenna and Sweet Fine Day, and I was thrilled to see her interview. One of my favorite things about Jenna is that she doesn't try to make her life seem perfect; she's an honest, genuine person and I think we all relate to that. Her girls are insanely gorgeous too.
- Elisa said...
Jenna, thanks for sharing your insight in balancing life and work. My older sister and her husband both work full time. All day they run from work to home to avoid daycare. it can get very expensive with two kiddos but it's also a stressful situation to see them in. To be honest I don't know where my sister gets the energy!LOL
- Sarah said...
i love Jenna's blog. she's so candid and her photos are lovely.
I agree with Katie (9:58), : Jenna comes across honest and genuine, and doesn't try to make her life seem perfect. (Jo too, for that matter).
Some of that faux perfectness in a blog is tedious. I admit to only choosing the best pics for my family blog - that's okay right? But how to get at the real stuff? I wonder if later it will seem too edited. Sorry if this is off topic.
My mommy guilt: letting my kids watch too many TV shows while I blog about how rad they are. - 1:03 AM
- Simply Marilla said...
I totally agree with everyone that what makes Jenna's blog so great is her honesty, her insight and her beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing!
- mer said...
Love this. Love this serious Joanna.
Mer - 1:37 PM
- Meredith said...
I'm REALLY enjoying this series from other freelancers like myself. It's so nice to hear that other woman are working from home (in bed or on the couch) and finding unique ways to get it all done. Freelancing, finding affordable healthcare and enjoying some "me time" are all so important and discussed so little. Thanks for the thoughtful and inspiring guest posts.
- mejor sexshop said...
So, I do not actually believe it is likely to work.
- www.malaga-3d.com said...
Pretty effective data, thanks for the article.


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Free speech and academic freedom
So it is important to keep in mind: Don't shoot the messenger who is only doing her/his job. It would really be a disservice to the society. Any open and free democracy has to be based on true information and knowledge. When big and powerful media corporations start to look like past state-run propaganda machines, where slogans have replaced common sense and expert knowledge, then we're heading in the wrong direction.
In Norway, the there were calls for enhanced openness and respect (by our prime minister) after the terrible July 22 (2011) terrorist attacks (the terrorist also disrespected climate science). In this sense, the openness also means exposing all levels and all aspects of matters being disputed. As in sciences, it is important to elucidate the situation, and see if the arguments stand up to being critically scrutinized. This also means that all relevant information must be included – not just those which support one stand.
I think that the science community needs a louder voice in the society, and there is a need for bringing some of the science-related debates closer to true science. We need to explain the virtues of the scientific method, such as transparency, replication of past results, testing and evaluating the methods and conclusions. These virtues lead to the most credible answers.
For example, we need to focus on question like the following: Is the strategy adopted objective? Does it give robust results? Or do the result depend on the context in which the analysis was carried out? In other words, we need to question whether the conclusions are generally valid.
Focusing on the real questions and doing science means being free, critical and sceptical – and not a climate of fear.
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Looking for Car Amplifiers?
Start shoppingVideo: Kenwood Excelon Reference Fit amplifiers
Super thin amps fit in more places
The Reference Fit line of amplifiers from Kenwood Excelon packs a ton of power into a small chassis. These amps hit hard and can fit into tight spaces, if needed. And with mono, 4-channel, and 5-channel versions available, you're sure to find one that fits into your car audio upgrade plans.
Zak: I'm at the Kenwood booth at CES 2013 and Matt, tell us about the new Excelon Reference Fit amplifiers.
Matt: So we'll have three new amplifiers in the Reference Fit line, which are designed to be a really small chassis with a lot of power. The two — XR600-1 and the XR400-4 model — will only be 1-1/8" deep but will offer a lot of power. The Excelon XR600-1 will be 700 watts x 1 at 2-ohms and the XR400-4 will be 60 watts x 4 and can be bridged to be used with a subwoofer or high range speakers. So the XR900-5 basically combines the X600-1 and X400-4 into one chassis. It will offer a 60 x 4 4-channel amplifier as well as a 700 x 1 mono amplifier that can be ran at 2-ohms.
Zak: That's the Excelon Reference Fit amplifier line.
In Stock
In Stock
Kenwood Excelon XR900-5
5-channel car amplifier 60 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms + 600 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms
Out of Stock


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An internet radio station that plays recovery songs. It is free to use and has some great songs available for listening 24 hours of the day.
Recovery Rock Music for those in recovery. This is electro-rock music that follows the 12 steps of addiction recovery through a music format similar to Pink Floyd's "The Wall". www.inspiringrock.com
Weekly inspirational blogs based on the 12 Steps and an original music CD...12 Steps And A Winding Road...songs of hope and healing...
"RADD, 'The Entertainment Industry's Voice for Road Safety' , is an internationally recognized non-profit organization that empowers celebrities and media partners to create positive attitudes about road safety. Founded in 1986, RADD advocates the use of ...
ROAD RECOVERY is dedicated to helping young people battle addiction and other adversities by harnessing the influence of entertainment industry professionals who have confronted similar crises and now wish to share their experience and knowledge. With ...
The first verse of This Thing Called Addiction speaks to the nature of addiction. The second verse is about the repercussions/consequences of the disease. The third verse addresses hope and inspiration. The lyrics in this song take the listener on a ...
Music and More for the Healing Arts Includes 12 Step Meditations and other music and products that are geared towards healing and serenity. Covers many traditions and approaches.


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Expedia Price Guarantee
You're getting the lowest possible rate.
We Promise
Hotel Price Guarantee available
Find a cheaper hotel within 24 hours of booking. We will refund the difference and give you a travel coupon worth $50.
As a member, you receive price matching up until midnight before check-in. Not a member? Join now.
Terms & Conditions apply.
Book your room at InterContinental San Francisco
Room, 2 Double Beds
Max Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children)Room, 1 King Bed
Max Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children)Deluxe Room
Max Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children)Intercontinental, Club Room, 1 King Bed
Max Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child)Downtown luxury with spa, indoor pool, health club
Opened in 2008, this downtown San Francisco hotel is adjacent to the Moscone Center and about 6 blocks from Union Square.
Property Amenities
The 32-story InterContinental San Francisco features a day spa with an outdoor terrace and a health club with an indoor pool.
Guestrooms have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, 42-inch plasma TVs, iPod clock radios, and wireless Internet access.
Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Rising 32 stories, the InterContinental San Francisco is a dramatic new addition to the city's rapidly growing SoMa (South of Market Street) district. The Moscone Center is adjacent, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is two blocks away. The main cable-car station is about four blocks from the hotel. Other notable nearby attractions include the San Francisco Shopping Centre (three blocks), Union Square (six blocks), and the Ferry Building Marketplace (one mile).
The on-site I Spa features 2 treatment rooms, Swiss showers, a sauna, a spa tub, a steam room, massages, beauty services, hydrotherapy treatments, and an outdoor terrace. (Advanced reservations are required for massages and spa treatments). A spacious health club includes an indoor pool and Jacuzzi tub. Hotel amenities also include ATM/banking, luggage storage, currency exchange, tour tickets assistance, and express check-out. Garage parking is available for a surcharge.
Luce, the hotel's stylish Michelin-rated restaurant, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. California-Italian cuisine, paired with fine wines, takes center stage. Event catering and wedding services are provided, as well as translation services and technology helpdesk. The hotel also has a ballroom, 24-hour business center and 21 meeting rooms.
This San Francisco hotel is 100-percent smoke-free.
- Luggage storage
- Number of meeting rooms - 21
- Conference center
- Terrace
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 43000
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Fireplace in lobby
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 550
- Number of floors - 33
- ATM/banking
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-out
- Full-service spa
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Health club
- Tours/ticket assistance
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Meeting rooms
- Multilingual staff
- Porter/bellhop
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Year Built 2008
- Sauna
- Smoke-free property
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Spa services on site
- Spa tub
- Indoor pool
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Indoor pool
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Wireless internet access ( 14.95 USD per 24-hour period ), Wired internet access ( 14.95 USD per 24-hour period )
Available in some public areas: Wireless internet access ( 14.95 USD per 24-hour period )
Valet parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Bathtub or shower
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Digital TV service
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge)
- iPod docking station
- Private bathroom
- Premium TV channels
- Video-game console
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Climate control
- Air conditioning
- Free newspaper
- Phone
- Minibar
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Bathrobes
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Plasma TV
- Room service (24 hours)
Spa Services
- Number of treatment rooms 2
- Couples treatment rooms
- Hydrotherapy treatments
- Sauna in spa
- Spa tub in spa
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- Accessible parking
- In-room accessibility
- Accessibility equipment for the deaf
- Braille or raised signage
Hotel Policies
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Pets allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Optional extras
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: USD 14.95 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Fee for in-room high-speed Internet (wired): USD 14.95 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: USD 14.95 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Valet parking fee: USD 61.56 per night (in/out privileges)
- Pet fee: USD 50 per accommodation, per night
- Deposit: USD 200 per night
- Refrigerator fee: USD 30 per night
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 30 per night
We should mention
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Thanks! Just read the review, it'll be helpful in the future.
I'm curious about one thing though.......
Towards the end of the review you mentioned that "The image quality was also noticeably better with the fglrx drivers."
What did you mean by that? Did you get horrible video artifacting on screen? Or was it more subtle... colors blending better using ATI's drivers?
Screenshots might be helpful, but unnecessary. Thanks for all you do.


text: Abc adjective astronomi astronomy beer blessings canals in netherlands chemia chemical element chemistry colors comic days doctor dokter element elements female name fish főnév German names good afternoon good evening good morning greetings HomeLand how are you doing? how are you? i am fine Insect insects irregular verbs kemi kémiai elemek lichaam Mary materials metals Mineral morning music musical instruments name names neo-latin NO noun Number numerals Oxford 3000 periodic table planets pronoun rivers in netherlands Rivers in Romania scheikunde slang substantiv sunday verb verb - infinitiu verb - infinitive verb - present verb - present tense water Welcome What is your name? who are you? zelfstandig naamwoord ziekenhuis


text:
Classes & Extended Courses
Dharma Talks
Practice Groups
Practice Periods
Saturday Program
Sitting Meditation & Sesshins
Special Events & Exhibits
About Us
Apprenticeship Programs
Bienvenidos a City Center
Conference Center
Outreach & Volunteers
Visits & Stays
Zen Meditation & Practice
Classes & Extended Courses
Daily Schedule
For Beginners
Practice Groups
Practice Periods
Saturday Program
Sitting Meditation & Sesshins
City Center
Zen Meditation & Practice
ClassThe Practice of Aging and the Aging of Practice, CC 7/1 - 7/22
Related Information
Jisan Tova Green
Kyosho Valorie Beer
Four Monday nights: July 1, 8, 15 and 22
7:30 - 9 pm
led by
Tova Green
Valorie Beer
Conference Center at 308 Page Street
(optional dinner at 6:30, by donation, at 300 Page Street)
For those 55 and older
This class builds on the
Dharma talk
given by Tova and Valorie on April 20th, 2013, and on responses to a survey sent out this spring. In the class we will explore four topics related to aging:
Exploring the Experience of Aging for Those 55 and Older
1. Connection or lack of it
2. Letting go and exploring what's new
3. Changing bodies and minds
4. Living with dying
Each class will include presentations and discussion in small or large groups. We will create a shared list of readings and other resources. You are invited to sign up for and browse the web forum ("
Good Old Zen
"), and add thoughts, suggestions, pictures, books or other resources on aging that you've found helpful. What comes next with "Good Old Zen" will emerge from this class and from suggestions we receive.
$60; $54 current SFZC members; $48 limited income. Some partial scholarships available.
To Register:
Use the Ticket Table below. Or call our toll free number 888.743.9362 or our local number 415.475.9362.
About Registration, Scholarships, and Cancellations
Related Bio(s):
Jisan Tova Green
Jisan Tova Green, LCSW, currently serves on the Board of Directors as Vice President of San Francisco Zen Center. Previously she held positions as City Center Director and as a hospice social worker. A practice leader at San Francisco Zen Center, Tova co-founded Zen Center's Queer Dharma Group.
Kyosho Valorie Beer
Kyosho Valorie Beer has practiced Zen Buddhism since 1991. She was ordained as a priest in 2005 and received dharma transmission in 2013 from her teacher, Edward Brown. She is now temporarily supporting a Branching Streams sangha in New Rochelle, NY. At SFZC, Valorie is a practice leader and a teacher for Sewing Buddha's Robe; has also taught sutra copying, practicing with aging, and writing as a spiritual practice; and has led retreats at SFZC-affiliated sanghas.


text:
The original deal pioneer keeps on pinching pennies and cracking wise. No, that price isn't a typo.
Go to Woot
Candlepower and puppet shows are so passé. Get the newest TVs, speakers, home theater gear, and more.
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Make it, build it, improve it. But whatever home project you've got in mind, start by saving money on it.
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Our exclusive graphic tees will make you laugh, will make you cry, will make you look totally hot.
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one could say THEY ARE ABOUT TO GET STRAIGHT FLUSHED... OUT!
That's what happens when you try to cheat the house.
More like the MOUSE always...erm... Oh dear, I lost the joke.
Looks like a full house to me
Simply said, the mice lost the game.
How'd they get the cards and chips down there? Is this a legitimate gambling establishment?
That's a pretty roomy snake-- they could get some roulette going in there, some baccarat, maybe some craps. Think big, little mice, think big.
So I guess getting eaten by a snake isn't as bad as I always thought it would be.
I wonder what the stakes are once they've been eaten... "If I win, you get to be digested first!"
It's a good thing the mice thought to grab cards and poker chips before their untimely demise. Or does the snake just have a taste for cardboard and plastic as a nice mice garnish? Furthermore, where does one GET playing cards and poker chips that small? This shirt is chock full of logical fallacies and I reject it as absurd.
I think the real question is where the snake found packages of tiny playing cards and poker chips and what motivated the snake to eat them. Seems like an odd thing to do.
It's another Walmazan shirt! I can now add this to my collection. Mucho amor, Luchador!
What happens in the snake STAYS in the snake (well, until it's digested, anyway)
Is that the snake's tongue or is this snake smoking a pipe (and thus super classy)?
It's like Christmas! Two great shirts in a row, one from one of my very favorite artists! And..IT'S A RODENT SHIRT...-dies- I just P & D'd. (pooped & died) Excellent, looks like another order! Congrats Walz!!!
SO weird.
Are the mice playing poker...or Uno? Perhaps gin rummy?
Ah yes, the deadly Translucent Viper. It has an insatiable appetite for cardshark rodents.
Oh thank god that is a snake. For a second there I thought it was intestines, if ya catch my drift. D:
The mice look remarkably well for being almost entirely digested!
There is no way that mice are smart enough to play poker.
Looks like they've both gone "all in" and are "pot belly" committed. Congrats Walmazan, awesome design!
insert pokerface joke here
you got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run.
The mice are experimenting on the snake.
It would have been cool if the mice had been playing craps instead of poker, because of the "snake eyes" pun. And totally not because of what the mice (at least their undigestible bits) are going to become.
It always makes me happy when Walmazan prints. Congrats!
Awesome! I bought your other shirt! This is the guy who did Campfire Tales! (http://shirt.woot.com/Blog/ViewEntry.aspx?Id=9495) Way to go Walmazman!
Am I the only one who thought the snake was an intestine and the mice were... uh, gerbils?... jesus my inner monologue is deranged today. Worst part is I contemplated buying it as that... But rats in a snake, no thanks. That makes no sense to me.
Walmazan daily! (it should be the law) Going to be picking one up in a bit. ^__^
congrats walmazan! love the simplicity of this, makes a great shirt!
Am I the only one who was reminded of Canada Bill? "Can't you see this game is crooked?" "Sure I know it, George, but it's the only game in town."
rlorenz89 wrote:Awesome! I bought your other shirt! This is the guy who did Campfire Tales! (http://shirt.woot.com/Blog/ViewEntry.aspx?Id=9495) Way to go Walmazman!
Seconded! I knew I liked the look - just wore Campfire Tales the other day I can think of a more obvious pun than "snake eyes" if those mice were playing craps...
Muh-muh-muh-mY shirt! Congrats on another print, Walz!
SkaMan8348 wrote:Oh thank god that is a snake. For a second there I thought it was intestines, if ya catch my drift. D:
Technically, it IS intestines. Just not human intestines.
I'm so glad Lemmiwinks found a friend...
I initially thought the exact same thing. Oh, dirty, dirty mind...
This seems like an excellent metaphor for life - the length of the snake being the time dimension of the universe - and we the mice, blissfully unaware of our inevitable fate at its hands...
It would have been great if they both had laptops and were playing internet poker to pass the time!
View All →


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ImageThe Nook Tablet has a dedicated hardware button in the shape of the Nook symbol.
Summary: There are two new 7 inch Android-powered tablets entering the market, but at less than half the cost of what others previously sold for. They are media consumption devices and ebook readers with a portable form factor. They can both be loaded with all the same apps so it comes down to form factor, ecosystem, and the $50 price difference.
Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.


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Regions :: North America :: U.S. Westlake commences ethylene expansion at Lake Charles9:59 AM MST | January 10, 2013 | Francinia Protti-Alvarez Westlake Chemical has begun the previously announced expansion of the Petro 2 ethylene unit at its complex at Lake Charles, LA, the company said today. The expansion work, taking place during a scheduled maintenance turnaround, is expected to last 60 days and to add 230–240 million lbs/year of ethylene capacity at the Lake Charles site, supporting Westlake's ethylene integration strategy, the company says. The project is the first stage of a 2-phase expansion that will lift overall ethylene capacity at the Lake Charles site by 500 million... This information is only available to Chemical Week subscribers. Forgot your user ID or password?
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text:
Big data gauntlet thrown down for agencies
Thursday - 10/4/2012, 5:13am EDT
Jason Miller on The Federal Drive
Three agencies are giving the rest of government a challenge and an opportunity to use data differently.
NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Energy Department launched the first initiative under the Big Data Challenge Wednesday. The goal is to bring together information from several different agencies and figure out how it could help every participant's mission.
And failure, or at least the effort to try different ideas, is not only an option, but strongly encouraged.
"It's important to recognize that government agencies have for years been working on very sophisticated and complex analytic projects in many different domains. Many of those projects before anyone used the term big data could certainly been categorized as big data related projects," said Steve Mills, IBM's senior vice president and group executive. "What's changed is the cost of computing has been coming down."
Steve Mills, senior vice president and group executive, IBM
And it's that lower cost for storage or compute power that is letting agencies try data analysis at a much lower risk.
"You don't need to spend a lot of money or take a lot of time. You can take data sets first and try it, and analyze it, and then made decisions about how you pull in more," said Teresa Carlson, the vice president of Amazon's global public sector. "Because the costs of computer and storage are exponentially lower, then that's what makes it all possible. You don't have to buy things and set them up, you can take advantage of what's possible."
Answering a central question
The Big Data Challenge is giving agencies the impetus to take some chances.
Suzi Iacono, the co-chairwoman of the Interagency Big Data Senior Steering Group, which is a part of the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program at NSF, said the goal of the contest to figure out how to use the data agencies hold and create.
"The big data senior steering group came up with a central big question that we would like to pose in a contest that is: how can we make heterogeneous data sets seem more homogenous so one could take action," Iacono said today during a panel discussion in Washington about TechAmerica Foundation's report on big data. "So the data can be interoperable and federated, so we can bring data from many different spheres that are now today siloed and bring them together to ask very big questions."
TechAmerica Foundation released its report, Demystifying Big Data, as a guide to help agencies understand how to use and take advantage of big data.
Iacono said agencies, or teams of agencies, have until Oct. 13 to enter the contest.
"You have to use at least two government data sets such as those that are available on Data.gov. You also could bring your own data into the mix to try to show us your great idea," she said. "It must be publicly available. It cannot be proprietary."
Iacono said a panel of expert judges will review the applications based on:
- Novelty
- Feasibility
- Does it impact one or several agency missions
- The degree by which heterogeneous data seems more homogenous.
- How much do you really love this solution?
Suzi Iacono, co-chairwoman, Interagency Big Data Senior Steering Group
The contest website states first place wins $1,000, second place would receive $500 and third place would get $250.
The big data challenges are part of the effort started in March by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
OSTP and six other agencies launched the national big data development effort. They committed $200 million to invest in science, engineering, cybersecurity, workforce education and competition and contests to promote the development of ways to deal with the large amounts of data the government, industry, researchers and many others are producing.
Additionally, federal Chief Technology Officer Todd Park has been holding datapaloozas and other events to bring public and private sector experts together to solve problems.
Expanding the big data view
The goal of the report from the TechAmerica Foundation is to help move big data to a wider audience.
Amazon's Carlson said technologies such as cloud computing and business intelligence and analysis tools are making it easier for agencies and companies to take advantage of all the data that's out there.
Bill Perlowitz, chief technology officer for the science, technology and engineering group for Wyle, said the report tried to highlight what big data can do and what could be done using all the information available.
He said there are four questions that the report is trying to help agencies consider:
- What happened? Perlowitz said that is forensics.
- What is happening? He said that is real time decision support.
- What will happen? He said that is called predictive analytics.
- What would happen if we do this thing? Perlowitz said that is now called prescriptive analytics.
"It's not about getting data and it's not about processing data," Perlowitz said. "It's about getting information into the hands of people who can use it."
Among the report's recommendations is for agencies to name a Chief Data Officer (CDO). The Federal Communications Commission is one of the few agencies to have done just that.
The report stated a CDO would "generate and promulgate a governmentwide data vision, to coordinate activities, and to minimize duplication." The commission said that like a federal chief information officer, there should be a federal CDO inside the Office of Management and Budget, who would "bring cohesive focus and discipline to leveraging the government's data assets to drive change, improve performance and increase competitiveness."
Steve Lucas, the global executive vice president and general manager for SAP's database and technology unit, said chief data officers are becoming more common across industry.
"You might have a CIO who is incredibly adept at delivering information. We joke and say a CTO is a CIO who delivers software and not data," he said. "The reality right now is it's happening in industry, not universally, but we see it involving over the next three-to-give years."
Lucas said the commission wasn't concerned that a CDO would be another hat for someone to wear and may not get the attention it needs.
"I think it was universal agreement. This is what we need," he said. "The economy we are in today is an information economy. It's not about the software or the hardware. It's about the information. This draws attention to the subject."
At SAP, their CDO is dual-hatted with their CIO, Lucas said.
The TechAmerica Foundation report also includes case studies, from the National Archives and Records Administration and NASA, and a recommended roadmap to get started with big data.
Iacono said more and more agencies are interested in joining the big data steering committee so the report is coming at an important time.
"The report goes a long way in clarifying and articulating the promise of big data," she said.
White House, agencies commit $200M to solving 'big data' quandary
White House looking for a few 'bad asses' to kick-start 5 projects
Navy struggles to find the way ahead on big data


text:
ANRI Kuolt 5" Scale Nativity Special Order Items
ANRI Home Page
Christmas Treasures Home Page
ANRI Kuolt 5" Scale Nativity Special Order Items
Tradition in real wood
ANRI Kuolt Italian Wood Carved Sculptures
Kuolt, ANRI Nativity Set, Nativity stables
Height of Joseph is approximately 5 inches, and the other nativity pieces are sized accordingly.
ANRI 5" Shepherd with Basket Kuolt
The items on this page are
SPECIAL ORDER items
, and will take
8-12 weeks for delivery
after they are ordered.
Item Sku:
ANRI 5" Shepherd with Basket Kuolt
Hand Made and Carved in Italy by ANRI, Made out of wood
Special Order, allow 8-12 weeks for delivery
On Sale!
/ $311.00


text:
Save $100 on a wireless music player Watch a video Watch a video review from one of our experts Grilles included, not pictured Back Flexible mounting options (sold individually; pair shown) Golf ball shown for scale Installed vertically Sold indually; pair shown in white -- installed under eaves Photos (7) Videos (2) View larger Definitive Technology AW5500 Outdoor speaker (Black) Item #: 735AW5500B In Stock 42 Reviews Was:$199.50 Sale:-$40.00 Your price: $159.50 each Earn up to 160 Rewards points Black White Add to Cart Free Shipping Lifetime Tech Support + Add to wishlist + Email me alerts for this product Save $100 on a wireless music player View all associated offers Need help? 1.888.955.6000 Email Chat Ask an expert advisor No pressure, no commission — just lots of good advice from our highly trained staff. x By buying this product you'll earn up to 160 Rewards points. When you sign up for a Crutchfield account, you'll be enrolled in Crutchfield Rewards. You'll earn one point for every dollar you spend on gear from us. You can turn your points into Rewards Cards that you can use toward future purchases. You can sign up for an account now, or after you complete your purchase (you'll get credit for the points either way). Sign up for a Crutchfield account
by Tara W. Definitive Technology's AW5500 speakers will liven up your next outdoor party. High-performance sound for wide-open spaces Rock your next pool party with outdoor speakers from Definitive Technology. The AW5500 features the same high-quality speaker components as their indoor models, but it's ready to stand up to the hardships of outdoor living. Install a pair near the pool, on your deck, or even in a sauna — their non-resonant PolyStone enclosures are fully sealed and built for direct exposure to the elements. And the included bracket lets you rotate the speaker up to 360° for maximum flexibility. Crystal-clear highs, distinct mids, and solid bass The AW5500 pairs a 1" pure aluminum dome tweeter with a 5-1/2" woofer for clear, accurate reproduction of voices and instruments. The woofer uses Definitive's BDSS (Balanced Double Surround System) design for accurate response across a wide frequency range. A pressure-coupled racetrack-shaped radiator reinforces the output of the woofer, for overall bass that's equivalent to that of an 8" woofer. (Pretty cool for a compact outdoor speaker that's sized to fit under a roof eave.) Some outdoor speakers are anemic at the low end — not this one. Got wire? Most speakers don't include any. Learn more about in-wall wiring at the Crutchfield Learning Center. Shop our selection of in-wall speaker wire. Did you know? Your new speakers will probably sound better after several weeks of use than they do right out of the box. That's because the material surrounding the woofers will loosen up, allowing the drivers to move more fully. Definitive Technology estimates a break-in period of 24 to 48 hours of playback before the speakers will deliver optimum sound quality. For more information and helpful tips, check out this article from Definitive's website about conditioning your speakers. Product Highlights:1" pure aluminum dome tweeter5-1/2" BDSS mid/bass woofer5" x 8" racetrack-shaped pressure-coupled radiator (produces bass equivalent to that of an 8" woofer)frequency response 45-30,000 Hzsensitivity 91 dBhandles up to 175 watts5-way binding postsrugged, fully sealed PolyStone enclosurealuminum speaker grillesincludes galvanized steel mounting bracket that allows 360° rotation for maximum placement flexibility7-13/16"W x 12-5/8"H x 8-1/16"Dweight: 8.33 lbs.warranty: 5 yearsOur 60-day money-back guarantee Outdoor speakers let you move the party outside Outdoor speakers are built tough -- they laugh at wind, rain and weather. Tuck a pair under your eaves and they'll pump out the tunes to keep everybody smiling and swaying at your next cookout or pool party. We also have some "rock" speakers that blend seamlessly into your landscaped lawn or garden.
Great Sound, Easy Installation Written By anonymous, Texas on Monday, April 27, 2015 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Very easy to install and great focused sound.
Definitive Technology AW 5500 Written By Brennan, Illinois on Thursday, January 22, 2015 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great sound, good bass for size! Sturdy!!
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By Anonymous, Cabot, AR on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great sound, good base for size and load enough that my neighbors across the street hear them clearly from my back yard. love these speakers. Pros: Great sound and good base for the size. Cons: None noticed yet.
Great Sound Written By mvillerob, Marysville, WA on Tuesday, July 29, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great sound. These speakers are mounted underneath my soffit on my deck. They don't have a wide dispersion so I can turn them up loud and not disturb the neighbors. I use them with zone 2 on my Yamaha rx a830 receiver. Pros: Easy to mount Sound great base gets better after these speakers are broken in. Cons: None yet.
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By Anonymous, MN on Saturday, July 19, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Just got installed on deck. Look and sound great. Pros: Good quality, full sound Cons: None
if you're looking for bass, these are not for you Written By gtyup88, Nashville, TN on Saturday, June 28, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I originally ordered the 5500's but was not happy with the bass response. I thought it was the scrawny wire I was using but when I hooked them up to 16awg wire it did not improve. I have to admit however the midrange and high clarity was amazing. I then ordered the Polk Atrium 7's and was more impressed with their full sound so I am sticking with them. Overall, not completely impressed with either of them (I'm used to 500w Mackie for outdoor fun) but my advice is if you're looking for full sound out of your outdoor speakers I would go with a 6.5 or larger driver. Pros: Clarity is unmatched. Construction is stout. Connectors and adjustors are better than Polk. Cons: The bass radiator is not a speaker. This speaker lacks bass response.
Great quality speakers Written By PumaChabra, Midlothian va on Friday, June 27, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Beautifully designed all weather speakers with a full range of sound quality. Works great for an outdoor pool area. Pros: Great highs and lows (40hz!) very loud for a small speaker with excellent quality. Cons: Had to mount them with bass side down (as opposed to vertical with bass on left or right.) to avoid a very sectional sound. Would have been fine verticle if I ordered two more but who wants to do that.
Definitive Technology AW 550 - WOW!! Written By Ed, Dothan, AL on Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) These speakers are great!! They have excellent bass for speaker their size with exceptional detail on the highs as well. If you are looking for a great sounding outdoor speaker these are great and provide more than ample sound. I was afraid I would need to step up to the next level, but that was a fleeting thought after I hooked them up. They are hooked up to basic Sony stereo receiver with a Sony CD player just for patio and backyard use. They sounded great right out of the box and should only get better after the break in period. If you want great quality outdoor sound at a great price I am not sure you can beat these speakers! Wow!! They don't sound like outdoor speakers at all, very clear with excellent lows and highs! You can't go wrong with these in my opinion. I am VERY PLEASED with their performance!! Pros: Great sound - Highs and lows - You hear details you don't hear on lesser indoor speakers on this quality set of outdoor speakers! Cons: NONE!!
Great Performance for the $$$ Written By Tom, Denver, CO on Thursday, May 08, 2014 I bought a pair of the AW5500s to mount over my back deck and they sound great. I am driving them with a Yamaha R-S500 stereo receiver and I can't detect any distortion even at high volumes (haven't truly cranked them because my neighbors would hate me). The bass is much better than other outdoor speakers I've heard in the past. Being rear-facing woofers, they use the wall they are mounted on to aid in the bass quality. For best results, the manual says to install them under and eave so you have two solid surfaces for the bass waves to bounce off of. I could hear decent bass from 0-15ft but then it kind of fell off after that. This is no surprise though being outdoors where acoustics are pretty terrible in general. If you have the space, consider the AW6500s because they are only cost a little more per speaker and the bass response looks to be better. The AW5500s are already big outdoor speakers themselves, so I think the 6500s might be too big for my eave overhangs. Pros: No noticeable distortion Good bass within 15 ft Solid mounting brackets
DEF TECH AW5500 Written By D, Allentown, PA on Friday, April 18, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Excellent outdoor speaker. Very easy to set up. Excellent value. Would definitely recommend.
aw5500 Written By mikey, charlotte nc on Thursday, January 30, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Not the tinney sound you expect from most outdoor speakers. In fact these are so good you could use them inside and be extremely pleased.Buy them, you won't be disapointed ! Pros: great sound, quality built item ! Cons: none
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By Sean A, Tulsa, OK on Thursday, January 02, 2014 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great speakers for the price. Just got them installed. Easy installation and sound great. Pros: Good full range from the lows to the highs Cons: None
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By Victor, Puerto Rico on Monday, December 30, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Nice speakers, clear sound
Aw5500 outdoor speakers Written By Mark L., Redding,Ca. on Monday, November 25, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Amazing outdoor speakers.Everything I was looking for and more.Thank you Crutchfield again for your help as always. Can't go wrong with this speaker,highly recommend. Pros: Great bass and mids and highs
Excellent outdoor speakers Written By Chigo, Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Just installed these about 2 weeks ago, so can't say anything about durability/longevity yet, but so far, so good. They sound great; they aren't going to challenge the reference speakers in your main system, but the highs are reasonably clear and open, and the midrange and bass are surpisingly satisfying for such a small speaker - I think the passive radiators help with that, especially if you reinforce the bass with some walls/corners. They feel very solid with quality materials and were very easy to install, and super flexible in terms of installation/placement/positioning options (e.g., they can be mounted vertically and angled in/out or mounted horizontally and angled up/down). My only wish is that both angling options were available in either orientation (e.g., that I could mount them vertically and angle them both inward AND downward), but that would require a more complex mounting system, and that's a but much to ask of an outdoor speaker at this price point. Overall, I'm very satisfied; I would buy these again and would recommend them without hesitation. Pros: - Sound great for small outdoor speakers - Active midrange/bass driver + passive radiator produces satisfying bass - Higher maximum power handling than many other outdoor speakers in/near their price class - They make grilling and hanging out on the deck just that much more enjoyable Cons: None
AW5500 Great Sound Written By John S., Nahma, Mi on Sunday, September 01, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) We have wanted new speakers on our front deck for some time. I haven't bought speakers for some time and was unsure of the sound quality of a sealed outdoor speaker. My family and neighbors love the sound. The AW5500s sound awesome, two of these on zone 2 of our Onkyo TXSR 875 readily fill this area with great sound. Easily the best small outdoor speaker I have heard!
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By Gary J, Wilmington Nc on Thursday, August 15, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) The speakers are great. They were a lot better than I expected. Sound is Great.
High quality outdoor speakers Written By UpHillEd, Colorado on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) i recently purchased two pairs of AW 5500. They sound excellent, as advertised. My comparison outdoor speakers are Bose 151's and Boston Acoustics Soundwave compact outdoor speakers. The sound quality, tone and range is much better than both the Bose and BA. I'm pleased with them. Pros: excellent tone, range and general quality Cons: large for outdoor speakers, but that's all relative.
Definitive Technology Outdoor Speakers AW5500 Written By Dave T., Long Island ,NY on Tuesday, August 06, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I decided to get these speakers since I have this brand for my home theater setup(Pro Cinema 600- huge Bang for your Buck). Was originally going to power these via my Denon AVR2809CI...but the process of wiring was quite detailed considering where I was going to mount them. Fortunately, my backyard entertaining area allowed me to put these on my garage. So I wound up buying a 2 channel SONY A/V receiver/Amp - 75watts/Ch. I was a little hesitant to use an inferior amp as far as Quality/Power, but once I got these speakers going I was more than happy. I mounted them horizontally, about 16 inches below the garage soffit with the bass radiator facing up...can definatley hear bass along with treble and mids. There is a break in period for these or any speaker...so if they are going to sound better with time...I will be even more pleased than I am now. Pros: Defintive Technology Quality. Paintable surface. Very easy to mount. Cons: None.
Definitive Technology AW 5500 Written By Java_Joe, Downingtown, Pa on Sunday, July 14, 2013 VERY NICE Speakers!!! I am soooooo pleased with my selection of these for my outside deck. I'm running them off Zone 2 of my Denon 2312CI system and they sound great! The tweeter and midrange are crystal clear and I hear instruments playing in the music I haven't heard in my other speakers. I have them installed under the eaves of the second floor and quite close to the house. They are separated appx. 11 feet horizontally and are located appx. 4 feet above seated position. They are pointed to a focal point appx. 10 feet onto the deck. I've adjusted the bass a little from the receiver as I believe my speaker placement hurt the base a little. But I'm very happy after he adjustment. Installation was easy but customized. The speaker brackets have the installation holes for mounting 10 inches apart and my joists under the eaves are 16 inches on center. Since the speakers are somewhat heavy, I felt uncomfortable hanging the speakers from the vinyl covering the underside of the eaves. So, I screwed the bracket to a 1 inch by 2 inch and 10 1/2 inch piece of wood and screwed the center of the wood up into a joist. This way I have sufficient support for each speaker. Again, very nice speakers.
Great Performance and Quality Written By AI, Houston TX on Friday, July 05, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Nice sound quality, great manufacturing materials, simply a very good product. I installed in a gazebo and they are connected to a Yamaha receiver....very good sound. Pros: Quality in sound all levels high and low, great bass Cons: None
Definitive Technology AW 5500 Written By Wesley, Raleigh, NC on Tuesday, June 04, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I mounted these on my screened in porch about a foot under the ceiling on the wall with the right one about 3 ft from the corner of the adjacent solid wall and the left one about 6 feet from the open screened wall. They are running off Zone 2 of my Denon 3212. I have them EQ'ed slightly to bump treble and bass just enough to remove the mid honk. I haven't broken them in yet, only about 10 hours of moderate volume play so far, but really I am impressed with the sound stage they create! I was thinking I may still need a Sub at some point, which I may as I tend to be a bass head, but for a smaller set of speakers that got full spouse approval (after I painted them to match the house and the 6500's were just a little too large to be acceptable) they sound awesome! Diverse range of music testing so far from Gary Willis' solo bass to JT to No Doubt to Dethklok and it all works well and with good detail and really good low end. Having them so close to the ceiling with the passive radiator just about a foot away and almost perfectly parallel to the ceiling surface helps a lot I'm sure!. I'm not sure they would do so well out in the open without the coverage to help amplify the low end. It'll be interesting to see how they do when I've got them broken in. I think the 6500's would sound better, however, for the price and the fact that the size is not overly distracting and got full spouse approval makes these solid winners! Pros: Size, paintable, sound, detail, range extension with really good low end, easy to mount. Cons: None yet.
Def. 5500 Written By Speakers, Allenwood, NJ on Tuesday, June 04, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Looks great, sounds great, what more can I say. Pros: Easy to mount, adjust and comes apart to clean. Cons: None so far
Definitive Technology AW 5500 Written By DavidJ, Oklahoma City, OK on Friday, May 24, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Excellent speakers. Purchased to replace an existing set of outdoor speakers that were barely adequate. Great sound, extremely easy mounting bracket.
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By Anonymous, Orchard Park, NY on Friday, May 10, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Good sound.
Excellent Written By Bruce, Philadelphia, PA on Sunday, March 24, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) These sound absolutely awesome. I upgraded from mid range pair of yamahas. Theyre under the roof in my covered porch, connected to my HTPC. I have around 10 hours on them, and they really do sound very nice. Best sound I've ever heard in an outdoor speaker. Excellent base and crisp highs. I explained to Daisy that I wanted full sound, at low to moderate volume levels, and she recommended these. I have turned them up to test drive, and they sound great at high volume. For my purposes though, listening at low volumes, they also sound great. Nice deep base with very low volume. I'm very pleased. Pros: Just sound great. Cons: Had to drill some holes in the mounting bracket for my application to mount horizontally on a vertical stud. Not really a big deal though.
Awesome Outdoor Sound! Written By Dusty Mark, Florida on Friday, February 01, 2013 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) We finally decided to use our lanai for something other than drying the step-son's sweaty workout clothes. The bugs in FL are an issue so we're having it screened in. We selected these speakers at the recommendation of Budddy, a Crutchfield advisor. We have a busy, four-lane road adjacent to our back yard so there is a lot of competing noise. The Def Tech AW-5500 speakers put out plenty of clear highs and mids with strong bass to help mask the traffic noise. The speakers are mounted on a support beam about 9' above the seating area and 1' below the ceiling. This gives the bass something to reverberate off of. I connected the speakers to our Yamaha home theater receiver on the B channel. I wired in a Russound WALTX-2 volume controller and installed it behind my place on the love seat. The volume control allows me to adjust the music for traffic and wind conditions. I give these speakers a strong five-star rating. I'm normally a Klipsch person, but these Def Techs probably put out more bass than the comparable Klipsch. I'm extremely happy with the full sound of these speakers and highly recommend them! Pros: Bright highs and mids. Strong bass. Easy installation. All-weather. Full sound.
Solid Speaker Written By Mark, Virginia on Sunday, September 30, 2012 Bought these speakers to enjoy music on the back deck, pool area, and near the home outside and I am very pleased with them. Great sound, bass, highs, these speakers do it all. Opted to go with these rather then the 6500s and do not regret it. They produce plenty of sound. Pros: design, sound, mounting ease Cons: none
Happy Ears! Written By Jeff K, New Orleans, LA on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I bought these Definitive Technology AW 5500 speakers about 3 months ago while my house was being remodeled. I had plenty of time to perform the suggested 30-40 hour break-in period at moderate volume levels by hooking them up to the surround sound system at my temporary quarters. I recently moved back into my newly remodeled house and installed the AW5500s on the covered porch ceiling and close to the wall. They sound awesome! It is not very often that my expectations of a product are exceeded by the products performance. Pros: Easy to install, Sound great and look great. Cons: 30-40 hour preak-in period before you can really crank them and hear the true quality.
AW5500 Outdoor Speakers Written By Mike, Rhode Island on Sunday, July 15, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I selected the Defenitive Technology outdoor speakers becuause I trust them. I have my surround sound system from Defenitive Technology in my town house in Florida and they sound fantastic. These speakers are well built which will be able to withstand the New England weather.. The specifications are right there 40hz to 20Khz and a signal to noise of 91. You wound be dissapointed with these speakers. Pros: S/N Ratio and the 40hz to 20Khz range. Good bass responce. Cons: None.
Finishing touch for a new patio Written By Ian, Leesburg, VA on Sunday, July 08, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I was a bit leery of ordering something without being able to hear it first, but I knew a little about Definitive and with Crutchfield's return policy, I figured it was worth the risk. Installed them on a screened porch, totally protected from the weather and close to the wall and roof to maximize bass response. I've only had them up and running for a couple of days, but so far, I love them. Easy to listen to with just about any kind of music...not harsh, but they do provide a good detailed sound and crisp bass for their size. Installation was very easy as well. These will not be returned! Pros: Crisp, clear, full sound. Easy installation. Good bass response. Cons: None.
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By Anonymous, Chicago il on Friday, June 29, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Overall good speakers nice bass and easy set up Pros: Good bass, sturdy speakers and brackets for outdoor use Cons: Pricey compared with similar models
Very Impressive Written By MH123, Cinci,OH on Thursday, June 14, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Wasn't sure what to expect since this was my first outdoor speaker. I have been very impressed. Install was a breeze and we have been enjoying ever since.
Definitive Technology AW 5500 Written By Anonymous, Little Rock on Sunday, May 27, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Awesome full range sound
Nice speakers, easy installation Written By David R, Bluffton, SC on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I just received these speakers late yesterday afternoon and also got them installed on our back patio. First let me say that the installation was a breeze! I have Hardieplank exterior walls (a cement type product) which require masonary type screws. Total cost from Home Depot for the masonary bit and the 3/16" x 1' 3/4' screws needed was about 7.00. I marked the location for the screws using the provided speaker bracket, drilled the holes, screwed the screws in about 3/4 the way, slid the bracket onto the screws, and tightened the screws. Both speaker brackets were installed in less than ten minutes! As far as the sound quality overall, they are very warm sounding. There is quite a bit of bass output. I turned them up using the 140 watt per channel amp I am using to drive them and they sounded good. However, these will require a breaking in period (per DefTech's manual) before these will really shine. After three hours of continuous use I could already tell a difference in the sound than right out of the box. I am confident my review will change to a full five stars after the break-in period is complete. Great speakers at a great price equals a happy customer. Pros: Very easy instalation, good sound quality after a break-in period Cons: None so far
Great Speakers Written By Paulo, Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) After a long search for outdoors speakers I found these as the best in the market. I installed a pair in my outdoor kitchen and they sound awesome. I also bought 2 rock speakers to install close to my outdoor fireplace. But honestly, I would not need them since the quality of sound delivered by these speakers would cover that area too. The only reason I kept the rock speakers is because I added them as "zone 2" in my receiver. So I can listen different channels in the kitched and fireplace or even music at fireplace and game in the kitchen. Since these speakers are connect to my TV. I strong recommend these speakers. But please, don't save money on wiring cables. Make sure to use properly cables. HDMI
As Good As it gets for the Money!! Written By EZ_E, Socal on Thursday, December 01, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Installed them in the corners of my patio cover and they really produce quality sound for an outdoor space. bass response is good when mounted under the eave and projects very well. Very happy. Pros: These speakers and mounts work fantastic. Easy set up and installation. Cons: Wish they had mounts that rotate right and left
Great Sound! Written By Corey, Charles Town, WV on Friday, May 20, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great Speakers for the money. I have two of these on my screened in back deck, and they sound great. There is moderate bass and crystal clear sound, even at the louder volumes. The outside volume controller (seperate purchase) is awesome and well worth the $100. I would buy these again, and after lots of research, I think I got the best speakers for the money.
Great outdoor speakers on a moderate budget Written By Brian, Austin, TX on Friday, April 15, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Great speakers, easy to mount even in akward locations, feel sturdy, sound very good. Only negative for me is the 3 inch yellow sticker that comes attached to the grill telling users to point the speaker face with the driver and tweeter toward the listening area - the sticker is right on the grill and impossible to remove entirely, so a good looking speaker ends up tainted with sticky white backing.
Definitive Technology AW5500 Written By MikeH, DeBary, FL on Monday, January 17, 2011 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) Fantastic speakers. Wired them up under my lanai roof against the wall and the results were exactly what I was trying to achieve. Highs are bright and detailed without the harsh brittle sound, while the low end is well rounded and full. Maybe try and get at least one of them mounted in a corner if possible to accentuate the lows. Getting lows out of small drivers, especially outdoors can be a challenge. Bass frequencies are non-directional so having one of my speakers in a corner gives good overall spectrum. I love them.
Great high end, decent bass respone Written By David, Weston, CT on Thursday, September 23, 2010 Crutchfield Customer Review (What's this?) I was looking for a speaker with strong bass for my patio. These have decent bass but extremely clear high end which fills the outdoor space well. Good solution at the price.
Great Outdoor Sound Written By Chad, Minneapolis, MN on Friday, July 23, 2010 Just hooked these up last week, so they still aren't fully broken in yet, but they sound great already. They produce good bass for an outdoor setting. We had 75 mph winds the day after I put them up so I can say with confidence that the brackets and speaker enclosures hold up to the elements.
Video: Definitive Technology Outdoor Speakers by Tara W. Definitive's AW 5500 and AW 6500 outdoor speakers provide dynamic, full-bodied sound. Their ultra-rugged build means they can be fully exposed to the elements.


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Letter, Clarina Nichols to Mr. [Thaddeus] Hyatt Author: Nichols, Clarina Irene Howard, 1810-1885 Date: October 4, 1856 This letter, written from Elmira, New York, provides a neat outline of Clarina Nichols' goals and motivations. It deals with her speaking engagements on the situation in Kansas, her goals for the future, her family, and her belief that Susan B. Anthony would be a great help to the free state cause. Location of Original: KSHS Call Number: Thaddeus Hyatt Collection, #401, Box 1, Folder 4 Item Number: 101446 Number of images: 5 Keywords: Anthony, Susan B.; Free state cause; Free state militia; Hyatt, Thaddeus; Lectures; National Kansas Committee; New York; Nichols, Clarina Irene Howard, 1810-1885; Pennsylvania; Relief; Temperance movement; Women |
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The Cast on Where We Left Off: Inside The Killing
Mireille Enos and the cast of The Killing dissect the unanswered questions from the first season.
Mireille Enos and the cast of The Killing dissect the unanswered questions from the first season.
"Some secrets you can't escape." The cast of The Killing give us a taste of the intrigue that's in store for season 2.
The cast and crew of The Killing discuss the many ways in which the setting of Seattle and its rainy climate inform the look and themes of the series.
Director of Photography Peter Wunstorf and the crew examine the visual vocabulary of the show and how it is used to evoke emotion and tell the story of the search for Rosie Larsen's killer.
The cast of The Killing discuss the raw and charged season finale. For detectives Linden and Holder, the case has become personal and the need for justice is palpable. But when things come full circle, does this need supersede the quest for truth?
In Episode 11 of The Killing, Sarah releases all the frustration that has built up to this point; her partnership with Detective Holder deepens; and she is forced to answer the fundamental question of what is more important, her career or her son?
Mireille Enos and the cast of The Killing consider the pivotal points in Episode 10: Stan takes responsibility for his actions; a new suspect emerges; Rick draws a line in the sand; and when all seems lost, another clue reveals itself.
The Killing costars discuss the pivotal Episode 9 of The Killing: Sarah has a moment of weakness and makes a terrifying mistake; Richmond is schooled in what it means to be a politician; Mitch shames Stan into doing the unthinkable.
Forces come to a head in Episode 8 of The Killing: Darren confronts the past when his wife's killer is freed; Jack's act of rebellion forces Sarah to face reality; the relationship between Detectives Linden and Holder takes a new, honest turn.
The Killing costars discuss the mounting pressure in Episode 7, "Vengeance": Stan takes Bennet to the water's edge; the clock ticks for Sarah's relationship with her fiance; Darren is at loggerheads with his campaign team.


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Two favorite games, spun into one.If slots and bingo got married (in Vegas, of course!) and had a child, this would be it. Slingo is a popular, addictive game that combines the excitement of slot machines, the fast-paced fun of bingo, and the brain-tickling challenge of wild-card strategy. Pack away your daubers, spin the wheels, and hope for a cherub, 'cause you're on your way to a full card!
1.Click the flashing red Start Spin button to spin the slot-machine wheels.
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Sounds exciting!
Anything asynchronous sounds good to me.
Phoronix: Linux Kernel To Get AIO Performance Improvements
The Linux Kernel A-synchronous I/O support has been receiving some performance improvements and clean-ups that should soon be merged to mainline...
Sounds exciting!
Anything asynchronous sounds good to me.
This probably would help IO response times inside your VMs, but I am not sure if you would notice any effect on the host.
When you start a VM, Linux could evict pages from cache to make room for it, which would affect system response times. It could also be that your system is IO limited.
The kernel's VFS layer provides AIO functions. However, writing programs that take advantage of asynchronous operations requires more effort than those using their traditional UNIX counterparts. Utilizing AIO provides no benefit unless your program is a daemon that can do other things while waiting for IO.
Do you have a lot of RAM?
It took me a long time to figure it out, but I noticed on my system (32GB RAM) that the settings for VM dirty_ratio and dirty_background_ratio are not nearly low enough -- even 1 is not low enough. What seems to be happening is that during heavy write activity, the system caches writes until it has hundred of MiBs or more in the cache, then decides to write it to storage and that seems to block other processes and can cause the system to nearly freeze for seconds at a time.
My partial solution is to use dirty_bytes and dirty_background_bytes instead. I currently set them to 96MiB and 32MiB:
echo "100663296" > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_bytes
echo "33554432" > /proc/sys/vm/dirty_background_bytes
That much can be written to storage in less than a second. It seems to help. The mulitple second freezes are mostly gone.
Last time I checked you had to specifically link your program against libaio to get true Linux AIO, using non standard system call io_submit(2) and friends.
Standard POSIX AIO (aio_write(3)) on Linux is a kludge implemented by spawning blocking threads in the glibc. Red Hat and Novell rolled their own implementation of POSIX AIO on top of Linux AIO for their OSes.
Nginx, a popular high-perfomance webserver, should benefit from these patches. It has asynchronous design and it supports file AIO in Linux. Would be interesting if phoronix had tested its performance with and w/o the patches.