text:
Independent production
Mickey Aberman will probably work 60 hours this week at his law office. Hell work two more each night after he gets home. Right now, on this weekday morning, his desktop is buried under thousands of pages of case files that he should be scrutinizing, but hes seated at a conference table, trying to explain why he spent $100,000 to buy a video store. Finally, he gives up. Im not sure why I did that. It was pretty stupid.
Aberman, 55, practices business law at James McElroy & Diehl PA in Charlotte. During his 28 years there, he has developed hard-and-fast rules for clients who want to buy something. Among them: Avoid dying industries, partners youre not familiar with and haste. Know the numbers, not just how much youll need to buy the business but keep it going. And I proceeded to disregard all that.
When he bought it last year, VisArt Video was having a store-shuttering liquidation sale, its Durham-based owners battered by giant Netflix Inc. Abermans partner is Gina Twiggy Cerniglia, a fervent Occupy Charlotte supporter whose skin is a mural of Homer Simpson tattoos and piercings. He agreed to buy the place in just minutes, closing the deal in two weeks. He did make a cash-flow projection afterward and his investment paid for the inventory, but he cant afford marketing. Or ransom. (More on that later.)
VisArt distributes a pamphlet touting that its one of Video Business magazines top 100 chains in the nation, but it isnt a chain anymore, and Video Business ceased publication in 2010. Video rental peaked in 2001, according to Encino, Calif.-based Entertainment Merchants Association, when it hit $8.6 billion. By 2010, that had dropped 28% to $6.2 billion, and Los Gatos, Calif.-based Netflix and Redbox, a subsidiary of Bellevue, Wash.-based Coinstar Inc., generated $3.4 billion, up from $1.3 billion three years earlier. The technologies they use for distribution Netflixs online and mail-distribution model and Redboxs unmanned kiosks have made brick-and-mortar retailers bit players. The share of industry spending at stores dropped from 92% in 2004 to 36% in 2010.
VisArt is the lone survivor of a small, once-successful North Carolina chain and employs roughly the same business model its first owner unveiled in the mid-1980s. Customers roam its red-wire shelves in search of movies, which they can rent after showing a membership card. If a patron is tardy returning the movie, he is charged a late fee. In fact, most everything about VisArt is old-school, from the staff picks its four employees make to its adult section. It didnt even have a website until recently. And as opposed to the McDonalds-like conformity of Blockbuster, VisArt is fiercely independent. A sign taped to the front counter reads: Please dont let your kids run wild, its letters cut from magazines. A painting hanging above the TV section reads Good Grief and depicts The Simpsons-shaped figures gloomily bowing their heads, a local artists take on Peanuts Charlie Brown.
Despite its unwillingness to adapt or maybe because of it Aberman thinks VisArt should be preserved. He and his wife used to wander through independent bookstores when they were dating, and when his kids ages 12, 15 and 19 were younger, VisArt introduced them to Rocky and Bullwinkle. We need our quirky mom-and-pop stores, he says, arguing his case. Charlotte has less of a soul than a lot of other cities have. It seems to have a preference for sanitized chains. Buying VisArt is his chance to make a change, similar to something his father would have done. I havent done that much good. This is good. Hes got big kahunas, longtime patron Tommy Nations says. No one takes on something like this purely for business.
He was born John Mitchell Aberman, a seventh-generation South Carolina Jew. Theres more of those than people realize, he notes. His grandfather owned a successful scrapyard, but his father didnt inherit the same kind of business savvy. Edward Aberman converted a denim mill into a double-knit factory just as denim boomed and poured $150,000 into a restaurant that never opened. My dad was a horrible businessman. But he did help a lot of other people.
Eddie, as people in Rock Hill called him, recruited at least a dozen companies to York County, S.C. He co-founded its economic-development board and an agency that builds homes for the mentally handicapped. He died 12 years ago. Every small community in the South has a godfather who operates from a truly altruistic standpoint, says Mark Farris, the countys director of economic development. For Rock Hill, that was Eddie. He also was his sons best friend.
Mickey Aberman started as a theater major at the University of Virginia, where he helped revive The Washington Literary Society and Debating Union. Its activities included drunkenly reciting limericks on the steps of Washington Hall. (The group instituted the Aberman Amendment, fining members a quarter if they told a joke so awful nobody laughed.) After graduation, he attended business school at the University of South Carolina, where he was named outstanding MBA student in his class. He thought he might teach or become a writer but went to law school at UVA because he missed Charlottesville and a family friend guaranteed him a clerkship. It was never the law, he says. I just sort of fell into that. He started at James McElroy & Diehl in 1984, trying his hand at litigation but settling into business law. He made partner at 29. He got married and had kids. He bought a house in the affluent Myers Park neighborhood and, with a few friends, a cabin on a few hundred acres near Mount Mitchell. He plays harmonica in a local band. But his career, the law, has lost its luster, he confesses.
Theres more evil than there was 25 years ago, he says. And its getting worse. Every week, he turns away potential clients with good cases but not enough money. That, rather than justice, is what fuels the profession. The recession and its aftermath havent helped his outlook. Clients went broke. Some would call, asking him to review their life-insurance polices to make sure the beneficiaries would collect if they died no matter why or how, he says. That makes for a bad day. He often tells himself hes going to find something different to do. Then I dont.
He had been a VisArt customer since about 2000. We kind of decided the Disney Channel has a lot of real shit. And Nickelodeon. If the kids were going to be in front of the TV, we thought wed give them a little bit of a cultural education. They got Buster Keaton movies and Monty Python and the Holy Grail from VisArt. But when he went there on New Years Eve 2010, a clerk told him it was closing, selling off its stock for $3 a piece. He asked for the number of the manager.
Cerniglia, the woman who would wind up as his partner, recalls that phone conversation. He was just like, You cant do that. You cant sell these things. Some of these things are priceless. You cant sell them. Its like a museum here. She told him to call the owner, Andrea Kubachko.
Kubachko and her husband, Clay Evans, had opened VisArt Video Services Inc. in the mid-1980s. It started in Durham and expanded to Chapel Hill and Carrboro, but the Charlotte store, which opened about the time Aberman became a customer, was its only one outside the Triangle. At its peak, VisArt ran about 10 video stores and newsstands with sales between $1 million and $2 million. It outlasted Blockbuster by carrying the independent and art-house flicks the megachain didnt, but overhead made it impossible to compete with online vendors. Where we really took the biggest hit was the advent of Netflix and being able to download movies onto your computer, Kubachko says. When it hit cyberspace, thats when it was difficult. They started closing branches around 2007 and dissolved the company last year.
She had offered to sell the Charlotte store to Cerniglia for the price of inventory, about $100,000. Cerniglia, who has worked there since 2003, had collected donations, arranged some benefit concerts and screenings, even sold some of her collection of rare action figures but raised only about $5,000. Thousands of dollars in debt from her daughters diabetes treatment prevented her from borrowing the money from a bank, she says. They even laughed about it. They were like, Theres no way, no way youre getting a loan.
After learning the asking price, Aberman did some quick math Well, second kid might not go to college and telephoned Kubachko from VisArts childrens section. Five minutes later, she called the store and ordered the clerks to stop purging inventory and lock the doors. We really like the idea of local, independent business, says Linda MacDonald, Abermans wife. The thought of one actually going under when we couldve done something to save it She lets the sentence die. And the kids were thrilled.
They werent the only ones. Local media outlets and VisArts customers hailed Aberman as a savior. Video store hero is lawyers latest role, a headline in The Charlotte Observer read. Yeah, its crazy, says Nations, 62, who watches at least one VisArt rental every day. All heroes have to be a little crazy.
And if this were a movie, thats where the story would end.
If Twiggy doesnt show up, shes probably in jail. The co-owner with sweat equity in whats now VisArt Video Ventures LLC will spend Monday protesting the polices eviction of Occupy Charlotte from the front lawn of old city hall. If things get ugly, Cerniglia, 36, had warned a writer she might not make it to their meeting at a bar across the street from the video store. It needed to be somewhere close because she didnt have a drivers license at the time.
This is Abermans partner, the person tasked with running the store. But if you think shes slack about the business, youre wrong. She buzzes from mission to mission, whether its restocking the candy inventory or running down a request from a customer seeking comedies with aviation themes. She is rather high-strung, once chiding Aberman who she believes is part of the 1%, when he is closer to the 4%, he says for attempting to restock movies without undergoing the proper training. Ive gotten lucky with Twiggy, he admits. Its just luck. She couldve been an alcoholic ax murderer. So the Abermans try to be silent partners, helping out with things such as taxes and bookkeeping.
The Charlotte store wasnt in as dire straits as the chains others because it leased less space about 3,000 compared with 7,000 square feet and revenue, which owners past and present wont disclose, improved slightly last year. Cerniglia has expanded merchandise to include T-shirts and action figures, and it has gained customers due to its competitors missteps. In an effort to cut its postage costs by nudging customers into streaming movies online, Netflix increased the price of DVD service last summer. So a lot of people dropped Netflix and came back to us, Cerniglia says. VisArt racked up 200 new members now more than 14,000 in January after a crosstown Blockbuster announced it was closing. The store typically adds half that each month.
Thats where the good news ends. Though sales increased, so did rent, and the business is losing a few hundred dollars each month. Aberman wants to distribute fliers in the neighborhood around the closing Blockbuster and advertise on local public radio, but he cant afford marketing. They tried Groupon but had to discount too much. They forgot to renew registration of the websites domain, which was taken hostage by Jamaican cyber squatters. If it were a staff or family member, it would just have to die, Aberman says, because he cant afford the ransom. Because of its budget, the store is at the mercy of good Samaritans. Nations, for instance, designed a new website in exchange for free rentals. What I really need is a third business partner who can channel Steve Jobs, Aberman says.
The boost it got from its competitors blunders last year was fools gold. Though bricks-and-mortar retailers receive most new releases 28 days before Netflix and Redbox, VisArts biggest draw is its inventory more than 30,000 titles that is huge compared with those kiosks and the average stores 2,500. But Netflix has more than 100,000 choices on its DVD-by-mail plan, and though its streaming service doesnt offer nearly that due to licensing restrictions, it will. When that happens, its momentum is going to displace a lot of physical stores, says Alejandro Zentner, an assistant professor of management at University of Texas at Dallas who has published several studies on the industry. Redbox recently inked a deal with a subsidiary of New York-based Verizon Communications Inc. to develop a streaming platform.
Though he harbors altruistic tendencies, Aberman is a realist who keeps track of closings of independent video stores across the country. The good news, he says, is that were hanging in there despite not doing anything we should be doing. But can the business survive long term like that? Probably not. I dont know. Twiggy seems to think so.


text:
Marija Lesnik
Real Reviews
Real reviews from fellow travellers
These are trusted reviews from guests who have actually stayed here. We hope you find them helpful.
Note: we only give a property a rating once it has received a minimum of 3 reviews.
- Page:1/1
- " Room was lovely and the hostel is situated in a perfect location on the main road in to Bled. This sis make it a bit noisy at night as there was traffic constantly passing by. It was useful having the kitchen facility as breakfast was hard to come by in Bled. A toaster would be an essential addition though, along with some coffee. "
- 12 Aug 2014 Alice England
- " Loved my stay. The kitchen view was a pleasure and while I could not share it with others at the time I'm sure it makes a cosy common room. Thanks for the advice, Maria. What with your local knowledge and the nearby tourist office everything was covered. "
- 01 Jun 2013 Graham Australia

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The spring of 1997 wasn't a pleasant time for many concrete producers and contractors in Minnesota, where the wet November and harsh winter of 1996-1997 produced an incredibly high number of callbacks related to concrete scaling.The Bauerly Companies, which operate 20 ready-mixed plants, had customers reporting many more problems that were not common to any one area, supplier, product or contractor. Even contractors who used recommended practices and regularly had their workers attend training classes were experiencing scaling problems. As a result, homebuilders and developers were considering alternatives to concrete for driveways and patios.Bauerly managers took a proactive approach to the scaling problem. That, according to Bauerly Quality Control Manager Tom Rogers, "involved gathering more information and partnering with both our suppliers and customers."The first step was a meeting attended by suppliers of cement, admixtures and curing and sealing products.The next step was gathering samples of scaled concrete from all four of the Bauerly Companies' sales regions, grouping similar symptoms or defects, and then submitting samples to American Engineering and Testing for petrographic examinations.Bauerley then invited contractors and owners to partnering meetings. A majority of contractors from every region believed cement was changing and causing the problems.Within 30 days of the first round of meetings, AET hosted a problem-solving meeting. Attendees decided a concerted effort in the following four areas had the highest likelihood of improving exterior flatwork quality:
Air Entrainment
Produced onsite with basic equipment, cellular concrete is an economical way to solve a...
The Minnesota-based company acquires Hanson's Maple Grove facilities.
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2016 Hanley Wood Media, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
Variable WS9 : Households using this toilet facility
Type: Continuous
Format: numeric
Width: 2
Decimal(s): 0
Range: 1-99
Valid case(s): 2901 (2903.8)
Invalid: 3003 (3041.1)
Minimum: 2
Maximum: 98
File: ch
Source of information
Head of household or other responsible household member
|Ten or more households
Warning: these figures indicate the number of cases found in the data file. They cannot be interpreted as summary statistics of the population of interest.
Literal question
How many households in total use this toilet facility?
Interviewer instructions
Questions WS7, WS8 and WS9 are about the toilet facility household members use. --- The purpose of the following two questions is to determine whether the household shares their sanitation facility with other households. The shared status of a sanitation facility is important because shared facilities can be less hygienic than facilities used by only a single household. Unhygienic conditions (faeces on the floor, seat or wall and flies) may discourage use of the facility. --- The total number of households using this facility should include the household being interviewed. If less than ten households use this toilet facility, enter the number of households on the line provided. Circle '10' if ten or more households use this toilet facility. Note that '01' is not a valid response (since it means that this is the only this household that uses the facility; if that is the case, you should go back to WS8 and correct the response there). Circle '98' for 'DK' ('Doesn't know').


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CYRK: Vintage Polish Circus Posters
Best of Architectural Digest Home Design Show
- Location: online only
- Website: contemporaryposters.com
Store History
- Headquarters: New York, NY
CYRK...Polish circus/art posters, with their most recognizable subjects and unmatched popularity, are the quintessential posters of the golden age of the Polish School of Posters -1945 (the end of World War II) through 1989 (the fall of Communism). During this time, the Polish Government financially supported and encouraged poster art. Posters became the primary art form of the nation. The art of Polish posters attained international fame, becoming established as the best in contemporary/vintage poster art.
My personal favorite find at the Home Show this year was a collection of vintage circus posters created during Poland's communist era. The bold, colorful, seemingly-fun designs incorporate subversive themes if you take a closer look.
During the communist years between 1945 and 1989, Poland didn't produce many goods, so the government decided to activate the culture and creativity within its people as a substitute for economic capital. They hired artists to make beautiful posters for the circus to advertise when the show was coming. There's a common Y shape hidden within many of the pieces, a symbol of the resistance movement in which many artists participated. Because the work itself had to be approved by the Polish government before production, these artists skillfully hid meaning in shapes, analogies, and patterns.
As decorative items, they are reasonably-priced original prints that feature gorgeous hand-lettering and vibrant inks. Pieces with scribbled-on edits are even more fascinating. You can find a large collection of these historical CYRK designs at Contemporary Posters.


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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Preschool In A Box: ABC Box
42 comments:
- Wendy Hawksley said...
THIS is adorable! If my son was still preschool age, I would totally do this. What a fun and cute way to learn about associating letters with the beginning sounds of words!
- September 29, 2009 at 7:35 AM
- The Activity Mom said...
I have been trying to collect things and put them in containers but this storage idea is WAY better! You do have a lot of little items that fit in there. That is awesome. I like the idea for the foam mat too. Very neat. Thanks for sharing this idea!
- September 29, 2009 at 8:09 AM
- Amanda said...
I love it! I don't think I have that many tiny little letter things at our house though! I guess I need to start collecting little trinkets! This was an issue when I was making Mad's I Spy bottle too!
- September 29, 2009 at 8:31 AM
- Christy said...
This is a GREAT idea.
- September 29, 2009 at 9:09 AM
- Cindy said...
This is awesome. Love it.
- September 29, 2009 at 10:16 AM
- teachmama said...
NO WAY!! Absolutely love it. Have to make one myself. How totally, completely, and utterly F.U.N.
- September 29, 2009 at 12:48 PM
- Mama King said...
What a great idea! I can see it being a big hit with my two girls. They seem to love all things mini.
- September 29, 2009 at 1:55 PM
- The girl who painted trees said...
Great idea. I made one this morning. Haven't posted it, yet, but will link you when I do.
- September 29, 2009 at 4:01 PM
- The girl who painted trees said...
Here's ours: http://theadventuresofbear.blogspot.com/2009/09/alphabet-boxes.html
- September 29, 2009 at 4:24 PM
- jlbee said...
- September 29, 2009 at 5:16 PM
- Anne said...
Yay! Your alphabet box is awesome! I am so excited that you made one, and it's great that you found so many fabulous objects just from rummaging around your house. I love sharing ideas with you! Anne
- September 29, 2009 at 7:45 PM
- Ida i Québec said...
Oooh, what a great idea! I'm putting this is my bookmark-folder for "ideas to do"!! LOVE these kinds of affordable, fun and educative things to do with children.
Ida @ http://teaforthoughts.wordpress.com
- September 29, 2009 at 9:21 PM
- Bridgett said...
That is a really marvelous idea.
I think something like this would work for just about any child.
- September 29, 2009 at 9:47 PM
- Elise said...
What a fabulous idea. A box full of treaures to learn all about the alphabet - love it!
- September 30, 2009 at 3:25 AM
- Mari-Ann said...
Love love LOVE this idea!! I am going to make one right now! Thanks for sharing this idea!
- September 30, 2009 at 7:48 AM
- Amy Jo said...
That's great! I can't believe how many little things you have to put into each box. Maybe I should stop throwing itty bitty "things" out and get a box for our house too!
- October 1, 2009 at 4:34 PM
- Infarrantly Creative said...
Thanks for coming by, that is how I felt when I saw your name in Family Fun!
- October 1, 2009 at 10:01 PM
- Dana Barbieri said...
This is so great. I have already begun collecting items for the box. Thanks so much for this idea!
- October 6, 2009 at 8:16 PM
- Katie Gonzalez said...
i love this idea! thanks for sharing!
- October 8, 2009 at 12:14 AM
- Teaching My Little BookWorm said...
this would be an AWESOME gift! i might have to do it for christmas! wonder how much it would cost?? HUMMM saving this for future thoughts!
- October 10, 2009 at 7:18 PM
- molly said...
Oh, good golly, why did I never think to do this at home? I was a Montessori girl for TEN years, and both my boys are/were Montessori kiddos. I remember loving these letter drawers (gulp) 30 years ago! Target, for craft box, tomorrow... Thanks for the great notion! (BTW, stumbled over here via SimpleKids, and am loving the blog!) Molly
- November 29, 2009 at 10:00 PM
- SkylarKD said...
What a fantastic idea! I'll have to see if I have a bunch of tiny things to make one, though! Too bad it's not yard sale season anymore!
- November 30, 2009 at 7:15 PM
- Cathy said...
I just stumbled upon this idea and I am thinking that I need to try this. My only concern is that they might just take everything out and it would get scattered and lost. Has that happened yet at your house?
Anyway, GREAT blog. I am subscribing right now!
- January 5, 2010 at 7:43 PM
- pink and green mama said...
I haven't found pieces scattered everywhere. I was a bit surprised but the girls have really been respectful with the alphabet box and have kept it together. On occasion I will find a trinket that is "mis-filed" in the wrong drawer but that's only because my 2.5 year old doesn't know all of her letters yet.
pink and green mama
- January 6, 2010 at 9:50 AM
Love this idea!! What a great way to introduce the letters. I have lots of ideas to fill each drawer. Sadly, I couldn't find this box at Walmart. Which department did you find it in?? Thanks for your help!
- August 8, 2010 at 5:21 PM
- pink and green mama MaryLea said...
I found the box in the hardware department at Walmart.
I hope this helps! I think you can find them at Lowes/Home Depot as well.
- August 8, 2010 at 9:15 PM
- Kim said...
This is so great - my son is 4 and knows all his letters but we're moving ahead with practicing letter sounds so he can start reading. BTW...what font did you use for the letters? I was also thinking of just picking up scrapbook sticker letters to use instead of printing out but like the font you used. Great blog!
- September 15, 2010 at 9:52 PM
- pink and green mama MaryLea said...
I can't remember what font I used but I think scrapbook letters would be a GREAT time saver!! : )
- September 16, 2010 at 7:34 AM
- The Activity Mom said...
I'm making one of these for my kids and my storage thing is too large. I have a lot of extra drawers. Any thoughts about what I should turn those drawers into (since you've had yours for awhile)? Blends? Diagraphs? Vowel combinations?
- November 28, 2010 at 8:33 AM
- pink and green mama MaryLea said...
@ The Activity Mom --
I have a few empty boxes on ours too...I haven't come up with the perfect solution for them. Right now I use ours to store extra letters. I think any of your ideas would be great!!
: )
pink and green mama,
- December 2, 2010 at 10:26 PM
Hi, I know this is from ages ago but I'm working on my alphabet box and am having trouble with some of the letters. Do you have any pictures of the contents of some of the harder letters? X,Y and Z for example?
- August 3, 2011 at 7:57 AM
- pink and green mama MaryLea said...
@ Redwin --
Here are my answers for those tricky letters!
X - I have a picture of an X-Ray that I "laminated" with a piece of clear packing tape so it won't rip.
Some folks go with the "X" sound so they would include an Ax, Wax, Fox, Box....but I think that's a bit confusing.
Y - Yarn, Yellow, Yak (again, a little picture)
Z - Zebra (small toy), Zipper, Zero, Zig Zag (piece of ric rac)
Hope this helps!
- August 3, 2011 at 10:02 AM
- AP Mommy said...
This is such a great idea - just ordered the box off Amazon and some 'doodads' from Etsy to stock my box. I'll be hunting for some pictures online to print out and laminate during nap time today. Thanks for sharing your creation (and for the xyz ideas!)
- September 6, 2011 at 11:34 AM
- AP Mommy said...
This might help other readers - this is the box that I purchased.
- September 6, 2011 at 11:36 AM
- Craftysquirrel said...
Having just bought Mariah Bruehl's book "Playful learning" I have been looking at the toys and experiences I provide at home - I love this idea, and I am enjoying looking at your old posts - what an amazing treasure trove of ideas!
I am making a personalized alphabet photo book and this fits in well with that. Can't wait to get a box and get started!
- September 14, 2011 at 2:13 AM
- AP Mommy said...
Wanted to share our box with you - thank you so much for the great idea!
- October 5, 2011 at 11:02 AM
- Lauren said...
I saw in the comments that someone found some miniatures for the drawers at etsy. Could you post a link? Or do you have any suggestions on where to find some mini items? Thanks so much!!
- December 14, 2011 at 12:13 AM
- pink and green mama MaryLea said...
@ Lauren,
I found some tiny trinkets on Etsy at the TimeforTots shop : http://www.etsy.com/listing/65880760/tiny-object-complete-collection?ref=pr_faveitems
Hope this helps!
- December 15, 2011 at 5:50 PM
- Deb Chitwood said...
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, MaryLea! You did a great job with your alphabet box! I featured your post and alphabet box photo in my DIY Alphabet Box post at http://livingmontessorinow.com/2011/12/26/montessori-monday-diy-alphabet-box/
- December 26, 2011 at 7:24 AM
Just wanted to add that I got my drawer box at AC Moore for those of you who have one near you. If you use one of their weekly 50% off coupons, you can get it for $15. Jess
- January 1, 2012 at 8:29 PM
- ~The Bargain Babe said...
Another Z suggestion--little picture of a Zoo sign.
Y--could be a picture of the child "YOU"
X--candy wrapper from some "Xtreme sour" candy... Warhead type things...I've seen a candy that was called "Xtreme" but can't think of what it was.
- January 3, 2012 at 12:17 AM
- OneMommy said...
Such a cute and simple idea!
- January 3, 2013 at 3:11 PM
Blog Archive
- ► 2013 (75)
- ► 2012 (164)
- ► 2011 (152)
- ► 2010 (172)
- Preschool In A Box: ABC Box
- Barbie Play School In A Cardboard Box
- Snail Love: Homemade Gary The Snail
- * Kid's Art: Mixed Media Rainbow
- * Paper Plate Color Wheel Toddler Matching Game
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Magnetic Tree
- * Kid's Art: Fun With Tape Resist
- Tooth Fairy Pillow Instructable
- Who Lives In a Pineapple Under the Sea? Home Made ...
- Felt Finger Puppets
- First Day of First Grade- Backpacks and Snack Boxe...
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- Back To School Teacher Gift
- Snail Love
- Backyard Clothesline Part Two
- Backyard Clothesline
- ▼ September (16)


text:
A Los Angeles landmark dedicated to the late member of the Beatles has been destroyed by actual bugs.
A pine tree planted 10 years ago to honor the songwriter has fallen victim to a beetle infestation and will have to be replanted, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The tree, planted in the city's Griffith Park, had grown to be more than 10 feet tall.
It was planted in L.A. as a tribute to the musician, who spent his final days in the city before his death in 2001, the Times reported.


text:
Nothing Compares To The Iowa State Fair
(Des Moines) -- Nothing Compares...that's the chosen theme for this year's Iowa State Fair that begins today (Thursday). Fair Board director and Plymouth County resident Dave Hoffman says the theme fits the eleven-day event.
Listen to
Hoffman says there are plenty of free attractions again at this year's fair with the traditional butter cow sculpture and also featured is a Disney classic.
Listen to
Hoffman says the Kids Zone has been improved, and two other popular exhibits for the youngsters includes the Little Hands on the Farm, and the Animal Learning Center.
Listen to
The different featured foods always seem to be another highlight of the Iowa State Fair, and according to the fair official, food taste better when its on a stick.
Listen to
Hoffman says the famous comedian known for his "Git R Done" catch phrase is already in Des Moines filming segments for his television show. He says Larry the Cable Guy will be serving up pork burgers and pork chops as he is scheduled to be a celebrity chef at the Iowa Pork Tent. In recent years, the Iowa State Fair has had over a million attendees, and Hoffman believes if the weather forecast holds true with a break in the heat wave, then the state fair will again have a record or near record attendance.
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Nov 16 2011
Are You Ready to Use Less Stuff? Use Less Stuff Day – The Garage Plan Shop
Did you know the Thursday before Thanksgiving is Use Less Stuff Day? It is a day for us to commit or pledge to reduce our resource consumption during the holiday season. It is time for all of us to start a new holiday tradition. Get your kids, family and friends involved and make the commitment to work toward an earth-friendly holiday season.
These ideas should help you get started:
- Plan to recycle. Set up bins to collect gift boxes, wrapping paper, holiday greeting cards and envelopes, beverage cans and bottles. Tell your guests what to recycle and where to place the items so they don't end up in the trash can.
- Use fewer disposable paper products and eating utensils. Rent dinnerware, glassware and silverware for a large holiday party or ask guests to bring their own for a smaller gathering. This will eliminate paper plates and plastic cups, forks, knives, etc. from going in the trash.
- Use less energy. A large crowd will warm your home. Turn the thermostat down a few degrees before guests arrive.
- Don't buy too many groceries or prepare too much food for a holiday gathering. If you do prepare too much, send leftovers home with guests or reheat them the following day for yourself. Try your best not to throw away usable food.
The commitment is easy. Tell your friends and family about Use Less Stuff Day and make a pledge to participate in an earth-friendly holiday season without sacrificing the fun and joys all of us look forward to each year.
For more ideas about Use Less Stuff Day, please visit www.use-less-stuff.com.


text:
British Invasion: Samuel Smith Organic Cider?
Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 7:24 AM | oldtimeydave | Print Article
For me the release of Samuel Smith's Organic Cider comes completely out of left field. I've long enjoyed Sammy Smith beers and ales. Their Oatmeal Stout is one of my favorites, the Imperial Stout is tops, the Winter Warmer a Holiday favorite for sure and the Organic Lager and Ale always hits the spot. Let's face it for a larger independent brewer they represent consistent quality, and you can buy it absolutely everywhere and drink it most any time.
Sammy Smith's new cider holds true to standards set by it's hopped and malted forefathers. They call it an "Organic" cider and the label boasts the tag line "Produced from Organically grown apples.". That doesn't mean this isn't a cider produced from organically grown apples turned to concentrate. I haven't found any information that states whether or not it is or isn't. So who knows... The back label carries a USDA Organic logo up top. By Organic standards it looks legit.
I'd call Sammy's new cider a real solid medium sweet cider. It possesses nicely fermented apple flavors and was a lot bigger on taste and quality than I had expected. The sweetness is pleasantly backed up and balanced with a wee bit of tartness and acidity which I find absolutely necessary in a drinkable cider.
To sum it all up Samuel Smith's Organic Cider isn't as dry as I would like (not much is), nor as complex as I'd like (ditto) and I'd love to see a bit of tannin zip and zing to it (amen). It is however a really great "Daily Driver" and for what it is, what it costs and who it is competing against it is a terrific addition to the growing number of quality ciders on the market. If you like the Strongbows, Blackthornes, and Magners out there or if you are even just starting to look into enjoying ciders you are sure to enjoy Samuel Smith's new organic cider and I whole heartedly recommend it. This could be your "gateway" to real ciders.
Enjoy and if anybody out there is able to find it and give it a try, I'd love it if you would drop on back by and tell me what you think.
Got suggestions or even review requests? I'd be happy to oblige and/or add them to my list of "to-do's". In the not to distant future I hope to review 2 of my absolute Northwest favorites... Westcott Bay Ciders from San Juan Island Washington and Wandering Aengus from Oregon. Not to mention a couple bourbon recommendation.
Thanks for reading.
Update: Ran across a new post about Sammy Smith's new cider here http://blogs.timesunion.com/dowdondrinks/?p=504


text: Spent close to a week this August with a tigoat vertex 5, borah bivy, EE revX 20* quilt, and a BA pad, spent most nights on opposite ridges of where I was trying to hunt and found because of the steep terrain that setting up the tigoat vertex 5 and getting the proper pitch was damn near impossible. Does anyone know of a way to accomplish this using a fixed pole? I'm contemplating dumping the vertex 5 altogether and using a ID Nestor Bivy, but before I pull the trigger I thought I'd ask here.


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30 pythons killed so far in Florida's python hunt
Published: Friday, January 25, 2013 at 10:10 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, January 25, 2013 at 10:10 a.m.
MIAMI — More than 1,000 people signed up to hunt Burmese pythons in the Florida Everglades, but just a fraction of them have been successful so far.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Friday that 30 of the invasive snakes have been killed in the competition that began Jan. 12.
Wildlife officials say eradicating pythons from the Everglades was never the goal of the monthlong "Python Challenge." Instead, they hoped to raise awareness about the snake's threat to native wildlife and the fragile Everglades ecosystem. The snake faces both state and federal bans.
No one knows for sure how many pythons live in the Everglades. Researchers say the hunt is helping them collect more information about the pythons' habits.
The competition ends Feb. 10.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Sea Ray 510 FlyBy Capt. Bill Pike
Hip & Happenin'
Sea Ray's 510 Fly has oodles of plush onboard elbow room, a set of super-muscular scantlings, a mile-makin' V-drive powerplant, and an out-of-the-box joystick option from Cummins.
It was a mangy day on the Banana River. Beneath a gray glowering sky, rain pelted out of the east, carried along by 15-knot easterly zephyrs that, given the north-south orientation of our testing venue, hadn't enough fetch to build up much of a sea. We'd just finished the last speed run of the day and I was calculating our average top hop. "Right at 27.3 knots," I said, looking up from my iPhone's calculator. "Not bad for the standard engine package."
"Yeah," replied Sea Ray test driver Tom Donnelly, his fingers laced atop the steering wheel at the upper helm station of Sea Ray's new 510 Fly. "And I'm bettin' she'll go some faster with the optional 715-horsepower engines. You wanna drive her now, Bill?"
Climbing behind the wheel was purest déjà vu. Over the years, I've sea trialed a passel of Sea Ray cruisers, express cruisers, fishboats, and performance boats (yup, Sea Ray once built speedsters as well as fishing craft) and, as always, the consistency of the brand engendered a certain comfy familiarity.
I hunted the steering console for a moment, and soon found the Bennett tab controls, located to the right of the wheel and just below. Then I checked our position via a Raymarine HybridTouch screen on the dash, cast a fast glance over the stern to make sure there was nobody coming, and, with a tingle of boat-drivin' anticipation, eased the Twin Disc sticks off neutral and into the go-go realm.
The ride was super smooth. A mile or so south of Bennett Causeway, with our 601-horsepower Cummins QSC8.3s going full chat, I spun the wheel to port with a vengeance, the point being to approximate maximum heel as well as the tactical diameter of a hardover turn. Our 510 answered her rudders with a comfortable but exhilarating inboard-leaning swoop. Looking back, I put the diameter of our turning circle at a broad three boat-lengths, maybe four, a finding that's typical of inboard boats, especially those with widely-spaced props, rudders, and tunnels like the 510's.
"Very satisfying," I noted while cranking another rousing turn, this one to starboard. The behavior that resulted was just as sure-footed and mannerly as before. No prop ventilation. No chine-hopping forward. No slide at the transom. No scariness at all. Just a good, solid, predictably enjoyable romp.
"Ever use the tabs?" I asked Donnelly, easing off on the sticks for a nice, 20-knot cruise back to the barn. Earlier, while seated at the standard lower helm station, I'd powered the boat out of the hole several times without deploying the tabs and had not once lost sight of the horizon over the bow, despite a rather steep six-degree maximum trim angle. "Nah," he replied. "Just to even 'er out in a cross wind. Otherwise, you don't need ,em."
If anything, the breezes were even more gusty back at the marina on Sykes Creek. "Not exactly the best weather for docking a boat," said our third crewmember, Bill Gowan, Sea Ray's director of engineering. Gowan seemed a tad nervous. Our 510 was the very first Sea Ray to be outfitted with the new Cummins Inboard Joystick system, a nifty control package that uses computer technology to manipulate a twin-engine inboard's mains and her bow thruster (as well as her stern thruster if fitted) to produce joystick maneuverability. Most likely Gowan was hoping I'd be favorably impressed with the system, once I'd finished backing the boat into her slip with the joystick and then again, for comparison's sake, with the sticks alone, and one or both thrusters if needed. But Mother Nature didn't seem to be cooperating fully.
Our docking experiment went nicely, nevertheless. The joystick evinced roughly the same capabilities I'd experienced with Cummins Zeus and other pod-type products, although the upper helm station's unit, which incorporated both bow and stern thrusters, generated more rotational oomph than the unit at the lower helm station which (for demonstration purposes) employed the bow thruster only. One minor foible announced itself, though. While the maneuverability I got from the new system was robust enough at both upper and lower stations despite the wind, it was also occasionally uneven and herky-jerky, a characteristic I attribute to our high-powered Vetus thrusters being non-proportional—they were either on or off, with nothing to soften thrust in between.
How did the old-fashioned, sticks-alone technique stack up? I gotta say—backing the 510 into her slip with her binnacle controls (and just a couple of bow thruster taps at the onset) was pretty darn easy too, although in my opinion there's one undeniable disadvantage to such old-timey arrangements, at least by comparison with virtually all modern joystick systems. If an inattentive, inexperienced or overly anxious boathandler gets himself into a dicey spot, I'd say there's only one, wholly reliable tool that will save his bacon by smartly walking his boat sideways out of trouble: a joystick! And this feature alone, I think, justifies the moderate ($12,000) cost of adding the optional Cummins system to the 510's V-drive configuration, a move that, after all, is considerably cheaper than opting for the pricier, more maintenance-intensive (albeit perhaps smoother and more precise) full-up joystick-enabled Cummins Zeus pod package ($99,167) that Sea Ray offers.
"You're gonna love this, Bill," said Gowan with a grin, lifting a big hatch in the 510's cockpit so I could check out the engine room. After descending a ladder with barefoot friendly composite treads, two things immediately struck me. First, the structure in the bottom of the boat was massive. The engine bearers, for example, (with drilled-and-tapped backing plates molded inside beneath the engine mounts, according to Gowan), were almost 10 inches wide, well over 18 inches high, and seriously buttressed by an array of equally beefy transversals, port and starboard. And second, the place was chock-a-block with top-shelf ancillaries, from a couple of shorepower-massaging Charles Industries IsoBoost Transformers outboard of the port engine to the thoughtfully-installed Groco sea strainers and Racor fuel-water separators at the rear, with each strainer logically positioned right above its matching separator. Moreover, the walkway between the mains was well over 3-feet wide, headroom was about 5 feet 5 inches, all dipsticks and filters were conveniently inboard-mounted, and an alcove forward (which held thruster batteries and electrics on our test boat but was designed to also house a Seakeeper gyro stabilizer if optioned) was appointed with carefully loomed, labeled, and tie-wrapped wiring, a big, solidly composed buss bar, and lots of rubber-booted insulators.
I toured our 510's interior with Sea Ray's program manager for product development Chris Walker, the guy who'd overseen the actual design and completion of the boat. The most striking aspect for me was the seeming immensity and layout of the full-beam, amidships master stateroom—not only was it huge, bright (thanks to three large, chevron-shaped windows on each side), and precisely finished, it had standup headroom where it was needed. Indeed, I found I could walk around the queen-sized berth like I was in a hotel, with nary a fear of knockin' the ol' noggin'. And the en suite head, just forward of the starboard-side dinette, only bolstered my enthusiasm, thanks to a residential-style tile floor and a comfy teak benchseat in the acrylic shower stall.
The rest of the 510's three-stateroom-two-head layout was fairly straightforward, except that the windows in the saloon were the largest ever installed on a Sea Ray, according to Walker, and the lazarette beneath the cockpit lounge was big enough to double as a crew's quarters with a few modifications. And then there was one more rather nifty little detail.
While the flying bridge was invitingly expansive (with lounge areas fore and aft) and boathandler-friendly (thanks to a large, easy-to-see-through companionway opening), it also offered a very innovative type of access. Instead of a hatch that swung open above the opening, Sea Ray had installed a sort of horizontal pocket-type door that slides sideways across it. When not in use, the darn thing is totally out of the way. Virtually invisible!
"You folks at Sea Ray," I told Walker, after snapping the door smoothly open and closed a few times, "are always comin' up with stuff that's hip and happenin'."
"We try," replied Walker with a grin. "We try."
Click here for Sea Ray's contact information and index of articles ➤
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This article originally appeared in the March 2014 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.


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Charlotte Sham
Overview & Details
- Pre-washed for cozy softness.
- Machine wash.
- Made in India.
- Exclusively ours.
Pieced from strips of yarn-dyed solids and vibrant stripes, the gorgeous Charlotte sham design takes the classic patchwork quilt to a new level of colorful sophistication. Meticulously hand-quilted in dozens of inviting colors, the welcoming Charlotte sham is finished with a neutral pinstripe binding and backing for stylish contrast. Pre-washed for cozy softness, our easy-care Charlotte sham is crafted from 100% cotton with 100% cotton fill for the ultimate in blissful comfort. You'll look forward to slipping under the Charlotte quilt every night of the week! The sham will help create a room-defining style you'll love.
For a beautiful blend of color and whimsy, mix, match and layer the Charlotte patchwork sham with our Summer Dogs and Turtle Crossing percale sheets and bedding collections. The vibrant patchwork pattern stylishly blends with the playful dog and turtle prints to create a unique bedding look uniquely suited to your tastes. Exclusively ours, you'll only find our essential handcrafted Charlotte sham at The Company Store.


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May 25, 2016
November 14, 2012 by Julie Montanaro
Two separate fires were set in a Tallahassee home just before midnight Tuesday.
Neighbors spotted dark smoke coming from the attic of a home at 1507 Lake Avenue and saw flames beneath the house.
Firefighters say one fire burned a hole through the bathroom floor and another fire in a bedroom closet was out when they got there.
The house is vacant, but neighbors say transients have been squatting there.
It has been ruled an arson. The state fire marshal's office is investigating.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Design by: Marie Murray and Rosemarie Fagan
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Afghan: 38″ square; Dalmatian Toy: 10″ tall x 12″ long; Hydrant Toy: 18″ tall.
Materials: Yarn Needle; Worsted Weight Yarn;
Afghan: Red (R): 9 oz, 495 yd (252 g, 446 m); Blue (B): 9 oz, 495 yd (252 g, 446 m);
Tan (T): 3 oz, 165 yd (84 g, 149 m); Brown (Br): 1 oz, 55 yd (28 g, 50 m);
White (W): 1 oz, 55 yd (28 g, 50 m); Black (Bl): 1 oz, 55 yd (28 g, 50 m); Gold (G): ½ oz, 28 yd (14 g, 25 m);
Small amount Grey (Gr) and Yellow (Y);
Dalmatian Toy: White (W): 6 oz, 330 yd (168 g, 297 m); Black (Bl): 1 oz, 55 yd (14 g, 50 m);
Small amount Red (R) and Yellow (Y); Fiberfill;
Hydrant Toy: Red (R): 8 oz, 440 yd (224 g, 396 m); Grey (Gr): 6 oz, 330 yd (168 g, 297 m);
White (W): 1 oz, 55 yd (28 g, 50 m); Fiberfill.
Crochet Hook: Size H-8 (5.00 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge.
Crochet Pattern for Fire House Afghan and Toy
Your child's imagination can run wild with the hottest crochet pattern for little boys. Your little one can spend hours fighting fires and rushing to the rescue with the crocheted Fire House Afghan and Toy Pattern. Check out the 3D accents that add to the fun and excitement. Your junior firefighter will have plenty of practice before becoming full-fledged. Fire House Afghan and Toy Crochet Pattern include instructions for the Fire House Afghan, Dalmatian Toy, and Fire Hydrant. Make just the crochet afghan, or make all three pieces for a complete crocheted set. Now there is no excuse that boy play time Afghans are hard to find. This crochet pattern is the perfect project for any little boy in your life, and makes a creative gift.
Fire House Afghan and Toy Crochet Pattern uses a worsted-weight yarn for a sturdy afghan that will hold up to the hard play time it will get from a boy. The afghan is about 38 inches square, which is large enough to snuggle under or lay on the ground for hours of fun. The fire hydrant is close to life size at 18 inches tall. The Dalmatian toy dog is a good size for cuddling or play at 10 inches tall. The extra details found in this pattern set make it an intermediate crochet level. There are so many fun elements in this three piece pattern set that makes it a fun kid's crochet project. Turn up the heat and start making this Fire House Set crochet pattern for your favorite boy.
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Orders are generally shipped within 1-3 business days of the order being submitted to us. We ship orders Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week with the exception of any major US holidays. Our shipping and handling charges include the costs for Customer Service, processing and postage. Shipping and handling is non-refundable. We accept payment through PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover Card. We do not accept Cash, Checks or Money Orders; please do not send these to us!
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Our policy lasts for 60 days. If 60 days have passed since your purchase was made, unfortunately we can not offer you a refund. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase be sent with your return. Please do not send your purchase back to the product manufacturer. There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted: Books with obvious signs of use Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error. There are certain situations where no refund will be granted: CD or DVD that has been opened Clearance/Bargain Items - Only regular priced items may be refunded, unfortunately Clearance/Bargain items cannot be refunded.
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Maggie's Crochet Brand offers download versions of most of our products. Adobe Reader is required when opening the patterns. If you do not have Adobe Reader installed on your computer or device, you can download it here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/. Please note: Using other programs such as Preview or PDF Complete will cause printing errors and more. Due to the nature of downloadable products, we cannot and will not refund the cost of the item. If the item is a Maggie's Crochet Brand pattern, we can generally mail the pattern to you if you are having trouble downloading. Shipping and handling charges will have to be charged using a credit card by phone. Some downloads are not available to ship out - these are noted and all sales are final on those products. If you are not sure, please contact customer service.
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Any person in violation of our copyright will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This site is owned and operated by Maggie Weldon Designs. All the content on this site, including but not limited to photographs, pattern designs, logos and text is owned by Maggie Weldon Designs. All materials contained on this site are protected by both United States and International copyright laws and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Maggie Weldon Designs. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. A copy of downloaded patterns may be printed by the purchaser, for personal use only and are not to be distributed. Items made from Maggie's Crochet patterns may be sold, however a notice must be attached to each item giving credit to both Maggie's Crochet and the pattern designer.


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Can Dubai Revive Its Crazy Mega-Construction Boom?
Before the Great Recession, Dubai built some truly flamboyant real estate projects, including the world's tallest skyscraper and an archipelago of man-made islands. Now, Dubai wants to return to the days of such massive projects, but this time around, financing will be much harder to come by.


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Benetton Sport Perfume
By Benetton for Women
Benetton Sport Perfume by Benetton, Launched by the design house of benetton in 1999, benetton sport is classified as a refreshing, flowery fragrance . This feminine scent possesses a blend of a fresh floral scent. It is recommended for casual wear. All products are original, authentic name brands. We do not sell knockoffs or imitations. ... Read More
3.3 oz Eau De Toilette Spray (Tester)
Item #524476
Testers are even more discounted than the fancy boxed versions and are great if you don't have a need for the fancy packaging... Read more Testers are 100% authentic, fresh and completely full just like the original fragrance, however they are meant for the counter in a department store. Testers often come in a plain white box but sometimes they do not have a cap or box.The savings on the packaging means you save even more!
In Stock & Ready to Ship!
Price with Coupon
$ 13.56Add To Cart
3.3 oz Eau De Toilette Spray
Item #417407
In Stock & Ready to Ship!
Price with Coupon
$ 19.12Add To Cart
This product has 4 Out of Stock items |
0.04 oz Vial (sample)
Item #421217
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
About Benetton
History and background of Benetton. Luciano, Giuliana, Gilberto and Carlo Benetton, launched the activities of the Benetton Group in 1965. The company is today present in about 120 countries around the world. Its core business is clothing with the fashion-orientated United Colors of Benetton and Sisley brands, The Hip Site, the brand for teenagers and the sportswear brands Read more about Benetton
More Benetton fragrancesfor Women: Inferno Paradiso Pink , Hot Perfume , Funtastic Girl , Benetton Magnetizing Jasmine , Cold , more
for Men: Colors , Cold , Funtastic Boy , Benetton Sport , Colors Cumbia , more
See all Benetton products
Customer Comments
My Wife was very pleased with her gift and i with the price which i thought would have been much more. Thanks again
S. Dault (Quebec, CA)
Reviewed by 2 customers
Sort by
- Clean & Fresh
Best Uses
- Anytime
- Daily Use
Comments about Benetton Sport Perfume:
Well my order have a small leak during the transit but i email to customer support and i really appricated they response. I will order again..!!
- Fragrance Type:
- Fresh/Aquatic
- Clean & Fresh
- Great Smell
- Great Value
Best Uses
- Daily Use
- Work
Comments about Benetton Sport Perfume:
i KNEW ALREADY THE PRODUT, AND AS I WORK WITH CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS I THINK THAT A I HAVE TO SMELL GOOD, A PERFUM THAT MAKES OTHER PEOPLE ENJOING THE COMPANY, MY PRESENCE ..., IN MY OPINION ITS A IMPARCIAL PERFUM, VERY PROFISSIONAL, FOR ALL TASTES.
- Gift:
- No
- Fragrance Type:
- Fresh/Aquatic, Woody/Earthy


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Voices Behind the Scenes
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The performers of audio books can enhance or disparage a novel if their voice does not agree with you. Some readers have amazing multiple vocal registers: male, female, young, old.... They are able to be different characters and carry out dialogs and conversations without you realizing they are one and only.
Crystal Clear
Actress Cassandra Campbell who has worked at the Mint Theatre in N.Y. has the sharpest and most intense modulations in Michelle Moran's novel The Heretic Queen and Adriana Trigiani's novels Lucia, Lucia, The Queen of the Big Time, and Brava, Valentine.
Soft and Warm
Carrington MacDuffie's narration of The Year of Fog or No One You Know, two very emotional stories by Michelle Richmond , will move you deeply. Her voice can be compared to Orlagh Cassidy's in Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series. Orlagh was awarded Best Voice in Mystery & Suspense in 2008 for An Incomplete Revenge.
Judging the quality of a recording is of course very personal. Nonetheless, it is impossible to deny that a sleepy voice such as Janet Song's in Peony in Love by Lisa See or John Lee's in The Pearl by Steinbeck does not honor the value of the books.
There is also the annoying high pitch voice, the inconsistent one (rising and falling), the forced and artificial foreign accent....
Specific Accents
On the other hand, some are a real delight and joy: you may shed tears of laughter listening to Rosalyn Lander's British inflections in Sophie Kinsella's novels. She adds to the humor and quick wit of the scenarios.
Also on the humorous side, Lisette Lecat offers a very charming version of Alexander McCall Smith 's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series with her South African overtones.
Indian actor Sumil Malhotra must be mentioned for his brilliant and enthralling performance of the best seller novel Cutting for Stone by A.Verghese. His accent intensifies the drama of the book.
Self Reading Authors
Some authors prefer to read themselves. However, not being professional actors they sometimes harm their own work: for example R.P Evans's in Finding Noel, an otherwise very moving story. John Grogan's monotone voice in his autobiography The Longest Trip Home renders the book irksome and it lacks the warmth and humor of the original creation. Johnny Heller was so hilarious and entertaining with Grogan's first book Marley & Me, that the contrast is drastic.
A Convenient Format: Playaways
The San Mateo County Library offers an extensive collection of books on CD. The Playaway format is getting very popular as well. A Playaway is a pocketsize device on which the whole book is recorded : you just need to put a AAA battery and plug in your earphones . You may also hook it up in your car like an iPod.
Reading is acting: an art in itself. Some actors' names, well known for their talent, may influence the choice of a patron over the book or audiobook version.
You may get spellbound by the voices, do not forget to concentrate on the road!
Photo credit: dave.kobrehel
Author Bio:
Jocelyne C. has a forty minutes commute to get to her second job but actually enjoys it thanks to the library.
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The Rough Guide to Mexico is the ultimate travel guide to this fascinating nation: with clear maps and detailed coverage of all the best Mexican attractions – this completely revised, full colour edition features new, easy to find practical sections, full transport details for every location and new colour maps.
Discover Mexico's highlights with stunning photography and information on everything from Baja California's beaches and the silver towns of the Bajío, to the jungle-smothered ruins of Oaxaca and Yucatán. Find detailed practical advice on what to see and do in Mexico City, relying on up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels, bars, clubs, shops and restaurants for all budgets. The Rough Guide to Mexico also includes detailed itineraries covering the best of the country, as well as things not to miss and regional highlights detailing the most unforgettable experiences.
Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to Mexico.
Now available in ePub format.


text: Hutson (Christiansen) helped lead Butler to four consecutive conference volleyball championships and the best single season record (29-7 in 1988) in school history. The talented middle hitter was a three-time all-conference performer, Butler's Most Outstanding Offensive Player (1987) and Co-Most Valuable Player (1990), and a Co-Player of the Year in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (1990). She set a host of school and conference records during her four seasons, finishing her final campaign in second place on Butler's all-time lists for hitting percentage, service aces, block assists and total blocks. An Academic All-American and a recipient of a 1991 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, Hutson became just the second female athlete from Butler to receive the MCC's Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor for outstanding achievement in athletics, academics and extracurricular activities.


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The Hunted
Release Date: March 14, 2003
Running Time: 94 mins.
MPAA Rating: R
Box Office: $34,238,611.00
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
In the green woods of Silver Falls, Oregon, Aaron Hallam, a trained assassin AWOL from the Special Forces, keeps his own brand of wildlife vigil. After Hallam brutally slays four deer hunters, FBI Special Agent Abby Durrell turns to L.T. Bonham - the one man who may be able to stop him. At first L.T. resists the mission. Snug in retirement, he's closed off to his past, the years he spent in the Special Forces training soldiers to become skilled murderers. But when he realizes that these recent slayings are the work of a man he trained, he feels obligated to stop him. Accepting the assignment under the condition that he work alone, L.T. enters the woods, unarmed and plagued by memories of hi...


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Hotchkis Sport Suspension Install - Rebound Rock-SolidWritten by on July 26, 2011 Being able to corner isn't an option
So you're cruising down the highway, and the speedometer is ticking off numbers a little higher than the posted speed limit. But you're not worried—your Mopar is factory stock and can handle anything you throw at it. Are you sure that your stock suspension can handle that corner? What if your stock suspension is 30 years old—not just in design, but in actuality, because you have yet to rebuild it? Even if it is rebuilt, are you sure that it can handle anything? What about that fast-approaching corner that you just noticed? Even when they were new, our muscle Mopars were not known for their cornering capabilities. We could go straight at a very fast rate, but cornering and stopping was not considered one of our car's strong suits. So as you try to decelerate while going into the corner, one of the thoughts that might be going through your mind could either be, I hope I make it, or I hope I don't roll over! Body roll was never much of a thought when our cars were new, but now, in the 21st Century, we're used to cornering characteristics that are better than that of a box of marbles on a sheet of ice.
Like I said, the suspension might not be what it used to be, and that corner is still coming up quick. You managed to apply the brakes hard and get it around the corner, but you also scared the bajeezes out of yourself. If only there was a way to upgrade your Mopar's suspension without breaking the bank. There are many upgrade suspensions available, but many utilize a completely new k-frame, and sometimes serious modifications. What if you still want to upgrade but don't want to completely change your Mopar? That's where Hotchkis Sport Suspensions comes in.
According to the guys at Hotchkis, their sport suspension advantage is improved handling for your car, SUV, or truck. Not only are Hotchkis Sport Suspension components engineered to fit properly, they are finished in durable finishes including gloss powdercoating, bright polish, colorful anodizing, silver zinc, and gold cadmium plating.
A couple of months ago (February '11 issue), we showed you how easy the Hotchkis subframe connectors are to put in, so we thought we would Hotchkis-ize the rest of the car by adding their upper control arms, leaf springs, and sway bars. The arms and leaf springs are a direct bolt in, but the sway bars will need to have the brackets welded in. Overall, the job was easy, and we even did it without the use of a lift—just a couple of jackstands, and some wrenches.
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The Hotchkis front sway bar requires welding a tab to the lower control arm. The directions give you a measurement to go by. The welding is the hardest part of the install—especially if you don't have a welder—and if you are not sure of your welding skills, a friend or shop should be able to handle this.Once you have the tab welded in place, finish attaching the bar as required. The bar comes with all of the brackets you need, and since our bar goes through the k-frame, spacers are supplied to properly locate it through the opening so it doesn't rub.The Hotchkis upper control arms are specifically designed to correct excessive caster gain and create the proper negative camber curve.The arms are TIG welded, light weight, and are gusseted for strength. They also feature adjustable rod ends for maximum adjustability.We skipped over the step about how to get the old control arms out, because it's pretty straight forward. One thing to keep in mind is that the Hotchkis arms eliminate the soft bushing used in the stock control arm. Eliminating this bushing makes the car handle better and the ride firmer. The arm is attached in the factory location, and other than your original caster/camber bolts, the hardware needed is supplied.After removing the old strut rod—either by removing the nuts and the lower control arm, or cutting it in half and prying it out—the new, adjustable strut rod can be installed. Since your car is at least 30 years old, removing the lower control arms and replacing the lower control arm bushing is highly recommended. It wouldn't make any sense to replace all these items and then leave the worn-out bushing on the lower control arms.The factory Mopar lower strut rod has limited adjustability—and once again, bushings. The bushings make for a softer ride but don't do much for helping the handling characteristics. The Hotchkis strut rod dramatically improves the cornering performance and steering response of your ride. Designed to positively locate the lower control arm, these strut rods will improve responsiveness and driver control. The adjustable design features 5⁄8-inch rod ends, CNC bent brackets, and lightweight TIG welded 7⁄8-inch tubing. We measured our old strut rod's length before we removed it, to get us close. A trip to the alignment shop when we're done will be required.
The springs and included front mount are designed to lower the ride height 1-inch, which reduces the vehicle's center of gravity.The rear sway bar is another easy install. Loosely hang the bar from the rear axle using the supplied hardware. Don't tighten anything yet, as you will have to adjust and center the bar.The next step involves locating the frame bracket for the sway bar links. We attached the links to the frame bracket and the bar and located the bracket that way. We were then able to mark the bracket location for welding.Once located, remove the link bars, clean the area on the frame to be welded, and hit it with the welder. Again, if you're not sure about your welding skills, a friend or competent shop can do this for you.Once the paint dries, it's time to attach the bar to the bracket. You want to keep the link bar as vertical as possible.Once the bar is attached on the ends, locate the sway bar axle-mount to be level, and then tighten the U-bolts.Just because we happened to do our install on an A-Body, you B- and E-Body guys don't need to feel left out. Hotchkis has complete Sport Suspensions and subframe connectors for you as well, and the install is just as easy.


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Traditional Living® Premium Laminate - English Walnut - Sample
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AMES, Iowa Iowa State assistant wrestling coach Chris Bono announced Wednesday that he is resigning his position to pursue opportunities inside and outside the wrestling community.
I have been in wrestling a long time, Bono said. I am looking at options and considering what is best for my family. They are my first priority.
Bono just completed the first season of his second stint as an assistant coach for the Iowa State wrestling team. He had been head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga for three previous seasons (2006-09).
More online at Iowa State University Athletics Official Web Site - www.CYCLONES.com - The home of Iowa State Cyclone Sports.
Twitter: @ChrisMWilliams
Facebook: Cyclone Fanatic
HUGE loss but kind of saw it coming...too bad.
What's the reasoning here? Why did you see it coming?
Originally Posted by Clonegrad07
What's the reasoning here? Why did you see it coming?
Bump - come on give, 9008.
"There are five real good recruits in the state. We got three of them. One couldnt get into school, and the other went to (the University of) Iowa...which is about the same thing." - Coach Johnny Orr
Originally Posted by Clonegrad07
What's the reasoning here? Why did you see it coming?
possibly something to do with Long getting the boot????
Originally Posted by ISU BET
possibly something to do with Long getting the boot????
This is an assumption, but I would assume it is related to salary. He is pretty well known and could probably market himself for greater compensation than an assistant wrestling coach makes. He had a great career after college but maybe now it is time to step away from the sport to provide for his family...
Too bad for us. Guy is a cyclone legend and a great ambassador for the sport.
Kinnick smells like syrup.
would not be surprised if he felt like he should be the head coach.
"Hug It Out."
Originally Posted by dundermifflin
would not be surprised if he felt like he should be the head coach.
If that was the case, why leave your head coaching job to take on an asst coaching position? that doesn't make sense.
Bono will be missed, yet good luck to him and his family in the future no matter what they decide to do.
good luck in your new ventures,chris.thanks for your contributions to the wrestling team.
This is terrible news. Bono was a great guy, and a blast for Cyclone fans to hang with. He seemed so excited about Cyclone wrestling and the recruits they were involved with.
I think something's seriously amiss with the wrestling program.
Originally Posted by ISU BET
If that was the case, why leave your head coaching job to take on an asst coaching position? that doesn't make sense.
That's what I'm thinking. Something doesn't add up.
Well lets see here he was a finalist for the UNI job so obviously he was looking for something bigger...among other things that i cant say on here.
Originally Posted by superman_101680
That's what I'm thinking. Something doesn't add up.
I think when you suddenly up and quit your $80,0000/yr. coaching job, with nothing certain lined up (as far as I know), and with a wife and kids to support, it says there are issues within the program.
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Kristy Jackson brings it back home
Kristy Jackson
Presented by the Woody Hawley Concert Series
WHERE: Clay Center
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
INFO: 304-561-3570 or www.theclaycenter.org
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Kristy Jackson said a lot of things in Charleston have changed since she was a kid living just off Lucado Road.
"It's quite different from what I remember it," the singer/songwriter said. "Back then, it was just a sketchy two-lane road leading up to Rolling Hills Road. I'm just amazed. I don't know how my parents ever navigated the thing back then."
It's been a while, but the South Charleston native, best known for penning Reba McEntire's hit "Take It Back," returns to Charleston on Saturday for the Woody Hawley Concert Series.
Jackson spent the first 12 years of her life in West Virginia. Her father worked at Union Carbide. Her family lived in South Charleston and then on Rolling Hills Road.
"But when I was 12, we moved to Connecticut," she said.
The years in West Virginia were formative ones, though. It was where she started tinkering on the family piano. Jackson thinks she must have been about 4 years old.
"I just started playing," Jackson said. "My parents tried to get me into instruction. They'd sign me up for piano lessons and I'd just quit playing. It became a job and the joy kind of went out of it for me."
Her parents finally gave up on getting her formally trained. Jackson never learned to read music, but she figured out tunes and wrote songs.
"Maybe not good ones," she acknowledged, laughing. "I was little, but I got better."
In her 20s, Jackson moved to North Carolina, played music and sent songs to Nashville, hoping one of them would attract the interest of a country star or record label.
None of them went anywhere until after 1990, when Jackson wrote and recorded "Take It Back," a pop-country song with R&B and beach music leanings.
A DJ in North Carolina heard the song, liked it and thought it would be perfect for Reba McEntire.
The DJ asked Jackson, "Hey, would you mind if mailed this to Reba?"
Jackson told him, "Sure," then considered and asked him, "Do you know anybody in Reba's camp?"
He didn't, but he knew the name of McEntire's manager, Narvel Blackstock, also the singer's husband, and he found the address to their record label.
Jackson went along with it, but expected nothing.
A few weeks later, the record label called her.
"It turns out Narvel Blackstock opens his mail -- or at least, he did back in those days."
McEntire was looking for a sassy, up-tempo song; something she could release on the follow-up to her album "For My Broken Heart," the record she did following the death of her road band, killed in a plane crash in 1990.
McEntire's camp liked "Take It Back," but Jackson was uncertain about the song's future.
She said, "A lot of the time, musicians go into the studio and cut 20 songs and then they pare those down depending on focus groups and whatever nonsense."
Jackson said she didn't know for sure the song had made the album until a neighbor heard it on the radio. It was the first single on a then-upcoming album, and it was a hit.
"It was crazy," she said.
Jackson said she's had smaller successes since then. Several independent labels recorded her songs. Country artist Georgia Middleman recorded "Kick Down the Door," but the label, Giant Records, was struggling to survive.
"Right after it charted," she said, "Giant Records closed its doors."
Without label support, the single stalled.
She also recorded the post-9/11 song "Little Did She Know (She Kissed a Hero)."
These days, Jackson still writes and records, but doesn't perform a lot.
"I could gig more if I wanted to," she said.
She doesn't and doesn't have to. Lately, Jackson has been spending a lot of time mentoring, coaching and collaborating with several singer/songwriters living around Greensboro.
"It's kind of nice," she said. "I don't travel as much."
Just the same, Jackson said she was looking forward to driving up to Charleston.
"It's only five hours from Greensboro," she added.
Reach Bill Lynch at firstname.lastname@example.com or 304-348-5195.


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Every great birthday party begins with an equally spectacular invitation. The personalized invitations are 5" x 7" notes with super customization options. You have the freedom to custom print a unique heading, occasion, date and time, and RSVP on each invitation, Printed in a bold, bright, and unique font. They will look very professional, and, best of all, the occasion line will be printed in a larger and bolder font to offset it from the rest of the text!
Each order comes with an envelope, so as soon as you receive your desired quantity, they are good to go out in the mail. Whether you want to throw a themed birthday party or just have an invitation that matches your boy or girl's interest, we have a wide selection of themes to choose from. There are fun pizza, bowling, princess, jungle, and generic birthday themes that are guaranteed to leave a good impression. Printed on sturdy card stock, each invitation looks absolutely lovely, and when party guests open them, they will certainly RSVP ASAP.
The invitation is the first exposure your child's party guests will have to the promise of the upcoming birthday party, so guarantee that they are filled with anticipation.


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For the last few years, all talk of Wimbledon used to begin and end with Roger Federer and his dominance on the green lawns of Centre Court. But after going 0-2 in Grand Slams and only grabbing two small titles (Estoril, Halle) so far this season, pundits and fans alike are saying his reign at The All-England Club could take a big hit by the likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and a host of other capable grass-loving ballers. Let's take a look!
"Roger Federer is done." That seems to be the mantra these days after the Swiss was obliterated by Rafael Nadal in the French Open final 2 weeks ago. But let's face the facts: The world no. 1 lost on his least favored surface to arguably the best clay-court baller EVER playing his A+ game, so full credit to Rafa. But, Wimbledon and Fed go together like the ubiquitous (and apparently outrageously priced) strawberries + cream at The All-England Club and he owns a staggering 59 straight matches on the grass - nothing to sneeze at Bjorn Borg! A sixth consecutive Wimbledon championship is not out of the question for the world no. 1, no matter what the haters say.
Rafael Nadal is riding some serious momentum after crushing Fed for his fourth consecutive Roland Garros crown. A finalist the last 2 years at The All-England Club, the Mallorcan Matador won his first grass-court title ever when he defeated Andy Roddick then Novak Djokovic in a thrilling Queen's Club final, becoming the first Spaniard in 36 years to accomplish the feat. Rafa has transitioned from clay to grass with near perfection this year and made subtle but smart adjustments to his game for the surface including a stronger serve, flatter forehand and closer baseline stance. All of these elements together make himself a strong favorite for the title, becoming the first man to accomplish the "double" since Bjorn Borg in 1980.
Though Novak Djokovic gave up big leads in that Queen's Club loss to Rafa, the Serb served notice that after only three years ever playing on the green stuff, his game is well-suited for the surface: his strokes are flat, his game athletic and his competitiveness is second to none. A semifinal loser the last two years to Rafa, the trash-talking Aussie Open champ will be keen to take the next step towards a second Grand Slam this year and continue his march towards the top ranking. But the 21-year old ended up in the top half of the draw with a Federer semifinal looming - could it be deja vu for Nole?
The world of Andy Roddick has been quiet since his injury withdrawal (shoulder) from the Rome semifinals. But the American baller reappeared last week at Queen's Club looking recovered but short of match play, falling to Rafa in the quarterfinals. A-Rod can take solace in the fact that he's beaten the top three ballers in the world this year, snapping a 11-match losing streak to Fed, and made the finals of Wimbledon in 2005 and 2006 on the back of his trademark powerful serve. No one would be surprised if A-Rod made it deep in the draw this year but what's surprising is his seeding at no. 6 this year below Nikolay Davydenko (4) and David Ferrer (5). Fortunately for A-Rod, though, the draw gods were smiling on him today with Kolya and James Blake the highest seeds in his section.
I have a "tough love" approach towards my darkhorse pick Richard Gasquet. I'm fighting myself even as I write this preview since I've been hyper-critical of the Frenchie baller this year. But his colorful game seems to come alive on the grass, particularly that ethereal backhand down the line. How can anyone forget watching that shot pick away at A-Rod's hopes, and his 2 set lead, in last year's epic quarterfinal win for Richard? Moreover, the 22-year old recently brought in Guillaume Peyrea as coach which will hopefully bring a refreshed approach. Richard has been due for a major breakthrough and there's no place like Wimbledon to make that happen.
Also, keep and eye out for the lass from Latvia, Ernests Gulbis. The big-swinging baller with the lovely locks is in Rafa's section of the draw and could meet the Spaniard in the second round. With his big serve and power groundies, Ernests could trouble the French Open champ particularly this early in the tourney. And, if he gets past Rafa anything could happen for him.
Click here for the full men's draw.
(image via Getty)
Friday, June 20, 2008
WIMBLEDON 2008 PREVIEW: The boys
Labels: Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, preview, Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Roger Federer, tennis, Wimbledon
4 comments:
- AnonymousJune 20, 2008 at 4:28 PM
God it sucks for the up and comers I'm keeping my eye on...Ernests Gulbis and Andreas Beck. They both have to go up against nadal, it just isn't fair lolReplyDelete
Go Ernests!
yeah good review, I think fed isnt such a scare now days, but i am worried for andy roddick, he could face tipserevic (exuse spelling) in the second round...I like ernests...he has so much potential..and he's cute at that!! I am rootin for my american men in this wimby!!! just as long as nole doesnt win...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 20, 2008 at 11:54 PM
Go Gulbis, Andy and Roger.ReplyDelete
My hope is always with Rafa, and after last year coupled with Queens this year, it's really his time. And I don't care who comes through the other side, as long as someone takes Federer out before the finals i'm happy. Time for tides to turn on the grass.ReplyDelete


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The Colliery Disaster in Wales
Daily Graphic
(Amgueddfa Cymru regrets that we are not able to provide an image for this item at this time. This is either due to copyright restrictions, or the item is awaiting digitisation. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.)
Date: 1901
Media: engraving on paper
Size: 420 x 308 mm
Acquired: 1987; Gift
Accession Number: 87.166I/68


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Superbad (2007)
Superbad Synopsis
Two co-dependent high school seniors (Hill and Cera) are forced to deal with separation anxiety after their plan to stage a booze-soaked party goes awry.
If youre wondering who Jonah Hill is, hes the guy who wanted you to ask him about his wiener in Accepted. If this takes off, maybe he can finally be known as something other than the guy in the hotdog outfit, which no doubt would be a great relief to him, and a great relief to me since I think Hill is actually pretty talented.
Jonah Hill co-stars in Superbad with former Arrested Development alum Michael Cera. If you dont recognize him, thats probably because youre in the vast majority of people who just didnt think Arrested Development was all that funny, and so refused to support it. Im on your side on this one America.
With all the talent Superbad has involved, it has to be at least sort of good, doesnt it? The script is co-written by Seth Rogen, who was one of Steve Carrells hilarious friends in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and who in the summer 2006 is going to kill as the star of Knocked Up. Its produced by Judd Apatow, who can only be described as the Hercules of brilliant, meaningful comedy. Where Apatow and Rogen goes, I will follow.
Yep, Superbad has just about everything right going for it except the premise which sounds like an idea for a direct-to-DVD Bachelor Party or some other random 80s movie about excessive partying. The trailers however, make the movie look like theres more to it than just another teen partying flick, and if thats the case Superbad could be a big hit late this summer.
Superbad Release Date
In Theaters August 17, 2007
Superbad Credits
Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Emma Stone, Martha MacIsaac, Aviva
Written by: Evan Goldbert, Seth Rogen
Directed by: Greg Mottola
Produced by: Judd Apatow, Shauna Robertson
MPAA Rating: [ R ]
Distributor: Sony Pictures
External Info: Superbad Official Website
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