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I've always had a love-hate relationship with competitions.
I enjoy watching a great soccer game or a tennis match. I'm a fan of the Olympics. The rules of the game are known. There's a clear finish line. Whoever scores the most points or clocks the fastest time, wins.
When it comes to artistic competitions, things are not so defined. I remember going to an exhibition of prize-winning painters. All artists had entered portraits. The first prize went to a painting that was almost abstract. The second prize (and audience favorite) was a portrait that was Dali-like in its photorealism. Apples and oranges were more alike than these two entries. So, why did the abstract painting win? Because the jury said so.
At the heart of every competition is the obscure art of comparing. This motion picture is better than the other. This photo stands out from the rest. This actor outperformed his colleagues. This poem is so much denser than the other poem. The question remains: Based on what, and according to whom?
Most judges of competitions will certainly be looking and listening for technical excellence. But what sets a winner apart from a loser is more than flawless technique. It has to do with artistic mastery; with having an authentic creative voice.
Great art, whether it be music, dance, or any other medium, merely uses technique to give us something splendid that may very well break all the rules. It may even set a new standard. Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" is a great example. Some musicians thought it could not be played. It caused a scandal when it was first performed. Now it's considered to be one of the masterpieces of modern music.
At the time of creation, great innovative art defies definition, and it is often anti-establishment. Here's the problem: jurors of competitions are usually distinguished members of the establishment. It is their job to use semi-objective criteria, and apply them to very subjective artistic statements. Good luck with that!
Here's another thing I don't like about competitions: they turn colleagues into competitors, and divide them into winners and losers. My ideal world is a world where people cooperate, instead of compete; a world in which doing your very best is more important than being the best.
Don't get me wrong, I admire people at the top of their game, but I prefer the artist who selflessly and tirelessly works under the radar to the attention-seeking loudmouth looking for acknowledgment and recognition.
I admire people who are in it for the music. Not for the applause.
All of this was going through my mind when the unknown Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™ (SOVAS™) announced the establishment of the Voice Arts™ Awards. In its own words, this is an open competition honoring and acknowledging:
"voice actors, creative directors, copywriters, casting directors, talent agents, directors, producers, audio engineers, account executives, equipment manufacturers, podcasters, bloggers and others who create and sustain the highest levels of achievement within the voiceover industry."
The following quote from their website reads like a mission statement:
"The purpose of the Voice Arts™ Awards is to provide international acknowledgement of the extraordinary skill and artistry that goes into the voiceover acting and the associated roles and to hold up a best-in-class standard of achievement to which the voiceover industry can continually aspire."
That's quite a mouthful, but voice actors should be able to handle that comfortably.
If you have a few hours to spare, I invite you to browse through seventy(!) pages of awards category descriptions. Each page lists about three to four different awards, such as "NATIONAL TV INTERSTITIAL ELEMENT – FEMALE" and "AUDIO BOOK NARRATION – CHILDREN INFANT TO 5 – MALE."
Even though it's mentioned in the "About section" of the Awards, I could not find a category for equipment manufacturers or bloggers. I guess I'm out of luck!
The competition is open to individuals, companies, and students, as long as the entry is in English, and has first appeared in public between January 1, 2013 and June 15, 2014 (click here for details). The price of a single entry for a company/non-SOVAS™ member is $310. If you're an independent artist, you pay $210 per entry (there is an early bird discount, but the time for that has passed). SOVAS™ members may enter at a reduced rate.
SOVAS™ membership ranges from $125 per year (Basic Package) to a $5,000 Platinum Package. Five grand may seem a lot, but for that you'll get a Voice Arts™ Awards statuette named and presented in your honor, and a Special Education Scholarship offered in your name (among other perks).
On a side note, the cost of the competition does not end there. Many competitions require that the nominees/winners attend the awards ceremony. I'd consider the cost of travel, meals, accommodations, and of work lost because you're attending the event, as part of the expenses. A few of this year's winners flew in from the United Kingdom.
Some of the Awards were presented during a Gala on November 9th, at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York. Early Bird tickets go for $225 each. The Sumner M. Redstone Theater seats 267. Let's assume SOVAS™ sells 175 tickets. That alone should bring in almost forty thousand dollars.
Participants had until August 31st 2014 to send in their entries. Entry fees were non-refundable once the entries have been submitted. SOVAS™ rules state:
"In the event that any individual category attracts fewer than 4 entries the organizer reserves the right to withdraw that category from the competition. In this event, the participating companies will receive a credit towards future entry fees. No cash refund will be given."
"All submissions become the property of SOVAS™ to be used at their discretion, for the production of the ceremony and other uses."
Even though I have my doubts about artistic competitions in general, I'm trying to keep an open mind about the Voice Arts™ Awards. Before I would even consider entering any kind of competition, I'd ask a few questions:
- Is the organization running the competition reputable?
- What's the intention of the competition?
- Does it have the potential and credibility to raise the professional bar?
- Are the criteria by which people are judged fair and clear?
- Are the judges respectable, and are they known experts in their field?
- Does every entry receive a professional evaluation?
- Is the entry fee proportionate to the prize?
- Does the prize give a credit worth having?
The problem with the Voice Arts™ Awards is that for many questions it's too early to tell, because this is the inaugural year. It's never been done before, and I believe it's too easy to pass judgement without giving them a fair chance. There's a lot we don't know, so let's see what we do know.
To start with question number one, SOVAS™ is run by five-time Emmy winner Steve Ulrich who is also the executive director of the Sports and Daytime Emmy Awards®. Producer Rudy Gaskins and his wife -voice-over celeb Joan Baker– are both on the board, as is the former head of the Promax/BDA awards program, Stephen McCarthy. Those people have a lot to lose, should these new awards turn out to be a flop. I think they're smart enough not to let that happen.
Would the voice-over industry benefit from this competition? Would it make the invisibles of so many audio-visual productions visible? Would our profession finally get the respect many feel it deserves?
Do we really need a competition to get recognition?
Some people who know the industry really well, feel we do. It's not enough to be outstanding. You need to stand out. And if there's no podium, why not create one? Whether you like competitions or not, it's a given that winning a prestigious prize has never hurt a career. The question is, will short-term recognition have a long-lasting effect? Could it increase your market value? And who's paying attention? Are we just throwing a party for ourselves, or will these awards generate publicity outside of the small voice-over bubble?
Let's talk about the entry fees. Anyone will recognize that organizing these awards takes time and costs money. That money has to come from somewhere. Yet, I don't think a voice actor's wealth should be an arbiter of talent. Why, then, must it function as a barrier? Is it legitimate or exploitative? Is it to weed the amateurs out? Here's the ultimate question:
Is the cost of entering worth the odds?
If you're a winner, it probably is. But as in any competition, many are invited, and few are chosen. Established artistic competitions often have cash prizes, and may offer scholarships. What does the winner of a Voice Arts™ Award get? No money, but a golden statuette (which you have to pay for yourself), a title, and a temporary platform. Is that enough?
In Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley where I live, the Freddy© Awards are to high school musical theater what the Tony Awards® are to Broadway. Each show is rated by a number of evaluators, and every high school receives extensive feedback on all aspects of the production. This feedback is then used as a teaching tool at the drama departments.
In other words, even if you're not nominated or a winner, you will be able to read your evaluation, and benefit from it. Wouldn't it be great if the Voice Arts™ Awards would do the same? Unfortunately, that's not the case. This is how it's done:
"In each category, each judge shall rate each entry on three indices. These indices vary by category and are listed below. For each index, judges enter a score from 1.0 to 10.0, where 1.0 is valued as "very poor quality" and 10.0 is valued as "perfection" in the personal standards of the judge."
Answering critics in VoiceOverXtra, Rudy Gaskins is very pragmatic about the entry fee. He encourages voice-overs to look at it from a business point of view. Being nominated for, and/or winning an award is smart marketing, he says. Every business should have a marketing budget. That's where the entry fee should come from.
He has a point, but aren't there other ways to market your business that are less risky, and that may have a bigger and more concrete pay-off? You could build a better website. You could invest in a newsletter. You could hire a graphic designer to come up with a logo.
Gaskins also argues that these awards are a way to build community. He writes:
"Awards are a meeting place. They're a focal point that draws the attention of those most interested and involved in your industry or profession. They're an opportunity to engage your professional community in discussions of topics and controversies, in reviewing standards or discovering trends. Awards tend to involve leaders and experts. Awards are the place to learn, to network and to enhance professionalism."
The sceptic in me highly doubts that these awards will have that effect. As I said earlier, by nature, competitions are pitting people and productions against one another. Slick award shows like the Emmys and Oscars are nothing but highly staged marketing events where artistic integrity is sacrificed in favor of purchased publicity. Stars show up pretending to have a good time, knowing that they're contractually obligated to plug their latest project. Thank goodness for the gift bags!
Is that really what the voice-over world needs? Would that give our profession the much desired gravitas? Would increased respect lead to higher rates and higher standards? Would an average client be more inclined to hire an award-winning voice actor, or would he perhaps think that he probably can't afford such a high-profile professional?
Gaskins also believes these awards are good for our confidence and self-respect:
"When you enter an award, you are saying to yourself and your constituents that you believe in what you do. Get on the playing field and let the chips fall where they may. People respect those who stand up to be counted. The other choice is to go unnoticed."
I don't think it's that black-and-white: either enter the competition, or go unnoticed. As a professional voice actor I enter competitions every day. I call it "auditioning." Secondly, happy clients are my credentials, and my readers and students are my accolades. I don't need a jury to tell me how well I'm doing, or to make me feel good about myself.
Still, what the Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™ is doing takes guts, and I'm willing to give this initiative the benefit of the doubt. On paper, the Voice Arts™ Awards certainly have potential, but the value of this prize has yet to prove itself.
Ultimately, being a successful voice-over is not about winning or losing.
It's about how well you play the game.
Paul Strikwerda ©nethervoice
PS Read my follow-up story everyone is talking about. It's called "Paying For Your Prize."
PPS Click here for a list of all the 2014 Voice Arts™ Award winners.
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About the author
31 Responses to The Voice Arts™ Awards. The New Pay to Play?
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Bob Bergen
So here's the bottom line. Awards and award shows just aren't for everyone. Many an actor has passed on accepting Oscars. Oprah took herself out of The Emmy running after a point.
I didn't compare these vo awards to the Oscars. I compared em to all award shows, including The Oscars.
I totally get it if being recognized for your vo work doesn't float your boat. I think this is a cultural thing. I cannot think of a discipline in show business that doesn't honor excellence. So, it just seems organic that vo have recognition as well.
We live in a time where we have a generation of working vo actors whose norm is working anonymously from their home studios. Just a hunch that this cultural difference might be a part of why many don't relate to the idea of honoring vo excellence.
So, I say if this ain't your thing, it's all good! There are many out there happy and appreciative to embrace the existence and growth of these awards. Trust me, there are just as many in the industry critical of The Oscars, Tonys, etc. Well, until they get a nomination. 😉
Don't look for fair or perfection when it comes to honoring excellence. In the history of show business, it's never been either and it never will. And a nomination/win doesn't have to enhance your career. But it is a hellova lotta fun!!!! B
Marlene Bertrand
Paul, whenever I need to find a base-point, I refer to you. Although I receive assignments on a consistent basis, I am new to the VO industry. I thank you for bringing this new VO award to my attention. Reading about it and seeing the result of this new VO award is interesting. And, you help put my feelings about this award in perspective. The way I view my position as a VO artist is that I am a "behind the scenes" professional. My paycheck is all the credit I need to feel rewarded for a job done well. If people keep calling me, I must be doing something right. Art, in any form is a subjective matter. It's just someone's opinion. I do not need a trophy (one more thing to dust) to tell me I am good at what I do.
Paul, when I had the questions you have I called and talked to the organizer: Rudy Gaskins for over an hour and asked him my questions directly. I'm in the audiobook world, so the Audies Awards will have their 20th anniversary this year. We had a nomination for an Audie last year which helped the sales of the book and it had mass media attention, industry recognition, and the narrator started getting more work, better projects and better rates because of the recognition, and that was just a nomination.
So I suggest you call, also some of your facts are incorrect: the cost of the gala was only $150, or $75 for all nominees which applied to publishers. Your price mentioned was for the education event the next day.
You also need to consider the Oscars, Emmys, golden globes which all had to start somewhere. Same with the Audies.
They didn't seem to have many sponsors this year because the open bar was very sparse, but it was an amazing first year.
Also, note that as the publisher, we submitted the work and paid for the submissions. It does seem tough for individuals to do.
Paul Strikwerda Reply:
November 17th, 2014 at 3:56 pm
James, thank you for chiming in. I noticed that you have a blog, but I couldn't find anything pointing to an Audie nomination. I'd love to find out more about the book you're referring to.
All the information in the article you commented on was/is in the public domain, so there was no need to contact Mr. Gaskins. Simply follow the links in my story, and you'll see for yourself. The price listed for the Early Bird tickets to the gala came from OvationTix, the company that was used to process ticket sales to this event. Perhaps industry insiders and sponsors were offered cheaper tickets. Fact is, my blog is very well read in the VO industry, and no one from the organization asked me to correct any facts. They have yet to comment on any blog post about the VAA.
You said that "some" of my facts were incorrect, but you mentioned just one: the ticket price for the gala. What other facts are not correct?
You may also have seen that I have written a response to all the comments that have been coming in after my two articles about these Awards. Click here if you'd like to read it.
Many commentators have compared the VAA to events like the Oscars and Emmys. I think that's unhelpful. As Mike Madden pointed out:
"The Oscars do NOT charge for Nominations. Neither do the Golden Globes (another FAKE award show). Regional Emmy Awards do because there are no TV revenues. The National Emmy Awards allow 1 free Submission in 2 categories for members. Most who are nominated are members, it's 1/4 the cost of paying for a single nod, most nominated have been members for years."
We live in an increasingly visual world where people take great interest in celebrities from television and the movies. I don't see audio book narrators and other voice-overs ever equalling the fame some of the movies and television stars "enjoy." Most people don't even know who Don Lafontaine is or Mel Blanc, unless they're industry insiders.
The fact that this award "had to start somewhere" does not address many of the issues I put forward in my story. Most importantly, it does not address the following: Increased recognition can never be an aim in and of itself. What purpose should it ultimately serve? How exactly is it going to transform our industry for the better? So far it has divided our community, and I don't think that's positive at all.
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Bob Bergen
Hey Paul! I think the answer to your question is, possibly! In time, probably!!
Everything you've pointed out, as well as your question about ROI, was questioned when The SAG Awards began 20 years ago. Heck, the same issues were brought up when The Emmys began in the late 40s. Many in Hollywood thought that awarding people from that little window display of the furniture box in the living room was a joke compared to The Academy Awards, where you have that big screen and REAL actors!!
It's all relative and nothing new.
As I said before, let's allow this award show to organically grow and evolve. Just like The Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, and every other award show has over the past 75 plus years. Each award show is always changing and trying to improve on itself from previous years. I really think honoring the world of VO is long over due. I commend the producers of this for diving in. Let's see how it goes!
Paul Strikwerda Reply:
November 12th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Thank you so much for chiming in. I have a few things to say, which deserve a bit more space than this comment section will allow. That's why I'll devote my next blog post to a response.
Kent Ingram
I still agree with Paul on this awards show. It's like buying influence into a very small fishbowl. There's probably a set amount charged to all attendees but, if someone makes a sizable "donation", under the table, have they just bought themselves an award? As Paul inferred, how much influence does this awards show have, overall, in the entertainment industry? And, lastly, can this awards show ever match up with the Oscars and their overall influence with an actor's career? I think these, and a lot of other questions, need to be answered. Thanks for the forum, Paul.
We're an audiobook publisher and were pleased to pay to submit and attend to promote our talented narrators. We had a blast at this high end, red carpet awards night!
Paul Strikwerda Reply:
November 12th, 2014 at 7:46 am
Hi James, I'm sure the red carpet event was a blast. I've seen the pictures. What surprises me is this: So far, no one has really addressed my questions about this award, and shared with me why they believe winning a prize offers good ROI.
Here's what I want to know:
Will short-term recognition have a long-lasting effect? Could it increase one's market value? And who's paying attention? Are we just throwing a party for ourselves, or will these awards generate publicity outside of the small voice-over bubble?
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Leah Frederick
Paul – I always admire your judicious viewpoint. Like you, I am on-the-fence about this. However, I'm going to have to quote you to my VO students on this one: "As a professional voice actor I enter competitions every day. I call it "auditioning." You hit the nail on the head. Well done!
Paul Strikwerda Reply:
August 20th, 2014 at 3:10 pm
Almost a week after I published this article, 90% of the those who responded via various social media, remain skeptical of the awards. The way I see it, there is a lot of work to do for the Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™. One of the questions that has yet to be answered, has to do with the nature, purpose and management of this organization. Rudy Gaskins is the CEO/president, and his wife Joan Baker is the Executive Producer. According to the SOVAS™ website, it's purpose is:
"to connect job seekers to the consummate sources of training, education, mentoring and employment opportunities required to create and sustain a successful career in the voiceover industry."
How does SOVAS™ do this?
By getting members to attend the annual "That's Voiceover" Career Expo, created by… Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker. SOVAS™ also provides scholarships to "financially underprivileged individuals" who wish to attend… "Thats Voiceover."
I'd say that there are numerous ways in which aspiring voice artists can learn about the business, and network with colleagues and potential clients. Our industry is filled with great resources. To only point people to events created by Gaskins and Baker, seems -on the surface- rather self-serving. I could do the same thing: create a "Voice Actors Guild In North America," for the promotion of professionalism in the VO-industry, and offer people a discount… on my own book and coaching sessions.
By the way, SOVAS™ is a non-profit, but don't be fooled by that label. Non-profit doesn't mean that the people involved don't make any money. In 2010, John Seffrin, CEO of the non-profit American Cancer Society, made a base salary of $587,477 on top of nearly $1.5 million in deferred compensation.
Let me add that I do not know Gaskins and Baker personally. Both of them are accomplished individuals in their field, and they are a (VO) power couple with clout and charisma. Time will tell if their initiative will take off, and if it will be taken seriously by colleagues, and those outside of the VO-bubble.
Paul Strikwerda Reply:
August 25th, 2014 at 7:52 am
On Monday August 25th, the deadline to enter was extended to August 31 for work that was created to be available between January 1, 2013 and June 15, 2014.
According to VoiceOverXtra, The gala will also feature a commemorative tribute to Robin Williams and a presentation of the Voice Arts™ Icon Award for Lifetime Achievement to actor/voice talent icon James Earl Jones.
As I pointed out earlier, even though these awards were created to celebrate, elevate and benefit the work of professional voice actors, Robin Williams and James Earl Jones primarily made their mark as on-camera actors. If SOVAS™ really wishes to make a strong statement in favor of the unseen, anonymous voice actor, why not honor one or two of the many brilliant voice-overs who do their work off-screen?
Randy Thomas
I love Bob Bergen and his commitment to the world of voice over. He is wonderful representative of the voice over industry at the Television Academy.
I have a lot of respect for Joan and Rudy. On behalf of us independent contractors, who live to breathe life into the words on a page, we hope your awards are everything you are hoping them to be. Break a lip!
Kent Ingram
Paul, I can't help but feel this kind of thing stinks to high heaven of phoniness, pretentiousness and shameless self-congratulations. If I'm being unfair, I'll apologize. I'm sure there are some who would accuse me of being jealous, because I'm not a local LA or NYC talent and will have a greater chance of Publishers Clearing House coming to my door than being considered for ANY award. So be it. I can't change anyone's opinion, just go on about my business of producing high quality auditions and projects and making a bit of money on them. Great article, again, Paul!
Paul Strikwerda Reply:
August 15th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Hi Kent, you're not the only colleague who has responded in a less than positive way to these new awards. My initial reaction in VoiceOverXtra wasn't so positive either, and I'm still on the fence.
Here's some info I couldn't fit into my story. It's list of the jurors: Dave Fennoy, Janet Wilcox, Lee Minard, Lisa Lane Farmer, Michele Cobb, Nancy Wolfson, Paul Reuben, Scott Brick, Sondra James, Stephen Maccarthy, Trish Scanlon, Vanessa Gilbert, and Zenobia Conkerite.
As you can tell, this is a quality line-up of people who are all putting their reputation on the line for this endeavor. Will it be enough to convince te greatest skeptics of the value of this competition? I'm afraid not.
rob e
Great article, Paul.
very level headed.
I am wary of anything SOVA related after their weird debacle and battle in trying to form the original voiceover club, um, – "Society".
And i agree, the fee structure is ridiculous.
Comparing these nascent awards to the emmys, or even the hated and transparently ridiculous golden globes is a stretch, being that the TALENT never had to (EVER!) pony up cash to be nominated NOR to nominate someone.
This should have been sponsored and with the amount of business the Microphone industry alone gets from VO artists, i find it hard to believe that they could not secure Samson, etc to help defer costs and give it actual prestige.
Instead, in NYC, it is being ignored as an amateur backslap as a result.
Paul Strikwerda Reply:
August 14th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
Thank you all for adding your comments to my story.
Rob, I think you are mistaking the Society Of Voice Arts And Sciences™ (SOVAS™) for SaVoa – the Society of Accredited Voice Over Artists which is now defunct. I did not state that the SOVAS™ fee structure is -as you say- "ridiculous." It's a very new organization, and I don't know if the benefits of membership justify the fee. Some may find membership valuable. Others may find it a waste of money. For me it is too early to tell.
I have great respect for Bob Bergen's talent, and for all he has done (and is doing) for our industry. I just don't share his enthusiasm for award shows, but you've read my blog post, so you already know that.
One of the things that worries me, is the fact that these new awards are supposed to celebrate, elevate and benefit the work of professional voice actors. But, the very first Voice Arts™ Icon Award goes to James Earl Jones, a man who made his mark on the entertainment industry primarily as an on-screen, on-stage actor. Why not select a worthy recipient from our own circles, especially if you wish to make a strong statement?
I agree that things could be and should be done to make the Voice Arts™ Awards more accessible (read "affordable") to all VO-talent. I'd also like to see cash prizes and scholarships, in addition to giving out titles and a statuettes. That way, the investment many be worth the gamble.
In response to this piece, some award-winning colleagues have stepped forward to talk about the effect winning an award has had on their career. They agree on one thing: it is very limited. A Voice Arts™ statuette may be an attractive paper weight and conversation piece, but getting a cash prize or a scholarship could do much more to promote and propel one's voice-over career.
Lastly, as a blogger without ties to any vested interests or "famous" people in my industry, I am inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions on many topics. However, I never offer criticism for the sake of being contrary, and I avoid personal attacks. My opinion of these awards is just one of many, and I hope that the organization will take away whatever they may find relevant and useful.
Marlene Bertrand
I wholeheartedly agree with your point of view regarding the entry rules for this competition. I believe the enormous fee is likely to automatically rule out a lot of good talent. Sure, all are invited, but all cannot afford to attend. I know the money has to come from somewhere. Could the competition be sponsored through advertisers rather than collecting entry fees from entrants? If so, I believe a low to no entry fee has the potential of leveling the playing field and open the competition to a larger pool of talent.
Debbie Grattan
As usual Paul, a very insightful article here, mentioning many of the things I've been thinking about this particular awards show. As suggested, at least for now, I do have many other places to put my marketing dollars and time to work, that I feel will have a better ROI for me. But I will remain open, and be interested to see how everything pans out for this venture.
Joe Van Riper
I think the Voice Arts™ Awards could be a good thing for our community if it can find a way to level the playing field with an option for free entries.
Yes, I know, somebody's got to pay for the expenses of an awards program. But making it a gamble worth hundreds of dollars only ensures that a brilliant new, rising talent with a potentially winning product will be able to afford a crack at it.
Therefore, the awards will not go to the best of our ranks, but to those who can afford to lose. That takes a bit of the shine off the award's prestige.
Debbie Grattan
You are always so insightful and thorough in your blog posts Paul. Again, a very interesting read here, and you put into print a lot of the same things I've been thinking concerning this new VO awards competition. I guess we'll all see how it goes this inaugural year. As suggested, I have lots of other ways to spend my marketing time and money, that I feel will provide better ROI than competing for a Voiceover award. But I will try to remain open to change and new ideas.
Ted Mcaleer
I think that you've hit on all the points fairly. One could argue many of the points, but again as you say, it's the first year. Another point is the leadership/management and again, I believe they are smart enough not to fail. Bob makes a lot of good points too. For my part, I hope it is a success- My particular customer base has shown interest as well. Hopefully there will be a category for best adaptation of a foreign video to English, or something along those lines. I think it's a good thing and wish Rudy and all much success!
Ed Waldorph
As usual, Paul, a level headed, reasoned editorial. Despite my life experiences to the contrary I have always believed in the generic goodness of people' motivations. I have no reason to suspect otherwise here.
Bob also makes some salient points and like you, his credentials are impeccable. We all might feel a lot better if he were on this board, too.
My final criteria when entering new territory with no history or bonafides is: "What have I got to lose?"
The answer seems obvious to me, but it is most certainly an individual one.
Bob Bergen
I'm a huge fan of award shows. And, I'm on the board of governors at The Television Academy. I am beyond thrilled someone had the vision to create a vo awards. Keep in mind gang, that in history with every award show there was skepticism. Any time anything new pops up people raise eyebrows.
I honestly think Voice Arts is a good thing. That said, I wish Voice Arts would do what the Television Academy does. Members of the Television Academy may submit Emmy considerations for free. Now, this is the first year of Voice Arts. I'm sure that Emmys and Oscars have ironed out the kinks since they began. Let Voice Arts do the same thing!!


text:
Check out what I've found after reversing the "vocal" part of Subterraneans.The file is heavily compressed to 40kbps mono, but you can hear what I'm talking about.Concidence? Yeah, I think so. But maybe you, interpretators, can read something out of it.Here's the file.
Wow, it said murder revol.-----------------------------------------------------------------------Illustrated DiscographyBassmanHelden
I've heard "listen if you're rich"."I don't post here, but i like to come sometimes.."~ sweet Bibi
This clearly means Paul McCartney is dead.Mxy's Bizarre Webcomic. Updated daily.
I heard "listen if you're rich" also.cool, thanks for sharing."I find freedom only in the realms of my own eccentricity" -David Bowie
When I first heard that song a few years back, I had just broken up with a girl named Shelly, so it was the worst possible way to end listening to that album.
That's pretty cool, thanks.By the way, I also heard "listen if you're rich."
lollll "Listen if you're rich"...that's what i hear too...If you want to know me more...and my band !Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.
Wierd, I think it's saying, I see you are rich.
Look it clearly is saying,"Oooooohhhhhhhh lyyyysssssssss bah reeeeeetchhhhhhh"A scholar and a gentleman. Well at least one of them...

subset: commoncrawl


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This region was shaped in its early days by a rich tradition of railroading and mining. It was referred to as the gateway to the southern coalfields and mining still provides an integral part of our economy. Although times have changed with new technologies, the mining industry remains strong.
Education and healthcare are two of our strongest industries and certainly represent the largest employers in the area. We have an excellent public education system as well as private and public colleges and universities. In addition, we have some of the best technical education opportunities all of which work to train our ready and willing workforce. We are excited about the proposed dental school in Tazewell County and the many opportunities that will bring to the region. Our area hospitals, clinics and express care facilities offer complete medical services.
We are known as Four Seasons Country and our mild climate is the envy of those living in other regions. The Chamber is proud to continue serving free lemonade on the rare occasions when the temperature reaches 90 degrees. Our climate and proximity to major cities makes us an attractive destination for business as well as a great retirement location.
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Fresh Eire Designs
Friday, April 3, 2015
Friday, August 15, 2014
May The Fort Be With You
Posted by Cullan Hudson at 6:24 AM No comments:
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
New Terrorific Designs!
http://www.cafepress.com/headstonerubbing (Dark)
http://www.cafepress.com/headstonerubbing2 (light)
http://www.cafepress.com/ghostbook1 (dark)
http://www.cafepress.com/ghostbook2 (light)
Friday, June 21, 2013
Friday, October 5, 2012
Monday, October 3, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
At The Mountains Of Madness
|Got a dorm to decorate? Maybe your own office,
cubicle, or home? Check it out HERE
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Pick up this design as a greeting card, framed print, journal or tote
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Sunday, August 14, 2011
Kreepy Girl Goes STEAMPUNK!
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Saturday, August 13, 2011
Kreepy House
Kreepy Girl doesn't really do the Mall. She'd rather check out that old abandoned house full of ghosts, demons, and ghouls. Purchase this framed print or pick up this design as a greeting card, t-shirt, journal, or tote!
Posted by Cullan Hudson at 6:53 AM No comments:
Kreepy Girl's Date
|Perfect as a Greeting Card, Journal or Tote!
Click HERE to purchase.
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Kreepy Girl's Favorite Time Of The Year Is Just Around The Korner
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Friday, August 12, 2011
A Little Alien Buddy
|To Purchase This Bag And Other Items With This Design, Click Here
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Monday, August 8, 2011
Halloween Greetings Are Just Around The Corner
|Click HERE to order these adorable greeting cards
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Thursday, August 4, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
A slew of new designs will be posted over the next few days that will have you prepped for the paranormal Christmas: Halloween.
To start things off, we have a humorous parody of those adventurous ghost guys that brought hair gel and tiny t-shirts to the world of TV ghost hunting....
To start things off, we have a humorous parody of those adventurous ghost guys that brought hair gel and tiny t-shirts to the world of TV ghost hunting....
|Old School Ghost Hunting
|Abduction Zone!!
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Labels: Bigfoot, Ghost Hunting, Ghosts, Haunted, Paranormal Investigation, Retro, Road Sign, Sasquatch, UFOs, Vintage
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Bigfoot Says 'Me Real'
|A humorous, retro-inspired design for anyone with a
taste for the quirky or a passion for Bigfoot. Click here
to order as t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more from the
premier print-on-demand website, Cafepress.
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Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Kreepy Girl Is Shown To Her Room
Kreepy Girl steps into silent movie mode as she is
shown to her room for the night. Are there monsters
lurking beneath the bed and within the shadows?
Do they know to be afraid?
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Haunted Helen
Staring with cold, dead eyes from the brittle old canvas, Helen Dunham watches your every move as you walk the crumbling corridors of her ancestral home.
|Click To Order From Cafepress.com
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Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Halloween Designs, Monsters, and More!!
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Sunday, September 13, 2009
2009 Halloween Design
Click here for the framed Jack o' Lantern, browse these other options, or choose from the latest:
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Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Inspired By And Ready For The Honobia Bigfoot Festival
Check It Out! And find out more about the Honobia Bigfoot Festival at Strange State. An alternate, tri-color version can be found here.
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Order While There Is Still Time
St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner. If you act fast, you still have time to purchase the lower two designs in time for the 17th. The shirt on the left features the Dublin city seal, and the one on the right features the "King of Clovers" and says "the luck of the Irish" in Irish. You may also want to check out the City of London t-shirts as well.
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Sunday, March 1, 2009
St. Patrick's Day Is Fast Approaching!
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Saturday, February 28, 2009
He's a Hudson, She's a Hudson; Wouldn't you like to be a Hudson, too?
Maybe you don't, but you have to agree: the image is sweet. If you're interested in such a design for your own surname (or your business), feel free to contact me to discuss your needs.
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Thursday, February 12, 2009
Winning Design
From the bidding wars (a.k.a. "contests") at 99designs.com, arises this gem. It's for a hotel in South Australia (thankfully spared any wildfires) near the Flinders Range Natl Park.
Posted by Cullan Hudson at 4:53 AM No comments:
Sunday, February 8, 2009
An Impactful Alternative
I did this mock up for an author friend of mine. This title (not with this cover) will be released in July 2009. For more information about the author and his work, check out www.keithpyeatt.com
Posted by Cullan Hudson at 4:29 AM No comments:
Design For Snowboard Company
Did this snowboard design and logo in a bid to win the company's business. Although I did not win the contract for the logo design, they did like the spikey-haired guy and showed interest in using him down the road in a promotional campaign.
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Archived Program Notes
March 10, 2010 Program Details
Bio of NAREH ARGHAMANYAN
Concluding the bios of this season's performers is Nareh Arghamanyan, winner of the 2008 Montreal International Music Competition. She makes her New York debut in the fall of 2009 at the Frick Collection in New York City. Other appearances in the 2009-10 season include recitals in San Francisco, Miami, Detroit. Minneapolis, Kansas City, Kalamazoo, San Juan and Fresno, among others. She also performs the Saint-Saens 5th Concerto with the Winnipeg Symphony, the Saint-Saens 2nd and Mozart Double Concertos with I Musici de Montreal, and the "Emperor" Concerto with the McGill Chamber Orchestra. This past summer, Ms. Arghamanyan attended the prestigious Marlboro Festival and gave recitals in Quebec at Domaine Forget, the Festival International de Lanaudiere in Joliet, Canada, and at the Mecklenburg Festival in Germany. Most recently, the Analekta label released her recording of the Rachmaninoff 2nd Sonata and Liszt B minor Sonata to great acclaim. La Scena Musicale wrote: "Arghamanyan meets the daunting demands of these two ultra-Romantic pieces with a combination of technical bravura, singing tone, and poetic expression - the Liszt is particularly memorable."
In addition to capturing the First Prize in Montreal", she also received the Audience Choice Award and a special award for the best interpretation of a work by Canadian composer Alexina Louie. Ms. Arghamanyan has been the First Prize recipient at the 2007 Piano Campus International Competition in Pontoise, France, and took second prize at the 2007 Jose Roca International Competition in Valencia, Spain. In 2005 she won the Josef Dichler Piano Competition in Vienna, and the following year was awarded a scholarship from the Herbert von Karajan Foundation. Nareh Arghamanyan's first major recognition came at the coveted Gina Bachauer International Junior Piano Competition in Salt Lake City in 2000 where, at the age of 11, she was the Second Prize winner.
Previously, she had been the recipient of the First Prize at the 1997 International Chopin Piano Competition m Yugoslavia, First Prize at the 1998 International Competition for Young Talents in Ukraine, and Gold Medal winner at the 1999 Armenian Legacy National Piano Competition in the juniors' category.
The outstanding bios of our artists show the talent that they represent.
Among the bios presented here, Ms. Arghamanyan has appeared at many festivals internationally including the Colmar Festival in France at the invitation of violinist Vladimir Spivakov, and a recital at Palais d'Athenee in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2006 she appeared on the Chamber Music San Francisco Music Series under the auspices of the Guzik Foundation, and in 2004 was soloist with the Mont Blanc Symphony (France) in the Grieg Piano Concerto. She has performed recitals in many U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Boston, and Washington, DC, and has appeared with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Armenian Philharmonic, and the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia.
Born in 1989 in Armenia. Nareh Arghamanyan began her piano studies at the age of five. Three years later, she . entered the Tchaikovsky Music School for Talented Children in Yerevan, where she studied with Alexander Gurgenov. In 2004 she was the youngest student to be admitted to the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, where she studied with Hein/: Medjimorec and graduated in 2008 with highest honors.
Going on from bios of our concert artists we present bios of composers who wrote the pieces our performers will present.
Composer Notes
Humoreske, Op. 20
A composer whose works include novelettes and fairytales, Schumann likewise went to a literary genre in titling this big piece he completed in March 1839. The prose "humoresque"?in German, Humoreske?was a story illustrating one or more of the recurrent humors, or character types, that people liked to find in human nature. Humor, in the more ordinary sense, was a common feature, and Schumann's example certainly has a dash of it, along with sweetness, ardor, and a great deal of ebullience, all of which he seems to have felt while at work. As he wrote at the time to Clara, back in Leipzig with her father while he was in Vienna: "The whole week I have been sitting at the piano and composing and writing and laughing and crying at the same time, as you will now find all beautifully illustrated in my Op. 20, this large-scale Humoreske."
The composition does indeed show Schumann a master of mixed feelings, as also of harmonic ambiguities and simultaneous speeds. Like the better-known Fantasy in C Major that came shortly before, the Humoreske is a work of sonata-style weight and variety. Of the four main movements, the third is slow and, like its two predecessors, in clear ternary form, whereas the finale is a more various succession of episodes. The simple tune at the start of the piece returns at the end of the first movement (where much of the comedy is to be found) and appears again, reduced to a sequence of chords, in the middle part of the second. At the opening of this movement, alongside the melody in the bass, Schumann wrote out an "inner voice," not meant to be played but only imagined by the performer (or listener), a melody quoted from a composition of Clara's. The slow movement is based on another gorgeous tune, and the finale proceeds with immense power.
By the end, the Humoreske has told a musical narrative of great subtlety and scope. The story may be partly the composer's, from a time of enforced separation from Clara, but music's advantage is that it defines no subject and has no narrator. It just is.
Continuing with bios of Scarlatti and Rachmaninoff you can see that their musical abilities were profound.
Three Sonatas: D minor, K. 9 (L.413)
D minor, K. 213 (L. 108)
D minor, K. 141 (L. 422)
Domenico Scarlatti grew up in the shadow of his famous father, the premiere opera composer of the day, and while the boy showed extraordinary talent for the keyboard, his creative gifts did not seem to be of the same order. In adulthood, he proved at first to be nothing more than a dependably skilled but thoroughly conventional church and theater composer. In 1720 or 1721 however, Scarlatti became Royal Music Master at Lisbon, where his chief duty was to provide challenging keyboard music for the gifted Princess Maria Barbara. Eventually Scarlatti wrote over 500 sonatas for his patroness, and in this genre, found and continued to develop the free-wheeling, scintillating style for which he is now noted - a style marked by narrative paradox, dancelike energy, and exotic instrumental coloring.
And the composers' bios continue.
Etudes tableaux, Op. 33
The last of the great 19th century pianist-composers and the first of the modern school of piano-playing,, Rachmaninoff held aristocratic disdain for technical difficulty at the keyboard. Full-blooded Russian sonority was there. But also was refined legato playing, rhythmic buoyancy and drive, a composer's ability to structure the music and an uncanny knack of getting right to the heart of the poetry. Rachmaninoff thrived on his concert giving. Countless concert tours across the U.S. bought him a house in Beverly Hills.
The music, however, did not come without a struggle. At home, in Russia, the first 26 years of Rachmaninoff s career saw 39 publications. The next 26 years of exile resulted in just six more. It was in pre-Revolutionary Russia that Rachmaninoff composed all his operas and songs, three of the four piano concertos, two of the three symphonies, and two sets of demanding piano pieces that essentially close the book on the great 19l century tradition of virtuoso etudes. He called them Etudes-tableaux, or Study-Pictures, inventing the term to describe these short, technically complex pieces that explore a mood or tell a story. He gave little away by way of explanation however; preferring to follow Chopin's lead in the four Ballades of leaving it to the listener's imagination to fill in the specifics of the narrative.
The Opus 33 etudes were originally meant to comprise nine etudes when Rachmaninoff wrote them. The composer decided to publish only six of them in 1911. Numbers 3 and 5 were published posthumously and are often inserted among the six etudes: number four was transferred to Op. 39, where it appears as No. 6 of that set.
Three Sonatas:
D minor, K.9 (L.413) D minor, K. 213 (L. 108) D minor, K. 141 (L. 422)
Humoreske in B-flat Major, Op 20 Einfach; sehr rasch und leicht
Hastig Einfach und zart; Intermezzo Innig Sehr lebharft; mit einigen Pomp Zum Beschluss; Allegro
Etudes tableaux, Op. 33
These above bios brought the performing musicians and composers to the forefront of many other musician's bios with their testimonials so that we could bring them to Cincinnati to perform.


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Saturday, April 28 2012
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Current Affairs March 2012 class 001 also Economic survery and budget included.This series of classes covers Current Affairs from April 2011 to April 2012.In and out of 13 months current affairs and gk will be taught so that students will be able to tackle the current affairs and general knowledge related questions easily in the prelims.www.iasgeneralstudies.com
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In his book "Wilderness Hunting and Wildcraft," Col. Townsend Whelen wrote, "A man will travel farther, hunt over more country,… more
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Norwood home condemned after sinkhole opens under itUPDATED 6:25 PM EDT May 23, 2013
A sinkhole estimated at 30 feet deep has opened under a Norwood house Thursday morning.Video Transcript
WAKING UP ... TO FIND PART OF YOUR BASEMENT IS GONE! A 30 FOOT DEEP SINKHOLE.... OPENED UP BELOW A HOME IN NORWOOD TODAY. SWALLOWING SOME OF ITS CONTENTS. THE PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH A SEWER LINE.. RUNNING UNDER THE HOME. WLWT NEWS FIVE'S BRIAN HAMRICK.... JOINS US LIVE.. WITH WHAT HAPPENS NOW! BRIAN. CREWS HAVE BEEN OUT HERE ALL DAY... THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON IT TONIGHT. AFTER THIS SEWER COLLAPSED... UNDER THE EDGE OF THAT APARTMENT BUILDING.... RESIDENTS HERE SAID IT LEFT A HOLE SO BIG... YOU COULD DRIVE A VAN INTO IT. BENEATH THIS APARTMENT BUILDING ... SOMETHING CREATED A PROBLEM... BUT - NOTHING -IS-- THE PROBLEM... (Justice munoz/renter "and there was 35 feet of nothing but nothing...") JUSTICE MUNOZ RENTS AN APARTMENT HERE... HE SAYS THE BASEMENT FILLED UP WITH WATER ... KILLING THE POWER THEN THE SINK HOLE STARTED ACTING MORE LIKE A BLACK HOLE. (Justice munoz/renter "I noticed I bought a new mattress with box springs... and it sucked it down the hole... I don't know where it went...") WHAT HAPPENED IS ... A HUGE SEWER LINE RUNNING UNDERNEATH THE HOUSE COLLAPSED CAUSING THE SINK HOLE. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND ONE HERE .... BACK IN JANUARY AN ELDERLY COUPLE MOVED OUT AFTER A SMALLER HOLE DAMAGED THE EMERGENCY STAIRWAY. (Mike Pittinger/msd "we wouldn't build sewers like that today unfortunately it was common place a hundred years ago...") MIKE PITTINGER IS WITH MSD... HE SAYS THEY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM THE FIRST GO-ROUND BUT THE SOLUTION JUST GOT APPROVAL IN AN EMERGENCY REQUEST TO BUY THE PROPERTY. (Mike Pittinger/msd "it was pretty clear at the time... the best alternative was to actually purchase the house and tear it down. and complete the repair unobstructed. ") IT LEAVES JUSTICE MUNOZ... ON THE MOVE ... CONFUSED... AND EMOTIONAL... (Justice munoz/renter "I'll make it ... I'm a strong man... but I don't understand the concept of this world anymore...") SO NOTHING WILL BE LEFT WERE THE APARTMENT BUILDING IS NOW... HELPING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT STARTED BECAUSE OF NOTHING. THEY DID FIND THAT COUPLE SOMEWHERE ELSE TO LIVE. MEANWHILE... TEARING DOWN THE HOUSE ... THE FIX IS GOING TO COST COST ABOUT 125 THOUSAND DOLLARS... LEAVING THE HOUSE STAND... THE COST WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. LIVE BRIAN HAMRICK ... WLWT... NEWS FIVE. M-S-D DOES NOT HAVE A TIMELINE FOR BUYING THE HOUSE AND M-S-D DOES NOT HAVE A TIMELINE FOR BUYING THE HOUSE AND DEMOLISHING IT. NEW DETAILS TONIGHT ON THE
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Chevrolet Unveils Redesigned Nascar Racer for 2013 (Slideshow)
Chevrolet unveiled its new race car for the 2013 Nascar Sprint Cup season. After years of campaigning a car made to resemble its Impala family sedan, the company is switching to a new model called the SS, or Super Sport, which has more of a high-performance image.
The new Nascar machine closely resembles the production version of the SS rear-wheel-drive, V8 powered sedan Chevy will begin selling early next year. The racing car will roll out for Daytona Speed Weeks this winter.
For consumers the new SS will be a departure for Chevrolet, which has not sold a rear-wheel-drive sedan for sale in the United States in 17 years.
"As a passionate race fan, the debut of the SS Nascar race car is a genuinely exciting moment for me," said GM North America President Mark Reuss. "With the SS, Chevrolet is delivering a true rear-wheel-drive Nascar race car that is very closely linked to the performance sedan that will be available for sale."
Chevrolet is the last manufacturer to show its new Cup car. Rival car makers showed their vehicles earlier in the year. Nascar made changes to its rules that help the cars to look more like their road-going counterparts. New guidelines also allow subtle changes in the cars' bodies to keep them from looking alike. In recent years it was hard to see any difference from a Chevrolet to a Dodge to a Toyota during ra races.
Chevrolet said it has 702 victories in the Sprint Cup and its predecessor series — more than any other manufacturer. Fonty Flock earned the manufacturer's first win on March 26, 1955, at Columbia, S.C. Five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson logged Chevrolet's 700th win earlier this month at Texas Motor Speedway.


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?I normally do not read male authors but someone recommended [Barclay] and all I can say to her is thank you. Fresh Fiction With his powerfully emotional debut, If Wishes Were Horses, author Robert Barclay immediately joined the ranks of Nicholas Sparks, Richard Paul Evans, and Robert James Waller. His second novel of love and hope, More Than Words Can Say, only confirms his place among them. A profoundly moving multi-generational family story centered around a woman?s return to her late grandmother?s lake cottage and the long-buried secrets she uncovers there, More Than Words Can Say will linger long in the heart and memory.. Price: $17.99
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Notable Features
- 342-hp V-8
- Eight-speed automatic
- Standard adaptive suspension
- Optional active stabilizer bars
- Optional Pre-Collision System
- Available Engines:
- 342-hp, 4.6-liter V-8 (premium)
- Transmissions:
- 8-speed automatic w/OD and auto-manual
Expert Snapshot
What We Like
- V-8 smoothness, power
- Quiet cabin
- Touch-screen navigation's ease of use
- Lounge-chair-like bucket seats
- Relatively efficient
What We Don't Like
- Lack of steering feedback
- Unresponsive transmission
- Interior luxury compared with competition
- Roofline encroaches on backseat space
- Rainwater drips into opened trunk
1 Styles: View, Compare & Price
Standard Engine
See specs for optional engines
Base 4dr Rear-wheel Drive Sedan
See Specs
8 cyl.
342-hp, 4.6-liter V-8 (premium)
342-hp, 4.6-liter V-8 (premium)
Destination charge: $875
* MPG may vary based on maintenance.
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Fine Art
Art Consulting
Picture frame design
framing services
about us
art consulting
exhibit calendar
David Baker
Mary Baxter more
White Horse
Baxter moved to Marathon in 2002 and
opened the Baxter Studio and Gallery in
the old Shoemaker Hardware building,
where she continues to make and sell her
work. She uses a vintage Silver Streak
trailer that allows her to live in more
remote locations, where the smaller
paintings are done 'en plein air' and
the ideas and sketches are gathered for
the large paintings that will be
finished in the studio.
For Evett, His life-long
pursuit of art is a creative process of
self-discovery and realization. "I never
begin a piece with a pre-conceived
plan," he explains. "I feel I am doing
my best work when I make something that
surprises me."
Night Watcher
etching, 11.5x 14
edition of 100
Zer029 Series - 7
Mixed Media 10 x 10
Jan Heaton
more info
Windy Pointt
Pauline Howard
more info
like to take seemingly insignificant
artifacts of life and celebrate
them. Discarded objects and plant
material ready for the compost pile
as well as more expected still life
objects are my subjects. Through
arranging them in various
relationships and sequences, I
question the nature of brevity and
"My painting process relies on
direct observation and natural
Morris is a partner with nationally acclaimed Lake/Flato
Architects in San Antonio. He was made a Fellow in the
American Institute of Architects in 2006 for his design
and artistic sensibilities. While crafting a career in
design as an architect he was busy studying the built and
natural environment on paper and canvas as an artist. It is
impossible to separate art from architecture so Matt
blends his analytic rigor as an architect with the fluid
expressive nature as an artist. The results are an
expressive landscape presentation like no one else.
Craziness in Bolivia
oil on canvas 60"x72"
"I am a painter. I see everything in
terms of what it would look like as an
oil painting. When something brightly
lit catches my eye, I sketch the shapes
I see, record the colors and take a
photograph. In my studio, I lay in large
areas of color, pushing the oil paint
back and forth, manipulating it into a
balanced composition."
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Australia's Dimity Stoyle Earned the First Perfect 10 of the Championship
Day 2 offered smaller surf than yesterday's picture-perfect waves and with clean conditions at the 2013 Reef ISA World Surfing Games in Playa Santa Catalina, Panama.
Round 2 of the Open Men's Qualifying and the Opening Round of the Open Women's were on the schedule.
"The performance level from the world's best men and women was great today," remarked ISA President Fernando Aguerre. "The camaraderie between all the National Teams and the local Panamanians has created a great vibe amongst the surfing tribe. With tropical air and water temperatures, Santa Catalina is a surfer's dreamland. Stay tuned all week and don't miss a minute of the live webcast. And if you can't, just log in and watch the photo albums and the video highlights, capturing the essence of this incredible event."
In the Open Men's, Australia's Thomas Woods, once again, was the standout of the day, posting the highest total heat score of 16.47. The smaller conditions suited his powerful surfing style and aerial maneuvers. Woods defeated Davey Brand (RSA, 12.66), while Lucas Santamaria (ARG, 11.54) and Miguel Tudela (PER, 9.20) fell into the Repechage Round.
In a high scoring affair and heat of the day, Mexico's Adrian Gonzales (16.00) narrowly defeated South Africa's Shaun Joubert (15.70), sending Wade Carmichael (AUS, 8.50) and Carlos Goncalves (ECU, 4.14) into the Repechage.
Other Men's standouts were Brazil's Alan Johnes, who had the second highest heat score of the day, 16.33, as well as local surfer Jean Carlos "Oli" Gonzales, who earned a 14.66, making Panama proud as he advanced to the next Qualifying Round.
On the Women's side, Australia's Dimity Stoyle, Copper Medalist from the 2011 ISA World Surfing Games, had the first perfect 10 of the competition, while posting the day's highest heat score, 17.67. Stoyle was dominant in her win over Sofia Alonso (URU, 6.10) and Evelin Centeno (SAL, 6.10).
Other standouts were Ecuador's Dominic Barona and New Zealand's Ella Williams. Barona, with a 14.50 total heat score, defeated Valeria Sole (PER, 11.87) and Nao Omura (JPN, 11.50). Williams had a dominating performance with a total heat score of 14.33, defeating Faye Zoetmulder (RSA, 8.60), and sending into the Repechage Leah Oke (CAN, 5.93) and Greta Dalle Luche (ITA, 4.10).
For a full list of today's results, click here- http://isawsg.com/results/
The 2013 Reef ISA World Surfing Games resumes tomorrow at 7:40am (Panama time) with The Morning Show hosted by Otto Flores. His guest will be Costa Rica's Gilbert Brown and Peru's Valeria Sole.
Following that, the competition will feature:
Open Women's Repechage Round 1
Open Women's Qualifying Round 2
Open Men's Repechage Round 1
The live webcast of the entire championship is available on http://isawsg.com/
Here is the scheduled for Day 2:
Sunday, 7:40am Santa Catalina, Panama
Sunday, 5:40am West Coast USA
Sunday, 2:40pm Western Europe/ South Africa
Sunday, 11:40pm Sydney, Australia
Monday, 12:40am Auckland, New Zealand


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Find information on common issues.
Ask questions and find answers from other users.
Suggest a new site feature or improvement.
Check on status of your tickets.
Use this link to report a NEES network security incident
Jan 16 2014
Northridge 20: The 1994 Northridge Earthquake: Impacts, Outcomes, and Next Steps
UCD/CGMDR-05/05: A Demonstration of the NEES System for Studying Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction Centrifuge Data Reprot for Test Series MIL01
0.0 out of 5 stars
31 Jul 2010 | Publications | Contributor(s): Mahadevan Ilankatharan, HyungSuk Shin, Bruce Lloyd Kutter, Steve Kramer, Pedro Arduino
This test series includes a scale model of a two-bay prototype bridge structure with the sloping ground conditions that are assumed to exist at the site of the prototype bridge structure. Due to...


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This information will help you prepare for your flexible bronchoscopy with or without fluoroscopy, endobronchial ultrasound, biopsy or heat/cold therapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).
A bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to look inside your lungs using a flexible tube with a camera. During the bronchoscopy, your doctor may take biopsies (tissue samples) of your bronchi (main passageway into your lungs), lymph nodes, and lungs to see if any cancer cells are present. He or she may also do saline washings to clear your airways or lungs.
During your clinic visit, your doctor will explain the procedure to you and answer your questions. You will be asked to sign a consent form. How you prepare for your flexible bronchoscopy will depend on where you will have it done. Your bronchoscopy will be performed:
- In the operating room at 1275 York Avenue, B elevator to 6th floor
- In the endoscopy suite at 1275 York Avenue, M elevator to 2nd floor
If you are having your bronchoscopy done in the operating room, you will need to have a Presurgical Testing (PST) appointment within 30 days of your procedure. See the section titled "Presurgical testing." If you are having your bronchoscopy done in the endoscopy suite, you can skip the PST information and start reading the section titled "Ask about your medications."
Before Your Procedure
Presurgical testing
If you are having your bronchoscopy in the operating room, you will need to have a Presurgical Testing (PST) appointment within 30 days of your procedure. During this appointment you will meet with a nurse practitioner who works closely with anesthesiology staff (doctors and specialized nurses who give you medication to sleep during surgery). Your nurse practitioner will review your medical and surgical history with you, including your medications. You will have tests, including an electrocardiogram (EKG) to check your heart rhythm, a chest x-ray, blood tests, and any other tests necessary to plan your care. Your nurse practitioner may also recommend you see other healthcare providers.
Please bring the following to your PST appointment:
- A list of all the medications you are taking, including patches and creams
- Reports of any tests done outside of MSK, such as a cardiac stress test, echocardiogram (echo), or carotid doppler study
- The name and telephone number of your doctor(s)
Ask about your medications
You may need to stop taking some of your medications before your procedure. Review the information below carefully so you have time to discuss your medications with your doctor, if necessary.
- If you take medication to thin your blood, such as to treat blood clots or to prevent a heart attack or stroke, ask the doctor who prescribes it for you when to stop taking it. Some examples of blood thinners are aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin®), dalteparin (Fragmin®), heparin, tinzaparin (Innohep®), enoxaparin (Lovenox®), clopidogrel (Plavix®), and cilostazol (Pletal®).
- If you take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil®) or naproxen (Aleve®), you will need to stop taking them 7 days before your procedure. For a list of medications in this category and which medications you can take instead, ask for the resource Common Medications Containing Aspirin and Other Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). If you take aspirin because you've had a problem with your heart, do not stop taking it until you talk with your doctor.
- If you take insulin or other medications for diabetes, you may need to change the dose. Ask the doctor who prescribes your diabetes medication what you should do the day before and the morning of your procedure.
Get a letter from your doctor, if necessary
If you have an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (AICD), you will need to get a clearance letter from your cardiologist before your procedure.
Arrange for someone to take you home
You must have someone 18 years or older take you home after your procedure. If you don't have anyone, call one of the agencies below. They will provide someone to accompany you home, however there is usually a charge for this service and you will also need to provide transportation.
Prime Care 212-944-0244
Caring People 877-227-4649
Note the time of your procedure
If you are having your bronchoscopy in the endoscopy suite, an endoscopy nurse will call you 3 days before your procedure. They will confirm the type of procedure(s) you are having and review the instructions listed in this resource with you. The nurse will also ask you questions about your medical history and all medications you are taking.
If you are having your bronchoscopy in the operating room, a clerk from the Admitting Office will call you after 2:00 pm the day before your procedure. They will tell you what time you should arrive at the hospital for your procedure. If your procedure is scheduled on a Monday, you will be called on the Friday before. If you do not receive a call by 7:00 pm, please call 212-639-5014.
If you need to cancel your procedure for any reason, please call the doctor who scheduled it for you.
The night before your procedure
The Day of Your Procedure
Between midnight and up until 2 hours before your scheduled arrival time, you may drink a total of 12 ounces of clear liquids (see Figure 1).
Examples of clear liquids include:
- Water
- Clear broth, bouillon, or consommé (no particles of dried food or seasonings)
- Gelatin, such as Jell-O®
- Clear fruit juices (no pulp), such as white cranberry, white grape, or apple
- Soda, such as 7-Up®, Sprite®, ginger ale, seltzer, or Gatorade®
- Coffee or tea, without milk or cream
Things to remember
- Take the medications you were instructed to take the morning of your procedure with a few sips of water.
- Do not put on any lotion, cream, powder, deodorant, make-up, or perfume.
- Remove any jewelry, including body piercings.
- Leave all valuables, such as credit cards and jewelry, at home.
- If you wear contact lenses, wear your glasses instead.
What to bring with you
- A list of the medications you take at home, including patches and creams
- Your rescue inhaler (such as albuterol for asthma), if you have one
- A case for your glasses
- Your Health Care Proxy form, if you have completed one
Where to park
Parking at MSK is available in the garage on East 66th Street between York and First Avenues. To reach the garage, turn onto East 66th Street from York Avenue. The garage is located about a quarter of a block in from York Avenue, on the right-hand (north) side of the street. There is a pedestrian tunnel that you can walk through that connects the garage to the hospital. If you have questions about prices, call 212-639-2338.
There are also other garages located on East 69th Street between First and Second Avenues, East 67th Street between York and First Avenues, and East 65th Street between First and Second Avenues.
What to expect
Once you arrive at the hospital, doctors, nurses, and other staff members will ask you to state and spell your name and date of birth many times. This is for your safety. People with the same or similar names may be having procedures on the same day.
After changing into a hospital gown, you will meet your nurse. They will place an intravenous (IV) catheter into a vein, usually in your hand or arm. At first, you will receive fluids through the IV, but it will be used later to give you anesthesia (medication to make you sleep during your procedure). When it's time for your procedure, you will be brought into the procedure room and helped onto an exam table. You will be attached to equipment to monitor your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. You will also receive oxygen through your nose.
You may be asked to gargle with a solution that will numb the back of your throat and stop your gag reflex during the procedure. Your doctor may spray some medication into the back of your mouth to numb your throat.
You will receive anesthesia through your IV. Once you are asleep, your doctor will insert a bronchoscope (a tube-like instrument with a small camera) into your nose or mouth. They will gently move it down the back of your throat and through the large and small airways leading into your lungs (see Figure 2). If your doctor needs to take any biopsies, they may use fluoroscopy (live x-ray) or ultrasound (also known as endobronchial ultrasound), for guidance as needed.
The bronchoscopy usually takes 45 minutes to 1 hour.Back to top
After Your Procedure
In the recovery room
You will wake up in Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Your nurse will continue to monitor your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. If you had a lung biopsy, you may have a chest x-ray to make sure your lung was not punctured. This type of injury is uncommon.
Once you are fully awake, your nurse may give you a drink and will remove your IV. Your doctor will talk with you and the person taking you home after your procedure. If you were told to stop taking any medications before your procedure, ask your doctor when you can start taking them again. Your nurse will explain your discharge instructions to both you and the person taking you home before you leave.
At home
- You may want to have someone stay with you the day of your procedure because you may still feel sleepy from the anesthesia.
- You may have a sore throat, a low grade fever (below 101° F or 38.3° C), and cough up a small amount of blood after your procedure. These side effects should go away within 3 days. Eating soft foods and sucking on ice chips or throat lozenges may help. Avoid eating spicy foods and smoking.
- A nurse will contact you the next day to ask how you are doing.
- If you had any tests done during the bronchoscopy, call your doctor's office in a few days to get the results.
Call Your Doctor or Nurse If You:
- Have a temperature of 101° F (38.3° C) or higher
- Have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Have chest pain or a feeling of pressure in your chest
- Cough up more than 1 teaspoon of blood or cough up any amount of blood for longer than 3 days


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Unfortunately, Takitimu Online is on hiatus.
There has not been enough local interest in the project, and the administrator has had to relocate.
Feel free to look at the existing pages, but know that they are not 'current and up to date'.
There is a local Facebook page that you can go to: Takitimu Community News https://www.facebook.com/takitimucommunitynewsletter?fref=ts


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The ambitious work of young Mexican architect Fernando Romero and his practice, LAR (Laboratory of Architecture), is explored in this exhibition of 20 key projects.
Illuminated models are complemented by large photographs of Mexico City that depict the context for much of Romero's work. Informed by his studies of Mexico City and the U.S./Mexican border, Romero responds to the challenges and hopes of Mexico with new building forms, imaginative structures, and concepts for civic space. Romero is also currently working on projects in the United States, Europe, and China.
The programs of the Heinz Architectural Center are made possible by the generosity of the Drue Heinz Trust. General support for museum's exhibition program is provided by The Heinz Endowments, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Allegheny Regional Asset District.