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I'm purposely putting a lot of effort into these principles posts in the hopes of inspiring animation students, to give you more tools to create with, to make your future career easier and more creatively rewarding. I see a lot of students - even very talented ones who are great at life drawing, being lured by the modern trend of "designy" flat unprincipled drawings.
I was surprised and impressed at a Cal Arts art show a couple weeks ago to see some really observant 3 dimensional life drawings and reaized that if the students wanted to, they could actually apply this ability and thought to their cartoon drawings.
I don't know how anybody with a good eye could not be totally inspired by the sheer draftsmanship and control of all these great drawings below.
I hope it inspires you to spend your school time methodically aquiring the most powerful skills you can. You will have plenty of time to develop a "style" later - after you've spent your hundred thousand bucks at school. Make that investment pay off now! When you have skills, you will realize how much more important they are than superficial style. Once you're out working for the man, you won't have the time or youthful energy you have now. Take advantage of it so you can be great!-John
"Women are the best judges of anything we turn out. Their taste is very important. They are the theatre-goers, they are the ones that drag the men in. If the women like it, the heck with the men."- Walt Disney, from Wisdom 1959
Disney's forte: really cute, appealing and well constructed drawings reached their pinnacle of execution in the 1940s.
Disney perfected general animation principles in the 1940s. Good principles are not a "style."
Warner Bros. APPLIED the principles to specific individual characters and styles.
The 1940s animators didn't make earth shattering progress or discoveries in animation drawing, especially at Disney. The animators mainly polished the principles they learned so fast in the 1930s.
In the process, the extreme attention to these principles created a generic cliche ridden style that has passed down to us today, only now without the principles of good drawing, staging and posing.
Many of Disney's supercial cliches are still used today (only not drawn as well), probably without many animators even knowing where they came from.
Disney painted his characters in the most general terms. Someone is good or evil, nice or stupid or wacky, but no specifically defined individual version of any of these general types. He wanted the audience to project their own personalities onto the characters on screen and experience the adventure, rather than witness the adventures of specific original individuals. The Disney character designs reflect that generic attitude.
They are very well drawn, but all made up of the same basic simple shapes. But the animators can move these simple shapes in amazing ways.
Instead of moving animation to the next level of creating specific characters with individual looks and expressions and personalities, Disney used his creativity to
polish what his animators already knew how to do while giving his crew more difficult technical problems to solve.
How to animate animal anatomy, how to control crowds, how to make water look more realistic, how to shoot more levels under the multi plane camera.
Some of Moore and Kimball and others' work is really pretty to look at, because of the strong principles and the slight stylistic tweaks.The great appeal in the drawing above is an appeal of admiration for great control of principles, lost things of the past. It looks magic because no one can do it anymore.
The expressions are general. Disney animators found a formula for how to draw a mouth attached to the cheeks and used exaggerated squash and stretch rather than specific expressions that could define their characters' personalities.
This kind of facial mugging looks like chewing gum to me. It doesn't attempt to match the distinct inflections you hear in the voice actors' dialogue. The Disney animators created formula designs and movements for each phonetic sound and assigned them routinely for decades to come.
Pinocchio's construction is stock "baby" structure. It's the same construction as Elmer, Porky, Sody Pop, Red Hot Riding Hood, Peter Pan, Wart and a zillion other characters.
You could give this structure different shaped eyes, or a unique mouth or any kind of specific details to make the character unique...like these.These quick doodles all have baby structure but have specific features attached to them. Katie gets ideas by drawing caricatures of real people and then applies the ideas to cartoon principles. Of course it's harder to animate specific designs, but we need something new to strive for!
Caricature is your best friend! Break habits the easy way...draw your friends and family.
Here is the same structure in the same movie, but with added specific touches that add up to verrry cute.
Lampwick here is less solid than Pinocchio but has a clear line of action. His generic bullying is easy to read. He has stock baby head structure too.
Stromboli is very solid in still drawings, but moves like rubber bags filled with jello.
His acting is practically non-existent. He has a generic blustering action where he shakes his arms in the air and wobbles his cheek sacs. In almost every scene!
This blustery action, as simple and generic as it is has become the standard action for every other fat villain in Disney history.
The routine at Disney's seems to be:
Everyone wants to please Walt because he is a scary man.
When they do something that finally pleases him, they repeat that action every time there is a similar situation in successive films. It's safer than risking something new that might displease him.
That's why you see the same movements, expressions and gestures in every Disney feature...and every Bluth feature and Cal Arts film and Pixar feature. (Although, now and then Pixar adds some new expressions and actions-as in the great shark animation in Nemo.)
These stock movements have come down to us all because someone wanted to please a very bland man in the 1930s, 40s or 50s.
Animators today-some probably without even knowing it, subconsciously pull out these stock movements and expressions and glue them onto their scenes, not because they thought about what could be happening in an interesting way in the scene, but because "That's the way you animate someone saying no."
Here's a specific character...It's kinda hard to go wrong with Hitler. He is the ultimate cartoon character.
These general characters are loose and fun and full of strong animation principles.
The 40s characters get more streamlined than the late 30s characters. Less overlap, less curves, a bit simpler, more conservative.
Compare it to this awkward and completely unstructured girl that melted and deformed all over the screen a few years ago:
What's more appealing?
I believe wholeheartedly in construction and other powerful skills, but there was a danger at least at Disney's in being ONLY concerned in skills, so concerned with the general that they drifted into extreme blandness by never tackling the specific.
Good construction but with even proportions and no specific design elements or human expression equals this monstrosity:
The Disney animators-had they worked under a more creative and observant student of human nature could have gone on to the next level to discover acting and specific expressions and poses and specific designs, but that was left for the Warner Bros. animators and directors to do.
To take Chuck Jones for example:
His early cartoons looked more like general animation principles without specific individual design elements, but he quickly developed not only a specific signature look of his own, but also very specific character designs.
This is an amazing design. The coyote is made of up strong constrasting shapes and curves and straights, rather than simple balls and pears, yet all these more complex visual ideas follow the same logical and effective animation principles that the more general Disney designs do.
You couldn't draw the coyote if you didn't already draw fundamentals well.
Here are two chracters that are both a general type: tough strong military men, yet they are two different specific characters that fit into the broader category.
Disney never went past the broad categories into specific individual variations of the type.
Chuck Jones's acting could also be very specific. This Dad character is really funny because of how human his reactions are, His whole body attitude tells you how he is trying to keep from exploding over the antics of his (he thinks) retarded family. Jones doesn't merely present his jokes like today's cartoon sitcoms; he emphasizes them and makes them much funnier by the very specific emotions he draws into his characters. ...using construction, line of action, hierarchy etc.
Jones was the king of lummox design. You would think a lummox is a general type, but Jones had a million ways of drawing them.
This extremely specific design may look like a different style than the more generic rounded drawing below, but both drawings use the same exact strong principles. You couldn't draw this vampire if you didn't understand how Stromboli works.If you learn to draw the basic animation principles of the 1940s, you'll be able to draw almost any style you like. Everything else will seem easy. Anime, Batman, Ren and Stimpy, Sponge Bob, Samurai Jack are all offshoots of this great era of skill.


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We like kids, baby animals and pretty girls because they have big eyes and big heads.
The first really appealing cartoons - that really looked like our modern conceptions of cartoons had very big eyes. This made them instantly more appealing than the previous 500 years worth of cartoons, which were really just itchy looking ugly caricatures of reality.
I can admire this kind of drawing for its technical skill but it doesn't attract my eye as quickly as an unrealistic simple, well designed big-eyed, big headed cartoon character. This cartoon from the 1800s is a slight distortion of reality, instead of a complete stylization intended for visual fun and appeal.
Big eyes and big heads are not the only elements that make a cartoon appealing of course, but they are probably the most important elements.
Compare Coal Black above to the Friz Freleng version of the same character. Which one has more instant appeal?
Tiny eyes are a sign of the conservative cartoonist; someone who thinks being too cartoony is not responsible or sensible.Big heads, big eyes = cute
Small eyes, smaller heads = blah...
One thing that drew me to Clampett's cartoons so quickly was how appealing they looked. He drew not only bigger eyes than the other directors, but the huge eyes were much more expressive. They suck you in to the characters' feelings more and invite your empathy.
Here's a Clampett Bugs drawn by Bob McKimson. His drawings for Clampett are more appealing than his drawings in his own cartoons.
You'd swear that McKimson actually rebelled on purpose against the accepted visual symbols of appeal.
He drew tiny eyes and really tiny craniums, with big jowls - as if he was predicting Fox News Anchors 50 years before their time.
Low hairlines add to the natural unappeal of small eyes and tiny craniums.
Tiny Pupils Lack Appeal and The Ability To Express Emotion
Cal-Arts animators had a period where they used pin-point pupils. To me this made the characters very cold and unappealing. The animators relied on a handful of Disney eye expressions from the late 70s, but simplified them to the point of - I don't know...coldness. It makes it very hard to get into the characters. You can see it came from Disney, but eliminated what made Disney appealing in the first place. It's Disney without solid drawing or cuteness.
Of course, big eyes and big heads won't guarantee your drawings will be appealing. They still have to be well-drawn in every other way, but these are 2 obvious traits that help make your characters fun to look at and they help grab people's attention and draw them into the characters' adventures and emotions (if they have any).
And it's not just the SIZE of the eyes that matters. The shape is important too, but I thought I would keep this post on one basic point.

subset: commoncrawl


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Monday, September 8, 2008
Experience Overload On "NASCAR Now"
The Chase For The Championship always brings out some interesting new twists in the TV programs that go along with the sport. Above is the official picture of the twelve drivers. Just click on it to view it full-screen. Thanks to NASCAR and photographer Rusty Jarrett for the image.
Monday, ESPN2 presented a ninety-minute version of the popular NASCAR Now "roundtable." Normally, this program features a panel of three who talk with host Allen Bestwick about the previous week's racing and then preview the events to come. The show usually has one guest appear by satellite liveshot and has been a great part of ESPN's NASCAR TV package.
This week, the idea was to bring all of ESPN's former drivers and crew chiefs into the Connecticut studio and talk about The Chase. Unfortunately, that put a few too many cooks in the TV kitchen.
Bestwick had Rusty Wallace, Tim Brewer and Ray Evernham on the set alongside of his host position. On a side set were Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree with reporter Mike Massaro as a second host. This dynamic made the show struggle. Rather than appear as two-halves that made a whole, the separate sets made for a disjointed program.
Massaro and his gang got a lot of information across where The Chase was concerned. Petree and Jarrett have been working together all season long and it shows. Massaro was a good host and led this team through a solid review of the Sprint Cup Series race from Richmond.
It was left to Bestwick to deal with the payback issue of the Earnhardt vs. Busch accident. Wallace called it flat-out payback, Evernham tried to call it an accident and Brewer said the two were now even. Bestwick once again played-back the earlier accident and Wallace said enough already, it was time to move on.
Fans of this show normally enjoy the interaction between the guests on the set. Unfortunately, Bestwick had Wallace, Evernham and Brewer grouped together. These three responded directly to Bestwick and barely even acknowledged each other on the set. Even though they flew up on the Wallace plane together, this trio of gray suits had a tough time meshing.
Meanwhile, over in "party central" Massaro led Jarrett and Petree through a rundown of The Chase contenders that showed-off the strengths of these three broadcasters. Petree has flat-out been turned loose and his opinions are stronger than they have ever been in his time at ESPN.
Evernham was interesting on this show because he is an active owner in the Sprint Cup Series. That really put him in the tough position of constantly stepping into-and-out-of different roles. He is well-spoken and informed, but it has to be tough for some fans to take his comments about other teams at face value.
Carl Edwards and Clint Bowyer appeared on the show as live guests and both were tired and polite. Bestwick interviewed Edwards and Massaro interviewed Bowyer. It was nice to watch two good NASCAR reporters ask all the right questions.
While Evernham and Brewer were informative, this show really needed to be just ESPN's big three. Jarrett, Petree and Wallace really would have been fun to watch, especially when Wallace gets fired-up and makes things exciting. Brewer's limited role in the Tech Center really does not lend itself to this type of appearance.
Since the panel was at the ESPN headquarters, it seemed only natural to wrap the program up with the kind of silly media hype that pervades the ESPN studio shows. Categories like biggest controversy, biggest disappointment and most flagrant foul smelled an awful lot like SportsCenter.
Bestwick actually ended the show by asking what each panelist would change if they were NASCAR's "commissioner." Since NASCAR does not have one of those, perhaps it was a subtle dig at the TV format that Bestwick had managed to avoid until this Monday.
Leave it to Dale Jarrett to fire a shot across the NASCAR bow on the way out the door. "Let's get rid of that rear wing," said DJ. "This isn't what NASCAR stock cars are supposed to look like. That (rear wing) is for other forms of racing. Let's get this back to what we have known forever."
Rarely has Jarrett been given an opportunity to speak-out on this issue and he made the most of it on this show. Perhaps, NASCAR Now during the week will follow-up on his comments and get the debate going about changes to the COT for 2009.
Next Monday it will be Craftsman Truck Series driver Todd Bodine who joins Evernham, Massaro and Bestwick for a one hour show at 5PM. Bodine is a veteran who should be able to lend some expertise to the Truck Series highlights from Loudon. That show will hopefully get things back to normal as this program is usually right on-track.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.
33 comments:
- glenc1 said...
quiet so far...
I have to agree JD, it was all very interesting but I felt a bit like the channels were flipping by themselves. I missed the first half hour though, so I didn't have a total picture. Two programs might have been better, one today, one tomorrow. Petree sure seems suddenly all fired up--'party central' is an apt description...the 'foul' thing threw me off because I couldn't figure out what direction one should go it--cheating, mistakes, personnel? Anyways, at least the show kept my attention...keep wondering if Jarrett's cell phone was ringing with Darby on the other end before he even got out of the studio....
- September 8, 2008 at 7:37 PM
- Lou said...
I enjoyed the show. But I expected all seven to be on one set. Then it would have been a real roundtable discussion.
- September 8, 2008 at 7:40 PM
- Wisconsin Steve said...
This episode was ok, but I think the regular three-man panel would have made it better.
After seeing Ricky Craven on Sunday night's NASCAR Now, I'm convinced that he should be a permanent addition to the program.
And how about bringing Stacy Compton back for one of the roundtable shows? He was the only voice of reason on this program in 2007, and they haven't even interviewed him on NASCAR Now in 2008.
- September 8, 2008 at 7:46 PM
- TexasRaceLady said...
glenc1 --- that was the way I felt -- the channels were flipping by themselves.
It got me so disoriented that I quite watching after 45 minutes. I felt dizzy.
- September 8, 2008 at 7:59 PM
- Anonymous said...
I think it was an experiment by ESPN. What set were Mike, Andy, and Dale on exactly? It looked like an ESPNEWS set to me?
- September 8, 2008 at 7:59 PM
- Newracefan said...
As I said on the other post get some extra chairs for the garage and put them all together. While I nderstand why TB was there, his presence wasn't needed. Enjoyed DJ's comments about the car but didn't understand AP (roster limits?). Overall an interesting show, not sure I would recommend they do it again unless they are all in the same room and minus a few people
- September 8, 2008 at 8:10 PM
- Anonymous said...
If Massaro uses Mike as his first name, why does Alan insist on using Michael? He did it during the race(s) yesterday too.
Is it animosity or playing around?
- September 8, 2008 at 8:20 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Just playing around. Those two are long-time friends and co-workers.
- September 8, 2008 at 8:21 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
I haven't had a chance to see the show yet, but sure does seem to me that with the split arrangement this would have been the perfect opportunity to use Dr. P and see how he would handle a roundtable discussion.
- September 8, 2008 at 8:25 PM
- majorshouse said...
What I saw of it tonight was a real joke. They should ahve never had Wallace, Brewer and Evernham together. It was really dis-jointed but did love Dale's parting shot. I would have loved to have seen Rusty, Dale and Andy really mix it up together as well.
- September 8, 2008 at 8:27 PM
- glenc1 said...
slightly off topic, but don't they look silly in those matching shades? Just now on TWIN they said it was a sunglass deal and Bowyer wasn't in it. But it just looks goofy to me.
- September 8, 2008 at 8:32 PM
- Anonymous said...
"Leave it to Dale Jarrett to fire a shot across the NASCAR bow on the way out the door. "Let's get rid of that rear wing," said DJ. "This isn't what NASCAR stock cars are supposed to look like. That (rear wing) is for other forms of racing. Let's get this back to what we have known forever." "
To me I do not care what the car looks like, I would think that if this idea could be incorporated it would help the safety features.
It was earlier said on this same program that the new Nationwide CoT has a spoiler, not the wing which obstructs views both forward and back.
- September 8, 2008 at 8:49 PM
- Matt said...
I love your description of the 2nd set - party central. I'd much rather be over there. Plus the set itself was pretty cool.
I appreciate DJ's honesty. He's doing such a great job this year.
glenc1, I agree about the picture.. I don't like the sunglasses. But the picture looks great, the way they balanced out all the colors with the nice background.. sorry, OCD kicking in.
- September 8, 2008 at 9:02 PM
- Anonymous said...
Thanks JD for answering my question about AB and Mike.
- September 8, 2008 at 9:16 PM
- Dot said...
Let me be the one to say "I'm a big skinny liar". I vowed that I wasn't going to watch NN anymore, but this column has me intrigued. I want to see DJ (who I just love) say something negative about the car/wing. He is probably the only one who get away with that. And I want to see Andy too. I'll be watching the re air.
Just call me flip flop Dot.
- September 8, 2008 at 9:21 PM
- glenc1 said...
Dot--it's a woman's perogative to change her mind, right?
- September 8, 2008 at 9:25 PM
- Village Idiot Intern said...
"Let's get rid of that rear wing," said DJ. "This isn't what NASCAR stock cars are supposed to look like. That (rear wing) is for other forms of racing. Let's get this back to what we have known forever."
Dale Jarrett is exactly right. Both the splitter and the rear wing were adopted from the now defunct SCCA Trans-Am Series and the IMSA Camel GT Series with their GTO and GTU cars. I agree with DJ that our stock cars do not need to look like those cars, and I believe it does nothing for NASCAR to put cars on the track that recall those days gone by. No wonder the manufacturers, by some unsubstantiated accounts, are unhappy with the present product on the track. If we are to use a retro look, let's insure it is a retro stock car, not a retro sports car.
- September 8, 2008 at 9:28 PM
- Anonymous said...
majorshouse said...
"What I saw of it tonight was a real joke. They should ahve never had Wallace, Brewer and Evernham together.... I would have loved to have seen Rusty, Dale and Andy really mix it up together as well."
I might have enjoyed Wallace and Brewer mix it up with boxing gloves on:)
- September 8, 2008 at 9:34 PM
- Dot said...
Thank you glenc1. You must be married, lol.
- September 8, 2008 at 10:08 PM
- Anonymous said...
Re: the Chase Photo...
...maybe now that he's in the Chase, Clint Bowyer can score a sunglasses contract! :)
- September 8, 2008 at 10:16 PM
- darbar said...
I thought it was a pretty good show, especially at the end when they were all given the opportunity to say what they would do to change Nascar. The most interesting was the comment that there is too much racing. I was totally surprised by that one. What I thought he was going to say was that maybe they need to shorten some races, but when he said they really need to cut the total number of races, considering that if something like that would happen, it would impact ESPN's bottom line.
- September 8, 2008 at 11:02 PM
- Adam T. Martin said...
"Let's get rid of that rear wing," said DJ. "This isn't what NASCAR stock cars are supposed to look like. That (rear wing) is for other forms of racing. Let's get this back to what we have known forever."
I just love Dale Jarrett.
It would be awesome to have Ricky Craven as a permanent addition.
- September 8, 2008 at 11:04 PM
- Sophia said...
I turned it off. Way too disjointed and I felt I had been given ADD with somebody in addition to that, talking in my ear.
They should've either been in ONE room at a giant round table (literally) or made into two shows. Unwatchable for me.
Oh, and I hate the wing on the COT for the hazardous blind spots in this SAFER CAR. And I detest the splitter (have since I first saw the design) as it causes huge problems.
seems ok for the trucks but not the cars.
Frankly many FANS are turned off by the COT. And don't say we want dangerous cars...just things could've been made looking differently.
I am depressed that the NW series is going the same way.
maybe by then we will only have 18 cars in a race because most teams will be bankrupt. :(
And 118 people in the seats.
Meow Mix.
- September 8, 2008 at 11:08 PM
- Anonymous said...
I wasn't too impressed by the show tonight. Agree it was very disjointed. A little off the subject though, how did they get by with so few commercials. Durng the race they have a commercial every five minutes, or so it seems, but not many tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!
- September 8, 2008 at 11:19 PM
- ri88girl said...
This is slightly off topic but something that comes to mind through out all the recent collums on TDP.
In the Garage, the booth, the corperate HQ's in Daytona and Bristol, CT.
IMO there has been no leadership in any of these areas these past few year. If Dale Sr. were alive do you all think we would be racing the COT in it's present form? Would Cali have 2 dates if Bill Jr were here? Don't you think if there were such great rumblings among the fans either of these two men would have put a bug in someones ear at ESPN. I realize I may be giving them too much credit, but somehow I don't think so.
- September 9, 2008 at 3:22 AM
- Anonymous said...
Jarrett was great,but please,lets have less of Rusty! By the way, Petree said Junior/Kyle were even. Apparently he forgot 2007, where Junior wrecked Kyle twice. I saw the one time at I believe it was Kansas. On TWIN, Mikey and the rest of the panel agreed it was intentional. Or how about the Busch race a year or so ago where Junior wrecked Carl at the end of the race???? Hmmm....
- September 9, 2008 at 6:07 AM
- Anonymous said...
Evernhams' perspective as a car owner and crew chief is not unique . Andy Petree also has those credentials . And Andy may be many things but shy about giving his opinion is not one of them . Where did you get the idea that he was ever constrained . Same with Dale Jarrett . He has never been a wallflower on expressing himself . Nor was his father . They both do so in a southern gentleman style , very eloquent and right to the point .
Tim Brewer has a record as a crew chief that Knaus can only dream about . The fact that Brewer didn't take an AM radio announcers course along the way really doesn't detract from his on-air insights . I am looking for reputable , meaningfull mechanical info , not hype or fluff . Tim Brewer certainly has the background , he just needs more seat time .
Given a choice , i'll take solid racing news and technical information over on-air banter and scripted inter play anytime .
- September 9, 2008 at 6:57 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 6:57AM,
Last season on ESPN Petree worked with Wallace and Punch in the booth.
Often, the conversation was between Punch and Wallace and Petree had a hard time fitting-in.
Rusty is not trained at TV and he basically had a hard time figuring out the dynamic in the booth.
DJ stepped right in with that understanding after working for ESPN part-time in 2007.
That allowed Petree to finally get the opportunity to air his views. With the on-going problems with Jerry Punch, Petree has also been stepping-in and doing a lot of the play-by-play, especially for pit road and on-track incidents.
Many of us thought that Brewer would replace Brad Daugherty in the off-season and just go back-and-forth to the Tech Center when needed.
In his current Tech Center role, Brewer never gets to express his opinion and ESPN viewers are not familiar with him in that way. That is why the NASCAR Now appearance was not needed.
Regardless of whether or not he has the knowledge, his role on these telecasts is the Tech Center and nothing more. That is the way ESPN has it set up.
I hope that helped to explain the issues you addressed.
- September 9, 2008 at 10:33 AM
- Geez said...
Just a heads up, but they aren't the same sunglasses.
The reflection in some of them may make it look like it but there not.
They all seem to wearing the glasses they are paid to wear.
- September 9, 2008 at 11:24 AM
- majorshouse said...
It would not hurt my feelings if we only had Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree in the booth. It is quite obvious that they work well together and have a great chemistry as well. I have to agree with what Dale said about the wing as his parting shot and maybe NASCAR will listen to himi since he seems to have credibility not only with WSPN, but with NASCAR as well.
- September 9, 2008 at 12:38 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
I have a great deal of respect for DJ, but I believe the comments by Rusty and Tim Brewer about front end mechanics and aerodynamic changes needed for the COT at the end of the show were stronger and technically better than DJ's comment about the wing. I'm sure DJ probably had more in mind, but his comment came across as just about the look of the COT, not the functionality of the wing.
I do think the use of 2 unconnected sets distracted from the show.
- September 9, 2008 at 2:47 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hurry for DJ! The wing is downright fugly, and until it's gone I won't be buying any diecasts.
- September 9, 2008 at 4:24 PM
- Anonymous said...
- September 10, 2008 at 2:17 PM


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Jared SchiffmanAdjunct, Class of
|Courses Taught:
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Spatial Media
Jared Schiffman has worked at the intersection of graphic design, computer science and education for the past decade. Jared studied with Prof. John Maeda at the MIT Media Lab, at first as an undergraduate, and then as a graduate student in the Aesthetics & Computation Group. Here, Jared focused his energy on making the task of programming more accessible by making the processes of computation visible. Jared's work has been shown at the Art Directors Club, the Museum of the Moving Image, and the Museum of Modern Art. Presently, Jared is a partner at Potion, a computational design and interactive installation firm.


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- Missouri State Telephone Directory - Search for state employees or agencies by name, function, agency, or address.
- Open Meetings Calendar - Search for public meetings by parent agency and public body.
- State Contracts Database - Contains current state contract holders. Searchable by contract number, key word, contractor name, contract type, and MBE/WBE/Coop contracts.
- State Employee Salaries - From the web site: "The MAP Employees site provides information about state employees pay. As you browse the Employees site, you will be able to view pay information about the employees of the State of Missouri by their Agency of employment, Position Title or Employee Name. This site provides gross pay amounts by the last pay cycle and year to date. Note: Gross pay amounts include all pay received by an employee; it is not base salary."
- State Tax Dollars Spent - From the web site: "The MAP Expenditures site provides financial data relating to the purchases of goods and services by the state as well as financial disbursements through various state programs. As you browse the Expenditures site, you will be able to view payment information for goods, services and program disbursements by State Agency, Expenditure Category, Contract or Vendor."
- Tax Credits - From the web site: "The MAP Tax Credits site provides tax credit issuance data for projects undertaken by businesses, individuals and non-profit organizations. As you browse the Tax Credits site, you will be able to view tax credit issuances by Tax Credit Category, Customer or Legislative District. Examples of tax credit projects include real estate development, remediation of contaminated sites, rehabilitation of historic structures, downtown revitalization, creating new jobs, and investment in Missouri."
Administrative Hearing Commission
- AHC Case Search - Search by case number, case name, case status, or case type.
Missouri Ethics Commission
- Advisory Opinions - Opinions issued by the commission on the topics of Campaign Finance, Conflict of Interest, Lobbying, and Personal Financial Disclosure.
- Campaign Finance Committees and Reports - Search for campaign contributions and reports of candidates running for Missouri state or Congressional office.
- Contributions/Expenditures of Statewide & Legislative Candidate Committees - Searchable by report, contributor/expenditure information, or committee information.
- Lobbyist Expense Reports - Find how much lobbyists spent on each state legislator; covers 2001-current.
- Lobbyist Search - Find reports of active and terminated lobbyists from 2001-current.
- Lobbyist Principals Search - Principals with the lobbyists registered to represent them.
Agriculture, Department of
- Agricultural Export Directory - Search for active Missouri exporters of food, feed, forestry, and livestock.
- Aquaculture Directory - Search for aquaculture products by category, company, species, or county.
- Hay Directory - Search for hay by county, type of hay, and bale type both in and outside of Missouri.
- Licensed Grain Dealer/Warehouse Database - Searchable by company name, manager name, address, zip code, phone number, or county.
- Mo Fun - Activities related to Missouri agriculture by AgriMissouri members in the state of MO. Searchable by category, member name, company, product, or location. Only AgriMissouri members are listed, so it does not include all MO agriculturally-related businesses.
- Mo Grown - Consumer products grown by AgriMissouri members in the state of MO. Searchable by category, member name, company, product, or location. Only AgriMissouri members are listed, so it does not include all MO agriculturally-related businesses.
- Mo Made - Consumer products made by AgriMissouri members in the state of MO. Searchable by category, member name, company, product, or location. Only AgriMissouri members are listed, so it does not include all MO agriculturally-related businesses.
- Nursery Dealers Directory - Searchable by dealer name, city, or county.
- Nursery Growers Directory - Searchable by table of contents, licensing category, nursery grower name, city, or county.
- Pesticide Applicators - Search for certified pesticide applicators by applicator name, company name, certified applicator number, location or category.
- Pesticide Dealers - Search by company name, company contact name, license number, or location.
- Pesticides Registered - Search for pesticides registered to be sold in Missouri. From the web site: "This information is compiled solely from pesticide registration data submitted by companies who wish their products to be sold in the state of Missouri, combined with data from the EPA with regard to ingredients, pests and sites."
- Sensitive Crop Location Search - Search for locations of crops that are pesticide sensitive by county or crop.
- Treated Timber Dealer Directory - Search for treated timber dealers in Missouri by name, city, or county.
- Treated Timber Producer Directory - Search for treated timber producers in Missouri by name, city, commodity, species treated, or preservative.
Attorney General, Office of
- Check a Charity - Allows users to search for charitable organizations by name to identify its mission, administrative costs, expenses, revenue, and contact information. However, the selected financial information presented in these reports has been taken from information voluntarily filed by the charities. This information has not been independently audited by the Attorney General's Office, but rather represents self reported figures by the charity.
- Consumer Encyclopedia - Part of Consumer Protection Division, can be searched by keyword.
- Expert Witness Database - Search for expert witness testimony by last name of witness, appellate case number, or witness speciality. Transcripts of testimony can be mailed to prosecutors and others in law enforcement.
- Know MO Consumer Complaints Database - Searchable by personal name or business name, this database enables consumers to look up complaints the Attorney General's Office has received about individuals and businesses. Contains more than 100,000 complaints filed since Jan. 1, 2004.
- News from the Attorney General's Office - News releases from current Attorney General Chris Koster. Searchable by month and year or keyword(s). May include audio, video, or PDF files.
- No Call Number Lookup - Residential phone numbers on the Missouri No Call List.
- Opinions of the Attorney General - Opinions issued back to 1968.
- Vehicle Stops Report - From the web site: "Missouri's state law requires that all peace officers in the state report specific information including a driver's race for each vehicle stop made in the state. Law enforcement agencies are required to turn in the data to the Attorney General, and the Attorney General is required to compile the data and report to the Governor." This database covers stops made in 2009 by county.
Missouri Office of Prosecution Services
- Prosecutor Directory - Clickable map of Missouri counties with contact information of each prosecutor. MOPS is "an autonomous entity with the Missouri Attorney General's Office to assist prosecuting attorneys in their efforts against criminal activity within the state."
Conservation, Department of
- Conservation Atlas - Contains information about lands the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) owns, leases, or manages for public use. Searchable by area name, county, or MDC region. A detailed search link is also available.
- Fall Turkey Harvest Map - View harvest numbers by county. Numbers are broken out by adult gobbler, adult hen, juvenile gobbler, and juvenile hen.
- Field Guide - What plant or animal is that? - Search the database of plants, animals and mushrooms found in Missouri.
- Hunter Education - Search for hunter education classes by county or region of the state.
- Missouri Fish and Wildlife Information System - Contains information about more than 900 Missouri species. Photographs are included for approximately 75% of the species. Searchable by taxonomic group, common name, scientific name, county, primary habitat association, status, life history or habitat variable.
- Missouri Natural Heritage Program - Identifies species and natural communities of conservation concern in each Missouri county. Searchable by county.
- Waterfowl Harvest and Hunting Updates - Search for multiple harvest summaries from 15 conservation areas throughout Missouri.
Corrections, Department of
- Facilities Locator - Interactive map of Missouri that provides the locations of Dept. of Corrections institutions as well as probation and parole offices.
- Offender Search - Provides information about inmates, probationers, and parolees supervised by the DOC. Allows for name searching (including aliases).
Courts System
- Appellate Courts and Supreme Court Opinions - Full-text opinions of the Eastern, Western, and Southern Districts Courts of Appeals and the Missouri Supreme Court. Searchable by court, opinion, or date.
- Case.net - From the web site: "Case.net is your access to the MO State Courts Automated Case Management System. From here you are able to inquire on case records including docket entries, parties, judgments, and charges in public court. Only courts that have implemented the case management software as part of the MO Court Automation Program and only cases that have been deemed public under the Missouri Revised Statutes can be accessed through Case.net."
- Circuit Courts of Missouri - Interactive map and links to Missouri's circuit courts with contact information for each.
- Court of Appeals - Interactive map of the three districts of Missouri's court of appeals: Eastern, Western, and Southern.
Economic Development, Department of
- Local Employment Dynamics - This is an ongoing project using existing data to provide new information about the economy. Specifically, this project integrates state administrative data and Census data products, allowing improved labor market information. Searchable by county or metro area.
- LocationOne County Links - From the web site: "LocationOne is a real-time, online, economic development site selection engine. The website was designed for economic development organizations to publish up-to-date information about their communities, as well as their available sites and buildings. Not only do you have the ability to browse available properties, but also have the option to find specific marketing data for the same region. Each county profile has customized data in 21 categories and over 50 different subheadings."
- Missouri Exporters Directory - View details on companies that export products. Search by industry or keyword.
MERIC - Missouri Economic and Research Information Center
- Current Employment Statistics - Search by date and metropolitan statistical area for employment statistics or earnings.
- MERIC Homepage and Search - MERIC is the research division of the DED. The search box is at the bottom of the page.
Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
- Missouri School Directory - View public school district information by choosing the name of the district in the menu section or by typing the name into the search box. Information includes contact numbers for the district office, administrators, each school in the district, number of schools, certified staff, and enrolled students, and names of school board members.
- Profiles of Missouri Public Schools - Contains data from the 2004-2006 school years.
- Non-Public Schools Information Report - Search for reports of non-public schools registered with DESE.
- Non-Public Title 1 Schools Report - Search for reports of non-public enrollment and economic deprivation counts by the public school district in which the student resides.
General Assembly
- Fiscal Note Search - From the Oversight Division of Legislative Research. Search by keyword or or bill number.
- House and Senate Joint Bill Tracking - Basic searching by keyword, bill number, sponsor, or co-sponsor. Advanced search includes in-depth search of basic search plus bill text, bills summaries, amendments, fiscal notes, revised statutes, committee reports, LR number, courtesy resolutions, and General Assembly member data pages. Boolean expressions allowed in "Search Type" drop-down menu.
- Legislator Look-Up - Search by zip+4 code. Results include state and Congressional representatives and statewide elected officials.
- Missouri Revised Statutes - Search this database of current Missouri laws by keyword.
Governor, Office of
- Governor Jay Nixon's Legislative Actions - Bills sent to the Governor can be viewed by the date on which they were signed or vetoed or by bill number. Veto letters and signing notes are attached as PDFs. Only actions by Governor Nixon, not previous governors, can be found on this page.
- Governor's Newsroom - Search Governor Nixon's news releases by keyword.
- Office of Boards and Commissions - Search for state boards and commissions by keyword.
Health and Senior Services, Department of
- Birth MICA (Missouri Information for Community Assessment) Statistics - Select variables to retrieve data on births in Missouri from 1990 to 2009.
- Cancer MICA (County Level) Statistics - Data available for 1997-2008. Age, race and grade variables are not available. Searchable by Missouri county.
- Cancer MICA (Regional Level) Statistics - Data available for 1996 through 2008. Tables can be produced by age, race, sex and grade. Searchable by seven state regions or entire state.
- Cancer MICA (Cancer Location) Statistics - Location of the cancer is the main variable in this database. Covers the years 1996 through 2008. Tables can be produced by age, race and grade.
- Certified Nurse Assistant Registry - Search for certified nurse assistants (CNA), Certified Medication Technicians (CMT), and CMTs certified in Insulin Administration (IA) in Missouri by social security number. Users must enter their own name or their organization's name before searching.
- Certified Nurse Assistant Training Agency Status Search - Users can search the status of Certified Nurse Assistant licensing agencies (schools or long-term care facilities).
- Chronic Disease MICA - Users can generate tables, maps, and graphics on selected chronic diseases and conditions for Missouri residents. Data are available for: deaths, inpatient hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and cancer incidence.
- Community Data Profiles - Community data profiles are available on various subject areas such as cause of death, chronic diseases, unintentional injuries, prenatal and others. Each community data profile table provides data on 15-30 indicators for each county or city selected. Data can also be viewed for the entire state of MO. Information provided includes the number of events, county or city rate, statistical significance, quintile ranking, and the state rate.
- Death MICA (Missouri Information for Community Assessment) Statistics - Select variables to retrieve data on deaths of Missouri residents from 1990 to 2008.
- Directory of Local Public Health Agencies - Search by county or city.
- Emergency Room MICA Statistics - Covers 1994 to 2008.
- Family Care Safety Registry - Registrants provide background infomation as potential caregivers. Searchable by SSN.
- Fertility Rate MICA Statistics - Covers 1990 to 2008.
- Hospital Discharges, Charges, and Days of Care Statistics - Select variables to retrieve data on hospital discharges, hospital charges, and hospital days of care in Missouri from 1994 to 2008.
- Injury MICA Statistics - Injuries recorded by hospitals for their emergency room visits and inpatients for 1994 to 2008.
- Inpatient Hospitalization MICA Statistics - For 1994 to 2008.
- Medicaid MICA - For 2002 to 2009.
- Motor Vehicle Crash Variables and Outcomes for Drivers Statistics - For 1996 to 2008.
- Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Registrant Search - Search for individuals and firms who prescribe, dispense, or otherwise conduct activities which involve controlled substances. Updated weekly.
- Population MICA Statistics - "Provides population detail for Missouri, its 115 counties (114 counties plus the City of St. Louis, which is not within a county) and Eastern Jackson County, Independence, Joplin and Kansas city by year, sex, race and/or ethnicity for selected age groups." From 1990 to 2009.
- Pregnancy MICA Statistics - For 1990 to 2009.
- Preventable Hospitalizations - For 1994 to 2009.
- Procedures MICA Statistics - "Identifies operative, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed during a patient encounter or stay at a health care facility. The data in this MICA reflect procedures performed on Missouri residents -- not procedures performed in Missouri health care facilities." For 1994 to 2009.
- Show Me Child Care Provider Search - Search by county, city, or zip code for licensed child care facilities.
- Show Me Home Care and Rehab - Search for home health care, hospice services, outpatient physical therapy clinics or comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities by agency type or location.
- Show Me Long-Term Care - Recent nursing home inspections by county, city, or zip code.
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families - Four databases available for family, adult, child, and person. All cover 1998 to 2012.
- WIC MICA Statistics - Select from five different databases on statistics on Missouri's Women, Infants, and Children program.
Higher Education, Department of
- Missouri Newspapers on Microfilm at the State Historical Society of Missouri - This catalog provides information regarding the newspapers on microfilm that are available from the State Historical Society of Missouri to the public on-site and through interlibrary loan. The Society's newspapers on microfilm offer information about the day-to-day lives of Missourians and the political, cultural, economic, and religious events that have influenced them. These Missouri newspapers document events and public opinion from the state's rural environs to its largest metropolitan areas. Use the search box to search for a newspaper by name; scroll down to the map of MO to find newspapers by counties.
- Program Inventory Search - Search for higher ed institutions, educational programs, and degrees by name of institution, school type, degree type, region, or city.
Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional Registration, Department of
- Active Licensee Search - Search various professions licensed in the state of Missouri with the Division of Professional Registration by county, profession name, licensee name, or licensee number.
- Bank and Licensee Search - Find a licensed lender, mortgage broker or state-chartered bank by charter/license number, name, city, zip code, or type.
- Consumer Insurance Complaint Index - Measures how many complaints the department receives for a consecutive three-year period.
- Credit Union Search - Find a credit union by charter number, name, city, or zip code.
- Insurance Agent/Agency Lookup Search for licensed insurance agents and insurance businesses.
- HMO Services Areas - Search by HMO (health maintenance organization) name or Missouri county for to find those that are authorized to do business in that county.
- Homeowners' Insurance Availability by County - Click on the county where the home is owned to see a list of insurance companies that provide more that 1% of the homeowners' insurance market in this county.
- Insurance Supplemental Data Reports - Detailed insurance company information.
- Licensed Insurance Companies - Searchable by name, type, admission date, and domicile state.
- Life Insurance Companies Lookup - Searchable by company name, NAIC number, NAIC group number, or company type.
- Medicare Supplement Insurance Rate Guide (Medigap) - Find insurance plans and companies offering plans to supplement Medicare.
Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of
- Prevailing Wage Order Lookup - View prevailing annual wage orders in effect and under review by county.
- Prevailing Wage Violations - Search for prevailing wage violations in Missouri by contractor name.
- Public Works Project Notifications Heat Map - View project notification reports from the last 12 months.
- Public Works Project Notification Monthly Reports - From the web site: "Each public body which is awarding a contract for a public works project shall, prior to beginning of any work on such public works project, notify the department, on a form prescribed by the department, of the scope of the work to be done, the various types of craftsmen who will be needed on the project, and the date work will commence on the project." The database contains reports from the last 12 months.
- State Board of Mediation Decisions - From the web site: "The State Board of Mediation conducts hearings to develop a full and complete factual record upon which it may base a meaningful decision. The State Board of Mediation maintains case history files dating back to 1967." Search by category.
- Workers' Compensation Decisions - From the web site: "The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission reviews awards and decisions in cases involving workers' compensation, crime victim's compensation, unemployment contributions and unemployment benefit claims. It also conducts hearings on objections to prevailing wage determinations issued by the Division of Labor Standards." Search by keyword.
Mental Health, Department of
- Community Service Providers/Administrative Agents - Search by county for community mental health centers providing psychiatric services.
- County Level Data of Alcohol and Drug Abuse - Click a county on the map to see its Alcohol and Drug Abuse Indicators, Treatment Admissions, County Health Rankings, and more.
- Division of Developmental Disabilities Regional Offices and Habilitation Centers - Click on the map to see each region's office location.
Natural Resources, Department of
- Calendar of Events and Meetings - Search by type, title, date, and/or county.
Environmental Quality Division
- Air Pollution Control Program Completed Projects - Search by county, city, or company name.
- Air Pollution Control Program Pending Projects - Search by county, city, or date received.
- Air Quality Data Ozone Readings - Search the ozone readings in the St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, or outstate areas by choice of average time intervals.
- Biological Criteria - These "are narrative descriptions and/or numerical values that describe the reference aquatic communities inhabiting waters that have been given a designated aquatic life use." Search by ecological drainage unit, season, sampling regime, or temperature regime.
- Clean Water Information System Applications in Process Search - Search for water pollution applications received by the Missouri DNR by facility name, permit type, issuing authority, address, city, state, zip code, owner name, DNR region, or county.
- Drinking Water Watch - Search for public water supply systems in Missouri by system number, name, county served, water system type, water source type, or point of contact type. Users can also search for water samples.
- Environmental Incident Search - From the web site: "Environmental Emergency Response Duty Officers complete an Incident Report into the Missouri Environmental Emergency Response Tracking System (MEERTS) on each incident reported on the 24-Hour Environmental Emergency Response Hotline or via fax from the National Response Center. Once the EER Incident Report is finalized, it is made available."
- Laboratory Information Management System Database - Search for the results of samples that the Environmental Services Program tests in its lab.
- Land Reclamation Program Industrial Mineral Permittees - Search for mining permits by county, commodity, or permit type.
- Letters Of Warning & Notices Of Violation - These are issued by DNR for environmental violations.
- Macroinvertebrate Samples - Part of the biological assessments that DNR performs on aquatic ecoregions of Missouri. Search by county, waterbody, sample number or species.
- Operator Certification Database - Search for drinking water and wastewater system operators or drinking water systems.
- Permit Assistant - From the web site: "This tool is designed to help users determine what type of environmental permits they need and provide the forms to apply for these permits." Questions help the user determine which, if any, permits are required for various environmental activities.
- Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks - Contains current data on underground storage tanks in a zip file.
Geology and Land Survey Division
- Land Survey Index - This is a repository of land records in Missouri. It contains around 1.8 million land survey records and geodetic survey data. Searchable by township, subdivision plats, U.S. survey number, General Land Office (GLO) plats and field notes by township, surveyor name or number, and City of St. Louis city blocks and roads.
- Missouri Geology Bibliography Subject Search - Searches the nine books that comprise the Bibliography of the Geology of Missouri, published by the Division of Geology and Land Survey and its predecessor agencies from 1945 through 1972. This database contains some citations for literature published after 1972.
State Parks Division
- Find a Park - Select from a list of options to find state parks or historic sites that fit your criteria.
- State Parks and Historic Sites Places to Go - Searchable by state park, state historic site, and historic site tours.
Public Safety, Department of
- Active Missing Persons Map - Click on a county to see a list of missing persons along with details about them.
- Missouri Capitol Police Activity Reports - Quarterly statistics from 2005 to present of the division that patrols the state capitol and other state buildings in Jefferson City.
- Missouri Sex Offender Registry - From the web site: "The information in the database refers only to persons who have been convicted of, found guilty of, or plead guilty to committing or attempting to commit sexual offenses and may not reflect the entire criminal history of a particular individual . . . Individuals in the database are included solely by virtue of their conviction record and MO state law." Viewers must first agree that they have read and understand the terms and conditions of a disclaimer before using the database. Searchable by name, address, city, county, and/or zip code; maintained by the State Highway Patrol.
- Missouri State Highway Patrol Online Arrest Reports - Search arrest reports from the last five days. This site is hosted and maintained by the State Highway Patrol; reports are unofficial.
- Missouri State Highway Patrol Online Boat/Drowning Incident Reports - From the web site: "Information on this site is preliminary information relating to boat incidents and drownings investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division. (Incidents investigated by agencies outside the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division are not included.) They are posted here automatically and remain online for 29 days." These are not official reports.
- Missouri State Highway Patrol Traffic Crashes Online Maping - Shows multiple types of traffic crashes investigated by the MSHP from 2002-current.
- Missouri State Highway Patrol Traffic Crash Reports - Reports are preliminary information relating to motor vehicle crashes investigated by the State Highway Patrol. (Crashes investigated by agencies outside the MO State Highway Patrol are not included.) They are posted here automatically and remain online for 29 days. This site is hosted and maintained by the State Highway Patrol; reports are unofficial.
- Regatta Search - Search by date or location for tournaments/events.
Public Service Commission
- Notices - Notices brought before the PSC from 1999-present. Searchable by month and year or keyword.
- Orders - Orders handed down by the PSC from 1999-present. Searchable by month and year or keyword.
Revenue, Department of
- Motor Vehicle Contract Office Locations - Search by county for local motor vehicle and driver license contract offices.
- Returned Tax Refund Checks - Search for individual tax refund checks returned to the Dept. of Revenue by last name.
- Sales Tax License Revocations Search - Search for a business with a revoked sales tax license by county, city, business name, or Missouri Tax ID Number (Sales Tax License Number).
- Sales Tax Rate Information System - Search by address for sales tax, use tax, food tax, domestic utility rates, and textbooks tax. These rates are valid for a particular location, for the current quarter for the sales and leases of tangible personal property items and taxable services.
Secretary of State, Office of
Administrative Rules Division
- Administrative Rules Search - Search all administrative rules, the current edition of the "Code of State Regulations," the current year of the "Missouri Register", or the "Rulemaking Manual."
- Code of State Regulations - Scroll down to search the current, previous, or all editions of the CSR.
- Missouri Register - Searches issues from Oct. 1, 1999 - current.
Business Services Division
- Business Entity Search - Search for a business with a license in MO by corporate name.
- Commissioned Notaries Search - From the web site: "This search will return notaries currently commissioned with the MO Secretary of State. You may search by any of the following: notary name (you must enter a minimum of the last name and the first letter of the first name), county, or notary name and county."
- Universal Commercial Code Records Search - This database serves "as a repository for filed documents which perfect security interests in certain personal property used as collateral for loans." Users must create an account before being able to view and research existing records.
Elections Division
- Check Your Voter Registration - Search by name to see if you are registered to vote in Missouri and where your polling place is located.
- County Clerks/Election Officials - Searchable by county.
- Election Night Reporting Archives - Searchable by all results, statewide races, ballot issues, county reporting, and customized view. Covers the 1996 General Election to the most recent state election.
- Local Election Authorities - Searchable by county.
Publications Division
- The 2011-2012 Blue Book (a.k.a. The Official Manual of the State of Missouri) - Published every two years, the Blue Book contains a huge amount of current and historical information on MO state government. Chapters 1-9 are searchable by keyword.
- The 2009-2010 Blue Book (a.k.a. The Official Manual of the State of Missouri) - Chapters 1-9 are searchable by keyword.
- The 2007-2008 Blue Book (a.k.a. The Official Manual of the State of Missouri) - Chapters 1-9 are searchable by keyword.
- Chapter 10 (Personnel) of the 2007-2008 Blue Book - Contains the names, positions, and salaries of employees of the MO state government, including those of state universities, listed in the 2007-2008 Official Manual of Missouri (a.k.a. the Blue Book). Searchable by name, agency, or title.
- The 2005-2006 Blue Book (a.k.a. The Official Manual of the State of Missouri) - Chapters 1-9 are searchable by keyword.
- Chapter 10 (Personnel) of the 2005-2006 Blue Book - Contains the names, positions, and salaries of employees of the MO state government, including those of state universities, listed in the 2005-2006 Official Manual of Missouri (a.k.a. the Blue Book). Searchable by name, agency, or title.
- The 2003-2004 Blue Book (a.k.a. The Official Manual of the State of Missouri) - Chapters 1-9 are searchable by keyword.
- Chapter 10 (Personnel) of the 2003-2004 Blue Book - Contains the names, positions, and salaries of employees of the MO state government, including those of state universities, listed in the 2003-2004 Official Manual of Missouri (a.k.a. the Blue Book). Searchable by name, agency, or title.
- The 2001-2002 Blue Book (a.k.a. The Official Manual of the State of Missouri) - Chapters 1-9 are searchable by keyword.
- Chapter 10 (Personnel) of the 2001-2002 Blue Book - Contains the names, positions, and salaries of employees of the MO state government, including those of state universities, listed in the 2001-2002 Official Manual of Missouri (a.k.a. the Blue Book). Searchable by name or agency.
Records Services Division & Missouri State Archives
- Coroner's Inquest Database - Contains records from various counties, City of St. Louis, and St. Louis Medical Examiner. It is an abstract of records that have been indexed and are available for online research. The original records are available on microfilm at the Missouri State Archives. These inquests are not made available until 72 years after creation. Searchable by county, name of deceased, cause of death, year of death (or range of years), and/or keyword.
- Land Patents Database: 1831 - 1969 - Contains over 35,500 transcribed patents containing information from the state-issued land patents which can be useful in placing an individual in a specific location at a specific time. The information contained in the land patent database includes name of purchaser, county, date of purchase, legal land description, and microfilm location for copy of full entry (reel number, volume and page number). Searchable by name of purchaser or section of land.
- Local Records Inventory Database - Produced by the MO Local Records Preservation Program, this is a compilation of inventories of local government records identified as having permanent or enduring value and housed primarily in county and municipal offices, but includes some libraries, museums, and historical and genealogical societies that maintain government records. Searchable by county or keyword.
- Missouri Birth and Death Records, Pre-1910 - Contains birth, stillbirth, and death records recorded in MO before 1910.
- Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1961 - Links to a digitized image of the original death certificate.
- Missouri Digital Heritage - Contains historical collections about MO from the State Archives, the State Historical Society, and other institutions across the state. Search by keyword or browse collections.
- Missouri Judicial Index Database - Contains selected civil, criminal and probate court cases from a county's court to the MO Supreme Court. This is an index to assist researchers in locating information found in the original microfilmed records, available at the Missouri State Archives.
- Missouri Judicial Records - Searchable by county, court and year; and are searchable by name and keyword. Includes Greene County Circuit Court (1856-1873, non-inclusive), Jasper County Circuit Court (1860-1876, non-inclusive), New Madrid County Probate Court (1805-1830), St. Charles County Circuit Court (1805-1835), St. Louis City Probate Court (1876-1900, separated from county in 1876), and St. Louis County Probate Court (1804-1876).
- Missouri Mormon War - Contains information on the settlement of and uprising against the Mormons in MO in the 1830s and 1840s.
- Missouri State Archives Collection Catalog - This catalog comprises bibliographic records from their book, microfilm and archival collections, but it does not yet contain the records for all of the materials available at the Missouri State Archives.
- Missouri Supreme Court Historical Database - Provides an index and abstract of the criminal and civil court cases that were appealed to the territorial and state Supreme Court of Missouri up to 1868, and a partial listing of cases to 1883. A number of documents in the earliest cases date from the 1780s to 1790s.
- Missouri's Union Provost Marshal Papers, 1861-1866 - This is simply an index to assist researchers in locating information found in the original microfilmed records, available at the Missouri State Archives. The records are not available online. Although these are records of the Union Army, they were associated with Confederate records in the War Department because they relate, in part, to Confederate citizens and sympathizers. The microfilm collection contains thousands of pages of documents detailing the way the provost marshal affected the lives of Missouri citizens who came into contact with the Union Army.
- Naturalization Records, 1816-1955 - Contains immigration information from record books from various counties and the Supreme Court of Missouri. This is an ongoing project between the Missouri State Archives and the St. Louis Genealogical Society.
- Soldiers' Records: War of 1812 - WWI - Covers the War of 1812 to World War I and lists more than 576,000 Missourians who served in the military. It is abstracted from individual service cards. The database is searchable by name or unit and can be limited to a particular war. Images of the original service records are linked to most database records.
State Library
- Governor's Executive Orders - Searchable by keyword and year. From the web site: "The orders found on these pages are not official copies and are not intended as legal documents."
- Missouri Online Library List (MOLLI) - Searchable by name, institution, city, or type of library.
- Missouri State Library Catalog - Search for books, journals, magazines, electronic resources, and newspapers in the Missouri State Library.
- Missouri State Publications - Search for electronic state publications in the Missouri State Library's digital repository.
- Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Catalog - Search for audio books in the collection by keyword, title, author, or subject.
Social Services, Department of
- Adoption Gallery/Meet Missouri's Kids - Browse or search for children needing permanent homes.
- Appropriation Summaries - From the web site: "One page summaries of Department of Social Services (DSS) appropriations which provide some context to DSS programs. Learn more about the Department's staff, funding, and performance measures."
- Child Care Rate Information - View rates by counties.
- County Quick Facts - Contains DSS information on each county, such as number enrolled for MO HealthNet (Medicaid) services, children adopted, etc.
- Local Offices of DSS - Provides contact information for county and regional offices of the Children's Division, Child Support Enforcement, Income Maintenance & Self-Sufficiency Programs, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, and Division of Youth Services.
- MO HealthNet Provider Lookup - Search for health care providers who take Missouri's version of Medicaid by name, location, provider type, or specialty.
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Twenty-three-year-old Janelle Arthur of Oliver Springs is in the "American Idol" Top 8 and she'll be competing again on Wednesday.
Twenty-three-year-old Janelle Arthur of Oliver Springs is in the "American Idol" Top 8 and she'll be competing again on Wednesday.
Janelle found out she wasn't the one kicked off on Thursday night's episode of the popular television show, after performing the Beatles' "I Will" on Wednesday's show. Instead, fellow Tennessean Paul Jolley, of Palmersville, scored the fewest votes.
On Wednesday night, the four judges had only good things to say about Janelle's performance, including her fan, judge Nicki Minaj who said, "Janelle, can we renew our vows tonight?" Janelle was wearing a long white dress for her performance.
This coming Wednesday, Janelle and the seven other remaining contestants will perform "The Music of the Motor City," with songs centered on Detroit, according to the show's website.
On Thursday, "American Idol" will celebrate its 450th episode and former finalist Colton Dixon will perform — and Janelle and the other remaining contestants will find out their fate.
Janelle is the daughter of Judy and Gentle Dean Arthur of Oliver Springs.
"American Idol" airs at 8 Wednesday and Thursday night on Channel 43 in Knoxville. You can follow Janelle on Twitter for current updates by her, @JanelleAI12 and at Facebook, www.facebook.com/JanelleAI12.
Donna Smith can be contacted at (865) 220-5502.


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Kids' ages 8 to 18 now spend an average of 10 hours and 45 minutes a day, seven days a week with media. That translates into 75 hours and 15 minutes per week, nearly twice as many hours as their parents put into full-time jobs according to research published by the Kaiser Family Foundation in January 10101 .
Within these averages there are significant differences and knowing where your child or teen falls within these ranges is the first step in understanding whether or not you want to adjust the amount of time they spend online, or if you suspect a larger problem is brewing. A full 21% of youth are defined as heavy media users who spend more than 16 hours with media a day. Another 63% are defined as moderate users who use media 3-16 hours a day. Youth who fall into the light user category are those who consume less than 3 hours of media a day.
For youth on the high end of the scale, spending this much time with media - online and offline - robs them of real world experiences and may result in lower grades, increase their risk for depression, cut into the time needed for sleep, and more.
Of those media hours, the internet now takes up about half of the time. For most kids and teens their online use is relatively well managed as they balance media use with school, sports, friends, and other commitments. Yet for a small percentage of youth the need to be online can become compulsive, uncontrolled, or pathological, this type of maladaptive behavior is sometimes called internet 'addiction'.
Whether compulsive internet use fits into the formal category of addiction or not, there is clear evidence demonstrating that some users develop a compulsive need to be online that interferes with their daily activities, their relationships, and their health2 . Though researchers are far from fully understanding the cause and effect relationship between internet use and maladaptive behavior (and to the extent these relationships may run both ways), evidence suggest that the risk to youth for developing these issues is much greater than it is for older users3 .
As parents and caregivers, understanding how to differentiate between 'normal' internet use and compulsive use is critically important for knowing when to seek help for concerning behavior. Internet usage naturally ebbs and flows to accommodate other activities and interests among healthy internet users.
Usage may spike because your child has a big homework project to finish, they are setting up a social network, just started playing a new game, has a new boy-/girlfriend to chat with, is missing a friend, or for some other short-term interest. While potentially time consuming and engrossing, this is very different behavior than that of youth who spend virtually all of their waking hours, week in and week out, behind an internet connected screen, ignoring relationships, homework, and the world.
If you are unsure whether your child or teen falls into the latter category, compare their behavior to the list of warning signs below. As you review the list, keep in mind that if a child or teen exhibits a one (or a few) of these behaviors, it may or may not be cause for concern. For example, plenty of teens prefer to spend time online rather than with family, we all lose track of time online on occasion, and if you're waiting for a particular message, you may check your messages very frequently. On the other hand, if you read through this list and most of these signs are visible in your child, it may be time to consider the best course of action.
1Generation M2 Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/8010.pdf
3Various research studies have reported internet addiction rates for youth ranging between 1.4% to 17.9% in both Western and Eastern societies.
4Compiled from: http://www.safetyweb.com/internet-addiction#References, http://www.video-game-addiction.org/symptoms-computer-addiction-teens.html, and . Kimberly Young, Director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery, identified the following potential warning signs for children with pathological Internet


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Tate Modern puts defaced Rothko back on display
LONDON (AP) — How do you rebuild a Rothko? Slowly and with great care.
London's Tate Modern is putting Mark Rothko's mural "Black on Maroon" back on display Tuesday, more than a year and a half after it was defaced with black ink by a vandal trying to draw attention to an obscure artistic movement.
The gallery has spent 18 months working on the abstract painting, whose surface is made up of layers of oil, pigment, resin, egg and glue.
Tate experts said the ink soaked in as far as the back of the canvas, requiring delicate work to remove it and restore the painting's layers.
Wlodzimierz Umaniec received a two-year jail sentence for scrawling "a potential piece of yellowism" on the painting to draw attention to an artistic movement he co-founded.
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These guys are really hard to draw! They are so unique and have too many interesting subtleties, not only in their physical features, but in their personalities. It's murder trying to cram them all in and still get a likeness.
Ask the competition how hard it is to get likenesses:
When I showed the owners of the 3 Stooges drawings like this they said: "Why is Moe punching Larry? How come you draw him mean? Moe's not mean. He's just....frustrated."
I think the 3 Stooges made the funniest films in history. They are the perfect combination of comedic acting, timing, slapstick and cartoon gags. They never cheat you with filler and insincere pathos either. It's the most honest comedy you'lll find anywhere. They give your money's worth.
They have rereleased all their films (plus some lost ones!) in chronological order.
That's good news and bad news. The picture looks great, but the sound has been "remastered" till it's hardly there any more. You have to turn up the volume on your set all the way and still you are straining to hear the voices and sound effects that were perfectly clear on TV and video tapes just a few years ago. Why do they do this? The old cartoons have lousy sound on DVDs too. Each new release has thinner and thinner sound. Does anyone have an explanation for what they are doing? And why they hire deaf people to remix sound?
This volume (3) has one of the craziest, fastest Stooges films of all time! "Cactus Makes Perfect". It's more cartoony than most cartoons and has the funniest shaving scene ever.


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In the face of the flood of available pornographic images of child abuse – often called child porn – available online, it may seem that there is little you can do to protect your children, or yourself, from this type of content. This isn't true.
Here are eight key tools and tactics to eliminate – or significantly reduce – the risks of you or your child coming across pornographic material.
Teens in particular may balk at the conversations, but they do listen far more than you might imagine. To learn more about your influence on your teens' lives, see Psst! Parents! If you talk to your teen, they will listen to you, and USA Today's article Teenagers do listen.


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I'm celebrating 100 weeks of Thursday Thanks Tanks. If you haven't read how my Thursday Thanks Tanks started, visit this post: Without Fear: Telling my Story of Thankfulness
Before I share my 100th Thanks Tank, I have to say I am very thankful for my husband. Without his encouragement and his sweet gifts of a few gift cards just for this contest, this contest wouldn't be all that it is.
Here's what I am thankful for this week.
1. Coffee
This will buy several wonderful lattes (or Vivanno smoothies- Those are delicious!)
2. Journaling My Thankfulness
This journal has a place to list 5 things you are thankful for everyday. There is also a sweet pen.
3. Good Deals
I love it when I find a good deal. These notecards and the pen were bargains.
4. Appreciation
Words of encouragement from a friend. Thank you's from my family. These simple things make a difference in my day. I like cute cards like this for expressing my appreciation to others.
5. My Husband's Job
My husband works at a Target Distribution Center. I am thankful for everything he does and for his company. This $15 gift card will buy some wonderful things.
6. Slowing Down
I am focusing on slowing down, taking it easy, enjoying my family and the little things in life. I just got my copy of Not So Fast by Ann Kroeker. It looks wonderful.
By the way, I won a copy! Thank you to everyone that hopped over to the Name the Boy (on the cover of the book) Contest. His name is now Henry. She is going to refer to him as Henry in her talks and reference me and my blog. Isn't that fun?!
I highly recommend getting this book.
7. Decluttering
I am constantly working on simplifying and the book It's All Too Much helps me recognize I have way more than I need. This is a fantastic book.
8. Hearing from loved ones
It warms my heart to get a surprise call or card from someone I love. These cards (and pen) are so cute.
9. Praying for Others
I enjoy praying for others. I believe my prayers are effective even if the person doesn't know I am praying. I find that others are encouraged when I drop them a note to share they are on my mind and in my prayers.
10. More Coffee
I am not sure I ever drink my fill. You can get some delicious drinks with this.
The Contest
I am giving away each of the things that I am thankful for (except my husband- he's mine). There will be 10 winners!
Contest Entries
- One entry for a comment telling me something you are thankful for
- One entry for a comment telling me that you follow my blog
- One entry when you blog about the contest on your blog and then leave me a comment about that
- Endless extra entries for each person that comes to my blog and says that you sent them (either from your blog post, an email, or facebook msg - anything). For you to get a comment for it, another person has to comment they came because of you.
Also (in an effort to thank my current readers and commenters), everyone that commented on the last 4 Thursday Thanks Tanks gets entries for those comments.
Contest Deadline
The contest ends on Tuesday, Aug 18 at 10 p.m. Pacific Time
Winners will be announced on Winner Wednesday (oh yes, you love that title, don't you?) on Wednesday August 19th.
Remember - Take time to be thankful, you will be better off for it.


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Blue Planet Fancy Dress is an online retailer of Fancy Dress Costumes and Accessories for all occasions. These occasions can include Fancy Dress Parties, Hen Nights, Stag Nights and much more! We also stock a large range of Themes which include Pirates, TV & Film Characters, Icons, Armed Forces and much more. Prices for start from as low as £5.00 and FREE Delivery is included for all orders over £25.00
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Status: Available | Condition: New | Edition:Limited Edition | Edition Size: Limited Edition Of 150 | Dim:40 x 30 | Martin Grelle| Item #: GIMG022
Price: $ 1,500.00 USD
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Tribute By Martin Grelle Giclee On Canvas Signed & Numbered by Martin Grelle is signed by the artist and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Martin Grelle lives with his wife, Terri, and their children near the small, Central Texas town of Clifton, just a few miles from where he was born. Rich in beauty and history, the area has become a mecca for artists, which is one reason why the artist has spent his whole life there. Many of his closest friends are artists, and they gather to see each other s work, exchange ideas, and just "shoot the breeze". Grelle treasures the camaraderie among these artist friends and the rare opportunity it affords him. Grelle s work reaches far beyond his Texas home conveying the spirit, drama, beauty and vastness of the American West. Whether painting a Native American in a dramatic setting or a working cowboy on the range, he captures the essence of the West in his historically-accurate, picturesque, peaceful, yet compelling, images. He enjoys the Cowboy Artists of America s trail ride each year, and manages to spend some time occasionally working cattle with local friends. He is proud of the Native American part of his ancestry and studies diligently to portray their culture accurately and sensitively. Grelle is able to take even the most mundane daily task and elevate it to a new level in each painting. This is particularly true in Peaceful Morn as the pair pause to allow the horse to drink. Grelle captures them in the most intimate and dramatic setting, giving it all an overwhelming sense of peace. Sometimes he adds a note of humor as in Offering to the River Spirit where the Asparoke are indeed giving an offering, but rather than offering a piece of their own finery, they are offering the River Spirit something captured from an enemy tribe – something special, but not integral to their own existence. Grelle began painting at an early age. With the guidance of Western artists James Boren and Melvin Warren, both of whom settled in the Clifton area while he was in high school, Grelle was able to become a full-time artist in his early 20s. Since that time, he has studied, traveled widely, and sought subject matter throughout the American West. Working primarily in oils on canvas, Grelle marries his figures with the landscape in a painterly style rich in vibrant color. Grelle has been profiled in many publications, including Southwest Art, American Cowboy, Art of the West, Western Horseman, The Equine Image, Art Talk, Persimmon Hill, and InformArt. His work has also been featured on the covers of several magazines and on various historical novels published by the University of Nebraska Press. Elected to the Cowboy Artists of America in 1995, Grelle is one of the youngest active members and won the People s Choice Award at the CAA exhibition in October 2002. Grelle s painting, Teller of Tales, received the top award at the 2002 Prix de West Invitational held at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and was chosen for inclusion in the museum s permanent collection. The artist is represented by Overland Gallery of Fine Art in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he has enjoyed one-man shows each March since 1989. Quote: "I thank God for the ability and the opportunities He has given me, and I hope I can continue to grow and learn more with each finished painting. I am honored by everyone who collects my work, and I will always strive to create artwork worthy of their attention and their investment."