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Book Review: The Simple Dollar
Published on - September 7th, 2010 (by J.D. Roth)
My colleague Trent Hamm from The Simple Dollar may have started his blog six months after I did, but he's ahead of me in books. He published his first, 365 Ways to Live Cheap! [my review], at the end of 2008, and his second, The Simple Dollar, was released this summer.
I'm a huge fan of The Simple Dollar (it's the only personal-finance blog I read regularly besides my own), and I count Hamm as a colleague and a friend. I think there's a lot of value in his new book, especially for readers who are financially flustered and ready to change. That said, I think The Simple Dollar (the book) has a serious flaw.
Bad news first
I usually save my complaints about a book until the end of a review. I'm not going to do that here.
My chief beef with The Simple Dollar is that it's disorganized. For most of the book, there's no central thesis, and the chapters jump from one topic to another with no discernible pattern. There are chapters on social capital, networking, and relationships, for example, that might make sense when strung together. Instead, they're peppered throughout the book in what seems like random order.
This makes The Simple Dollar tough to follow. I'm reading about cash flow and frugality, then the book turns to networking and careers, before jumping back to saving and investing, and then hopping forward to money and relationships.
As a reader, it feels like the book is a puzzle that has been mixed up and re-assembled incorrectly. As someone who has written a book of his own (and who has talked to many other writers), it feels very much like somebody — read "the publisher" — came through after Hamm had finished and then arbitrarily changed the order of the chapters. In fact, knowing how methodical Hamm usually is, I'd be willing to bet money this is what happened.
A framework for freedom
Still, while The Simple Dollar as a whole is confusing at times, the chapters themselves are not. Hamm has a talent for cutting to core concepts and discarding the junk. He does that here, too. Where Hamm especially shines — and you know this if you read his blog — is when discussing frugality.
Here, for example, he writes about frugality as a framework for freedom:
Many people associate frugality with sacrifice: You have to give things up. They hear stories about having to give up lattes or giving up eating out or giving up nights on the town, and it sounds incredibly tedious.
A more appropriate view is that frugality is an exchange: You're trading things you don't value for things you do value.
Yes! A thousand times yes! It took me years to get this concept, but now that I have it, it guides every financial decision I make. I've written 1000-word articles trying to get this point across, but Hamm does it here in just a few sentences.
Hamm says that all of frugality can be boiled down to five simple rules:
- Don't give up the things you love. Yes, you may have to cut back in the short term, but you don't have to give up the things that make life worth living. Let's use my own life as an example. As you know, I like comic books. When I was digging myself out of debt, I had to cut back on my comics spending, but I didn't give them up completely. Instead, I followed Hamm's second recommendation, which is…
- Find inexpensive ways to enjoy the things that are important to you. There are almost always cheaper alternatives for pursuing your passions. In my case, that meant borrowing comics from the library. It meant reading the ones I already owned. And it meant buying collections on DVD. (Comics on DVD can't compare to the printed page, but it's a cheap way to feed the habit.)
- Cut back hard on the things that matter less. I've written extensively about how important this is. In my case, I don't value television. I rarely watch it. So why was I paying $65/month for a deluxe cable TV package? By cutting back to $15 basic cable, I freed money to pay off my debt or to spend on the things that mattered to me.
- Never go shopping without knowing exactly what you want. "If you ever walk into a store without a plan," writes Hamm, "it's highly likely you're going to walk out the door with something you didn't intend to buy." This sort of accidental shopping simply kills frugality and intentional financial goals. Shop with purpose.
- Use the 30-day rule for any unplanned purchase. If you do find yourself tempted to buy on impulse, do what you can to defer the spending. Instead of buying today, put it off until next week — or next month. If you still want whatever is tempting you to spend, then consider the purchase — if you can afford it.
Each chapter of The Simple Dollar contains great advice like this, and Hamm concludes each chapter with five steps to help you change your life for the better.
There's a lot of information in The Simple Dollar, and Hamm encourages readers to check out other books and websites to learn more. Along the way, he shares bits of his personal story, as well as anecdotes from folks who read his blog. These real-life stories give depth to the concepts he's trying to convey.
What does it all mean?
The information in The Simple Dollar good, and it's sure to be useful to many people.I do recommend this book, especially if you're struggling to get your feet on the ground. But, as I mentioned, the book's content is so jumbled that it's difficult to see the Big Picture.
Until the final chapter, this book lacks a thesis, a clear theme that ties the content together. Finally, on page 235, Hamm writes:
If there's a single overriding point of this entire book, it's this: Money is nothing more than a tool with which you can create the life you truly want. The challenge is knowing what you truly want…
Amen. That's a great point, and a fine thesis, but it belongs on page one, not page 235. Putting that at the front of the book and then referring to it throughout could help the reader parse the pile of ideas in The Simple Dollar. They're great ideas, but what's the point? We don't know until the very end.
This article is about Books
I like his site too. I forgot to end my post with a or a to take the edge off of it.
Also, why would anyone banish Trent for life for occasionally disagreeing with him? IF PF blogs are what you like to read, then TSD should be on your list.
I like TSD, but not as well as I like GRS. To me, J.D. has a more creative, inclusive, and adventurous approach to life and that infuses his writing. T.H. seems to have a very closed and limited (in my view) outlook and life experience, which is fine for him, but it does limit the usefulness, to me, of his advice.
I rarely comment there anymore, not because I got stuck in moderation, but because so many commenters just want to argue. I would only stop reading if the material got completely repetitive or irrelevant (to me) which, as yet, it has not.
Thanks for the book review. Interesting about the chapter order/disorganization thing. I've noticed that in other self-helpy books and am willing to accept J.D.'s theory that the publisher is the culprit. Would be interested if T.H. could confirm!
I also stopped reading Trent's blog because he came across as a petulant child who 1) refused to consider or engage with criticism in a constructive way or 2) stuck his head in the sand and ignored criticism or 3) lied to get out of a mistake (like pretending he didn't write something or changing his original blog posting without acknowledging this publicly).
Thinking of Trent and his blog just make me more grateful for JD and Get Rich Slowly – I appreciate JD's willingness to be transparent and learn from his mistakes, open comments, constructive engagement with detractors, and thoughtful, logical postings.
I will not be buying or in any way supporting Trent's books.
I must admit, I haven't read TSD for many months and didn't realize Hamm was out of debt as the book title states. IIRC, last time I read his stuff he still owed on his house and car and maybe even student loans. Kudos to him for paying all of them off in that short period of time!
Thanks for the review – I'll definitely be checking this out of the library as it's not something I define as a NEED, merely a WANT to read. I know how highly TSD values needs vs. wants as I read in the swimsuit issue – thanks for the link #41 MoneySmarts! I feel a lot of PF bloggers need to lighten up a bit on the need/want thing and it's good to read comments with a great sense of humor – I nearly spewed my wanted coffee on my wanted brand new laptop a couple of times.
@Jacq – That's another problem many of us have with The Simple Dollar. Trent didn't "wipe out his debts." His family still has a mortgage (and he refuses to count his home equity in his 'net worth' calculation, thus leaving him with a 'negative net worth') and a financed Prius (which is a whole additional issue).
In response to #51:
It's not an issue of "banishing" due to disagreement. It's more an issue, for me anyway, of perception of trust. I read PF blogs; I ponder what the authors write and sort it against the knowledge I already have and information I gather. But I feel like I need to be able to trust that the writer of said blog is trustworthy and behaving in a way that is holds him accountable to his audience. And that is what turned me off.
When someone claims to have apologized for offending so many when it clearly didn't happen, or edits and rewrites something so it looks like it was never there to begin with, it screams a lack of honestly and accountability to me. If someone is advising me on personal finance, they damn well better be accountable for what they put out.
Different strokes, different folks.
Hmmmm…just tried to post and it seemed to get lost, so sorry if this is a duplicate.
I also stopped reading Trent's blog because he comes across as a petulant, intransigent child. He 1) does not constructively deal with criticism or disagreement, 2) puts his head in the sand and entirely ignores certain critiques that he does not like or 3) lies about what he's posted or changes a posting once it's up without acknowledging what he's done.
Trent's blog and my experiences with Trent just made me more grateful for JD and Get Rich Slowly. JD, I appreciate that you are transparent, that you clearly learning from your mistakes and productively engage with criticism, and that your postings are thoughtful and logical. I will not be buying Trent's books or in any way supporting his work anymore.
I agree with chacha, Trent seems to have difficulty looking beyond his small town Midwestern and male experiences.
The other problem I have is how error prone Trent seems to be in his blog. Now I know that his third child was recently born and that might be part of it, but there have been some serious errors.
Things like in the Reader Mailbag answers that have nothing to do with the questions. Where it seemed Trent either scanned the question and assumed it said one thing and ran with it. The one that pops to mind was the pregnant woman writing in asking for advice about making make ahead, freezable meals for her family and Trent responded with information about how to make baby food.
There have been typos and grammatical mistakes and just things that seem nitpicky but are bothersome.
To me at least, it seems that there's often a disconnect between what Trent tells us and what he shows us.
Good example is what Courtney mentioned. But also there's his cooking series which has been riddled with fundamental errors that someone who claims to love cooking and claims to have spent a lot of money on cooking things should not be making. Things like cooking meat and then trying to marinate it. Or talking about making a recipe light and healthy but using nearly 5 cups of cheese.
The whole swimsuit issue was so stupid, especially since he was arguing that spending $70 on a swimsuit is this terrible decision to base on wants and he's bought a brand new car based mostly on want rather than need.
@56 yep.
I like TSD blog, but I have to say that the subtitle of the book (How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams) is a huge turn-off to me. It makes it look like a self-congratulatory autobiography.
Thanks for the review, JD. Both you and Trent are inspirations. Disappointing to hear about the organization issues in his book.
Chiming in with the same issue with the Simple Dollar. I had comments sitting in moderation for months at a time. When I emailed Trent to ask about it, saying I was frustrated and trying to participate in the community, I got a pretty petulant and abrasive response.
What's the point of commenting if it only gets approved months later and people have already moved on and debated another point? What I LOVE about GRS is that I read the comments with the same interest with which I read the articles themselves. I can chime in and people chime in to discuss what I have said. Sorry, but I'm not buying Trent's spam filter excuse. I checked back for WEEKS to see if various comments were approved but gave up.
I still read his blog on occasion, but not with the same love with which I read GRS, and I will not buy his book. I find JD and the staff writers here to have more humilty and a broader sense of experience and perspective.
I know these comments are not what JD was expecting with this article but since the two blogs share audiences it's obvious that there are a lot of very frustrated people out there who have been unable to discuss their frustration with Trent or even have negative comments approved and instead these have been posted here.
Same here on the comments, but I politely emailed and my comments were approved. Don't know what happened as I never actually heard back from him.
Anyway, so perhaps the title of the book is a bit misleading, but I look at it like this: he paid off his considerable amount of *consumer* debt. Yes he still has a mortgage (and a car pmnt.?). He also has a family, which is a large expense (I know his wife works, too), and they are saving to fulfill many goals. He's got his financial stuff in order, and that's the gist of the book.
If you don't think you can learn anything from him, then you don't have to visit TSD or read the book!
AMEN to these comments and for finally having the opportunity to give Trent feedback that we are denied on his own website!!!!!! I, too, stopped reading Trent's blog and haven't missed it since. I remember when he told readers to hide assets to qualify for more college financial aid. I was disgusted. What if someone went to jail due to his advice that he then lied about and sort of edited???? I sometimes read the blog after that but I found that I kept getting frustrated when my comments with any dissent were not posted and when Trent refused to learn from his mistakes or admit when he was wrong. I saw that I didn't TRUST or RESPECT Trent, so why would I take his financial advice??! I also realized that his advice is coming from a narrow place, as people pointed out in the crazy swimming suit posting. He's a dude (so am I, but he is particularly narrow minded in some ways we men can be), his job and life experience before blogging were unremarkable and boring, and his whole life is narrow and somewhat boring to me. I do not see a lot of evidence that he wants to explore the world beyond his alcove. So, I stopped reading. More time for Get Rich Slowly and JD's rich life of travel and other financial adventures!!!
Add me to the chorus of folks who've quit reading Trent. His take on women's swimsuits and his general inability to acknowledge mistakes is a huge turn-off for me.
I had a read through the intro and Table of Contents of the book available on Amazon and could definitely see the organizational issues mentioned in the review right in the first chapter.
Having said that, I do think that TSD is an excellent site for newbies to get an introduction to cutting back and frugality.
I didn't stop reading the site because of tone or flavor (although I do prefer a more light-hearted, "oh well we all screw up and nobody's died yet" approach), but more because I've lived more frugally than the author for many periods in my life so the blog was a little basic, which I can appreciate since that's his audience – and too frequent for my tastes. You get tired of hitting delete after reading the topic after awhile.
As the book or his other one is not available in my library system (therefore not in the whole province), I'm going to request that my library stock both on their shelves – along with J.D.'s book as that isn't available here either. Books like this (Mary Hunt's, Amy Dacyzyn's etc.) were a huge help to me when I was turning things around years ago so it's important that they're available to people who really need them.
I'm another one who never gets comments approved. It just says awaiting moderation for weeks or months. Must be your spam filter. I don't blame you for doing it that way…a blog your size must get an incredible amount of spam. But it is frustrating to not be able to participate in the discussions.
from time to time I have read TSD, and today I recently subscribed to the RSS feed to see what its like, not sure if I will stick to it, but am willing to give it a shot.
Why don't you just take what works and leave what doesn't when you read TSD? You don't have to agree with everything someone says. Why not take it and apply it to your own life. That's just called critical thinking.
Are you talking about the post where he says people shouldn't pay more than $3 for a swimsuit? I've never seen a swimsuit for women that has been sold for $3. I think the cheapest one I've seen were at Wal-Mart for $20-30.
Anyway I don't really think that was the point of the post, I think he was saying to not always go with the most expensive item and to not let your materialism get the best of you. Maybe I'm wrong.
You know though if you really want to speak your opinion, why not just contact him and try to be diplomatic, people are more likely to listen to you when you speak in a reasonable voice, and make your opinion known.
Its kind of childish to come to GRS and say "Well so and so is a jerk,and now I can let my opinion be known." I don't know I just don't think that really solves the problem you had with TSD by coming to another person's blog and venting about them.
I work in Customer Service and the Customer's that get the best service are the customers who are willing to state their issue in a calm voice, even if they do have a complaint. If you do have a complaint you really need to talk to the person themselves, by contacting them.
He lists his email you know. Also isn't it more classy to just solve the problem with the person that you had the problem with and not just air it out to the rest of the world?!!
You know what in cases like these, I don't envy popular bloggers, I really don't. They don't work in retail, but they still have to deal with customer service (keeping their readers happy and reading their blog).
I did email Trent awhile back about the comment issue I was having but thought I was the only one. He must have changed something because I tried again yesterday and his comments were approved.
So whatever you did…thanks Trent!
@68 If you read though the previous posts… people (including me) HAVE emailed him, and politely. Responses were either non-existent or in some cases rude. That is not good customer service.
I'm glad that everybody was able to voice their concerns here. There was no way on TSD to do so, and apparently now the problem is fixed (for how long, who knows). So it worked. Also I, and a number of other people, no longer feel singled out. So I am grateful to everybody who had the same concerns and to GRS for allowing a place for these concerns to be made known. It was a problem, and prior to this there was no way to be heard.
Well, I was a big fan of TSD because it was the first blog I discovered about the theme. After almost two years of reading it I simply gave up, what it was written in the blog didn´t resonate to me anymore ….like another person said "I grew up" the site.
I like Trent message of frugality, being myself a blogger that went to the same route of reducing live expenses to the minimum, now I believe that there is a balance where you can continue to save money and at the same time enjoy life…and making my own soap is not part of that equation.
Good thing that there is another book about living frugally on the market, even though I am not interested on this particular one.
@Jaimie – you're missing the key point. Are you really Trent posing as Jaime? Many of us don't TRUST Trent or his advice. Why would I bother to read someone's blog (and help them make more money off my clicks) if I have to worry that their advice is downright wrong or ILLEGAL???! It's one thing to disagree with blog advice. That happens on every blog at least occasionally. It's different to have a financial blog where you dispense illegal advice about defrauding the government on financial aid forms and when you give incorrect information on other topics — and then you squish dissent in the comments, so people can't even hear the truth or differing viewpoints. NO ONE SHOULD FOLLOW A FINANCIAL BLOGGER IF HE OR SHE IS NOT TRUSTWORTHY!! The area of money is full of sketchy people, so make sure to learn from financial bloggers who are competent, transparent and honest.
And what's up with "I don't envy bloggers" because "they don't work in retain but still have to deal with customer service." SERIOUSLY!!!???? You must be Trent in disguise. A million jobs that aren't retain involve customer service. Dave Ramsey talks about how he's a hit because of good customer service, integrity and treating the customer right. Bloggers like Trent have become wealthy off of their blogs and their readers — the LEAST they can do exercise basic customer service concepts. And if that's too much to ask, then the least they can do is at least be honest and not give ILLEGAL advice. If you don't want to deal with "customers" and "service," you have the choice not to have a PUBLIC blog. And if you don't want comments, then don't pretend to allow comments when in fact you are deleting anything that you disagree with or that calls you out.
"And if you don't want comments, then don't pretend to allow comments when in fact you are deleting anything that you disagree with or that calls you out."
Are you seriously claiming that I don't allow negative comments on The Simple Dollar? I'm often criticized for having *too many* negative comments. If you go through whatever's on the home page at any given moment, the majority will have criticism in the comments and some will have serious criticism.
@ MDD yes my name really is Jaime, I'm 27 and I'm a woman, and no I'm not Trent, sheesh. Okay make your opinion known but please don't yell at me. I actually post here quite frequently if you haven't noticed.
GRS is actually one of my favorite websites, so I'm a common poster. I do work in Customer Service, I'm trying to finish my bachelor's degree so I don't have to work in CSR anymore. I know customer service is important but its also very low paying, and I have goals I want to achieve like save for retirement so a bachelor's degree can aid me in that.
Like I said I'm not a frequent reader of TSD, I just subscribed to his RSS feed just recently, to see what its like, if what you say is true then I guess I'll eventually see it on TSD.
But really no need to yell at me, lordy, okay fine you don't like TSD and you say he's not ethical, if that's the case, I'll eventually find out on my own.
Thanks JD, I'll let you know.
@Nicole-Thanks for talking to me like a real person and for not yelling at me, I do appreciate that.
hee, sorry JD… we went and got a blog, hence the new email
You are the only person who knows my real identity now! (Well, besides Maggie and my husband.)
Sorry for making you feel yelled at. I suppose that ALL CAPS has that effect even though I didn't intend it. I suppose I was just honestly worried about Trent getting positive press given that he truly has given out illegal advice and incorrect advice without acknowledging this.
@MDD, hey its cool, no worries, thanks for explaining your view, I appreciate that.
I think that Jaime raised a great point on choosing what does and doesn't apply or interest you when reading a blog – I do that at TSD and here at GRS! Although questionable advice comes up from time to time, I think Trent and J.D both do a pretty good job clearly communicating that they are not technically financial advisers.
Also, J.D, I was really surprised to see you review this book, but also glad. It can be very tough to honestly review something that a colleague has done, and you did a great job highlighting things that Trent did well, and areas that could improve for his next work. I hope he appreciates the feedback!
The main issue I have with TSD (and something I am surprised has not been pointed out) is that the blog (can't comment about the book but I doubt it would be any different) is one-dimensional: it focusses almost exclusively on cutting down expenses instead of generating further income. Trent forgets that there is an opportunity cost to everything. For example, he might note that method A (which costs, say, 10 units of time/effort to save $50) is less efficient than method B (which costs, say, 15 units of time/effort to save $2/week which over a year is $100). But then there might be a method C where 20 units of time/effort [e.g. preparing to negotiate a raise, or shifting an investment portfolio from conservative to balanced] might have an expected gain of $300.
In other words, being frugal all the time may blind you to an initial non-frugal, non-intuitive outlay (such as taking your colleagues out to dinner, or using money to buy time) that pays dividends in time or money later.
Part of this is that TSD is exceedingly risk-averse and is geared towards "How not to fuck up your life" as opposed to "How to play the cost/benefit game". But frankly I think the tone is stultifying and patronising at times.
I've had a morbid fascination with TSD for a couple of years. For someone who frequently crows about being a "professional writer," Trent's prose is artless and inelegant, and he makes frequent grammatical and usage errors.
But, his story is somewhat compelling, and he manages to churn out a lot of copy each and every day, so more power to him.
As others have indicated, when readers catch him making careless or erroneous statements, it gets really interesting. He has little capacity for admitting error, and instead responds with a delicious mixture of petulance and arrogance. It's highly entertaining – almost to the point that I wonder if some of it is calculated.
For this reader, TSD is akin to a guilty pleasure: it's bad, but I can't help but go back for more.
As for the book, he boasted (pre-publication) that it was the "most profound" thing he'd ever written. Despite the fact that he'd selected his publisher because he'd have more "creative control," I suspect an editor got hold of a manuscript that was flawed, and tried to rescue it. Whether he/she improved the product or made it worse, we'll never know. But I'll pass: the site is quite enough.
Okay – I now have evidence that Trent will not allow some comments perceived by him to be negative. Or at least his loss to the spam filter is not random
Yesterday I read http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2010/09/11/the-danger-of-assumption/ and commented, "Read blink. If you are always making the wrong assumptions, it should tell you something. Not good." Twice. No dice getting my comments posted. That should have shown up as comment #2.
Today I used an anonymizer for my IP, a different email address, and a less to-the-point comment with reference to Blink. Ta-da! The latter is now a published comment at TSD. The former will never appear. 1984, anyone?
I do not trust Trent (especially given the comments on how when he suggests something ILLEGAL to do with your money and is called on it, he continues to defend it; see http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/07/reader-mailbag-5/).
Trent's writing is that of someone who cannot have an actual dialogue or discussion on a topic where he is the recipient of information. While obviously leveraging some critiques and criticisms in his more recent blog entries, he never actually seems to appreciate clarification or give credit to others for their insights.
A blog should be a dynamic that allows conversation, not a one-way "enlightenment". Isolation from that exchange loses an important component.
Did Trent go out on his own as a blogger because he scrimped and saved? Or is it that he can't work with others? Can he be collaborative? The jury is out given our evidence.
If I had to made a real differentiation between "Get Rich Slowly" and TSD, it would be that this negative post will actually be published here whereas it would never have made it past the "spam filter" at TSD. This is a dialogue and true to the discussions.
Much appreciation, GRS to remaining true to your audience.
It's interesting that so many people seem to have issues with TSD, beyond the whole comments moderation aspect. And yet Trent will disregard all the valid criticisms, claiming it's just "enraged negativity" or that we don't trust people (re: Uncle Phil and financial aid), or that we are making assumptions (see all the recent not-so-veiled attempts at defending himself from criticism).
My biggest issues with Trent are that he can very rarely admit he is wrong and, when he does, it always takes quite a few heated exchanges and terrible comments from him before he grudgingly gives in. Someone said "petulant" above, and it's the right word.
Another issue is how narrow his worldview is. His life and his aspirations bore me to tears, which, I admit, is more my problem than his. It's hard to relate to someone who doesn't seem to aspire to much beyond buying a country house, where he, presumably, can keep making homemade laundry detergent, cooking homemade meals and play board games.
Last, but not the least: for someone who calls himself a "professional writer", he doesn't have a lot of respect for the craft. Typos are frequent, the grammar errors make me wince, and he tends to overuse some words ("value", "strong", "deep", "profound", "tasty", and a recent favorite, "literally", just to name a few). Some posts even have sentences that end abruptly, and missing paragraphs.
A lot of the writing issues could be fixed if he listened to the readers and:
1. corrected mistakes when they are pointed out;
2. used a spell check tool;
3. actually took the time to edit his posts, instead of boasting about how little time he spends working, and how he wants to spend the rest of his life playing in the yard with his kids.
But those are easy solutions and Trent would never go for that.
Why do I still check in? I suspect it's mostly for the entertainment factor (it can be like a trainwreck), and some readers' comments.
Thanks for a space where we can vent a bit.
@Andrew-Thanks for posting that comment about financial aid, I now see what others were concerned about. However, I was a little concerned because to me it seemed like you were all ganging up on him, but now that you posted that I see why other people were concerned.
I did dig into the archives this past Sunday to see what it was all about, yes he does make grammatical and spelling errors I did notice that in the archives, however he does bring up ethics in other posts and tells readers to do things that are ethical.
I wouldn't hide money from financial aid. Its a penalty if you lie to them. I do disagree with his advice on financial aid.
@Rucas-As for the homemade laundry detergent, well I guess if someone wants to do it, that's wonderful. Some people are into that, I would never do it though, I can buy a box of Tide for $8-9 and make it last 5-6 months.
However if others want to try that, I really don't care, its up to them really. I wouldn't try it myself though, the ingredients that Trent bought all sum up to $9.74 and that's pretty much what a small box of Tide costs me, well maybe $10 with tax
My bf and I actually want to eventually buy land, so I am not against Trent's dream of owning a country house. I like the idea of owning land and so does BF because its freedom…freedom from neighbors, also if you can buy land and be more self-reliant, that means that you work less for your needs.
Its the same reasons that people adopt minimalist/frugal lifestyles, they want to work less, have more free time, enjoy life more. If you are self reliant especially if you own land
Then you can use the money you earn, for fun stuff like travel (I really want to travel), finish college, have a job that I like, freedom to retire early or find other work that is fulfilling, and get out of the rat race. I'd love to go into illustration, web design, graphic design, etc. do creative work that makes me happy.
Not everyone wants to live in NYC or SF, or a big city, not everyone enjoys corporate work, and to some people it makes sense to live in the country, and to pursue other interests.
I've been to NYC before 9/11, and its an exciting city for sure, but its so populated, and actually the population is more irritating than anything else. There are cool things about it like the museums, Broadway, etc. Its a city that I'd rather visit than one that I'd live in.
So I don't fault TH for wanting to live in the country, so I can kind of understand why he wants to live in the country. Anyway I'm sorry for writing a novel
WOW! I have only been reading this site and Trent's site for a month or so. I am amazed that this review post could bring out such venom! For what it is worth, I like both sites and enjoy reading and pondering if the ideas can help me. I really have not thought of either site as a way for me to spread my own ideas. For those of you that are angry, why don' t you start a blog of your own to comment?


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text:
It's this one. In black.
I live in a land of fleece and gortex and I cannot stand it. I deal with the Portland rain by denying I get wet and wearing cute wool jackets without hoods that never dry. This has become a pretty dumb system now that I've got a dog that takes his sweet fucking time pooping every morning and night, leaving my hair a constant disaster, and my jackets musty and moist. But what's pushed me over the edge is that I'm planning a trip to Vancouver with my new boyfriend next month, and while I can tolerate feeling stupid with my dog on a daily basis, spending a long, romantic weekend shivering and looking crappy and probably complaining is just more than I can handle.
So I will have a weather-appropriate coat.
It better be cute.
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One man is dead after officials say he fell off of a truck bed.
By Alicia Eakin - bio | email
August 7, 2008
VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - Infighting in a prominent Lowndes County family. A lawsuit contends one of the grandsons of the late Harley Langdale, Sr defrauded other family members.
The Langdale family filed a federal civil suit against Johnny Langdale, Jr, a trustee of the family trust.
Several family members and trust beneficiaries say he robbed the trust of money to create a company named Capitol Preservation Income Advisors.
They say he transferred more than one million dollars from the trust to that company then wired the money to his personal accounts as a kick-back.
According to court records, "On July 19, 2000, Johnny Langdale, with the assistance of Watts and Phillips, caused the creation of a Delaware limited liability compnay, Capital Preservation Income Advisors LLD ("CPIA"), directing management feed from investments accouns of the Trust, and other family related entities, back to him personally in a kickback scheme involving wire transfres across state lines."
They go on to say "Beginning in September of each year from 2000 to 2003, RJ was directed by Johnny Langdale to wire to CPIA for alleged investment services approximately $250,000 per year for a totla of over $1,000,000 during this period of time."
The suit also claims Langdale refused requests for proper accounting of the trust.
"To date, Johnny Langdlae has not complied with this request relating to receipts and disbursements of the Trust from 2000-2006, and instead provided inadequate information not in compliance with Georgia law," the documents say.
The suits says the Langdales "seek three times the amount of actual damages---which was not released in the court records---attorney's fees and investigative expenses, plus punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish Johnny Langdale."
No trial date has yet been set.
P.O. Box 3130
Albany, GA 31706
(229) 446-1010
FCC Public File
(229) 446-4005
EEO Report
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Barbeque area provided
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Check in 2.00pm, Check out 10.00am
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Morgan Stanley to name co-heads for European electronic unit
03 Mar 2014
Morgan Stanley is to appoint two new co-heads to lead its highly-regarded European electronic trading franchise following the transfer of a long-standing executive to the US, Financial News has learned.
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Banco Santander's scrip dividend diet is unhealthy
Spanish banks have been compensating for a lack of capital by feeding investors an unhealthy diet of sweet-tasting scrip dividends
From The Wall Street Journal


text:
Aviation Specialties Completes NVIS Install on Era AS350B2
Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU, Booth No. C2707) announced this week at Heli-Expo '13 that it recently completed night vision cockpit modifications to a Eurocopter AS350B2 operated by Era Training Center. ASU maintenance director Chris Reber completed the modification on-site at Era's facility in Lake Charles, La.
"Era Training Center needed its aircraft modified within a short period of time and wanted it done before Heli-Expo," he said. "Through a collective effort, we streamlined our process and completed the modification in a little more than a month."
Reber has done more than 100 NVIS lighting installations, according to ASU. The company has performed night-vision goggle-compatible cockpit lighting modifications on a range of aircraft for ERA including a BK117, three AW139s, three EC135s and an AS350, as well as two BK117s models for EraMed.
ASU offers full night-vision system installations at its facility in Boise, Idaho, as well as on-site at customer facilities.
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|Home | Software downloads | Submit | Drivers | Codecs | Linux | Scripts |
K-Lite Pro is the best available file-sharing prog
K-Lite Pro is the best available file-sharing program. It gives you access to files available all over the world. Download MP3s, Movies, Videos, Software, Games, Pictures, and Documents. K-Lite Pro respects your privacy and guarantees of no adware and no spyware. Features include dynamic querying, the ability to preview files while downloading, advanced techniques for locating rare files, and an extremely intuitive user interface.
dlTube.net did not scan K-Lite Pro 188.8.131.52 for viruses, adware, spyware or other badware.
For your own safety, we recommend that you always have an antivirus, with virus definitions up to date, installed on your computer when downloading and installing programs from the web.
Audio : Business : Desktop Management : Developer Tools : Drivers : Games : Graphics : Home & Education : Internet : Network Tools : Security : System Utilities : Video : Web Authoring


text:
They have dorms at CSUF?
Printable View
They have dorms at CSUF?
I guess the Pac-9 is now the Pac-10 again.
According to Baseball America, Dave Serrano is the new Titans' Head Coach. If that is true, I couldn't be happier. He, by far, is the best person for the job.
Wow didn't expect that at all.
Two of my best friends goto UCI so I have to make fun that we just took their coach. Thank God I don't know anyone from Oregon.


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CONCEPTION - Part Two / Canvas Galleries, Belfast
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 27, 6.30 - 9.00 pm.
Following on from Conception Part One London in June, Darren MacPherson and Patrick Colhoun introduce the second part of a two part exhibition of work from two very different but complimentary artists. Two mediums, MacPherson's vibrant, acid coloured figurative paintings alongside Colhoun's dark, brooding, somewhat disturbing contemporary sculpture.
Part one in June was London, MacPherson's base; part two is Belfast, Colhoun's hometown.
Part one, described as 'Art with balls' by Cool on Demand Culture blog, showcased the work in a gritty industrial setting in South East London. The second venue will be a contemporary white cube gallery in Belfast, a city really starting to find its feet in the genre of contemporary art.
Two artists, two cities, two cultures, two mediums.
Darren MacPherson has a growing reputation as a contemporary figurative artist whose acrylic and spray paint works are bold and full of colour.
His frequent use of high key colours can be jarring, even startling to a first-time viewer. The negative space in the composition used merely to emphasise the foreground; this is the part of his work that he spends most time on, adding layer upon layer of content. Darren's colours bounce off the canvas and his chaotic, sometimes erratic, strokes make for abstract suggestions of the male and female form.
Inclusion in prestigious events such as FLAGSTOP in Los Angeles, the inaugural Other Art Fair in London and the 2011 National Open Art Exhibition are cementing MacPherson as an artist with a growing reputation.
Patrick Colhoun is a contemporary sculptor living and working in Belfast. His irreverent approach and ever darker subject matter make for work that is anything but traditional ceramics. His use of other materials such as latex, hosiery and piercings add to the mix.
ScanCeram: Scandinavian Ceramics Conference 2012 / Hjørring, Denmark
Join the annual Scandinavian Ceramics Conference in Hjørring, Denmark, for panels, lectures, exhibitions and demonstrations by outstanding ceramic artists and professionals from Scandinavia and around the world. Registration is available online.
Presenters: Karin Andersson, Stefan Andersson, Polly Beach, Clive Bowen, Nato Eristavi, Ann-Louise Gustafsson, Susanne Hangaard, Hbyba Harrabi, Janne Hieck, Ayumi Horie, Ane Fabricius, Anna Johansdottir, Henning Jørgensen, James Kasper, Michael Maguire, Susan Maguire, Gregory Hamilton Miller, Sheri O'Connor, Steve Mattison, Catherine Orrantia, Anders Ruhwald, Markus Rusch, Bernt Petersen, Waleed Qaisi.
▬ Ceramic Artist Residencies: Centers and Programs
What kind of opportunities are there for ceramic artists to work in new contexts around the world? How do we find these programs, and what can we access there? How do these ceramic work centers and institutions develop, how are they funded, and who do they provide resources for? How do artists apply for a residency, and what kind of projects get accepted? How can an artist residency fit with your career, whether you're a student, young professlonal, or world renowned artist.
Mette Blum Marcher (DK), Steve Mattington (Hungary/Wales)
▬ Earthenware and slip
Earthenware clay is one of the most common minerals on earth, and can be found in almost every country in the world. In combination with other clay slip materials, and metal oxides, it makes up one of the most common material ranges of the ceramic pallet. During the conference, we'll have presentations about English Slip Ware, Slip trailing in England and Japan, and different slip applications to Earthenware ranges. In addition, we'll be discussing new developments in low temperature glazes that do and don't contain lead, borate, and other low temperature fluxes, exploring the fit and fitness of these various glaze options.
Clive Bowen (UK), Waleed Qaisi (Iraq/Qatar)
▬ Trends in Scandinavian Ceramics
What's happening now in Scandinavian Ceramics? Who are the emerging and expanding voices in the ceramic field, and what are they working on, and burning for? Where did they study, and how did they get moving in our field? Are you one of them? Would you like a place to tell about your work at ScanCeram? We've made one for you! If you're a student or faculty in Ceramics, we've got special opportunities this year for you to present about your work, your school, or your institution. Together with the Vendsyssel Art Museum, we've also arranged our first museum level exhibition of NY NORDIC KERAMIK September 11th to October 21st, 2012, with an opening reception and gallery talks Friday, September 21st by involved artists, curators, and organizers.
Ane-Fabricius Christiansen (DK), Ann-Louise Gustafsson (SE), Susanne Hangaard (DK)
▬ Ceramic Institutions: Education
What kind of ceramic education institutions exist in the world today? In Germany, the Ceramic School in Landshut offers programs in apprenticeship, journeymen, and masters level ceramics, while still being engaged with studio art practices, an extension of a guild system. How does this compare with ceramic educations in the USA, which focus on Bachelor and MFA programs, or Australian ones, or those in for example, Georgia? Which of these educations are relevant for what career paths? What skills do they develop, what communities do they participate in and develop? How do these institutions collaborate with each other more broadly nationally and internationally?
Michael Maquire (USA), Nato Eristavi (Georgia), Sheri O'Connor (USA)
▬ Internet and Online Marketing
Should you be selling your work on Etsy? Do you have a commercial Facebook Site? Who do you follow on Twitter? And how do you get these activities to result in actual sales of your work? These, and many other important techniques for marketing your work and yourself online, are an important focus of this years conference. With experienced professionals presenting and leading the discussion, we'll work up guidelines and suggestions for current activities, and try to anticipate future directions to move in. Beyond that, what are the minimal basic activities that we need to invest in to have a presence online, that is time and economically efficient.
Ayumi Horie (USA), Stefan Andersson (SE), Polly Beach (USA)
Elizabeth Shriver's profile on Ceramics Now Magazine - View her works
"I work with clay to create an array of graceful, sensuous, organic forms. These pieces are made through a variety of hand-building methods such as slab-building, coiling, pinching, and forming with molds. Rarely relying on glaze, I use textures, stains, and colored clay to add visual and tactile interest. I am drawn toward neutral earth tones that complement rather than distract from my intricate sculptural vessels.
The curving lines and interplay of light and shadow in my work generate an illusion of movement, giving each piece an almost lifelike quality. A successful piece is one that begs to be touched as well as explored visually." Elizabeth Shriver
Clémence van Lunen exhibition / Galerie NeC, Hong Kong
Opening: Thursday, October 4, from 6 pm.
"Sculpture, polyglot, curious and on the alert, fascinated by the countries which she has discovered, cultures and languages which she practises and likes, Clémence Van Lunen is a renaissance woman. She develops multiple works which could be defined as high curiosity in the same sense we sometimes describe ancient amateurs cabinet, but in her case it is in an eclectic and knowledgable way. The art critic and exhibition curator Frédéric Bodet wrote about her work, "rare forms are expressed with an indecisive act, dedicated to the enjoyment as much as to the dismay that she constantly tries to disturb us, her sculptures evoke a sort of sympathy which makes you stop and hesitate."
Her invitation to Sèvres in 2007 - that allowed me to get to know her better - stood out as an evidence, as a necessary stage for her after her travels a round the world and her research in ceramics.
On her return from one of her regular travels to China, she proposed at Cité de la céramique a universe of porcelain dragons (she chose on purpose the most symbolic animal of China), with the determination to produce them all herself with an never before used experimental mixture of porcelain pastas from our mill.
Compositions of a series of porcelain elements turned, deformed then wrapped up, gathered in an experimental way and delicately assembled, the monumental sculptures required the traditional techniques of production but, however, adapted in a personal and creative way. She then imagined an centre piece , consisting of several elements of biscuit which was built up of a small «archipelago» on a table, like so many islands with strange plants; it was an invitation to a new journey!
Her experience at la Cité de la céramique illustrates perfectly its capacity to create a gateway, to imagine formal round trips, cultural and aesthetic juxtapositions, which are her trademark and her talent."
David Caméo, Director of Sèvres, Cité de la Ceramique France
Arina Ailincăi: IN-SCRIPTED BODY / Art on the Avenue Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Opening Reception: Friday, September 14, 5:30 - 8:30 pm.
Art on the Avenue Gallery, at 3808 Lancaster Avenue, is pleased to present Arina Ailincăi: IN-SCRIPTED BODY, a solo sculpture exhibition featuring recent works in clay of this noteworthy international artist.
Arina Ailincăi is a truly international artist. Raised and educated in Romania, she began her artistic career in Eastern Europe. In the 1980s she crossed the Atlantic and settled in Canada, where she was soon acknowledged as one of its most talented artists working in clay. At that time she also exhibited and lectured in the United States. Over the last several years, she has been invited to work, exhibit and lecture at major ceramic art centers and international events throughout Europe, including Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Croatia and Turkey. Most recently she has held residencies in China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.
Arina Ailincăi's art focuses on the human figure, with the body cast using real bodies - often her own. The closeresemblance of the ceramic sculpture to the actual body is only a starting point for her deeper exploration of the universal human condition as an embodied self. Ailincai's sculptures in clay are philosophically and metaphorically charged. The markings on the outer surface and the mysterious inscriptions in the hollow interior of the body transform the replica of a particular individual into an archetypal human vessel, holding the traces of inner life, time, place and history.
"My desire is to "write" a three dimensional poem to both the fragile physical body and the intangible world of our inner existence. I translate this desire into ceramic sculpture through the use of faithfully replicated, life-size clay body-casts and fragments. I press the clay into the plaster mold to create "the shell," a hollowed out body shape: an empty vessel containing the inner self, with its personal and universal history. The scripts imprinted on the interior walls of the shell, acquire symbolic and metaphoric dimensions, becoming a palimpsest of the entire human existence. While most of my works are made in clay, I make use of other materials and techniques, often combining drawing and photography in my installations. I want to synthesize two-dimensional and three-dimensional vocabularies into a visual language charged with meaning, which directs the viewers to sense their location, both within and without." Arina Ailincăi
Contemporary Clay Invitational / j fergeson gallery, Farmville, VA
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 13, 5:00 pm.
The latest show at the j fergeson gallery in Farmville, VA, explores the diverse possibilities of what can be done with clay. This show, the gallery's largest of the year, features works from 30 national artists. Here one will find both sculptural and functional pieces, but perhaps most interesting is the way the artists have settled somewhere in between.
The show is an extraordinary collection of ceramic work by artists working at the top of their field. Co-curators Andréa Keys Connell, lead professor in clay at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Adam Paulek, lead professor in clay at Longwood University, chose the artists for their commitment to fine craft, progressive thought, sensitivity to material and humor.
Artist A. Blair Clemo, inspired by the ornate history of European Decorative Arts, creates vessels that are functional, but also ridiculously opulent, as if ready to serve royalty. John Oliver Lewis presents two sculptures inspired equally by architecture, natural land formations, cartoons, and candy - think Monument Valley out of salt water taffy. And then there's Darrin Ekern's "potasaurus": a sculpture of a T-Rex in a studio throwing a pot.
Featured artists:
A. Blair Clemo, Kurt Anderson, Tom Bartel, Jason Hackett, Hiroe Hanazono, Mike Jabbur, Bethany Krull, John Oliver Lewis, Richard Nickel, Nathan Prouty, Debbie Quick, Dave Smith, Mikey Walsh, Trent Berning, Kelly Berning, Jeff Campana, Sam Chung, David Eichelberger, Darrin Ekern, Misty Gamble, Meredith Host Kowalski, Nicole Aquillano, Frank Martin, Dan Molyneux, Chris Picket, Adrian Sandstrom, Amy Santafararo, Shawn Spangler, Kendra Sparks, Adero Willard.
This variety of work isn't often seen in small galleries, and the curators are excited to present it to an audience that may be unfamiliar with just how adventurous contemporary clay has become.
Ruth Duckworth exhibition / Erskine Hall & Coe, London
Erskine, Hall & Coe are pleased to announce the exhibition of the celebrated contemporary sculptor, Ruth Duckworth.
The exhibition includes 22 artworks in bronze, porcelain and stoneware. The earliest dates from 1965 but the majority of pieces are from the period of late 1980s through to work completed in the final year of Duckworth's life. The gallery has been working closely with Thea Burger, who represents the Duckworth Estate.
Writing in her essay to accompany the exhibition Thea Burger states:
"Duckworth was a modernist sculptor who loved form. She was not about colour, but was about the subtle shape of her pieces. Her forms are typically created in porcelain, stoneware, or bronze. Much admired, she has art works in most of the world's most prestigious museums, including the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Los Angeles Country Museum, the Victoria and Albert, the Stedelijk Museum, and the Tokyo Museum of Art."
In Ruth Duckworth, Modernist Sculptor written by Jo Lauria and Tony Birks, Duckworth talks of her process of creating a sculpture: Ruth Duckworth Porcelain.
"Play is the essence of creativity. Creative play and gut reaction, instinct. When I work on a piece, I play. I have a whole huge section of the studio where I have an inventory of sculptural forms, simple, abstract, non-specific shapes that I find beautiful and enjoy making. Then I start building these shapes together. And when I find myself smiling, I say "hello!" I think I've got something. The process is intuitive, not intellectual. You have to learn to be spontaneous and trust yourself."
Download the catalogue of the exhibition or view the catalogue online.
Bharti Kher / Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art, London
Preview: 13 September 2012, 6.30 – 9 pm.
Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art is delighted to present works by Bharti Kher in her first solo exhibition held in a public art institution in London. The exhibition is composed of a selection of works from the recent past, with an emphasis on the artist's sculptural works.
Known for her extensive use of everyday, found objects and imaginatively transforming their identity, Kher empowers her often otherworldly creations to present themselves unabashedly as if they were a natural part of our culture and environment. Kher's work often explores the notion of the self as a multiple, open to interpretation and shape-shifting. Her art practice is intimately intertwined with her life, not only because she borrows motifs and artifacts for her work, but also because she has an inquisitive mind and a strong desire to understand sociological issues. Such characteristics endow Kher's work with a narrative quality and fascinating interiority of things that frequently contradict her practice of addressing more global and collective concerns. This tension is precisely what leads us more deeply into Kher's work and world and prompts us to reposition our own relationship to her individual pieces.
Kher is perhaps best known for her elaborate and stunning bindi dot paintings: abstract, swirling constellations of colourful bindis glued to flat surfaces that create unique imagery somewhere between being illusory and hyper-realistic. But in recent years her artistic creations have become increasingly bold and unrestrained, several examples of which are on show in the exhibition. The phenomenal, life-size elephant that is The skin speaks a language not its own, 2006, made of fibreglass and covered with serpent - or sperm-shaped white bindis, bears a symbolism that leaves viewers uncertain about the animal's condition. The title of the work, always an important component of Kher's works, suggests that physical appearance and inner values are often in conflict.
Rosemarie Trockel: A Cosmos / NEW MUSEUM, New York
Co-curated by Rosemarie Trockel and Lynne Cooke for the Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, "Rosemarie Trockel: A Cosmos"—encompassing all three main gallery floors of the New Museum building on the Bowery—will present a world shaped by Trockel's ideas, interests, and affinities. Instead of a traditional retrospective, this exhibition takes the form of an artistic self-portrait in which Trockel's work shares space with objects that have influenced her thinking and her practice. Spanning different eras and cultures, "A Cosmos" brings together objects from disparate fields to compose a cartography of Trockel's influences.
Since the early 1970s, Rosemarie Trockel has produced an impressive body of work that includes drawing, collage, installation, "knit paintings," ceramics, videos, furniture, clothing, and books. She brings together a range of associations and references from art history, philosophy, theology, and the natural sciences. For "A Cosmos," the dense field of Trockel's influences will be articulated in installations that illuminate the intellectual and formal connections between her practice and that of a range of historical figures including self-taught artists James Castle and Morton Bartlett, and the botanist/mathematician José Celestino Mutis. Objects whose impetus was primarily aesthetic will be juxtaposed with pieces that more conventionally belong to the realm of science. Trockel's roughhewn glazed ceramics from the past several years will be displayed in conjunction with Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka's delicate glass models of sea creatures created in the nineteenth century. A selection of new drawings by Trockel can be examined along with watercolors by the seventeenth-century artist Maria Sybilla Merian, whose impeccably precise yet beautiful renderings of flora and fauna proved invaluable to scientific study.
Trockel's well-known disregard for the conventional hierarchies in the visual arts, together with her longstanding appreciation of media and materials once categorized as crafts or vernacular art forms, is demonstrated throughout the exhibition. She has adopted a fluid and radical approach to gender, combining activities typically considered feminine in terms of production with aggressive mechanical and industrial forms. This facet of her practice is emphasized through the inclusion of Judith Scott's obsessively wrapped yarn sculptures alongside Ruth Francken's plastic and metal assemblages from the 1970s. In addition, Trockel's celebrated "knit paintings" will be integrated into the exhibition, along with new works made of glass.
Rosemarie Trockel was born in 1952 in Schwerte, Germany. She studied at the Kölner Werkschulen in Cologne, Germany. Since 1998, she has been a professor at the Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. She lives and works in Cologne.
Marek Cecuła: SEEDS / Glass and Ceramics Gallery, Wrocław, Poland
Opening reception: Thursday, September 13, 18.00 pm.
The modern reality evokes more and more catastrophic visions, not as much of the end of the world perhaps, but rather of the decline of the world as we know it. Last century's escalating occurrence of natural disasters and the worryingly fast degradation of the environment are food for thought, resulting in the eco trends on the one hand, and growing speculation crowned with the prophecies of the demise of civilization on the other.
In this situation, we are more thorough in creating architecture which is resistant to the most severe disasters, buying insurance policies which will hypothetically safeguard our future. We assume optimistically that we will somehow survive and manage to preserve our civilization.
In his latest project entitled "Seeds – the art of survival", Marek Cecuła goes a step further, envisaging the annihilation of humankind in his vision of the future. However, he assumes that it is possible to preserve the material which enables Rebirth, as well as substances and tools needed for further functioning. All which is needed to that end is finding a form, a capsule made of an ultra-resistant material guaranteeing the preservation of the survival substance. The nature suggests a solution – the "seeds" are based on actual plant seeds, while their outer texture brings to mind the exceptionally durable diamond. The material used by the artist to generate his "seeds" is ceramics, whose durability is proved by archaeological excavations, which allow us to track down the development of civilization from the prehistoric times, through antiquity, to the modern era.
The exhibition in Wrocław's BWA Glass and Ceramics Gallery blends art and science. Building terror and suspense, Cecuła shows the viewers real materials from the sites of natural disasters, statistics and scientific data presenting the real picture of what we are threatened with, a detailed description of the material used in building the seeds, and finally the main hero, together with the contents guaranteeing – according to the artist – the survival of substances ensuring Rebirth. There is no space left for any valuable objects representing our culture or development of civilization, there are no technological gizmos. Cecuła refers to the sources of life, only intending to preserve the existence of live matter which would allow an evolutionary revival of the civilization. The exhibition presents twenty large and twenty small "seeds". Each is composed of two airtight elements. In its final version, the project is planned to contain a hundred such forms to be distributed all over the planet in order to secure the ultimate survival. The design of the "seeds", their aesthetic form, is supposed to evoke a sense of security and hope for Rebirth.
Scandinavian Design / Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Scandinavian Design, drawn from the MFAH collection of decorative arts, showcases furniture, glass, ceramics, metalwork, and lighting from the 1920s to the 1970s. The MFAH first acquired examples of modern Finnish glass in 1954, and in recent years the museum has built on this history by acquiring outstanding objects by architects, designers and manufacturers such as Georg Jensen, Orrefors, Alvar Aalto, Bruno Mathsson, Kaj Franck, Timo Sarpaneva, Tapio Wirkkala, Poul Henningsen, Finn Juhl and Verner Panton.
The objects created by designers active in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway during the 20th century embody a distinctive aesthetic typified by an emphasis on high-quality design distributed widely through mass production. Often Minimalist, and characterized by clean lines, the Scandinavian design movement originated with a 1950s design show that traveled to the United States and Canada to showcase Nordic designers and the "Scandinavian way of living." Scandinavian design influenced the development of Modernism in North America and Europe, and it continues to shape decorative arts today.
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Generous funding is provided by Dr. Marjorie G. Horning.
Entrance to this exhibition is included with the museum admission. MFAH Members receive free general admission.
Ellen Schön: Vessel Variations (x3) / Vessels Gallery, Boston
Opening Reception: September 7, 5.30 - 8.30 pm.
Vessels Gallery is pleased to announce Vessel Variations (x3), an exhibit of the most recent ceramic explorations of Ellen Schön. This clay artist and teacher does not see vessels as mere shapes, but rather as metaphors for the human form –the suggestions of "a neck, a shoulder, a belly, a foot", "the evocation of a human gesture here or stance there".
Wellspring or Womb, Schön's first collection, evokes the contours of the womb – both fertile and barren, alive and fading.
Her second group of vessels conjures up the long, sinewy necks of the Greek Cycladic Idols and the shallow patterned cuts of the African Yoruba head sculptures. No simple Bottlesthese, but once again, shapes and designs which reference the human form.
And finally her third collection: The Planet Series, is a group of broad-bellied forms with a spinning sense of movement.
The clay directs me as I direct it. We are in a reciprocal relationship. Ellen Schön
Ellen Schön is an adjunct faculty member at the Art Institute of Boston. She has participated in art symposia throughout the world, and has been an active member in ceramic residencies in Malaysia, Germany, Finland, Croatia and most recently in Hungary. Her passionate interest in international artistic collaboration has led to her participation in the "Transcultural Exchange Tile Project" through which her students have created ceramic tiles, which have been included in wall installations in China and India.
Contemporary Ceramics / Stremmel Gallery, Reno, Nevada
Opening reception: Thursday, September 20, 5.30 – 7.30 pm.
Stremmel Gallery will host an opening reception for "Contemporary Ceramics," an exhibition of work by 18 contemporary ceramic artists hailing from the western United States, Thursday, September 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. This eclectic and wide-ranging group represents a dynamic and diverse approach to the tradition of functional and non-functional ceramics.
Montana ceramicist Rudy Autio is best known for his figurative ceramic vessels. He was a founding resident artist of the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana.
Reno-based artist Rebekah Bogard employs fictional animals in her artwork as a means of exploring the narrative and history of her life. She has received numerous awards, including being named an "Emerging Artist" by both the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts and Ceramics Monthly Magazine.
A familiar face to Stremmel Gallery, Robert Brady's unique style and imagery represents the morphing of a personal lexicon of graphic symbols with color, revealing a whimsical sense of humor, energetic process and primitive mixture of materials. His work has been featured in galleries and museums across the country.
Josh DeWeese's inspiration stems from how pots can be used as a means of bringing art into our lives. His pottery serves a multitude of purposes: comfortable to use, enjoyable to look at, and interesting to think about.
An artist whose history with clay spans more than 30 years, Robert Harrison creates birdhouses with Oriental elements. Focusing on architectural concepts, his pieces are more intimate, allowing for an intensified level of exploration.
Susie Ketchum creates detailed, hand-painted ceramics illustrated with iconic and abstract designs. Like Mexican folk art, her images are playful, with underlying themes of life and death.
Montana-based artist Steven Young Lee's work investigates the process of recognition - how as individuals, we draw realities based on experiences and our environment. He plays on preconceptions related to numbers, superstitions, symbolism, and identity that are universal, yet particular to specific cultures.


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In 2008, six million Americans didn't vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn't know how to register. In 2012, more than 1,000 organizations are coming together to make sure no one is left out. Today, September 25, 2012, volunteers, celebrities and groups from all over the country will hit the streets for National Voter Registration Day. It stands to be the largest one-day voter registration drive in history.
HyperVocal, WeForPresident and nonprofit organizations like the League of Women Voters, Voto Latino and HeadCount want you to ask yourself one question: Are you registered to vote? If not, today is your day. Then ask yourself: Are my friends and family registered to vote? If not, share this post. Make it happen. Don't be left out.
Want to register the easy way? JUST CLICK RIGHT HERE and let HeadCount help you out with a few clicks of the mouse.
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AZIZ ANSARI SAYS SO: go register to vote!
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"By all means stay home if you want, but don't bullshit yourself that you're not voting. In reality, there is no such...
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This is important. Go. Go. Go. And make sure you are aware of your state voter ID laws. Okay? Okay.
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Thomas Friedman is an idiot re China policy.
Posted on 05 September 2012 by Michael Stumo.
Thomas Friedman is an idiot re China policy.
Agreed, Friedman is an idiot. On everything.
The Chinese respect strength, and only strength. The US exudes weakness, exemplified by its incessant harping on currency misalignment without any sign action. When you have legal rights and choose not to enforce them, you're as much a part of the problem as the perpetrator. This is the shame of the past three presidents and every treasury secretary with the partial exception of John Snow. If I were advising the Chinese, I'd say stand pat until the Americans show they're serious.
Freedman is atempting to justify the world acording to WalMart
Friedman needs to know that the Chinese are the hold outs when it comes to Iran and they use dollars earned from us to buy their oil. They also support the N. Korean dictator in the total abuse of that society.
It would be better to stop all trade with China and have the Treasury borrow the money they need from the U.S. public. We have interest rates near all time lows but a huge problem with employment. Both might just be so successful that our nation gets turned around.
The best way to deal with China, of course, is to do it quietly. There is some evidence that this is taking place if read past the headlines. President Obama did push China on trade by going there and then showing token force in the area afterwards. The Chinese wages are going up, and that is a good thing. Their economy does have to change from one just producing our goods to one rich enough to buy even their own goods they produce. There are signs that it is happening.
Friedman sounds like an apologist to the status quo. Unfortunately the status quo isn't good for the U.S. economy nor is it good for the Chinese economy. It is the oligarchs on both sides of the Pacific who have been the greatest beneficiaries as everyone else has suffered or been lulled into the current economic nightmare.
Tom T.
Agreed, Tom T.
Thomas Friedman's column is utterly preposterous. It is quite possible that Thomas Friedman is on the payroll of Communist China.
Dan, agreed. Zakaria? His july 23, 2012 Time column is Dialectic nonsense.
Here he says "try all the best ideas, no matter where they come from".
With one glaring omission; no mention of the Founders American School of Economics.


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I'm having a terrible problem. I got my hosting to install PHP5, and now all my websites are just showing the php and html source code; nothing is being parsed. Why is this? How do I stop this? I read somewhere that it has something to do with the short php opening (<? as opposed to <?php) but I always use <?php. What else could be the problem? People who visit my sites can now view the source code :(
Help is appreciated. Thank you.


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Minor network changes this weekend through Monday could lead to occasional interruptions in service to our electronic library resources. This would impact not only our scholarly databases but our eBook collections, RefWorks, and anything else you normally log in to.
But on the bright side, this will help spiff up the undercarriage of our network, and it's a great opportunity to check out our newest "pbooks" (paper books), which range from that sudden bestseller, Just Love, to titles such as…
- David Talbot, Season of the Witch (San Francisco between 1967 and 1982)
- Sarah Vowell, Unfamiliar Fishes (the funniest history of the year 1898 you will ever read)
- Alison Bechdel, Are You My Mother? (a graphic memoir, simultaneously gloomy and funny)
- Anna Quindlen, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake (witty ruminations on aging)
- Robert A. Caro, The Passage of Power (some say Caro's bios of Lyndon Johnson are required reading for managers)
Bon appetit, and we'll keep you posted on the network issues!


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Customer Reviews
30X 2 Megapixel IP Network PTZ
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30X 2 Megapixel IP Network PTZ
1 of 1 people found this posting helpful
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2 of 2 people found this posting helpful
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