text:
How to Grow 'Em Big
The Maine Pumpkin Growers Organization gives advice on growing giant pumpkins.
Photo courtesy of The Maine Pumpkin Growers Organization/ Bill Clark and Buzz Pinkham
In the October 2008 issue of Down East, Kathleen Fleury writes about Maine's weirdest regatta: Damariscotta's Great Pumpkin Fest and Regatta. In case you'd like to participate next year, below we've included the Maine Pumpkin Growers Organization's thorough advice on how to grow your own giant pumpkin. Good growing!
"Patch Preparation
- Your patch should be in an area that receives full sun if possible.
- For each plant you intend to grow, you will need a minimum of 400 square feet of area, with the ideal size being 600 square feet. Many growers have seen success in recent years growing in an area closer to the smaller area and new philosophy is showing a trend toward smaller patches. However, there are those who still opt for an area upwards toward 1000 square feet per plant.
- Soil condition is perhaps the most important ingredient in growing a giant pumpkin. Get a professional soil test done as soon as possible. This will provide you with a guide as to what your soil conditions are and what is needed to get your soil in the best condition it can be in. There are dozens of places you can send your soil sample to be analyzed and a few of those are listed in the Information section. Ask another grower for help in interpreting your soil test results as they can be confusing sometimes.
- In the fall is the best time to add amendments to your soil. General practice is to add soil amendments such as manure, compost, leaves, lime or sulphur and any fertilizers that don't leach out quickly in the fall.
When starting a new patch in which to grow giant pumpkins, haul in and spread at least a couple loads of manure, preferably aged or composted. Cow manure has less weed seed in it than horse manure and is usually a better choice, but use what you can get.
Aged compost is an excellent amendment that can be added in the fall or spring. Compost not only increases the organic matter level of the soil, but contributes beneficial microorganisms that make your soil healthy.
Add in as many leaves as you can get to help increase organic matter levels as well. Oak leaves have a coating on them, which break down slower than other leaves and walnut leaves contain a toxin, which is bad for plants, so try to avoid these types. Shred or chop the leaves into smaller pieces so they will break down faster. Running over them with a lawnmower several times works if you don't have a shedder.
Amendments to adjust your soil PH toward an optimum reading of 7.0 should be added in the fall. Add lime if your soil test shows your PH to be low. Some types of lime are magnesium based and others are calcium based. Check the level of these two nutrients in your soil test when choosing which type of lime to spread. Agricultural sulphur can be added if your PH is high. Consult with another grower to determine amounts of lime or sulphur needed if your soil test does not indicate how much. Remember that is will take several months to move your PH level.
If your soil test shows that specific nutrient levels are low, you can add fertilizers in the fall to bring those levels up, however many nutrients tend to leach out of soil over time so more of these fertilizers may need to be added in the spring. Remember that more is not better, as you are striving to reach a balance of nutrients in your soil that is suited to growing Atlantic Giants, so it is best to consult an experienced grower to help determine amounts needed.
- As soon as your soil is dry enough to work, and your Spring fertilizers have been added, till your soil. Many growers will place clear plastic over their patch to help thaw and heat up the soil, however the plastic will need to be removed a couple weeks or more before tilling to allow the soil to dry out. Never try to work your soil when it is too wet as you will do more harm than good.
- After your patch is tilled, erect a small hoophouse or coldframe over the area where your seedling will be planted. The purpose of this mini-greenhouse is two-fold. Your plant needs the ground to be warm before planting and your plant will need to be protected from cold weather on those early spring nights. The enclosure should be large enough for the plant to grow inside for up to 3 weeks so a 3' x 3' area should be the minimum area it covers. Remember if you keep the top of the enclosure fairly low to the ground, you will retain more of the days heat after dark. Many growers utilize lightbulbs or heaters to keep the temperature up at night, however care must be taken to protect not only the structure but the plant itself from too much heat which could kill your seedling or even worse, catch your enclosure on fire.
Seed Starting
- Seeds should be started inside on or about the last week of April, depending on the weather. Use a 4" pot or larger, filled about ¾ full of potting soil, to start your seed. Quart size ice cream containers make great starting pots. Invert the well cleaned container upside down so the cover is on the bottom. Cut the original bottom out of the container and use as the top of your makeshift pot. Be sure to punch holes in the bottom or your pot to allow excess water to drain. When your ready to set your plant in the ground, remove the bottom cover of the container, the top of the original ice cream container, and your seedling will slide out into the prepared planting spot while not disturbing the roots. Atlantic Giants can fill a 4" peat pot with root in 7 days so if the weather isn't cooperating and your plants may be inside for more than a week, go with a bigger pot to start.
There are several methods to start your seed. When growing Atlantic Giants, it isn't as easy as simply placing the seed from the envelope directly into the pot without any preparation. If you want to improve the speed and reliability of germination, especially if you are fortunate enough to have obtained a 'hot' seed, there are a couple things you can do prior to placing the seed in the pot that will do much toward increasing your odds that it will germinate.
First, very lightly file the edges of your seed with a nail file or fine sandpaper so that a very small amount of the seed coat edge is sanded away. Stay away from the pointed end. You should just start to see a color difference along the edge if done correctly. This will aid moisture in penetrating the seed coat.
Next, soak your seed for up to 8 hours before planting in warm water. This will give your seed a jump start in getting moisture into the seed. Some growers prefer to soak in a mix of water and seaweed emulsion or hydrogen peroxide and water. The hydrogen peroxide produces oxygen in the solution that is believed to be a benefit in germination. After soaking the seed, wet a paper towel and squeeze most but not all of the water out. Carefully wrap the seed in several folds of the paper towel and place it in a zip-lock bag, leaving just a bit of air inside. The seed then needs to be kept between 85 and 90 degrees for optimum conditions. There are several ways to achieve this, depending on how much effort you want to put in to getting the seed to sprout.
The warmer you keep your planted seed, the faster and healthier your seed will sprout. The easiest way is to simply place the zip-lock bag on a warm surface such as the top of a refrigerator or a computer monitor. This method is not a controlled environment and temperature variants may be detrimental to your effort. Another method is to create a type of seed incubator with a big cooler and a bottle of hot water placed inside, changed 2-3 times a day. The most intensive method is to build a germination box like the one in the How-To section. A germ box gives the most controlled environment in which to germinate your seeds. Your seeds will stay nice and warm in a fairly constant 85 degrees thereby speeding up the process with more consistent results.
In 3-5 days, depending on the temperature and preparation, your seed should begin to sprout with a small root protruding from the pointed end. At this time you should have your pot and growing medium ready to receive the newly sprouted seed. Poke a hole in the growing medium and carefully place the seed in the hole, insuring that the root is not pressed into the medium and that the top of the seed is about ½" below the surface. Gently pack the medium around the seed with a fork until the hole is filled in to the surface of the medium. Now place the pot in either a warm sunny spot or back in your germination box until the seedling breaks ground. Try to maintain the 85 degree temperature day and night.
After your seedling breaks ground, if your using a germination box, remove the pot and place in a sunny window. A fluorescent light placed a few inches above the pot will help your seedling 'green-up' faster and prevent the stem from getting 'leggy'. Short and stumpy is better than tall and lanky. Many times the seedling will have some difficulty in shedding the seed coat. You can very carefully slide this seed coat off the seed leaves if it doesn't come off by itself a couple days after breaking ground but use extreme caution in doing so.
Continue to keep the soil moist but not wet, pumpkins don't like wet feet. Once your plant is about 5 days old you should notice the first true leaf forming between the seed leaves. When this leaf grows to about 2" across it and the weather is cooperating, your ready to set your seedling in the ground inside the coldframe you erected earlier. Place the seedling in the ground up to the bottoms of the seed leaves, insuring that the first true leaf, the one in the middle, is facing opposite the way you want your main vine to run. This is not to say that your plant may not cooperate and begin to vine the wrong way, but 9 times out of 10 it works.
From Seedling to Fruit
- Once your seedling is in the ground, it is very vulnerable to the elements, even inside your coldframe. Pumpkin plants do not like extreme heat and will not tolerate the cold. Therefor you need to do everything you can to keep the plant happy. At night in May, place a bucket or a box over your plant and cover with a blanket to retain as much of the day's warmth as possible. Uncover in the morning when the temperature is above 40 outside or 50 inside the coldframe.
- Water your seedling as needed to keep the soil moist but not wet. Luke warm water is better than cold for watering.
- Your plant is susceptible to disease through its lifespan. One of the most common is known as Powdery Mildew, identified by the presence of white powdery looking spots on the top and bottom of leaves. Spraying your plant once a week with a fungicide such as Daconil will go far in keeping disease at bay. Insects are also a problem such as slugs, cucumber bugs and white flies. A pesticide such as Liquid Sevin applied once a week opposite of the fungicide application should keep the bugs down. As with all pesticides and fungicides, use caution and follow the manufactures label. Apply chemicals only after the plant is well established in the ground and then only lightly until the plant begins to 'vine-out'.
- Your plant should start to vine in about 2-3 weeks, depending on the temperature and soil moisture. If your plant decides it wants to vine in the wrong direction, you can turn it in the right direction over the course of a couple weeks using a few stakes and moving the vine a little bit each day during the heat of the day, starting when the vine is about 12' to 18' long. At around 5 weeks old, your plant vine will grow up to 1 foot a day so be prepared to stay on top of it from this point on.
- As your vine grows, it will sprout what are known as secondary vines off of the main vine. These secondaries are where the plant gets much of its energy and should be nurtured as the main vine is. However, off these secondaries will grow more vines known as tertiary vines or sucker vines. These vines rob the plant of valuable nutrients and should be pinched off when they appear.
- Your plant can cover up more than 1000 square feet if left to grow unbridled so things need to be done so your plant doesn't become a 'jungle' of vines running every which way. Establishing a growing pattern for your plant is first. There are several growing patterns that growers use but the most widely used pattern is the so-called 'Christmas Tree'. Think of your plant as a christmas tree, where the main vine is the trunk and the secondaries are branches. Train your vines so that the main vine runs generally straight out from the stump and the secondaries grow perpendicular to the main as shown below:
If you do not have enough room to grow your plant in the pattern above, you can cut off all the secondaries from one side, allowing the main and remaining secondaries to be a bit longer. This is known as the flag pattern. In either case, your main vine should be allowed to grow to a minimum length of 15 feet, although 20' or more is better. Your secondaries should be allowed to grow to a minimum length of 10 feet using the christmas tree pattern and 14 feet using the flag pattern. Whatever pattern you decide on, your chances of growing a big pumpkin will be much better if you strive for a plant that covers 400 square feet or more of area. Pruning is a vital part of the overall health of the plant. It not only keeps the vines contained within the space you have to grow in, but it improves air circulation for drying the plant surface to prevent conditions favorable to disease. When the vines reach the perimeter of the patch, simply pinch off the very end of new growth on the vine and bury the end, keeping in mind the optimum lengths listed above. Some growers cut off every other secondary along the main vine to provide more space for the remaining vines to have room to grow. This does take away some potential energy production from the plant, so it may be beneficial to allow the main vine to grow a bit longer to compensate.
- When you walk in your patch, avoid soil compaction by using boards to walk on and plan your routes so you don't have to move the boards around as much to tend your plant and fruit. - Giant pumpkin plants have the ability to grow 2 tap roots where every leaf stock meets the vine. These tap roots can supply a larger volume of nutrients to your plant and roots than just the main root system alone. Most every grower that has produced a big pumpkin practice the method of trenching in front of all the vines on the plant and burying them just below the surface, keeping ahead of the plant as it grows. This provides the tap roots an easier growing medium is generally accepted to be a much more productive method. It's a lot of work but growing a pumpkin over 500 Lbs. is no easy task.
- Giant pumpkins have nutrient requirements that change over the lifespan of the plant. That is not to say that you need to fertilize continuously. Fertilizer needs depends on your soil conditions and the needs of the plant. You will learn with experience how to 'read the plant' and react to it's needs. The first 3 weeks the plant requires more phosphorus for root growth. From week 3 to 6 the plant needs more nitrogen to encourage vine and leaf growth. From week 6 to the time you pollinate your first fruit, phosphorus is required again to encourage flowering. From July 1 to about July 20, no additional fertilizers or liquid fertilizers should be applied to avoid your young fruit from aborting. From July 20 to October, potassium becomes the main nutrient to encourage fruit growth. Pumpkins also can draw nutrients through the leaves of the plant. The majority of growers today foliar feed their plants with a liquid seaweed or fish and seaweed fertilizer. This not only feeds the plant but can help fight disease. It can be applied 2 to 3 times a week.
- Pumpkins require huge amounts of water, 623 gals a week or more if your plant takes up 1000 square feet. Remember to water at a constant rate and compensate for rain so the soil stays moist but not wet.
- Around the last week of June, your plant's main vine should be 8' to 10' long and growing fast. Pumpkins produce both male and female flowers, males having longer stems and females having a shorter stem with a bulb or baby pumpkin under the blossom. The males will be the first to show and will be followed by the appearance of females a week or so after. Once the males start showing, they will come fast and furious for the next month or so. This is the signal that the time is near to pollinate. The ideal position to set a pumpkin is at least 10 feet from the stump along the main vine. When each female first appears, try to make a small outward curve in your vine 2 feet either side of the female so that the female or baby pumpkin is on the outside of this curve. This is to prevent stem stress later on as your fruit grows to huge sizes and can actually press on the vine and pop your fruit off, ruining your season. Make the curve slowly and carefully over the course of a few days so as to not snap the vine. To preserve the genetics of your pumpkin and to increase your odds of a successful fruit set, you need to hand pollinate your female flowers. When the female is ready to open, the blossom will be about 3 inches long and get an orange hue. The same goes for the male flowers. This means the flower will open the next morning and precautions need to be taken. First insure you will have 3 male flowers available for the next morning. The evening before, take a gallon zip lock bag and carefully cover the female and the 3 males, sealing the bottom to the stem. Try to inflate the bag so the petals don't touch the plastic. Tie-wraps placed gently around the top of each blossom works well also. Early the next morning, between 6 and 8am the flowers will open. Have a piece of yarn about 8" long with you, you'll need it later. Cut the males off the plant first, keeping them covered and watching out for aggressive bees. One by one remove the bag or tie-wrap from the males and carefully peel away the petals to the stem, trying not to jar or shake the flower as you do. You will see the stamen left on the stem, covered in pollen. Don't touch them or rub them on anything. Go to your covered female after it opens and carefully remove the bag or tie-wrap. Using the 3 males as a paintbrush, one at a time, carefully 'paint' and roll the pollen from the males over the segments in the center of the female flower, making sure the pollen covers as much of the segments as you can. Next, gently pull the petals of the female back up together, closing it off like it was before it opened and tie it closed with the yarn.
Congratulations, you just hand pollinated your first pumpkin.
If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. The prime time to set your fruit is between July 1 and July 10. This provides the right amount of time for your fruit to grow and be ready for Oct when most weigh-offs occur. If you only have one plant and are not concerned about preserving the lineage of your pumpkins genetic line for later seed distribution, you can let the bees do the work for you. However if you're after a big one and want to do all you can to insure a good fruit set, it's imperative to properly pollinate by hand.
- Once you set a fruit on your plant, your not out of the woods yet. Many times a newly set fruit will abort due to high heat, wet conditions or poor pollination. The best approach is to follow the pollination procedure above for every female that forms on your plant. If the temperature is in the high 80's or above, place frozen soda bottles of water next to the new set to keep the immediate temperature down, provide some sort of shade for the new fruit and adjust your watering by the amount of rain that falls during these the 2 weeks following pollination. Observe the new pumpkins on the vine for 10 days after they have been pollinated. Note the shape, growth rate and skin texture as gauges for which one will be your main fruit. A good measure of growth rate is a 30" circumference at 10 days old. The skin of your fruit should be yellow, shiny and tender. One other aspect to take into account is stem length and position in relation to the vine. Your main candidate should be a fruit that has a long stem and is oriented as close to perpendicular to the vine as you can get. If all your fruit are at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the vine, choose the one that is closest to perpendicular to the main vine. You will be able to move the fruit very slowly up to ½" a day toward 90 degrees. This will reduce stem stress when the fruit really starts packing on the pounds. Use extreme caution when moving your pumpkin, it doesn't take a lot to crack or snap off the stem.
- By August 1, you should cull your fruit down to the one fruit on each plant that shows the most promise, taking into account the items listed above.
Caring For Your Fruit
- Your pumpkin requires a lot of care if it is to have any chance to grow to a quarter ton or more in weight. Again, nobody ever said growing a big pumpkin was easy. You will need to place something under your pumpkin for it to grow on that allows for water to drain as well as prevent pests from tunneling into your fruit from below. Many people use a 3" or 4" bed of play sand while still others are now using belt material discarded by paper mills. As long as it allows drainage and prevents critters from destroying your fruit from below, you can use a number of different things. The most important characteristic of the material you use for a bed is that it allows the fruit to grow and expand, unrestricted and with minimal resistance. If a material such as styrofoam with holes in it is used, the chances of the friction between the fruit skin and the foam causing the fruit to grow concave on the bottom increases, and thereby increasing the risk of a bottom split.
- Shade is one of the most important items needed to protect your fruit. While your plant needs full sun, your fruit needs to be in complete shade to prevent it from ripening too early. The easiest way to erect a shade structure is to use 2 pieces of ½" PVC pipe or conduit crossed in the shape of a dome tent. Use dowels or rebar in the ends of the pipe to hold the ends to the ground and cover with an inexpensive blue plastic tarp. Use large binder clips to hold the tarp to the pipe allowing a secure attachment with ease of removal to tend to your pumpkin. Another method is to use 4 posts and a tarp pulled tightly across the top on a slope to allow water to drain off.
- As the plant grows throughout the season, older leaves and leaf stocks will die off and wilt. These older leaves should be cut off, insuring that the cut is at a downward angle to prevent water from sitting inside the stub of the leaf stock. This will not harm the plant, as new leaves will continue to produce energy for the fruit and will in fact help to improve the health of your plant and fruit. Excessive die-off , however, indicates a problem. These issues range from insect problems to disease infecting the plant, soil or both.
- In order to grow a big pumpkin, your plant needs to be kept as stress free as possible. Excessive heat is an enemy in that temperatures above 85 degrees will cause your plant to wilt, slowing down the energy process and thereby fruit growth. Frequent, short intervals of misting water over the leaves cools the plant by evaporational cooling and helps combat stress on those hot days. Sprinkler systems with a fine spray work well if nobody will be home to do it by hand, as the plant needs to be cooled every couple hours on those hot summer days.
- Another form of stress mentioned briefly above is stem stress. Your pumpkin will grow at astonishing rates from mid-July to mid-August in some cases gaining 20 to 40 lbs. a day. This rapid growth can put tension on the pumpkin stem as the fruit grows in height and its shoulders grow toward the vine. Cutting the tap roots under the 3 leaves in either direction of the fruit will allow the vine to move upward as the pumpkin grows. Supporting the vine as it curves upward toward the stem is also a common practice. Insure the vine does not rub against the fruit itself. You can train the vine by carefully pulling it away from the fruit shoulders with cushioned pieces of cloth. This method takes practice to learn and can run the risk of popping the fruit off the vine so use extreme caution when performing this method and only pull what the vine will allow every few days. It may also be wise to have another experienced grower demostrate the method before attempting it yourself. Cut off any leaves that impede access to the fruit or may be rubbing against the skin of the pumpkin.
- Your pumpkin can gain such large amounts daily because the skin is very pliable early on. However cracks in both the skin and stem do occur. It's natural for the stem to develop splits and heal over as it grows in size, however deep splits are an issue. If a split or crack in the skin of the pumpkin goes deep enough to enter the inner cavity of your fruit, your season is over, as the fruit will begin to rot very quickly. If however a crack or split is superficial, it can be treated by applying a paste of either sulfur or a fungicide called Captan. Be aware that Captan is nasty stuff and you should avoid breathing the powder or getting it on your bare skin. Use common sense as with any chemical. Captan dries the moisture from the split area and prevents disease allowing the crack to heal. Many large pumpkins develop deep stem splits that do not go into the cavity, however if not cared for, they can continue to go deeper and ruin your season. The biggest asset a grower can have is early recognition of a problem and knowing how to react to it.
Estimating Weight
Thanks to years of research and effort by a group of growers, there are two methods a grower can use to estimate the weight of an Atlantic Giant pumpkin as it grows through the season. Growers use these weight estimates to gauge progress and interpret what the plant may need or is lacking as weights increase or slack off.
- The first method that can be used is by simply measuring your fruit at mid girth parallel to the ground and bouncing that measurement off a circumference chart
(See Table 2 Below). This method can give a rough idea of weigh, but can be skewed due to the wall thickness of a fruit or odd shape.
- The most accurate and widely used method is known as the Over-The-Top method or OTT. This method is done by adding up 3 measurements; circumference, side-to-side measurement and end-to-end measurement. For circumference, use the technique described above. The side-to-side measurement is made by holding one end of the tape on the ground vertically below the side of the fruit and stretching it up to the side, over the top of the fruit and down to the ground vertically below the other side. The end-to-end measurement is the same as the side-to-side only it is measured from the ground vertically up the stem end, along the surface over the top of the fruit and down to the ground vertically below the blossom end. Make sure you run the tape vertically down to the ground from the furthest extending point, not along the surface under the fruit for both the side-to-side and the end-to-end measurements. Add these three measurements together and bounce the total off the OTT chart
Late Season Protection
- Cold weather can sometimes come early in the northeast. Your pumpkin can continue to grow right up to the day you cut it free from the vine, only at a much slower rate. These extra few pounds can make a difference when it comes time to weigh your fruit. So extra steps need to be taken to protect your fruit and plant as cooler weather sets in.
Something that can be done to keep your fruit growing is to cover your fruit with a blanket or two when the temperatures at night dip into the 40's. The blanket will help keep the heat of the day in your fruit for a longer period at night thereby encouraging continued growth. Another step that can be taken to prolong your season is to protect the plant when the threat of frost looms later in the season. Pumpkin plants have no tolerance for frost and even the a slight frost can leave you waking up to leaves that are black and wilted, ending your season. There are a couple things you can do to protect the plant when the temperature dips down to levels where frost is possible. One thing that can be done, although somewhat labor intensive is to erect a cover over as much of the plant as possible, keeping the heat of the day inside the enclosure and holding the frost at bay. This entails what amounts to a full-size greenhouse or a big cold frame, requiring quite a bit of material and added cost to your effort. Some growers will even use different types of heaters inside the enclosure to keep the temperature up. Another, somewhat easier way to protect your plant from frost is to run sprinklers on a timer over the plant at intervals throughout the night. The water acts to warm the plant surface and prevent frost from forming. In either case, there is added effort involved and it is up to the individual grower as to what extent one will go to keep the plant growing late in the season.
- Fruit should be harvested from early to mid October, depending on the weather and weigh off dates. Most will cut their fruit from the vine the day before the weigh off they intend to take their fruit to. When cutting a fruit from the vine, cut the vine a foot or two either side of the pumpkin stem and not the stem itself. This will maintain the integrity of the fruit and it will last longer when you display your big pumpkin. Some growers will even leave 3 to 4 feet on either sides and place the cut ends into milk jugs filled with water to prevent as much weight loss as possible prior to the weigh off. A pumpkin cut from the vine can lose 2 lbs. or more a day in weigh from water evaporation. If the fruit measures more than 100" in circumference, you'll need more than two people to lift it onto a pallet. A pumpkin weighing 1000 lbs. or more will take 10 - 13 people to lift. There are many different ways get your big pumpkin from the vine to the back of a truck or trailer for transportation. Ingenuity or pure manpower is the key.
Several businesses online sell lifting tarps made specifically for lifting big pumpkins. These tarps are made of reinforced material and have hand holes around the edges for lifting. When using these tarps, roll the pumpkin up on its side, taking care not to damage or knock off the stem. Stuff one end of the tarp under the pumpkin and spread out the other end on the ground. Roll the pumpkin back on the other side, onto the end of the tarp spread on the ground and pull the other end of the tarp out flat. Now it is just a matter of muscle to lift the fruit onto a cushioned pallet on the ground or into the back of a truck. The current world record pumpkin of 1385 lbs. was lifted using this method with 16 men.
Some growers use a lifting harness around the fruit and hoist the pumpkin with a tripod and chainfall. Others will dig a hole in front of the stem of the fruit, roll the pumpkin onto it's shoulders so the stem is in the hole, dig another hole for one end of the pallet to sit in so it won't kick or slide and slowly lower the fruit down on top of the pallet. There are many ways to move your fruit and prepare it for transportation. Whatever method is used, exercise extreme caution and think the process through. Nothing can reduce a grower to tears faster than damaging or splitting a fruit during harvest and transportation or even worse, having someone get hurt moving your fruit.
The methods and techniques described in this instructional sheet are simply guidelines. It is not necessary to follow these guidelines to the letter to grow a big one, although you will greatly increase your chances the more you do follow. Using simple, basic gardening practices and watering methods, it is possible to grow a big Atlantic Giant pumpkin. There are also many other things a grower can do on their journey to produce a really big pumpkin not covered in these sheets. The final outcome will depend on the effort put into the plant as well as weather and mishaps along the way. The more effort and care a grower gives to the plant, the better the chances of growing a pumpkin of amazing size. Read the book 'How To Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins II', it is the definitive 'bible' on growing giant pumpkins. Problems will arise throughout the season. Expect them, be prepared for them and how to react to them. Whether your effort is minimal or bordering fanatical, whether your patch is big or small or whether your new to the hobby or a seasoned veteran, the fact remains that growing giant pumpkins is a summer full of fun. When people stop to gaze at your season's effort on display in your yard around Halloween time, all the hard work pays off. There aren't many things that can make people smile in October like a giant jack-o-lantern. And remember, growing big pumpkins is infectious, once you grow them once, there's no turning back, you'll be hooked, and just maybe your neighbor will be too. "


text:
All Window Titles
Beginning C# Object-Oriented Programming 2nd Edition
Learn C# with Beginning C# Object-Oriented Programming and youll be thinking about program design in the right way from day one. Whether you want to work with .NET for the web or desktop, or for Windows 8 on any device, Dan Clark's accessible, quick-paced guide will give you the foundation you need for a successful future in C# programming. - Visual Studio 2012 is the latest version of Microsofts rich and complex integrated development environment creating Windows applications, whether they be for exciting new Windows Store apps, Classic Windows running .NET, cloud apps or many other applications.
Pro Windows 8 Development with HTML5 and JavaScript
Apps are at the heart of Windows 8, bringing rich and engaging applications to both tablet and desktop users. -
Real World Windows 8 Development
Real World Windows 8 Development is a developers handbook - an essential guide to building complete, end-user ready Windows 8 applications on the XAML and C# programming stack from start to finish.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Products:
- 1-1 of 1
ParrotMKI9200 Bluetooth™ Hands-Free Car Kit
The Parrot MKi9200 is a Bluetooth™ hands-free system with a 2.4 inch high-resolution TFT colour screen. A wireless remote control can be positioned on the steering wheel or dashboard and allows the driver to control all the functions of the MKi9200. In addition to conventional telephony functions - pick up, hang up, dual calls - the Parrot MKi9200 boasts cutting-edge telephony functions: automatic phonebook synchronisation, training-FREE multi-speaker voice recognition, speech synthesis of the names in the phonebook, contact management (up to 2 000 per phone), call records, and so on. Its colour screen displays the phonebook, caller ID and photo, phone information and user settings. The menus and phonebook are also audible for easier, more intuitive use. The Parrot MKi9200 is also gifted for music. Supplied with a specific cable, it is compatible with all music sources, such as iPods, iPhones, USB flash drives, Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP) phones, MP3 players and any other analogue players. The Parrot MKi9200 also features an SDHC-compatible SD card reader on the side of the screen. The MKi9200 displays the full playlist along with the name of the artist, the title and even the corresponding album cover in colour when available on the iPod, iPhone or USB flash drive. Music is delivered through all the car's speakers, giving the driver and passengers exceptional sound quality and the breathtaking Virtual SuperBass and Sound Spatializer effects.
Useful info:
- External Double Microphone
- Dispatch voice and music on cars speakers
- Multiple connectors: iPods (from fifth generation)
- Automatic phonebook synchronization
- Text To Speech: vocal synthesis of the phonebook
- Play music from any Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) compatibles devices
- Weekly Price
- From £2.59 per week
- Price
- £259.00
- Low stock, selling fast
- Availability
- Low stock selling fast
- Products:
- 1-1 of 1


text:
- Also Known As:
- Villa Marco Polo Sherbrooke, Canada - Quebec
Canada >
Quebec >
Free Breakfast
Free High-Speed Internet
Free Parking
Ranked #1 of 3 Speciality lodging in Sherbrooke
Price Range (Based on Average Rates):
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Located in the Old Northern neigbourhood of Sherbrooke and close to historical and cultural centers of the region, this residence that is part of a heritage, offers the comfort of a big hotel as well as personalized service and sophistication of an inn of repute. We are just 10 minutes away from downtown Sherbrooke, shops, restaurants, museums and antique shops and numerous outdoor activities to do in any season. ... more less
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com so you can book your Villa Marco Polo reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.


text:
Find the Perfect Gift
Please select an age range or price range.
Select an Age Range Birth-12 Months 12-24 Months 2 Years 3 & 4 Years 5-7 Years 8-11 Years 12-14 Years Big Kids
Select a Price Range under $10 $10 - $20 $20 - $30 $30 - $40 $40 - $50 $50 - $75 $75 - $100 $100 and up
Both Girl Boy
Buy 1 Get 1 40% Off
Sale $39.99
Easy Bake Ultimate Oven
Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off
ALL Crayola Arts & Crafts
selected Frozen Dolls & Play Sets
NERF Blasters
Clearance Blast!
Up to 70% off in our OnlineClearance Store
Stocking Stuffers
Thousands of Toys $10 or less!
20% Off
Transformers Construct Bots
Sale $12.99
Shimmer n Sparkle Cra-Z-Loom Rubber Band Bracelet Maker
Sale $224.99 ea.
Power Wheels 12-volt Corvette
ALL Mega Bloks Building Sets (excludes diecast)
$21.99 ea.
Monster High Boolittle Doll or Class Play Set
Save $20
Tabeo e2 Tablet
ALL VTech Toys
25% Off
ALL Disney Planes Diecast, Play Sets & R/C
All Video Games, Video Game Accessories, Movies & CDs
Usually leaves warehouse in 1 - 2 full bus. days. Details
Gift wrap is available for this item. (Details)
Product is available for shipping internationally. (Details)
This Silverlit Interactive Bluetooth Remote Control Car is an R/C Car designed to run like no other - using the power of your iPod touch or iPhone as the remote control. The Bluetooth connection requires NO other attachments. Drive it! Full gesture control allows you to control the car with the tilt of the controller. Tilt forward to accelerate, backward to stop and go in reverse. Tilt right or left - turn right or left. Feel it and Hear it! Force feedback delivers the rumble of the engine that increases as you go faster (vibration feedback on iPhone only). Sound effects straight from Ferrari deliver the rev of the engine. Experience it! This isn't just a virtual joystick. The app design reflects the dashboard design from Ferrari. Hobby grade steering and variable speeds gives you real feel racing. Headlights, tail lights, signal lights all are triggered from the app. And it is all packaged in a classic Enzo Ferrari body that is crafted with incredible detail and authenticity. Only real driving comes this close. The power is in your hands!
"R"Web#: 440307
Manufacturer #: 86067
Product Weight:2.1 pounds
Product Dimensions (in inches):14.0 x 8.1 x 5.0
Shipping Info:
Average Customer Rating:
(based on 1 review)
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
Reviewed by 1 customer
Displaying review 1
Back to top
(12 of 26 customers found this review helpful)
i would love this car
By RSVxSteve
from Freeland, MI
Comments about Silverlit Toys Silverlit Interactive Bluetooth Remote Control Car - Ferrari Enzo:
i love this thing cause its fast
Comment on this review
Product availablitiy and pickup options will be displayed for this store. You can change this store anytime using the Store Locator or My Store Link.
© 2013 Geoffrey, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site signifies your acceptance of Toys''R''Us Website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.


text:
Tigers lose at Colorado College
October 20, 2004
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The DePauw men's soccer team dropped to 6-5-1 on the season following a 2-1 loss at Colorado College. The host and 23rd-ranked Tigers improved to 14-2-1 with the win.
Patrick McGinnis, the leading scorer in Division III play, put Colorado College ahead just 2:38 into the contest on a penalty kick. DePauw's Craig Lippincott evened the contest at 1-1 with an unassisted score at 12:35. McGinnis struck again with another penalty kick at 81:05. That goal was McGinnis' 33rd of the season and tied a 34-year old school record.
Colorado College outshot DePauw 21-17 with DePauw holding a 4-3 edge in corners. Kyle Clemens recorded five saves for DePauw, while Patrick Gannon had six for Colorado College.
DePauw returns to action on Friday, October 22, at Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Southwestern.


text:
SOUTH BURLINGTON Police say a 19-year-old man told officers that he was learning how to drive when a vehicle jumped a curb and went airborne in South Burlington.
Police say Manriel Grant of Burlington was behind the wheel when Honda CR-V traveled about 30 to 40 feet through the air before landing in a ditch early Saturday.
None of the five occupants were hurt.
The investigating officer said Grant, who doesnt hold a license, reported that he was getting a driving lesson from friends in the Staples Plaza parking lot.
The vehicle was towed and he was given a citation. Grant couldnt be reached Sunday.MORE IN This Just InMaybe talking about life insurance isnt as bad as a root canal or as hard as talking with your... Full StoryHELENA, Mont. Full StoryMONTPELIER In an attempt to avoid some of the same operational challenges they continue to... Full Story -
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed


text:
Shopping Cart
now in your cart
0 items
Personalised Baby Gifts
Christening Invitations
Birth Announcement Cards
Baby Thank You Cards
Personalised Cards
Christening Invitations
Birth Announcement Cards
Baby Thank You Cards
Baby Shower Invitations
Birthday Party Invitations
Baby Naming Ceremony Cards
Christmas Cards
Greetings Cards
Personalised Birthday Invitations
Wedding Stationery
Engagement Party Invitations
Wedding Invitations
Wedding Thank You Cards
Party Banners
Birthday Party Banners
Christening Banners
Ornate Band Cream/Gold Wedding Thank You Cards
Ornate Cream/Gold Wedding Thank You Cards
Ornate Band Cream/Gold Wedding Thank You Cards
Butterflies Pink Christening Invitations
Just a quick email to say i have received my invites, They are fantastic, It was a pleasure dealing with your company, f...
Wedding Thank You Cards
Wedding Thank You Cards - Landscape
Wedding Thank You Cards - Portrait
Personalised wedding cards from only 50p per card + envelope! Our design team at Baby Christening Invitations have designed a range of personalised wedding thank you cards for you to send to friends and family to let them know how much you appreciated their wedding gift or best wishes on your special day. Coming Soon! We are also looking at adding a more complete wedding stationery range of products in the very near future which will make you special day even more complete. Our additional personalised wedding stationery products will include: Wedding Invitations, Wedding Evening Invitations, Wedding RSVP Cards, Wedding Table Menus, Guest Information Cards, Wedding Place Cards, Order of the Day Cards, Wedding Invites. Please visit us soon to for updates on these products.


text:
- New Arrivals
- Holiday Gift Directory
- Household Helpers
- Organizers
- Kitchen
- Health & Beauty
- Lawn & Garden
- Pets
- As Seen on TV
- Sale & Clearance
Email Sign Up!
Join our email list for
special updates and offers!
special updates and offers!
Classic Trucks Book (E6357)
CLASSIC PICKUP TRUCKS BOOK tells the complete history of the light-duty truck in America. Once confined to the construction site, loading dock or farm, today these versatile vehicles are everywhere—not just hauling and towing, but also serving as recreational vehicles. Informative book includes facts and lore, plus over 200 color and B&W photos. Hardcover.
160 pages.
Forgot your password?
Try our Password Recovery Page.


text:
I'm looking for this dress from the movie "Runaway Bride". I've seen a few that resemble it, but not close enough. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks
I couldn't attach the pic. It's the one that's slleveless, the top is sheer, the skirt is bell shaped, no train with satin stripes around it.
Your daily dose of wedding inspiration. Sent Monday thru Friday.
Better weddings start here. Our most popular email now includes to-dos based on your wedding date to help you stay organized, and local content to help you move from inspiration to action. Sent on Wednesdays.
Receive money-saving offers and special deals from carefully selected sponsors (NOTE: Your email address will NOT be shared with any 3rd party). Sent on Tuesdays and Thursdays.


text:
Posted by Rav Yosef Kanefsky
This one goes straight into my memoirs (if I ever write them).
This past Sunday, I had the privilege to officiate at the headstone unveiling for one of our shul's most beloved members, who died just about a year ago. For privacy's sake, I'll call her Rose.
The unveiling ceremony opened with Rose's daughter reading a letter she had found in her Mom's house a few months earlier. It was a letter to her children filled with practical advice for living. Everything from how to dress for certain occasions, to how to hold on to Jewish tradition. Prominently featured in the letter was the advice to not get into squabbles and arguments with family members. "Always ask yourself", Rose instructed, "whether you are quarrelling over something that's really trivial". Family bonds were precious as gold, Rose wrote, and should be treated as such. All of us present in the cemetery that morning had known Rose well. And we smiled through our tears as we could hear her voice saying all those things that were in her letter.
As is my custom when I officiate at unveilings, I asked everyone assembled to share his or her favorite memory of Rose. Some recalled the Passover Seders at Auntie Rose's home, others remembered the birthday gifts she sent cross-country, a granddaughter recounted going shopping with Bubbe Rose. And then, without warning, it happened. One member of the family, roughly of Rose's generation, stood up and faced the group. She said, "I always wanted to be like Rose when I grew up". She then turned to a younger woman in the crowd, also a member of the family, and asked if they could finally reconcile, right there and then. And as we all watched silent and spellbound, the younger woman took several steps forward as well, and then literally over Rose's grave, the two women embraced and wept. I heard myself simply whisper,"wow".
We all aspire to be a source of blessing to our family and friends. And what I see now, as I never saw before, is that this aspiration need not be confined to the span of time when we actually walk the earth.
12.12.13 at 12:42 pm | Life and Joseph and his brothers.
11.20.13 at 8:41 pm | 75% of Jews who, according to the Pew report, do. . .
11.11.13 at 1:50 pm | Appreciating the words of a Morethodoxy non-fan
10.31.13 at 12:08 am | We can't afford to be distracted
10.30.13 at 12:06 pm | Why nothing is neutral
8.18.13 at 4:46 pm |
12.2.09 at 11:12 pm | (14)
10.25.12 at 7:25 pm | Explaining Judaism and halakha's positive. . . (13)
11.20.13 at 8:41 pm | 75% of Jews who, according to the Pew report, do. . . (8)
November 17, 2012 | 9:10 pm
Posted by Rabbi Barry Gelman
Recently I was involved in two great Modern Orthodox events.
Two weeks ago the American Jewish Committee honored the four senior Rabbi Emeritus of the Houston Jewish community, Rabbi Joseph Radinsky (Orthodox ), Rabbi Roy Walter (Reform), Rabbi Jack Segal (Conservative) and Rabbi Samuel Karff (Reform). I had the privilege to pay tribute to Rabbi Radinsky as the current Rabbi of each synagogue was asked to speak in honor of their emeritus. These four Rabbis were honored by the Houston Jewish community for their decades of service.
People often talk about how in well the synagogues of all the denominations work with each other and how all of the denominational rabbis respect each other and work well together in Houston. It is true and the reason is it is true is because the four honorees worked very hard on it. They all respected each other and valued what each was doing for the sake of the Jewish community.
I have been to many community dinners, but this one was the most meaningful of them all. The large turnout, the outpouring of love and the deep respect expressed at the dinner was overwhelming.
I consider it a great Modern Orthodox moment as, for me, it served as a vindication of the policy of Modern Orthodox rabbis to work with Rabbis of all denominations and to recognize that non-orthodox institutions are our partners is building and strengthening Jewish life.
The other great Modern Orthodox moment was the show I just returned from. Tonight the Houston Jewish community was treated to Musicals and The Bible. Rav Gal Ben Meir, a very talented musician and singer who is doing shlichut in our community as a teacher, is also a lover of Broadway musicals.
Over the last year, Rav Gal, as he is known, has been producing the show that teaches Jewish themes using some of the best known songs from popular Broadway shows.
Tonights show reviewed 11 key moments in Jewish history through the lens of songs form The Lion King, Wicked, Billy Elliot, Phantom of The Opera, Les Miserables, Oliver and others. The show was a dream come true for Rav Gal.
The narration, done by Rav Gal as well, made it clear that for years Rav Gal suppressed his desire to perform these types of songs, being told that show business, with it's focus on fame and fortune was diametrically opposed to the inner and contemplative life of a pious Jew. Tonight, Rav Gal proved that aspects of popular culture could be used to teach important Jewish ideas and bring people a greater appreciation of their faith. It also proved to Rav Gal that he could achieve his dream and reminded al of those present that we should reach for the stars and not let anyone crush our dreams.
Kol Hakavod Rav Gal!
October 25, 2012 | 7:25 pm
Posted by Rabbi Mark Goldfeder
The entire debate surrounding the 'treatment of women in halacha' seems to me to start with a rather questionable premise, namely that rabbinic law in general is hostile towards women. Take a step back; Jewish Law from the beginning enacted new religious legislation to improve the condition of women. (Just see Babylonian Talmud, Vilna Edition, Kesubot 47a, giving married women additional rights). Some of the grand advances that can be attributed to this legal system include the concept of divorce, the forbidding of marital rape, the idea that women could own property, and mandatory prenuptial agreements specifying a large alimony in the event of divorce. For hundreds if not thousands of years religious convictions were at the forefront of the development of rights for women. Even if you argue that our tradition is no longer at the forefront of democratic development, without the tremendous groundwork that Judaism laid it is very possible that these debates would not exist at all, and so any of these conflicts should be approached with a sense of humility, giving the benefit of the doubt to the ultimately progressive nature of religious morality instead of immediately labeling particular practices discriminatory or unfair. When religious mores conflict with modern perspectives, we must think carefully and decide to what extent human rights are culturally and historically contextual, and therefore to what extent they should be culturally and historically imperialistic; that is, in what situations should modern ideas prevail over existing religious ideas.
The arguments I have read about women in Halacha more often than not seem to define the equality they strive for by simply requiring the removal of barriers to the rise of women to the same status as men and ignore the social and legal structures that have given rise to those different roles in the first place. They seem to accept the general applicability of a male standard and promise a very limited form of equality – equality defined as the ability for women to be just like their male counterparts. What we should really be striving for, ala Catherine Mackinnon, is a separately defined equality wherein women are given the ability to fully express themselves solely as women, without having to also compete for status in a male-centric structure. Women need their own standard, and while the phrase "separate but equal" may not be politically-correct in a post segregation society, when we ask for a standard that is different we by definition are asking for a standard that is in some ways separate. And yet, phrased differently, the application of a separate but equal doctrine in regards to gender is far from controversial. We might wish for a race-blind world, but we do not really want an entirely gender-blind world. Race separate restrooms, for instance, are of course taboo, but gender separate are de rigueur. On a practical legal front, family court judges consistently make custody decisions that favor mothers over fathers. The mere fact that a practice discriminates in some way between the sexes does not always have to imply inequality; it can sometimes be simple recognition of legitimate and appropriate difference. That difference when applied to men and women may sometimes be desirable, which is unlikely to ever be the case when applied to race.
I believe that rabbinic law is not just resisting a single canonical form of gender equality, but instead is expressing an alternate vision of equality, a sincere attempt to ensure that in being handed their equality women are being valued as women, not simply being given the permission and ability to go out and act like men.
The idea has been deeply engrained in Western societal thought that there are very specifically gendered role definitions for the sexes. It is fair to say that, at least until recently, the idea that a woman's ideal place was in the home and as a mother was a commonly held sentiment. No one can deny that in some areas, such as maternity, in order to combat unfair or discriminatory practices we cannot just ignore the difference between men and women, allowing women to be men. Here we must ask men to make a positive change in how they think and how they act; we need to tell men that having and raising children is not just the responsibility of the mother. Society should recognize that common responsibility and, to the greatest extent possible, share in that task while compensating instead of subtly punishing (and/or holding back) women for the time and the work that they put in.
Jewish Law has recognized this idea for well over two-thousand years. One particularly striking aspect of Jewish law (as defined by the Torah, the Talmud, and the Shulkhan Arukh) is the very noticeable and deliberate absence of a specific role definition for women. Had the Law intended to preclude for women all roles but that of mother, it could easily have done so; just as the Law clearly prescribes the obligations of a husband to his wife and vice-versa, and the obligations of parents to children and vice-versa, it could have also made mandatory for women not only marriage and procreation but also the entire range of household duties which would have defined an exclusive role for them. The law as it stands though is that women are not obligated to marry or procreate, nor to perform any household duties if they choose not to do so.
On the other hand, while Jewish law does not then define a "proper" or "necessary" role for women, it does assume that the continuation of a people depends upon the voluntary selection by at least some women of that role of mother. Recognizing that women could easily be disadvantaged by that position, the Law attempts to even the playing field somewhat and encourage the exercise of that choice. It does so by religiously incentivising motherhood, making sure that women who choose to enter motherhood are societally appreciated and socially compensated to the greatest extent possible. In practice the civil and religious demands made upon Jewish women by Jewish law are relaxed in order to assure that no legal obligation could possibly interfere with a domestic role; if a woman does in fact elect to discover some aspects of her own personal fulfillment in the act of becoming a mother, no law or policy will stand in the way of her performance of that sacred trust.
The primary category of commandments from which women were exempted for this reason were those which would either require or make urgently preferable a communal appearance on their part. (See: Saul J. Berman 'The Status of Women in Halakhic Judaism' Tradition, Volume14:2 1973.) As noted, the underlying motive of exemption is not the attempt to unjustly deprive women of the opportunity to achieve religious fulfillment. Rather, these exemptions are a tool used by the Law to achieve a particular social goal, to assure that no legal or social obligations would interfere with the selection by Jewish women of a role which was at least temporarily centered in the home. Male members of the community are required to pick up the slack by ensuring that there are in fact quorums that regularly meet, and that the communal responsibilities in general are constantly being fulfilled. It is vital to emphasize that despite the exemptions discussed above, the mother role, although a protected role, is not the mandated or exclusively proper role, and that women are also free to participate communally if they choose to do so.
Do not for a second think that Judaism alone as a legal or social system struggles with these questions. The American lawyer, for instance, who is given optional maternity leave, can exercise that right, but because they have only nominal equality and the role of motherhood is not really a common responsibility for which they are compensated instead of subtly punished, they may then still be forced to watch as their male coworkers, who do not have two sets of responsibilities, advance without them. Article 5(b) of CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (perhaps the most prominent international normative instrument recognizing the special concerns of women, insofar as it goes further than simply requiring equality of opportunity and also demands equality of result) tasks member states 'To ensure that family education includes a proper understanding of maternity as a social function and the recognition of the common responsibility of men and women in the upbringing and development of their children, it being understood that the interest of the children is the primordial consideration in all cases.' Judaism understood the importance of Article 5 a long time ago.
Which leads us back to the uncomfortable technicalities of dealing with an internally consistent system of law. In Jewish law, any exemption (male or female) from religious obligation necessitates a balancing loss in religious power. The exemption that women have from the commandment to participate in certain forms of communal service, for example, results in their disqualification from being counted towards the quorum necessary to engage in such worship. Similarly, in civil matters, the fact that women are relieved in certain situations of the obligation to testify results in their inability to be part of the pair or team of witnesses who bind the fact-finding process of the court. (Note, however, that women are believed; it just does not fall under the technical category of halachic 'testimony.' Most of what we colloquially call 'testimony' in Beth Din nowadays is also not technically testimony, and women are able to participate there as fully and completely as men). Such exemptions and disqualifications are not limited to women; for example a Jewish king may not participate in judicial proceedings since he is exempt from being prosecuted by a religious court. The exemptions that women are given from religious obligations are meant to foster women's ability to productively choose their roles and to spread responsibility more evenly as opposed to simply telling to be men as well as women, to give birth and not miss a day of work or worship. However, whatever the motivations, an internally consistent Jewish law system cannot avoid the technical legal consequences of exemption. The inability of the court to compel a woman's presence results in the correlative loss on the part of the woman (in certain situations) of the power to compel the court to find the facts in accordance with her testimony, or to serve as a judge and compel others to appear.
Seen in this light, the lack of mitzvot for women in the public sphere is not intended to discriminate; on the contrary, it arises from a particular religious vision of separate but equal gender norms - a vision that allows women the freedom to be fully effeminate and not just occupy male space with identical male communal responsibilities. This is a vision that is likely different than that of the some female members of society, but it cannot be called inherently biased. It is practically impossible to construct a realistically gender neutral society. Gender equality, unlike race equality, must inherently involve some aspects that are separate and unequal, and which must then be balanced carefully against each other. As we noted above, almost everyone agrees to some level of gender discrimination. Halacha is and always has been a prescribed set of values, which defines itself in terms of duties and obligations, not rights. What halacha does, by telling us what is and is not a mitzvah, what we are and are not commanded to do, what is and is not a fulfillment of God's will in a particular situation such that we receive reward for doing it, is to show us where Jewish law really thinks that line of difference ought to be drawn, rather than just enforcing a canonical vision of equality. This line, in regard to the equality of men and women, cannot be compared at all to other minhagim, where we are more likely to add or subtract non-essential, non prescribed, or non proscribed ritual actions based on new ideas; unlike almost any other accepted minhag, this is a line that is central to halacha's understanding of the family, and to halacha's vision of Jewish life.
Yes, any attempt to foster a particular social goal through class legislation, lumping together and defining the status of an entire segment of the community universally and extrinsically by law rather than by contractual agreement is going to be unduly restrictive of some individual self-expression. But that is part of buying into a system and its vision. Regardless, the anger and accusations in this debate are just sad. Genuine and committed people are rushing to conclusions, missing the subtleties of well-reasoned religious analysis. Whether you think that the line should be halachic recognition of a practice as positively good by its definition as a mitzvah, or halacha's recognition of a practice as an acceptable possibility by virtue of the fact that it is not forbidden, I would hope that people can approach this discussion with an open mind, recognizing that each of these are sincere (and each undoubtedly to some) imperfect attempts to draw a line and find a balance wherein men and women are both able to live their lives and their Judaism to the fullest.
Rabbi Mark Goldfeder, Atlanta
October 15, 2012 | 10:31 am
Posted by Rabbi Zev Farber
Today, the baseline in any Orthodox community is that women do not participate in public ritual at all. In the average Orthodox synagogue, there is not one thing that women do which is part of synagogue performance. Their presence is not felt and their voices are not heard. The paradigm for women's ritual participation in the Modern Orthodox world must change.
Although what I described above is standard, in some Orthodox shuls women have complained that they feel excluded and marginalized. In the best of shuls there has been an attempt to accommodate their feelings and various solutions have been offered. Some synagogues are unwilling to accommodate the women in the actual prayer space, but allow them to have a separate women's prayer group, often based around a Torah reading ceremony of some kind. Others have passively recognized women in the synagogue, e.g., meḥitza down the middle, carrying the Sefer Torah into the women's section, etc. or allowed some active participation, e.g., opening the ark, saying a mi-she-beirakh, reciting qaddish, etc.
Instead of focusing on specific solutions, I wish to describe what I see as the overall problem with the process of coming to solutions. As described above, we begin with the assumption that women currently lead no prayers and play no public role in the synagogue service. If a group of women in a given synagogue feel that this is insufficient for them, they can come to the rabbi with a complaint and he will think about what he may be willing to do to accommodate them. In my opinion this process is seriously flawed, even if in a given case the outcome is satisfactory for the women. Why is it that we have no expectation that the rabbi will work actively to expand opportunities for women? Why is it that the synagogue automatically assumes that the baseline should be no participation and that women need to put themselves out there, at a real risk of humiliation and disappointment, before even the smallest action will be taken on her/their behalf?
I would argue that the reason the impetus for change has fallen so squarely on the shoulders of women stems from the fact that we are still living under an antiquated and obsolete paradigm. Although there are a number of Talmudic pericopae (sugyot) that discuss technical questions surrounding differences between men's and women's obligations in prayer and related halakhot, this does not really explain the stark difference between the place of men and women in the synagogue. The larger issue, I believe, is sociological in nature.
In the Rabbinic period, as well as throughout the Middle Ages, the place of women in the social hierarchy was very different than it is now. Women were rarely public figures and were discouraged from receiving too much education, taking visible public roles, participating in the power structure, and generally from being around men. If any woman were to express superior learning or knowledge than a man in front of a group it would have been a serious breach in etiquette. This is why, according to Tosafot (b. Sukkah 38a, s.v. "be-emet"), women do not lead the Grace after Meals for men or read the Megillah for men, since it would be insulting to them (zila milta). For the same reason, R. Israel Meir Kagan, in his Mishna B'rurah (281:4) argues that women should not say Qiddush for men, at least in public. The Talmud offers a similar reason why women do not read from the Torah in synagogue (b. Megillah 23a), although they are apparently eligible to do so, as it would offend the honor of the congregation (kavod ha-tzibbur). This sociological stance, typical of the classical and medieval periods, goes a long way in explaining why the common practice is not only that women do not lead the repetition of the amidah (which requires a man who is obligated in this prayer service) but they do not even participate in p'tiḥah (taking out the Torah) or lead p'suqei de-zimrah (the pre-prayer psalms), neither of which has any halakhic requirements for who should lead it at all.
The sociological realities nowadays are entirely different. In our world, women hold every position of respect and power in the public sphere as men do. Women serve in Congress and the cabinet, women are judges, doctors, lawyers and police officers. The idea that a group of modern Western men would feel offended if a woman were to perform a public function in a synagogue should be laughable, except for the fact that they may think it a religious violation. But it is only a religious violation since the rabbis believed that the men would be offended. It is a vicious cycle that continues nowadays only due to the unfortunate combination of inertia, obliviousness to halakhic sources, and paternalism.
This is where I believe the paradigm shift must occur. To break out of this vicious cycle, we need to shift the paradigm 180 degrees. Instead of saying that since women have never historically participated in public ritual, so each shul and each rabbi will—upon request—think about creative ways to allow women to participate ritually in things that are permitted, we should be saying that all Jews, men and women, can do or participate in any meaningful ritual unless it is clear that halakha expressly forbids this. How to define what halakha forbids will be a question every shul and rabbi will need to answer, but the inertia factor and the women-don't-do-these-kinds-of-things factor will have to be taken off the table.
In discussing this issue with others, I have sometimes heard the accusation that women are just trying to copy men. For example, in discussing women's Torah reading ceremonies, which occur in a number of Modern Orthodox shuls around the world, including the shul where I daven, (thanks to the initiative of a number of women and the sensitivity of the rabbi), I have heard people—not from my community—ask "why would women want to read from the Torah anyway? Is it just because men do it?" I have also heard the related claim: "They are just doing this to make a statement. Women should be more tzanua (modest) about such things."
These dismissive statements are out of touch with the spiritual and sociological reality of the synagogue service. Women do not want to read from the Torah because men do; women and men both want to be called to the Torah because participating in the reading of the Torah is considered an honor (kavod) due to the great respect all Jews have for the Torah and the Torah scroll. Every man who gets an aliyah receives a myriad of hand-shakes and yeyashar koḥakha's—and this is true on a regular Shabbat. On Simḥat Torah the average shul breaks out all the Torahs so that every single congregant—male congregant—can be called to the Torah. Afterwards, the real kibbudim (honors) begin.
A year or so ago, I received the Ḥatan Torah honor (the aliyah where the last section of the Torah is read). It was quite an honor. There was a speech about the work I do for the shul, there was a very long and overly flattering Hebrew prayer/song sung by the gabbai, and while he was doing so four men held a ṭallit over my head as if I were getting married. Needless to say, only men get this honor. One can use many adjectives to describe this kavod, but tzanua (modest) is not one of them. It seems rather disingenuous for men who receive these honors and take their access to the Torah for granted to then ask what possible reason could women want to be a part of this. It is totally unfair to create a society in which access to the Torah is considered the greatest honor, bar women from it, and then turn around and ask what their problem is.
Another critique that I have heard of women who want more ritual participation is that "most of these women hardly do what they're supposed to already; they come late to shul on Shabbat, they aren't punctilious in their own mitzvah observance, they don't do any extras like shaking the lulav and etrog or praying three times a day. Why should they get to do extras when they haven't even covered the basics?" I see two basic problems with this critique.
First, they should be granted access to ritual possibilities because it is their right. Since when is the shaking of a lulav the prerequisite to opening the ark, reciting a mi-she-beirakh or dancing with a Torah scroll on Simḥat Torah? Second, even if a rabbi were to say that in his fantasy world he would only give kibbudim to people who were religiously "up-to-scratch," I do not believe that he would feel that he could implement such a policy with men. For the life of me I cannot imagine a rabbi taking a Torah scroll away from a man on Simḥat Torah on the grounds that he comes late to shul on Shabbat, or announcing a policy that aliyot in his shul would only be given to men who show up consistently for weekday minyan. However, this is essentially what is being done to women who are told that since they do not daven enough, come to shul enough, do enough mitzvot—what have you—their desire to participate ritually in some way in the synagogue will be denied.
This leads to my final point, which is the issue of power structure. Women are finding it very difficult to make changes in their synagogues because they do not really participate in the power structure. In general, women in the Orthodox world are less learned than the men (due to the structure of yeshiva education), and there are virtually no female clergy in the Orthodox world. Happily, both of the above are changing, but the change is slow, and, therefore, it is critical to have men in our synagogues who understand the significance of changing the paradigm of women's ritual participation. However, the real work will only begin once women are an integral part of the power structure in the Modern Orthodox world. Only then will the important and difficult conversations about the role of men and women in Orthodox Judaism today take place in a fruitful way. Until then I can only call out with my male voice to my colleagues in the Modern Orthodox world: change the paradigm now and let's feel the presence of the women in our synagogues and hear their voices—the time is way past due.
Rabbi Zev Farber, Atlanta
August 23, 2012 | 2:37 pm
Posted by Rav Yosef Kanefsky
As the Elul moon waxes and the peak of our religious year nears, we each begin asking ourselves our "big questions". This Elul, the big question that's rattling me is "what, in the end, is our goal?"
We, who put on tefillin every morning (if we are men), and maintain separate sponges and towels for milchig and fleishig, we who tear toilet paper before Shabbat and don't touch our spouses 12 days out of each month, what, in the end, is our goal? What is that we really want?
Do we want our children to don tefillin, maintain kosher homes and observe Shabbat as we do? Well, yes, this is something we want. But is this our goal? In the end, is the simple perpetuation of religious activity the sum total of what we are striving for? Or is it just the means? And if so, the means toward what?
Along similar lines: we, who daily pray for, worry about, and support Israel, we who send our children to study and to serve there, what, in the end, is our hope? What is that we really want?
Do we want the State of Israel to be physically secure and materially prosperous? Well, yes. But is this it? Are these the totality of our goals?
We are well-practiced in, and passionate about, the sacred activities of our Orthodox and Zionist lives. Yet as my Orthodox and Zionist life goes on, I suspect more and more deeply that the satisfactory fulfillment of these sacred activities does not constitute the goal at all, rather an elaborate set of means. And the big question that is jumping out at me from every corner this Elul is what then, is the goal?
There are surely many possible responses to this question, and please feel welcome to add yours to this discussion! As for myself, I am thinking about the following two statements, the first by the prophet Yishayahu, the second from our Sages. They strike me as articulations of ultimate Jewish goals.
"In the days to come… the many nations shall come and say, 'let us go up to the Mount of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may instruct us in His ways, and that we may walk in His paths', and instruction will come forth from Zion, and the word of God from Jerusalem"
"Our rabbis have taught: We support the non-Jewish poor with the poor of Israel, visit their sick with the sick of Israel, eulogize their dead, and comfort their mourners, in the interest of the ways of peace."
Worthy goals for us to place in our sights, for the short and long term. My own challenge for this Elul is to better understand how our various sacred means lead us to them.
August 7, 2012 | 12:08 am
Posted by Rav Yosef Kanefsky
The Book of Eicha (Lamentations) offers many grim images as it recounts the destruction of Jerusalem, and the slaughter and exiling of its population. Surely one of the most gruesome is that of parents so racked with hunger that they resort to cooking their own children. It's an unfathomable idea, one so depraved that we struggle to imagine it.
And yet. And yet it's becoming clearer and clearer that we are all cooking our children. If not our children, then our grandchildren. Or perhaps it will be our great-grandchildren. But the time seems to be coming closer and closer when the temperature on this earth which God created for us will be too high for life as we know it to continue. We are, slowly, cooking our children.
According to Halacha, we must not wait until we are absolutely certain that someone's life is in danger before we intervene. In the presence of even the possibility that life is in danger, we are mandated to violate Shabbat, Yom Kippur, or virtually any of the commandments, in order to preserve and maintain life. This is because life is the central value, and we are prohibited to stand idly by when it is endangered. And we are our bothers' keepers. And our children's and grandchildren's keepers.
I think we need to start being scared. And to think about the world our loved ones, the fruit of our loins and of our wombs, the children whom we hug and the grandchildren whom we kiss, will inhabit. And even as we always place our faith in the compassionate and beneficent God, we simultaneously need to remember what God said to Adam and Eve when He placed them in the garden (Kohellet Rabah, 7) "Be mindful then to not ruin and destroy My world, for if you ruin it, there is no one after you to repair it."
I ride my bike a lot, and my wife and I are installing solar panels on our roof. But this won't save anyone's children. Only unprecedented cooperation among God's nations will. Only the broad willingness to endure hardship today so that our children may live tomorrow will. Only heroic and noble leadership on the part of this, the most powerful and blessed nation in the world will.
Along with the faith that we are not cooked yet.
July 27, 2012 | 11:15 am
Posted by Rabbi Zev Farber
God, Consciousness and the Problem of Anthropopathism: Theological Musings of the Late Shmully Moskowitz z"l
An old friend of mine was buried last week. I haven't seen him for a few years and did not call to say goodbye. I had heard he was sick but didn't think he was going to die; pneumonia doesn't generally kill 50 year old men, but, I guess, sometimes it does.
I am not going to use this post to eulogize him; many have done this and some of the eulogies are even available online. (I will throw in, however, that Shmully was one of the smartest and funniest men I ever knew.) Instead, I will take the opportunity to describe one of our last conversations and the important theological insight that he taught me. As the post is written in my words, and I will not have the opportunity to run it by him, I hope that the post accurately reflects his thinking.
A few years ago, when I was in Israel interviewing Israelis for the Torah Mitzion kollel I ran in Atlanta at the time, I spent Shabbat in my old neighborhood in Ma'aleh Mikhmas. Shmully was renting a house there at the time, and we got together for a seudah shlishit at a mutual friend's house. The topic of God and religion came up, it often did with Shmully, and somehow we got to speaking about anthropomorphism. (I will explain how we got onto that subject at the end of the post.)
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, anthropomorphism means imputing human physical characteristics to something not human, in this case God. For example, people who imagine God as an old man with a big grey beard would be describing God anthropomorphically.
Anthropomorphism was considered by Maimonides, among other Jewish philosophers, as a grave sin, as it reduced the Almighty to human form. For Shmully and I, these ideas were rather old-hat. We were both trained in YBT (Yeshiva Bnei Torah, popularly known as Rabbi Chait's Yeshiva), a yeshiva strongly influenced by Maimonidean thought, and being "on the look-out" for anthropomorphism was in our blood; (as Shmully was the son of Rabbi Morton Moskowitz, one of Rabbi Chait's early friends and colleagues, Maimonidean philosophy was probably in his mother's milk.) Shmully, however, said to me that he believed that even most Maimonideans haven't really wrapped their heads around the problem.
At first I thought he was referring to the related problem of anthropopathism. For the jargonly-uninitiated, anthropopathism refers to the imputing of human feelings to the non-human. I was surprised, I said, that he thought that this concept was so little understood. It had been drilled into us at YBT that all descriptions of God having feelings, whether it was love for Israel or anger at sinners, were metaphorical, so it would be hard to imagine that this was the nuance so many of his fellow were not grasping. "What is it," I asked, "that you think we run-of-the-mill Maimonideans aren't getting?"
Here is Shmully's response. Imagining a body is the most obvious "gross" anthropomorphism. Emotions are the next step up, as it makes intuitive sense to assume that the creator of the universe does not have "feelings". However, there is a more abstract kind of anthro-projection at work that is difficult to notice. When we discuss God creating, for instance, or God's providence, we inevitably imagine an organized, purposeful mind making a conscious decision. The mind has a thought and a will and decides to do or not do something. Although it is inevitable for humans to imagine this, it is also a form of anthro-projection, as we imagine the organization and function of our minds in the "mind" of the Creator. "Imputing consciousness to God is also a form of anthropopathism," Shmully argued.
This, he said, is the import of Maimonides' claim that all knowledge of God is negative knowledge. We cannot really say that God has a "will", or that God "runs" the world. All such statements are filtered through human mental projection. Although some language about God remains necessary for any philosophical or religious discussion on the subject, all claims must be understood to be poor approximations of the real idea.
The key example we were discussing was God as creator. Although one can say that God created the world, all a Maimonidean could mean by this is that the world is in existence due to God in some way inexplicable to us. God is the ultimate cause of the world; anything more than this inevitably muddles the picture.
Although this point should have been obvious to someone who has read Maimonides' discussion of God upwards of a hundred times, I found (and still find) the idea almost too abstract to wrap my head around (as Shmully correctly claimed about me at the beginning of the conversation). What struck me more than just the abstractness of the concept, was the amazing way that it solved a particular intellectual problem faced in discussion of modern religions.
The way we got to the issue of anthropomorphism was by way of a point I was trying (unsuccessfully) to make about modern religions. Shmully had been recently studying up on some eastern religions (I don't remember which) and I said that it seems to me that one major dividing line between western and eastern religions is the concept of God. For Judaism, Christianity and Islam, God is the force behind the universe. For Hinduism and Buddhism, it is an unconscious unifying force (Brahman). I argued—pontificated—that Freud discussed this difference in Civilizations and its Discontents, claiming that the former religions project father-figures onto the world, whereas the latter religions project the womb-experience onto the world.
It was in response to this that Shmully stated that I was making too fine of a distinction between the two sets of theologies. Since even God-based religions must admit that their God cannot be "conscious" in the human sense, assuming they do not subscribe to anthropopathic thinking (some do, of course), the distinction between western theology and eastern theology is overdone.
Years later, I still think about Shmully's principle of abstract anthropopathism and its many applications. How does one think about revelation and divine providence without imagining consciousness? It was a lot to digest over a couple of ḥallah rolls and hummus, and I still considering the implications.
This was only one of the many conversations I had with Shmully over the years. Shmully, my friend, you will be missed.
Rabbi Zev Farber
July 24, 2012 | 2:24 pm
Posted by Rav Yosef Kanefsky
A few years ago, on the last Shabbat of Tammuz, I found myself suddenly and unexpectedly moved during morning davening. Josh, our Mussaf leader that day, was reciting the blessing for the new moon, as the month of Av would be starting that week. For the short middle paragraph of the blessing, Josh chose the mournful melody of "Elli Zion" familiar to us from the Tisha B'av liturgy. And when we reached the words "all of Israel are friends", a chill went down my spine. Usually this phrase is one of the most difficult and ironic phrases from our liturgy, given the sad and ongoing story of friction within our tribe. But intoned to the melody of "Elli Zion", which evokes all of the darkest chapters of our history of the past thousands of years, the words rung startlingly true. We do all share the same stories. We have all walked the same tortured path. When it comes to all the things that we remember every Tisha B'av, all of Israel are indeed friends. Brothers, sisters, and comrades.
Which makes Tisha B'av, strange as this might sound, a true gift for us. It is a special and unique annual opportunity for Jews to sit together, remember together, and even articulate aspirations for the future, together. My dear friend David challenged me a few weeks after Josh's Mussaf, asking, "is there a way that we could observe Tisha B'av next year with a broader swath of the Jewish community? Isn't that what the day is about?"
Those experiences, combined with the enthusiasm for the idea that came from my neighborhood colleagues, brought forth an extraordinary Tisha B'av observance that it is about to mark its third year. Our (Orthodox) shul, Temple Beth Am (Conservative), and IKAR (non-denominational) now spend the last 2+ hours of the day together in learning, and soulful Tisha B'av singing. Rabbi Adam Kligfeld, Rabbi Sharon Brous and I have formed a most wonderful partnership, creating the learning materials and implementing the program. The program takes place at Beth Am where Rabbi Kligfeld has, so magnificently, given the chevra from our shul a beautiful classroom where we set up a mechitza and have an Orthodox davening for Mincha and Ma'ariv, parallel to the minyanim taking place in the chapel down the stairs. And as we break fast together, the sense of family, of peoplehood, of possibility and optimism, the sense that all Israel are friends, is tangible and exhilarating.
I am sharing this with you not simply to praise my colleagues and their congregations (and my own), but to describe the possible. We'd each be happy to help you and your congregation create something similar to what, with God's help, we've created here.
We need not wait for Mashiach to create this kind of meaningful Jewish friendship.
Probably, Mashiach is waiting for us.
A meaningful fast to all.
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
August 2013
July 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009


text:
Call an RESP Expert
Our Heritage RESP experts are available to meet with you anytime and anywhere to advise you on your child's Registered Education Savings Plan. We are here for your convenience and will guide you from start to finish. We understand that sorting through all the necessary documents can be a very intimidating task, so let our RESP experts help you take care of that. From obtaining a birth certificate to your Social Insurance Number, and accessing government incentives - our RESP experts will help you get all your paperwork in order so you can start saving for your child's college or university education. Call one of our RESP experts today to learn more.
What You Should Know
As a parent, a grandparent, relative or family friend, you should consider the benefits of contributing to a Heritage Registered Education Savings Plan for someone you love. With a Heritage RESP, your child's funds for college or university are in good hands. We only invest in lower-risk securities that are mostly issued by varying levels of governments in Canada. Our Registered Education Savings Plans entitle you to government grants, including the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG), the Canada Learning Bond (CLB), the Alberta Centennial Education Savings Grant (ACES) and the Quebec Education Savings Incentive (QESI). Heritage RESPs are easy to enroll into, and professionally managed by RESP experts with almost 50 years of experience. See the links below to learn more:
Information and Forms You Will Need
The links below will provide you with helpful information and forms you need to get started, such as an application for a birth certificate and social insurance number. Other forms include government grant and tax benefits:
Birth Certificate
Social Insurance Number (SIN)
Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG)
Canada Learning Bond (CLB)
Alberta Centennial Educational Savings Plan (ACES)
Quebec Education Savings Incentive (QESI)
Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB)
Calculate your child's future post-secondary education costs with our RESP calculator
Find answers to common RESP questions
Meet our Heritage Registered Education Savings Plan partners
Choose the right lower-risk investment RESP


text:
Hi all...
I've been looking at PPC conversion tracking software on and off for months now, and I KNOW that it helps determine the success of a campaign.
But how accurate is it? I'm trying to study up on cookie dropping and tracking URLs (the tracking URLs are easy enough) because I have a client that advertises through me, and is animate about tracking his buyers. But one of the issues is that the user must LEAVE the site and go to a corporate site to actually make the purchase!
Besides the complexity of this so far, I'm really questioning accuracy. I'm thinking, what if a user searches from work, and then calls on the PHONE to make a purchase? Track THAT.
I've used Webtrends now for a looooong time, and still am telling clients "yes, this DOES give you a good indication of the kind of traffic that you're getting...but DO NOT take it number for number as things happen to log files all the time."
So, I guess I'm asking for feedback on a few things. 1) Do you agree with the whole accuracy thing? and 2) Am I making the whole conversion tracking thing more difficult than it really is and if it's so easy, give me proof.
I really do think ROI and ROAS are important aspects for my clients and really want to offer these services, but am just a little leary about pulling the trigger.
What say you?
Edited by Jill, 06 October 2003 - 05:18 PM.


text:
on Facebook
Baseball Owners
AL HAMNIK: The World Famous Chicken not ready to fly the coop
A 40-year-old chicken would never sell. Too tough. Too dry. You'd need a blowtorch to slice it.
Follow The Times
Latest Local Offers
Get Money Saving Coupons for Groceries and more on our website.
Visit http://www.strackandvantil.com/Shop/Coupons.aspx
Spring is Just Around the Corner. Let Bob's Custom Cycle Shop get your bike ready.
In business for over 42 years, we have the expertise to get yo…
Clogged Pipes? Call the Plumbing Industry Leader: St. John Plumbing 219-365-2095
Contact St. John Plumbing for your clogged pipe solutions!
Specializing in Tuckpointing and Masonry restoration - we can help rebuild your Chimney at Four Seasons Chimney Sweeps! 219-942-6643
Call Four Seasons Chimney Sweeps today at 219-942-6643. We spe…
National Video
Most Popular
In Today's Paper
Should the new Porter County Council districts take effect in 2014 or after next year's elections?
Recent Blog Posts
- Wrapping up MercerNovember 29, 2013 10:19 pm
- Wrapping up UCFNovember 27, 2013 12:13 am
- Wrapping up James MadisonNovember 23, 2013 5:02 pm
- Wrapping up IUPUI (WBB)November 21, 2013 11:22 pm


text:
Rangefinder Magazine Archives
Archives:November 1999
Bringing Digital Magic to Portrait Tradition
A Super XX Clone or Just Another Wannabe?
Another Great Camera and Scanner
Roaming the Worldís a Wonderful Way of Life
Fine Art Digital Printmaker
2D and Beyond
Internet Access by Cable-Modem
Magazine | Marketplace | Classifieds | Contact Us | Subscribe Rangefinder Guestbook | Media Kit
Copyright © 2013 Rangefinder Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. View Privacy Statement Produced by BigHead Technology


text:
Vickie Laliotis hits some of Edmonton's best bashes to snap photos for our weekly Social Seen column.
Vickie Laliotis hits some of our city's best bashes to snap photos for our weekly Social Seen column.
Vickie Laliotis hits some of our city's best bashes to snap photos for our weekly Social Seen column.
Vickie Laliotis hits some of our city's best bashes to snap photos for our weekly Social Seen column.
Vickie Laliotis hits some our city's best bashes to snap a few photos for our weekly Social Seen column.
Gala season swung into high gear this week beginning with the post-show reception at the Winspear Centre following the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra's performance with violinist Joshua Bell.
Last week featured Broadway shows and trips down the catwalk, first with a viewing of War Horse on Sept. 17.
The city was buzzing on Saturday night, first with a stop at the Canadian Country Music Association awards gala at an immaculately decorated Shaw Conference Centre. The evening marked my introduction to the world of Canadian country music and the stars who make it shine bright, including encounters with Roots Artist winner Corb Lund, Brad and Marylynne Stella of The Stellas (who won Group or Duo of the Year on Sunday night) and Kira Isabella, who went on to win Female Artist of the Year, also on Sunday night.
The long weekend was spent having fun in the sun, first with a much-anticipated stop at Sonic Boom on Saturday, Aug. 31.
Design and fine wine met this week for a perfect pairing at Christopher Clayton Furniture & Design House's open house on Aug. 22.
Comfort food and local ingredients collided this week at the city's newest culinary hot spot, Plow & Harvest.
Music was the theme of the week, first with a stop at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada's concert on Aug. 7.
Valentine's Day is almost here. Even if you didn't have a calendar, you could tell that by last week's social events.
This time of year is all about playing dress-up, but those who do it for a living piled out of a Hummer-limo and a hearse at the Metro/Garneau Theatre wearing faux fangs for Mosaic Productions' Truckstop Bloodsuckers movie première on Monday, Oct. 22.
It was, perhaps, the swankiest event of the year. On Saturday night, on behalf of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, Edmonton's elite dressed in sharp tuxedos and sophisticated evening gowns for the second annual Harvest Celebration in support of the Lois Hole Hospital for Women.
From the look of that blossoming tan, it was a great weekend to be in Edmonton. But while the Roughrider/Eskimo game and the 28th annual Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival were enticing, the place most couldn't pass up was the warm and grassy hill at Gallagher Park for the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. About 90,000 people passed through the Folk Fest gates from Thursday, Aug. 9 to Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, many of them returning daily to make a music marathon of it. With that came a comparatively loud display of festival wear that was as individualistic and freewheelin' as the sounds blasting from the park.
What the Truck?!, you say? There's nothing profane about that. Profound, perhaps, was the turnout at Victoria Promenade on Friday evening at the biggest Edmonton food truck fest yet.


text: It turns out I have the chance to acquire several large yellow pine logs for free. I live in Norfolk, VA, and would like to find a Sawyer who could saw them up for me. Does anyone have any info / leads on this? I remember a posting a few months ago that a link to a listing - I think Bob Smalser chimed in on this one. Anyway I can't find that link and would appreciate any help.


text:
Coriolis µ is part of AES CHEMUNEX's real-time airborne contamination system enabling microbiology results within only 3 hours!
This patented cyclonic technology air sampler captures biological particles in the air and provides liquid samples that can be further analysed with laser scanning cytometry (ChemScan® RDI) and flow cytometry (BactiFlow®, D-Count®).
ISO14698 & 21 CFR part 11 compliant.
Request info
Write a review
Sharing your experience will help scientists like you. Achieve Reviewer Status and Win an iPad 3 (All reviews published will be entered into the next drawing on January 30th 2014).


text:
There are no user reviews for this movie. Be the first to review this movie!
Be the first to rate this movie!
HmSafiya @azra_habib IT IS STUPID.. ohmydays you wont back down will you?!? *gets on plane to Aussie* YOURE CRAAAAY
23 hours ago.
twelve50bikes Looking forward to premiere of @StevePeat film Won't Back Down in Sheff this Saturday. Who else is going? #legend #wontbackdown #pint?
1 days ago.
iowaHICKlife no i wont back down, yeah ill stand my ground, some day God is gunna cut you down
JayJaysTweets We wont back down when the enemy is here
neildonoghue13 Looking forward to Sheffield this Saturday for the #wontbackdown premier. Who else is going?