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This site's aim is to present a vivid image of Russian heraldry, and to provide the English-reading audience with reliable basic information on the armorial heritage and the current heraldic practice in Russia. So far a number of our sections is under construction, but we hope that the site may be already interesting and informative. Welcome to the Heraldic Russia!
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Section: PAPERS
Russian Heraldry: A Brief SurveyAuthor: Michael Medvedev / Publication date: 2006-08-16
The very essence of Russian heraldry is often misunderstood. It has been many times described as a fruit of the rich Byzanto-Russian symbolic tradition; or (just the opposite) as an artificially implanted imitation of foreign patterns; or as a disorderly practice of no rules or conventions. All this is wrong.
The "ancient arms of Russian cities" are frequently mentioned, and the 500th anniversary of the national coat of arms (the double-headed eagle) was solemnly celebrated in 1997; but in reality, no Russian emblem was truly armorial until the middle of the XVII century. The eagle, the Rider (originally a conventional portray of the Monarch defending the country against the dragon of barbarity) and the local emblems were partly inspired by western armorial designs; but it would be a grave mistake to apply to these emblems the heraldic criteria pertinent to colours, structure of achievement, or to legal status. The medieval Russian symbolic heritage was mostly concentrated on the impersonal (religious values, abstract qualities etc.) and thus rather opposed than supplied the heraldic influence(1).
However this influence was growing. In the course of the XVII century, the contacts with the West were more active; the major part of Ukraine (already "enlightened" heraldically) became a part of the Muscovite State; and the nobiliary reform of 1682 gave a new impulse to the feeling of genealogical pride. In this context, the first family arms began to be borne; and almost immediately this was officially recognised (at least for the noble lineages of foreign extraction, either recent or remote). So when in 1689 Princess Sophia was deposed from the regency, and Peter I gained the power to plan, prepare, and later to start his westernalist reforms, the Russian heraldry was already born. But it was Peter I who made first grants; appointed first officer of arms; managed the heraldisation of the state symbol; and legally prohibited usurpation of arms of a family for those who do not belong to it. Nevertheless, the free assumption of an armorial bearing was never prohibited as such, and coexisted with grants. The validity of such bearing depended on its being heraldically correct, original, and free of unbefitting attributes. In 1797 Paul I instituted the registration of noble arms; until the Revolutions of 1917, over 4660 arms were confirmed or granted by Imperial warrants; 2830 of them were duly registered(2). The legally assumed arms were thus cramped, but by no means supplanted, either legally or de facto.
From the very beginning, Russian armory was strongly influenced by Polish, German, and Scandinavian practices; Peter's favourite heraldic adviser (Count James Bruce) was a Moscow-born patriot of Scotland; the first official heraldist, whose personal effect on the Russian armory was extremely strong (Count Francesco Santi), was a French-educated Italian from Piedmont(3). This import of rival forms, customs and notions resulted in spontaneous selectiveness of Russian heraldry. Only those features which matched the cultural and legal situation in Russia, were accepted and preserved. As a result, a pretty eclectic but specifically Russian tradition was formed: a truly unique and indigenous phenomenon of culture and public life, with its own specific customs and laws, masterpieces and curiosities. In a sense, Russian heraldry had too many objects of imitation to be just imitative.
In the course of XVIII and XIX centuries, numerous particular rules were established. For example, supporters were allowed for the titled and "old" (pre-1685) nobility as well as for those to whom they were granted by the Sovereign as an exceptional honour. Descendants of sovereign princes of old could enjoy a princely robe, even if the title was lost. The coronets (and caps) of rank could be placed either above or below a helmet, or in both positions. The coronet of an untitled noble could be substituted by a wreath (also an exclusively noble attribute) or omitted at all, the rank being indicated by the helmet. The system of the helmets of rank included grilled and tilting helmets (both categories being legally defined as noble), as well as the traditional Russian sharp-topped "Jericho caps". In some cases, oriental helmets were borne.
It was frequently implied (under the Polish influence) that only a noble may be armigerous, although no formal ban of non-noble arms was ever proclaimed.
In accordance with the Russian traditional concept of a lineage, as well as with the Imperial laws on noble families, there was no "head of a family", no person who would be alone entitled to represent his family and to bear its undebruised arms. Normally all lineage's members, including women, were equal "co-representatives" and used no marks of cadency. In some rare cases (invariably defined by the Sovereign) a special version of arms, usually connected with a title, was granted only to a "senior member" (but not a "head") of a family.
The heraldic possibilities of a lady were broader than those of a male armiger, for she shared the general right to use the arms (with a helm and a crest) of the family which was co-represented by her; but she also could enjoy her properly personal, specifically female version. Wives and widows enjoyed double family membership, and thus double heraldic rights. However, a lady could not transmit a right to arms. Even in the case of extinction of a family, its arms could not descend through any female line but by a Sovereign's concession (legally equal to a grant of completely new arms).
The first civic arms, based on an ancient pre-heraldic emblem, were approved by the co-regnant Tsars Peter I and John V in 1692; this was followed in 1730 by a series of new grants. Thereafter, more than a thousand provincial and civic arms were established in the Russian Empire. These arms had a double task: first and foremost, they represented the Sovereign's right to the particular territories; but they were also proudly borne by the local communities as symbols of their own, and accordingly used in provincial and municipal activities.
Hundreds of the civic arms granted after 1778, followed the specific "double-decker" pattern: per fess, provincial arms over the city's own symbol. This purely administrative composition debased municipalities, raised justified objections from specialists, and was finally abolished in 1857 by Alexander II. According to the new pattern, the provincial upper halves should be replaced by cantons of provincial arms. Yet the vast majority of the local authorities did not dare to re-draw their arms by themselves; meanwhile the officers of arms, instead of making new drawings and mailing them out, indulged in the preparation of further reforms. Thus the original versions of these arms remained in de facto use and were generally believed to be valid.
Only in 1914 the national heraldic authority began a campaign for the proper execution of the decree, but this attempt was interrupted by the World War, and finally stopped by the revolutions.
* * *
Taking into consideration the Russian concept of family arms (described above), there is no wonder that the specific marks of cadency were extremely rare in the noble heraldry. However they were (and still are) successfully used in the local heraldry to denote the dependence and historical links, this being one of the special Russian heraldic curiosities.
If some arms were granted without any element to which the basic right was however enjoyed by the armiger (arms without a motto or with uncrested helmet and princely arms without supporters being frequent examples), this is normally not a conceptual omission but a structural gap which may be filled by assumption. The Imperial statutory principle which forbids any unauthorised "addition" or "removal" in the case of granted arms, is to be applied not to the achievement in general, but to its elements which are positively established by the grant.
This was, in short, the pre-revolutionary fundament of the Russian armory.
* * *
After the abdication of Nicolas II, his brother and newly appointed heir Michael (III) delegated the supreme power to the Constitutional assembly to be summoned and, temporarily, to the Provisional Government, which substituted the Imperial arms by a kind of a badge (an eagle without attributes, a field, and even without certain colours), and in its turn ceded to the Senate the right to grant family arms. For a short time, the grants continued, the last documents being signed just after the Bolshevist putch of 25 October 1917.
* * *
The reds abolished all the ranks and estates of the Russian society and all the nobiliary legislation. However, the heraldic legislation was not totally inseparable from the abolished honours and in principle all family arms, just like all family names, remained valid – as attributes not of a certain status, but of a family as such. Even the coronets, helmets of rank and supporters were, in principle, retainable as elements "de souvenir" (like the princely robes mentioned above). Until the 1920-ies, some nobles continued their armorial usages; new armorial bookplates were designed, printed and used; and the idea of a new, non-noble heraldry was openly discussed. But very soon the ideological pressure and the state terrorism made all this "heraldic survival" impossible. Similarly, the local arms were abolished not legally but ideologically. In 1920-ies, two reforms of territorial structure abolished the former governorships, areas and counties, and so their symbols lost the owners; but the civic arms remained (in pure theory) valid, and in some provincial cities they were occasionally borne until 1930-ies.
In the late 1960-ies, the situation somehow changed; the very idea of civic arms was partly rehabilitated. But such arms should be new and visibly proletarian, and full of political, industrial, agrarian and military symbols. Even if an old shield was used, it should be at least somehow distorted. All the heraldic conventions were neglected, sometimes deliberately, and sometimes by ignorance. The legal value of these "arms" was minimal. As a result of a totalitarian way of ruling, the State "arms" of Soviet Union and its member Republics (pretty unheraldic(4)) occupied all seals and letterheads of any importance, leaving no place for local arms. The new local symbol only could be used for ornamental purposes and for souvenirs (whence the typical collectors' mania for ugly heraldic pins). The "Soviet" civic arms were approved by local councils or even party commitees, which theoretically could not overrule the original granting Imperial decrees; but in the Soviet Union it was just prudent not to appeal to that. In any case, showing their typical disrespect both to law and to heraldry, the communists never bothered to issue any legal abolition of the old local or family arms.
* * *
In 1992 the heraldic authority was revived in Russia: first as a part of a Government, and since 1994 as a special board to the President, the head of the State. In 1999 this board received its actual title: the Heraldic Council to the President. One of the first problems met by the authority was the collision between the historical and the Soviet civic symbols. This was solved (on the advice of the author of this text) by the recognition of full legal continuity in heraldic matters; the pre-revolutionary grants (as well as the armorial rules and conventions on which these grants are based) were proclaimed valid; and the Soviet-made "arms" were proclaimed null and void (in the case of the cities to which arms were granted before 1917) or at least liable to heraldising corrections (in the case of the previously non-armigerous cities).
The State coat of arms was established in 1993 by a Presidential decree; only in 2000 it gained the parliamentary approval. The eagle received the same crowns and regalia as in the Imperial arms but the colours were modified, evoking the pre-Petran, pre-heraldic period when the eagle had no certain tinctures but was often painted in gold over a bright red background. The Rider keeps his position overall but he is now turned to the sinister (the traditional attitude which was preserved prior to 1856) and is identified as just a horseman killing a dragon, not St. George (the latter explanation being a novelty of the early XVIII century, properly appliable to the arms of the city of Moscow and the Muscovian province only).
As a part of the State arms, the Rider stands for the "Russia ancient", not for the Grand Duchy of Moscow, as it did since the Petran reforms. The Empire symbolised by "Or the eagle Sable" never existed without Ukraine and Bielorussia as does the modern Russia, and this territorial difference was the good reason for establishing the arms with a difference in tinctures. It was provided that with some exceptions only federal bodies will make use of the federal arms and thus a space was left for the symbols of provinces, counties, and cities. For these, since 1996, an obligatory registration is provided. The "State Heraldic Register" is kept by the Heraldic Council to the President but it is not the only instrument of heraldic validation, for the Council keeps also a special record of the private corporative bearings, and is entitled to produce, at the armiger's will, expertise of personal arms and to issue correspondent letters of confirmation (although at present this latter practice is frozen). The Council takes no fees at all, so the usual letters of confirmation do not cost a penny but look strikingly modest. Only recently it became possible also to apply, on special conditions (the payment is to be made directly to the artist supervised by the Council), for a nicely painted certificate.
The Council supervises, and collaborates with, numerous heraldic bodies, State-established (the Heraldic commissions instituted in several provinces and some federal ministries) as well as private. Understandably, among both private and even State groups there are marginals which prefer bogus activities beyond their competence; and in these cases there is no collaboration with the Council, and obviously no proper legal effect.
Returning to the revival of the Russian historical heraldry: it should be kept in mind that not singular arms were restored but the general system. As it has been said, many cities never brought their armorial practice into conformity with the decree of 1857, so this is to be done now (taking account of the changed administrative context, as the decree's flexible norms presume the correspondent changes of the arms), and the result often seems to be a novelty. Unlike civic arms, those of the provinces and counties are to be established ex novo, and although the Council tries to keep the old shields, the changes of the full achievements are inevitable. For example, since the first half of the XIX century the arms of the governorships (provinces of the first rank) were all ensigned with the Imperial crown which obviously did not "befit the degree" of the territories as such, and denoted not a special attention of the Monarch but merely the direct jurisdiction of the Emperor. Today it would be absolutely irrelevant to continue this usage, as, according to the Constitution, the actual provinces are States of their own within the Federation, not parts of the federal system of power. So the titular crowns of the Duchies, Grand Duchies and Principalities (borne in the XVIII century) were reanimated to ensign the actual provincial shields; the newer provinces to which no old titles correspond, may bear special coronets which also were invented in the XVIII century. The new system of the municipal coronets, which could match the new circumstances, is under discussion.
The supporters retain their importance of a rank attribute. They are allowed (but not prescribed) to provinces and their capital cities, and the cities which had old supporters may retain them irrespectively of the present position. In the case of families, they keep or obtain their supporters on the same conditions as before the revolution (including a possibility to assume new supporters if the basic rights to bear them belonged to the family in the Empire).
The grants once made by Emperors are fully recognised. However in some cases, if the original document was prepared too amateurishly (some tinctures were not blazoned, the design was not heraldically precise etc.), the omissions must be made up. This is called a "heraldic interpretation" and is not considered as a distortion of the original grant. Foreign grants are optional legal sources and should be brought into conformity with the Russian norms.
If there is no historical grant, the Council does not make a new grant, but confirms (or rejects) the arms assumed by the armiger. Such arms may be then changed at the armiger's will.
All assumed arms, to be valid as arms, must correspond to some general rules. No unproven kinship, rank or legal link may be shown, no arms of a state, a province, or another "superior" may be quoted without a "double permission" (the superior's formal concession authorised by the Council); no separable marshalling may be used, at least without some very special reason(5); the heraldic conditions of colours & direction should be observed(6), all elements, including motto, should have certain tinctures; armiger's name cannot serve as a motto or substituted for it; existing buildings & articles should be either avoided or turned into conventional symbolical analogies, and the attributes of the modern time are to be treated similarly; no inscriptions, characters and numbers are allowed inside the shield. The borders, bends overall and labels are normally not allowed as common charges but they are not infrequent as territorial brisures, modo Rossico. No helmets, and thus no crests, are allowed to municipalities and corporations. No wreaths of leaves around the shield (once uniformly borne by administrative areas of the Empire) are allowed to the actual provinces and municipalities, these elements being considered in Russia as purely administrative attributes, improper for autonomous entities.
If a graphic standard for a coat-of-arms is provided by the correspondent local laws or by-laws, the registration is to be rejected by the Council, for "frozen arms are dead".
As to the provincial, county and civic heraldry, these general norms were described in my brochure "Territorial and municipal arms" (S.-Petersburg, 1998) which was originally written as a kind of a short analytic study (the norms being deduced from the Russian precedents rather than just proposed), but then was published as a formal public clarification, and became the first official code of heraldic norms in the modern Russia.
In these and many other cases, the Council shows a consistent creative traditionalism. But what is traditionalism? That is the question often asked, whether 'tis nobler in the mind to preserve a familiar picture, or to change it, preserving the basic heraldic logic, the armorial language? During the three centuries of the Russian heraldic history, the Russian officers of arms preferred the latter, and so they usually do so far. For example, it appeared to be up to the modern Russian armorists, in accordance to the legal basis of local symbolism, and to major distress of many amateurs, to put the Alexandrine reform of 1857 into practice. In this and in many other cases, the old rules provide modern Russian heraldry with a firm foundation, which results in dynamism and rapid development.
* * *
As to other official bodies: there are numerous provincial heraldic councils, commissions and boards, established by the provincial authorities and working under the patronage of the federal Council. It should be noted that in several provinces these commissions are empowered to keep the records of personal arms.
There is a pretender from the Kirillovich branch of the Romanov family (although this branch was excluded from the succession and now is separated from the Imperial House), Princess Mary, who issue grants of arms. The real Head of the House, the King of the Hellenes, prefers not to act in his Russian sovereign capacity. The legitimate corporations of the Russian nobility also are not heraldically active, although they could keep "official" (within the virtual Imperial system) records of the members' arms, and are the only heirs to the pre-revolutionary provincial and county bearings(7).
The majority of the false "Orders of Malta" pretend to trace their history back to the Russian branch of the catholic Sovereign Order. Some of these "Orders" are "doing something heraldic". It is a proven fact, however, that the Russian branch, which existed indeed temp. Paul I and Alexander I, did not survive, either de jure or de facto, and that all the "successors" of it are impostors.
1. Several coats of arms of Russian nobles mirror the narrative style of an icon, the complicated allegorism, or certain motives of Byzantine origin (an eagle killing a serpent etc.); but such "native" features are neither characteristic of the Russian armory in general, nor unique within the European context.
2. Of the twenty volumes of the register (The General Armorial of the Noble Families), only the first ten volumes were published and became widely known. This forms a somehow distorted image of the Russian armory in general.
3. According to a legend, the Santi descend from a man who once came with Normans from England!
4. These "arms" were themselves a reflection of the common political symbolism (hammer and sickle as a mark of the social segregation, the red star [Mars] of war) showing the Communist party's omnipotence.
5. Only one helmet is allowed likewise. Marshalled shields and extra helmets are rather numerous in the General Armorial, especially in the 10 published volumes; but it should be kept in mind that these "additions" are the specific honours granted or graciously confirmed by the Sovereign.
6. However it is allowed to turn the beasts and tools to the sinister for the historical or symbolic reasons, and to use ordinaries and sub-ordinaries "cousues" and of the "shade colour".
7. The Union of Nobility (once founded by the emigrés) with the headquarters in Paris is now too cautious in the heraldic affairs, and so is the Assembly of Nobility of the Governorship of St.Petersburg (which at least sports the proper heraldic emblem: the provincial arms on the Imperial eagle's breast). The Baltic and Finnish noble corporations ceased to be Russian even in the modest measure in which they were sometime. The Muscovial provincial Assembly, being integrated into a larger association, keeps no self-standing heraldic activities. All other noble and quasi-noble Russian bodies cannot claim the pre-revolutionary legal heritage.
|© 2006 The.Heraldry.Ru / M. Medvedev


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Everyone is enchanted by those miniature Japanese trees called Bonsai. Many people are put off actually trying to grow them, because they hear how difficult it is to create those perfect miniature forms. Japanese Maples are particularly beautiful as bonsai, because they have such graceful foliage, with leaves that are already small and in scale for a bonsai tree.
Most varieties still need significant pruning and training to create a suitable dwarf form, but there is one, the Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple, which is considered by experts to be the perfect bonsai maple. It naturally grows into a compact, dense form, and needs almost no work to become the perfect miniature tree. After 10 years it will still only be around 3 feet tall, and if grown in a container it will be significantly smaller. The beautiful leaves grow in dense tufts, staying close to the trunk, and it forms a beautiful miniature tree with no work from you, and no special training needed.
Growing Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple Trees
Of course, you don't have to grow this tree just as a bonsai, and if you have a very small garden, then this is the perfect small bush to create a wonderful effect, without overgrowing even the smallest spot. If you have planter boxes, then along with other smaller shrubs, this is an ideal choice for a complete miniature garden. However you grow it, you are sure to fall in love with the Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple, and enjoy it in your garden.
The Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple has beautiful tiny leaves, spread out like the fingers of a hand, and the 5 to 7 narrow lobes are cut deeply towards the central stem of the leaf, tapering to a delicate point. The foliage is a rich green, turning brilliant shades of bright yellow and powerful red in fall, creating a dynamic effect and competing even with the beauty of sugar and red maples. It grows slowly into an upright tree, 3 or 4 feet tall and around 2 or 3 feet wide. It even produces tiny red flowers and small red seed pods, that decorate the tree in winter, looking like miniature versions of the familiar maple keys seen on large maple trees. The smooth, gray trunk is a perfect backdrop to the naturally-dense clusters of leaves.
Planting Location and Soil Conditions
Grow your Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple in a partially-shaded location, preferably with protection from the hot midday and afternoon sun. Plant it in rich, well-drained soil that does not become too dry, and water it regularly, especially when it is young. Add rich, well-rotted organic material to the soil when preparing the planting spot, and mulch each spring with similar material, to protect the roots from drying out, and to feed the tree. Cover all the root-zone, but do not touch the trunk.
Growing in a Container
To grow this tree in a container, choose one with drainage holes, and use potting soil for acid-loving plants. Traditionally, bonsai trees are mulched with living moss, and if you can find some growing in a shady spot in a local forest, it can be lifted from the soil easily in a piece, and then laid over the soil of your pot. Dry moss can also be crushed and sprinkled like grass seed on damp soil, where it will quickly become green again. Use half-strength liquid fertilizer every month during spring and summer. If necessary, trim your tree in early spring, before the new growth appears, and always trim back just above one of the pairs of buds you will see on the stems.
History and Origins of the Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple
The Japanese Maple (Acer japonicum) grows naturally in woods in Japan, Korea, Manchuria and eastern Russia. Unusual forms of this tree have been collected and treasured in Japan for many centuries, and the art of growing bonsai dates back thousands of years. Valuable trees are passed down through the generations. The Mikawa Yatsubusa Japanese Maple originated as part of a wild tree found in the Tōkai region of Japan. This area used to be part of an older province, called Mikawa, and that is the origin of the name of this variety. Yatsu busa means 'eight tufts', drawing attention to the dense, tufted branches that distinguish this variety. This unique tree was found in the 1970s, and first grown in America by the Japanese Maple expert J. D Vertrees, whose Maplewood Nursery in Oregon had the largest collection of Japanese Maple Trees in America.
This variety is known to be especially difficult to reproduce, and it must be grown from stem pieces skillfully attached to the roots of seedling trees. Only very skilled and dedicated craftsmen have the patience and ability to do this. Because we are known among Japanese Maple growers as specialists in these trees, The Tree Center has been privileged to receive a few of these very special plants produced by expert growers. These unique and beautiful 'natural bonsai' trees will not be in our stock for long, so high is the demand for this variety, so order now, before they all go.

subset: commoncrawl


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21 BRIDGES At W. Columbia 7
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Showtimes for: 21 BRIDGES, All Dates -
100 min
Thrust into a citywide manhunt for a duo of cop killers, NYPD detective Andre Davis begins to undercover a massive conspiracy that links his fellow police officers to a criminal empire and must decide who he is hunting and who is actually hunting him. During the manhunt, Manhattan is completely locked down for the first time in its history - no exit or entry to the island including all 21 bridges.
Starring: Keith David, Sienna Miller, J.K. Simmons, Taylor Kitsch, Chadwick Boseman
Directed by: Brian Kirk


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Maryville College fell in a hard-fought Championship match on Saturday afternoon, as Piedmont College claimed the conference title behind an early goal, 1-0.
The Lions scored just before the half, as they were able to keep the Scots off the board throughout the second half of play.
"Obviously, they're disappointed," Associate Head Coach Jon Baker said. "It's hard to see now, but it's been an unbelievable season for them. Obviously, you want to win the final game. We knew it was going to be fine margins between the difference. Giving up a goal before halftime, we knew it was going to be an uphill battle, and we weren't able to get back at it."
MC finishes the 2018 campaign with an impressive 13-6-0 record. The Scots went a perfect 8-0 in conference play, as they earned the USA South Western Division Regular Season Championship.
"It's been awesome," Baker said. "This group has been fantastic. They've overcome a lot of obstacles this year. We had a few girls with injuries at the beginning of the season, and ultimately, a few girls for the season. The girls bounced back and played some unbelievable soccer. To win the regular season and go undefeated [in conference play], it says a lot about this group. We just wish we could have gotten over that final hurdle."
The USA South Player of the Year Bailey Sipos earned All-Tournament honors as a forward, while Lexie Hill's game-winner in the semifinals earned her a spot on the All-Tournament squad. Shannon Reagan was named All-Tournament as a midfielder, while Jenna Clothier made the squad as a defender.
Piedmont College struck with just more than 10 minutes left in the opening half. Gabby Lotter got free down the left side of the field, crossing the ball into the box at the middle of the net. Allie Kuzel collected it, as an MC defender slipped. Kuzel popped the ball over the Scot, going one-on-one with the keeper. Kuzel lofted a high shot into the upper left corner for the 1-0 advantage.
Piedmont outshot Maryville 9-2 in the opening half, as the Lions held a 4-0 advantage on corner kicks.
They would extend that 14 shots to four for the match, as Piedmont was called for 14 total fouls in the physical match.
"We knew it was going to be that way coming in," Baker said. "Playing on turf where the ball just bounces around, it's tough. We knew that we were going to have to try to impose our style of play. We struggled to do that at times."
Maryville's Clothier had two of MC's four shots in the match, as Reagan and Emily Guigou had the others.
Abbey Coleman had five saves with 90 minutes in net.
Piedmont's Cassidy Reich had three shots with one on frame, while Kuzel had two with each on goal.


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Emilio V.
Saxophone, Clarinet & Piano Teacher
With a passion for musical diversity and integrity, saxophonist Emilio V. strives to adapt to the vast world of musical environments. As an educator and performer, Mr. Vargas has found himself in a wide range of musical settings including a performance with Catfood Records blues recording artist Johnny Rawles, a set of record collaborations with local AZ hip-hop and neo-soul artists, and a beat workshop instructor for girl scouts in Phoenix's Musical Instrument Museum. While attending ASU School of Music, Mr. Vargas had the great pleasure of working in latin and big band settings with ASU Jazz faculty Bryon Ruth, Michael Kocour, Dom Moio and Jeff Libman. Having completed his MM in Jazz Studies from ASU, Emilio now seeks to expand his performance experience and take his musical talents further to teach and advocate for music education at all levels.


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How to Use Saphir Renovateur
Going for the Gold: Saphir Renovateur Medaille d'Or
In the world of shoe care (much like the world of sports), there's simply no room for second, or third, place. Firmly occupying its position at the top of the medal stand is Saphir Renovateur Médaille d'Or Cleaner and Conditioner, arguably Saphir's best-known and most popular product. As such, it's a slam-dunk for exceptional cleaning and conditioning, smoothing and polishing, as well as for removing loose pigment.
Just call it "liquid gold" for those derbies, monk straps, boots and everything in between. Renovateur's mink oil base is incredibly nourishing, providing fine leathers the essential nutrients they need to breathe, while preventing any dry-out. It is consistently the best-selling product within Saphir's Médaille d'Or collection, and our customers often report that it is the finest all-purpose shoe care product they have ever used. Talk about a touchdown! We highly recommended this product for fine shoes as part of a normal shoeshine regimen.
One of the characteristics that makes Saphir Renovateur so incredible is its versatility.
First, Saphir Renovateur is both a cleaner and a conditioner. When used as a base for a new polish, it helps remove any prior polish product that has built up in the pores of leather uppers. It also deeply penetrates the uppers to supply the essential nutrients required to maintain the leather's optimum condition and suppleness, while preventing any drying.
Next, the product is also an incredible maintenance tool between formal polish jobs. If the pigment saturation of a shoe's leather uppers is in decent shape (i.e. there are no scuffs or bruising), then Saphir Renovateur can be used alone to achieve a soft, matte patina without any pigment buildup. This makes it a great "refresher" for any polish, providing nutrients and moisturizing the leather—a critical requirement in the long-term care of shoes.
In addition, Saphir Renovateur has moisturizing properties. A soiled pair of shoes with excess pigment will benefit from a wash with Saphir's Cleaning Soap. However, immediately after the shoes dry, the moisture lost in the rinsing process should be restored with Renovateur. Just as you might swipe on facial cream, think of this shoe care product as a premier lotion for your kicks.
Saphir Renovateur is also safe for use on all skins and leathers, even exotics, including crocodile, alligator and cordovan.
And, take note: Saphir Renovateur increases its score, yet again, with its multipurpose nature. The product's application is not limited to shoes; it is excellent for any leather goods—from belts to briefcases, even that leather iPad case. The product contains no pigment, so it will not stain clothing. Perhaps the ultimate seal of approval and golden endorsement comes from luxury label, Hermès, as the brand even uses Saphir Renovateur in their workshop to condition all their leather shoes. Can't beat that!


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Windows has hundreds of settings all around the operating system to make the user life comfortable. But the real problem is in accessing these settings. These settings are scattered all around Windows, it makes almost next to impossible to access all the settings.
Here comes the God Mode to rescue. God Mode conveniently puts almost all the settings across windows in a single place. There are around 270 items that are placed inside the God Mode folder which is virtually any settings that are user accessible.
Here's how to activate God Mode:
1. Right Click on any folder where you want to place God Mode Folder.
2. Click on New Folder.
3. Name the folder as follows:
4. Then watch the folder magically transform to settings icon.
5. Open the folder and bask in glory of all God Mode.
6. If you decide to delete the God Mode, just delete the folder and it would be gone.
God Mode is just a name given to the folder. We can change the Name of the folder. If we give Elephant before '.' in the folder name, we would end up creating a Elephant Mode.
Important: Please note that this works only in Windows 8 and Windows 7 – 32 and 64 bit versions and Windows Vista 32 bit version only. It is known issue that Windows Vista 64 bit crashes on creating God Mode. If your system Crashes on creating God Mode folder, Please remove it by logging into Safe Mode.
This does not work with Windows XP.


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The term "time immemorial" originally referred to the time before Richard I became King of England in July 1189. more...
December 7 , 1941 : Japanese bombers attack Pearl Harbor. more...
Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
A documentation specialist is a professional whose main job is to either create or manage documents, or both. This can include documenting processes, projects and procedures using a number of mediums. It can also include collecting documents from a number of stakeholders and consolidating them into one usable file or document. The purpose of such documentation can range from historical interest to establishment of business practices to governmental requirement.
In many cases, a documentation specialist is the person who actually does the documenting. This might mean writing policy and procedure manuals based on current practices, or it might mean creating a user manual that documents how a product should be used or assembled. It could also mean creating a timeline of actions and communications when a process is dictated by regulatory bodies or if it could potentially involve a dispute or lawsuit. It might also mean documenting events and occurrences for a historical record.
As an example, consider a company that is required to take specific safety steps during a manufacturing process. A documentation specialist could be responsible for watching the process be completed properly and then creating a document that tells workers how to replicate the process step-by-step. This work assists in training and also helps show regulating bodies that the company is attempting to follow correct procedure.
In conjunction with or in place of writing documents, a documentation specialist may be responsible for recording events and processes through still or video photography. This might include taking pictures of a car that has been in an accident for the purpose of documenting the damages for an insurance claim or lawsuit. It might also include filming a special event or procedure so that it can be accurately portrayed without relying on human memory.
Another type of documentation specialist is someone who assembles required documents from others. For example, if a company has been trying to collect money from a client and is considering legal action, a documentation specialist might be asked to assemble the original purchase contract, all applicable invoices and any emails or other communications that have been sent to or exchanged with the client in question. This type of specialist may also create independent documents that provide additional detail or describe how the documents were obtained.
It is important to note that the term should not be confused with the term document specialist. A documentation specialist creates or assembles documents for the specific purpose of tracking information or proving something. A document specialist is someone who works with existing documents and can refer to a large number of jobs ranging from clerks in a copy shop to handwriting experts who authenticate historic documents.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


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Here at Beau Tye's Pet Spa all dogs are able relax on their own individual pet mattresses! What a great way to start a relaxing visit.
Because we book your baby by appointment only and focus on them the moment they sashay in, their spa time with us averages:
As soon as your canine friend is beautified, we call you to pick them up. This is less stress on your dog.
The staff here at Beau Tye's Pet Spa are trained, experienced and professional dog groomers. We have been a staple in the local Peachtree City community since 2004!
We also have the highest requirements of vaccinations in the surrounding area for dog grooming because it's our belief that you should expect that your dog leaves as healthy as it arrived. See our staff HERE.
...and we treat her as such!
We make them look good from the start!
See Complete
No matter the size or age, we pamper every pet!


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How fun would it be to crash this little crewcuts party from the May jcrew?
5 comments:
- Cassie said...
Alli - that bag!!! I am in love with that bag! Off to investigate it...
- April 22, 2010 at 4:10 PM
- Anna Liesemeyer said...
that is the perfect bag!! I used to work at JCrew and get insane discounts...I miss it like crazy:(
- April 22, 2010 at 6:23 PM
- OneCraftyFox said...
ha ha, how cute! I want to nap in the sand under that tent :)
- April 22, 2010 at 10:58 PM
- Melissa Allam said...
Love the bag! I checked out the great travel journal too. Hope you have a wonderful weekend Alli.
- April 23, 2010 at 11:44 AM
- Modern Crush said...
I wish some of the crew cuts pieces would fit me!!
- April 23, 2010 at 4:13 PM


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Coke Cans, Puppy Video, and 20 Hilarious Status Updates
Put a smile on someones face! Share one of these statuses and make someones day. 20 Hilarious Status Updates: Some days you can't play the music loud enough. I like to spend my Sunday night wishing it...
Girls Impress Other Girls
Notice I said "Girls" and not other women.


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When I log into my email, on the https://mail.twc.com/do/mail/folder/view website, I go into the settings option and select Allow and Block Messages options. I then select 'Advanced Block senders '. As I go through my received emails, I check domains I want to block and am provided with a list of items to block. I only check the domains I want to block. I also select ' Delete mail from blocked senders'. Finally, I clcik on the 'okay' button.
My list of 'blocked' domains is now up to 139 - BUT none are blocked. When I attempt to add another domain from a newly received email, I get a message that says the domain is already blocked. But, it isn't.
What am I doing wrong?
Does this block funtion work for anyone?
Do you use user name@ Domain.com if so that only block the named user at that domain. Use ( *@domain.com) Kills all from that domain.
John B
No, I only enter the domain name, leaving off the user name and, of course, the @ sign
I'll add '*@' to all the domains and see if that works.
Thanks for the help.
I added *@ to all the domain names I want to block and this did not work. Guess I will have to go through the process of blocking individual email address. Unless, of course, someone else has a suggestion.


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About Westone
Westone's precise, earphones provide comfortable and highly effective sound transmission to the ear for a multitude of applications. Westone are also committed to staying at the forefront of exciting new technologies and continuing to offer the very best products in the industry.
There are no products matching the selection.


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Generating 58% In Annual Cost Savings
DPA Helps Global Auto Components Manufacturer Reduce Logistics Costs
Hartford, CT – August 2011
An Auburn, Michigan-based manufacturer of engineered die cut, molded and packaged components for auto manufacturers worldwide needed to reduce transportation and Customs costs for its Monterrey facility, which caters to OEM and tier supplier customers in Mexico. After conducting an analysis of the company's current importation and transportation program, and surveying customs brokers and carriers in both Laredo, Texas and northern Mexico, Daniel Penn Associates recommended a program of consolidation, re-negotiation and vendor changes that, when implemented, will generate 58% in annual cost savings for the company.
Additional Information:
Tony Rodriguez, President, Daniel Penn Associates
Phone: 860-232-8577
Email: email@example.com


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Newport man accused of exposing himself to children
A Carteret County sex offender is facing new charges after detectives say he exposed himself to three children.
Robert Hughes Springle, 60, of Rattan Street in the Paradise East Subdivision in Newport was charged Friday with one count of felony indecent exposure in the presence of a child under age 16 after standing completely naked at a window and exposing his genitalia on Sept. 16, according to a Carteret County Sheriff�s Office News release.
Springle, a registered sex offender, has three other North Carolina indecent exposure charges pending trial. Springle was originally convicted of engaging in a lewd and lascivious act of indecent exposure in front of a child in 1988 and again in 2004 in Florida, according to the release. Springle, who was added to the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry in 2007 for the Florida
Conviction, is considered a recidivist in N.C. and must remain on the registry for life, according to the release.
Springle was placed in the Carteret County Jail under a $50,000 bond.


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Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, experience exceptional Italian cuisine in a sophisticated setting, which embodies Italian chic and vintage glamour; designed by acclaimed designer Tara Bernerd. Under the direction of Executive Chef Claudio Covino, the team delivers a traditional Italian menu complemented with an impressive wine list and selection of cocktails.
A hidden gem in the heart of Belgravia, il Pampero is moments away from Harrods and within walking distance of London's leading attractions, including The Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace.
"Stepping into il Pampero feels like stepping back into a bygone era of Italian glamour, all white tablecloths, deep green furnishings, low lighting and charming Italian waiters. It's elegant without being ostentatious" Country & Town HouseMAKE A RESERVATION
Christmas at Il Pampero
Enjoy a sumptuous mix of the very finest Italian produce in our December Set Menu, which will be served at lunchtime and early dinner until 7pm throughout the festive season. Our December À La Carte Menu will be served at all other times, including Tuesday 24th, Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th December 2019.
You can also join us and bring in 2020 in style with our celebratory seven-course dinner on New Year's Eve.
For bookings and enquiries please contact email@example.com or call us on 020 3189 4850. Please note a deposit will be required to secure festive bookings.
Festive Opening Hours
25 December – 7am to 6pm
26 & 27 December – 7am to 12pm, 6pm to 11pm
Our Food
Our Executive Chef, Claudio Covino, strongly believes that all raw ingredients at the heart of his creations must be Italian, this is why all of the food served at il Pampero has regional influences – in particular from southern Italy.
Born in Rome, Claudio has lived in London for many years mastering the art of combining traditional Italian recipes with creative and contemporary techniques. As well as the great classics, he loves to experiment and find new combinations to amaze his guests. He prides himself in working with the best Italian suppliers, sourcing everything directly from its place of origin. For example, one of our most requested dishes, tonnarello cacio e pepe, is made exclusively with original Roman pecorino, our beef carpaccio – served with castelmagno, one of the most ancient Italian cheeses from the Piemonte region, and our porcini mushroom dishes, using mushrooms from Tuscany.
We rely on our suppliers to find quality seasonal produce of certified origin, allowing us to offer true Italian excellence all of the time. See all of our menus here.RESERVE A TABLE
Enjoy rich tiramisu, Chef's style
Interiors by renowned British designer Tara Bernerd
Indulge in our delicious à la carte menu, designed to tempt every appetite
Tonnarello cacio e pepe nella forma di parmigiano
Enjoy an aperitif every day from 6pm
Classic veal milanese
20 Chesham Place, Belgravia, London SW1X 8HQ
Open 12.00–15.00 and 18.00–22.30 daily; Sundays 12.00–21.30.


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Cloud Services Brokerages: The Dawn of the Next Intermediation Age
by Benoit Lheureux | November 8, 2010 | 1 Comment
What do you believe?
Will every company on earth *always* consume Cloud services directly?
Governance. Integration. Security. Just a few of the issues companies must address when consuming Cloud services (not the easier browser-based services, the more sophisticated API-based Cloud services — for an example checkout http://developer.force.com/).
Before you object, … YES … I get it. One of the great things about Cloud computing is just that — the massive proliferation and promiscuous consumption of Cloud services. Innovation. Mashups. Cloud sourcing. Et al. I really get it!
But … despite the wonderful innovative opportunities that Cloud services consumption delivers to business it is still very technical, fraught with non-trivial regulatory and compliance issues, and — at the end of the day — at lest some companies are going to want and need help (think: services).
Gartner's Cloud services forecast heralds a new age of IT where on-premise and Cloud-based business functionality will thrive and co-exist. And by necessity Cloud services will also heralds a new age of intermediation. Cloud services brokerages will help many companies to leverage Cloud computing.
Daryl Plummer and I, along with a bunch of colleagues, have published a special report on Cloud services brokerage soon to be featured on Gartner.com. The landing page for the CSB special report will be up soon but all of the research is already available so I'm posting the list here for anyone who is interested. Once the special report landing page is up I'll post that link here too.
- Cloud Services Brokerages: The Dawn of the Next Intermediation Age
- Defining Cloud Services Brokerage: Taking Intermediation to the Next Level
- A Logical Reference Model for Cloud Services Brokerage
- Cloud Service Brokerages Create a New Role for Integration Service Providers
- Cloud Interoperability Can Be Brokered
- Cloud Services Brokerages Will Enable Business Process Utilities to Deliver Off-the-Shelf Processes
- The Delicate Side of Cloud Services Brokerages: Governance
- Context and the Cloud: How to Create Context Brokers Using the Cloud Services Brokerage Framework
- IBM Adds Comprehensive Cloud Service Integration to WebSphere via Cast Iron Acquisition
- Knitting Clouds Together: How Integration as a Service Enables B2B Integration Outsourcing
- Key Issues for Cloud Services Brokerages, 2011
I've been doing or covering B2B most all my professional life. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not prone to hyperbole. But, indeed, even if there are some tie-ins to the way things have been done in the past Cloud computing B2B is different than traditional ecommerce B2B.
More to come. For a taste, checkout Daryl's related blog on Cloudstreams …
This is going to be fun… 🙂
Additional Resources
View Free, Relevant Gartner Research
Gartner's research helps you cut through the complexity and deliver the knowledge you need to make the right decisions quickly, and with confidence.Read Free Gartner Research
Thoughts on Cloud Services Brokerages: The Dawn of the Next Intermediation Age
[…] come as no surprise to those of you who have spoken to me that this trend lays in the domain of cloud services brokerage. I have said, and will continue to say, that cloud services brokerage represents the single biggest […]
Comments are closed
Comments or opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual contributors only, and do not necessarily represent the views of Gartner, Inc. or its management. Readers may copy and redistribute blog postings on other blogs, or otherwise for private, non-commercial or journalistic purposes, with attribution to Gartner. This content may not be used for any other purposes in any other formats or media. The content on this blog is provided on an "as-is" basis. Gartner shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of the content or use of this blog.


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Free 1GB ADSL from Afrihost (South Africa)
Afrihost the ISP which always gives things back to their customers is doing it again. Claim your free GB of ADSL data from afrihost and get a free 1 GB of data every single month. Now that is a great freebie. Needless to say this freebie is only available within South Africa
- Free Every Month
- No strings Attached
- Anyone can signup
- No Contracts
Just a free 1GB of ADSL data from Afrihost for new and existing customers.


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Please note: This Safeguarding information page contains some content which may not be suitable for young children.
The safeguarding of children is a statutory responsibility of all school staff. At Chepping View, we follow the statutory guidance of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018. Click here to read it. You can also read our Safeguarding Statement and our Child protection policy here- Chepping View Policies
There are several staff in school with a leadership role in Safeguarding. These people are "Designated Safeguarding Leads" (DSLs). However, the ultimate responsibility lies with the Principal and the Safeguarding Trustee.
Children may be at risk from different factors, including abuse. Abuse is any maltreatment of a child. Abuse can be perpetrated by an adult or another child. It is more likely to be someone that the child knows, than a stranger.
There are also specific factors which may put a child at risk. These include:
along with other factors mentioned in the Keeping Children Safe document.
Any adult in school who believes a child to be a risk will report it to one of the DSLs or the Principal by using CPOMS our online safeguarding reporting software.
All visitors to the school site will be given a Safeguarding leaflet, and all visiting contractors will be given a Safeguarding card. This helps us to ensure that visitors and contractors understand how to keep our children safe and how to report any concerns that they may have.


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March 27, 2007
The Strange Effects of Contesting!
Wow, what a weekend! Over 600 contacts made over the 48 hours and everyone is still recovering from lack of sleep. Kev and Brian made the last few contacts, with Stateside starting to boom in again in the hours of darkness. Now we are looking forward to April with 50th birthday celebrations for Brian and Ian and also early retirement for Ian in a few days. Sands are also putting in place final plans for a "Special Event" station at the end of the month and we will let you know the details in the next few days. April also sees another leg in the 80 metre Club Calls Contest. So plenty to do to keep us active....
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 5:47 pm No comments:
March 25, 2007
A very successful contest so far, nearly 500 contacts up to now in fairly poor conditions. Ian managed a lovely contact into Tasmania and Kev was thrilled with his first qso into New Zealand. There seems to be some good DX around and as well as doing the contest it allows some of our members to work new countries they may not have. Sunday morning is quiet so far but there is some confusion as to how early it is as Linda managed to put one clock 2 hours back instead of an hour forward as we go to British Summertime! Kev, as usual, made one of his famous "hashes"for supper last night. Also we are taking any spare time to sign the Mull QSL cards for a personal touch!
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 8:53 am 1 comment:
March 23, 2007
CQ WW WPX Contest
In just over 5 hours the CQ WW WPX Contest will start. One of the biggest contests of the year is looked forward to by many Amateurs. All is set up ready for midnight and we hope conditions will be favourable this year. The weather report is good and the beam can be wound to its full height, although there is still the problem with the rotator, hopefully this will be fixed in the coming weeks as the last few months have been very busy. Kev ( or is it Ken? ) promises one of his famous Corned Beef Hashes, with loads of garlic, to feed the troops and Bex has provided some "Goosenargh Cakes" which might not last beyond the first few hours!!
Good luck to everyone taking part over the next 48 hours whether its a serious attempt at points or just for fun. Lets hope for a good contest!
Good luck to everyone taking part over the next 48 hours whether its a serious attempt at points or just for fun. Lets hope for a good contest!
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 7:22 pm No comments:
March 16, 2007
Its Kev NOT Ken!!!
Well there had to be one thing on the QSL cards that was wrong! Kev G6FKE has noticed that they have spelt his name wrong on the back of the card and he is actually named as Ken! Ok, so its only one letter wrong but it means a great deal when you have gone through the last forty years or so being called Kev. Unfortunately going through 2000+ cards to alter them is not really an option or we would be here all year. So, for all you lucky guys who recieve one of our cards, please take special note of the names just for our Kev!
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 5:24 pm 1 comment:
March 15, 2007
Norbreck Radio Rally
This sunday will see us at the Blackpool rally. We have a display table and a selling table to raise money for group funds. Looking forward to meeting friends, both old and new. Please come and say hello and we will be delighted to have a chat. It should be a good day as the Blackpool rally is the biggest rally in the northwest of England and always draws a good crowd! Enjoy the day!
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 2:31 pm No comments:
March 12, 2007
Silent Key M3FWW
It is with great sadness that we tell you about the death of Sue M3FWW. Sue was one of the founder members of Sands Contest Group and a very dear friend to us all. Although Sue did not involve herself much with radio and contests she was always there for us and joined us for social meals and outings. Sue will be sadly missed by us all and our thoughts are with her husband Bob G1OCK.
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 9:41 am 1 comment:
Sorting Out
The QSL cards for Mull are here and we spent a good few hours on saturday sorting them out. Things certainly go quicker when there are a few of you. We managed about 800 cards in the course of the evening and we hope to put in some time later this week. Then they will need sending off to the RSGB to be distributed out.
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 9:34 am No comments:
Labels: Mull
March 05, 2007
Weekend Over
Contacts were well down on last year in the ARRL contest, we managed to get just over 200 contacts but propagation was against us this year. Still we have enjoyed ourselves and virtually everyone had a spell at the microphone. Next up is the data section of the Club Championships tonight if conditions allow.
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 10:00 am No comments:
March 04, 2007
Slow and Steady
Conditions are not good so far in the ARRL contest and we haven't worked through the night as the band seems dead in the early hours of the morning. Progress is slow but thats not to say we are not enjoying ourselves. Also finding time to sort the logs out from Mull and getting ready to print the labels out for when the cards finally arrive!!
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 10:14 am No comments:
March 02, 2007
Midnight sees the start of the ARRL SSB contest for 2007. We hope to operate the full 48 hours but that will depend on how good conditions turn out to be. We will be operational from G0VGS/G0YLM's station and will be using the Yaesu FT1000 MKV. We will not be using the linear this weekend as we like to keep the neighbours happy! Looking forward to a good weekend and some serious contesting, just hope the weather keeps reasonable so we can get the beam to full height!
Posted by Sands Contest Group. at 2:08 pm No comments:
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Tagged: counts
Where would i find the code that generates the code for like and tweet etc counts ?
Love it, but the like bit could be better i think, it's easy enough to get the counts via opengraph …. so no real need to have the facecbook like box appear when you hover over it …. better to get that value from the open graph and put the like box somewhere else …. or as i think i will do, replace that line with at least the facebook like function and the tweet button, both auto inlude the counts.
The topic 'Replace Post Comment / like / tweet count' is closed to new replies.


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All illustrations are copyrighted and may under no circumstances be used
without a written permission from the company or individual who originally
commissioned the illustration.
Other work related to publishing:
Translation (German to Danish)
I'm of course always interested in trying new things as well!
Read details at iTunes
LykkedyreneBrenderup AvisJydskeVestkysten's "Budet"
1klik.dk (Christmas calendar motives, E-cards)
AVA (newsletter illustrations)
Bamsefabrikken (mascots and costumes)
Brenderup activity center (logo)
Buzz Kids (logo, illustrations)
Buzz Sport (logo)
EFFI (ice cream box design)
Grinsted Public A/S (poster design)
Helge Rasmussen Trikotagefabrik A/S (front prints for children's clothes)
letkøbing.dk (illustrations, logos)
Logicx Innovation (mascot)
Luftfabrikken (logo)
Lymix (illustrations)
Magasinet M! (illustration)
Mikki Wikki (playing cards)
Musikcentret, Aalborg (computer graphics)
NetDating.dk (poster; A2 format, E-cards)
Skrydstrup school (illustration)
The Moravian Church (historical illustrations)
VS Data (folder cover illustration)


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The information below was applicable during Damen Raceroei Regatta/Aegon NK Groot 2019. This information is reserved for changes.
- The Damen Raceroei Regatta is a national regatta rowed abreast over the standard distance of 2000 meters on a eight-lane regatta course.
- The regatta is subject to the rules stated in the rules for racing as published by the royal Dutch rowing federation. ("Reglement voor Roeiwedstrijden" and the "Uitvoeringsreglement van de Koninklijke Nederlandsche Roeibond"), the important difference with the FISA Rules for Racing being that repêchages are omitted. Qualifying standards for the heats will be determined by number of entries.
- Regatta manager: Cleo Orbons (+31 6 338 494 13) E: firstname.lastname@example.com. Head of the jury: E. Lindeboom.
- International entries are possible until Sunday the 29th of May, 05:00PM GMT+1 via email (email@example.com).
- International crews are exempt from all entry fees.
- Draw: conducted the 12th of June, 07:00PM GMT+1 by the regatta manager.
- First start: 08:30AM. First final: 01:00PM. These times are subject to change, final timetable will be published after the entries are closed.
- Each event must have a minimum of four entries. Events with less than three entries will be removed from the programme or merged.
- Weighing of rowers and coxswains will take place between two and one hours before the first race of the event in the weighing room on the ground floor.
- Info: firstname.lastname@example.com or email@example.com
During the Damen Raceroei Regatta the following rules apply:
Warm up
The warm up and cooling down has to take place in the designated lanes. These lanes are seperated from the regatta lane as can be seen on the map below.
The Start
Ten minutes before the start the crew has to report at the official at the end of the warm up lane. This official will line-up you and the other crews from your heat and ask you in sequence to row under the bridge to the start. Here the command will be transfered to the official responsible for the start.
After a race you are expected to follow the track to starboard side and make a U-turn back to the warm up area. Here is also the option to cool down. Cooling down happens in the same area as the warm up.
Schematic rules side-by-side races
8 lanes:
6 lanes:


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The Spanish 2 class at Avalon School (a charter school in St Paul that serves grades 7-12) created a young people's ofrenda exhibit and photographed their ofrendas and artist statements.
Here is the link to their Flickr photo essay shared with us by Spanish teacher Annika Bowers: Avalon School Ofrenda Exhibition Photo Essay
Did your school make young people's ofrendas this fall? Send us information, pictures, or a link to online content at email@example.com. We'd love to post about it here on the blog.
Nice work, Avalon Spanish 2 students!


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Outgoing Diss mayor delighted to exceed fundraising target
Published: 10:02, 01 June 2016
Former Diss Town Mayor Julian Mason said he was delighted to surpass his fundraising goal for his two chosen charities.
Mr Mason presented a pair of cheques at the recent annual parish meeting to the East Anglian Air Ambulance (£2,223) and the Norfolk Knights Wheelchair Rugby Club (£2,389). Money was raised through donations and events, such as the town mayor charity dinner in April.
"I had a target of £4,000 and we exceeded that target, so I am very pleased," he said.


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"I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things." – Mother Teresa
President's Message, April 2018 – As a Board we have faced many tough challenges and decisions. The last Board Meeting was no different, but the enthusiasm we had following the meeting was wonderful and has kept us focused.
I am very proud of our Board Members. We started the meeting as a team reviewing concerns from Regional Directors and worked on solutions connected to Quota's Strategic Plan Goals; building resources to support our mission, establishing Quota as a leading advocate, and engaging dynamic resources for signature programs.
In my message, you'll learn more about how we are working to grow Quota. I am excited about the energy and direction. I hope you will see how committed we are to supporting the wonderful work you are doing to change lives around the world. You'll find answers to the following questions:
- What major concerns were addressed at the Board Meeting?
- What is the state of our membership?
- What is being done for Development and Growth?
- What will be new at Regional Meetings this year?
- What is new with the Awards Program in 2018?
- What are this year's World Service Hand in Hand Projects?
- Who are the candidates for the 2018-2020 International Board?
- What if a leader can't travel, could he or she still run for an International Board position?
- Why is Quota International's fiscal year changing and when was this decided?
- Where can I find Quota's Bylaws, Rules of Procedure, and Regional Guidelines?
What major concerns were addressed at the Board Meeting? The top concerns from the membership were the financials, the change to Regions, and communication challenges. Each concern was approached from "if we can fix it, we will," our mantra from last year's Regional Meetings.
The financials continue to be restructured, reconciled, and reviewed for both Quota International and the We Share Foundation to correct concerns expressed by international board members over the years. The financial reports are now 100% transparent, 100% accrual based, and 100% program focused. For transparency, the Chart of Accounts has been set up identically for both corporations with categories that are easy to understand.
All income and expenses have been switched to 100% accrual basis. When income applies to future months, such as annual members dues and new members, it is being calculated and entered monthly. Convention registrations received in the year before convention are entered as deferred income until the Convention year. Expenses that cover more than one month are allocated to each month (this includes insurances, IT, and taxes).
Journal entries are made to record all We Share Foundation donations that are sent to Quota International (for example Hand in Hand, Teddy Bear, and Benefactor donations). Profit and Loss statements are being created for the three main programs of Quota International and the We Share Foundation. Administrative expenses are calculated off of payroll allocations and charged to each program:
Programs by Corporation
Quota International:
Leadership and Training, Development and Growth, and Convention.
We Share Foundation:
Volunteers in Action, Think Global Act Local, and World Service Hand in Hand.
The Board received and reviewed copies of financial reports for Quota International and We Share Foundation. Fiscal Year 2018 budgets were approved for both corporations. Annual income is decreasing from loss of members and donations. Costs were reviewed and have been cut wherever possible. Staffing expenses are dropping with only six staff members where there used to be eight and more efficient procedures have been adopted.
The ongoing challenge is with the We Share Foundation – 100% all donations are designated for programs. The Board has identified this as an urgent concern. Much of the Board Meeting was focused on alternate ways to bring in new income to cover the Foundation's expenses and also expand Quota's programming.
Financials for both Quota International and We Share Foundation were filed by the IRS deadline in March.
Profit and Loss Statements:
Quota International P&L 2017 Summary | Quota International P&L 2017 Detail
We Share Foundation P&L 2017 Summary | We Share Foundation P&L 2017 Detail
What is the state of our membership? With the updates from the Asia Pacific clubs dues cycle through October 31st, 2017, there are 244 clubs in 14 countries with 4,963 members. This is a constantly changing number with two different dues cycles and new members joining. These reports are on the website (Membership Reports) and will be updated again once we have heard from all Asia Pacific clubs. NOTE: After the Atlantic clubs dues cycle is finalized they will be updated again – another reason for streamlining the fiscal years – to provide more reliable reports.
Year-End Membership Reports thru December 2017
In the past year, Quota welcomed 7 new clubs with 58 new members. New memberships have averaged 406 each year over the past three years, a total of 1,218. During the first quarter of 2017, new membership showed stronger growth. However, it slowed during the 2nd and 3rd quarters (April – September), but regained momentum in November and December 2017.
- NOTE: New Membership forms are due at the Brisbane or Washington, DC office the last day of the month. They can also be completed online (Membership Forms).
Leadership conference calls (Club President's calls and Ready to Grow calls) were expected to boost development and growth – connecting leaders and sharing ideas to attract and retain members. Even though these calls do not appear to be boosting membership, they are valuable and will continue. The Board and Staff are looking into other development and growth initiatives. Guidebooks are being developed to help answer questions and share ideas. A new rewards program is also being launched. Details about the Quota Club Rewards Program are explained later in this message.
What is being done for Development and Growth? We talked about our financial position and proposals to grow donations, membership, and service. Better communications and training programs were noted as the most important areas of focus for 2018. Last year, over 60 free conference calls hosted by staff and board members did help with improving communications and connections among Quotarians. Members, Board Members, and Staff Members all reported benefits from these calls:
- Free monthly Club President's/Regional Director's Leadership Calls
- Free Ready to Grow Coaching Calls
- Free new leadership resources on the website
I encourage you to sign up for these leadership calls. The topics change every month and give you a chance to share ideas and ask questions of other leaders and the office. Notes from the call last month were distributed to all who participated. Click here for a summary of March's All Leadership call. To register for the next call, click here.
- NOTE: Double check the times. Some call times have changed. Daylight Savings time started in the Northern Hemisphere the first weekend of March (Spring forward) and Ended in the Southern Hemisphere the first weekend of April.
Discussions during the calls have helped the Staff and Board to learn what training would be helpful for incoming leaders. This prompted the Board to explore Quota's practices with succession planning discussion during the Board Meeting. All agreed that succession planning is one of our weaker areas. A stronger mentoring program and succession plan needs to be developed for all leadership positions this year – Club Presidents, Regional Directors, Board and staff.
With this new leadership structure, 24 new leaders will be elected between April and July: 21 Regional Directors and 3 International Board Members. Only two Board Members will be returning, the President Elect will become the President, and one of the Vice Presidents will be elected to the President Elect position. Succession planning will help shorten the learning curve and keep the focus on strategic goals during this transition period.
Succession planning has been a focus for the office staff during the past year. Procedural binders have been created for each of their positions. Staffing has been restructured to form a Membership Team to support all members. This has allowed for Alison to take on new responsibilities and focus on Strategic Development for Quota Leaders. Her first projects are to create a new Member Guidebook and Regional Directors Guidebook. Regional Directors are already providing helpful information that is being included in these Guidebooks. It is encouraging to see the real-time tips and examples that will help other leaders feel supported and connected. These Guidebooks will be printable from the website or available for purchase.
Member Guidebook | 8.5×11 and A4
For professional print quality, contact firstname.lastname@example.com
What will be new at Regional Meetings this year? Regional Directors have asked International Reps to bring excitement to their meetings. The Board has worked together to create two 20 minute presentations that allow for 10 minutes of Q & A. The presentations are Finances, Facts, and Figures, and Fun and Future.
You'll also learn about an exciting new program – the Quota Club Rewards Program. This program was created from a request by a Past International President, "Is there anything you can do to get the matching grants back? It would make a big difference." Club Presidents and Regional Directors also agreed during leadership calls. After considering the pros and cons of the Quota Club Rewards proposal, the Board has approved bringing back matching grants in a sustainable program.
The Quota Club Rewards Program is for clubs of any size. Qualifying criteria includes:
- Membership Increase
- Regional Meeting Attendance
- Community Giving
- Founder, Benefactor, and Hand in Hand Giving
- Awards Submissions (see Award Forms)
Clubs who qualify will receive a certificate and a matching grant ($100-$1,000) for Bronze Star, Silver Star, Gold Star, and Super Star Club levels. The deadline to qualify for the Quota Club Rewards Program is June 30th, 2018. See the website under Leader Resources for official rules and guidelines (Quota Club Reward Program).
What is new with the Awards program in 2018? The Awards Submission forms have been simplified – only 6 questions, that can be completed in as little as 5 minutes. We heard you when you said how complicated last year's reports were and we fixed it. This simple form is the same for all the awards: 5K / 10K Giving, International Photo Contest, and Quota Cares Month. The Volunteer of the Year is also an easy application.
International Awards and Signature Project Forms
(5K/10K Award, International Photography Contest, and Quota Cares Award)
Online Awards Application | Sample Awards Nomination Form PDF
Volunteer of the Year Nomination Form
Online Volunteer Application | Sample Volunteer Nomination Form PDF
- NOTE: June 30th, 2018 is the deadline for all Award Submissions.
The Board also voted on adding Signature Service Projects to the International Awards program. Top service projects will be selected from club submissions in these areas:
• Buckets of Love • Cops N Kids/QuoCKa Literacy • JQ Leadership
• Scholarships and Grants • Sound Beginnings • International World Service
• Other – significant to your club (Quota Cares Teddy Bears, Bears and Badges,
Listen Up Turn It Down, Signing Santa, etc.)
What are the World Service Hand in Hand Projects for 2018? Leaders of the World Service Hand in Hand Projects have been contacted for updates to their project information and distribution of grant donations. FY2017 grants have been wired to 14 of the projects we have heard from. Click here for more information about their Hand in Hand projects which can also be found on www.teamquota.org.
The Hand in Hand Annual Report is being created that will include photos and detailed descriptions of the projects, what each grant funded, who was helped, and the names and amounts given by each donor; 120 clubs and regions from Aruba, Australia, Canada, the Philippines, Suriname, New Zealand, and the United States and three non-members.
Thank you for your HIH donations. Your Quota Clubs made these grants possible.
Information about the World Service Hand in Hand projects are on the website under Leader Resources (World Service Program). These projects fall under three categories: Educational Development, Health and Well Being, and Workforce Development. At fundraising and community events, clubs may show Hand in Hand videos promoting Quota's World Service ('You Needed Me' and Quota Home of New Delhi).
- NOTE: Three projects are no longer active – Kolkata and Southwest Cebu are no longer HIH projects and Ba is regrouping and not in HIH again this year.
- NOTE: The Board is also working through details with India projects and will have an update for you on the India projects.
Who are our candidates for the 2018-2020 International Board? The candidates for the International Board are on the website at the top of the Leader Resources page. They have answered questions about their skills, experience, goals, and excitement. To get to know them better, each has recorded a 3-minute video. For those who are hard of hearing, closed captioning has been added to their videos.
President Elect/Treasurer Candidates and Videos:
- Vice President LuAnne Bonanno from the United States, Region 7
- Vice President Shelly Brown from Australia, Region 13
- Vice President Carol Patin from the United States, Region 9
Vice President Candidates and Videos:
- Regional Director Elinor Adler – Plantation, Florida, United States, Region 8
- Regional Director Brenda Cherry – Wooster, Ohio, United States, Region 2
- Past Regional Director Luz Marina Gonzalez – Aruba, Region 10
- Regional Director Jan Rhodes – Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand, Region 21
International Board Nominee Information Packet
Printable PDF – 8.5×11| Printable PDF – A4
- NOTE FOR ELECTIONS: Paper ballots for the candidates will be mailed to all voting delegates on Friday, April 13th. ALL BALLOTS MUST be returned BY MAIL postmarked no later than June 1st (to Washington, DC or Brisbane office) to be counted at convention. NO voting in-person for board nominees will happen at convention. This Bylaw change was to comply with incorporation laws in Washington, DC – approved by delegates at the 2016 Convention in Brisbane.
What if a leader can't travel, could he or she still run for International Office? With the advancement of technology, the Board seriously considered this request. Although, Washington, DC, Laws allow for Board meetings and other meetings to be conducted using videoconferencing, teleconferencing, or any other similar telecommunications device, all persons participating in the meeting must be able to hear each other or communicate effectively simultaneously.
Because Board Meetings span several days and candidates come from different time zones, simultaneous interaction for 10 hours each day would be difficult using technology in different time zones. Below is a copy of the Bylaw that was approved by delegates at the 2016 International Convention.
Excerpt from Quota International Bylaws – 2016 Convention Version
Article VIII: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 3. Meetings
A. The board of directors shall meet at least two times a year.
B. The board of directors may conduct the board and other meetings using videoconferencing, teleconferencing, or any other similar telecommunications device which allows all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other or communicate effectively simultaneously.
C. Other meetings may be held at the call of the president.
Why is Quota International's fiscal year changing and when was this decided? There were several reasons behind changing the fiscal year (FY). The main reasons are to be in compliance with regulations for incorporations while also streamlining Quota's operations for more effort to be on development and growth.
In 2013, a fiscal year audit showed that Quota International and We Share Foundation had 27 different annual financial deadlines and events. This makes it difficult for administration and accounting. US clubs are operating with 10 different fiscal years. It is difficult to remind them to complete their yearly filing requirements to maintain their non-profit status. Streamlining the fiscal years will make a difference for all Quota Clubs.
Following legal advice, an amendment to move the fiscal year dates from the Bylaws to the Rules of Procedure (governed by the Board) was presented to voting delegates in 2014. This amendment was voted on and passed by delegates at the 2014 Cincinnati Convention. The change to this Bylaw permitted the Board to make the decision for when the best time was to realign the fiscal year. The calendar year had been seriously considered, but was later determined that it would not be a good option. Since Australians and New Zealanders go on Summer Holiday in December/January, they would not be able to meet their requirements of holding an Annual General Meeting/AGM within six weeks of the close of their club year, since it would fall during their Holiday Recess.
Our accountant recommended changing the FY to align with the government calendar since it also matches the Asia Pacific Dues cycle – one of the 27 current fiscal year deadlines. It was not until September 2017 that our accountant determined we would be ready to make the change. Following this guidance, the Board voted on the new dates of October 1st thru September 30th.
This change to the fiscal year will begin September 2018. The change has prompted more than a dozen questions from club leaders. With the filing of the financials behind us, answers to these questions and steps for how to work through the changes for your club are being outlined. These steps will also be available for you at your Regional Meeting. Clubs on the Atlantic side (Canada, Netherlands, Caribbean, South America, and United States) paid a prorated portion of dues (Jan – Sep) this year in preparation for the change. This change was a bit more complicated than we understood it would be. We will work with you to help your club make this transition.
Where can I find Quota's Bylaws, Rules of Procedure, and Regional Guidelines? All governance documents including Bylaws with amendments approved by members at the 2016 Convention are on the website under Leader Resources. Updated (International Governance Documents) copies of Rules of Procedure and Regional Guidelines from the December 2017 Board Meeting are on the website.
We have heard from you with the concerns about so many changes. The reason these changes are happening is to build Quota International. Your input helps let us know the areas that still need improvement.
With growth comes growing pains. Thank you for you patience as we've been working through these pains. These are challenging times for us all including the Board and our small staff. They are doing a great service for us all. We cannot thank them enough.
As my term as president is coming to a close, I have a stronger appreciation for Quota and everything that we do to help women and children and the deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired and how much Quota is needed. You inspire me every day.
Your fellow Quotarian,
Marie Dobson-Dunlop
International President 2016-2018


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Email: ASNE.tidewater.social@gmail .com
Office: (703) 836-6727
Fax: (703) 836-7491
American Society of Naval Engineers
1452 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
What Maritime subject / themed book have you recently read? What would you recommend?
Have you written a book? What is it? How long did it take you to write it? Why should we read it ?
What is next on your reading list ? why?
History vs fiction ? Room for both?
This is a very interesting book about a very pivotal attack that shadowed future events. Has any one else read this yet ?
Front Burner: Al Qaeda's Attack on the USS Cole By Kirk Lippold
On October 12, 2000, eleven months before the 9/11 attacks, the USS Cole docked in the port of Aden in Yemen for a routine fueling stop. At 1118, on a hot, sunny morning, the 8,400-ton destroyer was rocked by an enormous explosion. The ship's commander, Kirk Lippold, felt the ship violently thrust up and to the right, as everything not bolted down seemed to float in midair. Tiles tumbled from the ceiling, and the ship was plunged into darkness, beginning to sink. In a matter of moments Lippold knew that the Cole had been attacked. What he didn't know was how much the world was changing around him.
The bombing of the Cole was al Qaeda's first direct assault against the United States and expanded their brazen and deadly string of terrorist attacks throughout the Middle East. In this gripping first-person narrative, Lippold reveals the details of this harrowing experience leading his crew of valiant sailors through the attack and its aftermath. Seventeen sailors died in the explosion and thirty-seven were wounded—but thanks to the valor of the crew in the perilous days that followed, the ship was saved.
Yet even with al Qaeda's intentions made clear in an unmistakable act of war, the United States government delayed retaliating. Bureaucrats and politicians sought to shift and pin blame as they ignored the danger signaled by the attack, shirking responsibility until the event was ultimately overshadowed by 9/11.
A local expert Mike Stanton retired Navy Captain who has over 30 years of professional experience in the fields of ship operations, shipbuilding, ship maintenance & modernization, and program management, both government and commercial sectors taught a course on Shipbuilding & Ship Repair Business Management: Understanding the Forces that Shape the Industry at the 2016 FMMS event.
He recommend this book... any comments or feedback?
Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy by Ian W. Toll
Could our current government, US Navy, and citizens learn something from this nugget of history ?
Not confined to sea battles, Toll's history of the U.S. Navy's formative decades, from the mid-1790s to the War of 1812, rounds out affairs by anchoring the nascent navy to its financial supports. Navies are not inexpensive, and the costs of building and maintaining ships appear lightly but persistently in Toll's narrative. It centers on the first vessels purpose-built for the navy, the half-dozen frigates of which the USSConstitution moored in Boston today is the last survivor. Besides money, their construction involved politics; the Federalists favored the naval program (creating the Department of the Navy in 1798), while Jefferson's parsimonious Republicans were more diffident. Toll is as insightful about the essential domestic and diplomatic background as he is with his dramatizations of the naval engagements of the new navy, which produced a crop of national heroes such as Stephen Decatur. The maritime strategy and the highly developed sense of officers' honor, which influenced where particular battles occurred, emerge clearly in this fluent account. Vibrant and comprehensive, Toll makes an impressive debut. - Gilbert Taylor
How many lives has the USCG saved ? and how many more will they save ?
The Pendleton Disaster off Cape Cod: The Greatest Small Boat Rescue in Coast Guard History by Theresa Mitchell Barbo
On February 18, 1952, off the coast of Cape Cod, a fierce nor'easter snapped in half two 503-foot oil tankers, the Pendleton and the Fort Mercer. Human grace and grit, leadership and endurance prevail as Theresa Mitchell Barbo and Captain W. Russell Webster (Ret.) recount the historic, heroic rescue of thirty-two merchant mariners from the sinking Pendleton by four young Coast Guardsmen aboard the 36-foot motor lifeboat CG36500.
A foreword by former Commandant Admiral Thad Allen (Ret.) and an essay by Master Chief John "Jack" Downey (Ret.), a veteran of thousands of modern-day small boat rescues, round out the special third edition of this classic work on Coast Guard history.
Maritime Casualties: Causes and Consequences by Tuuli Messer-Bookman
Capt. Tuuli Messer-Bookman has sailed over 300,000 nautical miles as a U.S. Merchant Marine officer and holds a law degree from the University of San Francisco. She is a professor in the Marine Transportation Department of the California Maritime Academy.
Since the Titanic disaster of 1912, the horrors of major maritime casualties have prompted international conventions and domestic legislation, but the link between events and outcomes (which are often separated by many years) is rarely understood by those working in the maritime industry. This book, the only comprehensive guide to this link, sets forth the major casualties of the last hundred years and explains resulting regulatory changes. Taking a macro-level view, it describes the trends and reactions across decades, and how, over time, focus has shifted from equipment failures to people and their behaviors as the primary cause of maritime casualties. Timely and thorough, it also explores the alarming increase in the criminalization of maritime accidents, especially the relatively recent reclassification of pollution incidents as environmental crimes. This book offers broad insight to the history, laws, and conventions that regulate worldwide commercial maritime activity.
I've read the book and really enjoyed Google it.
You are going to be welcome on this tide water section that have the all formation on this it was good to read. I was able to make report on this so I can know that superiorpapers legit or not that have the all formation about the all aspect on this it was good to read or have the aspect.
Our academic pursuits, along with a range of extracurricular activities, help in honing a child's skills and ensuring that he/she grows to be a mature and responsible citizen.
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The ASNE bylaws state: "The president, vice president and secretary shall be elected by the board of directors from its membership at the first meeting by followersaustralia


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What is a Pre-Foreclosure in Racine, Kenosha, & Milwaukee?
With millions of homes across the country going into foreclosure, it's important for both buyers and mortgage holders to understand the process. So what is a pre-foreclosure in Racine, Kenosha, & Milwaukee anyway? Many homeowners across America and Racine, Kenosha, & Milwaukee are facing difficulties making their monthly mortgage payments. When a homeowner misses 3-6 months of … Continued


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Italy Votes for Chaos and the Euro Crisis Is Back
Europe • 2/26/13 4:11:48 pm • Views: 437
Italy's parliamentary election could not have gone worse for the country or the euro area.
It is now possible that in the coming months the currency zone's third-largest economy will need a bailout from international creditors, at a time when Italy will have no government in place to ask for, or negotiate, a rescue. In case you had any doubts, the euro-area crisis is back.
More: Italy Votes for Chaos and the Euro Crisis Is Back - Bloomberg


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Customizable Clones
I keep coming back to these Bandai figure kits because they are just awesome. They are quick and make a great side project during a more prolonged or difficult model project.
One of the fun things about the Clone Trooper kit was that there were so many options for how to paint and weather this guy. Stormtroopers are fairly uniform, but thanks to the Clone Wars TV series and even some brief glimpses in the prequels, clone troopers had a lot of different markings, not to mention they weathered a lot more and their armor showed it.
When I first started assembling the clone trooper I was undecided about what sort of paint scheme I wanted to use, if any at all. Over the course of the build, I settled on the 212th Battalion color scheme because I have always loved Obi-Wan Kenobi and these were his troops on Utapau. I did a little googling to find a quality picture of the paint scheme and then jumped right in.
Two regrets about the way I went about painting this kit, which will influence future projects. First, I had already assembled the trooper so I had to do some difficult masking in hard to access places, which could have been eased by masking before I assembled. Second, because I did not want to mask the entire trooper, I hand painted the spots that needed markings. Both of these regrets left me wishing I had masked and airbrushed all the markings before assembling the parts. Lesson learned for next time.
Because I painted directly on the plastic, I was able to easily do some chipping with a toothpick and xacto knife. These gave a nice worn effect to the battalion markings. Then, to top the painting off, I did some panel line washing in a few spots and added some weathering pastels also. I finished the kit with a semi-gloss lacquer because the clone troopers were never quite as shiny as the stormtroopers.
Overall, I am pretty proud of my first real customized paint job, notwithstanding the usual weathering effects. I really like the result, and if I had endless supplies of money (haha!) I would probably try to customize several different clone varieties. Lessons learned and a good-looking figure make a great success. As a bonus, you can switch out the heads to be either a Phase 1 or Phase 2 trooper. As you can see from the photos, I preferred the Phase 2.
This is a great kit that will look even better when displayed next to my eventual Battle Droid and STAP kit.
Let There Be Light
Today I finally threaded the last fiber on the Republic Cruiser! There is still a lot of work to do, but it feels good to not have to drill anymore tiny holes or thread fiber through them. I also recently checked some of my LED connections and got the first glimpse of the lighted engines. Actually seeing some of the fruit of my work was encouraging and gave me hope that the final project will look really great. I can see the end of the project drawing near. Maybe I will at least finish within a year of starting it…
Top Down
I was fortunate enough to squeeze in minutes of work here and there the last couple weekends and made some great progress on the top of the Republic Cruiser. I was back in my comfort zone of primarily paint work.
The instructions called for a lot more variation from the base color for some of the details. I just felt that it looks better with a more monochromatic look. I mostly used variations of light and dark ghost gray.
All of the lighting is done for the top and bottom halves, with the engines the only parts left. I am finally seeing the end on this kit, and I really hope that the final product looks as good as the hours invested in it.
Slow Build
What happened to the summer?! I had such great plans to finish my Star Destroyer kit, and here I am still chugging along with school about to start again.
Here is a brief look at what I did accomplish this summer:
Before doing any lighting I assembled and painted the ship's belly. The red stripes were masked and the rest of the painting was a simple base coat with darker highlighted areas.
When it came time to start drilling holes for the fiber optics, I was pretty enthusiastic. A few holes in and a couple broken bits later, and I was ready to throw everything across the room. In the process so far, I have considered several times whether this lighting endeavor was going to be worth it. There is a lot of tedium and time investment involved, but I have committed and want to see it completed. So I truck along.
In the picture above I tried to show the initial placement of the fiber optics. Here, I have installed the larger diameter fibers. I followed these with a whole bunch of small fibers along all the sides of the ship. Finally, I attached LEDs to the fiber bundles and the side panel lighting is complete.
As of right now, I am working on the bridge and tower lighting, and I am getting more comfortable with the whole process. It is still tedious and time-consuming, but I have more hope that the end result will be worth it and that there actually will be an end result…sometime…