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Some might see having Captain America as the only hero in the smallest set odd as he's supposed to be the team leader and that means the only thing he can assemble in this set is his "Avenging Cycle". It includes an iconic hero, generic villains and some vehicular tidbits thrown in to round it out, but does the battle pack equivalent of the Marvel line actually live up to the concept?
**Spoilers Ahead! Read on at your own risk...**
There's a lot to consider when you look at this set, so buckle up and let's take it one step at a time.
It's been mentioned before that these small sets are all about the figs. The pricing is based on that and not the piece counts, so let's forget about that and move on. Most people will agree the reason for buying these small battle packs is the minifigures, so they either need to have plenty of recognizable characters/exclusives like the Harry Potter 4865 Forbidden Forest or cannon fodder for army building like 7914 Mandalorian Battle Pack. This pack is neither and both at the same time. On the one hand you get possibly the most iconic member of the Avengers, Captain America and on the other you get a couple of alien soldiers who are basically part of a near limitless invasion force. If you have any interest in amasing Chitauri soldiers so your Avengers can have an army to humiliate then this is the set to do it, but you're going to pay a price.
I know Cap isn't as popular right now as Iron Man, the movies have slanted folks over to team Stark and the comics, cartoons and toys all reflect that. Regardless, Cap is a solid figure that looks great and can carry a set on his own. The printing is good without being too detailed and the darker blue colouring matches the movies well enough while staying in LEGO's established palette. The best bit is the shield and I think it's worth buying multiples just for that. People gave the 6858 Catwoman Catcycle City Chase a hard time because Batman didn't come with a standard cape, but if there is a figure that is nothing without its accessories, it's Captain America. That shield is probably more recognizable than the the character himself and they nailed it. So the good guy side of this set has an exclusive (so far) minifigure that while is desirable, is not something you want to end up with twenty of, unless you plan on clearing them out on Bricklink.
The bad guys in this set are so generic they are virtually indistinguishable from one another, so LEGO probably didn't need to bother making two different figures. Sure there are differences when you look at them on screen, but they are the same differences you'd see looking at any army. The Alien Foot Soldier below is actually in the 6869 Quinjet Aerial Battle, but it's much cheaper to get multiples in this set and the Alien General doesn't look so different that you could just throw a bunch of each together and call it a squad.
All three figures have back printing and if you wanted too, you could probably get away with reversing the torso so you could have four different Chitauri "uniforms" and the torso/leg printing would match up fairly well. Cap has no leg printing so it makes him at least useful for some dark blue body parts if you need another rationalization to buy multiples.
Moving on to the actual build, let's look at the Chitauri side first. You get two small builds, a speeder and a missile launcher/mortar.
The speeder is about as close as they could ever get at that scale, period. Those little ships were so organic that the pilots were strapped in and the gunners were chained on and at times it's difficult to see where the slave/soldier ends and the vehicle begins. It's a nice little parts assortment of mostly tan with some small pearl gold and purple accents that are nothing to write home about. It's a shame that all of the detail of the ship is achieved through the three stickers on the curved pieces, but as I said it needs to look organic and this thing is small. Not an easy task, but considering that the designers most likely only saw initial artwork at best for these I'd say they made it work.
The mortar is basically a tiny tan and stand used to fire some flick. I have no strong feelings for these little missiles either way, but I've never had any trouble getting at least 12-18 inches of range out of them. The sturdy design of this little stand allowed for my son and I to shoot those suckers a good three feet. It's a nice little addition if you're building an army, even if this type of devise was not in the movie. I think the extra parts would have been better used extending the length of the speeder to fit the second soldier like in the movie, but as I said the designers may not have even been aware of that.
I wish I could say I've left the best for last, but this is really the sore spot for me when it comes to this set. The Avenging Cycle. Stupid name, but it's no worse than Catcycle or (let's be honest here) Batmobile. I know I'll catch flack for that, but it's true. Batman himself simply called it "the car" most of the time, but it needed a name and that was what they came up with. Even Fantasticar is a better name than that. Anyway, the bike they've given Captain America has three main problems.
1) It's not the bike he rides in the comics. Captain America has driven a Harley Davidson motorcycle since at least 1980 and I know this because that's around the time I started really getting into comics. While not every artist drew it the same, no one drew it like a street racing crotch rocket.
2) It's not the type of bike used in the movies this set is based on. He drives a Harley Davidson Liberator in The First Avenger, so the designers probably figured he'd get an upgrade in The Avengers and he did. In the new movie Steve Rogers drives a beautiful new Harley Davidson Softail Slim.
The worst part is that it does match a motorcycle from the movies. He drove a similar bike with an even worse colour scheme in the horrible 1979 TV movies, Captain America & Captain America II: Death Too Soon. Here is a picture of the bike, if you haven't seen the movies... don't. Seriously, just don't. They make the 1990 version with Matt Salinger look like the freakin' Godfather.
3)This is not the bike that Captain America would choose to ride. Even if it was a bike designed and given to him by SHIELD, certain characters (Fury, Coulson) wouldn't have let this slide by. Let's take Harley's out of the equation and focus on LEGO bikes only. THIS IS NOT THE BIKE CAPTAIN AMERICA WOULD CHOOSE TO RIDE. Just look at the most recent selection of LEGO bikes and think "Which bike would a Super Soldier from WWII want to drive if he were made of LEGO?".
It's stupid really, they had the perfect bike and one that already came in the right colours. The only reason I could see for not using it is that it appears in the Wolverine set. I guess it just made sense to give him Catwoman's bike instead. Foolishness.
Take a gander at how cool he looks on this bike and all the great ways you can display his shield with it's pre-existing conections. It's a real shame because that would have really made this set fit and instead it's just off. Who wouldn't rather end up with a handful of these vintage beauties than a bunch of top-heavy racing bikes, but I could be way off...
Also, more stickers. Nothing too bad, but they were almost pointless really. So to sum up:
What I Liked:
- Captain America is an absolute must-have to complete the Avengers and well worth the price of the set.
- The Chitauri are generic enough to build a small army, but different enough to mix it up a bit.
- The speeder is simple but descent enough to act out a scene with a couple swooshing around.
- I would buy this set for the shield alone.
What I didn't Like:
- That bike just doesn't jive with Captain America as a character, the movies or even the set it's in.
- The mortar is pointless and unnecessary, but at least it works (+ tan).
- It's just not Captain America's Bike. It doesn't deserve the ridiculous name of the "Avenging Cycle", or maybe it does...
- I want an Agent Coulson fig. All sets will lose points until it this happens.
Vedict: Buy it. Why wait? It's (relatively) cheap, it has the exclusive Cap figure and without it the Avengers have a Chitauri army of one to fight. I've capped off (excuse the pun) three orders with this set to get to $50 so I could get Exclusive Hulk figs and to be honest, I see myself picking up at least a couple more. If I don't have at least ten aliens for Cap to fight, I won't be playing Avenger for very long. Just give him a decent bike. Please, think of the children.
Buy 6865 Captain America's Avenging Cycle from LEGO Shop@Home:
Permalink: http://www.fbtb.net/2012/05/25/review-6865-captain-americas-avenging-cycle/


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Shazza Bishop - Bubbles
No journalling, kept it simple. I wanted to show that sometimes less is more!!
I used a special technique to paint the bubbles and water on the floor, I painted on to acetate without it seperating. Cut the finished bubbles out of the acetate.......
This is my DS Adam when he was a littlely :) The bath tub was cut from off white card stock. the little duck was also cut out.

subset: commoncrawl


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SAP's given customers more time to swallow its unpopular enterprise support price increases, while promising to cap what you pay for a five-year period.
The world's largest provider of business software has given users until 2015 to sign up to its new Enterprise Support program, going beyond the originally planned 2012 cut off. Announced last summer, Enterprise Support was due to start in January with a three-year roll-out.
Furthermore, a planned increase in costs of support for contracts signed between 2010 and 2015 will be capped, the company has said. It promised no contract would go up by more than 3.1 per cent a year. The overall price of a support contact will remain at 22 per cent of the maintenance base, but this 22 per cent figure will also be capped until 2015. Support currently runs at 17 per cent of maintenance base for a "typical" user.
SAP announced the changes as it said an agreement has finally been reached with SAP customers on a set of metrics designed to measure the quality of SAP's new enterprise support.
These Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) had been the subject of a public disagreement between SAP customer representatives and SAP and had been promised for early April.
The SAP User Group Executive Network (SUGEN) and SAP said Wednesday they have finally agreed that KPIs will measure business continuity, business process improvement, protection of investment, and total cost of operations.
SAP said it would postpone planned increases in support prices until targeted improvements measured by the index have been met. Pricing on the new Enterprise Support program was set to begin in January this year.
SAP said the extensions and price caps demonstrate its "clear commitment and responsiveness to its customers and the challenging global economic conditions they must navigate today".
The Enterprise Support agreement is both symbolic of, and rooted in, changes at SAP that have unsettled customers.
One SAP partner, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Reg relations between SAP and its long running customers reached a low point over the new Enterprise Support.
"The climate in this audience had never been as bad as last year. Customers were completely upset because of the increased cost but also because of the way it was communicated by SAP," he said. "In the past, they had a very good relationship with the user group. This came more or less out of the blue," the partner told us."
Such changes are coming as veterans at the top of SAP regarded as technical are leaving the company, which customers feel is changing the company's culture for the worst. Léo Apotheker is due next month to become full-time chief executive - taking over from Henning Kagermann. Apotheker has been with SAP just six-years less than Kagermann, but Kagermann was on product development and management for some of SAP's early software.
"The German-speaking customers are getting concerned it will not be a German company any more, and will become more like Oracle. And they are becoming scared they will be treated not so well," the partner said.
"This special relationship might not be there any more [with the new management] because it's more managed like any international software enterprise, which is following more the American way - maximum profits and squeeze as much as possible from the customer base." ®
Sponsored: Webcast: Simplify data protection on AWS


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Frozen 'Boo'-nana Pops Recipe
With Halloween only a week away, I thought I would share these cute ghost-shaped frozen white chocolate banana treats. This is a fun project to make with the kids and what kid doesn't like chocolate covered bananas.
Just ask my little one!
This makes four pops but you will have plenty of extra chocolate if you want to make more. Each banana has about 1/2 oz of chocolate, that is how I based the nutritional info.
Frozen "Boo"-nana Pops
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 banana pop • Points +: 3 pts • Smart Points: 5
Calories: 98 • Fat: 4.5 g • Protein: 1.3 g • Carb: 14 g • Fiber: 0.7 g • Sugar: 10.7
Sodium: 13.8 mg
1 medium banana
1 cup good quality white chocolate
8 mini chocolate chips for eyes
4 popsicle sticks
Cut banana in half lengthwise, then in half to make four quarters.
Insert popsicle sticks into bananas, and freeze bananas on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.
When the bananas are frozen, fill a coffee mug with chocolate. Melt chocolate in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring until the chocolate is melted and soft.
Dip the bananas one at a time into the chocolate, scraping off the excess chocolate from the back of the banana, and place it on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Quickly add the chocolate chips for the eyes before the chocolate hardens (you have to work quickly here).
Return to the freezer until frozen and ready to eat. Eat frozen.
Keywords: Frozen 'Boo'-nana Pops


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Vox Populi – 1/11/10
One era's political flashpoint is another's muted issue. This was particularly clear this morning at the Supreme Court, which was hearing two cases that a generation or two ago would have drawn protesters and fueled political campaigns. Instead, nearly all of the committed souls who showed up this cold, mid-January morning by and large lined up "just because." And that's not a bad thing at all.
Alabama v. North Carolina, the first case argued this morning, featured a dispute between four southern states and North Carolina over the latter's withdrawing from a radioactive waste disposal compact made in the mid-1990s. In the 1970s and early 1980s–the years leading up to Chernobyl and Three Mile Island–organizations such as the National Resource Defense Council challenged the construction of nuclear power plants and and represented the public fear over the plants' plans for their radioactive waste disposal. Today, in the age of global warming and dependence on foreign oil, nuclear energy is far less politically controversial–at least domestically.
As such, only one person in line–James, an undergraduate at Grinnell College with ambitions to be an environmental lawyer–stated specific interest in watching Alabama v. North Carolina. The several others who cited Alabama v. North Carolina as the case they came to see admitted that they knew nothing of the case. Indeed, they confessed that they only mentioned the case because it was the only name they remembered of the two cases to be heard.
Meanwhile, no lawyers in line even mentioned Alabama v. North Carolina. This is likely because the Court is obligated under Article III, section 2 of the Constitution to hear disputes between the states, however dull they may be. Yet it is telling of our times that a case about nuclear waste disposal does not clear the "mind-numbingly dull" bar, but Michigan's filing suit at the Supreme Court to force Illinois to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes managed to make headlines. Further, not even the prospect of watching Carter Phillips and Walter Dellinger–titans of the Supreme Court bar–square off as opposing advocates could foster interest in Alabama v. North Carolina.
Briscoe, on the other hand, attracted a handful of lawyers and law students, but no others in line expressed specific interest in the case. James Rivera of Virginia, a non-practicing lawyer, said that he was "happy how [the Supreme Court] ruled in Melendez-Diaz" and was "surprised how they granted cert. a week after Melendez-Diaz."
Jon Grimm, a second-year law student at Georgetown, was writing a paper on the Crawford line of cases. He believed that "Sotomayor will be the swing vote," but was unsure which way she'd swing. The case's "civil rights aspects," Grimm said, point to Justice Sotomayor's voting with the Melendez-Diaz majority, but he also found that her experiences as a prosecutor support her ruling voting to overrule Melendez-Diaz.
Grimm was not alone among the interested law students: second- and third-years from Georgetown, Syracuse, Penn, and Columbia all lined up to gather more fodder for their future law review articles on the Confrontation Clause as defined by Crawford, Melendez-Diaz, and Briscoe.
Missing, though, was the politically-charged outrage that criminal law cases often trigger. For the last fifty years, the Court's criminal law decisions have stirred this country's passions. In the 1968 Presidential campaign, Richard Nixon ran against the Warren Court's expansion of criminal defendants' rights in cases such as Gideon v. Wainwright and Miranda v. Arizona. Nixon's law-and-order vision of the Court won. His appointments of Chief Justice Burger and then-Justice Rehnquist triggered the Court's three-decade shift to the right.
Like protests against nuclear energy, appeals to law and order may have simply lost their former political salience. Perhaps our torrid interests in abortion, national security, death penalty, and Second Amendment cases have made quaint old maids out of the jurisprudential pin-up queens who reigned several generations ago. Or maybe Justices Scalia and Thomas's conservative bona fides are so strong that no conservative interest group bothers to foment public discontent over the two justices' incidentally liberal Confrontation Clause decisions.
Whatever the reasons, the thrill was clearly gone this morning. But that could be the sign not of a desensitized, less engaged polity, but rather, a mature and evolving citizenry. No one looks to, say, Prohibitionism or Shays' Rebellion and laments the obsolescence of their motivating politics. We should never take our eyes off of denials of equality or infringements upon our liberty. But we should also appreciate that a more tempered attitude towards previously polarizing issues may lead to better politics and, therefore, better laws.


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Our houses are our havens. They protect us from the elements and wild animals, they provide a place to raise our families and keep our belongings, and they offer a little relief from the maddening world. They are our sanctuaries.
But they can also be a menace. Not in the Stephen King or Edgar Allen Poe kind of way — they aren't actively out to get us — but many an accident comes courtesy of the dynamics of the home.
The kitchen offers open flames and honed steel designed to cut through plants and flesh; utility rooms and broom closets provide an array of toxic cleaning chemicals worthy of a Superfund site; halls and stairways are prime tripping zones; and the garage provides auto and gardening chemicals and tools. The potential for danger lurks everywhere.
But it's the bathroom that we need to worry about. Slips and falls are one of the leading causes of accidental death in the United States, and bathrooms are where these falls most commonly occur.
In 2008, more than 19,700 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries. For the senior set, falls are the leading cause of injury death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Falls are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.
The CDC compiled a comprehensive report on the topic, and found that in 2008, about 234,000 people aged 15 and older went to emergency rooms courtesy of injuries occurring in bathrooms. In all, 14 percent of the people required hospitalization, and among adults aged 85 and older, 38 percent were hospitalized as a result of their injuries. Four out of five of these injuries were caused by falls, which can be especially treacherous for older adults.
Injuries in or around the tub or shower account for more than two-thirds of emergency room visits, which makes sense given wet floors and the resulting lack of traction. The most hazardous activities for all ages are bathing, showering and getting out of the bath or shower: 2.2 percent of injuries occur while getting into the tub or shower, but 9.8 percent occur while getting out.
With increased age comes increased injuries, but curiously, injuries around the tub or shower are most common among those ages 15 to 24 and least common among those older than 85. People over 85 suffer more than half of their injuries near the toilet.
"Injuries getting on and off the toilet are quite high in people 65 and older," said Judy A. Stevens, an epidemiologist with the CDC and the lead author of the report. "Having grab bars by the toilet would be helpful for people in their older years, and everyone would benefit from having grab bars both inside the tub or shower and where you get in and out."
Rather than become victims of our homes, the findings suggest that older adults and family members can be educated about specific dangers, which may result in reduced injuries. As well, the CDC notes that accidents might be reduced through environmental modifications, such as installing non-slip strips in the tub or shower and adding grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower to reduce falls, and installing grab bars next to the toilet for added support if needed.
Grab bars may not be pretty to look at, but a safer bathroom makes home more like the sanctuary we all seek.
More house safety stories from MNN and partners:
- 13 plants that could kill you [Photo gallery]


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Riamu necesitaba un nuevo diseño de papelería y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 126 diseños de 15 diseñadores freelance.
Riamu Entertainment. Riamu.com
I'm the owner of the Riamu Entertainment, a DJ, Entertainment and Lighting company that caters to the high end market. My company is setting standards by which others are being measured.
Here are the files you will need to complete this project.
It has a copy of my logo, fonts used, jpeg file, .AI files, sample business cards front and back etc... Please let me know if you need anything else.
Designers please submit final designs in the following templates so i can send to printer once contest is over.
High End South Asian Brides and Grooms to be.
9 x 12 Presentation Folders.. 4 x 4 colors.
I love my logo but want that same theme through out my business cards, presentation folders, letter heads. Be creative, unique. I'm trying to set myself apart from my competitors. I want my company to have a "Brand" which it does now with logo but I want everyone to know as soon as you see it (e.g Coca Cola)


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Lloyds Banking Group is to move 190 UK based IT roles to India, amidst wider restructuring at the bank and throughout the financial sector.
The banking firm confirmed today that it would be cutting 940 jobs across its business, as part of ongoing staff reductions within the company. A spokesperson told Computerworld UK that a number of jobs would also be moved to India, with 190 back-office IT roles being cut in it UK services division.
"Lloyds Banking Group is today announcing 940 role reductions within the group operations, insurance, retail, wealth and international and commercial divisions. These form part of the reductions previously announced in the Group's Strategic Review.
"Lloyds Banking Group is committed to working through these changes with employees in a careful and sensitive way. All affected employees have been briefed by their line manager today," the company said.
Relevant unions had been consulted prior to the decision, and that it would attempt to redeploy staff where possible, with compulsory redundancies "a last resort", it added..
Ged Nichols, general secretary of Lloyds' workers union Accord, said that the offshoring of jobs to India threatened to remove the expertise necessary to run the bank's IT infrastructure.
"Lloyds is clearly following its established business model, but maybe it is time for that business model to be looked at again," he said. "If we talk to the people in IT [at Lloyds], they say the loss of experience is a big risk to the organisation."
Nicholls added that the movement of IT jobs abroad is a "real fear" for staff, and that the practice is making less economic sense as the wage disparity with Indian staff decreaes. He also highlighted the impact on the UK economy.
"Particularly with offshoring IT roles to India, we are reaching the end of that particular practice making sense as wages in India go up," he said. "The savings that are achievable are reducing."
"In a broader sense, with the state of the economy, should we be losing jobs in the UK and reducing the demand in the economy even further?"
Members of Lloyds staff have also hit out at the ongoing outsourcing of jobs at the company. "There has definitely been a culture change whereby Lloyds Banking Group are quite happy to make senior IT professionals (compulsorily in my case) redundant, and ship the job over to India," one commented.
"This is in the belief that quality and productivity from a newly graduated Indian will be much higher than that from someone like myself with 17 years' service."
Another warned that the prospect of "significant restructuring and dramatically increased outsourcing" could mean that experienced IT staff look to move away from the company.
"The bank is going about things in such a way that all its brightest and best colleagues will simply take the initiative and leave, rather than risk the roller coaster to come."
Yesterday another bank, Barclays, announced that it was looking to reduce its employee headcount. It is expected that Barclays will also offshore hundreds of back office roles, with a cull of up to 2,000 staff across its international operations be consulted with staff.
Earlier this week a survey conducted by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) highlighted that financial companies are expecting job cuts to continue in the sector into 2013, following a number of reductions last year.
The report showed that 25,000 staff were cut during the fourth quarter of 2012, a higher figure than expected, with another 18,000 jobs expected to go over the next quarter.
The prospect of further restructuring among financial services organisations means that total job losses in the industry since the height of the financial crisis in 2008 will soon pass the 130,000 mark.


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Aryaman Capital Markets Ltd (ARYACAPM.BO)'s 14-day RSI is presently resting at 51.49. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings.
Aryaman Capital Markets Ltd (ARYACAPM.BO) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 4.99. Active investors may choose to use this technical indicator as a stock evaluation tool. Used as a coincident indicator, the CCI reading above +100 would reflect strong price action which may signal an uptrend. On the flip side, a reading below -100 may signal a downtrend reflecting weak price action. Using the CCI as a leading indicator, technical analysts may use a +100 reading as an overbought signal and a -100 reading as an oversold indicator, suggesting a trend reversal.
Shares of Aryaman Capital Markets Ltd (ARYACAPM.BO) have a 200-day moving average of 19.78. The 50-day is 22.61, and the 7-day is sitting at 22.69. Using a bigger time frame to assess the moving average such as the 200-day, may help block out the noise and chaos that is often caused by daily price fluctuations. In some cases, MA's may be used as strong reference points for spotting support and resistance levels.
The Average Directional Index or ADX is technical analysis indicator used to describe if a market is trending or not trending. The ADX alone measures trend strength but not direction. Using the ADX with the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) may help determine the direction of the trend as well as the overall momentum. Many traders will use the ADX alongside other indicators in order to help spot proper trading entry/exit points. Currently, the 14-day ADX for Aryaman Capital Markets Ltd (ARYACAPM.BO) is 20.26. Generally speaking, an ADX value from 0-25 would indicate an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would indicate a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signal a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would indicate an extremely strong trend. The Williams Percent Range or Williams %R is another technical indicator that may be useful for traders and investors. The Williams %R is designed to provide a general sense of when the equity might have reached an extreme and be primed for a reversal. As a general observance, the more overbought or oversold the reading displays, the more likely a reversal may take place. The 14 day Williams %R is noted at -50.00. Many consider the equity oversold if the reading is below -80 and overbought if the indicator is between 0 and -20.
Typically bull markets are times when investors may be willing to be a bit more speculative with stock selection. Managing risk is generally at the forefront of many strategies. Investors trying to shift the odds in their favor may be searching for the perfect balance and diversification to help mitigate the risk and enjoy healthier profits. With so many different stocks to choose from, it may take a while to zoom in or a particular set. Investors will also be watching the next wave of economic data to get a better sense of how the overall economy is fairing. With so much noise in the markets, it may be necessary to narrow the gaze in order to set the table for success. Investors may be on the lookout for the major catalyst that either keeps the bulls charging into the second half the year, or wakes up the sleeping bears.


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Sunday, February 13, 2011
The End Result
Ever since the workshop with Yves I have been thinking a lot abut what he told me as we discussed digital lettering. "The end result is what matters not so much the process".
As a result of that experience I decided to post some detailed screenshot images of the process I use to create a lettering piece. This one being a gestural script.
First I start with a pencil. I actually wrote the words a dozen times and used the best composition as an underlay.
I placed the sketch under a sheet of semi transparent layout paper and lettered the words with a extra fine Condor fountain pen. This became my rough lettering reference which was scanned and used as an Illustrator template. In order to create vector lettering I have to look at inked letters to understand the thicks and thins of the script.
When I start in Illustrator I fist create single line paths to follow the shapes of the letters in my layout. I then create outlines of the paths and begin to reposition and refine the lines. I must mention that things change along the way as I shape the letters based on contrast and flow of the forms. The final lettering is never exactly the same as the pencil or inked letter reference.
With vector lines and bezier curves I can fine tune details as the lettering in my Illustrator file is rather large at about 60 inches wide. I can zoom in and refine curves with precision and zoom out to see how changes effect the overall composition.
This is just one way of creating lettering and there are many other methods available. As time progresses want to increase my skill with traditional writing tools and pens in combination with digital format.
12 comments:
A lesson from the master; a humorous play on the message itself! Kudos Alan, once again!ReplyDelete
Great piece! Keep posting!ReplyDelete
i can't understand how come you changed the strokes in this perfection! did you used CS5 or what? i'm really thrilled to know the how-to behind this..ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 16, 2011 at 11:47 AM
I was going to bring up CS5 as well.. Currently you said you outline the stroke and use the tool to pull apart to create that effect of pressure.. In CS5 there is a stroke width tool that that expands the width of a stroke from the center point and tapers it accordingly.ReplyDelete
i have not used CS5 yet but am looking forward to the new features you describe. At present, I use the deselect tool to move points and bezier handles after lines are drawn.ReplyDelete
Great post, there's a lot of similarities to how I work. I find that the details of the process usually depend on the style of lettering I'm working on, and there's a kind of feedback relationship between the two.ReplyDelete
When I start in Illustrator I *fist* create single line pathsReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 2:36 AM
This piece won me over.ReplyDelete
This is my first time on your blog, and I had to comment on the ampersand first, but this is some really impressive work.
Not True!ReplyDelete
I Believe The Opposite.
The Journey ,The Process
All Matter More Than The End Result.
Also The Impeccability Of The Words Are More Important Than The Typeface or Typestyle...
but keep up the good work
What is "not true" about "This is just one way of creating lettering and there are many other methods available"?
I will use any writing instrument, pencil, brush, pen, marker including drawing or image editing software available to create lettering. Whatever works.
Just starting out hand lettering and found your blog. It's really helpful seeing the full process, step by step. Thanks for sharing.ReplyDelete
This was really helpful for me, thank you for outlining your process!ReplyDelete


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Pre-Law Advisors
A Bit About Who We Are...
ONU Law has prided itself on providing an individualized legal education to our students for more than 130 years. The mission of our institution is to create practice-ready attorneys, and we accomplish this goal by guaranteeing our students numerous opportunities for skills courses, clinical and externship placements, and individualized instruction from leading scholars. The small class size and enviable 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio allow our students to graduate with a strong foundation in legal theory, and the tools to become successful practitioners. Additionally, our well-rounded curriculum and emphasis on academic support have allowed our graduates to consistently achieve success on the bar exam.
We are looking for students who will thrive in an experience-driven legal program, and we hope that you can become a partner in our efforts to recruit the most qualified students. Through this webpage we hope that we can highlight the qualities that create what we call "The ONU Law Difference." The office of law admissions would welcome the opportunity to speak with you or a representative of your institution about any questions you may have about a specific program or the education we offer our students.
A. The Summer Starter Program: High GPA, Low LSAT?
The Summer Starter Program is a unique opportunity for students whose outstanding undergraduate performance indicates probable academic success in graduate school despite disproportionate LSAT scores. This 8 week program, consisting of two first year courses (7 credit hours), provides our students with the one-on-one attention necessary to be successful in law school. From individual weekly meetings with an academic support advisor, to weekly group TA (teaching assistant) sessions, students will learn the needed study skills that will set students apart from those students entering through the fall. Many of our Summer Starter students end up in the top of the class at the end of their first year. This, in addition to hard work, can be credited to the skills and confidence acquired from completing the Summer Starter Program. Once students have completed the program, you are automatically enrolled into the fall entering class. No reapplication required!
Small classes, individual attention, and a greater chance for student participation and class interaction are hallmarks of the Summer Starter program. We believe that students selected for our Summer Starter Program reap the benefits of a "jump-start" in their legal educations and that their potential for success is unlimited. We encourage you to advise your students to take advantage of this opportunity.
B. Academic Support (Including our Bar prep program)
Professor Nancy Sabol serves as ONU Law's full-time Director of Academic Support and Associate Professor of Law. In addition to directing the various academic support programs, she is available for individual counseling of the students to assist them with their studying and test-taking skills.
Workshops "Succeed Program"
The Academic Support Director conducts a series of workshops throughout the school year to help students with legal analysis, exam preparation, and exam taking. ONU Law's Succeed Program consists of a series of structured workshops or study groups for each first year course and for upper level courses that cover subjects typically tested on the bar exam. These workshops are open to all students. Each week a review session is held for each section of one of the first year courses. First year students meet with a teaching assistant assigned to the professor who teaches their section of the course. The teaching assistants, students who excelled in that course, work closely with the faculty member in developing problems and exercises for the meetings. The teaching assistants not only help the new students to understand the material, but also help them to adapt to law school learning. The teaching assistants are selected by Professor Sabol in conjunction with the faculty member.
Advising System
Each student is assigned a faculty advisor at the beginning of the first year. The faculty advisor meets with the student at least once per semester throughout the student's law school career for advice and counseling. In addition, the faculty advisor assists the student in plotting a course of study advantageous to that student's professional goals and to the particular bar exam the student will take.
ONU Bar Review
In the spring semester, the faculty present weekly workshops to assist third-year students in bar preparation. Difficult material in bar subjects is reviewed and practice essay and multiple-choice questions are presented. Additionally, ONU Law students are encouraged to take Transitions to Legal Practice, a third year course that provides extensive counseling and Bar review for students taking the bar exam in Ohio and throughout the country. Students will be tested on both essay and multiple-choice questions previously asked on the bar exam. Feedback is then provided the following class and individual counseling is available.
C. Guarenteed Clinical and externship Programs & Skills Courses:
Participating in a clinical or externship program at ONU Law opens the door for opportunities and experiences one would miss out on by simply remaining in the classroom. While we pride ourselves on our ability to teach theory, it is the skills learned in programs like our clinics and externships that set our students apart, both on their resume and in the practice setting. In a competitive legal market, it is important to display confidence and competence during the first day of that new job. It is these opportunities to stand out amongst your peers from other law schools that make participating in clinical and externships programs worth every minute.
Clinical Programs:
- ONU Legal Clinic
- Civil Litigation Clinic
- Corporate Transactional Clinic
- Bankruptcy Externship
- Environmental Externship
- Governmental Externship
- Non-Profit Litigation Externship
- Municipal Government Externship
- Prosecutor Externship
- Public Defender Externship
- Judicial Externship
- Judicial Externship II
We expect our students to obtain 6 credit hours of skills training during their time in law school. Our skills courses are designed to provide students with the professional legal skills needed to practice the law. A vital component of skills training is hands-on practice experience, providing students with the knowledge and expertise for which our graduates and alumni are known.
Skills Courses:
All students are required to take 6 credit hours of skills courses prior to graduation. To view our entire course list, please visit our Academics webpages.
How to Prepare for Law School:
ONU Law Admissions provides extensive instructions on the steps your students should be taking as they begin to think about law school, study for the LSAT, and submit their applications. To view this information, head to our Applying to Law School webpage. We encourage you to suggest our website as a resource to answer many of their questions about the law school application process.
The ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar recommend the following core skills and values for attorneys and prospective law students. Although not mandatory, this list serves as a strong guide for the characteristics that an ideal candidate for law admissions possesses.
Core Skills and Values: Based on ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
- Analytic / Problem Solving Skills
- Critical Reading
- Writing Skills
- Oral Communication / Listening Abilities
- General Research Skills
- Task Organization / Management Skills
- Public Service and Promotion of Justice
The Office of Law admissions coordinates dozens of individual visits to colleges and universities each year. We would be happy to make a trip to speak with a group of your pre-law students. Please contact the Office of Law Admissions at 419-772-2211 or email@example.com if you are interested in schedule a visit.
Additionally, if you or your students would like to arrange a visit to campus, we can easily schedule a private or group visit that can include one or all of the following events: Q&A with an admissions director, tour of the law college, financial aid presentation, career services presentation, lunch with current students (likely alumni from your institution if applicable), or observe a first year law class. ONU Law will provide complimentary accommodations at the Inn at ONU if your group wishes to stay overnight.


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Debts Threaten to Halt Students' Education
The statistics about the student loan crisis are appalling enough, as many excellent articles attest.
A few samples: Student Loans Are Becoming a Drag on the US Economy ; Student Loan Defaults Surge To Highest Level In Nearly 2 Decades ; The Student Loan Debt Crisis in 9 Charts ; and more.
But even more appalling than the statistics are the stories. Ask around among your friends and acquaintances and you'll soon discover a whole lot of young people who are saddled with debts that they didn't expect or understand and which they can't get out from under.
The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (Senator Elizabeth Warren's excellent invention) has just released a report on dilemmas student borrowers are experiencing, saying that "private student loan borrowers face payment processing pitfalls that can lead to increased costs, prolonged repayments, and harm to their credit profiles."
"With limited options to refinance, many borrowers want to pay off loans where they are stuck in high rates," says CFPB Student Loan Ombudsman Rohit Chopra. "But too many borrowers have to run through an obstacle course to get their payments processed properly."
It's a lot like what happened in the subprime mortgage crisis, but student borrowers are even less sophisticated than the buyers who were sold loans they couldn't afford. Often they don't realize what's happening until it's too late to change their minds. Student loan debt is now about $1 trillion, more than credit card debt, twice what it was in 2007.
I recently got a window into a host of particularly pernicious practices when a musician friend asked me if I could advise his son, also an excellent musician, a graduate of the Oakland School of the Arts and UC Berkeley's late lamented Young Musicians' Program who's won many awards, about how he could change to a less expensive school. The father hoped that since I have a legal background I could help them through the thicket of rules that the young man had gotten entangled in.
The son told me he'd been given a full tuition scholarship for his first year by a college in New York City which recruited him for its well-advertised and perhaps prestigious jazz program. When the first semester of his second year started, the school offered to pay part of the cost, but told him he'd have to come up with the balance. He enrolled for the first semester hoping he could find employment, but the recession made that impossible. He ended the semester $8,600 in arrears, an impossible amount for his family's resources to cover, since his mother had been laid off from her job in the downturn. He wasn't able to enroll for the second semester.
And here's the big problem: He can't go on there. He can't transfer to a less costly California school, even one which offers him a full scholarship, without providing his transcript, the official record of his grades from the expensive New York City private institution. But the school has put a "hold" on sending out his transcript until (or unless) he can find the money to pay off his bill.
His father talks about taking out a loan to pay his son's back bill in New York—the college is eager to facilitate this. But that would lead to long-term indebtedness at ruinous interest rates (see the articles linked above) and there's another child to educate in the family, not to mention the usual: rent, transport, food on the table. So the young man's education is stalled.
Naïve old-school liberal that I am, I was sure that the college couldn't get away with withholding his grades until he could pay up. But a cursory investigation showed that this is standard procedure at most schools.
Promising young people with little experience in the world are routinely recruited by colleges and allowed or even encouraged to incur bills that they can't pay—then they're stuck with holds on their grades so they can't transfer out. Asking around, I discovered another young man, a star high school football player, who was recruited by a junior college with a partial scholarship, but injuries took him off the team. Now he's left with a back tuition bill he can't cover. If he can't find the money to pay his balance, his education is at an end. A couple of other kids I talked to had similar stories.
I talked on background to a couple of financial aid officers, who took it for granted that scholarship students would be able to make substantial contributions to their expenses. One, at a University of California campus, said that students at her school are expected to come up with $8,600 a year out of their own pocket in addition to whatever financial aid they get. That must be some kind of magic threshold, since it's exactly what the young musician owes his New York private school. But for many families in today's weak economy, it's just too much.
Education is routinely touted as the solution to surviving the problems of this poor economy, but an education which burdens graduates, and especially those who can't even afford to make it to graduation, with lifetime debt is a poor investment.
So I haven't yet been able to do much to help my young friend. All I've learned in my brief informal research into this topic is how much I don't know about it. Senator Warren, among others, is working on the problem, but for today's young people of student age like him, a long-term solution might come too late.
Something needs to be done soon. Any ideas would be welcome.


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MIAMI, April 28 (UPI) -- LeBron James and other Miami Heat players wore their warm-up shirts inside-out before their playoff game against the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday, mimicking the Los Angeles Clippers silent protest against owner Donald Sterling.
Clippers guard Chris Paul said Sunday that his team had decided not to boycott the game because of racist comments attributed to Sterling. They staged a protest instead, hiding the logos on their warm-ups, wearing black socks and armbands and dropping their jackets on the court.
In a similar move on Monday, the Heat gathered at center court and removed their t-shirts to reveal inside-out warm ups.
James was openly critical of Sterling's alleged remarks over the weekend, telling reporters that the league had "no room" for racism.
Heat guard Dwyane Wade said Monday that the Clippers players "did a great job of handling" the controversy.
"There's no right or wrong answer and there's no book to tell you how to handle this situation," he added. "We're in full support of the Clippers -- the players, most importantly. We are a group, a unit. Even though we compete against each other we always want to be a group."


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Can anyone help me out with this error? thanks


text:
Financial wellness can be yours in 2013
By Judith
Bartels, Social Security district manager in
Send a link to a friend
[January 07, 2013]
SPRINGFIELD -- January is
Financial Wellness Month -- a great time to think about your own
financial future. It also happens to be at this time that many
people make resolutions for the New Year. Why not combine the two
and make your own financial wellness a resolution for 2013?
Start your financial plan with your Social Security statement.
The online statement is easy to use and provides estimates you
should consider in planning for your retirement. It provides
estimates for disability and survivor benefits, making the statement
an important financial planning tool. Your statement allows you to
review and ensure that your earnings are accurately posted to your
Social Security record. This feature is important because Social
Security benefits are based on average earnings over your lifetime.
If the information is incorrect or if you have earnings missing from
your record, you may not receive all the benefits to which you are
entitled in the future. Check at
Work the numbers. Once you get your online statement, you can use
the other free resources provided by Social Security. Use the
Retirement Estimator, where you can get a personalized, instant
estimate of your future retirement benefits, using different
retirement ages and scenarios. Visit the Retirement Estimator at
Once you are in the know, choose to save. The earlier you begin
your financial planning, the better off you will be. Social Security
replaces about 40 percent of the average worker's pre-retirement
earnings. Most financial advisers say you will need 70 percent or
more of pre-retirement earnings to live comfortably. You also will
need other savings, investments, pensions or retirement accounts to
make sure you have enough money to live comfortably when you retire.
Visit the Ballpark Estimator for tips to help you save:
[to top of second column]
Do some light reading. Learn more about Social Security, the
benefit programs, and what they mean to you and your family, by
browsing through the online library of Social Security publications.
In particular, the publication entitled "When To Start Receiving
Retirement Benefits" provides helpful information regarding the
things you should consider when making a decision on when to collect
retirement benefits. Many of the publications also are available in
audio format and other formats. The library at
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs is always open.
Help someone you love. Sometimes we get the most satisfaction out
of helping someone else. If you have a grandparent, parent, relative
or friend who could benefit from Social Security, share the website
and the features of the online services with them. You can even help
a loved one apply for Social Security benefits in as little as 15
minutes -- or for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs.
Whether you forward a publication or sit down to help someone apply
for Social Security, the place to go is
There are a number of ways you can celebrate Financial Wellness
Month, so start off the New Year by looking out for your own
financial wellness at
[Text from file received from the
Social Security office
in Springfield]
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text:
Register Now
The Summit will take place on October 30 and 31, 2012
at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi. A number of rooms have been blocked for the summit and can be booked here.
> Regular fee: $ 450 | INR 23,700
> Partners fee: $ 350 | INR 18,124
> Registration is free for members of the PRESS.
His Excellency Kapil Sibal
Minister of Union for Communications and Information Technology
Committee Chairman
Sachin Pilot
Minister of State for Communications and IT
Milind Deora
Minister of State for Communications and IT
R. Chandrashekhar
Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications
J. Satyanarayana
Secretary of the Department of IT
Dr. B. K. Gairola
Director General, NIC
Dr. Gulshan Rai
Director, CERTS India
Som Mittal
President, NASSCOM
Nandan Nilekani
Chairman, UIDAI; Head, TAGUP
Dr. Rajiv Kumar
Secretary General, FICCI
Dr. Dilip Chenoy
CEO, National Skills Development Corporation
Virat Bhatia
Chairman, FICCI Communication and Digital Economy Committee
Anurag Jain
Chairman, Laurus Edutech
Sanjay Kapoor
CEO India & South Asia, Bharti Airtel
Marten Pieters
CEO, Vodafone India
C.S. Rao
President, Corporate Affairs and Regulatory, Reliance Communications
Udayan Sen
CEO and Managing Partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells
Call for Papers
The Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit is a unique event that convenes experts, stakeholders and decision-makers from industry, government and academia to advance international policy to promote the security, stability and safety of cyberspace. As with the first two, this 3rd Summit is sponsored by the EastWest Institute, in partnership with its technical co-sponsor, the IEEE.
Consistent with EWI's reputation as a "think-and-do tank," the Summit fosters problem solving and solution recommendations for difficult international and consequential policy gaps in cyberspace, i.e. the internationally-focused Agreements, Standards, Policies and Regulations (ASPR) gaps. Ultimately, the Summit's format tackles the issues of mistrust and the confidence building necessary for global cooperation. The Summit prefers papers focused on ASPR gaps rather than strictly technology focused papers.
Papers are sought for international policy-related aspects of cybersecurity, including:
> Worldwide governance, frameworks and protocols for the day-to-day behavior, in cyberspace, policing cyberspace and the conduct of cyber conflict.
> Worldwide strategies and mechanisms for the reliability and resilience of the supply chain, infrastructure and emerging capabilities (e.g., the mobile ecosystem).
> Worldwide response strategies and mechanisms to cyber crisis (e.g., international priority communications, and trusted information sharing).
> Worldwide issues, awareness and education (e.g., protecting youth, spam and the private public partnerships need to secure the global economy).
> Contents must be original work
> Length of 4-6 pages
> Format per IEEE conference style (see *below for templates and guidelines)
> Cover page should clearly indicate the complete postal and email addresses, as well as phone of the contact author
> Submissions must be made in PDF format here.
Rolling > Full Paper Submissions (Submit early to ensure timely notification)
7 September > Final Acceptance Notifications
24 September > Camera-ready Final Paper Submission Due
8 October > Ready-to-Print Posters Due
30-31 October > Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit
Submission of an abstract implies the willingness of at least one of the authors to present a complete and final version of the paper at the Summit in New Delhi. Authors agree to advance release of papers to selected media outlets. Authors of selected papers, will have the opportunity to present in either a poster or parallel track session, and have their papers published in IEEE XPlore, and EI Index, with the exception that EWI and IEEE reserve the right to exclude any paper from distribution after the conference (e.g., removal from IEEE Xplore) if the paper is not presented at the conference. Papers that are removed from IEEE Xplore will not be available through the EI Index.
After the previous editions in Dallas and London, the EastWest Institute is proudly bringing the Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit to India.
The Summit will take place on October 30 and 31, 2012 at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi.
Like in London and Dallas, the format of the Summit will be highly interactive. This interactive working program gives participants unique opportunities to collaborate with professional peers from around the world. Participants can expect to be able to work on critical issues where international policy is stalled. These issues were identified at the first Summit in Dallas and the second Summit in London. The success of the Summit is measured by the breakthroughs made in these groups both during the meeting and in the followup activities.
The EastWest Institute, in partnership with the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), is sponsoring three new breakthrough groups. In consultation with the Indian government and private sector leaders, these new issues will be explored for detailed discussion at the Summit:
> ICT Development Supply Chain Integrity;
> ASPR for Globally Distributed Processing and Data Storage;
> Payload Security.
The objective for each of the breakthrough groups is to have actionable recommendations for industry and government that, if implemented, will have significant impact in making cyberspace and the real world more safe, more stable and more secure.
Fighting Spam & Botnets
Originating from our China-U.S. track 2 bilateral on cybersecurity, this breakthrough group utilizes international cooperation to effectively use representatives from countries with the highest-ranking sources of spam and across private and public sectors to develop, share and implement best practices to reduce spam in cyberspace.
Cyber Conflict Policy and Rules of the Road
This Russia-U.S. track 2 bilateral group, in coordination with senior government officials and private sector stakeholders, seeks to develop the most fundamental aspects of military conflict policies for cyberspace in order to avoid unnecessary escalation during situations of perceived aggression. The development of the underpinnings for such policies entails- agreements on terminology related to cyber and information security, and application of existing laws of war or the setting of rules of the road for cyber conflict.
Reliability of Global Undersea Communications Cable Infrastructure (ROGUCCI)
Through cooperation amongst industry subject matter experts, stakeholders and global policy champions, this breakthrough group works to improve the reliability and security of the Global Undersea Communications Infrastructure (GUCCI), which businesses and governments vitally depend on for global connectivity for their ongoing operation.
Priority International Communications (PIC) Policy
Recent tragic experiences have demonstrated the enormous demand and need for communications in the midst of catastrophes. Due to the lack of policies guiding the implementation of international technical standards, this breakthrough group works to create policy solutions, with the aim to champion the mobilization of resources to implement a priority communications capability worldwide.
Collective Action to Improve Global Internet Health
There is currently no global, coordinated approach to protecting people from malware and related threats. The goal of the breakthrough group is to examine how a public health model (PHM) might be used to imagine new approaches to protecting billions of Internet users.
Measuring the Cybersecurity Problem
The best assessments of the frequency and damages of cybersecurity breaches are incomplete. In addition, the most effective practices for promoting cybersecurity are shared to a limited degree. This breakthrough group seeks to develop new models for trusted information sharing including the establishment of a trusted environment in which cybersecurity compromises and best current practices can be shared.
ICT Development Supply Chain Integrity
Globalization has given governments and businesses access to the best-in-class ICT products, transforming the way these actors function. Given the increased dependence on ICT and the failure of existing methods to provide assurances of integrity, this group works to alleviate the doubts about the integrity of these products and the fears that adversaries may introduce malicious codes and functions to do surreptitious surveillance, disrupt services or at worst paralyze a nation.
Emergency Response Coordination for Major Cyber Incident in Financial Services
Financial service firms face an increased frequency, intensity and sophistication of electronic attacks and the industry faces the inability to respond collectively to these attacks. This breakthrough group works to define requirements across the financial services industry to improve the industry's operational ability to respond to cybersecurity incidents through information sharing and effective information security response coordination.
ASPR for Globally Distributed Processing and Data Storage
Distributed architecture optimizes low cost and convenience, with security considerations as a casualty, putting concerns such as privacy, information protection and even reliable access in jeopardy. The popularity of these services is attracting mass markets who are unaware or unable to compete without such services, and those who are aware are powerless to negotiate with the increasingly powerful multinational actors.
Payload Security
This breakthrough group works to address and find ways to break the current impasse surrounding the clash of existing policies and practices for electronic data encryption and interception, individual privacy and identity in cyberspace.
Protecting Youth - Building a Global Culture of Digital Citizenship
Because the evolution of the Internet has led to an increasingly user-driven experience in a constant state of change, early education in media awareness must be considered a huge component of any online safety strategy. This breakthrough group pursues tangible means to promote responsible digital citizenship amongst youth.
New Delhi 2012
> To mobilize new commitments by leading businesses and governments of Cyber40 countries to address cross-border cybersecurity challenges.
> To set in place new models for private sector leadership in addressing inherent vulnerabilities and emerging threats associated with global Internet connectivity and information and communications technology (ICT) development.
> To make advances on the most pressing issues in global management of critical ICT infrastructure with collaborative international breakthroughs.
> To frame an action plan for globally acceptable policies on cyber crime, the associated international investigative procedures and a framework for addressing the related very complex jurisdictional matters.
It is a great pleasure to welcome all of you to the 3rd Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit in New Delhi. We at the EastWest Institute are honored to host this first-of-its-kind meeting with leading thinkers, practitioners, and decision makers from India and around the world.
With its remarkable information technology industry and rapidly developing economy, India will play a key role in the world's efforts to secure our digital economy. Building on the policy progress represented by earlier summits in Dallas and London, the New Delhi Summit Process is breaking new ground in cybersecurity policy.
EWI's cybersecurity work is unique in that it not only encourages the exchange of ideas but facilitates the development and implementation of practical solutions to global challenges.
India's contribution, with the cooperation of government and private sector leaders such as Minister Kapil Sibal, NASSCOM's Som Mittal, and FICCI's Dr. Rajiv Kumar, allows the global community of specialists gathered here to ensure the wide applicability of their efforts. We hope it also helps build strong ties in the international cybersecurity community. After all, virtually everything in the digital era crosses international borders.
We thank you for your participation and look forward to great insights and tangible progress as the process continues.
Chairman of the Board, EastWest Institute
3rd WORLDWIDE CYBERSECURITY SUMMIT
October 30-31, 2012 New Delhi
The Problem
Every day, billions of phishing emails bombard personal computers, carrying malware and viruses. Hackers steal client data from company websites, accusations of cyber espionage fly and countries uneasily wonder whether cyber attacks can be considered acts of war.
At EWI, here's how we understand the global cybersecurity challenge: As technical innovation has skyrocketed, the global economy has become increasingly digitalized.
Our Solution
Securing cyberspace is a global challenge - one that cannot be solved by a single company or country alone. That is why the EastWest Institute launched the Worldwide Cybersecurity Initiative in 2009, bringing together government and corporate partners to protect our world's digital infrastructure.
Drawing on a thirty-year history of building trust, EWI formed the Cyber40, a coalition of representatives from the world's most digitally-advanced countries. The Cyber40 is working to shape rules of the road for cyber conflict and fighting cyber crime through international cooperation. EWI is also helping to build innovative private-public partnerships on cybersecurity, and working towards an effective global cyberspace emergency response capability.
What People Say
EWI's Global Effort
All around the world, companies, governments and nonprofits are working independently on cybersecurity. EWI's cybersecurity initiative is distinguished by our truly global scope - and our ability to bring experts from different countries and sectors together to forge solutions. The first step to creating collective solutions is building trust - a method that has been at the heart of EWI's activities for the past thirty years.
Established during the Cold War, EWI's original mission was to build trust between what was then called the East and West: The Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries, and the United States and its NATO allies.
EWI's Cyber Crime Working Group examines existing and potential legal measures to combat cyber crime. The group consists of experts from Norway, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Italy and Belgium.
They work toward a set of recommendations for harmonized legal frameworks to fight cyber crime through increased international cooperation. At their February 2011 meeting, participants agreed that regional approaches incorporating government and private sector actors will be a precursor to successful global policy.
Reliability of Global Undersea Cable Communications Infrastructure (ROGUCCI) is an advocacy program EWI developed with the IEEE to protect the vital undersea cables that carry over 99% of intercontinental Internet messages. The ongoing implementation of ROGUCCI recommendations is an example of a key objective of the EWI Worldwide Cybersecurity Initiative: unleashing private sector leadership in global cybersecurity policy.
EWI's annual cybersecurity summits provide a crucial forum for building international, private-public partnerships and for shaping the agreements, standards, policies and regulations (ASPR) we need to protect cyberspace. The 1st Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit: Protecting the Digital Economy was held in Dallas in May 2010, the 2nd Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit: Mobilizing for International Action was held June 1-2 2011 in London and brought together more than 450 government, industry and technical leaders from 43 countries to craft new solutions for threats facing our digital world. The 3rd Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit will be held in New Delhi, October 30-31, 2012.
In our capacity as an experienced Track 2 convener, EWI has launched cutting-edge international cybersecurity collaborations. In February of 2011, EWI released the first ever joint U.S.-Russia publication on cyberspace, Working Towards Rules for Governing Cyber Conflict: Rendering the Geneva and Hague Conventions in Cyberspace. Produced by a team of U.S. and Russian experts, the report explores how to extend the humanitarian principles that govern war to cyberspace. This groundbreaking report grabbed worldwide attention because it modeled the kind of international cooperation that is possible - and necessary - in cyberspace. Partnering with the Internet Society of China, EWI regularly brings together Chinese and U.S. experts to confront some of the toughest threats to cyberspace. In June 2011, EWI released the first joint U.S.-China report to address a major cybersecurity challenge, Fighting Spam to Build Trust - the first product of the team's ongoing collaboration. EWI is now reaching out to an emerging cyber power: India.
EWI's Cyber40 entered its third year in 2012. The Cyber40 helps senior diplomats from the most critical powers in cyberspace communicate in frank and constructive ways with U.S. officials, members of Congress and private sector leaders on cybersecurity issues. The forum is deliberately low-profile and only engages ambassador- and deputy chief of mission-level officials of the Cyber40 nations based in Washington. Recently events were held at the Kazakh and Swiss embassies on subjects including "rules of the road" in cyber conflict and new legal mechanisms to enhance international cooperation in cyberspace.
Contact Us
India Representative
Franz-Stefan Gady
+91 8879263679
EWI New York
11 East 26th Street
20th Floor
New York, NY 10010
Tel: +1-212-824-4100
EWI Brussels
59-61 Rue de Treves
1040 Brussels
Tel: +32-2-743-4610
EWI Moscow
7/5 Bolshaya Dmitrovka Str
Bldg. 1, 6th Floor
Moscow 125009
Tel: +7-495-234-7797


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So You Want to Live on ... Isle of Hope, Georgia
The Isle of Hope Marina is the only commercial venture on the island. The remainder of the sleepy town boasts postcard-perfect cottages and manors.
It's just a short trip across a narrow river bridge onto Georgia's Isle of Hope. But it's "a quarter mile and a world away from the continental United States," as Julia Kelly remembers her father describing the small island where she grew up.
A sense of community thrives here, only 15 minutes from Savannah. Mansions sit side by side with meager houses.
"They're all mixed in on the island, yet it works," explains Linda Kelly, Julia's mom and a resident since 1970. "Part of the charm is that it has changed very little."
The area's biggest change: the addition of a Piggly Wiggly grocery store in nearby Sandfly. "If we go to The Pig any day between 5 and 6 in the evening, we'll see all our friends and neighbors in the aisles," says Linda.
Isle of Hope is that rare place where parents still feel comfortable sending their kids out to play early in the day and signaling them home at dark by ringing a bell. Youngsters ride bikes to the marina―the island's only commercial establishment―to buy Popsicles and ice-cream sandwiches. Boaters traveling along the Intracoastal Waterway often stop there as well. More than a few decide to stay.
Craig and Diana Barrow moved with their two children 16 years ago to Wormsloe, a former plantation. Eight generations back, in 1732, King George II of England granted 500 acres to Craig's ancestor Noble Jones. Over time, Noble's holdings expanded to more than 800 acres. In 1973, Noble's descendants donated all but the 50 acres surrounding the family home to the state of Georgia.
Its foundation built in 1828, the residence remains private. But visitors are welcome at Wormsloe Historic Site, with a 1.5-mile drive canopied by 400 live oaks. Hiking trails lace the grounds' lush maritime forest.
"Isle of Hope has built up beautifully over the years," says Diana. "It is a picture, and a lovely neighborhood to be in. We've spent many happy afternoons crabbing off of our dock with our kids."
Isle of Hope has long attracted moviemakers and photographers. Soldiers marched along Bluff Drive in the movie Glory. When Blythe Danner filmed The Last of the Belles, her baby daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow, shared a crib with 6-week-old Julia Kelly. "People would come up from the river and want to take pictures of our house," Julia says. "From the water, it looked quite grand with its columns, but to us, it was just a country house with dogs and an occasional raccoon running through."
Perhaps most telling, says Linda, is that "the kids who grew up here are coming back and buying the old homes and fixing them up."
Images from more than 20 years of visits to Isle of Hope adorn the Savannah gallery of photographer Jack Leigh, who shot the cover of the best-seller Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. "The beauty, allure, and lifestyle have made it an enchanted isle for me," Jack says.
(published 2004)


text:
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text:
Michael Wade Rounds I
Michael Wade Rounds I, 68, met his Savior Jesus Christ face to face at 10:59 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013, when he left this world from Spokane's Deaconess Hospital. Michael's beloved wife – Rachel and their family were by his side to witness Michael's Home-going.
The only son of Edwin Bud and Josephine Louise (Landergreen) Rounds, Michael was born September 24, 1944, in Seattle, Washington. Twenty-two years to the day that he entered this world, Michael received his best ever birthday gift, when he wed lovely young Rachel Antioquia, on September 24, 1968. About which he would jokingly warn others, "don't get married on your birthday, for you will never again get to celebrate your birthday."
Always proud of his heritage as a member of the Colville Confederated Tribes, Michael enjoyed dancing at powwows and especially teaching children to dance. He worked for the Seattle School District where he specialized in Native American Education and as a Home School Coordinator. Following his retirement, Michael and his family moved to Elmer City, Wash., soon becoming a favorite of the Sunday School children whom he lovingly taught at Electric City's Faith Community Church. Eager to continue positively influencing the next generation, Michael returned to sharing Native American Culture and Traditions within schools, only now it was in the middle schools of his own beloved Colville Reservation.
Founder and president of the "Boys Club of Loomis" and avid football fan, Michael was the honorary 12th man on the Lake Roosevelt High School squad, well known by all for his chant of "HIT SOMEBODY!" Also a fan who attended many games of the former Seattle Sonics basketball team, Michael was known for his great sense of humor and loved fishing, hunting, camping and especially spending time with his grandchildren.
Predeceased by both his parents and his sister Cherylin Smith; Michael's legacy lives on through his God-Given partner of 44 years Rachel Rounds; children: Patricia Lynn Rounds, Corina Marie Valdez (Christopher), Ramona Jo Rounds, Katrina Rae Rounds, Shannon Ahona Rounds, and Michael Wade Rounds II; grandchildren: Tiana, Tristan, Trey and Trinity Valdez and S'Noviah, Michael Ray, Lillian, Joseph and Gabriel Rounds; sister Patricia Antioquia and too many nephews and nieces to list.
An account has been established to help Michael's family defray the costs of his medical expenses. Contributions may be made to the Michael Rounds Fund Account at any Bank of America branch.
A celebration of Michael's life was held Sunday Feb. 10, 2013, at Faith Community Church in Electric City. Burial will take place in Loomis Cemetery. An on-line register book is available at http://www.stratefuneralhome.com . Strate Funeral Home of Grand Coulee is honored to be serving Michael's family.


text:
Geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit, geostationary Earth orbit or geosynchronous equatorial orbit[1] (GEO) is a circular orbit 35,786 kilometres (22,236 mi) above the Earth's equator and following the direction of the Earth's rotation.[2] An object in such an orbit has an orbital period equal to the Earth's rotational period (one sidereal day), and thus appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers. Communications satellites and weather satellites are often placed in geostationary orbits, so that the satellite antennas which communicate with them do not have to rotate to track them, but can be pointed permanently at the position in the sky where they stay. Using this characteristic, ocean color satellites with visible sensors (e.g. the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI)) can also be operated in geostationary orbit in order to monitor sensitive changes of ocean environments.
A geostationary orbit is a particular type of geosynchronous orbit, the distinction being that while an object in geosynchronous orbit returns to the same point in the sky at the same time each day, an object in geostationary orbit never leaves that position.
The notion of a
- All articles with unsourced statements
- Articles with unsourced statements from September 2014
- All articles with dead external links
- Articles with dead external links from August 2011
- WorldHeritage articles incorporating text from the Federal Standard 1037C
- WorldHeritage articles incorporating text from MIL-STD-188
- Astrodynamics
- Earth orbits
- Artificial satellites in geosynchronous orbit
- Orbital Mechanics (Rocket and Space Technology)
- List of satellites in geostationary orbit
- Clarke Belt Snapshot Calculator
- 3D Real Time Satellite Tracking
- Geostationary satellite orbit overview
- Daily animation of the Earth, made by geostationary satellite 'Electro L' photos Satellite shoots 48 images of the planet every day.
External links
This article incorporates public domain material from the General Services Administration document "Federal Standard 1037C" (in support of MIL-STD-188).
- ^ "Ariane 5 User's Manual Issue 5 Revision 1". arianespace. July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ A geostationary Earth orbit satellite model using Easy Java Simulation Loo Kang Wee and Giam Hwee Goh 2013 Phys. Educ. 48 72
- ^ Noordung, Hermann; et al. (1995) [1929]. The Problem With Space Travel. Translation from original German. DIANE Publishing. p. 72.
- ^ "(Korvus's message is sent) to a small, squat building at the outskirts of Northern Landing. It was hurled at the sky. … It … arrived at the relay station tired and worn, … when it reached a space station only five hundred miles above the city of North Landing." Smith, George O. (1976). The Complete Venus Equilateral. New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 3–4.
- ^ "It is therefore quite possible that these stories influenced me subconsciously when … I worked out the principles of synchronous communications satellistes …", op. cit, p. x
- ^ "Extra-Terrestrial Relays — Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?". Arthur C. Clark. October 1945. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
- ^ "Basics of Space Flight Section 1 Part 5, Geostationary Orbits". NASA. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
- ^ The Teledesic Network: Using Low-Earth-Orbit Satellites to Provide Broadband, Wireless, Real-Time Internet Access Worldwide
- ^ p. 123
- ^ [1]
- ^ ITU Space Services Division
- ^ Oduntan, Gbenga. "The Never Ending Dispute: Legal Theories on the Spatial Demarcation Boundary Plane between Airspace and Outer Space". Hertfordshire Law Journal, 1(2), p. 75.
- ^ Shi Hu-Li, Han Yan-Ben, Ma Li-Hua, Pei Jun, Yin Zhi-Qiang and Ji Hai-Fu (2010). Beyond Life-Cycle Utilization of Geostationary Communication Satellites in End-of-Life, Satellite Communications, Nazzareno Diodato (Ed.), ISBN 978-953-307-135-0, InTech, "Beyond Life-Cycle Utilization of Geostationary Communication Satellites in End-of-Life".
- ^ "Inclined orbit operation".
- ^ "Newton's Second Law". http://www.physicsclassroom.com.
- ^ Edited by P. Kenneth Seidelmann, "Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac", University Science Books,1992, pp. 700
- ^ Orbital periods and speeds are calculated using the relations 4π²R³ = T²GM and V²R = GM, where R = radius of orbit in metres, T = orbital period in seconds, V = orbital speed in m/s, G = gravitational constant ≈ 6.673×10−11 Nm²/kg², M = mass of Earth ≈ 5.98×1024 kg.
- ^ Approximately 8.6 times when the moon is nearest (363 104 km ÷ 42 164 km) to 9.6 times when the moon is farthest (405 696 km ÷ 42 164 km).
- ^ In the small body approximation, the geostationary orbit is independent of the satellite's mass. For satellites having a mass less than M μerr/μ≈1015 kg, that is, over a billion times that of the ISS, the error due to the approximation is smaller than the error on the universal geocentric gravitational constant (and thus negligible).
- Geostationary transfer orbit
- List of orbits
- List of satellites in geosynchronous orbit
- Orbital stationkeeping
- Space elevator
See also
By the same formula we can find the geostationary-type orbit of an object in relation to Mars (this type of orbit above is referred to as an areostationary orbit if it is above Mars). The geocentric gravitational constant GM (which is μ) for Mars has the value of 42,828 km3s−2, and the known rotational period (T) of Mars is 88,642.66 seconds. Since ω = 2π/T, using the formula above, the value of ω is found to be approx 7.088218×10−5 s−1. Thus, r3 = 8.5243×1012 km3, whose cube root is 20,427 km; subtracting the equatorial radius of Mars (3396.2 km) we have 17,031 km.
- v = \omega r \approx 3.0746~\mathrm{km}/\mathrm{s} \approx 11\,068~\mathrm{km}/\mathrm{h} \approx 6877.8~\mathrm{mph}\text{.}
Orbital speed (how fast the satellite is moving through space) is calculated by multiplying the angular speed by the orbital radius:
The resulting orbital radius is 42,164 kilometres (26,199 mi). Subtracting the Earth's equatorial radius, 6,378 kilometres (3,963 mi), gives the altitude of 35,786 kilometres (22,236 mi).
- \omega \approx \frac{2 \mathrm\pi~\mathrm{rad}} {86\,164~\mathrm{s}} \approx 7.2921 \times 10^{-5}~\mathrm{rad} / \mathrm{s}
The angular speed ω is found by dividing the angle travelled in one revolution (360° = 2π rad) by the orbital period (the time it takes to make one full revolution). In the case of a geostationary orbit, the orbital period is one sidereal day, or 86,164.09054 seconds).[16] This gives:
- r = \sqrt[3]{\frac\mu{\omega^2}}
The product GM is known with much greater precision than either factor alone; it is known as the geocentric gravitational constant μ = 398,600.4418 ± 0.0008 km3 s−2:
- r^3 = \frac{G M}{\omega^2} \to r = \sqrt[3]{\frac{G M}{\omega^2}}
Equating the two accelerations gives:
where M is the mass of Earth, 5.9736 × 1024 kg, and G is the gravitational constant, 6.67428 ± 0.00067 × 10−11 m3 kg−1 s−2.
- |\mathbf{g}| = \frac{G M}{r^2}
The magnitude of the gravitational acceleration is:
where ω is the angular speed, and r is the orbital radius as measured from the Earth's center of mass.
- |\mathbf{a}_\text{c}| = \omega^2 r
The centripetal acceleration's magnitude is:
We note that the mass of the satellite m appears on both sides — geostationary orbit is independent of the mass of the satellite.[3] So calculating the altitude simplifies into calculating the point where the magnitudes of the centripetal acceleration required for orbital motion and the gravitational acceleration provided by Earth's gravity are equal.
- m \mathbf{a}_\text{c} = m \mathbf{g}
By Newton's second law of motion,[15] we can replace the forces F with the mass m of the object multiplied by the acceleration felt by the object due to that force:
- \mathbf{F}_\text{c} = \mathbf{F}_\text{g}
In any circular orbit, the centripetal force required to maintain the orbit (Fc) is provided by the gravitational force on the satellite (Fg). To calculate the geostationary orbit altitude, one begins with this equivalence:
Derivation of geostationary altitude
When they run out of thruster fuel, the satellites are at the end of their service life as they are no longer able to keep in their allocated orbital position. The transponders and other onboard systems generally outlive the thruster fuel and, by stopping N-S station keeping, some satellites can continue to be used in inclined orbits (where the orbital track appears to follow a figure-eight loop centred on the Equator),[13][14] or else be elevated to a "graveyard" disposal orbit.
Limitations to usable life of geostationary satellites
Satellites in geostationary orbit must all occupy a single ring above the Equator. The requirement to space these satellites apart to avoid harmful radio-frequency interference during operations means that there are a limited number of orbital "slots" available, thus only a limited number of satellites can be operated in geostationary orbit. This has led to conflict between different countries wishing access to the same orbital slots (countries near the same longitude but differing latitudes) and radio frequencies. These disputes are addressed through the International Telecommunication Union's allocation mechanism.[10][11] In the 1976 Bogotá Declaration, eight countries located on the Earth's equator claimed sovereignty over the geostationary orbits above their territory, but the claims gained no international recognition.[12]
Orbit allocation
Geostationary satellites are directly overhead at the Equator, and become lower in the sky the further north or south one travels. As the observer's latitude increases, communication becomes more difficult due to factors such as atmospheric refraction, Earth's thermal emission, line-of-sight obstructions, and signal reflections from the ground or nearby structures. At latitudes above about 81°, geostationary satellites are below the horizon and cannot be seen at all.[9]
This delay presents problems for latency-sensitive applications such as voice communication.[8]
(Note that r is the orbital radius, the distance from the centre of the Earth, not the height above the Equator.)
- \Delta t = \frac{2}{c} \sqrt{R^2 + r^2 - 2 R r \cos\varphi} \approx253\,\mathrm{ms}
For example, for ground stations at latitudes of φ = ±45° on the same meridian as the satellite, the time taken for a signal to pass from Earth to the satellite and back again can be computed using the cosine rule, given the geostationary orbital radius r (derived below), the Earth's radius R and the speed of light c, as
Satellites in geostationary orbits are far enough away from Earth that communication latency becomes significant — about a quarter of a second for a trip from one ground-based transmitter to the satellite and back to another ground-based transmitter; close to half a second for a round-trip communication from one Earth station to another and then back to the first.
In the absence of servicing missions from the Earth or a renewable propulsion method, the consumption of thruster propellant for station-keeping places a limitation on the lifetime of the satellite.
Solar wind and radiation pressure also exert small forces on satellites which, over time, cause them to slowly drift away from their prescribed orbits.
A second effect to be taken into account is the longitude drift, caused by the asymmetry of the Earth – the Equator is slightly elliptical. There are two stable (at 75.3°E, and at 104.7°W) and two unstable (at 165.3°E, and at 14.7°W) equilibrium points. Any geostationary object placed between the equilibrium points would (without any action) be slowly accelerated towards the stable equilibrium position, causing a periodic longitude variation. The correction of this effect requires orbit control manoeuvres with a maximum delta-v of about 2 m/s per year, depending on the desired longitude.
A combination of lunar gravity, solar gravity, and the flattening of the Earth at its poles causes a precession motion of the orbital plane of any geostationary object, with an orbital period of about 53 years and an initial inclination gradient of about 0.85 degrees per year, achieving a maximum inclination of 15 degrees after 26.5 years. To correct for this orbital perturbation, regular orbital stationkeeping manoeuvres are necessary, amounting to a delta-v of approximately 50 m/s per year.
A geostationary orbit can only be achieved at an altitude very close to 35,786 km (22,236 mi), and directly above the Equator. This equates to an orbital velocity of 3.07 km/s (1.91 mi/s) or an orbital period of 1,436 minutes, which equates to almost exactly one sidereal day or 23.934461223 hours. This ensures that the satellite is locked to the Earth's rotational period and has a stationary footprint on the ground. All geostationary satellites have to be located on this ring.
Orbital stability
A statite, a hypothetical satellite that uses a solar sail to modify its orbit, could theoretically hold itself in a geostationary "orbit" with different altitude and/or inclination from the "traditional" equatorial geostationary orbit.
A worldwide network of operational geostationary meteorological satellites is used to provide visible and infrared images of Earth's surface and atmosphere. These satellite systems include:
Most commercial communications satellites, broadcast satellites and SBAS satellites operate in geostationary orbits. A geostationary transfer orbit is used to move a satellite from low Earth orbit (LEO) into a geostationary orbit. (Russian television satellites have used elliptical Molniya and Tundra orbits due to the high latitudes of the receiving audience.) The first satellite placed into a geostationary orbit was the Syncom-3, launched by a Delta D rocket in 1964.
Practical uses
Practical uses 1
- Orbital stability 1.1
- Communications 1.2
- Orbit allocation 1.3
- Limitations to usable life of geostationary satellites 1.4
- Derivation of geostationary altitude 2
- See also 3
- Notes 4
- References 5
- External links 6
, in the plane of the Equator, where near-geostationary orbits may be implemented. The Clarke Orbit is about 265,000 km (165,000 mi) long. sea level is the part of space about 35,786 km (22,236 mi) above Clarke Belt Similarly, the [7].Clarke Orbit is sometimes called the [6] The orbit, which Clarke first described as useful for broadcast and relay communications satellites,[5].The Complete Venus Equilateral magazine. Clarke acknowledged the connection in his introduction to Wireless World disseminated the idea widely, with more details on how it would work, in a 1945 paper entitled "Extra-Terrestrial Relays — Can Rocket Stations Give Worldwide Radio Coverage?", published in Arthur C. Clarke science fiction author but Smith did not go into details. British [4]


text:
I know. I know.
These boards move slightly slower than presidential elections. They ask for logins at weird intervals. They claim that I registered with them five years before I was even born.
But there is hope.
Gav, Keenspace and Keenspot Tech Supreme, is upgrading the lot of us to a board system that should be faster than ANYTHING we've seen before. This is just an intermediate step to getting there, that's all.
All hail Gav.


text:
How to Create Great HTML Emails with CSS
Desktop-as-a-Service Designed for Any Cloud ? Nutanix Frame
HTML emails are widely used for all kinds of professional correspondence. Beyond email newsletters they're used for all sorts of application-generated messages, such as receipts and confirmations. Styled messages have lots of appeal for marketers, designers and consumers -- but for coders, it's a real headache to create them properly.
Creating an HTML email that looks right to every reader is a job that makes cross-browser testing look easy. What can go wrong? After reaching its final destination, an email could be read using any of a number of standalone email clients (such as Outlook, AOL, and Eudora), and even more Web-based clients (Yahoo, Hotmail, and Gmail to name a few). Each of these email clients displays your HTML email message a little bit differently, so ensuring that your message displays correctly can be a daunting task.
How are coders coping with this mess? Some say the only solution is to go retro -- by ditching CSS and using old-school HTML for formatting, but what about serious CSS coders who can't even type a
font tag with a straight face? Fortunately, we have options.
Stylesheets that Stick
When you're coding an HTML email with CSS, make sure that you don't use linked CSS files (.css files attached using
link or
@import). These are the stylesheets most widely ignored by email clients.
CSS style declarations in the
head of an HTML document (using
style tags) are ignored by some email clients, such as Gmail, so they should be avoided for styles that are key to the email design. I sometimes use a
style tag for styles that are "expendable" -- for example, when making all the links green instead of blue isn't crucial, it's a good style to define in a
style tag.
The most reliable way to include CSS in an HTML email is to use inline styles. They aren't pretty, but few email clients ignore them. These styles are defined within the HTML tags in the
body of the document, like this:

green and arial text
. Using
span tags to apply inline styles also works well.
Layout Techniques
Most people suggest using
tr, and
td tags for page layout within an HTML email. Tables are the most stable option, especially if you're creating email messages that require a more complicated multi-column layout. Gmail simply removes
div tags, and coverage in other clients like Hotmail is spotty. Also, floating
div tags don't work in several email clients, so any floating elements can be placed in a table (using

, for example).
Using a
div tag for a layout or background color is a better option when you're working with a single-column layout. Applying styles to
div tags using inline styles versus a
style tag will help keep that style in place when the email ships out to the masses.
On the bright side, you can scale back on
div tags if they're causing problems, and use the almost universally supported
tr, and
td tags for anything you can't accomplish reliably with a
Formatting Text
The best way to make sure your text formatting sticks is to use inline styles, but applying an inline style to every bit of text is tedious and may add too much extra weight to the HTML. If you aren't especially picky about details like the exact pixel size of your text, whether your "black" text shows up dark gray, and how your links are underlined, you'll probably be happier applying text formatting with a
style tag rather than inline.
One place where inline styles may make a real difference is in the headings and special notes within your email. When you want to ensure that a certain notice is always red, or that headings are the same shade of orange as your logo, you should use inline styles for that formatting.
Some email clients are notorious for changing text in strange ways that can only only be overridden with inline styles. Hotmail, for example, always displays links in small blue Verdana, regardless of the appearance of the rest of the email. If this is a problem for you, you should use inline styles on each link tag to override it.
Images and Backgrounds
The ability to include images a key advantage to HTML email -- they allow you to show as well as tell, plus they're often used to track email open rates. Like most perks, they have their downfalls. Spammers frequently abuse HTML images, so some email clients don't display them at all without the user's permission. Some email clients display images that are included in an
img tag, but not images that are included with CSS, or as a background image, or both.
When creating HTML emails, you should also avoid using dark background colors, especially in the background of your email. If one of your lighter background colors is ignored by an email client for some reason, users may see the email as black text on a dark blue background and ignore the message or, even worse, report it as spam.
General Do's and Don't's for HTML/CSS Emails
To wrap up, here are some do's and don't's:
Do ...
- Use inline style declarations for the most important styles.
- Declare styles in a
styletag when they're not absolutely necessary.
- Use table tags for multi-column layouts and floating elements.
- Test your email in multiple standalone and Web-based email clients.
Don't ...
- Use external stylesheets.
- Use floating
divtags for multi-column layouts.
- Expect CSS background images to show up in most email clients.
- Rely on images showing up, especially background images.
About the Author
Christian MacAuley is a freelance Web specialist in the Washington, DC area. She also teaches Web design, develops Web education coursework, and is the author of two computer books. You can learn more about her and her work at her personal website, http://www.xiann.com.
This article originally appeared on WebReference.com.
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