text:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Olympic snowboard champion Shaun White apologized Tuesday for "unwise choices," saying he got "carried away" after police accused him of pulling a hotel fire alarm that forced guests to evacuate.
White was charged with public intoxication and vandalism and is due in court Oct. 10.
The 26-year-old snowboard star said on his Facebook page he wants to apologize for "any inconvenience it caused my family, friends, business partners, the hotel and their guests. He added that he was "celebrating a happy occasion with a ton of family and friends and got carried away. I'm truly sorry for my poor behavior."
Officers responded to the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel at 2 a.m. Sunday after a man identified as the 26-year-old White pulled a fire alarm, forcing the hotel to evacuate all guests. An employee also reported seeing White destroy a hotel phone.
White tried to leave the hotel in a cab before being stopped by a hotel guest who told the driver police had been called. According to police, White kicked at the man before running away. The man chased him and they collided when White turned around. White, who is also one of the world's top skateboarders, fell back and hit his head against a fence, police said.
White, who appeared to be drunk, was given the opportunity to sign misdemeanor citations and refused, police said.
"He basically put himself in jail by not signing that," a police source told ESPN.com.
A spokeswoman for Baptist Hospital said White was treated there and released on Monday before being arrested and booked by police. A mug shot released by police shows White with a black eye.
White won a gold medal in Turin at the 2006 Olympics and in 2010 at the Vancouver Games, and he is an action sports superstar whether skateboarding during the summer or snowboarding in the winter. He's also a multimillionaire with a clothing line and signature video game who expanded last year with a company selling skateboards, BMX bikes and other equipment.
White also has won 24 X Games medals as a snowboarder and skateboarder, including 16 golds.
The Nashville incident is not White's first hotel run-in. He also was cited by Breckenridge, Colo., police in December 2007 for discharging a fire extinguisher in a hotel game room. That act was caught on surveillance video, and police used the footage to identify White, then 21, later that evening.
Information from ESPN.com's Devon O'Neil and The Associated Press was used in this report.


text:
We just celebrated "E"s 9th birthday last week with a
Terrarium Themed Birthday Party!
She has a pet garden snail named "Tiny"that she has successfully kept in a terrarium
in her room for the past three years. "E"has loved snails forever and we went with
the terrarium theme to incorporate woodland gnomes, snails, mushrooms, and owls into her party.
She sketched out her cake to show me the way she wanted it to look.
Originally, we were going to make all of the plants out of candy
(think gum drops, gummy leaves, fruit roll ups)
but things got crazy here and it was easier for me to use some stuff we had in the house.
For the cake we baked a chocolate 9" round cake.
Then frosted it with store-bought chocolate frosting.
The plastic plants were from PlayMobil play sets as were the little red mushrooms.
The plastic snail was from a fairy set.
The candy rocks were picked up at the Denver Air Port in a gift shop
the little ones are chocolate and the big ones are like big jelly beans inside.
The gummy worms were a fun touch we made by poking holes into the cake
and poking the worms inside so they looked like they were crawling out of the dirt!
I also cut out some "Fruit by the Foot" fruit roll ups for leaves
and used some green frosting as the final plant accents.
The cake was really cute and delicious!
We just added an upside down plastic salad bowl to make the "terrarium" cover.
"E"'s 9th Birthday Terrarium Cake waiting on the buffet for her friends to arrive
and get the party started!
We made her invitations this year by copying a terrarium drawing
by "E" on our scanner/copier and adding some details with crayon.
Then we cut it out and glued it to these fun corrugated cardboard cards
I had leftover in my stash and sadly I do not know where they came from (I wish I had more.)
Birthday cake glowing with 9 candles!
The birthday girl had a great celebration with her closest friends.
More details about the party coming soon!
More details about the party coming soon!

subset: commoncrawl


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It's hard to believe that the United States has never had a unified marketing effort for tourism -- but that's about to change. Brand USA, the organization formed by Congress to market the United States to world visitors, unveiled America's first-ever comprehensive marking campaign on Monday during a press conference in Los Angeles at International Pow Wow, the largest U.S. travel trade show.
The campaign aims to showcase the diversity of experiences available in the U.S. in a fresh and unexpected light, inviting visitors to Discover this land, like never before.
Our goal is nothing short of rekindling the world's love affair with the USA -- the place, the spirit and the dream, said Brand USA CEO Jim Evans. We want to spread America's message of welcome around the world and invite travelers to experience the limitless possibilities the United States has to offer. So we asked ourselves, 'how can we best speak to multiple countries, across countless languages and cultures?' We found the answer lay in the only truly universal language -- music.
The Brand USA team enlisted Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash, daughter of American music legend Johnny Cash, to compose an original song, Land of Dreams, to serve as the heart of the campaign. Cash is the first of what Brand USA hopes will be many musical artists to work on the campaign. The organization will extend invitations to musicians from across the globe to perform in their favorite U.S. cities and towns, profiling their trips online and through social media.
What is Brand USA?
Brand USA was formerly known by the clunkier name Corporation for Travel Promotion. It's governed by an 11-member board of directors appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
In November, the board unveiled its logo, which features the letters USA composed of multicolor dots with the Web address DiscoverAmerica.com underneath. The logo plays down any hint of patriotism and is meant to represent what Brand USA calls the United States of Awesome Possibilities.
According to Brand USA, the logo was created to be fresh, welcoming and inclusive. It's supposed to represent both the diversity of the people and the land.
The US gained a reputation over the past decade for being unwelcoming. Omitting all nationalistic plugs, the newly-formed tourism board aims to invite the world's visitors with open arms to help lift the nation of out the economic doldrums.
Inviting the World
Americans are viewed as arrogant and brash, having never actively asked tourists to come visit. Stephen J. Cloobeck, Chairman of Brand USA's Board of Directors, said that's about to change.
Other countries around the world have prioritized tourism efforts for years, yet in the 236 years since the United States of America was founded, this country has never had a nationally coordinated effort dedicated to inviting travelers to come visit us, he said. That changes today. This new campaign will tap into an incredibly valuable economic resource -- the millions of visitors who want to experience all that our great country has to offer.
Brand USA will use a mix of 60-, 20-, and 15-second television spots, as well as digital, billboard, and print advertisements and a robust online strategy to reach potential visitors. DiscoverAmerica.com will act as visitor's information portal, providing vital tips for trip planning.
The first wave of advertising will begin May 1 in Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. A second wave will follow in Brazil and South Korea, with additional markets added later in 2012.
The United States trails France as the world's premier tourist destination, but the government hopes it's taking steps toward stealing the title.
Washington tapped into the tourism industry as a relatively fast way to propel the economy out of its post-recession woes.
Tourism accounts for 2.8 percent of the gross domestic product and about 7.5 million jobs. Foreign travelers to the U.S. spend, on average, $4,000 per trip, and each 35 incremental visitors results in a new job, Brand USA claims, citing U.S. Travel Association data.
The new initiative to draw international visitors will not be easy. The application process for a U.S. visa is enough to scare many foreign tourists away, but the government plans to tackle this with a new visa waiver scheme for most Western European nations, Japan, and Australia.
With international travel on the rise, the U.S. is betting that a relaxed entry process and a $12.5 million campaign can rekindle the world's love affair with the USA.


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Sally Lowder of The Critical Metals Report - Tue, Dec 4, 2012
Rick Mills' Secret to Making Money off China's Stealth Metal Demand
When it comes to supply and demand dynamics, Aheadoftheherd.com Publisher Rick Mills does his own math. China may make a show of its alleged copper surplus and Germany may downplay its need for efficient energy sources, but Mills foresees demand spikes in a number of specialty metals. In this interview with The Critical Metals Report, Mills discusses the positions he's establishing while looming supply shortages remain under the mainstream radar.
The Critical Metals Report: Let's talk about specialty metals that present opportunities for investors. What's on your radar screen?
Rick Mills: There are several metals that we've taken for granted because the prices are low, such as nickel and uranium. I shake my head that copper is only $3.50/lb. A lot of what's going on in copper can be extrapolated to the other metals as well.
Let's start with capital expenditures, or capex. Mining is definitely one of the more capital-intensive businesses. There are large, upfront costs for construction of the mine. As the low-hanging fruit has been picked, companies have to go off the map to find deposits in remote areas with lower grades and more complex metallurgy. There is little to no infrastructure, so it can cost from $5 billion ($5B) to $9B to build today's mine.
TCMR: That's true of any metal you might mine.
RM: True enough, but some metals are more supply-side challenged than others. Operational expenditures are also continually increasing. These are day-to-day costs of operation - wages, tires, fuel and camp costs for employees. The average capital intensity, or the capacity to produce 1 ton (t) copper, for a new mine in 2000 was $4,000-5,000 ($5K). Today, capital intensity is north of $10K/t on average for a new copper project.
Some projects that are $5.5B are going to produce 60,000 tons (60 Kt) copper per year. Do the math; capital intensity numbers are scary. Capex costs are escalated because declining copper ore grades mean a much larger relative scale of required mining and milling operations, and a growing portion of mining projects are in remote areas of developing economies where there is little to no existing infrastructure.
TCMR: Could the declining growth of China, which is probably the world's largest consumer of copper, be contributing to a slowdown?
RM: China recently published figures saying that it has 1.9 million tons (Mt) copper in its inventory. It brought over a bunch of analysts and showed the copper all stacked up, the stacks leaning over and the ground compressing. The analysts came away suitably impressed that China has too much copper when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
China has 1.9 Mt copper. About half of that would be in the supply line somewhere. It's going to be used. China usually keeps around 600 Kt as a rainy day fund. The bottom line is China needs 50 Mt copper during the next several years. If you needed that much copper, what would you be doing? What kind of games would you be playing if you knew you had to buy it in the open market? You'd be telling everybody that you had way too much. Let's face it: China needs copper. It's going to grow 7.7% this year. It has been growing at an average rate of 9-11%/year for 20 years.
TCMR: How does an investor capitalize on increasing copper demand and shrinking copper supply?
RM: Do you invest in an off-the-map area in a geopolitically risky country? I don't. There's enough risk in this sector without purposely increasing it. I also want something that's high quality yet small enough that capex and opex are not going to be a killer.
I look for a company that turns the negatives, the increased capex/opex, the increasing resource nationalism, the increased environmental regulation, etc., into nonexistents. One on my radar is VMS Ventures Inc. (VMS:TSX.V) There's little risk of resource nationalism on the Reed Lake deposit in Canada. Its well-funded partner, HudBay Minerals Inc. (HBM:TSX; HBM:NYSE), operates several mines in the area. One of them is going to be closing shortly, so the skilled people will become available. Reed Lake is a high-quality deposit. It's underground, but it already has infrastructure in the area. It already has the mill and the processing facility. Financing is not going to be a problem. Permitting is not going to be a problem because most of it is already permitted. The area is a well-known mining camp. I don't see any operational issues. There's little risk from environmental groups and/or labor.
It's an economically attractive project, because the risk has been removed. The cash flow for VMS is about $100 million (M) over the present mine life. It's a very attractive position for investors to start taking as this company is going into production next year. It will pay back its partner HudBay from its first year of production. In 2015, VMS is going to have an enormous amount of money in its coffers.
TCMR: Is it still exploring?
RM: Yes, the company is exploring the area around the mine and will drill from underground, trying to increase even further the size of the deposit, and VMS will shortly be releasing its winter drill plans on its 100%-owned projects.
TCMR: VMS' stock is trading at $0.19 with a $23M market cap. To what do you attribute the lag?
RM: The best time to buy a junior is when it's still exploring and hope it makes a discovery, or secondly, just before it puts out its first NI 43-101 or just before it goes into production. We're in that period of time now when there is not really a heck of a lot to report. It's that quiet time in front of production and its winter exploration program.
TCMR: What other metals are suffering supply shortages?
RM: Investors should be looking at nickel. It's present in more than 3,000 different alloys used in more than 300,000 different products.
About 65% of nickel is in alloy with chromium and other metals to produce stainless and heat-resisting steels. Another 20% is used in noncorrosive and super alloys. About 9% is used in plating and 6% is used for other uses, such as in coins, electronics and nickel-hydride batteries in cellular phones. Then there are nickel-cadmium batteries to power cordless tools and appliances.
The U.S. Department of Energy is funding research and development of renewable energy sources. That is expected to expand the use of nickel. It's quite interesting what they're discovering as new uses and increasing the old uses of nickel.
Nickel used to be produced from laterite deposits. When the Sudbury sulphide nickel camp was discovered in Canada in the early 1900s, it completely dominated global production.
The problem is that nobody is finding those large sulphide deposits anymore. We're going back to laterites, which are big, layered deposits of often a billion tons or more located close to the surface. Unfortunately, they necessitate different metallurgical applications and recovery processes for each zone or layer.
The processes have enjoyed a highly mixed performance record and can be extremely expensive. It's a little different for each deposit. A lot of the companies are having major problems with the metallurgy. Because it's lower grade, they have to go with that economy of scale.
Because the laterites are caused by weathering of ultramafic rock, they typically occur in equatorial zones. That means that a lot these deposits are located in the sketchier countries that carry heightened geopolitical risk versus the sulphides, which seem to happen in places like Greenland and Canada. The same thing that happened with copper is happening to laterites, with capital intensity shooting through the roof. Here's what's happening to a few of the deposits many are counting on for future global nickel supply:
Vale S.A.'s (VALE:NYSE) New Caledonia project, which used to be called Goro, is many years behind schedule. It's almost become the bad boy poster child for problems with one method of nickel mining technologies, HPAL (high pressure acid leach processing). Sumitomo Corp. (8053:TKY; SSUMF:OTCPK) and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. (8031:TKY) have reduced their participation. Vale has problems in its Onca Puma project. It doesn't even have a return of production yet. It shuttered its Frood mine.
Xstrata Plc (XTA:LSE) has increased the capex at its Koniambo project due to growing labor costs from competition from the oil and gas sector for an extremely limited labor pool on a very remote island. Its first pour was supposed to be earlier this year, but there has been no news from it. Xstrata has closed its Cosmos mine.
BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP:NYSE; BHPLF:OTCPK) has been trimming costs at its Australian operations.
Anglo American Plc (AAUK:NASDAQ) closed its 17 Kt/year Loma de N�quel mine due to disputes over mining concessions.
TCMR: With mines slowing down or shuttering production, have we seen any increases in the basic commodity price for nickel?
RM: The nickel glut is nonexistent and nickel is going to rally. There is no doubt nickel has been the worst-performing metal lately. However, BNP Paribas is now forecasting a much smaller-than-expected supply in 2013. It has cut its projection three times since April. Credit Suisse and Citigroup have lowered their forecasts. They're saying nickel is going to average 15% more in the second quarter than now.
TCMR: Where can an investor find companies with deposits that are cheaper to process in areas without jurisdictional and geographic problems? How can an investor participate in the nickel market if there's this kind of a looming shortage?
RM: One of the reasons market watchers are paring the supply forecasts is because all of these projects are falling behind schedule. The market balance is much tighter than everybody, except apparently me, has been predicting. There are a lot of operations and capacity that have run into various issues. Investors have to figure out which companies don't have these problems.
One that doesn't have these issues is North American Nickel Inc. (NAN:TSX.V). It owns a nearly 80-kilometer trend of historical nickel mineralization in Greenland. It has done a small drill program this year to start to define one of its almost 80 targets and had some very encouraging assays come back. It is going to be able to put together a much larger program and get at it next year.
The company is well backed by The Sentient Group and a large institutional player. VMS Ventures owns 26% of its shares and doesn't want to be diluted; financing is not going to be a problem. This is a company in which an investor can start to take a position and slowly increase it, knowing that there is some time to work on it.
TCMR: Are there any other metals that you want to talk about today?
RM: One that investors are missing the boat on is uranium.
TCMR: What's your take on uranium stocks right now?
RM: The question is: When do you buy? We talk about this all the time. It's when nobody else is buying, when the herd doesn't love it. That fits uranium pretty well right now. The fact is that investors aren't paying attention to what's going on on the supply side. The demand side is going to increase. Japanese reactors are off-line. Germany took its reactors off-line almost overnight. Chinese demand slowed as they do some serious safety studies.
Fukushima put a dark cloud of negative sentiment over the entire industry. Demand fell through the floor. People were worried, and rightly so. Everybody was watching the spot price. Utilities weren't buying; they were sitting on the sidelines, waiting for prices to come down.
China has released its new nuclear energy plans. It has moved toward safety. Any reactors currently under construction will be allowed to continue, but the new reactors will have to use the third-generation technology, the European Pressurized Reactor or the AP1000.
This is a huge boost for the demand side. China has 12.5 gigawatts (GW) in operation with 26 GW under construction. It wants 40 GW in nuclear power by 2015 and to reach 80 GW by 2020. China is back in the market. Yes, the Germans are going to sell, but now we're finding out that Japan is reopening its nuclear reactors, and I have no doubt it is going to build more.
TCMR: And Germany?
RM: Germany is totally green-washing the world. The monkeyshine coming out of Germany today is off the wall. It is importing more and more nuclear-produced electricity from Holland, the Czech Republic and France than it ever was. It touts itself as a poster child for green energy, yet its industry is suffering and leaving in droves because of blackouts or brownouts and the high cost of electricity. Germany is sucking up nuclear-generated power, just not from reactors on its own soil.
A lot of people don't know that Germany is currently building 23 new coal-fired power plants because it is worried about the increasing costs of electricity and its industry leaving. If you can't do business because of brownouts and blackouts, you're going to move to where you can get a steady supply of electricity.
Germany opened a $3.4B, 2,200-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant just in August. Instead of the 15 t of carbon dioxide (CO2) the old ones vomited, these new ones, which are 10% more efficient and burn only the cleanest coal ignite, still pump 13 Mt CO2 into the atmosphere. In just one year, this coal burner is going to generate more CO2 than Germany's entire nuclear fleet would have over 20 years. Germany's "green energy" plan doesn't work; the country can't afford to be without nuclear energy and it's very obvious that Japan can't, either.
TCMR: Let's talk about uranium companies that you like, Rick.
RM: Nuclear power is not going away. In fact, it will increase exponentially. Mine supply is at $40/lb spot price. You need $70-85/lb incentive price to get new mines going. And then it takes 10 years to get a uranium mine up and running.
Let's focus on the U.S. The U.S. uses 55 million pounds (Mlb) uranium per year. It produces 4 Mlb. Where is the U.S. going to get its uranium? There are two companies that are going into production right away. I'm not going to mention a certain name because I don't like being negative, but one of the companies might not make it. Apparently, there are some sage grouse nests on its property. We're going to save the birds.
TCMR: Which one will go into production?
RM: The one that's going to make it into production next year is Uranerz Energy Corp. (URZ:TSX; URZ:NYSE.MKT) in Wyoming. It is fully permitted. It is building the pads for the first deep disposal well, which should take several months. Then it will need to build a second. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has to do an inspection. Remember, this is the first uranium mine that's been opened in the U.S. since 1996, so the NRC's going to be very thorough. It will probably take about a month to complete the inspection. I expect Uranerz, barring any inspection delays, to be in production by the end of July 2013. It has two offtake agreements already signed at a much higher price than spot. It has Cameco Corp. (CCO:TSX; CCJ:NYSE) doing its processing. It is going to be producing 600-800 Kt/year yellow cake. It's in-situ leaching and the company is the world's leading expert on it.
TCMR: I really enjoyed our conversation.
RM: It's been a pleasure, thank you.
Richard (Rick) Mills is the founder, owner and president of Northern Venture Group, which owns Aheadoftheherd.com, as well as publisher, editor and host of the website. Focusing on the junior resource sector, Mills has had articles appearing on more than 400 different publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Safe Haven, The Market Oracle, USA Today, National Post, Stockhouse, LewRockwell, Pinnacle Digest, Uranium Miner, Beforeitsnews.com, Seeking Alpha, Montreal Gazette, Casey Research, 24hgold, Vancouver Sun, CBS News, Silver Bear Cafe, Infomine, Huffington Post, Mineweb, 321Gold, Kitco, Gold-Eagle, The Gold/Energy Reports, Calgary Herald, Resource Investor, Mining.com, Forbes, FN Arena, UraniumSeek, Financial Sense, GoldSeek, Dallas News, VantageWire and Resource Clips.
Want to read more exclusive Critical Metals Report articles like this? Sign up for our free e-newsletter, and you'll learn when new articles have been published. To see a list of recent interviews with industry analysts and commentators and learn more about critical metals companies, visit our Critical Metals Report page.
1) Sally Lowder of The Critical Metals Report conducted this interview. She personally and/or her family own shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: None.
2) The following companies mentioned in the interview are sponsors of The Critical Metals Report: Uranerz Energy Corp. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for services. Interviews are edited for clarity.
3) Rick Mills: I personally and/or my family own shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: North American Nickel Inc. I personally and/or my family am paid by the following companies mentioned in this interview: North American Nickel Inc., Uranerz Energy Corp. and VMS Ventures Inc. are paid sponsors of my website, Aheadoftheherd.com. I was not paid by Streetwise Reports for participating in this interview.
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There is a constant refrain among the nay-sayers on Israel that Israel is constantly breaching the human rights of the Palestinians, and, incidentally, the worst breacher of human rights in the world. We know this is nonsense, even if there are aspects of Israeli government policy we wish they wouldn't carry out.
However, every now and then, a wonderful refutation comes along, and what follows is one of them. This is from the Elder of Ziyon blog (which is being guest-edited by Challah Hu Akbar [of "fresh baked middle east nonsense"] for the moment, because the elder's father has just died. I have already sent my condolences and my wishes for "a long life" via the comments thread on another item).
What this is is a pointer to an article entitled "Combating Terrorism With Intelligence: The Normative Debate in Israel" by Daphna Sharfman and Ephraim Kahana, and comes from the International Journal of Intelligence & Counterintelligence, Vol 25, Issue 3, 2012. The section that Challah highlights concerns the role of the Israeli judiciary in holding the intelligence services in check, in order to maintain democracy in Israel.
To put it simplistically, the judiciary sees it as their collective task (especially at the highest levels) to make sure that democracy isn't sacrificed to the needs of short-term security. I'll restrict myself to one, fairly length, quote, but urge you to read the whole item in the elder's blog: "the campaign [for security and against terrorism] must remain under democratic authorization and judicial review:
'Generals publicly question [judicial review's] effectiveness, pilots express moral and tactical qualms about certain operations, columnists insist these operations make Israel less, not more, secure, and so on, yet through it all Israeli democracy is surviving the ordeal'.There are a number of quotes from the then(?) President of the Supreme Court, Aharon Barak, which are eye-opening as to the power of the Israeli judiciary to save Israel from itself. Actually, that's what all truly independent court systems do in all proper democracies. Which is why the authoritarians don't like them.
I haven't yet checked out access to the whole article (via the link Challah provides in the text). If I were you, I wouldn't bother with the comment: it appears to be an accidental republishing of the item which appears above this one in the column.
By: Brian Goldfarb


text:
Let me show you socks.
The first Kuzunoha Monkey:
The first Pomatomus (aka Fish Sock):
now to stave off any and all New Projects til they are paired with their yet-to-be-knit mates. this may require more than a little willpower on my part.
one exception, however, has been allowed to squeeze through the cracks. this is a pair of Oilily-inspired stash-busting Piggy Mittens for my enthusiastic three year old cousin. unlike my previous Piggy Mittens these ones will actually be documented before they go to their new home.
what i should be doing, above everything else, is polishing off the patterns for my Naive Socks (This Must Be The Socks) and my Sea Mineral Mittens, as i hope to have both patterns ready for public consumption by the end of next week! look out!
ETA: my apologies to those who are still waiting for Ravelry invites, but if you're already a member and would like to queue up my soon-to-be-released patterns, feel free to do so! Here are their links:
Naive Socks (This Must Be The Socks)
Sea Mineral Mittens
6 comments:
- Adriana said...
An update! I don't believe my eyes!
The Sea Monkeys look awesome! You did the alternate version with knit stitches instead of purls, right?
And the fishy sock continues to look gorgeous. Your knits make my dyes look great.
Can't wait to see the piggy mitts!
- September 7, 2007 at 7:48 p.m.
- Sarah said...
Love the changes you made to these socks! I need to knit faster on my WIPs so I can cast-on for my own pair. The yarn is equally beautiful:)
- September 9, 2007 at 9:49 a.m.
i came from ravelry looking for naive socks, i love them and the piggy mittens!
- September 19, 2007 at 6:27 p.m.
- June said...
Your fish socks are fabulous! Can you tell me the yarn and color you are using? (Do you mind?) I would love to make some like this!
- October 22, 2007 at 3:06 p.m.
I love those patterns, did you maket them up or did you get them from somewhere because I would love to try them.
- December 26, 2007 at 8:14 p.m.
- Unknown said...
loyal-lorac -- They are both from www.knitty.com.
- December 27, 2007 at 4:41 p.m.


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Wyatt Knight, who starred as Tommy Turner in all three "Porky's" movies, was found dead in Hawaii of an apparent suicide last week, according to reports.
Maui law enforcement said they believed the 56-year-old screen star had killed himself. Knight's wife confirmed to entertainment news sites he committed suicide.
"I can confirm that Wyatt Knight did in fact end his life on Oct. 25, in Maui, Hawaii," Silvina Knight said in a statement, E! News reported. "The family is choosing to keep the details private."
U.S. & World
TMZ, however, cited Knight's wife as saying her husband's radiation therapy from battling cancer had "left him in both physical and emotional pain."
"He was tired of the pain and after much contemplation, chose to end his life in a beautiful and a serene place," she told TMZ.
Best known for his role in the "Porky's" films, The Hollywood Reporter notes Turner's screen credits also included "M*A**S*H," "Chicago Hope," and "Star Trek: The Next Generation."


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Greenwich resident Donald Pascal to lead Commonfund Capital
Greenwich resident Donald Pascal has been named president of Commonfund Capital, a subsidiary of Wilton-based Commonfund, which manages more than $24 billion for 1,500 institutions.
Pascal will replace Susan Carter as president, though Carter will remain in place as chief executive officer, overseeing strategic leadership of the group. Carter, also a Greenwich resident, will maintain an active role with both managers and investors.
"I am grateful for the confidence that Sue and Commonfund have shown in me, and I look forward to this new challenge," Pascal said in a statement. "In my new role, I will continue to advance the mission of Commonfund Capital, and as a result, offer clients the opportunities and strategies to help them reach their investment objectives."
Pascal has been in private capital and multi-manager investment for nearly 30 years, and has been with Commonfund for 15 years. Before joining the company, he held positions at Victory Ventures, Noel Group and The Prospect Group, all private capital funds organized by Louis Marx Jr. Pascal has also worked at E.M. Warburg Pincus and Strategic Planning Associates.
"We're looking forward to Don's new role and his focus on building strong investment programs for our clients," Ralph Money, Commonfund Capital spokesman, said.
Pascal is also a member of the advisory boards of several private capital limited partnerships, a member of the Investment Committee for The Hotchkiss School and a director of Mallard, a wholly owned investment subsidiary of The Dietrich Foundation.
During his tenure at Commonfund, he has joined Carter, chief financial officer Linda Costs, and managing directors Greg Jansen and Peter Burns on the Commonfund Capital Operating Committee, which manages all aspects of the Commonfund Capital business. Going forward, Carter and Pascal's roles on this committee will not change.
Commonfund Capital, founded in 1988, has managed more than $13.5 billion in committed capital since its inception, according to the company. The firm focuses on private equity, venture capital and natural resources investing.
"The fact that they've been around and growing through good times and bad times suggests that they're doing well," said Walter Dolde, associate professor of finance at the University of Connecticut's Stamford branch.


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It wasn't just the small vendors seeing gold in the midmarket. Several of the storage industry's largest vendors used 2012 to expand their reach into the "S" part of the SMB market, including:
* IBM, which in November introduced the Storwize V3700 (pictured), which includes the same code stack as the company's higher-end Storwize V7000 and its SAN Volume Controller (SVC) storage virtualization technology, as well as such features as replication, thin provisioning, a self-optimized flash tier and cloud access, all in an array that lists starting at under $11,000.
* NetApp in June expanded its reach into the SMB market with the release of a new sub-$8,000 storage unified storage array with optional SSD pooling and other features and services consistent with the vendor's full product line.
* HP in December moved to bring its high-end 3PAR family down-market to compete against the EMC VNX family by introducing the HP 3PAR StoreServe 7400 with a starting price of about $25,000.


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Position Title: Veterinarian
Are you ready to LOVE WHERE YOU WORK?
BE RESPECTED for your knowledge and expertise? BE APPRECIATED for your contributions? If you are nodding your head YES, then Arlington South Veterinary Hospital is for you!
Arlington South Veterinary Hospital fosters a collaborative, fun, authentic and compassionate culture. Here, you will be contributing toward a meaningful mission and vision making a difference in the lives of the pets and the pet parents we serve. At Arlington South Veterinary Hospital YOU matter!
At Arlington South Veterinary Hospital we want Veterinarians who value putting pets and their families first, are passionate about offering superior medical care, and do so with compassion and authenticity. The ideal Veterinarians will be self-motivated and enjoy being a part of a collaborative team, providing excellent patient care and client service at our progressive, reputable, AAHA accredited hospital.
- Mentorship
- Licensing fees, CE's and professional dues
- Salary plus bonus
- Medical, vision, dental, etc…
- Tuition reimbursement
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent
- Licensure in good standing to practice in the state in which applicant is to be employed


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Jon Gosselin had an steamy affair with the nanny for his eight kids -- and was disappointing in bed, his kids' former babysitter alleges in a blockbuster interview.
In an interview with In Touch magazine first reported on by PopEater, nanny Stephanie Santoro dishes on the tawdry details of her romance with the father of eight and said that, despite his denials, the two did have a sexual affair.
Gosselin "wasn't terrible" in bed, she said, "but it wasn't the best I ever had," said Santoro, who claimed the couple had sex nine times.
U.S. & World
The 23-year-old babysitter said the tryst began one night when Jon asked her to come to his Pennsylvania estate and asked her to give him a massage.
The octodad then said "My turn," and while the two were sitting together, Jon said "Well, I guess we can kiss just once," she claimed.
That same night, Gosselin reportedly cautioned Santoro against falling in love with him.
"Whatever you do, don't fall in love with me, because it's going to be impossible for me not to fall in love with you," he reportedly said.
The pair went to the hot tub and Santoro said she "kept looking at the windows" because she was worried "one of the kids was going to pop their heads out, but he told me to relax."
She said Jon was "very romantic" and after the two got out of the hot tub, he "ran in to make sure all of the kids were asleep, and we went back into the apartment that is over the garage.
"We continued what was going on in the hot tub, and then he fell asleep afterward."
The "Jon & Kate Plus 8" star has denied having an affair with the babysitter and is now with girlfriend Hailey Glassman.


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Koh Phi Phi, ThailandKirsty Turner
An area of incredible natural beauty situated in Krabi Province, there are actual two main islands of Koh Phi Phi; Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Leh. The Phi Phi Islands are believed by many to be among the most beautiful tropical islands in the world and have become one of Thailand's most popular tourist attractions.
Koh Phi Phi Don is the area's tourist hub. This is where you will find the majority of the hotels, beach bungalows, bars and restaurants. Koh Phi Phi Don covers an area of 28 square kilometres and features the twin bays of Ao Ton Sai and Ao Lo Da Lam with their stunning curving white sandy beaches, the perfect picture of an exotic tropical paradise. A great way to get an idea of the island's true beauty is to tackle the 1000 foot vertical climb to Viewpoint. Although slightly challenging, the climb, which takes you through a lush leafy jungle, and the view more than make up for it.
There are many interesting activities to engage in on Koh Phi Phi Don, and it is easy to spend a week or more there. Fire jugglers and beach bars make up the evening entertainment, and there are plenty of restaurants showing western movies throughout the day and late into the night. There is dancing on the beach most nights. To experience a true touch of hedonism, visit the island around the full moon.
The sunset yoga classes on the beach are a good way to unwind, and you can learn a new skill and impress your friends by taking Thai cookery classes.
When it comes to food, just about every taste can be catered for, whether you fancy a fish barbecue on the beach, an all-you-can-eat feast or traditional Thai cooking. There is also a small market where you can eat with the locals at dramatically reduced prices and this is a good place to buy fresh fruit.
The clear waters, beautiful coral and colourful fish mean that the area is popular for diving and snorkelling, whilst many visit the island to climb the limestone cliffs. Boat trips are extremely popular and are usually combined with snorkelling and a visit to the extremely striking island of Koh Phi Phi Leh.
Koh Phi Phi Leh is famous for Ao Maya – the location where the movie "The Beach" was filmed. The island covers a mere 6.6 square kilometres and is surrounded by limestone mountains and sheer cliffs, which plunge hundreds of metres to the sparkling blue sea. The sea is around 20 metres deep and the deepest point to the
south of the island is approximately 34 metres. There is no accommodation on Koh Phi Phi Leh, and the only way to see it is by an arranged boat trip.
Koh Phi Phi Other islands in the area to explore include Koh Jam (also know as Koh Pu) and Koh Si Buya. Although extremely pretty, both of these small islands are less popular with tourists and are great places to stay if you want to avoid the crowds.


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As March ended and April began in 1862, it was clear that emancipation would soon come to the District of Columbia. While the ability of Congress to end slavery legislatively throughout the rest of the United States was greatly doubted due to 1857's Dred Scott decision in the U.S. Supreme Court, its authority, then as now, over Washington, D.C. was absolute. Virtually no one questioned Congress' constitutional ability, if it so wished, to end slavery there by legislation. And as April 1862 dawned it was plain that Congress would soon do just that. A bill nearing passage in early April would immediately free slaves in the District of Columbia and compensate their owners if they were loyal.
Although there were less than 2,000 slaves in Washington, D.C., by early 1862, the intentions of Congress sent worried shivers through some District slaveholders. Like slaveholders elsewhere, they had long feared the consequences of emancipation, both for them personally and society generally. They also did not like that they only would receive $300 per slave as compensation from the federal government, which in most cases was a considerably smaller sum than the market value of their human property.
Not surprisingly, some slaveholders took an obvious step: they withdrew their slaves from Washington, D.C., to neighboring Maryland, where slavery was still legal and seemingly well-entrenched. The National Republican, organ of the Republican Party in the federal capital reported in its March 31, 1862 issue:
Slave owners, in anticipation of the emancipation act, are running off their slaves as fast as they can to the lower counties of Maryland. A number have also been sent to Baltimore, where they are confined to the "negro pens" until they can be sold or removed further South.
A case of this kind occurred the other day, which exhibits this villainous traffic in all its horror and deformities. On the 19th instant [i.e., March 19, 1862], a negro girl aged about 13 years, (an invalid) belonging to a Mrs. Matthews, on 13th street, was placed in jail by order of her mistress. A few days after, the mother of the girl learning that her daughter was confined in that filthy hole, procured a pass from Marshal Lamon [Ward Lamon, Abraham Lincoln's close associate and sometimes bodyguard] to enter the jail and see her child. Upon arriving at the jail, the mother was informed that she had been taken away about a half an hour previous, but where to the guards could not inform her. The next day the mother herself was arrested and carried off. She had an infant child with her, leaving two other children, one of them three and the other two years of age, behind in the custody of her mistress. The whereabouts of the mother and her two children was not discovered until Saturday, when one of her friends (who claims she is a free woman), accompanied by our reporter, went on to Baltimore, and after considerable difficulty found her in the B. M & W. L. Campbell's "negro pen," No. 282 West Pratt street. Her friends requested permission to see her but were denied admittance to the "pen" unless they first obtained the written consent of her mistress to see her. The keeper of the "hell" informed her the eldest child was very sick with an affection of the throat, and inquired what should be done for her and whether she was subject to attacks of sore throat, concluding with the heartless remark, "She isn't worth much to anyone."
Thus are families torn asunder by the ruthless hand of slavery, mothers parted from children of tender years, and conveyed to distant places, perhaps never to see them again. This is only one of numerous occurrences which are now occurring daily. Unless Congress makes haste, before passage of the emancipation bill takes place, there will be no slaves left in the District to emancipate.
The paper finished by promising, "We have the names of a number of individuals who are engaged in the business of running off slaves, and shall give them publicly in a future issue."
In any case, it is apparent that Mrs. Matthews and some other District slaveholders were intent on thwarting the intent of the impending Washington, D.C. emancipation bill. Obviously, even the prospect of compensation could not induce some slave owners there to free their human property. In doing so, they carried out on a small scale a practice that was already and would continue to be practiced on a larger scale by slaveholders further south during the Civil War, who "refugeed" their slaves from locations threatened by Union forces to places further away from the war's action (Texas was a common destination).
For the District slaveholders, however, Maryland would prove, at best, a temporary refuge. Although the state's slaveholders had dismissed with ill-concealed contempt President Lincoln's offer to assist them financially in a plan of gradual compensated emancipation, abolitionist sentiment, long latent in the state, was beginning to stir in 1862. Slavery in Maryland would be dealt another blow soon by the advent of black military service in the Union, helping to hasten the end of slavery in the state, which had long been in decline due to the collapse of tobacco prices after the American Revolution. A new state constitution passed on November 1, 1864, enacted by a legislature which had come under the control of those same long-latent abolitionists, would finally end slavery formally in Maryland. Slaveholders in the state would receive no compensation for their slaves, unlike their counterparts in the District of Columbia that went along with emancipation there. Hence, by pulling some of her slaves out of the District into Maryland in March 1862, Mrs. Matthews might have delayed their liberation, but in the end received no compensation when they finally did become free.
Source: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014760/1862-03-31/ed-1/seq-3/


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Sydney Otis' fingers were frozen, so she shook her mittens as if holding invisible maracas while the rest of her body went numb.
To stay warm — at least in their heads — her classmates pretended they were back sunbathing on Siesta Key.
But those five hours waiting in the cold Monday were soon forgotten when President Barack Obama's face appeared on the jumbotron during the inauguration ceremony at the National Mall.
For the first time in most of their lives, the Pine View students witnessed firsthand history being made.
It was a defining moment for the gifted teenagers who are touted as their generation's future leaders.
"It's rare you do something you can actually read about on Wikipedia," Hunter McLaren, 18, said. "We really don't have perspective on this moment right now. When (our kids) learn about President Obama in school someday, we'll be able to say, 'We were there.'"
The Washington visit was centered around a music competition the Pine View choir won Saturday during the weekend festivities.
The school in Osprey beat out 31 other school choirs across the country at National City Christian Church, a 150-year-old cathedral not far from The Mall.
High expectations
In his speech, Obama called for gay rights, equal pay for women and protecting the environment — all as these young people listened.
"That is our generation's task, to make these words, these rights, these values — of Life, and Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness — real for every American," Obama said, his voice occasionally echoing on the speakers.
For Hunter, the words were inspirational, a potentially pivotal moment in his young adult life.
"It's all on us to basically make a better world," said Hunter, an aspiring teacher.
Pine View — the only Florida public school built specifically for gifted students — is full of high-achievers.
Many of the students on the Washington trip already had several internships under their belts. At least one had been class president and others racked up hours volunteering at hospitals or for various social causes.
One Pine View singer spoke almost apologetically about his grades because, well, they aren't perfect. His GPA is only a 3.95, he said.
With those talents also comes duty, their teachers say.
"They're given so many gifts, but they have so many responsibilities. That's something they hear here a lot, and that's true," music teacher Loisanne Robins said. "This is the world they're going to have to live in. They're going to be the leaders of their generation."
A special moment
With a stash of playing cards and Cliff Bars, the 68 students arrived at The Mall around 7 a.m. The Washington Monument was behind them, the U.S. Capitol draped in American flags less than a mile directly ahead.
Some didn't sleep well because of the celebration outside their Baltimore hotel Sunday night after the local football team, the Ravens, won the AFC Championship and a berth in the Super Bowl.
"All night it was just honking," complained Jane Early, 16.
For several, this was their first time traveling north and experiencing a January winter day. The cold numbed their feet and hands, and they cuddled together to stay warm.
Temperatures were in the 30s, chilly enough for Will Jones to inform his classmates he was inventing nose jackets.
"It's so cold, I almost feel asthmatic," said Will, 17, who wore a fake fur hat.
But the mood was light, as if the National Mall was hosting a tailgating party.
"Everyone was cold, but nobody was upset," Hunter said.
The students waved their American flags and giddily chanted "O-ba-ma. O-ba-ma"
But they were more interested in Beyonce, who was singing "The Star-Spangled Banner," than Michelle Obama.
"We want Beyonce!" Jane said.
Spencer Lowery, 17, blasted a vuvuzela, and strangers high-fived each other.
As the inauguration ceremony began, the flag-waving grew frantic. Capitol Hill's cast of characters appeared on the screen — former presidents, senators and representatives.
"Oh yeah, this is nice!" said Brian Hajal, a senior, as he climbed on a classmate's shoulders to get a better look.
There was Bill Clinton — "I can see Bill," Brian announced.
Others were not as impressed.
One student said New York Senator Chuck Schumer looked like one of the actors in an Olsen twins movie.
But as Obama spoke, the teenagers grew quiet and listened.
They recorded and photographed the giant screen, capturing the moment as proof they were here.
"It's really special to be a part of something as big as this," said Amanda Marsh, 15, a sophomore. "It means something to a lot of people."
When it was over, Amanda Moyer took a long look at the U.S. Capitol.
"Bye, Obama," the 16-year-old said, turning to leave. "It was nice being a mile from you."
Pine View students revel in D.C. presidential inauguration
Sydney Otis' fingers were frozen, so she shook her mittens as if holding invisible maracas while the rest of her body went numb.


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BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- Republican Sen. Rand Paul's criticisms of President Barack Obama and other government leaders over recent surveillance disclosures were warmly received on Wednesday at the University of California, Berkeley.
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks at the Berkeley Forum, Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Paul, who is considering a presidential bid and is seen as one of several GOP front-runners ahead of 2016, held forth for 30 minutes on what he perceives to be abuses of government spy programs and a lack of oversight of the National Security Agency.
"I find it ironic that the first African-American president has without compunction allowed this vast exercise of raw power by the NSA," said Paul, noting that other black heroes such as Martin Luther King Jr. were targets of illegal government spying.
Paul called for the creation of a bipartisan congressional committee to address allegations raised by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California that CIA agents secretly searched Senate computers.
He said he hoped that such a commission would be similar to the Church Committee of the 1970s, referring to the special Senate panel that exposed CIA abuses and pushed through laws limiting the intelligence community's powers.
Dressed in blue jeans, white Ralph Lauren shirt with logo, red tie and cowboy boots, Paul spent much of his time trying to connect with his college-age audience, warning several times that their phones and computers were easily accessed by government snoops.
"I believe what you do on a cellphone is none of their damn business," he said to applause.
He compared the Republican Party to a Domino Pizza's ad campaign in which the company admits to having made bad dough in the past but promising change in the future.
"We need a different kind of party," he said.
Paul was asked his thoughts on Edward Snowden, the NSA contractor who leaked thousands of pages of sensitive documents exposing embarrassing intelligence practices. Snowden is living in Moscow, afraid of criminal prosecution if he returns to the United States.
Paul said that he had "mixed emotions" about Snowden. On the one hand, Paul said Snowden broke the law, but that he shouldn't "be shot or stung up." On the other hand, Paul said Snowden helped expose "an intelligence community that's drunk with power, unrepentant and unwilling to relinquish power."
He said that "they're only sorry that they got caught. Without the Snowden leaks, these spies would still be doing whatever they please."
The event, which drew about 400 people, was organized by the campus Republican club, who filled the hall to capacity. Still, no protesters at this famously demonstrative campus were visible and he drew a large crowd of well-wishers on his way off campus.


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January 1942. Bantam, Connecticut. "Defense homes. The heating unit is in the kitchen of Fred Heath's four-room apartment in the new federally-financed homes for 80 families just a few minutes from the Warren McArthur factory in Bantam. The well-insulated coal fire puts steam in the radiators and provides the heat for cooking. The tenants are well-pleased although on several nights when the temperature dropped to 10 degrees below zero they were forced to replenish the fuel every two or three hours. That cigarette Fred Heath holds is not tailor-made, by the way -- he likes to roll his own."
Medium-format nitrate negative by Howard Hollem for the Office for Emergency Management. |
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text:
Self-promotion is not easy. Whether you're a high six-figure consultant, or earning $10 an hour in retail, you still have to talk about yourself in the right way. And one of the ke
I worked one place that was much, much better than anyplace else I ever worked. The guy who ran it told me that the secret was in how to hire people. Most managers do it the wron
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James Turrell's Skyscape
|My work is about space and the light that inhabits it. It is about how you confront that space and plumb it with vision. It is about your seeing, like the wordless thought that comes from looking into fire.
|/James Turrell
To celebrate the installation of the new Skyscape, the first Skyspace in Southern California to be regularly accessible to the public, the Pomona College Museum of Art presented an exhibition uniting the various threads of Turrell's artistic practice.
The Skyspace, a precisely designed architectural installation that heightens the viewer's awareness of light, sky and the activity of perception, is the form for which Turrell is renowned. Building on this formal vocabulary, the artist has created an open, transparent courtyard space in which a floating metal canopy shades the seating area and provides a frame for the sky.
During the transition from twilight to full night, lighting elements, programmed to change in intensity and hue as they wash the underside of the canopy, create the changing perception of sky as space, form, object and void. A shallow pool centered beneath the opening to the sky mirrors the daytime sky and reflects a dark echo of the night sky.
The exhibition offered audiences an in-depth look at Turrell's work, work that was profoundly influenced by his undergraduate studies at Pomona College in perceptual psychology and mathematics.
The exhibition included End Around, one of the artist's Ganzfeld works; two Tall Glass works from 2006, Gathered Light and Silent Leading; and a selection of models and drawings.
For End Around, Turrell transformed the main gallery of the museum into a Ganzfeld, the term refers to an undifferentiated and evenly illuminated space first described in perceptual psychology. In a Ganzfeld, depth, surface detail, and color variation are suppressed and in their place one sees a thick, all-encompassing mist of light. End Around is an immersive "sensing space," an intense experience of a field of light, in which light, so often thought of as the illumination that reveals objects, becomes instead an object of weight and mass.
The Tall Glass pieces are individually programmed by Turrell to create subtle shifts in color over time, an effect similar to the changes in the sky experienced in a Skyspace. The careful construction of these works ensures that the viewer sees only a floating, changing field of light – a subtle revelatory experience of photons as tangible entities and physical presence.
The models for Autonomous Structures, pure architectural spaces that incorporate Skyspaces or Ganzfelds, were conceived as ideal projects, although many have since been executed. They are unique architectural prototypes designed for shaping the perception of light and space. Pared down to the most lucid geometric elements, they contain experiential spaces that seem mysterious and magical.
Brings to mind the work of French visionary classical architects Étienne-Louis Boullée (1728 – 1799) and Claude Nicholas Ledoux (1736 – 1806).
The new Skyspace, located in the Draper Courtyard of the new Lincoln and Edmunds Buildings on the Pomona campus, has been realized in collaboration with consulting architects Marmol Radziner + Associates AIA.
The academic buildings surrounding the Skyspace house the College's departments and programs related to the science of mind, such as computer science, psychology, neuroscience and cognitive science, as well as the earth sciences of geology and environmental analysis.
The Skyscape is open to the public.
Turrell, a Pomona College alumnus (1965), currently resides in Flagstaff, Arizona where he has worked for more than 30 years on his largest and most ambitious project, the Roden Crater, an ancient volcano crater that he is molding into one of the world's most unusual and compelling light observatories.
|Claremont, California


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- "What makes one man on the corner of the street a ranting acid casualty and another a performance artist? Normally just some body paint. Visit NUCA and find your place in the artistic spectrum."
- ―GTA IV Manual Description
The National Union of Contemporary Arts (NUCA) is an art gallery in Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, located on Dukes Boulevard in East Island City, Dukes.
It is based on the P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center located in East Island City's real-life counterpart. The building is inaccessible to the player, however there is an accessible courtyard featuring several artworks by Bao and a large sculpture. NUCA is featured on Artthrob.org.
The use of P.45 is a play on the British termination-of-employment form P45, the equivalent of America's pink slip, implying that the artists have no real jobs. "Nuca" may also refer to "Nucka", a racial slur of African-Americans.
- A flying rat is located on a wall in the courtyard.


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According to the iPhone Download Blog, Apple may be building two different iPhone 5 models for release this fall; a normal and pro model. The source of the information is an employee of an Apple parts supplier.
Due to the extensive amount of NDAs our source had to sign to work with Apple, he could not give us very many details. He does believe that Apple is going to build two iPhone models, which he referred to as a 'normal' and a 'pro' version. Our source says that Apple is ordering components of similar function, but some of them are the very best of what you can get right now.
Now before jumping to any conclusions, Apple may just be testing different components for reliability and quality before final production of one device. They may also be testing several prototypes, some more conservative than others, as they have done in the past. The second lot of components may also be for a new iPod touch which is usually announced in the fall; the same time as we expect the new iPhone.
Apple has stuck to the single iPhone model for 4 generations of hardware now. Do you think Apple is finally ready to change that, and release two iPhones with different specifications? Let us know in the comments!


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Allied Partners Veterinary Emergency Service (APVES) is seeking an internship-trained or equivalently experienced Emergency Associate Veterinarian to join our team. We are a privately owned Emergency and Surgical Referral Specialty Hospital located in Huntingtown, Maryland, just 30 miles southeast of Washington, DC and 30 miles southwest of Annapolis, MD. Calvert County is a rapidly growing, picturesque DC Metro bedroom community, bounded on the east by the scenic Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Patuxent River. The hospital is equipped with a fully integrated IDEXX in-house laboratory, digital radiography, endoscopy, ultrasound, temperature controlled oxygen therapy and two surgery suites along with all necessary monitoring, defibrillation and patient support equipment. On-call, board-certified surgical support is provided on a full-time basis.
We are looking for a team player with excellent communication skills, excellent work ethic, and a pleasant, fun-loving personality. If you are committed to providing outstanding patient and client care in a progressive environment, this may be the perfect opportunity for you. We offer a competitive salary and generous benefits package including medical, dental and supplemental insurance, 401K with employer matching contribution, continuing education allowance, and relocation stipend/signing bonus.


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Old School Radio Meets the Digital Age
Take a look inside Cooper's June, 2013 UX Boot Camp with American Public Media's Marketplace Money radio show, where students explored the next horizon of audio programming—a paradigm shift from broadcast to conversation-based platforms.
The Challenge
Students rolled up their sleeves to help the show respond to the trend away from traditional radio by finding the right mix of alternative distribution platforms. Marketplace Money came equally ready to take a radical departure from their current format in order to create a new model that redefines the roles of host, show, and audience in the digital age. To reach this goal, students focused on designing solutions that addressed three big challenges:
- Engage a new, younger audience that is tech savvy, and provide easy access to content via new platforms, such as podcasts, satellite radio shows, and the Internet.
- Inspire audience participation and contribution. Facilitate conversations and inspire people to share their personal stories so that listeners can learn from each other.
- Design ways for the host to carry an influential brand or style that extends beyond the limits of the show and engage with the audience around personal finance, connecting with listeners in ways that are likeable, useful, and trustworthy, making the topic of personal finance cool, fun and approachable.
At the end of the four-day Boot Camp, student teams presented final pitches to Marketplace Money, and a panel of experienced Cooper designers offered feedback on their ideas and presentations. In the following excerpts from each day, you can test your own sensory preferences for receiving content as you see, hear and read how design ideas evolved at the Boot Camp, inspiring new relationships between people and radio.
Day 1
"Truly, in just one day on this @cooper bootcamp I've gained more insight into personal finance on the radio than I've learned all year."
—Paddy Hirsch, Senior Producer, Personal Finance at Marketplace


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|General information
|Between Calenardhon and the White Mountains
|Minas Anor
|Gondor Sindarin, Westron
[edit] History
During the Elder Days, the region was occupied by Pre-Númenóreans.[1] These were separated relatives of the House of Haleth while the Edain migrated to the west during the First Age. The aboriginal Woses fled to the forests of that region, hunted by the Men of Darkness.[2]
At the end of the Second Age, the region was given to Anárion as part of the Realms in Exile and was named 'Anórien' after him. Anárion built Minas Anor on Amon Tirith of the Mindolluin.
Peoples from Anórien, as well as from Ithilien and Calenardhon joined with Eldacar against Castamir in the Kin-strife.[3]
As the Great Plague spread, cities were evacuated and many fled to Ithilien and Anórien.
Steward Túrin II fortified the isle of Cair Andros to defend Anórien.[4]
During the War of the Ring, when Sauron released a secondary force from the Morannon, they overwhelmed the defenders of Cair Andros, and used the island to cross into Anórien. They blocked the eastward progress of the Rohirrim as they rode to Gondor's aid, though after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Elfhelm and 3000 Rohirrim chased them down and pushed them back out of Anórien.[5]
[edit] Geography
Anórien lay north of the line of the White Mountains, and formed a narrow strip of land consisting of the valleys of the White Mountains, and its borders were the Mering Stream in the west, and the Mouths of the Entwash in the north. Its eastern border was the border of Gondor at the Anduin.
After Calenardhon was given to the Éothéod to become the Kingdom of Rohan, Anórien remained as the only part of the northern half of the realm.
The Greenway road traversed the fief.
The land contained the Drúadan Forest and fertile farmlands. Except Minas Anor, no cities were in Anórien, but following the line of the North-South Road that led through Rohan to Arnor were built the Warning beacons of Gondor.
[edit] Etymology
The name is Sindarin for 'Sun-land'; Anor "sun" and -ien place name suffix. Called Sunlending by the Rohirrim.
The name does not refer to the Sun or the climate, but is 'heraldic', related to the name and the emblem of Anárion, son of Elendil: the land is immediately attached to the Minas Anor.[6]
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Drúedain"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "The Heirs of Elendil"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Last Debate"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 776


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Yes, it's the most tiresome practice in all of hype-dom: the clip that promotes another clip. Still, Capcom's been very quiet regarding its Japanese-developed, Western-styled action/RPG so any new look at it is worth paying attention.
We really haven't known how to feel about Dragon's Dogma around these parts. It's got some cool things and some meh things. We'll see if that ambivalence changes when the full trailer hits tomorrow.
Dragon's Dogma Teaser Will Ignite Your Passion, Village [Capcom Unity]


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Monday, October 04, 2010
American Apple Pie
This is a very American apple pie - very rich, very high, and also very delicious. I had seen them popping up in various American food blogs and finally tried out my own version last year. It's quite unlike any of the typical apple cakes and pies we see here in Estonia, and thus providing a nice change to me, my family and friends.
American Apple Pie
(Ameerika õunapirukas)
300 g plain flour
1 Tbsp (demerara) sugar
1 tsp salt
200 g cold butter
4 Tbsp cold water
1 kg cooking apples (e.g. something not too sweet or too soft)
3 Tbsp plain flour
100 g caster sugar
0.25 tsp ground allspice
0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla sugar
2 Tbsp cognac or brandy
Egg wash:
1 egg + 2 tsp water, whisked
Start with the pastry. Put flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of the food processor, then add cold cubed butter and blitz until you've got fine crumbs. Add about 4 Tbsp cold water and process once again. (Avoid overworking your pastry, as it'll result in hard cake crust).
Divide into two, press into flat discs, and place into the fridge for at least half an hour.
Meanwhile peel and core the apples, cut into thin slices or wedges.
Take a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla and nutmeg. Add the brandy and stir gently.
Take the pastry discs out of the fridge and roll both of them into a circle (about 28 cm in diameter). Line a 24 cm fluted pie dish with the pastry. Top with apple slices, piling them high in the middle. Top with the other pastry disc, pressing the edges tightly together. (If you wish, you can decorate the top disc with pastry leaves and such like).
Brush with an egg wash. Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 180 C oven for about 40 minutes, until the apples are soft and the pie is lovely golden brown.
Cool a little before serving.
6 comments:
- grub said...
your apple pie looks great! kudos for making your own pastry :D
- 4:09 pm, October 04, 2010
- ScienceMel said...
I used to make one every holiday season for my grandpa. They are great warm with vanilla ice cream (aka a la mode). =) Looks great. Hope all is well with you and co.
- 4:42 pm, October 04, 2010
- Alanna Kellogg said...
One thing to consider:
While some will disagree, it's my contention that an all-butter crust is French, not American, better for stiff tarts than soft pies. The "classic" American apple pie has a flaky, tender crust that comes only from lard or in the "modern world", shortening. My own recipe mixes lard or shortening (for tenderness) with butter (for flavor).
Student of the Pie Whisperer
- 4:54 pm, October 04, 2010
Beautiful pie, Pille! I agree about the all butter crust comment; the classic pie here would have a mix of lard (or shortening) and butter in the crust to achieve that perfect flaky texture.
It's great "a la mode" (with vanilla ice cream) OR some serve it with a slice of good Cheddar cheese! Yes, that is really true. A nice strong cup of coffee is also a perfect companion.
- 11:40 pm, October 04, 2010
MMM sounds good! But I have one question: have you ever worked in a hotel i Tampere, Finland?
- 9:23 am, October 12, 2010
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
- 3:44 pm, January 23, 2013


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SKU:5387Artist:Compatible Figures:N/ACompatible Software:DAZ Studio 4.12, DAZ StudioInstall Types:
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*Unless otherwise specified, no discounts or offers will apply to License Add‑Ons.SKU:5387Artist:Compatible Figures:N/ACompatible Software:DAZ Studio 4.12, DAZ StudioInstall Types:
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Optional License Add-Ons:$35.00
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Sources: Carmelo Anthony traded to Oklahoma City Thunder
The New York Knicks have reached agreement on a trade to send All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder, league sources told The Vertical.
The Thunder will send center Enes Kanter, forward Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round draft pick from the Chicago Bulls to the Knicks, league sources told The Vertical. A trade call is planned for Monday, with Anthony expected to waive his no-trade clause, league sources said.
For Oklahoma City, the acquisition of Anthony pairs him with two elite All-Stars in guard Russell Westbrook and forward Paul George. The Thunder traded for both George and Anthony this offseason with the mindset of contending for a championship and competing with star-studded teams in Golden State and Houston.
Anthony had long wanted a trade to the Houston Rockets in the offseason, but opened up his list of desired destinations recently and accepted the trade to Oklahoma City on Saturday.
The Knicks had stated publicly on Friday that Anthony would return to the team for the start of training camp, but an increased level of urgency began over the weekend. Anthony had a no-trade clause as part of the maximum contract he signed in 2014 and declined a trade from the Knicks throughout the turmoil of Phil Jackson's tenure as president of basketball operations. Anthony has two seasons and more than $54 million remaining on his contract, including a player option for 2018-19.
The Thunder are sending two young assets to the Knicks in Kanter and McDermott, but were able to complete the trade without adding rookie Terrance Ferrguson, who was desired by the Knicks.
Anthony, 33, is a 10-time All-Star and three-time Olympic gold medalist who was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Knicks in a blockbuster deal in 2011. In 14 seasons, Anthony has averaged 24.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game and was the NBA scoring champion in 2013, averaging 28.7 points.
What a trade for OKC and possibly Carmelo. OKC has pulled off two great trades this offseason, getting two superstars, and they might be able to keep all three for a couple more years if they have success this upcoming season.
The issue I see is that all three superstars are ball dominant and the sharing between them might not be good.
Carmelo traded to OKC
Talk about anything general in the NBA here.
Moderators: Mr. Crackerz, JREED, Guybrush, 32


text:
Bound Round App
Bound Round is a travel app designed for 8-12 year olds to play with before and during their visit to Phillip Island.
Bound Round puts the elements kids love most – videos, photos, games and interactivity – at the heart of the app. This is what Bound Round is all about; content that is specifically designed for kids thanks to the input of peer-reviewers," said Bound Round Founder and CEO, Janeece Keller.
By capturing if they want to visit a specific location, the app provides parents with feedback from the kids on the activities they really want to do when they get here and then provides information on how to get here and opening hours.
When the kids are in a location they can create their own content in the "Journal" section of the app and share it with friends and family along with photos in an e-postcard.
The Bound Round interactive travel app is designed for iPhone and iPad and can be downloaded for free via WiFi and 3G through the iTunes App Store.
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text:
At 10 o'clock this morning (on Tuesday, September 16, 2008), Josh Hanna — Ancestry.com's Senior Vice-President — announced in Toronto that it has put the Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 online at <http://landing.ancestry.ca/intl/canada/passenger/lists.aspx> in both French and English (simply click the language link at the top of the page).
I have been on the site (even though all of my ancestors came to Canada pre-1865) to see what it is all about, and there is 1,441 BARCLAYs who came to Canada and 178 BLADES. (To those who don't know - my father's line is through the surname of BARCLAY, and my mother's name was BLADES - both of them descendent from United Empire Loyalists who came to Canada in 1783 and 1784, respectivly, from the United States.)
The passenger lists covers the provinces and cities of Quebec (Quebec Ports, May 1865-June 1908, June 1919-July 1921, April 1925-November 1935); Montreal (April 1925-November 1935); Halifax, Nova Scotia (1881-October 1922, 1925-1935); North Sydney, Nova Scotia (November 1906, August 1908-August 1922, 1925-1935); Saint John, New Brunswick ( 1900-September 1922, 1925-1935); Vancouver, British Columbia (1905-September 1922, 1925-1935); Victoria, British Columbia and Pacific Ports (April 1905-September 1922, 1925-1935) and some eastern U.S. Ports (July 1905-1919, 1925-1928) and New York City, which covers 1906 to 1921.
When you put the name into the search engine you may get their estimated year of birth, their birth country (although many of the immigrants did not mention their country of birth), date of arrival, name of the vessel, and port of departure. You can then view the image from which the information was taken.
It appears that the partnership that was forged between Ancestry.com and the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) in May, 2007 was not adhered to in this instance because nowhere is the LAC mentioned in the Ancestry.com press release.*
But it may be worth checking the LAC site <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/immigrants> because they have some of the passenger lists onsite, too. They also have the Moving Here, Staying Here. The Canadian Immigrant Experience online, and it's worth looking at it because it can give you the background behind immigration.
This past August, Sylvie Tremblay, Chief Project Manager of the Canada Genealogy Centre, said that the LAC has embarked on a three to five year project where they hope to develop a family history site where you will go to get the "story behind the headlines". They will make the connections for you between the databases, and the history in family history, and they are looking towards wikis to do this - so watch for that.
In the meantime, you can look up your ancestor on Ancestry.ca, and decide if you want to spend the money to do a deeper search. Remember, you can also get a 14-day trial at <www.ancestry.ca>.
*The LAC is mentioned in the CNW News Release. It refers to the LAC in that the LAC holds the official records on microfilm.


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Expand the capital gains exemption to pre-empt a charitable crisis
Posted on November 3, 2011 in Inclusion Policy Context
Source: Globe & Mail — Authors: Donald Johnson
TheGlobeandMail.com – life/giving/commentary
Published Monday, Oct. 31, 2011. Donald Johnson
This is part of The Globe and Mail's in-depth look at the evolution of philanthropy. Read more from the serieshere.
The global financial crisis has created significant challenges for all levels of government in Canada. They must strike the right balance between restoring fiscal responsibility through deficit reductions and stimulating the economy to avoid another recession. The collapse of stock markets has also created major challenges for Canada's not-for-profit sector – our hospitals, universities, social service agencies, and arts and cultural organizations desperately need more money. Our charities cannot expect significant funding increases from government. But they do have an opportunity to access additional financing from the private sector that is more tax effective than direct government support.
The 2006 federal budget measure that eliminated the remaining capital gains tax on gifts of listed securities has been an enormous success. Every year since then, Canadian charities have received donations in the form of listed securities of more than $1-billion. When no capital gains tax exemption existed, Canadians simply did not donate shares.
It's now vital for our government to capitalize on this enormous success by expanding the capital gains tax exemption to include charitable gifts in the form of private company shares and real estate. I should note that charitable gifts of both of these asset classes are exempt from capital gains taxes in the United States. By introducing these measures in the next budget, the government would be levelling the fundraising playing field for our not-for-profit sector with their American counterparts, with whom we compete for the best and brightest talent.
The introduction of these measures also would give entrepreneurs deciding to maintain private company status the same tax treatment as entrepreneurs who take their companies public and subsequently donate shares to charitable causes. It's estimated that introducing these measures in the next budget would result in $200-million a year of incremental donations to our vital not-for-profit sector.
Three issues need to be addressed in order for the government to implement these measures in the 2012 budget: the fiscal cost to the federal government; concerns about valuation abuse; and the level of awareness and support for these measures across Canada.
With respect to the fiscal cost, an expert on charitable giving has said the tax revenue cost would be just $50-million to $65-million a year, a fraction of the $200-million estimated increase in funding for our charities.
As to concerns about evaluation abuse, they can be addressed by a regulation that the charity may not issue a tax receipt to the donor until the charity has received the cash proceeds from the sale of the asset. If the purchaser of the asset from the charity, moreover, is not at arm's length from the donor, the charity would need to obtain two independent appraisals to confirm that the asset was donated and sold at fair market value.
With respect to the level of awareness and support for these measures, earlier this year, prominent charities across Canada were signatories to letters to the Prime Minister and Finance Minister published in 13 prominent newspapers; the total circulation of these papers was 3.2 million, and the readership five million. These letters made clear to the government and the public the necessity of these reforms. We believe these measures would have the support of the NDP and the Liberals, because Thomas Mulcair, when he was the NDP's finance critic, and Scott Brison, the Liberals' finance critic, both expressed their approval.
This is one of the few public policy issues on which all political parties would probably agree, and all Canadians would salute the government's willingness to act.
Donald K. Johnson, a member of the advisory board of BMO Capital Markets, is a volunteer board member on four not-for-profit organizations in each area of the charitable sector.
< http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/giving/giving-commentary/expand-the-capital-gains-exemption-to-pre-empt-a-charitable-crisis/article2217879/ >
Tags: economy, ideology, philanthropy, standard of living, tax
This entry was posted on Thursday, November 3rd, 2011 at 2:04 pm and is filed under Inclusion Policy Context. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.


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Every year we ask our writers to come up with gift-giving ideas for the women in our lives, and it unintentionally doubles as an interesting social experiment. (Results: Not typical.) Everyone gets to choose the category (aka kind of person) they are choosing presents for, and then they go to work finding the items (or in some cases, experiences) that they believe that woman would want. Now we're not saying we get it all right, but we can almost guarantee that our picks will please whatever lucky lady you are shopping for.
Most gift guides will tout pricey electronics or brand new merchandise created just for the craze that is this money-making time of year. Instead, we hope to provide you with alternatives that are frequently women or lesbian-made, and something your giftee would not already be getting from her mom or brother or Santa Claus.
So here are 18 different kinds of women we know and love, and love to buy for during the holidays. May you find something that fits your budget and your boo!
Happy Holidays!


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Sharp Knives and Sparks
Cooking For Engineers Forum Index
Tools, Equipment, and Gadgets
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:18 am
Post subject: Sharp Knives and Sparks
I've been obsessing over my knives lately (decent quality from germany, not marked as far as I can tell so I can't tell you the maker.. does that mean they're probably cheaper than I've been lead to believe?) but I've had them for a while and they need a good sharpening to get all the dinks out. It's been put in my head by people such as
the honorable Alton Brown
that electric knife sharpeners are a no no. I've tried sharpening them on an oil stone and it works somewhat well, but the steel is pretty hard and it would take me forever to get all the dinks out and they'd still not be perfect, so I want to take it to a professional.
But then I do some more searching and I find
this website
telling me that the sparks often created by sharpening wheels (like in the video on Good Eats) means that my knife's edge is being overheated, distempered, and softened. Chef's Choice sells knife sharpeners so you can imagine the conflict of interest... and the idea of distempering the edge doesn't seem nearly as prevalent as the idea of screwing up my blade on an electric sharpener.
What makes things worse is that I go onto
Alton Brown's other website
in partnership with his endorsed knife line and I find an electric sharpener and a whet stone for sale (both of which the lowly home user is not supposed to use.)
So frustrating! I feel like giving up and using an electric knife or disposable razors for everything. So what says you, should I just buy an electric sharpener and hope that a wheel doesn't become misaligned.. keep doing it by hand, or bring it to the professional and limit myself to a honing steel?
Oh, and are there any opinions as to whether a round honing steel or a flat one (such as the one seen in the Good Eats episode, hanging on Alton's pot rack) is better?
Thanks for your help
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Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 535
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 3:33 am
Post subject:
Regarding Alton's YouTube clip, I have always used a round 14" F. Dick steel before each use. My knives have been sharpened 2-3 times in 25 years of use. A very long steel makes it easy to sharpen/hone my 12" slicing and chef knives. Frequent use of a steel will keep your blades sharp enough to shave hair practically forever.
You should do a search of this site. There are MANY threads where this is discussed and debated. Maybe Michael should move this into one of those threads.
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Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 95
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 11:03 pm
Post subject:
The realm of knife sharpening is vast and varied. I sharpen my knives on a waterstone using a Japanese technique. I can make most knives significantly sharper than the factory edge with some time on the stone.
Here are some useful articles:
I would swear on a sharpening kit that included:
-a low grit stone or diamond plate to shave off the whole layer with the dinks (you can find one in hardware stores)
-a combination stone with a medium/fine grit to get a razor edge (I got
-a ceramic steel or leather strop to touch up the blade between sharpening
The sky's the limits, the optimal setup is a DMT diamond plate, three or four Shapton waterstones (2000, 4000, 8000), and charged leather strop.
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Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:19 pm
Post subject: Knife Sharpening
I used to sharpen knives by hand, using Arkansas stones, then Japanese waterstones. These gave a nice edge, but you had to be VERY careful to keep the same blade-to-stone angle from stroke to stroke as you sweep the blade across the sharpening stone.
Otherwise, you end up with a more "rounded" edge.
For the past 5 or so years, I've used a Lansky Sharpening System. This is a fancy name for a VERY simple tool to use (even for us Chem Engineers). I use it on every thing from dinky 1" blade pocket knives, to 8" Chef knives, to 10" Bowie style blades.
You attach a clamp fixture to the spine of the blade, then the abrasive stones are attached to a steel guide rod. The end of the guide rod fits in a hole in the blade clamp, and you scrape the stone across the blade edge, like normal. It's very easy to maintain a constant angle (the angle is user adjustable, via different holes in the blade clamp), and you end up with a hair popping edge.
My set looks like this:
Just Google or Ebay to find the cheapest price. I also use the stones dry (no oil). When you get enough metal built up on the surface of the stone, just scrub it with some dish soap & a scrubbing pad, and you're ready to go again (once the stone dries, that is).
Very easy to use, and painless even for the amateur.
I've got no financial interest in Lansky, but am just a satisfied customer.
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Joined: 25 Jun 2010
Posts: 1
Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 4:54 pm
Post subject:
It is much better that you will sharpen the knives by machine not by hand.
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Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Post subject:
In Japanese Hocho knives the best solution is a Japanese water stone. They are a very different models but normally the professionals have three stones:
- coarse stone (Grit.220-400)
- sharpening stone (Grit 800-2000)
- honing stone (Grit 2000-12000)
Home cooks can use a combination stone with two grains.
The Arkansas stone are too hard and can damage the blade, a sharpening steel is also prohibited. Sharpening using a machine is not recommended, because the heat (dry machine) can damage the steel.
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buttered popcorn
Joined: 01 Oct 2010
Posts: 6
Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 4:19 pm
Post subject: Sparks
mean noting , except that your knife has a high carbon content. The sparks will not harm your knife at all. If a small section of your knife edge goes blue, then that part has no more temper, and over time will create a wow there, or a hole. Thios and gouges can be ground out by a knife sharpener. Get a cheap two part hardware store two part stone and use it. The only way to learn to sharpen is to go at it. There are tons of videos and directions all over the web. Just practice with your worst knife. It is also possible that your knives are to hard to take an edge without being sent out. In that case, consider getting carbon steel knives. Above all , drop the mental loops and just go at it.
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