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By Vince Michael and Anthea Hartig
We regrettably missed Charles Buki's Next American City speech at the National Preservation Conference in Austin, but studied it and it is a provocative scorcher, as the self-described "community developer" no doubt intended (see for yourself at www.czb.org and http://www.czb.org/blog/2010/10/comments-at-the-national-trust-for-historic-preservation/). Buki congenially opens with his denouncing of the label preservationist, but goes on to share his valuable critique of our built environment – and of preservation's seeming lack of care about community and over-privileging of architecture and its rehabilitation. We here writing don't have the luxury of eschewing the preservationist label, although we are both active in the discursive movement afoot to change that label (see Forum Journal, Spring 2010, focused on "What's Next for Historic Preservation," in particular Donovan Rypkema's headlining article, Michael's and Muniz/Hartig's pieces therein and the follow-up Forum On-Line discussion with Rypkema and Vince Michael.
Buki's overall critique of our social built environment finds it Koyaanisqatsi-esque—an out of balance set of places in which interdependencies and interconnections have been lost. He also argued convincingly that distinctions between city and suburb are artificial and not helpful, especially in the wake of our efforts to rebuild such places through preservation, new urbanism, or even "old" urbanism, about which we couldn't agree more, but for reasons different than his. Here goes.
Buki's stated theme was diversity, and how we fail to achieve it and incubate it in designing cities and suburbs. He argues, again convincingly, that diversity and complexity provide the underpinnings of true sustainability. We dug this aspect of Buki's critique because it resonated with Jane Jacobs' description of the city as a problem of organized complexity. Jacobs said the city is a biological problem, not a statistical (disorganized complexity) or chemical (two variable) problem. Emphasizing the point, Buki quoted Wendell Berry to reinforce the biological analogy; we're with you so far, to paraphrase The Eagles.
Buki talked a lot about "monochromatic" developments and places, be they city or suburban, red or blue states. We tend to live with people who act like us, and more importantly – consume like us, understandable but regrettable patterns of human behavior that reduce diversity and thus true sustainability. He talked about the fields of Subarus and Volvos that characterized the Berkeley, CA cityscape and the Ford F-150s and four-story high crosses of the Amarillo, TX architectural ecosystem and it seemed his point was the we who resemble Berkeleyite's self-righteousness, hail the concept of diversity while failing to live it, or live in it. We're not sure about his point regarding Amarillo.
He argued, again persuasively, that city and suburb are artificial distinctions, which rings increasingly true. One of us lives in a suburb that has two subway lines and a full range of consumer activities within walking distance, and can show you Chicago neighborhoods that lie further from the center along commuter rail lines or highways with complete separation of residence from commerce.
this is a suburb
this is the inner city
Environmental Determinism
Buki's strongest arguments had less to do with preservation and more to do with New Urbanism, and we suppose, Old Urbanism as well. He decried the urban designers "trying disentangle a suburban dystopia" who in "their aggressive self –confidence" have "misreduced the entirety of the challenge of the built environment to a problem no more complex than its new urbanist solution is one-dimensional." It took a while to work it out, but we finally think what he said was that the solutions to community will not be found in the realm of design, nor in the realm of rehabilitation for the sake of such.
This comes back to Jane Jacobs charge that "the city is not a work of art" and that any attempt to treat it that way is "taxidermy. She was the first to see the flaw in environmental determinism whether it was Beaux-Arts or High Modern, in fact she was the first to see the functional equivalence between those apparently divergent forms. Both failed at complexity and diversity. She looked beyond design, as Buki is trying to do. And she was a preservationist, as we are.
But many have a narrow view of preservation, of heritage conservation. It is not about "skeletal remains" as Buki says, and even if it was, they are generally better skeletons in historic buildings than can be built today for all money in Dubai. There is an inherent diversity in an inherited environment that is almost impossible to plan for, nevermind design at-once for. A key layer to this inherited above-ground archaeology is our familiar past of the last half of the twentieth century.
In a witty but weak and unfair accusation, Buki fretted about the Recent Past, lobbing that "tomorrow's challenges facing preservationists' is "what label to put on what was built between 1946 and 1964, a period not generally known for much of anything not straight out of some Soviet architect's pattern book." Well, it is today's challenge and the global heritage conservation community continues to respond well and intelligently for the most part. In fact, debates, tensions, and outcomes swirling around understanding and conserving the recent past and weaving it into a sustainable future might be illustrative helpful for Buki and his team. For as we collectively understand the critical importance of both the remarkable design contribution of a remarkable range of architects, from the Neutras to Lautner, from Wright to Rudolph, from Yamasaki to Ossipoff. And the movements, choices, changes that took place in those two decades following WWII remain completely significant.
Gentrification and the Problem of History
Buki illustrated the failure of diversity in preservation through an anecdote about rehabbing a house in Alexandria in the early 90s and going to get glass at a local smoke-filled hardware store, not Home Depot, and hearing how the old men there did not feel welcome at the new coffee shop. It was a freeze frame in the gentrification that is so often associated with preservation, an historical moment when the old-fashioned charm of Jane Jacob's Hudson Street locksmith and deli owner coexist with the beatniks and professionals. That moment passes in time and it seems that soon the old business guys are pushed out along with the hipster artists who started the whole process, and the gentrified community becomes more and more monochromatic.
Gentrification happens in more places and more often WITHOUT preservation, but Buki's point is worth considering. How can a heritage conservation movement embrace diversity when we are, in his words, aligned with Panera Bread and Barnes and Noble and addicted to Whole Foods? Buki asks for "a restored building not with a Starbucks or Peets, but instead a local vendor but whose product line and pricing structure renders the business completely inaccessible to the people who live in the new building's shadow." To assume that those/we preservationists don't think or care about the end use and users of place is to rob them/us of the tap root of our thinking—the histories and stories of people in places.
Can this be achieved?
Well, there is a history problem here. You can't craft a community freeze frame, not via some inorganic affordable housing policy or equally inorganic New Urbanist form that is dependent on environmental determinism finally working. Even preservation, which is a form of community development more than anything else, can't stop time, and more importantly, doesn't want to.
You can slam New Urbanists for creating high-style and/or old-timey versions of the gated community and preservationists for leaning too heavily on coffee chains to save their precious architecture. But how do you achieve diversity without stopping time? Can you keep the quaint, inexpensive "real" community at the moment you discover it, or is the process of conserving buildings really simply the same as improving buildings? And was that community truly diverse at the moment you discovered it and began the inexorable shift toward improvement? Is diversity simply a characteristic of a community in flux? Can you plan it? Can you design for it? Pay a consultant to analyze your lack of it?
We would like to push Buki's point further – we want diversity in our communities, but design – not Old or New Urbanism, not HABS drawings or boulevard electroliers – is not going to get us there. The solution won't happen solely in the realm of design. But it will happen in the built environment, and most built environments that have a history have some diversity—we'd argue that most have histories more diverse than commonly known and that part of our collective charge is uncovering those diversities and their owners.
Buki's search for the interdependencies that make up a truly sustainable and diverse community leads him to critique both affordable housing and preservation for confusing the ends with the means. He asks "what is the role of preservation in getting us there when preservation is not the end goal, but one tool among many aimed at creating a system the chief characteristic of which is diversity?"
This is an exciting time to be in conservation writ large, especially now with the new National Trust President, Stephanie Meeks, crafting a more inclusive – diverse – vision of preservation tethered both to environmentalism and history. It isn't just about the buildings, it is about the community, and that is why we joined Don Rypkema in calling for a rebrand: heritage conservation. For almost fifty years, we toiled in these preservation fields, and it has never been just about the buildings. More importantly, it was never just about the laws or design review or certificates of appropriateness. Community preservationists worth their salt have always treated preservation in exactly the way Buki calls for: one tool among many. Diversity is not their goal, but conserving community is.
And why does every speech to preservationists contain a plea that we have to let some buildings go? Here is how he put it:
"If you are inclined to see our post Industrial system as broken – as I do – and in need of repair and love – as I do, then you must be willing to abandon the preservation of even the most beloved stones, if the price of their rescue is the perpetuation of what's fundamentally broken and somehow, intended or not, the kind of community amnesia paralyzing our country today"
The responses to Buki's online posting of his speech included a few that charged preservationists with being self-righteous and of course, the hoariest chestnut of all, that preservationists want to save everything. We hear this all-too often and it's nonsense along with being a false choice. We challenge the self-righteous preservationists without challenging the precept that most – not all – buildings are better where they are than in the landfill. It is about striking balances, complex, multi-dimensional balances to be sure, about which Buki would concur.
And it is about community and about communities' effects on the very essence of human identity, or as Buki writes, "we are nurtured by the communities that surround us and cradled by the neighborhoods where we live" (http://www.czb.org/taxonomy_of_neighborhoods.html ) Indeed. While one of us grew up and lives in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb to end all suburbs, the other was taken home from the hospital to a new track home in Alta Loma, California, where the year before had been acres of citrus trees. Surely both places, both communities shaped us, and probably both the longevity of Oak Park and the rapidity of change along with the pain of erasure in Alta Loma had something to do with our chosen paths and philosophies. As did our choices as adults—to work dirty jobs, to get Ph.D.s, or to buy one's first house, a modest but sturdy 1921 bungalow in a once white- but at the time mostly Latino- working-class neighborhood living with Minwax-dyed fingertips for weeks after all the cherry-colored stain had been applied to all the clear-grained redwood and Douglas fir trim and two-dozen wooden windows, and being welcomed for coffee tinged with cinnamon at the local panaderia. Or a 1906 graystone in Chicago's Logan Square before gentrification, fixing windows, retiling bathrooms and stripping woodwork between visits to the corner Borinquen tienda. We know these actions did build community, as the acts of reclaiming, renewing, and recycling often do. Conserving historic buildings is not the activity of one culture or another, but is a polychromatic instersection of complex and diverse cultures that can help construct a broader and more inclusive future.
photo: Maravilla Historical Society
When we assert that "This Place Matters" or " Este Lugar Es Importante," we hope that it represents a combination of connection to place, activism, scholarship, and respectful community building based on real people and their building of places. Sometimes these important community places were built brick by brick and are taking a reinvigorated and meaningful form of community-based advocacy to save, as in the case of the Maravilla Handball Court in East Los Angeles (check it out). Saving and restoring the oldest handball court in East LA matters and as the Maravilla Historical Society, the new non-profit that has emerged to work on this effort along with the Los Angeles Conservancy, claims as its mission: "Preserving history, Protecting our stories, Reclaiming our legacy, and Projecting into the future."
Anthea M. Hartig, PhD is Director of the Western Regional Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Vincent L. Michael, PhD is John Bryan Chair of Historic Preservation at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.


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Stephen Joseph Zoo Animals Go Go Backpack
Product Description
This brightly colored Stephen Joseph backpack is made of durable and easy to clean heavy duty vinyl material, it is cute and stylish. Definitely the cutest backpacks to take with you to school, or over to a friends house. This roomy backpack has adjustable straps, top zip, and a zippered compartment inside. Kids can fill with their school supplies, books, lunch, snacks, clothes, favorite toys, blankie, and anything else they want to take along wherever they go.Measures 13.5" tall x 12" wide and 3.5"deep.

subset: commoncrawl


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An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team is again set for service in the Village of Park Forest this summer.The NCCC team this week begins its first of an eight-week stay in the community."The Village of Park Forest is very happy – and fortunate – to host a team of volunteers from AmeriCorps for the summer of 2019," said Village Manager Tom Mick.The group of seven, from the North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa, is working on goals of Park Forest's sustainability plan. Adopted in May of 2012, the plan supports the three E's of sustainable development: environment, equity, and economics.The team will conduct a tree inventory to support the Village's greenhouse gas reduction goals, improve trails in a local wetland and nature preserve, and support Park Forest's annual Growing Green Recycle Fest later this month.The Village's equity goals will be furthered by the team's efforts at a local food pantry and in local community gardens. The group will also support the Park Forest's Youth Commissions annual back-to-school event Youth Day next month and the Park Forest Police Department's annual community relations celebration Unity Day also happening in August.Several infrastructure projects, including painting Village facilities and painting fire hydrants, will also receive attention from the group.In the process of fulfilling these projects, the members of the NCCC team will learn about the Village's commitment to sustainability and ecosystem management and will also provide a direct service to residents of the community.This summer marks the fourth consecutive summer that Park Forest has hosted a team of volunteers from AmeriCorps.This year's team was in attendance for Monday night's board meeting where they officially introduced themselves to the community and expressed their eagerness to offer their assistance.About AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC)AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and its FEMA Corps unit engages up to 2,800 young Americans in a full-time, 10-month commitment to service each year. AmeriCorps NCCC members address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, and urban and rural development; FEMA Corps members are solely dedicated to disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery work. The programs are administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). CNCS is a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation's volunteering and service efforts. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.


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There are several different ways to determine which Zoning District a particular property is located in: (1) You can use the Building Division's online Property Search Tool via the link below. This is probably the quickest and easiest way to search for Zoning District information for a property in the city (by building name or address). It will also identify the number of units, occupancy, and Certificate of Compliance expiration date. Resident Services Search Tool (2) Tompkins County's Image Mate Online property search tool also allows you to identify the Zoning District of a specific property: Image Mate Online (3) Finally, you can use the City of Ithaca Interactive Web Map via the link below. Just enter the property address in the search field, making sure to only use standard street address abbreviations with no punctuation (e.g., St, Pl, Rd, E, W, N, S). Then just click on the "City Address" search result, click the "Zoom to Feature" link in the pop-up window, click on the "Point" top-menu navigation button under the "Getting Around" tab, and then click anywhere inside the parcel boundary. You will then need to click on the parcel listing in the search "Results" and a pop-up window will appear. Zoning District and other basic property information is accessible under the "Attributes" tab. Interactive Web Map
Once you know which Zoning District a property is in, use the Zoning District Regulations Chart via the link below to determine what the zoning requirements are. Zoning District Regulations Chart If you are having trouble using the web resources described above, please contact the Building Division at: 108 E. Green St. City Hall Fourth Floor Ithaca, NY 14850 Ph: 607-274-6508 Fx: 607-274-6521 Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
108 E. Green St.3rd FloorIthaca, NY 14850
Ph: 607-274-6550Fx: 607-274-6558
Office HoursMonday - Friday8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Zoning Division Web Page


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Press Release
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Jeffery Jessop, age 51, of Presho, South Dakota appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on June 12, 2013 and pled guilty to the charge of Unlawful Taking of Bald and Golden Eagles and Migratory Birds.
Jessop was sentenced to 1 year unsupervised probation, a $35 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution in the amount of $56,250.
Jessop was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 16, 2013. The charges stem from an incident occurring between September 28, 2009 and September 28, 2012, wherein Jessop illegally shot and killed at least three mature Bald and Golden Eagles and at least 15 Hawks at his ranch in Lyman County, South Dakota. Jessop illegally killed these federally protected birds with three firearms that have been forfeited. After killing the birds, Jessop would burn the remains and then dump them in a trash pit on his property.
The investigation was conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Service and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.


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From its laughably lyrical opening to its bow-tying resolution, Lajos Koltai's Evening invites comparisons to Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movies. Framed as the deathbed memories of a mother surrounded by her clueless children, the adaptation of Susan Minot's novel has some intriguing ideas at its core, but seems at a loss for how to exploit them.
Minot's co-writer (or rewriter?) on the screenplay is Michael Cunningham, the novelist best known for The Hours. It should come as no surprise, then, that Evening is The Hours-lite. Four of the lights in Evening's starry firmament once shone, more brightly, in Stephen Daldry's film of The Hours: Eileen Atkins, Toni Collette, Claire Danes, and Meryl Streep. Here, they're wasting time. And time, again, is the point, with a story that roughly interweaves present-day concerns with flashback memories.
Vanessa Redgrave plays Ann Lord, languishing on the deathbed of her family home. Koltai stunt casts Natasha Richardson as one of her daughters (Constance), and Streep and her daughter Mamie Gummer as the older and younger versions of Lila Wittenborn, the old woman's best friend (as Lila's oh-so-matrician mother: Glenn Close!). The crux of the film comes in Redgrave's seemingly addled whisper "Harris was my first mistake." As Constance and other daughter Nina (Collette) puzzle over a name they've never heard (Nina asks, "Mom—is this all just a dream you're having?"), the audience becomes privy to Ann's youthful pangs.
The 1950s flashbacks find Ann (now Claire Danes) as Lila's maid of honor, staying with the Wittenborns at their beach house in Newport (Koltai, a former cinematographer, paints the idyll in impossible, idealized sky-blue and grass-green). There, Ann whiles away the hours with longtime friend—and Lila's brother—Buddy (Hugh Dancy, in a lively, theatrical turn), but also finds herself instantly drawn to strapping wedding guest Harris Arden (Patrick Wilson). Forbidden feelings, kept secret, abound, but as memory tales go, this one feels rather inconsequential. An uneven, unfocused script and direction that seems intimidated by stardom do Evening no favors.
The central theme in Michael Cunningham's screenplay is mistakes in life and ownership of the lives we get. Koltai's biggest mistake is in not protecting his actors from cinematic overstatement. In one instance, Koltai allows Collette to overplay a shrill argument with Richardson, and at times, the close-ups press in a bit too obtrusively. Koltai could also be accused of over-protecting his actors' feelings: Gummer's too-placid mien makes Lila a non-starter as a character. A couple of sly scenes between Atkins and Redgrave may be the film's finest moments, though they do nothing to serve the narrative imperative.
Evening touches on the mystery of who our parents were in youth, and ponders both imminent crossroads and long-ago roads not taken. But worthy themes, tony climes, and distinguished ensemble casts do not necessarily a fine picture make. On screen at least, Minot's novel seems overcome by its most melodramatic instincts: the cliffside coastal romance (ill-advisedly, Wuthering Heights gets overt mention); the tragic, alcohol-fueled crash-and-burn of misspent youth (The Great Gatsby likewise gets a shout-out); the pie-eyed deathbed reverie of a fading mind. This Evening, turn in early.


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In the bar soap segment of the beauty market, one might not expect to find many ups and downs. Given the recent recession and its continuing rippling effects, however, even bar soap has seen its share of changes in the past few years. In contrast to other industry segments though, principles with Vermont-based bar soap manufacturer Twincraft, Jim Howard and Barbara Devine, share that bar soap appears to have benefited from the recession in more ways than one.
"In one sense, the recession was really a boon to bar soaps because we saw a lot of consumers going back to basics, and that meant bar soaps. Bar soap is something many people perceive as a better value because they can get more usage out of a single bar," says Devine, Twincraft's director of marketing. "But to entice those customers back in and have them stick with soap, you have to hook them and tell them your story all over again." Consumers are obviously more likely to continue buying a product they positive associations with, so Devine notes that, once people again began using bar soap, manufacturers needed to keep that positive dialog going.
"It's about staying competitive in terms of what your soap offers," Devine continues. "Consumers are looking for the whole story—a treatment, from cleansing to exfoliating to moisturizing and beyond. And it's a challenge to stay innovative and maintain a competitive price point. A lot of companies are facing more and more savvy consumers who are demanding more for their dollars, and therefore more from their products."
And this is where the bar soap segment is rebuilding itself to match—and even exceed—today's consumer expectations. "What we've been seeing is a shift in where consumers buy their products," says Howard, vice president of sales and marketing with Twincraft. "With the change in the economy, more consumers are spending more time in the FDM (food, drug, mass) channel and less in specialty skin care stores and higher-end department stores when buying their products."
"From our end, there has been a massive focus from the FDM stores to develop their own private label store brands," Howard continues. "As a result of the recession, consumers began shifting to using these store brands for their better price points, and then found they liked them. This has encouraged the FDM lines to want to innovate to keep these consumers interested and retain them."
Devine goes on to explain, "FDMs now offering a national brand equivalent (NBE) product are improving upon those with national brand better (NBB) products," says Devine. "And as these lines get better, consumer loyalty increases, which allows FDMs to further expand their NBB bar soap lines with better ingredients and aesthetic elements."
Ingredients and Aesthetics
To keep consumers interested in FDM private label lines, more companies are innovating within their own lines. Howard explains, "Bar soaps and their formulations are now really focusing on delivering that multifunctionality, giving consumers more reasons to pick them up off the shelf. FDM stores are littered with literally dozens of SKUs when it comes to soap, so you need something that not only will get a consumer to pick it up off the shelf, but also come back for it again and again. Innovation in terms of formulation, aesthetics and packaging is essential in that regard. You want the consumer to be able to sniff that bar to get the scent, see the bar to experience the aesthetics, and in many cases this needs to be done through innovative packaging."
Interesting ingredients continue to pique consumer interest, as well as that of the formulators and even manufacturers. "We've put everything from aloe vera to oat bran in our formulations," says Devine. "Consumers are always looking for something interesting, something different, and while that always makes our job challenging, it also makes it fun." Sustainability is also a buzzword in the bar soap segment. "In response to the organic and natural trends, manufacturers are exploring more natural soap bases and ingredients that have been sourced sustainably, including fragrances," says Howard. "There's also been development of recyclable and biodegradable packaging. We're always looking at ways to offer brands more socially conscious choices as that is what is being driven by the consumer."
"We're even seeing small growth in bar soap for babies, because it's very natural, so parents don't have to worry about preservatives or parabens," says Devine. "Bar soaps aren't the same as they were 20 years ago. Now they can offer a much more positive experience for their audience."
"People want their bar soap to have it all," she continues. "Something in just pretty packaging isn't going to cut it—it needs to have a nice fragrance, exfoliate, moisturize, have sustainable ingredients and tell an engaging story in order to grab the consumers' attention."
Continuing the Trend
As the economy continues its climb back toward post-recession level, Howard and Devine note that some backslide to national brands will likely be inevitable. The maintaining a state of increased consumers interest—as well as increased innovation and satisfaction with FDM private label bar soap lines—is current goal for manufacturers.
"Providing innovative solutions that reach the shelf via price points that are enticing to the consumer is always a challenge, but you need to continue to be innovative in order to stay viable in the marketplace," says Howard. "It's also important to look at innovation in terms of business processes—we're always looking to improve in that regard and reduce any additional costs out of the supply chain that can then be passed along down to our customers and their consumers."
That maintenance of a healthy, consumer-friendly business model is only benefiting bar soap at this point. "There is a healthy development across the board in bar soap these days," says Howard. "That wasn't the case three years ago, and now some of the larger brand owners are even beginning to investigate bar soap again."
Rebuilt and Better
The trend of FDM stores innovating and promoting their own private label lines has also began to spill over into other industry segments."More consumers deciding to spend more of their dollars in the FDM market segment also encourages FDM stores to increase their presence in other categories," says Howard. Twincraft has FDM growth in other personal care products categories as well, notably lotions, hair products and even liquid soaps.
Because, when seeking out quality, consumers will take it wherever they can find it—proven by the increase in bar soap sales during the past few years. "People are willing to spend the money," Devine says, "but you have to give them a product that works."


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When it comes to food and beverage packaging, consumers are most likely to pay more for value-added features that relate to freshness and sustainability. This is the latest finding from a global study conducted by Ipsos InnoQuest.
Consumers from around the world were given a list of potential packaging features and asked which ones they would be willing to pay more for. On a global basis, consumers were most likely to say they would pay more for "Packaging that keeps food fresh longer" (55%) and "Packaging that is environmentallyfriendly" (55%).
Following freshness and environmental benefits, consumers said they were likely to pay more for packaging that is reusable (42%) and easier to use (39%). Interestingly, more sophisticated packaging features were less likely to motivate consumers to spend more: packaging that prevents mess or spills, keeps food and beverages at the right temperature, and makes it easier to eat and drink on-the-go ranked lowest (34%, 33%, and 31%, respectively).
"Packaging plays a key role in consumer packaged goods innovation, whether marketers are introducing new products or trying to invigorate existing brands," says Lauren Demar, Global CEO, Ipsos InnoQuest. "As a key driver in the consumer's decision to buy, packaging features can often be leveraged to charge a premium. Our latest findings indicate that consumers place the most value on packaging that preserves freshness and offers environmental benefits. For marketers, there may be an opportunity to win over consumers and increase revenues through innovative package designs that deliver sustainability of freshness as well as sustainability of the planet."
The survey also revealed that certain countries were more likely to say they would pay more for fresh and sustainable packaging:
• South Africa, Malaysia, and India were most likely to say they would pay more for packaging that keeps food fresh longer
• Mexico, South Africa, and Indonesia were most likely to say they would pay more for environmentally friendly packing
Complimentary access to the data in this report for each of the 26 countries is available upon request from Ipsos InnoQuest.


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Kim Jong Un's sister heads home after whirlwind SKorea visit
GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister headed home Sunday night after a whirlwind three days in South Korea, where she sat among world dignitaries at the Olympics and tossed a diplomatic offer to the South aimed at ending seven decades of hostility.
Kim Yo Jong and the rest of the North Korean delegation departed for Pyongyang on her brother's private jet, a day after they delivered his hopes for a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in during a lunch at Seoul's presidential palace.
They capped their final day in South Korea by joining Moon at a Seoul concert given by a visiting North Korean art troupe led by the head of the immensely popular Moranbong band, whose young female members are hand-picked by Kim Jong Un.
Accepting North Korea's demand to transport more than 100 members of the art troupe by sea, South Korea treated the Mangyongbong-92 ferry as an exemption to the maritime sanctions it imposed on the North, a controversial move amid concerns that the North is trying to use the Olympics to poke holes in international sanctions.
South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon hosted the North Koreans for lunch Sunday before Moon's chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, hosted them for dinner ahead of the concert.
Kim Yo Jong, 30, is an increasingly prominent figure in her brother's government and the first member of the North's ruling family to visit the South since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. The North Korean delegation also included the country's 90-year-old head of state, Kim Yong Nam.
In dispatching the highest level of government officials the North has ever sent to the South, Kim Jong Un revealed a sense of urgency to break out of deep diplomatic isolation in the face of toughening sanctions over his nuclear program, analysts say.
"Honestly, I didn't know I would come here so suddenly. I thought things would be strange and very different, but I found a lot of things being similar," Kim said while proposing a toast at Sunday's dinner, according to Moon's office. "Here's to hoping that we could see the pleasant people (of the South) again in Pyeongchang and bring closer the future where we are one again."
South Korea accommodated both the North Korean government officials and members of the art troupe at the Wakerhill hotel in Seoul. The riverside facility is named after late U.S. Army commander Walton Walker, who's considered a war hero in the South for his battles against the North during the Korean War. It was built in the 1960s under the government of late anti-communist dictator Park Chung-hee as a luxury facility for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.
The North Koreans went through a busy schedule in South Korea as the world watched their every move. They were whisked back and forth between Seoul and the Olympic towns of Pyeongchang and Gangneung.
They shared the VIP box with world leaders at the opening ceremony and joined Moon in cheering for the first-ever inter-Korean Olympic team as it debuted in the women's ice hockey tournament. Saturday's game ended in a crushing 8-0 loss to Switzerland.
The most important part of the visit, however, came during one of the quieter moments.
Invited by Moon for lunch at Seoul's presidential palace, Kim Yo Jong verbally delivered her brother's hope for a summit with Moon in Pyongyang, a meeting that she said would help significantly improve ties after an extended period of animosity.
"We hope that President (Moon) could leave a legacy that would last over generations by leading the way in opening a new era of unification," she said, according to Moon's office.
Though Moon has used the Olympics to resurrect meaningful communication with North Korea after a diplomatic stalemate over its nuclear program, he didn't immediately jump on the North Korean offer for a summit.
He said the Koreas should create an environment so that a summit could take place. He also called for the need of a quick resumption of dialogue between North Korea and the United States.
After arriving in Seoul on Friday, the North Koreans attended a chilly opening ceremony at Pyeongchang's Olympic Stadium, taking their place among world dignitaries, including U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who seemed to go out of their way to not acknowledge the North Koreans despite sitting just few feet (meters) away.
Analysts say Kim Jong Un's decision to send his sister to the South reflected an eagerness to break out of diplomatic isolation by improving ties with the South, which the country could eventually use as a bridge to approach the United States. The U.S.-led international community has been tightening the screws on North Korea with sanctions designed to punish its economy and rein in its efforts to expand its nuclear weapons and missile program, which now includes developmental long-range missiles targeting the U.S. mainland.
By also sending a youthful, photogenic individual who would surely draw international attention at the Olympics, Kim might have also been trying to construct a fresher image of the country, particularly in face of U.S. efforts to use the Olympics as an occasion to highlight the North's brutal human rights record.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday rejected any suggestion that even a temporary warming of relations between the North and South could drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington.
It's too early to say, Mattis said, "if using the Olympics in a way to reduce tension – if that's going to have any traction once the Olympics are over. We can't say right now."
Always flanked by thick groups of bodyguards, Kim Yo Jong commanded attention wherever she went, walking among throngs of journalists with a quiet poise and occasionally shooting an enigmatic smile at cameras.
The Koreas previously held summits in 2000 and 2007, both hosted in Pyongyang by Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's late father. The previous meetings came after rounds of international talks aimed at eliminating the North's nuclear program, which eventually failed.
Moon has always expressed a desire to reach out to North Korea. Reviving inter-Korean dialogue is critical for the policies of Moon, who insists that Seoul should be in control in international efforts to deal with the North Korean nuclear issue.
"The fate of our nation must be determined by our own selves – we must not allow the repeat of unfortunate past history where our fate was determined with no regard to our opinions," Moon said in a speech to South Korean lawmakers in November.
But analysts say it may be more difficult for the South to arrange a summit with the North coming off a year in which Pyongyang test-fired dozens of missiles, including three ICBMs, and conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date.
South Korea may also need to persuade traditional allies the United States and Japan, which have raised concerns that the North is attempting to use its outreach as a release valve for international pressure.
Kim Tong-hyung covers the Koreas for The Associated Press. Follow him on Twitter at (at)KimTongHyung.


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The Rev. Robert J. Cormier, a Jersey City priest known for his multi-cultural ministry in Hudson County and beyond, was reported having fallen to his death during a climb up Mount Hood in Oregon on May 13.
The 57-year old priest, who was ordained in 1982, spent a significant time in Hudson County, where he was celebrated for his efforts to bring diverse communities together.
He reportedly fell from the summit on the north side of Mount Hood about 8 a.m. on May 13, which was reported by a climber not in his group.
Church officials said authorities were not expected to recover the body for a few days, at which time arrangements for his funeral would be made.
Cormier, who was climbing with two companions, sometimes connected his hobby with some of his sermons – and these, according to some parishioners, were among his most memorable.
His group attempted to climb the south side of the mountain, and when one of the others was forced to halt because of a leg cramp, Cormier continued on. He was seen falling when the others reached the top, and fell about 700 feet.
Cormier has been at St. Patrick's, Assumption and All Saints Church in the Greenville section of Jersey City for about two years as a vicar. In February, he became the administer of the parish.
He was also at St. Nicholas Parish in Jersey City Heights for a while.
"He spent a lot of time in Hudson County since he was ordained in 1982," said Jim Goodness, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Newark.
Although assigned to St. Patrick's at the time of his death, Cormier – according to Goodness – had worked in several other parishes inside and outside the county, including parishes in Hackensack.
"He was a very much loved priest," Goodness said, noting that there was an outpouring of remembrances on the archdiocese Facebook page. "He was a great part of many of their lives and a key element. Father Cormier was always very interested in people encountering Christ on a personal level."
Because his current assignment at St. Patrick's put him in a community that crossed a number of racial and ethnic lines, covering a good portion of Greenville and segments of County Village and south western parts of Jersey City near 440, and even some residents of Bayonne.
"He was very much into Hispanic ministry and culture," Goodness said. "His parish had a Hispanic, Haitian and African-American population. Many of the things he did were in an effort to bring those diverse things together, one God in Christ, all in the same family."
Goodness said that the death has saddened the community and that the archdiocese will make plans once the priest's body is recovered.
"It is in the hands of professionals now, we trust them and hope they will recover him soon," Goodness said.
Al Sullivan may be reached at email@example.com.


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For the 2012 Crusader Weaponry Training Schedule, I am thinking I want to break up the general "Tactical Carbine" courses. What do you guys think about having platform focused classes? AR, AK, Lever, and Bolt. Other platforms could come to the AR or AK course depending on the similarities. (This also means I need a good AK and we'll have to develop a Crusader Kalash Package)
We're also going to go into greater focus on the Shotgun. More work on actual slug accuracy, and use of them for barrier penetration. Advanced Shotgunning.
I'm also thinking about offering Force on Force, Patrol Techniques, Assault and Ambush. Mounted and Dismounted. Firing from Vehicles, Moving and Stationary. We will also use Guest Instructors. These classes will have some more stringent requirements, meaning that we will only let in students that mean certain requirements. Citizens of US or strong Allied Nations, clean background. We are not going to train anyone if we have any doubt about their character or intent.


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Amy E. Gustafson
Praised for her "exquisite sensitivity" and a "style filled with class and elegance" by La Voz de Asturias (Asturias, Spain) and recognized as a "talented player who doesn't fit the cookie-cutter mold" by Lucid Culture (New York City), American pianist Amy E. Gustafson has performed across the United States and in both Western and Eastern Europe.
Recent concerto performances include an appearance with the Sofia Sinfionetta in Sofia, Bulgaria and an appearance with Ensemble du Monde in New York City. Recent solo engagements have taken her to Spain and to Canada, and she has also performed in many New York City venues, such as Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, Steinway Hall, Trinity Church Wall Street, the Tenri Cultural Institute, CAMI Hall and the Kosciuszko Foundation.
Born in into a musical family, her talent was evident at an early age, and she received much of her beginning piano instruction from her grandmother. By the age of 15, she had won several local competitions, including MTNA's Baldwin Competition, and her success led her to move to New York City to continue her studies.
Since then, Gustafson has won numerous awards, including the second prize in the International Young Artists Piano Competition, second prize in the Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation Competition, and the Special Presentation Award and the Alumni Award from Artists International Presentations, Inc.
Gustafson completed her studies at the Manhattan School of Music, New York University, and the University of Texas at Austin. Her major teachers have included Julian Martin, Andre-Michel Schub, Anton Nel, Constance Keene, and Miyoko Lotto, and she has benefited from the advice of many renowned pedagogues, including Solomon Mikowsky, Arie Vardi, Veda Kaplinsky, Robert McDonald, Paul Badura-Skoda, Marc Durand, Martin Canin, Leslie Howard, and Luiz de Moura Castro.
In addition to her performing career, Gustafson is currently a Resident Teaching Artist at Bloomingdale School of Music, the founding executive director of The Stony Brook International Piano Festival, the vice-director of the Gijón International Piano Festival, and the vice-president of the Spanish American Music Council.
Amy E. Gustafson is a Yamaha Artist.


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Recent Articles
Popular Makes
Body Types
Used luxury sedans suffer from some of the harshest depreciation on the automotive market, with high end models in particular often seeing their values slashed by as much as 50 percent when it comes time to sell. Of course, this is excellent news for anyone searching for an affordable second-hand premium car, as lease returns and trade-ins contribute to a healthy supply of inexpensive used luxury vehicles to be found at dealerships across the country. Let's take a quick look at 10 of the best used luxury sedans and what makes them stand out from the rest of the premium pack.
The Lexus LS is the Japanese brand's full-size flagship, and it also happens to be one of the most reliable used luxury sedans available. The Lexus LS is packed with technology and can be found in both regular and extended wheelbase models, with the latter catering towards those who prefer to be driven rather than drive themselves. All recent versions of the LS are motivated by a 380-horsepower V-8 engine, and the car also features one of the first eight-speed automatic transmissions to be offered on a production vehicle. All-wheel drive can also be found with certain used Lexus LS models.
The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid made waves when it first debuted due to the fact that it provides exceptional fuel economy without asking luxury sedan buyers to sacrifice any comfort or style. The mid-size Lincoln MKZ Hybrid provides an exceptional EPA rating of 41 mpg in city driving and 36 mpg on the highway, figures that are made possible through the use of a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gas engine that combines with an electric motor to produce 191 horsepower. Standard gear found with the MKZ Hybrid includes heated and cooled leather seats, dual automatic climate control, and the SYNC vehicle interface. Features such as navigation and a sunroof also available on the used market.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has soldiered on for years as a popular mid-size premium sedan choice, and as such the used market is virtually flooded with low-mileage examples. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class provides used luxury sedan shoppers with a number of choices that they won't find in other brands, including a diesel engine (E350 BlueTEC), all-wheel drive (4MATIC), and a high performance model (E63 AMG). Our pick of the group from a value perspective is the E350, which delivers all of the Mercedes-Benz features one expects backed by a 302-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The BMW 7 Series is another full-size luxury sedan that makes for a bargain buy as a used car. The BMW 7 Series is best purchased with a CPO warranty, as it is a technologically complex vehicle, but it's also one of the most rewarding to drive despite its size and weight. The 7 Series' engaging chassis is supported by a range of nicely-tuned engines, including a 315-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder, a 400-horsepower, 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, and even a twin-turbo, 6.0-liter V-12 that is good for 535 horses. A six-speed automatic transmission shifts all three engines, while all-wheel drive can be had with the V-8. From a maintenance perspective, sticking to the six will net you more reasonable repair costs, but for sheer land yacht status there's nothing quite like a V-12.
The Acura TSX is an often-overlooked luxury sedan, one that serves as an entry-level four-door that provides above-average handling in its segment. Like most Acuras, gizmos such as advanced audio and navigation features are a big part of the appeal, but the car also delivers two distinct driving experiences depending on which model is purchased. Opting to find a base 2.4-liter, four-cylinder version of the Acura TSX with its available six-speed manual transmission is the best way to sample the car's 201-horsepower mill. For those seeking a more refined ride, the 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 that comes in higher trim levels of the sedan is a better bet (as is its five-speed automatic transmission).
The Cadillac CTS was a game-changer for the domestic brand when it was first introduced, and more recent used models continue to fight the good fight for the dollars of luxury shoppers. The Cadillac CTS provides a chassis that is willing to mix it up in the corners, and it can also be had with all-wheel drive to help drivers deal with slick winter roads. Although the 556-horsepower supercharged V-8 found in the CTS-V gets a lot of press, it's the pair of V-6 engines available in the standard CTS that you will encounter on a far more regular basis during your used luxury sedan search. These 270 (3.0-liter) and 306 (3.6-liter) horsepower units can be had with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, and they post the same fuel economy (18 mpg city/27 mpg highway), which means you won't have to choose between efficiency and speed.
The Jaguar XF has slowly worked its way into the best used luxury sedan conversation thanks to its combination of avant-garde looks and its ability to skillfully mix performance with traditional British comfort. The Jaguar XF also offers the chance to stand out from the rest of the premium Euro crowd, which tends to draw heavily from Germany. Like most of the Jaguar fleet, power is derived from either a naturally-aspirated (385 horses) or supercharged (470 ponies) 5.0-liter V-8, with a 510-horsepower version of this engine also on offer in the XFR. Expect a six-speed automatic transmission in each version of the car that you find for sale, as well as the potential for a heated steering wheel, elegant wood trim, heated and cooled leather seats, and a surround sound audio system.
The Volvo S60 is another outlier in the used luxury sedan category, and one that has helped the Swedish automaker dispel its reputation as the builder of safe but staid automobiles. Finding a car with the Technology package ensures that your Volvo S60 will come with all of the brand's advanced safety gear, including a pedestrian detection system, a collision warning feature, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning. On the fun side of the equation is the T6 trim - the most prevalent Volvo S60 model - that makes use of a turbocharged 3.0-liter, six-cylinder engine that is capable of producing 300 horsepower. All-wheel drive makes for excellent all-weather traction for the S60 T6, while a six-speed autobox handles the gear shifting duties.
The Audi A6 doesn't enjoy the same cachet as competitors like the BMW 5 Series or the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but that just means there are better bargains to be had when shopping for used models of this premium mid-size sedan. Although quattro all-wheel drive isn't standard with the Audi A6, it's the best feature to target when searching for a previously-owned model. This means bypassing the entry-level edition of the car in favor of the 3.0T, a version that comes with a six-speed automatic transmission and a 300-horsepower, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6. You can also find quattro with the A6 4.2, which is motivated by a 350-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8.
The Hyundai Genesis is perhaps the biggest sleeper in the world of used luxury sedans. Few expect such performance and comfort from a Hyundai, but the Genesis is neck-and-neck with its Japanese and German counterparts at a much lower price point. It also doesn't hurt that used models will offer the balance of one of the longest warranties in the business. In addition to a long list of standard premium features, used versions of the Hyundai Genesis are typically found with either a 290-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 or a 378-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 under the hood. Later models can also be had with a more potent 5.0-liter V-8. A six-speed automatic transmission handles the gear shifting duties for this rear-wheel drive sedan.


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Back home in Kansas we are spending our time looking up to the sky, praying and hoping for rain. Our state, along with much of the country, is suffering from a very serious drought. Crops are dying, cattle are hungry and being sold off, and water is in scarce supply.
Every county in Kansas — all 105 — has been declared a disaster county. Half the continental United States is in the worst drought since 1956 and the situation is expected to only get worse. Congress must act now to give American agriculture producers the long-term certainty they deserve and to ensure continued food security for our country.
The United States has a long history of drought and recovery. From the Dust Bowl to today, we have faced periods of severe drought — and American farmers and ranchers have shown their resilience.
The 1930's were often called "the worst hard time" — a time when vast expanses of alfalfa and corn fields were turned into deserts and devastation. People were forced to abandon their farms and ranches and give up on the only way of life they had known. Crops, livestock and livelihoods vanished into dust.
Thankfully, the rains eventually returned and the American heartland was reclaimed. When you compare the drought we face today to that of the 1930's you will notice one big difference — today there is no dust bowl. This is because forward-thinking American farmers and ranchers have adopted new land and livestock management techniques focused on conservation and preventing wind and water erosion.
Conservation agriculture truly is the most effective drought mitigation tool available today, but conservation programs overseen by the federal government are in danger at the worst possible time. On September 30th, the conservation programs included in the 2008 Farm Bill will expire, bringing more uncertainty to an already disastrous drought situation. Without the conservation programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers, ranchers and landowners will not have the tools they need to execute their conservation plans and protect land, water and wildlife.
Risk to critical mitigation tools.
Also in danger are critical risk mitigation tools — the most important of which is crop insurance. Paul and Tommie Westfahl from Haven, Kansas, recently sent me a photo of themselves — along with their two daughters Jenna and Raegan — standing in a barren field next to their failed crops. Thanks to the relentless heat and drought conditions, their corn never got above chest high and dried up months before it was time to harvest.
Now Paul is trying to salvage what is left of his failed bean crop to feed cattle this winter. The Federal Crop Insurance Program ensures that a farm operation's like the Westfahls can survive difficult times — when there's drought, or hail or flood — in hopes that they can experience a successful yield the following year.
But crop insurance does not cover all the problems that agriculture producers face — particularly livestock producers. Over the past few weeks, Ken Grecian of Palco, Kansas, has been forced to reduce his cattle herd at lower prices because of the lack of available feed. Ken, like many producers, diligently built his herd over the years and now has to sell because of the drought.
Currently, ranchers and cattlemen are left with without a safety net. The 2008 Farm Bill disaster programs have already expired, leaving livestock producers across our drought-stricken country without the security they need to plan and invest for the future.
It is imperative that Congress put the risk mitigation and conservation programs in the Farm Bill back in place, and give America's farmers and ranchers the long-term certainty they need to produce food, fiber and fuel for this country and the world. It is not fair to ask producers to plant crops or buy and sell livestock if the rules keep changing. (Related Link: President Obama in Iowa: Congress Needs to Pass Farm Bill.)
Consistent farm policy is vital for drought recovery, continued conservation work, and maintaining an affordable food supply for Americans. Agriculture producers shouldn't have to keep guessing – it is too important to their families, their industry, and consumers around the globe. While Kansas farmers and ranchers wait for Washington, they continue to hope and pray.
Sen. Moran serves on the Senate Banking Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. This subcommittee has responsibility for setting annual spending limits for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.
Prior to being elected to the Senate in 2010, Sen. Moran was a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives where then-Congressman Moran worked to craft legislation that allowed Kansas farms and ranches to remain viable in today's competitive global marketplace.


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The 41CL is an upgrade to the venerable HP-41, created by replacing the CPU board in a HP-41C/CV/CX "fullnut" with a new circuit board.
The NEWT (Nut, Expanded With Turbo) microprocessor used in the 41CL provides a number of new features surrounding a clone of the CPU originally used in the 41c series. These new features, particularly the Memory Management Unit (MMU), are probably more complex than the typical HP-41 user is used to dealing with.
The 41CL attempts to hide this complexity from the typical user, while still providing full control over the hardware to the advanced user. This is accomplished by including a special set of functions, much like the Extended Functions present in the HP-41CX.
Last update: 28-Nov-2017
One word: Amazing!
• All features of an HP-41CX except for the Time Module. CX Time functions (the software)
are included, but a Time module plugged into a Port is required for full timer
• Full 600-register Extended Memory is built in.
• Roughly 300 plug-in module images are built in. Functions are included to allow these images to be virtually plugged into a calculator Port and unplugged from a calculator Port.
• Turbo mode, which allows the calculator to run at up to 50X normal speed. Actual values available are 2X, 5X, 10X, 20X and 50X.
• 16 empty pages (4K in length) of Flash memory are available for non-volatile storage.
• 121 pages (4K in length) of RAM are available. All RAM is continuously powered.
• A sophisticated Memory Management Unit (MMU) allows full access to the large physical memory.
• Full bus compatibility for the Ports, allowing the use of any peripheral designed for the HP-41 system.
• A full-duplex serial port is available when the optional serial connector is used. This optional connector uses a 2.5mm stereo jack mounted in a blank port cover.
• Power consumption is higher, at least while the calculator is off or in light sleep
(between keystrokes). Where the original HP-41 required about 10uA while off, the
41CL requires about 110uA. This will lead to reduced battery life.
• The original HP-41 could retain memory contents for several minutes while the batteries were changed. Because of the higher current consumption, the 41CL only retains the memory contents for a few seconds while the batteries are out. For this reason, you should probably have an extra battery holder ready to go when changing batteries.
• The advanced technology used in the 41CL is a double-edged sword. The Flash memory, as well as the programmable logic devices used to implement the NEWT microprocessor, only guarantee data retention for 20 years.
Other legacy documentation can be found here and found here.
Note: some of the sections below need updated, so feel free to contribute :)
The following simple discussion forums have been created for users of the 41CL. All of the forums below are in wiki format, so posting is easy and quick.
If you need to create a new top-level discussion topic, use the "New thread" box below.
41CL Forum | 2014/10/10 08:15 | roger schoenthal | 10 Comments |
Serial port to computer RS232 | 2014/10/02 03:45 | roger schoenthal | 1 Comment |
Memory address and paging | 2014/10/02 03:45 | roger schoenthal | 0 Comments |
CL ROM and Routines | 2014/10/02 03:45 | roger schoenthal | 4 Comments |
CL patches and bugs | 2014/10/02 03:45 | roger schoenthal | 0 Comments |


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F0202 – La souimanga
Serie Lost Room
Choose size and options
150 € – 800 €
Payement in 4x without fees
Free delivery worldwide
Secure packaging with warranty
Any question ? We are here
Edition | Edition of 4 - Print unique on each size |
Type of print | Silver based C-Print |
Certificate of authenticity | Yes |
Year of creation | 2013 |
Fine art artist | Idan Wizen |
Series | Un Anonyme Nu Dans Le Salon |
Sub-series | Lost Room |
About the serie
Lost Room
Lost Room is the 6th collection of the art project "Who's that nude in the living room ?"
Learn more about the project "Who's that nude in the living room?"
A room out of time and space, a place apart filled with unusual, odd objects. And in the middle of this, the model seems to have been teleported there, finding himself facing the lens of Idan Wizen. Fear, surprise, humor, sweetness… This is what the Lost Room series and its baroque tapestry reveal to us. A series that places the anonymous in a strange, almost surreal place.
About the project
Who's that nude in the living room ?
Showing humanity as it is, in its most natural state, its nudity and diversity.
In our paradoxical society where the nude is banned from all social networks, and yet the pornography is easily accessible to all, Idan Wizen and his photographs take the opposite tack by putting the naked body in the foreground, replacing sexuality for the enhancement of all human bodies. He expresses his vision of our society through his art that is unique in its desire to represent humanity the way it is, in its most natural state, in its nudity and diversity.
More than 2000 persons stripped naked for this art project
For over a decade, Idan Wizen has been receiving people in his photostudio to create from them a piece of art. With each person, he creates a unique fine art photography that is exhibited and purchased by art collectors. Over the years, he has realised thirteen different series that tell different stories about nudity and our society.
Everyone can be a piece of art
The project called Un Anonyme Nu dans le Salon (french for Who's That Nude in the Living Room?), changes completely the vision of a naked body in society. The models are ordinary people and there is no casting. Oversized or skin-and-bone, midget or a giant, just a regular person from 18 to 99 years old, everyone is welcome. For most of them, the goal is to learn how to love themselves and to correct the disrupted and inaccurate vision of themselves.
The main idea of the project is to pay tribute to the uniqueness and diversity of the human race with its raw and unedited photographs. While fashion and advertising industries commemorate and glorify the perfect Apollonian and Aphroditian bodies, the artist stands aside of these dictates and has the courage to represent something different: a normal living body without any embellishment or beauty touch-ups. By showing his models without pageantry, and without erotism, the artist fights with one stone the growing puritanism and the omnipresence of pornography in our society, extracting at the same time the model from any socio-cultural background.


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Advertisement |
History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon
The Almanac Mar 09, 2004
History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon
The Almanac Mar 09, 2003
History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon
The Almanac Mar 09, 2002
I love France. I love movies, and I love the appreciation that the French people have for movies
Clint Eastwood honored in France Nov 16, 2009
Napoleon Bonaparte (French: Napoléon Bonaparte ; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution. As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815. His legal reform, the Napoleonic code, has been a major influence on many civil law jurisdictions worldwide, but he is best remembered for the wars he led against a series of coalitions, the so-called Napoleonic Wars, during which he established hegemony over much of Europe and sought to spread revolutionary ideals.
Napoleon was born in Corsica to parents of noble Italian ancestry and trained as an artillery officer in mainland France. Bonaparte rose to prominence under the French First Republic and led successful campaigns against the First and Second Coalitions arrayed against France. In 1799, he staged a coup d'état and installed himself as First Consul; five years later the French Senate proclaimed him emperor. In the first decade of the 19th century, the French Empire under Napoleon engaged in a series of conflicts—the Napoleonic Wars—involving every major European power. After a streak of victories, France secured a dominant position in continental Europe, and Napoleon maintained the French sphere of influence through the formation of extensive alliances and the appointment of friends and family members to rule other European countries as French client states. Napoleon's campaigns are studied at military academies throughout much of the world.
The French invasion of Russia in 1812 marked a turning point in Napoleon's fortunes. His Grande Armée was badly damaged in the campaign and never fully recovered. In 1813, the Sixth Coalition defeated his forces at Leipzig; the following year the Coalition invaded France, forced Napoleon to abdicate and exiled him to the island of Elba. Less than a year later, he escaped Elba and returned to power, but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Napoleon spent the last six years of his life in confinement by the British on the island of Saint Helena. An autopsy concluded he died of stomach cancer.


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Long-term survivors of childhood cancer living longer thanks in part to treatment changes
Evidence from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) suggests that changes in childhood cancer treatment and follow-up care have reduced deaths from the late effects of cancer treatment and extended the lives of childhood cancer survivors. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators led the research, which appears today online ahead of print in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study involved 34,033 childhood cancer survivors whose cancers were diagnosed and treated between 1970 and 1999 when they were ages 20 and younger. All lived at least five years after their cancers were discovered and were considered long-term survivors. The analysis showed that the 15-year death rate among these survivors has decreased steadily since 1970 due in part to a reduction in deaths from the late effects of cancer treatment.
The declines coincided with changes in pediatric cancer therapy and follow-up care. The changes included reductions in the use and dose of radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), Hodgkin lymphoma and Wilms tumor, a cancer of the kidneys. The therapies leave survivors at increased risk for developing second cancers, heart failure and other serious health problems.
"This study is the first to show that younger survivors from more recent treatment eras are less likely to die from the late effects of cancer treatment and more likely to enjoy longer lives," said the study's first and corresponding author Greg Armstrong, M.D., an associate member of the Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control and CCSS principal investigator. "The results are a testament to the physicians and scientists who in the past 30 years took a calculated risk of developing new protocols that used less intense therapies that reduced the risk of late effects and maintained excellent five-year survival.
"For CCSS, the next question is what is the quality of life and health that childhood cancer survivors enjoy during their extended life span," he said.
Between 1970-74 and 1990-94, the 15-year death rate for survivors in this study fell from 12.4 percent to 6 percent. During the same period, deaths from the late effects of treatment decreased from 3.5 percent to 2.1 percent due to declining death rates from second cancers, lung or heart problems.
Survivors have benefited from better follow-up care, including risk-based health screening guidelines, Armstrong said. "For survivors at risk of breast cancer due to chest radiation or heart problems because of treatment with anthracyclines, screening tests like mammograms and echocardiograms that result in early detection of late effects of cancer therapy may make a lifesaving difference," Armstrong said.
The biggest beneficiaries of evolving therapy were young patients diagnosed with standard-risk ALL, Hodgkin lymphoma or Wilms tumor as their primary cancer. Together, the cancers account for about 30 percent of the estimated 15,780 cases of pediatric cancers diagnosed annually in the U.S. Five-year survival for pediatric patients with these cancers is now 90 percent or better, according to the American Cancer Society.
Deaths due to heart disease decreased for survivors of ALL, Hodgkin lymphoma and Wilms tumors. Deaths from second cancers declined in survivors of Wilms tumors. These patients were also less likely to be treated with radiation therapy or anthracyclines.
Between the 1970s and the 1990s, the percentage of ALL survivors in this study treated by brain irradiation decreased from 86 percent to 22 percent. In 2009, St. Jude published evidence that pediatric ALL is curable without brain irradiation, and the hospital no longer uses radiation for treatment of ALL. Today, 94 percent of new St. Jude ALL patients are alive five years later.
The percentage of Hodgkin lymphoma and Wilms tumor patients treated with radiation fell from 96 to 77 percent and 77 to 49 percent, respectively. During the same period, the average cumulative anthracycline dose also declined for study participants with those cancers.
Armstrong said treatment late effects continue to take a toll, particularly on survivors of childhood cancers where five-year survival rates have lagged and treatment intensity has increased.


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I've found myself starting to use this little mini-pattern. You might find it useful.
private final AtomicBoolean _hasBeenInitialized = new AtomicBoolean(false); public void expensiveInitialization() { if (_hasBeenInitialized.getAndSet(true)) { // Someone else has already done the initialization, // or is currently doing it. return; } // Do the initialization that I want to be done only once. }
Much simpler than any of the other mutual exclusion patterns that I've found myself using.
The caveat here is that in the case of multiple threads, it's possible that one thread (that got to the party late) may return to the caller before the initialization is done (if another thread is currently doing the initialization). Therefore, this pattern isn't suitable where the caller has to guarantee that the initialization is done before continuing in a multi-threaded environment.
I primarily use it where there's an initialization method that many parts of the code are going to call as a defensive measure before continuing. Think of it as a simple solution to the initializeIfYouHaventBeenButDoNothingOtherwise
Of course, it well could be that everybody else in the world is already doing single-initialization this way, and I'm too addled from being outside the day-to-day coding world to have caught up.
UPDATE 2010-08-25 : I changed the name of the control AtomicBoolean to make it clearer that this is a multiple-execution-over-time pattern, and not a general purpose synchronization barrier.


text:
We are pleased to offer our Nova Hotels Guest Loyalty Program that gives our guests Aeroplan miles for each stay!
Earn 250 Aeroplan® points in any of our Nova Hotels locations for every eligible stay and/or rate.
- An eligible stay is defined as one or more consecutive nights spent at one of our Nova Hotels locations, regardless of check-ins or checkouts per room.
- There must be a minimum of 48 hours between checkouts and check-ins to qualify for an additional 250 Aeroplan mile accumulation.
- Eligible rates include most business and leisure rates. Certain discounted rates may not be eligible for mileage accumulation.
- Excluded rates include:
- Complimentary Rates
- Travel Agent Rates
- Gift Certificates
- Discounted Rates that are 25% or more off of Rack Rate
Please present your Aeroplan number or card upon check-in. Guest name MUST match their Aeroplan membership. Please allow 2-6 weeks after your stay for miles to be posted to your Aeroplan account. You must present your Aeroplan number or card within your stay in order to receive any reward miles. No miles will be awarded after the checkout date for each stay.
We are very excited to have the opportunity to provide our loyal guests with such a reputable reward program such as Aeroplan and hope that you value this extra bonus!


text:
Saudi Ties to 9/11 Detailed in Documents Suppressed Since 2002
AFTER YEARS OF political wrangling, the suppressed section of a 2002 congressional report that detailed possible ties between the Saudi government and the 9/11 terrorist attacks was released today. The classified documents have been the source of heated speculation for years, as they highlighted alleged links between high-ranking members of the Saudi royal family and the 9/11 hijackers.
Many political figures who had previously seen the report led the charge calling for its release, including former Sen. Bob Graham, who said the 28 pages "point a very strong finger at Saudi Arabia," and Minnesota Congressman Rick Nolan, who said the pages "confirm that much of the rhetoric preceding the U.S. attack on Iraq was terribly wrong."
The suppressed pages, redacted in parts, detail circumstantial evidence of ties among Saudi government officials, intelligence agents, and several of the hijackers.
"While in the United States, some of the September 11th hijackers were in contact with or received assistance from, individuals who may be connected with the Saudi government," reads the report, which added that FBI sources believed at least two of those individuals were Saudi intelligence agents.
The report also mentions that numbers found in the phonebook of Abu Zubaydah, a detainee currently held in Guantánamo, could be traced to a company in Denver, Colorado, connected to former Saudi ambassador to the U.S. Prince Bandar bin Sultan.
One of the most notable figures mentioned is Omar al-Bayoumi, alleged by the report to have likely been a Saudi intelligence agent. Al-Bayoumi was in close contact with hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Midhar, providing them financial assistance during their time in the United States and even helping them find an apartment. Bayoumi in turn is believed to have been on the payroll of the Saudi Ministry of Defense and was regularly in receipt of large lump sums of money from the Saudi Ministry of Finance and other undisclosed arms of the government.
Another figure highlighted in the documents is Osama Bassnan, a Saudi citizen who was an associate of al-Bayoumi and lived in an apartment nearby al-Hazmi and al-Midhar. According to the report, Bassnan "made a comment to an FBI source after the attacks suggesting that he did more for the hijackers than al-Bayoumi did." Bassnan and his wife received regular payments from the wife of Bandar bin Sultan. On one occasion, Bassnan is said to have received a check directly from Bandar's account.
Fahd al-Thumairy, a former Saudi consular officer in the United States who served as an imam at a mosque attended by al-Hazmi and al-Midhar, is also mentioned briefly, as is Saleh al-Hussayen, who is described in the report as a "Saudi Interior Ministry employee/official." Al-Hussayen stayed at the same hotel as one of the hijackers in the days before the attack. While being interviewed by FBI agents after the attacks, al-Hussayen "either passed out or feigned a seizure," causing the interview to be terminated. He later managed to successfully flee the country.
Much of the information in the 28 pages is not new and has been mentioned in previously released documents on the 9/11 investigation. As such, the public release of these suppressed pages is unlikely to precipitate major changes in the relationship between the United States and the Saudi government. In a statement issued on Friday, the Saudi Embassy in the United States said that it "welcomes the release" of the suppressed pages, saying that they exonerate Riyadh of any direct role in the attacks.
While the report does not find any smoking gun pointing to official Saudi involvement, it does highlight one consistently troubling theme of the kingdom's response to the attacks: its refusal to cooperate with investigators seeking to uncover information about the hijackers. As the report notes, "In testimony and interviews, a number of FBI agents and CIA officers complained to the [inquiry] about a lack of Saudi cooperation in terrorism investigations both before and after the September 11th attacks."
Referencing a May 1996 Director of Central Intelligence memo, the report cited agency beliefs that "the Saudis had stopped providing background information or other assistance on Bin Ladin because Bin Ladin had 'too much information about official Saudi dealings with Islamic extremists in the 1980s for Riyadh to deliver him into U.S. hands.'"
by Murtaza Hussain – TheIntercept_


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U9 Inter Schools' Football Tournament
Annual U9 football tournament organised and hosted by St. Andrew's School for up to five local state schools. In 2016 the following schools attended: Barnsbury Primary, New Haw Community, West Byfleet Junior and Sythwood Primary. 36 children attended in 2016. In 2017 the following schools attended: Goldsworth Primary, Sythwood Primary, West Byfleet Junior School, Horsell Junior School, Barnsbury Primary. 45 children attended in 2017. In 2018 the following schools attended: Goldsworth Primary, Sythwood Primary, Horsell Junior School, Barnsbury Primary and New Haw Community.
To share our facilities and give local schools the opportunity to participate in a tournament. We identified that there were no other local tournaments involving partnership between the state and independent sector in our area. The immediate beneficiaries were the children, staff and parents from the invited schools.
A need was identified by the Senior Leadership Team in 2012 when St. Andrew's opened a new all-weather surface and wanted to share the faciliities with the local community.
The following resources are used to co-ordinate the event:
Admin time - 10 hours
3 x sports staff on the day for 4 hours (each)
Catering staff x 3 (including serving) - 4 hours
Cost of food for the tea
Ordering and cost of trophies and medals including engraving:
Ordering and printing of programmes for the event.
An email is sent out after the event annually asking for feedback. This feedback is incorporated into the planning for the following year. Over the years, only one school has dropped out and that was due to resource issues. Feedback has always been incredibly positive both during the event and after. The children have a lot of fun and gain a lot from meeting children from other schools whilst enjoying the facilities at St. Andrew's.
2018 Example feedback: Goldsworth School 'Awesome tournament Jo. Thanks muchly for arranging. My boys will be on cloud nine for at least a week now.'
Pupil Involvement
9 boys aged 8/9 were involved from St. Andrew's as players on one team and 45 children from the other five schools (in 2018).
This is an ongoing annual event that is set to continue in future years.


text:
I want to create a DNS Server (like Google does - 22.214.171.124). I understand that a DNS Server is a Server that gives a IP on being given a hostname, ie. when I ask it what is the IP of google.com, it says "184.108.40.206".
So, what I want to do is create a similar one that holds records of what translates to what. I thought of this since it looks to be similar to a webserver - ask for a page and it gives back the page. That is, when my machine has the IP xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx and people chose xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx as their Primary DNS Server, then when they ask "www.google.com", I sould be able to tell "220.127.116.11".
So, how do I create this DNS Server that is accessible to everyone in the world ? It would be easier if we have something like EasyPHP which is the analogue to a webserver here.


text:
It was Mother's Day and Pentecost. We forgot to wear red to church, but we did get the flowers for the new baby and to celebrate Michael's homecoming. The Padres won another game while I napped this afternoon - a win-win situation! I got Linda a nice card and we went to dinner at the Hob Nob Cafe in SD. She talked to the girls and we told them Happy Mom's Day.
Genealogy today was just reading and writing emails and blogs. I posted 3 items on Genea-Musings. I heard from my "new" second cousin again and sent her some family pictures and some thoughts on further research in England. I looked through the ProGen blog at the comments of the blog-only folks.
I also made the URLs for http://www.geneaholic.com/ and http://www.geneamusings.com/ work - so now if people search for those they'll find the blogs. I had reserved the URLs at GoDaddy, but didn't follow the directions on Blogger exactly - I saw my mistake and changed them both over tonight. So if someone uses either http://www.geneaholic.com/ or http://geneaholic.blogspot.com/, they will get this blog. I've thought about a web page, but that will require a host, which costs money. And a web page creator - I've tried a few but didn't like the product. And time to create pages with content. Oh well, I'm OK for now, I guess.
Genealogy today was about 4.0 hours - 1.0 hour reading and writing emails, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour messing with GoDaddy and Blogger.
Genealogy and family research are an obsession for me. Yea, verily, I am a Geneaholic!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
2 comments:
- JDR said...
Randy: My url switch worked for a while, then seemed to reverse and sent the blogspot address to my old web page. Hopefully yours will stay redirected properly.
John - May 12, 2008 at 6:25 AM
- Ruth said...
Hi Randy!
If you're serious about setting up a webpage, try WordPress. My site combines the blog and the research site, was simple to get going (no HTML), and I have been very pleased with it. It is pretty easy to update and just makes the job of maintaining a research site and a blog... a piece of cake!
Good luck!
Ruth Stephens - May 12, 2008 at 7:15 AM
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text:
President Obama recently unveiled his plan for expanding early education, which includes expanding federal funding for public preschool and boosting Head Start funding. According to the President, government-funded preschool is the way for students to achieve academic success.
Sadly, Obama's claims are founded on weak evidence. Government-funded preschool programs show little to no academic gains for students. On top of that, expanding such programs could ultimately result in fewer choices for families.
Time and again, research confirms that family plays a more significant role in helping a child succeed academically.
For example, children raised in intact families are not only more likely to graduate from high school, but they are also more likely to attend and complete college compared to their peers raised in single-parent or blended families. Children from intact homes also score higher in reading, math, and science, as well as display fewer behavioral problems in school. Beyond academics, a stable family also prevents a variety of other risk factors that would hinder a child's success.
Sadly, a large portion of children—over 40 percent—are born outside marriage every year. The statistics are even more troubling among minorities: 72 percent among African Americans and 53 percent among Hispanics. Researchers continue to report that children raised outside stable, married-parent homes are at greater risk for dropping out of school, being involved in delinquent behavior, and having a child outside marriage themselves. These outcomes persist even after controlling for income.
Beyond family structure, parental involvement plays a big role in helping children do well in school.
When parents are highly involved in their child's education during elementary school, for example, it boosts children's likelihood of graduating from high school. And parents also help boost children's cognitive development by providing cognitive stimulation. Likewise, children generally have higher IQs and do better in school when parents provide cognitive stimulation.
A strong academic background begins at home. Policymakers should not underestimate the role of family in helping children succeed. Policies that promote and strengthen healthy marriages and families increase the likelihood that children will have the brightest academic futures possible.


text:
Homemade Eggnog. The very words incite delirium.
I only make eggnog once a year, for a big party at Yuletide. The word orgy comes to mind. I've never seen so many people's eyes roll back in their heads, simultaneously.
You want the recipe? You shall have it. It's not hard, just a bit time-consuming. You have to break a lot of eggs. And you will be spoiled. That supermarket eggnog is going to taste like Elmer's Glue after this.
My recipe is adapted from the first cookbook I ever bought with my own money when I was 16: The Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas. I have learned more from this book about food and cooking than any other; it was my kitchen teacher... still is, actually. Before I die, I want to make every recipe in it. More about Anna Thomas after the recipe!
12 eggs, separated
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 qt. milk (regular, not lowfat or nonfat! preferably organic!)
1 c. cognac (optional)
1 c. dark rum (optional)
1 large orange
1 lemon
1 quart whipping cream
grated nutmeg
Special Things Needed:
a very sharp butcher knife
electric mixer
potato peeler
extra eggs in case you screw up the separations (easy to do)
two big bowls to make it with
one nice bowl to serve it in, and a ladle
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick, then stir in the milk, cognac, and rum.
Beat the egg whites in another bowl, until they just hold a peak, and then fold them into the first ingredients.
Put this mixture away to chill for at least 3 hours. (Overnight is fine, just put plastic wrap over bowl).
Use a potato peeler to peel the very outside of the orange skin, so you have barely any white pulp on the back of the skin. You just want the pure orange rind. Cut this skin into matchsticks, as thin as possible and about 1 1/2 inches long. Yes, you need a sharp knife for this.
Grate the fresh lemon rind.
Whip the cream until it only just begins to thicken, not so much that it actually holds peaks. Stir his half-whipped cream into your chilled milk and egg mixture, and beat a few more strokes with the whisk. Stir in the lemon rind and half the orange matchsticks.
Pour the eggnog into a serving bowl. Over the top of it, sprinkle the remaining orange rind and plenty of grated nutmeg.
Serves 25 reasonable people, but only a dozen or so fanatics.
If you make it "virgin," it's easy to offer your guests liquor to add separately; just let them pour and stir.
Anna Thomas, who wrote the original of this recipe, was the author who brought "health food" into the gourmet realm. Her book came out before "Chez Panisse," before nouvelle cuisine was part of our vocabulary. And yet her recipes and philosophy were at the beginning of the whole movement.
The book was published in 1970, and in her author's bio— that touches me so— it says: "Anna Thomas... is strongly committed to the women's liberation movement..."
The book combines the techniques of French cooking with the organics of American heritage. This book taught me, as a teenager, how to make a "roux," how to bake bread, make a crépe, a curry, and the best soups I've ever tasted. If it had been difficult to understand, I never would have attempted it at the time! She makes very nuanced techniques seem graceful to accomplish.
It only occurred to me rather late that it was all indeed "vegetarian." You don't notice it, if you're not thinking about it. This is an excellent book to move into a carnivore's home— they'll never know what hit them.
Thomas also published two sequels, The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two, and The New Vegetarian Epicure— which are excellent as well. I have them all. But I am stubbornly hung up on her first one. I bought a second one after I scorched the first!
Photo of "Kiss Eggs" by Raka, whole blog and Flickr photo collection are not to missed!


text: On Thu, 31 Jan 2002, Mark Hahn wrote: > http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,50078,00.html > > a heady mixture of raw Apple marketing and some pretty strange > slams of Beowulf and Linux. hmm, oh, I see, and a bit of self-promotion... NOTE: I speak for myself, not for anyone else or any company which I work for. Having looked over their one-page install guide, I find it quite amusing that this system requires every machine doing computations to have a full MacOS X install, plus pooch installed. I've setup several Scyld Beowulf clusters and find them to be easier to setup than what is required for their 1 page of installation instructions. <rant> Perhaps it would be nice if people writing articles would look at the status of Linux in the last 6 months or a year as opposed to 5 or more years ago. And really.. 2 weeks for 16-nodes sounds like an overexaguration, even for some of the original beowulf stuff. </rant> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 232 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://www.beowulf.org/pipermail/beowulf/attachments/20020131/bf3cc831/attachment.sig>


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Researchers have engineered artificial human ears that look and act like the real thing thanks to 3D printing, giving hope to patients missing all or part of their ears.
The new ears, practically identical to human ones, could provide the solution long sought by reconstructive surgeons to treat thousands of children born with the congenital deformity microtia, along with those who suffered ear loss to cancer or in an accident.
In a study published online in the PLOS ONE journal, Cornell biomedical engineers and Weill Cornell Medical College physicians said the flexible ears grew cartilage over three months to replace the collagen used to mold them.
"This is such a win-win for both medicine and basic science, demonstrating what we can achieve when we work together," said co-lead author Lawrence Bonassar, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Cornell.
Bonassar and his colleagues first constructed the ears with a digitized 3D image of a person's ear that served to build a mold of a solid ear using a 3D printer.
A high-density, injectable gel made of living cells helped fill the mold. Once the mold removed, cartilage was grown on the collagen.
And researchers praised the speed of the process, noting it takes half a day to build the mold, about a day to print it, 30 minutes to inject the gel and the ear can be removed just 15 minutes later.
"We trim the ear and then let it culture for several days in nourishing cell culture media before it is implanted," Bonassar said in a statement.
Microtia, when the external ear is not fully developed, occurs in about 1 to four per 10,000 births each year in the United States.
Although children born with the deformity often have an intact inner ear, they lose hearing due to the missing external structure.
Weill Cornell associate professor Jason Spector noted that physicians could reduce the chances of rejection by using human cells from the same patient to build the ear.
The best time to implant a bioengineered ear on a child would be around the age of five or six, when ears are at about 80 percent of their adult size.
Spector predicted that researchers could try the first human implant of a Cornell bioengineered ear in as little as three years.
Replacement ears are usually built using materials with a foam-like consistency, or using a patient's harvest rib. But the process is often painful, especially for children, as the ears rarely look natural or perform well.


text:
With grilling season heating up, all kinds of gadgets promise to take your grill to a new level. Consumer Reports tested three gadgets that aim to make your grill even better.
First up is GrillGrates. They are interlocking panels that sit on top of your grill. They promise to help it cook more evenly and keep your food juicy, while reducing flare-ups. Consumer Reports' lab found the GrillGrates did improve evenness with one of the two grills it tested. And although the GrillGrates didn't totally eliminate flare-ups, they did deliver some nice grill marks. If your grill is uneven at heating and you're contemplating replacing your grill, they are a less expensive option to try and they do offer a money back guarantee.
Next up is the $150 Bakerstone Pizza Oven Box for using your grill to make wood-fired-style pizza. After a 30-minute warm up, it turned out delicious pizzas every four minutes.
There' also the $130 Grillbot. It's a grill-cleaning robot that promises to scrub your grill grates automatically. Consumer Reports let the robot loose on a grill caked with cooked chicken. It is noisy. After 20 minutes, the Grillbot tidied up some of the mess. Still it took a grill brush to clean up the pieces of burnt chicken stuck in between the grates. While a grill brush is a faster, less expensive solution, it's not as fun.
To make grilling fish and vegetables a easier, Consumer Reports likes the $17 Master Forge Grill Wok from Lowes. It's good for grilling small batches of food. And if you love barbecued ribs, the Brinkman Rib Rack holds a full rack of ribs without taking up too much space. It's about $18 at the Home Depot.