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Award-winning broadcast journalist and author Jeanette Pavini writes the Buyer Beware column for MarketWatch and wants to hear your stories, questions, problems and complaints. Write to her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch)—Julie Baumann, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area, knows all too well that just because you have insurance, it doesn't mean you are covered. After years of paying high annual premiums for pet insurance she filed a claim for surgery on her Bernese Mountain Dog. To her surprise, she was told the surgery wasn't covered and she would be stuck with the $6,000 bill.
Baumann isn't alone. Millions of consumers file claims every year against a wide variety of policies only to find the money they spent on insurance premiums was virtually thrown away. Americans spend more than $1.1 trillion on insurance premiums a year, according to the Insurance Information Institute. So, with offers of everything from insurance for your wedding day and your cat to your identity, what is worth your hard-earned cash and what's not?
Skip this:
Pet insurance: Considering all the restrictions on most pet-insurance policies, you'd probably be better off setting aside money every year for your pet's health care. In addition to premiums, you also have the responsibility of copays, medications and deductibles, which quickly add up. Plus, with most plans, the premiums rise and coverage declines as your pet gets older—when they are more likely to need costly procedures.
Some families are forgoing pricey student loans in favor of alternative strategies. Photo: AP.
Credit cards, credit scores and more
• Why prepaid cards aren't for everyone
• 5 best credit cards for vacation travel
• How to fire your bank
• The credit cards with the best travel rewards
More Consumer Advice
• Payday loans could spur costly debt cycle
• Goodbye new-car discounts, hello perks
• Insurance you don't need: skip this, buy that
• What it costs to lose your smartphone
• How to switch elite status to another airline
• Want to get out of jury duty? Here's how
• 8 tips for finding cheap airfares
• What car mechanics don't want you to know
• What not to say when pulled over by a cop
scam alerts
• Smartphones hike your risk of ID fraud
How to spot debt collection scams
• Watch for ATM skimming
Home warranty: This covers major appliances and some other assets such as wiring and plumbing. Unless you are buying a home with old appliances and you are unsure about the electrical work, you're probably better off setting money aside for home repairs in the event something does break. Also, with these policies you still may be responsible for deductibles, service charges and proof of non-neglect.
Extended warranties for electronics: When you buy electronics, the salesperson will always offer you an extended warranty. Usually the only time this is worth it is if you are buying an expensive product that's new to the market or the technology of which is entirely new. If you do opt for this additional coverage you should not pay more than 10% of the purchase price for the warranty insurance. And besides, if you purchase a high-end product from a quality manufacturer, it comes with some warranty anyway.
Mobile phone insurance: The $7 or so you pay monthly adds up, and if you have to replace a more expensive phone, like a smartphone, you're probably looking at a hefty deductible and the phone you get as a replacement from the insurance carrier will almost certainly be a refurbished one, not a new one. If you have an expensive smartphone, it may be worth having this coverage if you travel a lot. Or, it could be worthwhile for your children's phones, if they're prone to losing or damaging them. But you're probably better off saving older devices you can reactivate.
ID theft insurance: Having your identity stolen is nothing short of a big, messy headache. But in most cases you won't have to pay for it, thanks to federal consumer-protection laws. For complete information, check out the Federal Trade Commission's ID theft info at www.ftc.gov/.
Flight insurance: This isn't travel insurance; it only pays out if your flight crashes. It really isn't necessary if you already have life insurance, and even if you don't have life insurance, the odds of this kind of risk are so low as to make the expense unreasonable.
Wedding insurance: Your credit-card company may already cover most services covered through a wedding insurance policy. Just make sure you put all deposits for services such as catering or photography on your credit card; don't pay by cash or check. For stolen or lost property such as rings or gifts, your homeowners or renters insurance may cover this.
Maybe you need this:
Travelers insurance: This can pay off but read the fine print carefully, especially if you have a health condition. If you cancel your trip due to a health problem, you may have to prove it wasn't because of a pre-existing condition. Before buying traveler's insurance, check with your credit-card company to see whether they offer coverage for travel when expenses are charged to their card.
Buy this:
Medical insurance is a must. If you can't afford full coverage, opt for at least catastrophic coverage. Raise your deductibles to lower your premiums. Non-coverage for the medical expenses associated with catastrophic care is one of the leading reasons people need to file bankruptcy.
Auto insurance isn't only necessary, it's required by law. If you need to lower your premiums, consider raising your deductibles. If your car isn't worth insuring, consider sticking with basic liability which should cover collision damage to the other car but not yours. Be aware that if you are making car payments you may be required to carry collision coverage on your car also.
Umbrella insurance is inexpensive, considering the protection these policies offer. Umbrella insurance gives you additional coverage on your underlying homeowners and auto policies. It picks up where the other policies end, giving you higher protection in the event you are sued and liable. Most umbrella policies are about $25 a month for a million dollars in coverage.
Renters insurance: This little policy offers a big bang for the buck. Not only do they cover theft or loss from a fire or some other types of disaster, they may include liability coverage or cover items stolen or lost outside the home. Plus, they're affordable, typically $250 a year.
How to get the best insurance coverage:
Read the fine print and ask questions. You need to be aware of any loopholes and exclusions.
Check to see if your credit-card company protects and covers you in a way similar to an insurance policy.
Always buy insurance from licensed agents or companies. You can check their status through your state's insurance commissioner's office.
If you have several policies, you may be able to get a multiple policy discount if you go through one insurer.
Jeanette Pavini is a regular contributor to various publications and Better.TV. She also is the national spokesperson for Coupons.com. Write to her at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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"Can I Get A Little Advice Here?", the second of Public Agenda's studies on college completion, asks young Americans how much help they received from the high school guidance system when it comes to choosing a college or career or getting financial aid for college. In too many cases, young people tell us, the answer is "not much." Based on a national survey of young adults, ages 22 to 30, we found six in 10 of those who went on to further education gave their high school counselors poor grades for their college advice, and nearly half say they felt like "just a face in the crowd." With college costs rising and completion rates sinking in the United States, this raises serious questions about what kind of help young people need, and whether they're getting it.
Report 1
Read the Report
Report 2
Read the Report
Commentary & Coverage
Finding 1:
Most students give their high school guidance counselors fair or poor ratings.
Finding 2:
Students who get perfunctory counseling are more likely to delay college and make more questionable higher education choices.
Finding 3:
High school counselors are viewed as less helpful than teachers.
Finding 4:
Advisors at higher education institutions get better ratings, but theres room for improvement.
Why tackle this problem now?
Download the PDF
Methodology & Acknowledgements

subset: commoncrawl


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UnNews:Scientists baffled by random animal a-splosions in Berlin
This article is part of UnNews, your source for up-to-the-microsecond misinformation.
6 April 2011
BERLIN, Germany -- Yesterday at six A.M., Koko the Elephant suddenly a sploded. Koko, who was little more than six years old, was one of the Berlin Zoo's most beloved attractions, having appeared in commercials, movies, ad campaigns, and most importantly, on cereal boxes. Koko's tragic a splosion occurred in the middle of the day, and the resulting blast killed six bystanders.
Koko's a splosion is believed to have been triggered by a horrible migraine, and as if that weren't enough, elephants themselves are unusually a splosion-prone in the wild, due to their large memory-creating intense intracranial pressure. While Koko's a splosion was tragic, it may be far more sinister than initially thought, as Koko is the second animal to a splode in the Berlin Zoo in a week.
The first was the a splosion of similarly popular animal; Knut the polar bear. Knut, fortunately, didn't take anyone with her, other than a large portion of the Zoo's medical personnel, but they were easily replaced. What's really unfortunate is that no one has any idea why Knut suddenly a sploded. Literally anything could be the culprit, and the soon after a splosion of Koko has many thing that it could be some form of "a splosion" disease, though they admit this is unlikely.
The implications of such a virus would be horrific, as humans and more importantly giraffes would not be immune, and would likely soon secumb to such a virus. On the other hand, it is Germany.
God's probably just screwin' with 'em.
Staff "Two Weeks After Knut, Another Animal Dies at Berlin Zoo" Fox News, April 05, 2011


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Earth Day is April 22. With our free ecards you can celebrate by sending your friends egreetings from whimsical cartoons to lovely reflecting ponds and photos from the most untamed corners of the planet. Select an e-card today, and we'll send it for you on Earth Day while you're out cleaning up your neighborhood park or taking a walk in the woods.
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Enjoy Christian Siriano 2017 Fanciful French inspired gown
Be Inspired!! Enjoy and share!For more advice hints and tips visit
Visit http://www.livingstonerose.com or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Want to use this post in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Livingstone Rose Wedding & Events publishes a blog filled with hints and tips for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.livingstonerose.com. Livingstone Rose Weddings & Events is an event planning and design company based in London, serving South-east England and select destination locations.


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Help me decide on exterior color
Help me decide on exterior color
I think all color look gorgeous on your Model S.
If you want me to make a decision for you, I would choose red for you. Why pay less for Black or Blue when you could pay for more for Red?
I chose black because I was running out of funding for the extra cost.
But if I had more money, I would not have chosen a "included" color.
I've been driving for the past 5 months and I am happy with the black color decision. Others, friends and strangers alike, also love my car.
Red is snazzy/preppy
Blue is classy
Black is boring
Sig Red is the best
The multicoat red is lighter than the signature and it will turn many heads just for the color. After choosing between the excact same colors like you I thought that I'm probably not extrovert enough for the red and finally settling for blue
If you are in a hot climate go for a lighter color. A/c is not great and dark colors will be a problem. I have a white and love it.
I think the grey is the most beautiful exterior color, but I went with blue because I LOVE the grey interior, and I just couldn't bring myself to get a car that was grey inside and out (It's bad enough that I've got it on top of my head already ;) The blue ext/grey int/matte obeche combo is just gorgeous, I'm very happy with my choice. So, there's a vote for blue (but it also depends on your interior choices.).
As for the other colors you mentioned, personally I've never loved black or red cars...I like a bit of contrast, and black cars look a little too monochromatic, and red cars have always felt a bit to flashy for me. I HATED the signature red, but I have to say that the multicoat red looks pretty sharp...I would never get it, but if you like red cars, it's a nice choice too. So, depending on your interior color choices, my top three votes are: Blue, grey, red.
WHITE: People who prefer white cars and white accessories can be perfectionists, and like for things to be neat, clean and orderly. It can also mean that you enjoy simplicity and have a pure and youthful outlook on life.
• RED: Red is a very bold colour choice that stands out in the crowd. It can mean that you are a passionate person or that you can be quick to anger. It creates feelings of excitement, and intensity. It could also mean that you have a bit of a dramatic streak.
• BLACK: If you prefer black items, you might be showing the world that you are a very conservative person who prefers a classic appearance over trendy or flashy items. It is a powerful colour and means
that you would like to be taken seriously as a professional in your career and in life.
BLUE: This is typically a calm and relaxed colour. You may have chosen this shade because you are generally an easy going person or, possibly, because you would like to be calmed down and this is a great way for you to incorporate some serenity into your everyday life.
Dependent on personal taste but I thought car looked best in Signature Red (only first 1000) and Black. I have Signature Red.
Got the new multi coat red color w lt gray interior, and LOVE IT! My wife always wanted a red car, but I resisted on my Nissan 350Z roadster, on our Acura RL, and on the Chevy Volt I was driving before our Model S arrived. Red looks good on Ferraris and some other cars, but on some it doesn't in my opinion.
On the Model S it looks GREAT! With the pano roof being black, it has just the right amount of red (not sure how I would like it without the black glass roof). And the combination with the gray interior is spectacular.
Of course, this is a very personal decision, and I am sure you will be very happy whichever color you choose!
No one ever mentions green... Am I the only one having a liking for that color? :-)
@svante: I chose green and love it! From a color shifting / lighting perspective, it's the most "complex" color, going from black -> grey -> green depending on the lighting.
Wife & I literally spent half a day in the Menlo Park store trying to decide on the color. :P
All: Try to look at the colors on real cars, the paint chips do not do these colors justice! The Menlo Park store usually has 1 car of each color in the showroom or in the repair bay.
We do appreciate your green car, green technology :)
I got a black Model S in the hot Southern California and you can remotely open your sunroof, pre-cool your car with no problem. You still want to do that with any color anyhow :)
The red is gorgeous and will turn the most heads, but like some others above, I'm not a red car kind of guy! Black, dark blue and dark green are hard to keep looking good in the Northeast - they will look dirty most of the winter due to ice/sand/slush/snow from the roads. That's why I stayed away from those. The no car wash rule makes it tough to do dark colors in areas with cold snowy winters.
I got grey, with the grey interior(I know, @TheAustin, sounds boring,) and I think the car is gorgeous inside and out.
I don't think you can go wrong with any color, but if you're a red car kind of guy, do the red.
I got black and I love it, but if I were to order another one, I'd get the blue. I saw a blue one when I was picking up my black one and the color on the blue seem to have more depth. The red I saw on the street, it looks really hot, but not for me.
I'm on the road about 4 hours a day to cover 50 miles. In a sea of grey/black/white/blue, I hardly see any red vehicles in NY metro area. Oh yeah, there's tons of yellow cabbies out there too.
My previous cars have been beige, light blue, green, and metallic blue. None of the color really scream I had any personality.
I choose the MC Red as it stands out in the crowd of mundane colors and it helps with the mid life crisis too! Plus the multi coat treatment allow the car to shine with different shade of red depending of the amount of light on the car.
Ultimately, it all really depends on which stage of life you're in. Do you want to the car to blend with the crowd, appear sophisticated, or to show off this elegant masterpiece?
@matthew i'd argue that no matter the color, the MS will stand out in the crowd...
@Reilly McHugh - This is the only authorized mistress I'm allow to have... It was a tough sell to the boss, aka da wife.
"• BLACK: If you prefer black items, you might be showing the world that you are a very conservative person who prefers a classic appearance over trendy or flashy items. It is a powerful colour and means
that you would like to be taken seriously as a professional in your career and in life."
I love the black because it goes with the nose cone and the sun roof. I am not conservative, not interested in a classic appearance, and hope nobody takes me seriously.
Just had a c-quartz finish put on it and it really pops.
We have just about one of each color between our two sites at work.
My opinion:
The worst:
Silver and White just don't compliment the design, the curves get lost.
The Middle:
Red: Signature = Amazing.
Standard Red = meh..I got sick of looking at pretty quick. Tan leather is almost a must with this color.
Grey: Almost Amazing. I keep going back and forth on this color. Some days it is my favorite. If you go grey get the pano roof or use the option and have the roof painted black to break the color up a bit. Grey requires the owner to make the wheels and interior compliment. Go cloth, or tan leather and 21". My Xterra is close to this color. The paint holds up VERY well and doesn't look terrible when the car is really dirty like Black and Blue cars do.
The Best:
Green - Typically green cars make me want to vomit. The Tesla Green is something else. Absolutely amazing! I can't say enough about how blown away i was by the depth and it's ability to look grey, black in different lighting.
Black: Classic and always very nice. Tesla black is fantastic. Right now I'm 50/50 green or Black.
Blue: Very nice. Reminds me of a better Saab 93 blue. When clean it is beautiful.
I'm personally stuck on color choices as well: Black/Green and sometimes Grey.
My choice is the Green. I love the fact that its not an incredibly popular car color. The green looks the best for my tastes but I would be happy with any of the colors. I am getting the green with the black leather interior.
Any browns? I am going with blue--the paint chips don't do it justice on the website--but in person it is very nice.
I love black, but I've had it so many times that I'm aching for a change and every blemish shows. I had silver and white - ho hum. Current vehicle is a grey metallic so have lived with this color for the last five years. I've always wanted red but it never felt appropriate before... but this is going to be my dream car once it's in my driveway so I'm going red! :) God help me with speeding tickets!
I have blue and would not change. I have seen all the other colors and not too many I don't like, but blue is still my favorite.
The blue is fairly complex too, as mentioned regarding green above. Shows differently depending upon the light.
The only other colors I might consider are green, it really is striking and I would agree it is the most complex of the colors, or either of the reds. I like them both.
However the color you will be seeing the most is white, the white on the faces of your passengers when you "punch" it and all the blood flows back away from their faces, accompanied by that curious Tesla grin.
Best of luck with you selection.
On paper, and with swatches in the showroom, it's hard to say. I saw the sig red in person when a Beta debuted at the DC store a few years ago. The best color for the car, I think. By contrast, the multi-coat red is too much for my taste.
I really like the shade of blue, but I haven't seen a blue one yet. Based on the design studio, however, I thought that the blue clashed with all the black portions (around the taillights, the front bumper, etc.).
I have seen a black - it's slick and classy. I would be happy with that.
I saw a gray one up close - didn't like it...seemed too drab to me.
I didn't know that the green was chameleon-like...very interesting...that would be worth seeing in person.
I think the chrome trim complements both the MC white and the silver, and the black portions don't look out of place as much to me.
Well, I just rambled without much help...let those who have a Model S cast their opinions...
We went with the blue and I'm really happy with it. I originally thought it was too close to black, but under the right lighting conditions, it is absolutely gorgeous. The only downside is you have to be REALLY careful when washing it to avoid swirl marks and you also have to keep it really clean for it to look its best. I imagine the upkeep required for black would be similar. White or gray would be lower maintenance. I wouldn't mind if the blue was a tiny bit lighter, but I have absolutely no desire to change to a different color in the current Model S palette.
In this day of evermore distracted drivers, the mc red is the one most likely to be noticed by those thinking of pulling out or turning left in front of you. That's the reason I plan to use when someone asks if I'm going through my mid- to late-life crisis. :0
The silver goes very well with the chrome on the car and silver 21" wheels. We have the gray leather which is very light. The HOV stickers do not stand out as much on the light colors.
I went with the classic look (black exterior, 21" silver wheels and grey leather interior). I always wanted a black car but my prior vehicles I drove (Lexus RX, BMW 5) just didn't have that eye catching appeal & differential in Black as the MS does. It's an eye magnet.
I plan to keep my P85 into my retirement in 10+ years so that's why years down the road, when my taste may change, the classic look will still remain in style.
WHITE!! CLEAN and CRISP!!
I had brown up until 11:30pm the night it was going to be non-changeable. I saw a youtube video of the red and changed my order!
Unfortunately no dealership here yet and when I drove to Chicago I could only see blue and white. Wanted to see brown in person!
I love seeing all the colors when the Model S is serviced. So many deliveries and its easy to view many colors in the customer accessible parking lot when it exists at a Tesla Service Center. Got to compare my Sig Red to MC Red and love both. Heat wise, the AC really delivers when set at 66 or lower, so quick cool downs are possible.
Color is a wonderful personal choice. When you see a sun lit photo of your choice or the car in daylight, does it make you happy? Silver wheels look great with any color, black wheels need to be seen in person to make sure. Keep looking and choosing, but keep a first choice in mind and compare with that. After the final decision, you don't want to look back with endless debate. Your color should be an affirmation that you made the right choice.
One more thing...sodium "yellow" parking lot lights turn the Sig Red, black! View the colors in daylight to make your choice easier.
@TrikinCurt, great choice. No offense to others who got the brown, but brown looks very old fashioned.
I think most people went through this dilema, but at the end you would definitely be happy with whatever color you will select.
I haven't seen anybody regretting about their choice.
I am about to place my order for a P85. The colors that I like are:
1. Pearl White - It reflects the heat the most and I live in hot climate. Less load on the AC. Dirt shows less. Interior, I thinking gray. The tan is too yellow. Black cooks in the summer.
2. Silver - Reflects the sun well. Less load on AC. Little dull. Grey interior.
3. Red - I got that on my Porsche with black interior, and looks nice on it. Not sure it is ok on a 4 door sedan. Sure, if I was getting a Ferrari 458 that would be my choice with tan interior!
I am getting too practical with my age. I am getting regular tires, because I do not want to feel the pot holes, or change tires every 12,000 miles.
On the X, I would get Silver, and Grey interior.
Saw all the colours in the Vancouver service center. The one that drew me most was brown; it was so rich and deep it invited caressing.
I am also having the same dilemma. A friend has a grey one, and it looks sharp. I've changed my mind several times between a couple of colors, but am now leaning towards a navy blue P85 with black interior with the 19" wheels.
I called Tesla to ask about them being able to send out color samples, or a brochure with color samples in it like every other car company does. The woman that I talked with reached out to their marketing and sales groups and called me back saying that they can't do that.
Would be great for them if they could send out small color samples to those who put down a deposit. They could get them back when the car is delivered. Would help with the color anxiety!
I've ordered my Tesla in brown. A leap of faith, because in the Netherlands there has been no way to see the actual car in that color. But I like the pictures and YouTube video's I saw very much. Also I've noticed a lot of brand new high-end cars on the road here in dark brown lately - brown seems to be "the new white".
My biggest problem with this color is that it doesn't seem to match with any of Tesla's interior colors other than black. Brown and grey is a "fashion no-no", and the tan, being fairly "yellow", also seems to clash with the brown.
I would love it with Signature white interior, and I think it was a poor decision by Tesla to make one of the two interior colors that go well with _any_ exterior color only available on the first few cars.
Thorsten Veblen (early 20thC writer) would have said:
--White and Black [clothing, in his argument] demonstrate that you do not have to work with your hands and that you have a valet to deal with keeping things clean every day. Ditto clean fingernails, etc.
--Flashy colors suggest a "Hey! Look at me!" mentality or a prostitute.
Any physicist would say:
--Black if you live with cold winters and mild summers.
--White or silver if summer heat is your big problem.
Defensive driving suggests:
--White/Silver for visibility to other drivers. (Daytime driving lights have made this somewhat less important.)
My personal opinion:
Black - looks best and most sporty but can't deal with the swirl marks. Have had two black cars and no matter how well you care for it, you will always have the swirl marks.
Blue - too close to black. will get swirl marks as well.
Red & Sig Red - not a fan
Brown - like the color but may hurt resale due to not being as popular
Green - not a fan at all. Had one green car in the past and regretted it the entire time I owned it.
Silver - typically like silver but didn't do it for me for this car
Grey - the paint seems a little dull but definitely was my second choice. If I had to do it over again, I'd be 50/50.
White - This is what I went with. Always wanted a white car. Generally not a sporty color but with the 21" wheels and dark tint, it's there.
I also went with brown without seeing it on the car. However, I did see it on the sample in the Seattle store. I've seen RobLab's custom brown and loved it. He seemed to think the metallic brown is also a beautiful color. He probably would have gotten it, if it had been available on a Sig. I'll find out myself in about two weeks.
@ Svante
I also have green. Was leaning towards blue, but when I saw green at the Menlo Park store, it was a no-brainer to pick that color. I haven't seen many around.
I'm not a red car kinda guy, but I have the MC Red. I think it's the best color for the car. I was originally going with the black, but it just didn't show off the lines of the car very well. I think the red shows off the lines the best. Not sure if it'd be the right car without the panoramic. But with, the black, red, chrome combo is gorgeous.
That being said, it is LOUD. Very eye-catching. My neighbor described it as "lipstick red". I think she was referring to the red lipstick that you'd wear with stilletos. Yeah, that's a good description.
However, I wanted a color that showed off the car to it's best advantage. I liked the grey, but too boring. I liked the green, but I wasn't sure how it would look in real life (it's actually very nice). In the Seattle area, I didn't want the Pearl White. So, I ended up with red. I would have preferred the Signature Red, but having seen both now in person, I think the MC Red is a better fit for the car.
@HenryT2 - I'm with you there. I just picked up my S60 MC Red, Pano, air, w/ jump seats this past Saturday.
OMG, It has been thrill rides all weekend!!! My neighbors couldn't stop talking about the gorgeous red beast. Some thought that it was a 2drs coupe. From all the test drives given this weekend, the number one complaint has been: "Where is the 'Oh Shit' handle?"
Even strangers walking, cycling, or driving by were giving non stop kudos. There is a different shade of red visible based on the amount of light shining on the car. It is the brightest in direct sun light. It becomes a bit darker in the shades. It is literally glowing in moonlight at night. There's a long thread in TMC forum about the MC Red color.
Go, Grey.
Mathew--interesting, my 'test riders' all had the same reaction, looking for something to grab on to. And a few of my 'test riders' actually went pale, maybe not as much from the G forces sucking the blood out of their face as the panic/terror of previously not experienced auto performance. Fun all around! And, yes, I have the 'arrest me' red and love the color change depending on the lighting.
so johnyoung1234, what did you end up ordering?
For what is worth, I ordered the "new" red and as one lady put it to me..."thats my lipstick red!" I love the color...
First off all I have not order myself a Tesla Mosel S yet, but I`m really thinking about it, and have booked me in for test drive her in Norway. Just have hard time with my self to sell my 2011 Passat CC R-line that I "love". But Tesla look not so unlike the CC I think. When it comes to colors I have just seen them on YouTube, but so far I like the Signature Red and Brown most and would choose one of these if I had put in a order today. Anyway I have no problems with any of the others colors.
Not Mosel, but Model. Sorry for that. ;-)
I choose green without having ever seen it in person, pick up on Thursday... I also considered Brown, but without seeing it on a car, I thought I would either like it a lot or hate it.
Someone posted a video online which showed what green looks like in the shade: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFWLtqTE74M


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My 14-year-old ggrandmother Martha Simpson was serving in the 1860 Howard County, MD household of William R. Warfield. A special set of records called Slave Statistics available in some Maryland counties connects slaveholders with the names of their former slaves. I was surprised to find this for Warfield (his heirs):
Warfield owned Martha's father, Perry Simpson (no. 2 on the list above). Martha and her siblings had been born to a freed black woman, Louisa, illustrating that freed blacks often married enslaved people. We've got be open to looking out for this scenario in our research, especially in areas like Virginia and Maryland where there were relatively large numbers of freed blacks.
Using the basic methodology for researching slaves, I checked the probate records of William Warfield's father and found Perry listed as a young boy:
I can't say exactly who Perry's mother is–there are at least 3 women of age to be his mother in the inventory (all the slaves are not shown in the clip above). For many of us researching enslaved ancestors, this is usually "the end of the road"; an inventory in the slaveowner's estate. That's it. I've shown it here on my blog before. Most of the time, enslaved people will not be listed by family. Sometimes you are lucky enough, and I do mean LUCKY enough to find: personal papers, bible or court records that name or discuss the enslaved family or even freedmen's bank or pension records that name the mother or siblings of that enslaved individual. Even if you find that mother, again, she's usually listed in someone's inventory. Mariann Regan's blog, "Into the Briar Patch," discusses the type of record a slaveowner might have that would be priceless for the descendants of slaves. Marian has been kind and generous enough to transcribe and share these extraordinary records with the public. But the vast majority of us will hit a brick wall at that estate inventory.
I had a hard time coming to grips with that reality. There's a sadness–a melancholy for me in this. I so badly want to know who Malinda's mother was, who Harriet's mother was, or who Margaret's mother was, separated from her at age 13 as she was. And for that matter, who were their fathers? It's like the fathers never were, the tragic inevitability of a system built on sexual exploitation. Was Sarah, my earliest documented ancestor, born ca. 1750, an African woman? She easily could have been. Was she Igbo, Mende or Angolan? I have so many unanswered questions.
People love to ask how far back you've gotten in your genealogy. That isn't the most important thing to me. For most African-Americans, we're fortunate to trace roots back to the 1800s and in a truly elite group if we can trace back to the 1700s. I suppose in some sense, everyone comes to end of the "documented" record—even though for many Europeans it may be much earlier, perhaps the 1500's in Russia, Poland, Ireland, England or some other Old World country.
Someone asked me recently why I do genealogy. What makes it interesting or meaningful (as it was not to the person asking)? I had to pause. What is it that continues to drive me personally to spend thousands of hours through the years in courthouses, archives, libraries, in books and online, in meetings and blogging, learning about resources and methodology, obsessively and compulsively digging for more, more and more? I realized it's not just any one thing.
Initially, it is the new information, the puzzles we crack, the names we uncover that drives us most. Discovery is always simply thrilling in and of itself. I would have never dreamed of freed black ancestors from the early 1800s or that my Tennessee roots started in Alabama, or even (on the negative side) that I had an ancestor who was lynched and one who died after World War I in a mental hospital.
But its also something much more. Because of the tragedy of slavery, I consider it a radical act to seek out and find the names of and explore the lives of enslaved people. In that process I am truly "reclaiming" pieces of myself. It also represents my connectedness and my entry way to history. It is through researching my family that history has been made real for me. Be it African civilizations, slavery, Native Americans, the U.S. and French Revolutions, west ward expansion, the Civil War, emancipation, the Great Migration, industrialization, World War I and II (and on and on) I approach all of those topics from the perspective of my family. I think about:
—Joshua, born during the revolution and before we were the United States;
—Mason, who migrated west with owners and was present at the founding of the state of Kentucky;
—Daniel, an ordained minister with the Maryland Methodist church in the early 19th century;
—John, the former slave who became the largest black landowner & postmaster in the county;
—Luther and Mattie who left Tennessee for Dayton, Ohio to find their fortunes after World War II;
—Doss, whose pride and courage made him stand up and fight during a TN race riot;
—Beatrice, who attended the Institute for Colored Youth in the early 1910s, which became Cheyney, the first historically black college
All of them fascinate me and connect me to the very fabric of life. They fill me with pride and they increase my understanding of the world. It has filled me with a desire to write up my discoveries and share them with the world, knowing that this history truly is powerful. It also does something else–it makes me look at my own life so very differently than I would have had I not known any of this.
So even though many roads will lead to and end with a name in an estate inventory, it still has tremendous meaning for me. I honor and celebrate the lives that could not be celebrated in their own time and believe their spirits are smiling at the remembrance of their name. The search continues.


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Deadly poisonous mushroom "Destroying Angel"
Upstate New York two weeks ago.more →
- http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/wilder-mann
- http://www.charlesfreger.com
Poster by Federal Art Project, W.P.A, Ohio , US 1938. (Ohio is a buckeye state) Image found in The Library of Congress Photostream
"Weaver's Nest" by Porky Hefer
"The Nest" treehouse by Bertil Harström
Inside the human nest treehouse in Big Sur - The Human Nest Treehouse
Bird inspired fashion - http://www.trendtablet.com/419-birds-2/
More delicious food photos:
via Old Chum
"I grew up on the countryside where my parents run a plant nursery and a flower shop. I decided to show nature how I experienced it as a child."
Above: Tree says hi.
Photos by Israel based photographer Ella Sverdlovmore →
Above: Joni Mitchell, hair undyed.
Above: Joni Mitchell among wild grasses.
Green streets in my neighborhood Moscow, Russia(Москва, район Ленинского проспекта и ул. Обручева). One thing I miss about growing up during Communism - the overgrowth. Photograph by Dmitriy Chistoprudov.
Vertical garden in Barcelona, Spain.
Beautiful tree globe poster created by Judy Kaufmann.
Lawrence Beck is a New York based artist who explores controlled and unbound nature. Beck takes photographs plants in national forests, city parks and botanic gardens. He celebrates the beauty of plants while undercutting this 'natural' elegance by revealing its manufacturedness.
Community garden on Albemarle Rd in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. Photo taken on December 2, 2010.
Read more about it on Sustainable Flatbush:
Golden leaves and trees full of house sparrows in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.
Tree drawings and sculptures by Roxy Paine.
Sculpture on Governor's Island, New York.
Above: Shelving/vase system displaying thistles, dried plants and exotic flowers.
Daniel Goers is a local Brooklyn designer, architect and artist who has a show right now called Scrap Ecology at Brooklyn coffee shop K-Dog in Lefferts Gardens. All pieces are made from reclaimed materials except some lighting components. Daniel has been collecting scrap materials and remaking them into beautiful designs and sculptures for some time now. His other great project is in collaboration with artist Jennifer Wong called Birdtown. Fifty birdhouses were built from recycled materials and installed in Fort Greene:
Above: Daniel Goers and Jennifer Wong.
Above: Birdhouse from Birdtown.
Scrap Ecology aims to rearrange the raw materials of our urban and natural environments into objects with new meaning and purpose. These materials include abandoned shipping pallets from Red Hook, wood cutoffs from carpentry projects, recycled packaging, discarded architectural samples, donated plant stems and foraged specimens from Prospect Park and the mountains of Harriman State Park.
Why reclaimed materials?
New York is a great place to find raw materials to build with. every day the streets are filled with "trash" that can be so much more. But maybe the best reason is that material is free. The reclaimed material also tends to have more character.
Do you enjoy living in New York? Would you if you had an opportunity move somewhere where there are more trees and less garbage?
Of course, New York is a great place to be a designer but my sculptures do hint at the desire to be closer to nature. I would love to live in a barn in the mountains but in the meantime I will work to bring nature to people's homes here.
Above: Lamp made from glass jar moss terrariums.
Why do you think using reclaimed materials is popular today?
It's just marketing for many people. I like to believe that myself and many other designers simply see some intrinsic value and potential in the waste around us. What was once a shipping pallet can become a hundred new things, so why cut down another tree? More people come to this realization and the 'green' movement will become less about marketing & more a part of the collective conscience.
And the wind, full of wantonness,
wooes like lover
The young aspen-trees till they
tremble all over.
- Thomas Moore (From Trees of America)
From the book:
Who has seen the wind?
Neither I or you:
But when the leaves hang trembling
The wind it passing thro'.
Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the trees bow down their heads
The wind is passing by.
Christina G. Rossetti
"Red List protects nature" - The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, founded in 1948, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.
"Protect birds - they are doctors of the forest"
"Cut down one - plant ten"
"Welcome, my feathered friends!"
Signe Parsegel land art.
Forest Art Wisconsin.
Michel de Broin "Superficial"
Located on the Rockaway Peninsula Brooklyn, NY, Fort Tilden is mostly a natual area that was a former United States Army installation. Fort Tilden today is largely a natural area of beach, dunes and maritime forest. Most of the old military installations are abandoned, though some buildings have been renovated and are used by local arts groups. Atop one of the old batteries, Battery Harris East, is a viewing platform offering 360-degree views. Fort Tilden includes some of the most secluded beaches in New York.
Brooklyn Bridge Park is an 85-acre park currently under construction on the Brooklyn waterfront in the vicinity of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. As of March 22, 2010 the first newly built section of the park, Pier 1, has been open to the public. !!!!!!!!!!!!


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The Ice House Presents: WEEKEND WORKOUT
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Performing Artists (Click on Artist for Reviews and Previews)
Purchase Tickets
Show Details
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"Unbelievable...Fantastic... one of the best social nights we've had." Col, President, Tarwin Football Club
Monty Franklin is an Australian born stand-up comedian now based out of LA. He has performed hundreds of shows all over Australia, New Zealand, on P&O Cruise ships throughout the South Pacific and a handful of major comedy clubs in Los Angeles.
Monty's numerous television performances include Channel 10s The Circle, Foxtel's Stand Up Australia, and as part of The Comedy Channel's special – The Best Of Stand Up and Comedy Gold. Performing sold out shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010, he received wide recognition and praise for his shows The Full Monty, Monty McFly.
Monty performed at the 2009 Carols By Candlelight to a crowd of 15,000 at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and MC'd for 12,000 music goers at the 2010 and 2011 Pyramid Rock Festivals.
Monty has made three pilots for his own TV Shows with Fremantle Media and Australia's largest network Channel 7 that consisted of a mix of sketch, stand-up and travel shows.
Monty's versatile humor and fresh approach has seen him gain a lot of exposure in his relatively short career, with sold out live shows throughout the country, TV appearances and a successful weekly radio show on Australia's most widespread Radio Network Austereo.


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OBEs or MBEs for Australia?
Can Michael Clarke regain The Ashes in his first tour as Captain of Australia?
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- Major Wedgie
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OBEs or MBEs for Australia?
Do we get OBEs or MBEs from the Queen now that we have regained the Ashes or is it only the English team that matter to her majesty?
Get your kids in 2 cricket!
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Under the watchful eyes of a National Park Service regulatory consultant, contractors for two utilities bore into the earth Tuesday near Community Drive in Middle Smithfield Township.
Under the watchful eyes of a National Park Service regulatory consultant, contractors for two utilities bore into the earth Tuesday near Community Drive in Middle Smithfield Township.
Their aim: to collect a single rock-and-soil sample to help determine the foundations to be placed under four possible replacement electrical towers on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
The test drilling, the utilities hope, will pave the way this fall for a major electrical line upgrade through the recreation area.
"It's only about how to design the foundation," PPL Electric Utilities spokesman Paul Wirth said. "It's how deep the foundation has to be."
Similar testing has taken place at five New Jersey locations, where 18 new towers might be built in a right of way predating the recreation area.
It will be up to a federal judge to decide this summer if PPL Electric Utilities and PSE&G of New Jersey will be able to place higher towers and more powerful electrical lines across the park — part of the two-state, 147-mile Susquehanna-Roseland project.
An environmental coalition trying to stop the project charges the National Park Service violated its own rules and two environmental laws in approving the four-mile park crossing near Bushkill.
The sides reached a compromise whereby the utilities agreed not to build access roads now, while scaling back the number of test borings from 20 to six. This has enabled the utilities to do the borings during a brief early spring window under their environmental permits.
"Our goal is to leave the lightest footprint possible here, which is what we're doing," Wirth said.
Soil and rock engineer Jerry Salsgiver, of utilities' consultant Haley & Aldrich, oversaw construction of a temporary 10-foot-by-20-foot wooden bridge. This enabled a 28-foot high driller, part a metal-track vehicle about the size of a small compact car, to cross a stream and proceed up an access route near the McDade Trail.
The bridge was built using small hand tools.
"The carrying is the tough part," Salsgiver said of lugging lumber to the stream. "It took us three days to carry it in and build it."
From there, the vehicle wound around a ridge overlooking the low-lying Arnot Fen wetland and came to a stop near an existing tower.
A blue container resembling a children's wading pool was placed about halfway up the ridge and held fluid used to lubricate drill bits. A hose carried the fluid from the container to the drill.
Two men started up the drill about 10 a.m. and it began making a 4-inch-diameter hole. The drill can penetrate several hundred feet underground, Haley & Aldrich geologist Mark Miller said.
Miller fully expected to hit the targeted 20-foot core of rock less than 50 feet underground. Those rocks will help underpin tower foundations.
Existing 95-foot towers predating the park would be replaced with towers up to 195 feet tall under the utilities' upgrade. It will enable PPL and PSE&G to replace the existing 230,000-volt power line with two maximum 500,000-volt (500-kV) lines.


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Edited by leonandclaudia, 21 September 2012 - 07:12 AM.
Whale sharks of Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, June/July 2012
Posted 21 September 2012 - 06:56 AM
- xariatay likes this
Posted 21 September 2012 - 03:07 PM
Posted 21 September 2012 - 04:12 PM
Posted 22 September 2012 - 02:06 AM
Anyhow, hope you can join us some day John!
- johnjvv likes this
Posted 22 September 2012 - 02:14 AM
Do you have footage of just the whale sharks?
Many angles and behaviours, yes. This particular movie documents this particular group trip.
Posted 22 September 2012 - 03:40 AM
Edited by leonandclaudia, 22 September 2012 - 03:42 AM.
Posted 22 September 2012 - 05:34 PM
Congrats on the nice footage, incredible how easily animals change their behavior when humans start interfering, hopefully the sharks will be able to change back if the fishermen ever decide to move to another location.
The Leatherback turtle is very high on my must see list- gotta be an amazing experience!
I was only wondering, are there any regulations when tourists film/photograph the turtles while laying eegs?
The leatherbacks are rated "critically endangered" by the IUCN.
I am in no way an expert on this, so correct me if you think I'm wrong, but what I remember from previous experiences working with turtle conservation programs in Lombok and Malaysian borneo is this:
1: Avoid using flash on turtles while being on land as it can confuse and scare the turtle to a point that she will give up laying her eegs. Also it is not recommended to use high intensity torches, especially one should take care not to shine the torch/flash the camera in the "face" of the turtle.
2: Make sure that you do not light up the beach with any artificial light (headlights of cars, hotel/restaurant lights, bonfires etc).
3: Stay at the tree-line, do not walk on the beach as you will never know if you're walking on top of a turtles nest and crushing the eggs.
4: Finally, don't touch the turtles unless absolutely necessary (if the turtle cannot find its way back into the sea because of artificial lights etc)
As we can see in the video there seams to be taken data of the turtles, and to my eye it even looks like they are doing tagging- which is something I wouldn't expect here in Indonesia, big thumbs up for that, would just wish that the tourists would be a little more careful.
Anyways, it looks really cool whats going on out there in the east, whale-shark galore, leatherbacks, gotta get some time off and finally come out for a visit! Is the leatherback population large enough that there is a good chance to see them while diving/snorkeling?
Happy bubbles, M.
- AllisonFinch likes this
Guest Relations Manager
Rated #1 Dive-Resort in North Sulawesi 5 years in a row!
Posted 25 September 2012 - 12:23 AM
Posted 29 September 2012 - 09:21 AM
Much nicer trying finding them and capturing photos of tje sharks filter feeding in the wild..and not in some sort of tourist attraction semi aquarium type setup.. where what you see is rather artificial and predictable..just my two pence
A 'tourist attraction semi aquarium type setup' would be rather impossible to orchestrate. Cenderawasih Bay is immense. And very deep. Hundreds of fishing platforms scattered randomly in a 25 000 sq mile, 2000 ft deep bay, is hardly what we would call an 'artificial and predictable'. With or without tourists, and whether or not they choose to make the long trip to jump into the water surrounding the platform, the fishermen and their platforms are always there; have been there for decades and as long as they have permits to fish, they will continue to foster their 'relationship' with these gentle giants.
Recently, with a field station that happened to be in the nearby surrounds, scientists during their surveys curiously asked the fishermen why they had not been alerted to the presence of these whalesharks, they replied simply - ' ....well, you did not ask....'
As much as you may think this a aquarium type set-up, it could not be further from the truth. The only predictability in this case, is the spectacular destination and the whalesharks - guaranteed.
- xariatay likes this
Posted 29 September 2012 - 05:52 PM
Seeing the whalesharks twist and turn for food from the platforms is difficult to comprehend having seen them filter feeding naturally in the wild. The result of such practice is a re-sensitization of their natural and innate migratory feeding patterns.They are also being fed on dead ikan pari (stingrays) by the fishermen, not fresh krill and plankton their natural food sources. How all this is meant to be good for whalesharks Im not sure.
Futhermore it is where tourism dollars truly upsets the balance just like at Oslob where whaleshark feeding attracts numbers in the thousands and the result has been only harm, injury and harrasment to the sharks. Cenderawasih is fortunate for the moment its less accesible than Cebu. But word has already got out and number of tourists, divers and boats have increased - it would be only a matter of time before this could become even more inevitable as more flights open up to Nabire and Biak.
And oh by the way ..the local fishermen tend to tell the foreigner scientists what they wanted to hear of course...
Edited by gee13, 29 September 2012 - 09:51 PM.
Posted 30 October 2012 - 10:01 AM
It is better to see the whales becoming attraction then to become whale meat sold cheap or its fins becoming a Chinese delicacy.
What Cendrawasi bay management need is like Oslob-Cebu management : ( I was at Oslob a few months ago )
- No strobes or lights whatsoever
- No touching or riding of whales,Oslob-Cebu has patrol guys on the surface to watch tourist interaction with the whales.
- No pointer or any rod or any sharp object allowed.
- Snorkler limited to 30 minutes per day per person
- Divers limited to 1 hour x 2 dives per day. I can't remember the limits per day for snokelers and divers.
- Pay to dive ? ...........depends.
The ones in blue are most important.
Some whale sharks love humans. Long time ago I as doing deco stop and a WS came. I have no camera on me.
I played with it, tag along its dorsal fin.....yep.
We were only on 300 psi, stayed as long as possible.
When we were up on the boat, it came to the boat rubbing it and seems wishing we will stay in the water. It gave us that "crying child look" and with that mouth open/close next to the boat like begging for more fun time. It stayed with us next to the boat and refused to go.
These Cendrawasi Bay whales came to the fishermen because of waste/fish dropping from the net. The same as some commercial fishing boats dumping left overs and fishes knew this and started to hang out when such vessels are dumping. Wild or not, free food is what animal love. They recognized free meals.
Anyone coming from 1st world countries may think what's going on in Oslob-Cebu and Cendrawasi Bay as a big NO-NO, but the overall picture is much better than these :
Some areas in Indonesia, a dog meat is a delicacy........YES, Manado has small restaurants selling them. Is that wrong ? You tell me.
If the whale sharks decided to stay or come often for free meal, that is their decision. We divers only need to make sure they do not become whale meat, since we care about them.
Edited by SPP, 30 October 2012 - 10:03 AM.
- leonandclaudia likes this
Posted 31 October 2012 - 12:06 AM
Buying the catch to feed the sharks and having the money go to the people for looking after the sharks is far better than having them harm them for money.
Long time I think its going to be a good thing as this special place takes off.
Amphibico Phenom & EVO PRO & Navigator 900
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Posted 31 October 2012 - 12:46 AM
Diggy http://www.scubadiggy.com/
Canon7D, Nauticam housing, mini and large dome, canon 100mm, canon 60mm, 10-17 tokina, macro ports, extensions, two inon Z240, Nauticam SMC converter, +3, +5 diopters. Two Sola 2000, One Sola 1200, Go Pro hero 3 Black
Posted 02 November 2012 - 01:39 PM
Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: whale sharks, cenderawasih bay, bittenbysharks, professional imaging, photography expeditions
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A View From Your Desk, which is a user-submitted blog about the view from a librarian's desk (and even contributed) and it reminded me of my blog idea.
So, I've now created a new blog about what librarians wear to work: Librarian Wardrobe. Anyone can submit an image, and it could be the submitter wearing the outfit, parts of the outfit on a hanger, or whatever combination works.
It will be interesting to see how dress codes vary at different kinds of libraries and for different kinds of positions. When I was starting my job search during/after library school, I was wondering myself what exactly is appropriate since there seems to be a lot of variation, so maybe this will be useful to new librarians as well.
Research & Learning Librarian and Instruction Coordinator, U of Arizona | MLIS & MS in Instructional Design
November 14, 2010
November 5, 2010
Taught to teach
|Credit: melodi2 from morguefile.com
I'm still exploring my instruction style as I get used to my position, the college, and the programs, but after 6 months now, I do feel much more comfortable. One of the students in the SIRLS class asked a question probably on many soon-to-be and new librarians' minds: how do you learn how to teach?
I personally tried to get as much experience as possible at least just making presentations while in library school. For my internship, I took initiative and worked with my supervisor to get instruction into my responsibilities. This did not bring me anywhere near a pro, but I was able to do some library orientations for a summer internship program.
After that, I just read. Read, read, read. Anything I could find that talked about instruction methods or library instruction. Books, magazines, blogs, you name it. I'm still working through the reading list I keep for myself. When I started my job, I asked for reading suggestions from my supervisor and even had the chance to read through all her collected teaching materials from over the years. I asked to watch other librarians teach and am hoping to get in some classes to watch experienced instructors as well. Of course I remember what I liked and didn't like while a student myself, but seeing the classes from a different perspective will be really useful.
I'm still figuring out assessment and outcomes, as well as tailoring instruction to our students specifically. Being a community college, we have a wide range of demographics, skill levels, and interests.
I've found I am the most successful with teaching when I do doubt myself a little because I feel like it puts me on the same wavelength as the students: I'm a little unsure about teaching and they're a little unsure about research, but we can connect there. I try to just have a conversation with them as much as possible; at the same time, I try to say in the mindset of hey I'm going to show you some neat technology and tricks.
Anyhow, here is my (work in progress) list for figuring out how to teach. If there are more suggestions out there, please leave them in the comments; I do have to say much of the library literature on teaching ignores showing how to write an actual lesson plan, which is frustrating, but nonetheless:
- Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath) - How to make ideas stick in presentations/ads, and of course in teaching. They give many real-world examples and offer a handy acronym to aid in composing these sticky messages using their suggestions.
- Critical Library Instruction (Emily Drabinski, Alana Kumbier, and Maria Accardi, eds.) - Essays on the "banking model of education" described by Freire, and finding other, progressive methods to teach students using involvement, real world scenarios, and teacher as student/student as teacher. Many of these were inspiring and made me excited to work some of the ideas into my teaching.
- Library Instruction Cookbook (Ryan Sittler and Douglas Cook) - Cookbook-themed ideas on instruction activities (mostly for one-shot classes); many really applied to 4yr academic institutions so weren't as helpful for me, but certainly have a list of about 10 ideas I might be able to use or tweak
- Teaching Information Literacy: 35 Practical, Standards-Based Exercises for College Students (Joanna M. Burkhardt, Mary C. Macdonald, and Andre J. Rathemacher) - A little dry, but does help in better understanding the ACRL Standards and how to apply those to teaching
- Information Literacy Instruction: Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. (Esther S. Grassian) - New edition of textbook, have not gotten to yet
- Mckeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategy, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (Wilbert McKeachie and Marilla Svinicki) - Seems to be a standard for college instructors, most not receiving formal education on exactly *how* to teach. A good amount of the book felt irrelevant to libraries, unfortunately, but did pick up some good tips by skipping around.
- Teaching Librarians to Teach: On the Job Training for Bibliographic Instruction Librarians (Clark and Jones) - This book is old, like 1980s old. I read it the month I was graduating library school and can't remember much... I think I did find parts of it helpful for a start in learning library instruction, but might not be the best one out there...
- Motivating Students in Information Literacy Classes (Trudi Jacobson and Lijuan Xu) - Good overview in getting students engaged through assessment.
- The Invisible Web in Learning and Teaching (Jane Devine and Francine Egger-Sider) - This book wasn't really specifically about teaching, but had some good ideas for helping students grasp the deep web.
- New Librarian, New Job: Practical Advice for Managing the Transition (Tucker Cory and Reeta Sinha) - Again, not specifically geared to teaching, but did help understand the role of library instruction and information literacy within a position description and general expectations.
- Ideas for Librarians Who Teach: With Ideas for Teachers and Business Presenters (Naomi Lederer) - Perfect for skimming; sound bites of ideas.
- Public Speaking Handbook for Librarians and Information Professionals (Sarah R. Statz) - Helpful tips for public speaking and presenting (of course can directly help with teaching), and finally a book on public speaking geared to librarians who, let's be honest, aren't always the most outgoing bunch.
Blogs/Magazines/Journals/Specific Articles
I'm just going to post a link to my del.icio.us -- I have over 60 pages and articles tagged as instruction. Some are from librarians and library organizations, some from other educators. I add to this list regularly.
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is a US brand eye drops. I bought some from eBay because I have heard that its a great liquid to add to pigments to get them to stick.
The selection of eye drops in the UK is fairly lame. Having fairly tired and sensitive eyes, I have used various ones – own brand ones and Optrex. I have ever found that they sting like hell (especially the whitening ones) or don't do much. I also have a few ye drops from Japan which are normally a little too stinging for me. My favourite eye drops ever was actually from the doctors (d'oh) and was a very slippery in texture, making my eyes feel less dry.
VISINE® Advanced Relief is a unique eye drop formula that combines the proven redness-relieving power of VISINE® Original with three moisturizing ingredients to cool, soothe and refresh irritated eyes.
Active ingredients
Dextran 70 0.1% – Lubricant
Polyethylene glycol 400 1% – Lubricant
Povidone 1% – Lubricant
Tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05% – Redness reliever
Inactive ingredients
benzalkonium chloride, boric acid, edetate disodium, purified water, sodium borate, and sodium chloride
I know what you're thinking – eye drops! This isn't very exciting! Well it kind of is…for me?
I really really like these eye drops. You been hidin' them in the US!
I've found that these Advanced Relief eye drops:
1. Don't sting too much. Cooling yes, acidic, no.
2. Make eyes much brighter – and yes, it got rid of a lot of red.
3. Keep my eye moisturized.
4. Stopped mine from itching
And I haven't even mixed them with any pigments yet, but I am already very pleased with them. If you are in the UK, you can get these from , if you are in the US you can rather smugly just wander down to your local drugstore whilst picking up a I want to try a chimichanga so bad!