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Welcoming your calls and emails WORLDWIDE!We sell specialize and sell vacations to the Caribbean, Costa Rica, & MexicoCelebrating 32 years in business! Toll-free: 1-877-380-4142
Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue Don Pablo CollectionAll-Inclusive Resort for "Adults"
Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue Don Pablo Collection Reservations 1-877-380-4142
The Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue is an adults only (18+) resort that rises to the new heights of luxury. The hotel offers exceptional food and service and is sure to please all guests.
The Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue Caribbean-style hotel is Colonial in design, is surrounded by tropical vegetation, and is located on a white sand beach. The resort is situated adjacent to the new Golf Club Punta Blanca and near the Palma Real Cocotal Golf Club, Punta Cana Golf Club and a 90 minute drive to the Casa de Campo Golf Club.
The Don Pablo Collection category is the hallmark, of the ultimate expression of luxury services and accommodation. It represents the supreme uniqueness in the hotels of the exclusive brand Grand Bahia Principe. Unmatched in its conception, it does not bear the name of the founder of the Group in vain. Based on individual treatment and excellence of care through the personalized butler service, the most precious category adds an extensive range of services to the standards of Grand Bahia Principe. The Don Pablo Collection rooms are designed in spacious and comfortable suites with exquisite décor and oriented toward the best views of the spectacular locations. A selection of pillows and aromas, bathroom service to choose, luggage unpacking and wardrobe organization, waiter service at pool and beach . . . are conveniences, among others, that are offered so that guest receive the maximum enjoyment on your vacation.
The Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue is located only a 30-minute drive from the and 90 minutes from the La Romana Airport, the Caribbean style hotel sits on a beautiful white sand beach, perfect for watersports and laying in the sun. At night, guests can enjoy the Bahia Principe Village Disco. Entrance and domestic drinks are included.
The Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue Resort features 528 Junior Suites with bath with Hydro massage tub and separated jet shower with hydro massage, distributed in 3 story villas.
All rooms feature:
Palmira Main Restaurant (buffet) with air conditioning and non-smoking. Excellent selection, and guests can enjoy a theme dinner each evening.
International Buffet
3 air-conditioned / nonsmoking á la carte restaurants
Ignacio Subias and his staff
Guests also have access to any of the a la carte specialty restaurants within the complex which offer a great variety of the world's finest cuisine, Japanese, Gourmet, Tex-Mex, Mediterranean, Italian, Spanish, Mediterranean and Brazilian Steakhouse. The hotel has two bars, one in the lobby and another at the pool itself. It also has the Arrecife snack bar, with beautiful views of the hotels lake-shaped pool.
Men are required to wear long trousers and a collared shirt for dinner. Smoking is not permitted in any of the restaurants, all of which have air-conditioning.
1 Swimming pool
Amphitheatre for entertainment programs and shows
Tennis courts and Mini golf
Water sports and diving center on the beach (with extra charge)
Spa and gym
Meeting rooms
Gazebo for weddings
Water sports are one of the best options for spending your free time the Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue. Guests will enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing (one hour complimentary per day), ride on the banana boats (with charge) or take a fishing tour (with charge) or take a fishing tour (with charge). Don't forget that guests can play at either of the two spectacular golf courses with 18 and 9 holes located just 5 to 15 minutes away from the hotel, respectively (with charge). Guests can also play more traditional sports like soccer, tennis, basketball, volleyball, mini-golf or darts located on property.
Privileged location - the closest to the beach and with exclusive services
Welcome Cocktail
VIP Amenities
International Drinks
Butler Service (O/R)
24 Hour Room Service
Turn down service
Bathrobe in room
Pillow Menu
Towel service at pools and beach
Games and organized activities
Complete Minibar with alcoholic drinks (mini bottles). Refill once a day
Non-motorized water sports - 1 hour free
Sailing (fee)
Boogie boards
Catamaran (fee)
Tennis (lightning with extra charge)
Mountain bikes (fee)
Diving lesson in the pool (on request)
Sports – on request:
Mini Golf
Free entrance and all local drinks in the disco
All local taxes and tips
Unlimited á la carte dinners in á la carte restaurants (reservations are required and dress code applies
Dress code: men are required to wear long pants and collared shirts in the á la carte restaurant
Lap top rental service available, with wireless internet connection throughout all the resort
Catamaran tours
Boat and fishing excursions
Windsurf and sailing lessons
Diving (PADI)
Banana boat
All motorized sports and vehicles
Beauty care and massages at Spa
Medical service
Telephone calls, mail and fax
Daily entertainment with live music (Merengue, Bachata and Salsa) and a variety of shows
Disco, Piano-Bar, Karaoke, "Sports" bar and Snack Bar
Medical service
(Marriage certificate dated maximum 3 months before their arrival must be presented at hotel)
Special preparation of the Jacuzzi (once per week of stay)
Special room decoration on arrival day
Special Romantic Gift
Bahia Hotels offer all the experience, professionalism and sensitivity to achieve the perfect wedding or honeymoon experience. Bahia will eliminate the stress and nerves so that you can fully enjoy your significant moments in the company of your friends and family. Bahia's exclusive services will provide attention to detail. Whatever you choose, you will be the "Star".
The charming and tropical spa is exclusively for hotel guests and offers a varied list of massages, beauty treatments and a beauty salon. The spa has an Oriental area for Ayuveda massages, based on Hindu philosophy, and VIP cabins with private Jacuzzi. There is a wide range of treatments, both facial (anti-aging, anti-stress, hydrating, balancing and firming) and body (massage with hot stones and essential oils, reflexology and lymphatic draining), and you can enjoy all of them in the Bahia Spa.
The Bahia Principe hotel chain continues to competitively consolidate its provision for meetings, or what is the same, the events called MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) for groups and companies who wish to enjoy their meetings in the most fabulous natural surroundings. The Bahia Principe line of conferences and events have function rooms for activities, transportation, coffee-break, and cutting edge audiovisual equipment. Meeting rooms are available with the capacity of up to 800 people.
The lovely hotel (adults 18+) presents arriving guests with a visual impression of a luxurious Victorian Caribbean village. The main building of the resort is surrounded by Victorian-style porches with wooden spindle rails and lattice arches, and beautiful tropical gardens with bright flowers.
The exquisite lobby is designed in the same Victorian setting with polished-marble floors, a dark wood reception desk and lobby bar, white pillars, iron chandeliers. White Victorian ceiling fans, white plantation arched ceilings, and tropical flowers strategically located through the lobby. Note: the numerous orchid plants in the clear vases are exquisite!
The Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Blue Don Pablo Collection is an affordable luxury vacation option for adults ages 18 plus who elect to vacation, honeymoon, or are planning an adults-oriented destination wedding. Our description of the resort is that of a quaint, charming, pastel-colored Victorian Caribbean Village.
In closing, the Bahia Principe Ambar Blue Don Pablo Collection has been receiving rave reviews from Judy and Maria's returning clients. The hotel is your very own secluded retreat where vacationers can unwind, relax, and enjoy nature at its very best. Dining at the Luxury Bahia Principe Amber is varied. Enjoy unlimited á la carte dining (reservations are required).The junior suite accommodations are well-appointed, large and comfortable; activities are available day-and-night. The spa and fitness center features state-of-the-art equipment, the pool is large and the beach is wide and shaded with palapas! The Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Resort has "Character"
You are the BOMB! Without doubt you are the very best travel agent in the WORLD! Seriously, it is impossible that anyone could do a better job than you. My son and his new bride had a totally perfect honeymoon, thanks to you! Thank you so much for the great choice of resort (Bahia Principe Ambar) and for the VIP service which they enjoyed.
I will NEVER go on an island vacation without your assistance.
Just want to say thank you for setting us on this trip. We had a great time for our 1 year anniversary / honeymoon trip. Everything was wonderful couldn't ask for anything better.
Michael & LydiaPine Island, MN
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We had an Audience with the Queen, well....Helen Mirren to be precise but it may well have been , her performance was not only flawless but absolutely riveting.
Helen Mirren was asked to reprise her role as the Queen by Stephen Daldry (the director)but this time for stage and not screen at the Gielgud Theatre on London's Shaftesbury Avenue.
The play is based around the Queen's weekly meetings with her Prime Minister(every Tuesday except for Tony Blair who insisted on moving it to Wednesday....Tony Blair is not featured in this play but mentioned here and there):
" ...His wife, Cheryl..."
"That's Cheri mam..."
These weekly sessions(that no one is privy to nor are there any records of the conversations held...) have been going on since Sir Winston Churchill (played by the wonderfully enigmatic Edward Fox) to the present day. Only 7 of the Prime Ministers are portrayed and quite accurately I must add, including David Cameron .
This is not a serious play, it is tongue in cheek,funny and also extremely touching . The set design is absolutely breathtaking as is Helen Mirren's swift "on stage" change of costumes. I don't want to spoil it for you and give it all away but it has you remembering the Queen in her youth,her hopes,her aspirations and how she may have felt trapped within the hallowed walls of Buckingham Palace.
This really is a beautiful, first class production with marvellous professional actors ....the standing ovation was a given.
What is it with people who seem to be in perfect health while the lights are on only to succumb to debilitating coughs once they are dimmed and the curtain is up!???
And there were plenty that night...does it have to do with the A/C?...who knows but you can hardly shout out:
"Shut It!!!" with Helen Mirren on stage....
I mean "Mam"...

subset: commoncrawl


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Sandy shores, cerulean seas, and calming breezes beckon with a budget-friendly stay just a short walk from Kuah town. Potter down past the hotel walls and be greeted by a bevy of local eateries, or organise an itinerary at the front desk for a guided tour through the picturesque island.
Featured in these collectionsLangkawi Getaway[Extra Off Day] Hotel Discount up to RM100 OFF[Guide to Malaysia] Langkawi


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See attached file for sermon.
Luke Sermon SeriesSpeaker: Dave McNeff
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Shares of IBM fell sharply Friday, part of the fallout from Accenture's weak outlook.
Both companies are heavily invested in data analysis so any sign of weakness from either one raises worries about a broader slowdown in the sector.
Accenture cut its earnings outlook for the year and trimmed its revenue forecast for the fourth quarter.
A slew of analysts were quick to downgrade Accenture.
That doesn't bode well for Accenture's rivals, including IBM and Cognizant (CTSH).
The sell-off in IBM shares was also weighing on the Dow Friday -- the last day of an otherwise rocky quarter.
All of that gave StockTwits users plenty to ponder.
$IBM and $AAPL are not good things to have so weak in a global stressful environment. I prefer them steady
Just what I was thinking today. Apple (AAPL) just can't seem to stay above $400 and today, it's close to touching a new 52-week low. Innovation is the name of the game there.
UBS Cuts Accenture ($ACN) to Neutral Following Q3; Notes Risk at IBM ($IBM)http://stks.co/tIMK
Yeah, UBS was just one of a number of analysts to come out with some words of caution for investors. Now might be a good time to tap on those breaks.
$VIX +3% $IBM -3% Bearish
Hmm, that's an interesting comparison but let's look a little further out. The VIX is up more than 30% this quarter, while IBM is down less than 10%.
$IBM off sharply, will weigh heavily on $DJIA $YM_F $DIA
That's just unfortunate timing. Stocks have been under pressure for most of the day, with IBM the biggest drag on the Dow 30.
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'Dabangg 2' teaser released on FacebookNov 9, 2012 IANS
New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) The much-awaited look of "Dabangg 2" was unveiled on Salman Khan's official Facebook page and the star says this is to cater to new generation which follows movie news on new media.
Salman, whose Facebook profile has got 6.8 million likes, says he will also use traditional medium to promote his movies.
"There is a new generation following movie news on new media, so we launched the campaign on Facebook. We will continue to use traditional media. It's not about one replacing the other. It's one alongside the other," Salman said in a statement.
Directed by Arbaaz Khan, "Dabangg 2" is a sequel to 2010 blockbuster "Dabangg" and also stars Sonakshi Sinha and Deepak Dobriyal. It will hit theatres Dec 21.
The 10-second-teaser, which was unveiled Nov 7, just shows Salman with his trademark shades. While another teaser, which will also be released on Facebook.com/BeingSalmanKhan Nov 10, will give a sneak peak into the movie.
Click the Movie button below for more info:
Dabangg 2
Salman Khan Pictures
More News


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Accuser's lawyer says police handled Jameis Winston case badly
A lawyer for the woman who accused Florida State University quarterback Jameis Winston of sexual assault is asking Florida's attorney general for an independent examination into the rape investigation.
Attorney Patricia Carroll said Friday during a lengthy news conference that she is calling on the attorney general to investigate the Tallahassee Police Department's handling of the case, claiming it was riddled with problems.
Last week Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs said there was not enough evidence to win a conviction against the FSU quarterback, mostly because there were too many gaps in his accuser's story. Winston's attorney said the sex was consensual.
Carroll faulted detectives for not interviewing key witnesses. She also said the lead detective got a search warrant for her client's cell phone and social media accounts but failed to do the same for Winston.
In a statement, the accuser's family called the police's investigation "questionable."
Winston, a freshman at FSU, is one of six finalists for the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in college football.


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It was time for Frank to go. Not because of a federally mandated retirement age, or because of a change in pension laws or fluctuations in the stock market. No, Frank had long ago decided that he was going to retire at the age of sixty. And he was sure of it.
Even when the retirement age was raised from sixty to sixty-five in 2007, Frank was still adamant that he'd be leaving at sixty. I've flown with this captain for more than a decade, on the MD-80, 737, 757 and the 767. We trained for six weeks together on the 737 when it first arrived in Boston and we even had the opportunity to take an empty seven-three out for a few 'bounces' in Sacramento for some take-off and landing practice that our company mandated for the first fifty crews flying the 737-800.
Over those years, I've listened to Frank discuss his upcoming retirement. He planned to drive his immaculately restored Morgan around New England and enjoy his grandkids. Maybe start another Morgan project or volunteer at the Owl's Head Transportation Museum in Maine.
But once the retirement age increased to sixty-five, I honestly had my doubts Frank would actually go. He wasn't the kind of pilot that complained incessantly about the job, or management, or his lack of seniority that resulted in fewer Paris trips and more Caracas layovers. So I had a hard time believing he'd retire at sixty.
Two years ago, Frank mentioned to me that he'd like me to fly with him on his last flight.
%Gallery-85512%"Keep your schedule open in October of '09." He said.
"Yeah, OK, Frank." I replied.
It's quite an honor to be asked to fly someone's retirement flight-something I've been lucky to do once before with a dear friend. I gladly accepted.
I suspect my honorable position had something to do with my video and photography skills, since it's always nice to have such a flight documented for posterity. I mean, there are plenty of co-pilots in Boston that are funnier, more entertaining and far better looking than me.
Alas, that October day finally arrived. But I wasn't on the schedule with him. After Frank let me know which Paris trip he'd be flying, I scrambled to trade away two Caribbean one-day trips to fly on his trip. Frank suggested I try to pick up the relief pilot (FB) position since I'd be in a better position to take a few pictures of the event.
Captain Frank wasn't normally senior enough to hold Paris, but the flight office managed to 'displace' another, more senior captain to make room for him to have a memorable Paris trip. A classy move, for sure, and the displaced pilot was only too happy to receive a paid trip off.
It's customary to bring along family members for a retirement flight, so the captain brought his wife, son and daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law was also an accomplished photographer, so that could have been her ticket aboard this flight-although, she actually did turn out to be funny and entertaining as well.
While driving to work, I called the chief pilot. Was there a chance we could see the traditional fire truck salute upon arriving back in Boston, I wondered? He promised to look into it. On the previous retirement flight I flew we didn't get the water treatment in JFK. At the time, we were told there had been an emergency on the field that had them tied up, but I've also heard rumors that the fire hose retirement salute wasn't happening anymore.
But maybe something could be arranged. I was successful in convincing the Paine Field airport fire department to give my retiring dad a water salute on his retirement flight almost ten years ago, so how much could have changed since then?
In operations, I met Frank and his wife Meredith, his son Drew and daughter-in-law Christine. The other co-pilot, Mark, was pulling up paperwork. Having two pilots on this over eight hour flight would allow all three pilots to take a staggered, two-hour break on each leg.
Frank's wife, Meredith looked proud and excited about her husband's final voyage. I think she was excited to be flying with her husband to Paris, a perfect place to celebrate such a transitional moment for them.
Frank's son Drew is a pilot in the National Guard, flying KC-135s, the aerial tanker version of the Boeing 707. His wife Christine had an easy-going demeanor and I enjoyed talking photography with her. I knew we'd all have a good time.
I promised Frank I'd take a few pictures while we were at the gate and again above 10,000 feet. I also planned to shoot some video of his family when I was back on my crew rest break during the flight. In Paris the entire crew would celebrate the conclusion of his airline career at one of his favorite Parisian restaurants, "Le petit Prince." Quite appropriate, since Antoine Saint-Exupéry, the famous French pilot, was the author of The Little Prince.
The flight over went smoothly and I invited Drew and Meredith to sit next to me when I was back for my crew rest break. I asked them a few questions and they shed a little more insight into Frank and his career while I had the camera rolling.
At the end of my two-hour break, I exchanged places with Frank in the left seat as he went back for his break and to visit with his wife.
The early morning arrival into Paris was smooth, and with the pressure on, Frank managed to kiss the ground, rolling just the first two front wheels of the main landing gear onto the pavement before the whole airplane gently settled to the ground. I'd have been tempted to quit there, and let the co-pilot fly the airplane home two days later, but all the landings-the icing on the cake, as I call it-were to be Frank's on this trip.
It took a few minutes for the bus to show up, a fortunate thing, since I was able to take a few portrait type pictures of Frank next to the airplane just as the sun was coming up.
And now, the only painful part of the trip; the bus ride to the hotel in Paris. During the week, this ride can take an hour and fifty minutes, and this day was no exception. We all tried to sleep in the bus to make the time go by.
Our main celebration would have to start in the early-evening during our layover in the city. The crew bus arrived at the hotel before 9 a.m.-plenty of time to allow for a long nap. We agreed to meet up at 6 p.m. in the lobby before heading to dinner.
Frank and his family took a shorter nap and thus managed to get out to visit a few Museums in Paris. After crossing the Atlantic at night, sleep can be an irresistible activity despite the rock hard bed and wildly fluctuating temperature at our hotel. This time, I chose sleep over viewing "Whistler's Mother" at the Musé d'Orsay. It wasn't even close.
Downstairs at 6, we planned to take over the lounge the hotel provides us for the meeting before dinner. Unfortunately a New York crew had already moved in with an impressive spread of Monoprix-purchased cheese, wine and baguette, a staple diet of Paris-flying crews, and the reason most international pilots are 10 to 15 pounds heavier than their domestic counterparts.
Like a group of ducklings following their mother, we lined up behind Diane, the purser who bought the Champagne and two beautiful flutes to serve them in before heading downstairs to a lounge next to the lobby. The hotel was nice enough to let us use this room and Diane presented the Champagne glasses to Frank and his wife. The hotel let everyone borrow some restaurant wine glasses and we drank a toast to Frank and his family to a flawless 23-year career.
The eleven of us made our way over to Le Petit Prince for dinner. I sat next to Drew and we talked a while about the state of the industry and who might be hiring when he is ready to get out of the military.
Most of us ordered a salmon fillet that was scrumptious and relatively reasonably priced, not that Frank would let any of us pay for the dinner. Meredith ordered a creme brûlée and the chef lit a bit of alcohol on the top to caramelize the dessert. It made for a nice picture.
During dinner, I convinced Drew and Christine to hold off on dessert so they could pick up a 'crepe Nutella' on the way back to the hotel. I'm convinced it just isn't a proper layover in Paris without this three euro scalding-hot chocolate dessert. So the two of them skipped desert and decided to make a run for the Eiffel Tower before it closed, since this might be one of the few times they get to Paris together.
After dinner, just outside the restaurant, I gathered the the crew and Frank and Meredith for a shot with the Pantheon visible in the background.
Not everyone had desert at the restaurant, so we found a perfect little street and enjoyed a crepe while a few other flight attendants had an italian-style ice cream.
Could this be the way I celebrate my retirement flight? I can only hope so.
On the way back to the hotel, Mark and I stopped off at the 'water store,' a grocery store that is frequented by everyone on their way back to their hotel rooms. Our pickup time wasn't for another 14 hours, and since the rooms seem to get exceedingly warm in the middle of the night, savvy crews usually pick up a bottle of water and maybe something to eat for the next morning.
The next afternoon, as we checked in with security, Frank was asked if it was true that this was his last flight. "It is," he responded, and the co-pilot, Mark didn't miss a beat as she checked his I.D.
"It's my first flight," he said.
Frank elected to do the last walk-around, something normally reserved for the co-pilot, but I think he wanted to get one last trip around the airplane in before the flight. Not to mention it was a good photo opportunity.
After checking on his wife and family, Frank gave his window a quick wash by hanging out his side window and then briefed us on the departure. Mark gave Frank the next leg as well, meaning that he'd give up the flying duties to operate the radio on the return flight since it was Frank's last trip. It was the least Mark could do, especially since this was also Frank's 60th birthday.
We departed on-time, just after 1:30 p.m. from Paris and Frank flew a beautiful departure. Things were going smoothly, as they should. He even commented on just how well trimmed (true and straight) the airplane felt.
After my break, Frank again went back to sit with his wife.
In between listening to the other co-pilot, Mark, make his position report and a PA announcing the captain's retirement to the passengers, I wondered how I would 'celebrate' my last flight.
I'm sure for me, as it was for Frank and my friend/flight instructor Mike, the retirement flight won't have that 'last day of school' celebratory feel to it.
Of course you want to enjoy the trip, and hopefully make it memorable for your crew and your family, but in the back of your mind, there's a dramatic voice saying, "Don't screw up your accident-free career on the final flight!"
Case in point:
I know of a pilot at another airline who decided to do a fly-by in the form of a modified 'go-around' and cruise above the runway before coming back for his final retirement landing. I'm sure the phrase "what are they going to do, fire me?" ran through his mind.
To do a low pass in a jet isn't as serene inside the cockpit as you might expect. As the airplane approaches the ground with the gear and flaps up, the enhanced ground proximity warning computers loudly announce "Too Low, Gear!" and a flap warning horn squeals.
But the three pilots in the cockpit that day had already thought of that, so they disabled the warning horns for their celebratory buzz-job. (To be fair, they were probably a few hundred feet above the ground, but how often do you get to write 'celebratory buzz-job?')
At any rate, the company wasn't happy at all with this crew. The terms of the punishment for each pilot wasn't disclosed, but I heard the FAA became involved, which is one way to make it a memorable last flight.
After the three of us had our breaks, it was time to begin the descent.
Frank knew there was a chance for a water-cannon salute from the Boston fire department. And since the secret planning was out, I offered him a tip before we left Paris.
"Whatever you do," I said, "don't stop midway under the water."
I then showed him the video from the Virgin America inaugural flight to Orange County where the pilots did just that.
"You've got to keep going," I implored. Co-pilots are like that. Always trying to make the captain look good.
After we were switched over to the Boston approach control frequency, we were offered a new arrival to runway 33 left. The lighthouse visual to 33L involved flying visually by hanging a right at Minot's Ledge lighthouse, descending to 1,800 feet and then turning left at the Boston Lighthouse where you can then go down to 1,000 feet before aligning with the runway over Fort Warren.
This was the first time any of us had been offered that arrival and I was impressed Frank jumped at the opportunity. What better way to go out than to fly a brand-new, scenic arrival into Boston. The "Boston Light" lighthouse was the last thing the British burned before exiting the colonies, and the Minot Ledge lighthouse sat on a rock with crashing waves below. It couldn't have made for a more perfect ending to a career for Frank and I suspect he'll remember that arrival for some time-it's not likely to get mixed up among the hundreds of other approaches he's flown into Boston.
As we taxied past terminal E to the far corner of the building and into gate 8B-a gate with very little room-my heart sank a bit when it became clear there would be no water salute for Frank.
Apparently they really aren't doing this anymore for retiring pilots in Boston.
After saying goodbye to the passengers, many of whom congratulated Frank personally, we made our way back to the Boston operations, where our Chief Pilot, Rich, was waiting with a cake and Frank's personnel file. The other pilots in ops as well as Frank's family and I enjoyed a few pieces of cake and then said our goodbyes.
But in the eyes of the airline, Frank's story wasn't exactly over. No, he wasn't to be reprimanded for buzzing two lighthouses and a fort.
You see, on the 17th of every month, pilots eagerly look up their schedule to see where they'd be flying, on what days and with which captain or co-pilot.
I did a double-take the next day when I saw which captain was on my schedule. Frank was to fly with me to London next month!
I gave him a call. Since he had bid 'reserve' for his retirement month, he was required to answer his phone and fly whatever trips the company had for him for the first two-weeks until he retired. But somehow the word hadn't reached the company that Frank was officially retired.
"They've called me for two trips this morning," he said.
It was Frank's one last chance to come back to work, act like nothing happened and fly for another five years.
But he turned down the chance.
I put together a video for Frank, which is why this Cockpit Chronicles has been so delayed. I wanted to share it with you as well. Come along with us on Frank's last trip. Think of it as the video version of everything you've just read. Still interested? Well then, here you go:
Cockpit Chronicles takes you along on some of Kent's trips as an international co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 based in Boston. Have any questions for Kent? Check out Plane Answers or follow him on Twitter @veryjr.


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The quintessential pairing used to be wine and cheese. Wine and roses. Wine, women and song. Food and wine. On the North Fork recently, wine and jazz, wine and rock, wine and chocolate. Now, wine and Shakespeare?
Northeast Stage, a group based in Greenport, which specializes in Shakespearean productions and classical actor training, is holding six free outdoor Shakespeare events on the North Fork this summer. The first three will be in the wine garden at the Comtesse Thérèse Bistro in Aquebogue, and the remaining three at Greenport's long-standing annual Shakespeare-in-the-Park at Mitchell Park (Bring picnics, blankets, lawn chairs). The three Greenport performances, on Friday through Sunday, August 5, 6 and 7, will be Romeo and Juliet. About 400 people turn out for each performance. J.P. Groeninger is the co-creator of the Café Shakespeare program and he plays Lord Capulet in this season's Romeo and Juliet. A.D. Newcomer is the stage director, actor, and a board member of Northeast Stage. [expand]
At the Bistro performances, which include Café Shakespeare (random scenes and soliloquys from a variety of plays) on July 17 and a full production of Romeo and Juliet on July 31, people can sip a free glass of local merlot while they watch the Shakespearean actors. I think wine and Shakespeare go together perfectly, and here's why:
1. Good wine quotes
"In vino veritas." In wine, (there is) truth. Meaning, when you're drunk, you'd best refrain from going on Twitter and Facebook and sending out naked photos.
Actually, the quote is from Pliny the Elder; the Roman who died in 79 A.D. attempting to rescue a friend after Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed Pompeii. (The full phrase is, "In vino veritas, in aqua sanitas", i.e., "In wine there is truth, in water there is health.") The version attributed to William Shakespeare is "The wine-cup is the little silver well, Where truth, if truth there be, doth dwell." Get a man (or woman) drunk if you want to know what they're really like.
But, wise Shakespeare also wrote, "I am falser than vows made in wine." (As You Like It).
Here's another quote from Shakespeare: "Good wine needs no bush." What does that mean?! Does it have something to do with peeing outside? Is it a slang reference to a certain part of the female anatomy? It appears to derive from one of the maxims of Publilius Syrus, a first century A.D. wit – "You need not hang up the ivy branch over the wine that will sell"—meaning, if the wine is good you needn't go overboard with marketing,
2. Shakespeare and wine both engage the mind.
When people describe wine, they use sophisticated words and subtle concepts. Like, "this silky and intelligently done almost corpulent Pinot Noir sports finesse and finish with a modicum of understated mango and buttered scones." Or "rounded but equally hedonistic Cabernet Franc attacks with raspberry, cigar box, fir, delectable melted chocolate, French-oaked smoked bacon and strong-willed earth." Or "Sturdy and almost sassy full-textured Merlot throws off thyme, cassis, loganberry, unripe coffee and weak stewed prune. Drink now through 2012."
Millions of words have been written about wines. Shakespeare also wrote millions of words.
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate."
"A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!"
«Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.»
"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? Deny thy father, and refuse thy name.»
"To be or not to be: that is the question."
«Nothing can come of nothing.»
"What's in a name?"
"Now is the winter of our discontent."
"Beware the ides of March."
"It's Greek to me.''
"Brave new world."
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
3. Shakespeare liked wine better than beer.
Wine is a beverage that you sip when sitting around, eating some good food, and talking with your friends. You could do the same with beer, but it doesn't conjure up the same image. When I think of beer drinking, I think of a bunch of college aged guys in T-shirts, whooping and throwing TVs out of dorm rooms.
When I think of wine, I picture white tablecloths, Riedel glasses, sophisticated dinner guests, and artful conversation. . . . Shakespeare fits in perfectly with that image. "Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used; exclaim no more against it."
Shakespeare liked wine better than beer.
"I will make it felony to drink small beer….
God save your Majesty!
The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
Nay, that I mean to do."
A resident of Manhattan and the North Fork, lawyer/vineyard owner/winemaker/restaurateur Theresa (Tree) Dilworth is the owner of Comtesse Thérèse Winery & Bistro in Aquebogue, the only Long Island vineyard with a restaurant. [/expand]


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Quick Take for Thursday, March 19, 2009
(Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)
ABC Stands as the Most-Watched Network on Thursday,
Growing Week to Week and Over the Same Night Last Year
ABC Jumps by 2.2 Million Viewers and 17% in Adults 18-49 Over Last Year
"Ugly Betty" Generates its Most-Watched Telecast Since Mid-February
Standing as Thursday's No. 1 TV Show in Both Total Viewers and Young Adults,
ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" Increases its Overall Audience by 6% Week to Week
Marking its Best Non-Crossover Performance This Season, ABC's "Private Practice" Takes First Place in the 10 O'clock Hour Among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49
Thursday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)
ABC ranked No. 1 on Thursday night in Total Viewers (10.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.5/10 - tie). The Net also finished No. 1 on the evening in Adults 25-54 (4.1/10), Adults 18-34 (3.1/10 - tie) and across each of the key Women demos: W18-34 (4.6/13), W18-49 (5.2/14) and W25-54 (5.8/14).
� The Network was up from the same night last year by 2.2 million viewers and by 17% in Adults 18-49 (8.4 million and 3.0/9 on 3/20/08). Growing its overall audience from the prior week, ABC generated its most-watched Thursday since mid-February � since 2/19/09.
"Ugly Betty" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
ABC's "Ugly Betty" outdrew its NBC comedy competition in the 8 o'clock hour ("My Name is Earl"/"The Office") by 2.1 million viewers (7.6 million vs. 5.5 million) and earned second place in the time slot across each of the key Women demos: W18-34 (2.8/9), W18-49 (3.0/9) and W25-54 (3.6/10).
� Increasing its overall audience for the 2nd week in a row, "Ugly Betty" attracted its biggest audience in 4 weeks � since 2/19/09.
"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Thursday's No. 1 TV program in Total Viewers (14.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.9/12), ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" topped its nearest competition in the 9 o'clock hour by over 4 million viewers and by 29% in Adults 18-49 (CBS' preliminary time-period based Fast Affiliate Ratings for NCAA Basketball coverage = 10.3 million and 3.8/9). "Grey's" marked its 12th time in its last 13 original airings to stand as Thursday's No. 1 entertainment telecast with Adults 18-49, and the 12th time in as many airings among Adults 18-34.
� "Grey's" increased its overall audience by 6% week to week (14.4 million vs. 13.6 million).
"Private Practice" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
ABC's "Private Practice" delivered the No. 1 position in the 10 o'clock hour among Total Viewers (10.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.6/10), topping NBC's veteran "ER" on both counts (9.5 million and 3.3/9). In fact the ABC sophomore drama defeated NBC's veteran "ER" in both Total Viewers and
Adults18-49 on 7 of 8 head-to-head original telecasts in the time period. "Private Practice" placed No. 1 in the hour among Adults 18-49 for the 4th time in its last 5 original airings, while logging its 8th straight original broadcast as the No. 1 TV show in the time slot with Adults 18-34. Trailing only "Grey's Anatomy," "Private Practice" stood as Thursday's No. 2 TV show among Women 18-49 (5.3/14) and Women 25-54 (5.9/14).
� Growing its overall audience week to week by 1.4 million viewers (10.0 million vs. 8.6 million), "Private Practice" turned in its most-watched non-crossover episode this season. In both viewers and young adults, "Private Practice" generated its best non-crossover lead-in retention to date coming out of an original "Grey's Anatomy."
A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 30% currently, from 23% at the same point in 2008. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.
Source: Nielsen Media Research (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings), 3/19/09.


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Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Revelation (or, Why Surgeons Shouldn't Think)
Let's see if I can explain something I no longer understand. I'll preface by saying there are about three things I recall from studying neurosciences in med school. First, one neuroanatomist could draw perfect slices of the brain using both hands at once, holding more than one colored chalk in each. Second, studying I-don't-remember-what, a patient was presented who'd had a stroke which left him with a sort of aphasia. The professor held up some keys and asked the man what they were. The man said, "well, you know, you open doors...." "What's it called?" the professor asked. "It's, uh, it's what you use to start the car... It's..." Finally, after the same sort of back and forth, the prof tossed the keys to the man. As soon as he caught them, he said "Keys!" The story has no relevance to this post: it's just that it made an impression. It's the third vaguely remembered -- and no longer understood -- concept that I want to mention, because at the time it was a sort of metaphysical (and decidedly non-surgical) revelation.
Our brains, of course, are all about electricity: neurons connected in myriad ways to others, firing off little charges rolling down their axons and affecting whatever they're connected to in energetic little ways. (Making sense so far? It's the best I can do.) Simply put, what's involved is pumping ions across the membranes of the nerve cells, and maintaining different concentrations of those ions inside the cell, compared to the outside. When the permeability of the membrane is altered to allow a flow of ions across it, that flow is the firing of the nerve, resulting in the release of chemicals ("neurotransmitters") at the end of the nerve cell, which then affect the membrane permeability of those cells to which it's attached. So. You have zillions of interconnected cells, each having an influence on the membrane permeability of others, adding to or subtracting from it. Imagine holding hands with people on each side of you. And say that if your right hand is squeezed to a certain pressure, you'll yelp and squeeze your other partner with your left hand. Further imagine several people squeezing your right hand, and a few more massaging it to make it feel better. Getting to the point of yelping and squeezing your left amounts to the additive and subtractive sums of all those other people who are hanging on to your right. That, multiplied by a few trillion, is what's going on in our heads. Modifying cell membranes are all the sensations we own: our skin has a gazillion receptor nerves, responding to temperature, touch, moisture, etc. Our ears, eyes, noses are sending little packages of ion-flow altering messages to cells all over our brains, which are doing the same to others. At some level, all our thoughts and actions have correlations in electrical brain activity.
Oh wow, it occurred to me one day in a stuffy lecture hall: it's all connected. Everything going on in my brain is affected by everything going on around me. Were the room temperature different, the electrical milieu would be different. Likewise if the guy three people down weren't whispering to his neighbor, if there weren't a plane flying overhead, if someone was wearing different perfume, if the walls were red. What would I be thinking if the person in front of me had on a different shirt? And, of course, the ambient temperature is a result of the weather, the people in the room, the building -- what happened yesterday affects that as well. On and on it goes, to the proverbial butterfly beating its wings. Not to mention some person on the other side of the planet laughing or shooting a gun. The cosmic rays, the gravity of the sun. The book I read yesterday. George Washington sneezing in 1776. And, by golly, just imagine the warmth in which your brain would be bathing if you weren't reading this.
12 comments:
Ha, I really liked this one. :)
Yeah, I agree. Maybe surgeons shouldn't think. ;)
- beajerry said...
Yeah, I remember my first toke...
- Greg P said...
Hmm. Memo to Sid: don't send your frontal lobes on vacation without you. It's their job to filter these things out.
BTW, that seemed more like an anomia or visual agnosia you were describing about the keys. Not exactly an aphasia.
mind boggling how you can zoom out from the cell membrane/ion stuff to human thought. it's incomprehensible like black holes and string theory, but just as elegant.
I especially liked your post. I told my trauma surgeon that one of the first memories I had when I woke up from my coma was of my neurosurgeon and him, standing in the doorway of my room. I actually remember the electricity in that moment, it was as if the air itself stood still in admiration of these men. Having just woken up from a coma and maybe still being in between life and death a little, the electricity in the room seemed to bow to their feet. Thank you for the interesting and fun way you explained electric brain activity!
That's why a real surgeon can get into the lesser sac blindfolded.
- james gaulte said...
That drawing on the board with both hands at the same times must have been a thing with old time anatomy teachers.My anatomy professor regularly wowed us with that technique.
Dr. S.,
Wow. I really enjoyed this post. I see the connectedness of things every day and it always amazes me. People call them coincidences sometimes, but I just call it connectedness. To paraphrase a writer (who I can't remember), In seeing the connectedness of things we learn. That connectedness is the relationship between and among things.
I find myself thinking such "what if" scenarios as you have mentioned in your post.
Very cool.
And the idea of the hand holding as a way of demonstrating how the neurons are connected is a great one I plan to use in my next presentation about MS (if you don't mind).
Excellent post! Dr. P says that it's your frontal lobes job to filter out that sort of thing, however, the ambiance that is associated with any given moment is something we seem to "remember" on a deeper level than the more solid "event" memories from the same place and time.
Lighting, smells (particularly smells,) background sounds ... have the power to send us back in time, or to another place, with memories that our bodies and senses remember more than we do.
Keep 'em coming, Dr. Schwab! :o)
See, now my head hurts...
The one thing that has always made me go "hmmm" is, do we each see colors the same way? What I see is blue, you also see as blue, but, if we were to look through each other's eyes, would the color look the same? Imagine what the world might look like through someone else's eyes...
- Anthony Hopper said...
Nice post! Speaking as someone who does not possess a medical background, the complexity of the human brain makes it difficult to determine how much freedom human beings have over any given thought. Presumably, they could theoretically consciously shift the chemical balance in their brains and thereby...I would daresay that (judging from your post) one could apply chaos theory to describe the brain's functions.
With that said (and probably showing my ignorance), I wonder if consciousness can be compared to an energy field. It arises (seemingly spontaneously) when certain elements are in place and a the same time does not possess an ordered pattern or causal structure. However, it still depends on the proper functioning of numerous areas of the brain. So, while one cannot descry what part brain section A plays in contributing to the existence of consciousness (and its contribution may vary from moment to moment), consciousness absolutely depends on a properly functioning brain section A.
Again, that is an off the cuff statement, I would have to research "consciousness," as I don't know much about the topic.
Still my mind, er neurons, ponder...


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I found a nice building on the following picture (encircled):
And I transformed it into the game:
This is a normal residential/elite/high density building. Some more pictures:
- Installation Pre-requiste(s):
- User Interface Mod
Shader Pack
I have increased our donation amount due to a price increase from the hosting company. It happened last year but I've been covering it so far..... Also PayPal is charging more so I still end up covering extra amounts due to the exchange rate fees.Dismiss Notice
The Ad revenue has been slow but traffic is picking up as everyone is home.
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Landmark Cirka 20 1.0
Cirka 20. Original author mikkamakka45


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2014 Covenant Award Nominees Recognized
Thirty-three students were recognized earlier today as nominees for the 2014 Augustana Covenant Awards. The Covenant Awards will be presented during Verdier 2014, a week-long celebration of Augustana's guiding values and ethics, set for March 31 - April 4.
The Augustana Magazine: Spring 2014
Someone once said it's impossible to think about tomorrow without reflecting on yesterday. As Augustana shares its plans for the future Froiland Science Complex, this issue of the magazine features individuals who have the wisdom to reflect on the past and the present. Among others, we'll introduce you to Dr. Rayburn Skoglund '59, Dr. Gene Hoyme '72, and Bill Gross '73.
Slade Larscheid Named Director of Athletics
"His passion for the student-athlete experience, combined with his management skill, documented record of fundraising success with alumni and donors of all ages, and his deep knowledge of Sioux Falls and this region make him perfectly suited for this important role," President Rob Oliver said today of Slade Larscheid, Augustana's new director of athletics.
Augustana Hosts Statewide Student Nursing Convention
Last weekend, Augustana Nursing students and faculty hosted the Nurses Student Association of South Dakota annual convention in downtown Sioux Falls.The two-day conference focused on what it called the "waves of change" hitting the American healthcare system and the the "oceans of opportunity" those changes will provide professional nurses in the healthcare setting.
Professor Awarded Fellowship at University of Notre Dame
Dr. Leigh Vicens, assistant professor of philosophy, was recently awarded one of three research fellowships by the University of Notre Dame's Center for Philosophy of Religion. At Augustana, Vicens teaches courses on critical thinking, philosophy of religion, contemporary moral issues, and free will and moral responsibility.
Lecture Series to Focus on Faith and Learning
The Professors' Best Lecture Series is "designed to engage professors of various disciplines in faith-based conversations about how faith influences their practice." On Monday, April 14, Dr. Corey Conover (History) will discuss "How Best to Love God: A Guide From History" at 3 p.m. in the 3-in-1 Room, Morrison Commons.
Augustana Launches Accelerated Nursing Program
The 16-month, post-baccalaureate program is a full-time plan of study designed for students who have a college degree and have completed the prerequisite courses. Applications for the first cohort, which will begin in the fall, are due by Tuesday, April 15.
Students See Personal Examples of Peace and Justice at Peace Prize Forum
Forty-five Augustana students and four faculty members visited Minneapolis last weekend for the Nobel Peace Prize Forum featuring His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and others will travel there today for the second weekend of the forum.
Former Augustana President Lloyd Svendsbye Dies at 83
Former Augustana president Dr. Lloyd Svendsbye died on Sunday, March 2, in Edina, Minn. He was 83. Svendsbye served the College as its 19th president from 1987-1992. Memorial services are planned for March 13-14 in Edina, Minn.
Concerto-Aria Winners Announced
Carryn Kennedy, Spencer Kruse, MIchelle Ritter and Sarah Stevens were named winners of the 2014 Concerto-Aria competition, held on Sunday in the Humanities Center. They will perform with the Augustana Orchestra in the annual Concerto-Aria concert, set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 9, at the Harrisburg Performing Arts Center.


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What kind of car would a couple of no-nonsense plainclothes Los Angeles cops drive in 1967? Forget those big lumbering full-size sedans! Joe Friday and Bill Gannon insisted on a snappy-looking '67 Fairlane.
Here we see the Fairlane hauling the Dragnet boys from one stinkin' hippie shithole to another, as they attempt to hold back the waves of LSD washing over the City Of Angels. Now, you'd think that an LAPD detective would likely have bounced that freak's painted face off the Fairlane's hood a few times, were said freak to have torn his suit jacket the way Blue Boy did, particularly just a year after Miranda vs. Arizona and two years after the the Watts Riots. After all, it was war, with the forces of anarchy and disorder on one side and the spirit of Chief Parker and Henry Ford on the other!


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Tax rates, AMT patch set for 2013 tax year
WASHINGTON — You can expect a lot less end-of-the-year drama on taxes in 2013.
But there's a price tag: The payroll tax holiday has ended for all workers, and higher-income people will bear a heavier tax burden.
Many people might have been surprised when they looked at their paychecks last month, and wondered why their take-home pay was less.
For the past two years, the employee's share of Social Security taxes was reduced from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent as the country struggled to emerge from recession. But that 2 percentage point payroll tax holiday expired at the end of 2012 and was not renewed by Congress. That means workers earning $50,000 a year will pay an extra $1,000 in Social Security taxes in 2013. As income goes up, so does the tax bite.
And that can add up quickly, said Kathy Pickering, executive director of H & R Block's Tax Institute.
Social Security taxes are deducted on all income up to $113,700.
President Barack Obama signed legislation in early January to prevent the country from going over the fiscal cliff and immediate sequestration — mandatory spending cuts across the federal government. Also at issue were the tax rates set in 2001, when George W. Bush was president. Those lower rates were scheduled to expire at the end of 2012.
Throughout the negotiations with Congress, Obama had argued that wealthy people should pay more in taxes. They will, under the measure.
"Millionaires and billionaires will pay their fair share to reduce the deficit through a combination of permanent tax increases and reduced tax benefits," according to a White House fact sheet.
"The changes that affect this year and beyond affect mostly higher-income taxpayers or the more affluent," said Bob Meighan, a vice president at TurboTax, the tax software preparation company. "They will be facing higher tax rates. Not only that, they will also be facing limitations with regard to the write-offs."
The fiscal cliff legislation established a new top tax rate of 39.6 percent for individuals whose taxable income is more than $400,000 a year and for married taxpayers filing jointly whose taxable income is more than $450,000. For those earning less, the tax rates range from 10 to 35 percent, depending on income.
Wealthier people also will see the value of their deductions and exemptions reduced.
In 2013, the personal exemption for each dependent will be $3,900, up from $3,800 in 2012, the Internal Revenue Service said. But with the phaseout, which begins at $250,000 for individuals and $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, the exemptions will be worth less for wealthier Americans in reducing tax liability.
The same holds true for them when it comes to charitable contributions, the interest you pay on your mortgage and other deductions.
Also at those higher income levels, the top rate for capital gains from the sale of those assets held more than a year, rises to 20 percent. For those earning less, the capital gains rates remain at 0 percent and 15 percent, the top rate in 2012. And the tax rate on the biggest estates is rising to 40 percent.
And for the wealthiest estates, the exclusion amount, which the IRS defines as "the total amount exempted from gift and-or estate taxes," rises to $5,250,000. Married couples can double the exclusion with proper estate planning.
Meanwhile, middle-income taxpayers might get "a sense of relief" that the alternative minimum tax has been patched permanently, said Mark Steber, chief tax officer with Jackson Hewitt Tax Services. The tax had threatened to swallow up more middle-income taxpayers. Going forward, it will be indexed to inflation. In 2013, the exemption amount is $51,900 for individuals and $80,800 for married couples filing jointly.
Tax credis are set
The IRS set the earned income tax credit this year at $6,044 for families with three or more children. That's a $153 increase from 2012.
The fiscal cliff bill extended tax deductions and credits that were due to expire for the most part, some for as long as five years.
Among them: the tuition and fees deduction that allows college students or their parents to deduct college tuition and fees up to $4,000. Elementary and secondary teachers can deduct up to $250 for out-of-pocket expenses for things for their classroom.
And for parents with children, the $1,000 child tax credit is permanent.


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Svenskt Tenn's classic cushions are loved all over the world; from Stockholm to New York and Shanghai. This linen cushion has the Tulpaner print.
The Tulpaner (Tulips) print is distinct without any small softening details. A feature of the print is the petal-thin contours in different colours that give the flowers their depth and vitality. Josef Frank designed the print in 1943-1945.


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All posts tagged "zion centre"
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Albany knows what it is up against in Duke
PHILADELPHIA - If Duke and the University at Albany played 1,000 times on the basketball court, the Blue Devils would likely win 999 of those matchups.
It's that small chance of hope that the Great Danes are hanging their hopes on this afternoon, when the teams meet in the round of 64 of the NCAA tournament.
"We're going to have to play the best we've played all season and the best any of us have played in our careers, individually and collectively," said guard Jacob Iati.
BRACKET CENTRAL: All of your bracket needs
BRACKET ADVISOR: Can Albany take down Duke? Ask BA
Saying that No. 15 seed UAlbany (24-10) is a longshot to upset No. 2 seed Duke (27-5) would be a massive understatement. The game, being played at the Wells-Fargo Center, may be seen on CBS, at 12:15 p.m. ET
"We don't have any pressure on us," Iati said. "No one in the country expects us to win, or even make it a game, so that makes it easy to relax and play loose."
The Great Danes have never won a tournament game, losing in the first round in 2006 & 2007.
UAlbany is making just its third appearance on this stage, but don't let that fool you into thinking that the players are satisfied just to be here.
"It's been a great experience and something we'll never forget," said senior Mike Black. "We're not just happy to be here. We didn't just come here for the party and celebration, we came here to win."
Duke has been here many times before, as it has been a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in 15 of the last 17 tournaments. The Blue Devils finished the season with the No. 1 RPI ranking and the No. 1 strength of schedule. Presumably the only reason they are just a No. 2 seed is because senior Ryan Kelly (14.3 ppg) missed 13 games and the team went 9-4.
"I think they're the best team in the country, as long as Kelly is healthy, because they can score from every position," said UAlbany coach Will Brown.
All five Duke starters average at least 11.5 points per game and each of their players has a height advantage over the UAlbany starters.
"Size really doesn't matter," Black said. "The only thing that matters is your heart and how good you are."
The Blue Devils are fighting some demons of their own, after losing in this round last season, in a huge upset against Lehigh.
"Our team's motivation is something bigger than the way last season ended," said senior forward Mason Plumlee.
People may be saying the pressure is on Duke to atone for last year's tournament disappointment, but that's not how their players see it.
"From the outside looking in there may be, but honestly, we feel no pressure," Plumlee said. "We're going to play loose, we're going to take our shots and we feel confident."
The Blue Devils know they must bring a good effort to advance.
"We know (UAlbany's) a championship-level team," Kelly said. "They won their conference tournament and we know they have great depth at the guard position."
Duke is 13-0 against teams from outside of the Atlantic Coast Conference and they are certainly the heavy favorite this afternoon.
"If we play harder and we hit our shots, then we'll have a chance to beat them, but we respect them," said coach Mike Krzyzewski. "They're not here because they won on flukes - they've won close games and their kids responded under pressure in late-game situations."
The Great Danes are playing their best basketball recently, but this will take a monumental effort to even be in this game at the end, let alone come away with a win.
"None of their kids were recruited by Albany," Brown said. "None of my kids were recruited by Duke and on paper, it's a huge mismatch. But funny things have happened."


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Delays, cancellations ease at KCI
Check your flight status before arriving at airport
The travel problems that Thursday's snowstorm caused at Kansas City International Airport eased dramatically on Friday afternoon.
Travelers who had come to the airport expecting the worst discovered smaller crowds and fewer problems.
"We'd gotten out here almost an hour earlier than we normally would, kind of expecting there to be big lines," said traveler Bill Ragan. "Well, there are not any big lines."
People who had been left stranded Thursday and early Friday either found other flights or scrapped their plans and went home.
Officials said 42 million people are expected to fly between Dec. 17 and Jan. 6, with the most travelers hitting airports on the days closest to Christmas.
"I came up about two and a half, three hours early today, planning for long delays," said traveler William Muller. "It's been a piece of cake, so now I get to go eat a nice lunch."
You can check current conditions at the airport by clicking here. You're advised to check your flight either online or on the phone before arriving at KCI.


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That's the name of a photographic exhibition now on at the Original Gallery within Hornsey Library. It brings together a group of local photographers who have taken on the wide-ranging theme of "Crouch End". My friend's photo has been used on the promotional material and features his oft-used big blue sky style.
The free exhibition on until 26th February. It's well worth a look.
Last year I put together a collection of my own Crouch End observations, so below are some more taken with my phone camera one afternoon last October:


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The Plextor M3 looks exactly the same as the previous model the M2. The new drive also supports SATA 3 but it's now a lot more affordable, costing just around $1.40 per gigabyte, compared with the $1.80 of the previous model.
The only explanation for this is that it's also now slightly slower than the M2 in my testing, though still very fast, performing on par with many other recent SATA 3-based SSDs. That said, it offers a great boost to any computer that moving to a SSD from a regular hard drive.
If you have a computer that's using a hard drive as the boot drive, the Plextor M3 makes a good replacement.
Design and features
|Drive type
|Internal drive
|Connector options
|SATA 3 (6Gbps), SATA 2, SATA
|Available capacities
|Product dimensions
|9.5-mm thick, 2.5-inch standard
|Capacity of test unit
|OSes supported
|Windows, Mac, Linux
Like the M2 and some other SSDS, such as the SanDisk Ultra, the new Plextor M3 comes in an aluminum case, giving it an expensive look and a sturdy feel.
Unlike the recently reviewed Intel 520 series that's just 7mm thick and can fit in ultrabooks, the M3 is 9.5mm thick. This means it can only fit in standard laptops. The drive also comes with a drive bay adapter so it can replace a standard 3.5-inch desktop hard drive.
In my trials, the Plextor M3 worked with all of the SATA standards, including SATA 3 (6Gbps), SATA 2 (3Gbps), and SATA (1.5Gbps). You will want to use it with a computer that supports at least SATA 2, which most computers do, or SATA 3 if you want to get the most out of its performance, however.
The Plextor M3 is powered by a Marvell 88SS9174 controller, which supports the TRIM command, features Global Wear Leveling, and has a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 1.5 million hours. The drive doesn't have overprovisioning, in which part of its storage space is dedicated to the controller. This explains why it offers a full 256GB (or 128GB) instead of 240GB like drives that have overprovisioning.
Cost per gigabyte
Following the SanDisk Extreme, the Plextor M3 also comes with friendly price tags of around $350 for the 256GB capacity and $185 for the 128GB capacity. This translates into around $1.40 per gigabyte, making them among the most affordable SATA 3-based SSDs on the market. This looks like a new trend in the pricing of SSDs, and hopefully their price will continue to go down. Compared with regular hard drives, though, they're still a lot more expensive.


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Questions of whether union money was used to pay for renovations at the house of former prime minister Julia Gillard in the early 1990s could be answered by the words of two builders and a former union official who will appear at the royal commission into trade unions this week.
Melbourne builder Konstantinos Spyridis will provide evidence about building work he did at the offices of the Australian Workers Union in Carlton and at Ms Gillard's property in the Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford. He says Ms Gillard paid for all the work he did at her home in 1994, according to Jeremy Stoljar, counsel assisting the royal commission into trade union governance and corruption.
Another builder, Athol James, who helped with renovations at the house, will allege that he saw Ms Gillard's then boyfriend, Bruce Wilson, hand cash to Ms Gillard to pay him for his work. Wayne Hem, a former employee of the AWU, will claim he deposited $5000 in cash into Ms Gillard's bank account at the request of Mr Wilson.
Mr Stoljar said evidence to be put to the commission suggests money from a slush fund linked to the AWU was used to pay in part for the purchase of a house for Mr Wilson. ''This point does not seem controversial,'' he said.
However, he was less confident about the facts surrounding allegations that union slush fund money was used to pay for Ms Gillard's house renovations. ''There is factual controversy about this,'' he said.
Mr Stoljar will submit that Mr Wilson should face criminal charges for conspiring with former AWU official and self-confessed bagman Ralph Blewitt to create a secret fund to issue false invoices for services never rendered.
Mr Blewitt told the royal commission last month he used $7000 from a union "slush fund" to pay for renovations to Ms Gillard's house.
Mr Blewitt, who has confessed to fraud, alleged he attended Ms Gillard's home in 1994 and handed $7000 to a builder. He said Ms Gillard was home on the day but was not in the room when he handed over the cash.
The first witness to appear before the royal commission on Tuesday was Ian Cambridge, a commissioner for the Fair Work Commission who was an AWU official in the 1990s. He recalled a meeting of the union's finance committee on August 2, 1995, where he confronted Mr Wilson about the AWU Members Welfare Account.
''It was clear in the meeting that Mr Wilson had mixed private monies for slush funds with AWU funds, which is strictly prohibited,'' Mr Cambridge said in evidence.
Mr Cambridge said at that time he was not aware of the AWU Workplace Reform Association, which operated as a slush fund.
He said he was ''infuriated'' when $250,000 that should have gone to the union's bereavement fund was instead earmarked for redundancy payments for Mr Wilson and other union officials.
Ms Gillard has said she was confident she had paid for the renovations on her house.
Anna Patty is a Senior Writer for The Sydney Morning Herald with a focus on higher education. She is a former Workplace Editor, Education Editor, State Political Reporter and Health Reporter.


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SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival
July 19, 2008 5:53 pm
Tags: 3D, 3D animation, 3D models, conferences, professional, SIGGRAPH 2008
The SIGGRAPH Conference is always a Mecca for graphic artists...novice and professionals alike. Over the past 35 years, the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival has always been the conference's highlight. Jill Smilon (this year's Computer Animation Festival Director) explains how the newly expanded 2008 festival has advanced into an international gala affair...
Dee Marie: What is your background with the SIGGRAPH Conference, and how did that experience lead to your appointment as this year's Computer Animation Festival Director?
Jill Smilon: Well…My first SIGGRAPH experience was as an attendee in 1981. By 1996, when I was finally in the industry I loved, I wanted to be even more involved. My friend Joe Lohmar introduced me to Jackie White (SIGGRAPH Conference Advisory Group chair), I joined her subcommittee, and I haven't looked back since. For 1999, I chaired Outreach (which became one third of an amazing venue we called Electronic Schoolhouse), and found I loved pulling together big panels which I did for Special Sessions and Panels for several years.
During that time, I also served on some Computer Animation Festival committees in various roles. In 2005, I was asked to be part of this extraordinary team put together to move SIGGRAPH into the next dimension. Honestly, it was such an honor to join a group of incredibly experienced SIGGRAPHers, many of whom were previous conference chairs. Thus, exhaustion took the back seat, and I joined as the Entertainment Director (a title that kept changing). Some time last June, Jacquelyn Martino [the SIGGRAPH 2008 Conference Chair] encouraged me to take the Computer Animation Festival to that next level. After talking to many festival folks and SIGGRAPH veterans (including Emru Townsend, Samuel Black, Sande Scoredos, Carlye Archibeque and others), this 2008 Computer Animation Festival program and vision came to life.
Oktapodi © Eric Riewer—CAF 2008
DM: This year's Computer Animation Festival promises to be a full-blown animation celebration, how has the festival grown over the years and what sets this year's festival apart from previous years?
JS: In broad terms, historically, the festival has been a compilation of juried material, split into two venues and also integrated with curated content, where it isn't necessarily distinguishable from the juried. Our goal was to take that foundation and expand it—evolve it if you will—into a true festival; A place where people could experience an entire slate of really cool stuff—whether that is a panel on animation or some really cool, weird screening that they you might not otherwise ever be exposed to.
It was also vital that we retain the integrity of previous years, and integrate the historical competition content of this very beloved institution into this new creation. So, in LA, we will have seven distinct competition screenings, five of which feature common content—basically those pieces receiving the highest jury scores; we have an additional six hours of content that has been curated from around the globe.
We'll feature a reel of studio contributions, among which are a couple shorts and premiere trailers (one, from Rob Coleman's latest project, The 4th Magi). Plus, we will feature a retrospective of the last 25 years of Polygon Pictures, a very cool reel from schools who reached into their vaults to show us the progression of their programs (talk about technically challenging!), an awesome compilation of real-time game clips; selections from the Japan Media Arts Festival; an entire hour of Flash animation (boy have we come a long way).
All of that will be projected on a 70-foot screen at the Nokia (another enormous challenge for both our incredible post crew at Imageworks, and the SIGGRAPH AV crew ). Meanwhile at the convention center, we start with two full days of Stereoscopic 3D talks and screenings curated by the inimitable Rob Engle; and we have four full days of panels, talks and classes from major studios, commercial houses, and independent artists.
Attendees will also get to experience a session by Disney and Pixar regarding their new shorts as well as a talk from the animators working with Rob Coleman on that feature I mentioned earlier. Even the hall will have animation: selections from SIGGRAPH history compiled by our Ex Student Volunteer (another program by Jacquelyn Martino). We will also feature storyboards and art.
Over in the Nokia, the brainchild of Sande Scoredos, was to feature hosted evenings by studios who are long-time SIGGRAPH contributors. In that way, Pixar, Imageworks and ILM, are hosting Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Nokia. We'll get some truly lovely surprises there…Oh and we're going to hold an actual awards show. It'll be hosted by some incredible industry animators and programmers and will be a blast – SIGGRAPH style.
DM: Wow, that is amazing. In keeping with the evolution of SIGGRAPH, it was a stroke of genius on your part to enlist Meats Meier to create an iconic image for this year's festival.
JS: Actually, I'm glad you think of it as a stroke of genius. I call it bugging my genius friend to help me look good. [laughter]
Animation Mother © Meats Meier—SIGGRAPH CAF 2008
DM: Meats has also been a longtime favorite of the Renderosity community, I can see why he was the first person who came to mind for this honor.
JS: Honestly, I've adored Meats for years (we got to work together for a while at Gnomon Workshop). He is one of the most talented, humble, lovely humans you'll be lucky to meet. And I get to call him a friend. So when he agreed to do this for us, we started the process of evolving an idea into art. We started with the ideas of evolution, growth, trees, branches, animation, and the concept of a "mother."
Then, well, his amazing work just speaks for itself! I'm blown away that I got to be responsible for his bringing this gorgeous piece into being…and this is just the beginning. At first I wanted to print her in 3D, but Meats' work doesn't really lend itself to rapid prototyping (yet). So we're teaming up with Rabbitholes to make a hologram for the top awards. We get to present truly 3D art, in a 2D space…and she'll be animated! Plus, it will be the face of the Computer Animation Festival for years to come.
DM: What a thrill that must be for both you and for Meats to have his artwork reproduced like that. I think we could spend the whole interview just on Meats, but we must get back to the actual festival. How many entries did you receive this year, and how do they compare to previous years, in both the number of entries, and the quality of animations?
JS: We actually received more than 650 entries this year. Because of the earlier deadline, the quantity may not be as high as some previous years, but we feel the quality will just blow people away.
DM: That is still a lot of entries. Which country provided the highest number of entries, and did you have any entries from countries that had never entered before?
JS: The United States outnumbers the rest of the world, but SIGGRAPH is truly global with submissions from: Israel, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Malaysia—just to name a few. Truly, it makes the world seem very small—and very talented—indeed.
Baerenbraut © Tina Ohnmacht—CAF 2008
DM: I agree with you wholeheartedly, the animations in past years were remarkable, and each year the talent grows. Out of curiosity, what specifically did the jury look for when casting their votes for this year's nominees?
JS: Our fabulous jury, yes…they did a spectacular job. I must say that I was delighted they had such a marvelous sense of humor and timing. They truly love animation—and they love to laugh. I think you might notice a lighter sensibility this year. Honestly, I do think the pieces submitted were more optimistic than in years past, but this content variation seems to work in cycles, really, It is nice to think that these lovely animators see the world the way they do, and our jury chose pieces that let us experience their imaginations.
Blizzard Entertainment's StarCraft II © Janet L. Garcia—CAF 2008
DM: After re-reading your article, The Pixel Priestess: Art Has Bumped into the Ceiling of Technology…I have to ask...did any of this year's entries (as you hoped they would in your article)...break through the ceiling of technology into the great unimagined universes of beyond?
JS: Oh my goodness, you read one of my old Pixel Priestess articles?
DM: Yes, it was featured in the Animation World Magazine, and I enjoyed it very much.
JS: Wow. I think I've learned, and learn repeatedly, that the greatest technological limitations are those within our own minds; our own imaginations. The technology might give us some particular freedom that ink and paint does not, but really, the best systems in the world can't supplant the most fertile imagination.
Case in point. I love that the Pixar-hosted evening (Tuesday) features John Lasseter, arguably one of our finest filmmakers in any medium but lauded for his work in computer graphics. He is interviewing Frederic Back, a two-time Academy Award wining animator and someone that Lasseter admires greatly. Back's work is exclusively analog; colors paired with sweet, beautiful ideas. I think you'll see some pieces this year that transcend the software. Where some might not appear technically advanced, they're animated with grace and style, take us to an entirely different place, and tell really, really inspiring stories.
Les Pieds tanqués © Annabel Sebag—CAF 2008
DM: The more you reveal about the festival, the more I want to buy a ticket to this year's SIGGRAPH conference. Compared to previous years, were the majority of entrants new talent, or did you see more animators from previous years submitting their work?
JS: Larger entities seem to remain consistent—studios, schools, repeat companies—but the people within them change. So, without being scientific at all, I'd say yes, a good portion of the entrants are new.
IBM Web Campaign - What Makes You Special? © Betsy de Fries—CAF 2008
DM: Thanks for reminding us not to equate familiar company names with the same team of artists. When previewing this year's animations, did you see any specific trends? Were there more animations leaning towards; science fiction adventure, cartoon-style comedy, abstract, or multimedia based?
JS: As usual, the submissions were clear across the board; you'll see painterly pieces, photo-real pieces, science, cartoons, funny pieces, and those that aren't. I think if anything, this year seemed to be infused with a sense of humor, which I just can't help but love.
Confine[s] © Makoto yabuki—CAF 2008
DM: Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give our readers the inside scoop to this year's Computer Animation Festival. One last question, what advice can you give our readers who have hopes of being among the privileged animators showcased in next year's festival?
JS: Remember that your greatest assets are your mind, your imagination, your observations and your experiences. Look at the pieces this year, and you'll see what I mean. From the fanciful to the meaningful—from the corporate to the independent—from the student to the professional—inspiration is everywhere! In the end, it is this limitless potential and creative synergies that makes this conference unique.
My Little Angel © Scott A. Gaff—CAF 2008
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without written permission from SIGGRAPH and/or the individual artist.
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Contributing Columnist, Dee-Marie.
July 7, 2008
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Central Valley Meat Investigator's Log Notes
Each day, after working inside Central Valley Meat and wearing a hidden camera to capture the cruelties routinely taking place behind closed doors, our investigator also wrote daily log notes to further illustrate the misery endured during the last moments of these cows' lives. Here are a few excerpts from those log notes:
- "I witnessed a cow who went down and would not get up after being shocked or pushed. I saw a worker shoot the cow in the middle of the forehead. Blood began seeping out of her nose and she thrashed around violently for approximately one minute. He then shot her in the back of the head, between the ears, and she kept moving her legs. He shot her again and told me he usually does three times. She was still breathing when he then put his boot over her nostril and held it there. I asked what that was about and he told me it 'helps them die faster because they can't get air.'"
- "While moving the animals into the kill floor door, the manager said 'Ride the roller coaster, bitches.'"
- "I saw a worker shock a cow about 15 times. She kept trying to get up but then falling back down. She finally got up and walked to the kill floor. The worker said that is why he is the best."
- "I saw a worker hitting the cows with his flag as if he was hitting balls with a baseball bat. He held the flag with both hands like a bat and swung seemingly as hard as he could and hit the cows. He told me to yell at them, act like it was my husband or my brother or sister."
- "… I saw that [another worker] was pushing a cow whose left front foot … was flopping everywhere in every direction and she could not put any weight on it. It was oozing bright red fresh blood. As she got closer to me I could see fragments of her bone sticking through the skin."


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- News
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On the eve of a major release of 2011 census data that's expected to highlight the rapidly growing proportion of seniors in Canada's population, a new national survey on attitudes around aging shows surprisingly less concern among the country's oldest citizens about the inexorable march of time — and higher levels of anxiety among younger Canadians.
The unexpected findings flow from general questions about growing older and a very specific one about the ultimate and unavoidable result of aging: death. And in each case, while Canadians aged 65-plus offered answers amounting to a collective shrug about getting older, the youngest cohort — those 18 to 24 — confessed greater concern.
The survey, released to Postmedia News by the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies, was commissioned to shed light on the implications for "the Canadian psyche" of the so-called greying of the nation.
"There is much debate about what the demographic shifts will imply for our society's ability to afford health care and pensions," states a summary of the study. "There is less attention directed at what it will mean for our collective state of mind when it comes to aging."
The survey of 1,522 Canadians, conducted in March by the polling firm Leger Marketing, found that 24 per cent of the youngest respondents were "worried" about getting older, compared with only seven per cent of those aged 65-plus.
The "worried" response in other age categories ranged from 12 per cent for the 55-to-64 set to 17 per cent for those aged 35 to 44.
Only the 18-to-24 age group had a majority of respondents — 56 per cent — say they were "worried" or "somewhat worried" about getting older. The lowest combined rate of worry was found among the 65-plus group: 38 per cent.
When it came to concerns about physical health, only 10 per cent of senior citizens said they worried — again, the lowest result among all age groups. Respondents aged 35 to 44 (20 per cent) and 18 to 24 (18 per cent) expressed the most worry about their physical health.
The youngest respondents were most concerned about the state of their mental health, with 20 per cent of the 18-to-24 group describing themselves as "worried" and another 31 per cent saying they were "somewhat worried." Canadians 65 and older were by far the least "worried" (3.5 per cent) and also the least likely to say they were "somewhat worried" (18 per cent).
A similar pattern emerged in response to the question about death. While 51 per cent of the youngest adults said they were worried to some extent about death — the highest rate of concern among all age groups — the second-oldest Canadians (26 per cent) and oldest Canadians (25 per cent) were least likely to say they were worried or somewhat worried.
Asked if the results suggest Canadian seniors may be "whistling past the graveyard" and unwilling to admit their fears about advanced age, ACS executive director Jack Jedwab acknowledged that possibility. But he also said the country's oldest citizens may be genuinely "optimistic about their health" in an era when medical advances and overall fitness levels defy the "worst expectations" of old age.
"It's our perception that older people are more preoccupied by aging, but I think they may also be adjusting to the change," said Jedwab.
Society "may have conditioned them to have worse expectations" and that "improvements in our health conditions" may have, in the 21st century, eased many older Canadians' anxieties about entering the autumn of their lives.
"Those things condition our responses," he said. "But that's not to say (seniors) aren't eventually going to put more pressure on Canada's health and social services."
The survey, which was conducted online via web panels, is considered accurate to within 2.9 per cent, 19 times out of 20.


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UctoX is a powerful, yet simple-to-use invoicing app – and much more! Unlike other invoicing apps, it also includes features of an accounting app: you can manage your bank statements, cash register, storage, journey log, and much more! It comes with 3 built-in print templates, but using the print editor, you can create your own just in a jiffy!
- Simplicity – UctoX 2 is designed to be used by the user without too much learning. But if you need any help, there's always a user guide available from the Help menu (OS X) or using the question mark button on main screen (iOS).
- iCloud – sync your accounts via iCloud – between all your devices (iOS and OS X).
- Customizable – customize the template for printing invoices, bills and other documents just like you'd like.
- Give it a whirl! – download a trial version above and try for yourself!
What's New
Version 2.5.7:
- Bug fixes
OS X 10.11 or later, 64-bit processor
Download Now


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|In stock:
|Item code:
|Buy 4 for £19.99 each and save 5%
This superior blend of instant coffee from the fantastic brand Clipper offers a genuinely rich and smooth flavour and is made from organically grown Arabica Highland Coffee Beans. Clipper freeze dry their coffee without the use of harmful chemicals to achieve a rich, smooth instant coffee.
Clipper products are made with only pure ingredients and a clear conscience. Using only the highest quality sources, adding nothing artificial and striving to improve the welfare of the workers. This allows Clipper to produce ethical, great tasting coffee.
Ingredients: Organic arabica coffee certified to International Fairtrade standards.
Clipper Organic Instant Freeze Dried Coffee is the perfect cup of coffee to enjoy at any time of the day. Clipper Organic Instant Freeze Dried Coffee can be enjoyed at home or as a refreshing break at work. Clipper Organic Instant Freeze Dried Coffee is also a fantastic choice for hotels, cafes and restaurants


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We knew that Fleshlights and World of Warcraft go together like strippers and twenty dollar bills. That's fine. What I can't understand is this: According to Amazon, customers who buy Adult Reusable Cotton/Poly Snap Diapers are into Call of Duty 4.
Or viceversa. After receiving the tip from a reader, I thought it was a joke. But it's real. If you look for it, you will see it for yourself. If you buy both, you can get them for $40.11.
It's good to know that absolutely nothing stands between truly serious CoD4 players and their Xbox achievements. [Amazon—Thanks Karl!]


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Approximate Measurements
39.3cm x 109cm ≈ 15½" x 43"
This work was done in Beijing by Mr. Wang (as told in the story below). It is done on special white art paper. It's a very nice black and white image created by his skilled hand with just a few tiny pieces of charcoal.
The result is a simply elegant bamboo portrait.
Bamboo has a deeper meaning in Chinese culture.
Bamboo represents the aspects to a true noble gentleman.
Bamboo is straight (honest), and Chinese people also believe that bamboo represents the modesty, strength, and never gives up because it continues to grow taller and taller.
All of the traits of a good man.
This is the story of the first time I stumbled across Mr. Wang in his obscure art studio just outside Beijing, China during the Winter of 2002...
I walk in without saying a word, he just looks up for a second and nods at me which lets me know it's okay to be there.
He's working on the bamboo picture that you see in the picture below. I snap a few pictures and wait silently.
The temperature is below freezing, but somehow his ungloved agile hand smoothly creates the stock and leaves of a beautiful bamboo.
He finally finishes and looks at me with a puzzled face.
I ask (in Chinese) how much he wants for his beautiful charcoals...
...I see a look of relief on his face when he hears me speak and he laughs out loud.
He tells me that he was worried about how he was going to talk to me, because he thought that no foreigners could speak Chinese.
He says that he can't speak a single word of English except for "hello" (which he practices for me several times with lots of laughter).
He tells me that he's from the countryside and had come to Beijing to sell his artwork and find a better life.
Looking around his studio, I begin to wonder if it's also where he lives. The cold winter breezes blow straight through the place. To keep warm his little stove in the corner does the best it can. However, the poor stove is looking rather defeated as the chill sets in.
As I began to wonder, he answers my question before I ask it. He tells me that life is a lot better since he came to Beijing to sell his artwork.
His wife arrives and pours some tea for us...
I pick out a few of his charcoals and don't bother to bargain too much - I know he needs the money (if you don't bargain at all, you lose face in Chinese culture and are seen as a fool - so I have to bargain to a little).
After that, we sit around and talk about Mr. Wang and his wife's family and what kind of Chinese tea is best...
2005 Update: Mr. Wang has found himself a nice place to live in a village not too far from Beijing. He is in his element where he feels that he belongs, a small farming village. He likes the simple life and he is really
enjoying his retirement now. He doesn't need to be in the big city very often as I buy most of the art that he creates. And, since I have exposed his artwork to the world, other sellers of Asian folk art now seek him out to buy his beautiful drawings. Sometimes he comes to Beijing to drop off some of his new charcoal art to me, and sell some of his artwork at a local arts and antiques market in Beijing. When he comes to the city, I know he can't wait to get back to the country. When I am in the country picking up art from Mr. Wang or another artist, I often wonder which life is better.
I have yet to draw any conclusions...
I guess there is more to the story that you should know. You see, Mr. Wang had to keep his talents hidden for many years.
It all started when China was thrown into turmoil after the Japanese invaded and WWII took it's toll on the country.
After Chairman Mao took power in 1949, China's fate was sealed, and the country was changed forever.
After a few of Mao's plans went disastrously wrong, a new plan called "The Cultural Revolution" was implemented throughout China.
At first, it seemed like a good idea to many Chinese people, but spiraled into a catastrophe that set China back 20 years and cost millions of people their lives.
(This is a much deeper topic that you can Google later)
The Cultural Revolution eventually caused intellectuals, educators, and artists to be persecuted and either killed or forced to become peasants in the farmlands of China. The only way to escape this fate was to flee the country.
During this time, Mr. Wang would not even dare to decorate his own home with his artwork, much less try to sell it. He just lived as a peasant farmer for many years, and occasionally, he would scribble a drawing on an old newspaper or even a leaf with bits of charcoal from his cooking stove.
Finally, after Chairman Mao's death, things have been getting better. China now has a virtually free-market economy, and capitalism is everywhere. Artists are now free to sell their wares from their homes, studios and markets. Techniques for creating art that date back thousands of years are alive and well as the artistic community is once again flourishing in China.
And finally, Mr. Wang has been able to trade in his plow for some paper and pieces of charcoal. And now he can express all of the beautiful images that were held captive in his mind for so many years.
The image above shows a slightly cropped view of this work.
The measurements shown reflect the overall size.
I think you will want to crop this horizontally by an inch or so and of course when you get this framed, your matting will cover any slightly rough edges of the paper.


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Clocks in Motion is a contemporary percussion ensemble dedicated to performing modern chamber music and commissioning new repertoire. Formed in 2011, Clocks in Motion began as an extension of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Graduate Percussion Group and now serves as the ensemble-in-residence with the UW-Madison percussion studio. Among its many recent engagements, the group served as resident performers and educators at the Interlochen Arts Academy, Rhapsody Arts Center,
University of Michigan, Baldwin-Wallace University and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. The ensemble was hailed as "nothing short of remarkable" by ClevelandClassical.com in a review of the Clocks in Motion Midwest Tour to Cleveland, Pittsburgh and West Virginia in the spring of 2013.
With a fearless and uncompromising ear to programming challenging and adventurous contemporary percussion ensemble repertoire, Clocks in Motion consistently performs groundbreaking concerts that involve performance art, theater and often the construction of new instruments. Among these epic pieces are Xenakis' symphonic-length percussion sextet, "Pleiades." This remarkable composition requires the construction of six micro-tonal metallic keyboard percussion instruments called sixxen. These rare instruments are owned by only a handful of percussion groups in the world. Although Clocks in Motion performs many classic pieces of percussion repertoire, the ensemble is also focusing its vision on the future of percussion music. Clocks in Motion commissions both established and young and emerging composers to promote the longevity of our art form.
Please visit www.clocksinmotionpercussion.com to learn more about our ensemble, to listen to recordings, and to check out our upcoming concerts and residencies.


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BalticClimate videos and photos
Target Area Coordinator - Hannu Koponen, Regional Council of Central Finland, email@example.com
Central Finland is a successful, dynamic and pleasant region where the emphasis is on quality of life. Success is demonstrated by the continuous growth in population, dynamism by the rich educational provision and expanding job market. Read more
Implementation cases
Central Finland region has high GHG emissions from traffic. This is mainly due to the long distances and transit traffic through the region. The aim is to optimize and develop different sectors of transport and traffic. Read more
Achievements so far
Report "possibilities of the rail based public transport in Central Finland" was completed October 2010. In this report the different land use strategies and their effects on accessibility and thus on possibilities to create a rail based public transport in Central Finland by 2030 was studied. Read more