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CapitalCityTickets.com carries a vast selection of Gorillaz concert tickets at affordable prices. Gorillaz are hitting the road in North America in 2017 and kicking it all off on July 8th in Chicago, IL.
Founded in 1998, Gorillaz are a British virtual band created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. The band consists of four animated members: 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. In reality, Albarn is the only permanent musical contributor, and the music is often a collaboration between various musicians. The band's 2001 debut album Gorillaz sold over seven million copies and earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band.
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2017 Gorillaz Tour Dates
July 8 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
July 10 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
July 12 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
July 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Festival Pier at Penn's Landing
July 15 – Quebec City, QC @ Quebec City Summer Festival
July 17 – Washington, DC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
Aug. 11-13 – San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
Sept. 15-17 – New York, NY @ Meadows Music & Arts Festival
Sept. 18 – Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
Sept. 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Sept. 22 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
Sept. 24 – Las Vegas, NV @ Life Is Beautiful
Sept. 26 – Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Sept. 30 – Seattle, WA @ KeyArena at Seattle Center
Oct. 5 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
Oct. 11 – Atlanta, GA @ Infinite Energy Center
Oct. 13-15 – Miami, FL @ III Points Festival
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Politicians and Election, Vote in Freedom, Actively Participate in Democracy, Vote for Change, Online referendum
African National Congress
> South Africa > Parties > African National Congress
African National Congress is ready for your opinion, support and vote. Vote online NOW!
ANC - for
Die African National Congress (ANC) is 'n politieke party in Suid-Afrika. | The African National Congress (ANC) is South Africa's governing political party.
ANC - against
Click, if you do not support them. Say why.
argument south africa new growth plan and more...
Related polls > Demokratiese Alliansie, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, Vryheidsfront Plus, National Democratic Convention, Suid-Afrikaanse Kommunistiese Party, United Democratic Movement, Afrika Christen Demokratiese Party, Azanian People\'s Organisation, Nuwe Nasionale Party, Minority Front, Onafhanklike Demokrate, South African Democratic Convention, Inkatha-Vryheidsparty, National Freedom Party, United Christian Democratic Party, Congress of the People, African People\'s Convention, (African National Congress) and more...

subset: commoncrawl


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In another triumph for citizen science, physician and astrophotographer Robert Gendler has created the most glorious image we've ever seen of the spiral galaxy M106. He did it by combining his own ground-based photography of the galaxy with images taken by the Hubble space telescope. Click to enlarge.
This is a great reminder that citizen science, done by educated amateurs, is incredibly important when it comes to observation and data collection. This photograph also makes it clear how much of the astrophotography we see is the result of mosaics which combine many images of the same object to give us a clear view.
Working with astronomical image processors at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md., renowned astrophotographer Robert Gendler has taken science data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) archive and combined it with his own ground-based observations to assemble a photo illustration of the magnificent spiral galaxy M106.
Gendler retrieved archival Hubble images of M106 to assemble a mosaic of the center of the galaxy. He then used his own and fellow astrophotographer Jay GaBany's observations of M106 to combine with the Hubble data in areas where there was less coverage, and finally, to fill in the holes and gaps where no Hubble data existed.
The center of the galaxy is composed almost entirely of HST data taken by the Advanced Camera for Surveys, Wide Field Camera 3, and Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 detectors. The outer spiral arms are predominantly HST data colorized with ground-based data taken by Gendler's and GaBany's 12.5-inch and 20-inch telescopes, located at very dark remote sites in New Mexico. The image also reveals the optical component of the "anomalous arms" of M106, seen here as red, glowing hydrogen emission.


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XMM-Newton factsheet
XMM-Newton is the biggest science satellite ever built in Europe. The collecting power of this telescope is the greatest ever launched to work at X-ray wavelengths. The total collecting mirror area is over 120 square metres spread across three individual X-ray telescopes. Its acronym stands for X-ray Multi-Mirror design and also honours Sir Isaac Newton, the English physicist and mathematician (1642-1727) who advanced theories of gravitation and optics, built the first working reflecting telescope and discovered how to split light into its components to study its spectrum.
Placed in orbit around the Earth where the atmosphere cannot block celestial X-rays, the XMM-Newton space observatory studies some of the most violent space phenomena. Since its launch in 1999, the spacecraft has helped scientists to investigate a number of mysterious cosmic phenomena, such as:
- the interaction of black holes with their surroundings;
- the explosion of supernovae and their remnants;
- the origin of the powerful gamma-ray bursts;
- the hot gas filling the space between galaxies throughout the Universe;
- the evolution of the Universe itself by looking back to its origin
Scientific highlights to date
- The discovery that the black hole in galaxy MCG-6-30-15 appears to be releasing energy as opposed to only 'swallowing' it. This gives support to a controversial theory proposed 25 years ago by two astronomers from Cambridge, United Kingdom.
- It has successfully probed the gravitational pull of a neutron star on the X-rays trying to escape from it.
- The proof that supernovae can cause gamma-ray bursts by detecting the tell-tale signature of an exploding star in the X-ray emission coming from the gamma-ray burst of 11 December 2001.
Since its launch, more than 1500 individual scientists (around 15% of the world's professional astronomers) have been involved in preparing proposals for observing time on XMM-Newton.
XMM-Newton cost 689 million Euros. This included the spacecraft design and development, the launch and the ground operations during the first two years.
10 December 1999, on the first Ariane-5 commercial mission, from ESA's Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana.
After launch, XMM-Newton was placed in a 48-hour elliptical orbit around the Earth, inclined at 40 degrees. The orbit takes it from 7 000 to 114 000 kilometres altitude. For 40 hours every orbit, the satellite is therefore outside Earth's obscuring radiation belts.
Planned mission lifetime
The XMM-Newton spacecraft and its instrument have been designed and built to last at least 10 years. The mission has been approved to continue until end 2014.
Design: XMM-Newton is a three-axis stabilised spacecraft with a high pointing accuracy. The satellite consists of a service module bearing the X-ray mirror modules, propulsion, and electrical systems, a long telescope tube, and the focal plane assembly carrying the science instruments. The telescope consists of three barrel-shaped mirror modules, each containing 58 wafer-thin concentric mirrors, 0.3 to 0.7 metres in diameter and 0.6 metres long. These sit inside one another like Russian dolls, making up the enormous 120-square metre collecting area. X-rays slip into these assemblies and when they 'graze' against the mirrors, they are gently deflected to a focus.
Dimensions: Total length is 10 metres and, with its solar arrays, the satellite has a 16-metre span.
Mass: 3.8 tonnes (each X-ray mirror module has a mass of 500 kilograms).
Industrial involvement: The prime contractor was Dornier Satellitensysteme, part of Daimler Chrysler Aerospace (Friedrichshafen, Germany). They led an industrial consortium involving 46 companies from 14 European countries and one in the United States. Media Lario, Como, Italy, developed the X-ray Mirror Modules. About 1000 engineers and 150 scientists were involved in the creation of XMM-Newton.
What's on board?
There are three EPICs, one at the focus of each of the three X-ray telescopes. They are designed to register extremely weak X-rays and detect rapid brightness variations.
Principal Investigator: Martin Turner, (X-ray Astronomy Group, University of Leicester, United Kingdom), leading a consortium of 10 institutes from four nations: the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France. One of the cameras uses a new type of CCD (PN) developed by the Max Planck Institute of Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany.
EPIC also incorporates aRadiation Monitor System (ERMS)developed by the Centre d'Étude Spatiale des Rayonnements (CESR) in Toulouse, France. ERMS is a particle detector that will measure the radiation levels either from incoming solar flares or during its passage through Earth's radiation belts. Such radiation could disturb the sensitive CCD detectors of the main science instruments.
Two Reflection Grating Spectrometers - RGSTwo of the telescopes contain structures known as gratings. These deflect about half of the incoming radiation away from the EPIC units and towards their own cameras. The gratings also 'fan-out' the incoming X-rays according to their energy, so that astronomers can study the presence of specific chemicals in the celestial object being observed.
Principal Investigator: Jelle Kaastra, High-Energy Astronomy Division SRON, Utrecht, The Netherlands, with Co-investigator Steven Kahn, Columbia University, NY, United States.
Optical Monitor - OMThis is a traditional, 30-centimetre aperture Richtey-Chretien telescope, aligned with the main X-ray telescope. Away from the distorting effects of Earth's atmosphere, the telescope is as sensitive as a 4-metre ground-based telescope and allows the identification of X-ray sources with optical counterparts more easily than ever before.
Principal investigator: Keith Mason, The Mullard Space Science Laboratory, United Kingdom.
Ground control: European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany), using ground stations at Perth (Australia), Kourou (French Guiana) and Santiago de Chile (Chile).
Science Operations: The ESA Vilspa Science Operations Centre in Villafranca, Spain, manages observation requests and the receipt, processing and distribution of XMM-Newton data. The XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre (SSC), University of Leicester, United Kingdom, processes, archives, and correlates all XMM observations with existing data held elsewhere in the world.
ESA Project Scientist: Norbert Schartel
ESA Mission Manager: Fred Jansen


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Enjoy this collection of short subjects starring favorites from the big screen, the small screen, and radio!
You Can Change the World (1950): Jack Benny and his valet, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, invite a who's who of Hollywood luminaries to hear the good word of Father James Keller, founder of the religious group The Christophers. The guests include Loretta Young, William Holden, Irene Dunne, Ann Blyth, Paul Douglas, Bing Crosby, and (by telephone) Bob Hope. The Christophers' goal is to use movies and TV to inspire young people to change the world for the better and combat the growing spread of Communism. By film's end, Father Keller is regaling the enraptured stars with the story of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Let George Do It (1952): A regular episode of The Christophers series, "Let George Do It" features beloved TV dads Danny Thomas and Robert Young learning about the dangers of political corruption from Father Keller. Dennis Day sings "God Bless America."
On The Right Side (1949): Ann Savage must turn her addicted husband away from a life of gambling in this Christian parable made in New York.
Family Affair (1952): Iconic "tough guy" actor Steve McQueen plays a love-struck sailor desperately trying to get his girl on the phone in this rare color film. Co-starring J. Pat O'Malley, this short subject was produced by Bell Telephone in an attempt to emphasize the importance of having multiple phones in the house.
Shopping Around (1954): William Frawley plays a beleaguered salesman who learns "the human touch" in this promotional film for Chevrolet auto dealers.
PLUS: Rare Commercials and Public Service Announcements with Bette Davis, Shirley Temple, Spanky McFarland, & Joan Crawford!


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Is the New Blackmagic Cinema Camera the HDSLR Killer?
COW Library : DSLR Video : Marco Solorio : Is the New Blackmagic Cinema Camera the HDSLR Killer?
I've been shooting video with the Canon 5D Mark II since late 2008 when the camera was initially released. I can't believe that was nearly four years ago. For many productions, I still choose it over our other HD camera options. Aside from its drawbacks, the images you can pull from that camera can still be breathtaking.
I'll be the first to admit that I was a little heartbroken after waiting three years for the 5D Mark III successor, only to find that the HD video feature-set wasn't anything to write home about. Don't get me wrong, the improvements are definitely there, but in many cases, Canon lost out on "Revolution Part 2" with the Mark III, that they captured so well with the Mark II.
Marco Solorio hiding behind his 5D Mk II "Cine Rig" used on a TV commercial spot.
Nikon always seems to miss the HD video boat when opportunity arises as well. For three years now, they could have stolen the spotlight up from Canon in a heartbeat, but never seized the moment. Granted, they too have stepped up the feature-set in their latest HDSLR offerings, in some aspects, better than Canon. But alas, they just don't get it.
And what ever happened to RED's 3K for $3k? Such a shame they never tapped into that market space. Entry into RED is their Scarlet X, which nears the $20k point for a functionally ready-to-shoot camera. It's a nice camera indeed, but realistically out of the range for the general HDSLR shooter spectrum.
There's also the Digital Bolex, but it's an upstart company without a tangible device to see in person with little to no footage samples. To get some of the features that the Cinema Camera has, you'd need Digital Bolex add-ons (SDI output apparently adds another $3k to the camera). It seems this camera is just a bit too late into market.
Rear view of the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera
Then along comes the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera. This took EVERYONE, myself included, by complete surprise during last Sunday's announcements at NAB (National Association of Broadcasters). As a post-production-centered company, who ever would have guessed BMD would get into making a camera and for only $2995 to boot? But you know, it makes complete sense if you really think about it. They've always produced (or bought out) quality-made, cost-effective solutions for post-production and broadcast, so why not build a camera that starts the end-to-end pipeline of high quality media acquisition?
So is the Cinema Camera the anticipated "HDSLR killer" we've all been waiting for? In many instances, yes, I think it very well may be. But in some regards, possibly not. Let's compare.
The core strength of the Cinema Camera (aside from it's low price of $2995) is its 13-stop, 2.5K sensor resolution (2592x2192), which can be recorded internally and externally at full 12-bit RAW, at a maximum of 2432x1366 in CinemaDNG format. You can also record directly to 10-bit ProRes (Apple) or DNxHD (AVID) formats at full 1080 HD size. All of this (combined with the price) is the heart of what makes the Cinema Camera buzzing with electric fire right now.
Additionally, the Cinema Camera can output clean 2.5K RAW 12-bit resolution via Thunderbolt, and clean 1080 HD 10-bit HD-SDI to any recorder you'd like. Not that it's necessarily needed with the Cinema Camera's internal SSD media recorder, but the Thunderbolt and HD-SDI outputs really give much needed secondary output options for both recording and clean monitoring. For the most part, this is something current DSLRs cannot do, save the $15K Canon 1D C with HDMI output (limited to 8-bit 1080 HD), or the new Nikon DSLR lineup, also limited to HDMI output at 8-bit 1080 HD. So the camera that comes closest to outputting a live, clean, uncompressed, RAW output higher than 1080 HD, and higher than 8-bit is the Canon C500 at about $30K (no word on street price yet).
Let's talk about traditional 2K for just a second. I remember when working in 2K was the cat's meow. Man, if you worked in 2K, you were the bomb, even if it was barely more than 1080 HD. Now if you work in 4K, you're the bomb. Let's be real. 4K is cool and fun, but the total convergence to 4K isn't here yet. It will be, but not yet. A lot of theatrical digital output formats are still in 2K. Shooting in 2.5K with the Cinema Camera lets you have an edge up for that 2K deployment, should you need it. Bottom line is, there isn't a DSLR out there that can shoot above 1080 HD, save the $15K Canon 1D C.
The Cinema Camera's 2.5K format sits well in the traditional 2K zone, while giving some headroom above the full 1080 HD format.
As for audio input, some people are under the impression that the Cinema Camera uses the same audio input type as DSLRs, namely, a line-level stereo input jack, since it doesn't have XLR inputs. This couldn't be further from the truth. The Cinema Camera uses ¼-inch balanced TRS connectors (and is switchable between consumer -10dB line level and professional +4dB mic level). You will get the same exact audio quality with this, had they implemented XLR connectors. To add, the audio input can be switched (via internal menu) from balanced analog audio to AES/EBU digital format. Show me a DSLR that not only has two balanced analog audio inputs, but two digital audio inputs.
One currently lacking audio feature seems to be audio meters, but as a trade-off, Ultrascope is packaged with this camera (the camera itself acts as an UltraScope to a tethered Thunderbolt-capable computer) which can display multiple channel meters, as well as stereo phase metering. But metering aside, the actual audio quality of the Cinema Camera trumps any DSLR audio, including the Canon 1D C ($15K) by leaps and bounds. In reality, I do not foresee the need to implement double-system sound when using the Cinema Camera, unlike traditional DSLR cameras that almost require double-system sound to be implemented.
At first I was skeptical of the Cinema Camera body design, but as I dug deeper, I think you actually might have better mounting options with this camera than a DSLR. At the bottom of the camera is a standard ¼-20 tap and locator pin (already better than DSLR cameras as they don't have a much needed secondary locator point). Personally, I'd rather have two ¼-20 taps, but the ¼-20 + pin combo will work and has been around for decades. At the top of the camera are three ¼-20 taps, which will really make it cool to mount secured rigs and cages to. I absolutely guarantee the market will be FLOODED with rigging options for this camera, and they'll be very securely mounted to boot with all these ¼-20 taps. I foresee a very slick cage(s) for this camera in due time, which will allow even more mounting options.
Comparing the body sizes of the Canon 5D Mk III and the Cinema Camera
Let's be real, H.264 encoding on DSLR cameras sucks. They're highly compressed, both temporally and spatially. Part of the problem is the data rate of the CF/SD cards that DSLR cameras have succumbed to, so the video files have to be small. Eight-bit compression with lossy image compression and high chroma sub-sampling compression (4:2:0) is feeling a little like 1998 again. There's a ton of lost color-data I'd sure love to have back again. And as we all know, H.264 files are CPU hogs that sometimes require transcoding to work efficiently with many applications. With the Cinema Camera, all this torture is a thing of the past. Your choices are glorious 12-bit RAW CinemaDNG, or 10-bit ProRes/DNxHD in 4:2:2. DSLR cameras can't even come close to that kind of data structure, not by millions of miles. Now you can finally color grade your footage without it falling apart after pushing a levels slider only three values away (sarcastic, but you know how I feel).
From the little test footage I've seen to date, the rolling shutter is much less noticeable than most HDSLR cameras out there. The Canon 5D Mk III made good improvements in this regard though, and from what I've seen, it looks like the Cinema Camera is as good or better than the 5D Mk III. Time will tell as more test footage is released.
Like rolling shutter, aliasing has been a menacing problem plagued with HDSLR cameras. To combat this, I purchased a Mosaic Engineering VAF-5D2 anti-aliasing filter for my 5D Mk II. It works wonders and completely eliminates moiré and aliasing... at a cost of almost $400. The 5D Mk III seems to do away with the problem, at the cost of a slightly softer image, as compared to the 5D Mk II. At first glance, it looks like there is no aliasing with the Cinema Camera, and without a loss of image softening. But like rolling shutter results, time will tell as more test footage is released.
It hasn't happened very often to me personally, but the limited clip length of DSLR cameras ranges from less than 10 minutes up to just under 30 minutes, depending on your DSLR flavor. In the times I've ran out of shooting time on the 5D Mk II, I had to quickly hit the record button again, knowing that the gap in time will have to be filled by either B-roll, a multi-cam shot, or a cut-away shot. The Cinema Camera can record for hours on end without stopping for a drink.
Metadata entry directly onto each clip with a touchscreen keyboard is pretty damn cool. I don't know of a single DSLR camera that can do manual metadata entry, not to mention doing it with a keyboard. There are plugins, apps, and tools out there to add metadata to DSLR clips after the fact. Sometimes however, you just want to do it right then and there, in camera, before you forget what you wanted to enter after the shoot is done for the day.
Entering in metadata for each clip is handy with the touchscreen keyboard.
The 12-30 volt power tap on the Cinema Camera is very welcomed. I typically shoot with V-mount batteries to my 5D Mk II rig. But getting external DC power (at exactly 7.2 volts) to the 5D from ENG-style batteries is kind of cumbersome (I literally built my own V-mount regulated/variable battery tap for this very reason). With the Cinema Camera, you simply go straight from any 12-30 volt source (like 14-volt V-mount, Anton Bauer, etc.) and you don't have to worry about voltage conversions or regulators. Easy.
I have an array of external controls to handle my DSLR cameras remotely, from Okii USB devices, to wireless follow focuses, you name it. But the cheap and easy way to really control a camera is with LANC (first developed by Sony and has been around forever). With it the Cinema Camera can control recording start/stop modes, lens aperture (so long as the lend has pin-out to it, like all Canon EF and EF-S lenses), and lens focus (again, if you have an auto-focus style lens with pin-outs). This is great for ENG style shooting, or when you need to place the camera on a jib or crane; no need for fancy/expensive wireless follow focus units, just an extension cord from your LANC remote and to the Cinema Camera. Although the 3rd party hardware work-arounds are okay for remote DSLR shooting, LANC really is really the ideal method with an abundance of remote devices in the market to choose from.
A plethora of LANC remotes are available in the market. Shown here are some from Manfrotto, VariZoom, and Canon.
When you buy the Cinema Camera, you get quite a booty of software with it. To start with you get a full license of DaVinci Resolve grading software (includes USB dongle). The second item you receive on the list is UltraScope (the camera itself acts as an UltraScope device) via Thunderbolt. Finally, you get Blackmagic Design's Media Express software to perform live capture (via Thunderbolt) of the 12-bit RAW footage. Last I checked, DSLRs don't come with any of this software, nor, I suspect, will it ever happen.
I'm extremely pleased to see Blackmagic Design implemented an HD-SDI output on their Cinema Camera as opposed to an HDMI output. Don't get me wrong, HDMI is great for home theater use, but in production use, it's just not as robust as HD-SDI. For one, HDMI has a fairly short run of about 10 meters before you have to start worrying about signal degradation (I've lost signal at about the 35-foot mark in the past). With HD-SDI, you can connect to a plethora of industry standard devices that already have HD-SDI, as well as extending those cable runs by hundreds of feet, rather than hundreds of centimeters. The first thing my Canon 5D Mk II does is output its HDMI signal to a Blackmagic Design HDMI-to-SDI Mini Converter where it can go to anything else on set, whether it's the camera rig's LCD monitor, or out to the video village that may need a 100-foot cable run... the Cinema Camera needs no such converter for a superior HD-SDI workflow.
The Cinema Camera has zebra stripes now, and according to Blackmagic Design, they are adding histogram and waveform monitoring (at time of shipping, or in a firmware update after shipped units is not known at this time). There was mention of focus peaking (with the assist of the physical "Focus" button on the camera) on the NAB floor, but nothing more directly specific from Blackmagic Design on the topic just yet. And don't forget, you can use the UltraScope Thunderbolt output to really get detailed metering of your image. The only way to get zebra stripes on a 5D Mk II is through a firmware hack by the likes of the Magic Lantern Firmware, which I've used with success in the past, but sometimes its quicker and easier to NOT load up the firmware hack and go native (without said stripes). The very newest crop of DSLR cameras from Canon, like the 5D Mk III, do have a live histogram function (during recording) but no zebra stripes or focus peaking.
I'm the first to admit that I was a little disappointed when I heard the Cinema Camera's sensor was around the size of a 4/3rd sensor. Having been spoiled with the Vistavision sensor size of the 5D Mk II, it's almost, key word here is "almost" hard to go back down to anything smaller. With the larger sensor you gain two big things; for one, you have better light sensitivity IF the pixel receptors on the sensor themselves are also big enough to gather the light individually. This obviously equates to lower noise at higher ISO values. The 5D Mk II shined in this area and the 5D Mk III is even better. Much better. It's unclear at this time what the maximum ISO value of the Cinema Camera is, but regardless, it wont be as high or as clean as something like the 5D Mk III, that's guaranteed. You'll just have to be a little more light conscious with the Cinema Camera.
The second benefit to a large sensor size is the narrower depth of field (DOF), which in many cases can help give it that cinema look. But for those of you that have used ENG cameras or DV cameras of old, we know all too well how to obtain narrow DOF, even with a little 1/3" sensor size. Sure it's not as easy (and in some cases, as clean) as a large sensor camera with fast glass, but in the end, there are ways around this. And let's not forget, the sensor size of the Cinema Camera is still bigger than most ENG-style cameras. It's "smaller" but it's not "small".
The Cinema Camera's 2.5K imager isn't huge like a 5D Mk III, but it's still larger than traditional Super 16mm film, as well as many ENG style cameras.
There are, however, at least three distinctively alternate benefits to the smaller sensor size of the Cinema Camera. First, it opens up a huge amount of lens options, from the exotics, to cheap off-the-shelf lenses you can pick up anywhere. Likewise, with lens adapters so commonplace now, you could just about put any lens mount type on this camera. The options are endless. Secondly, the smaller sensor will get the sweet spot of all lenses without having to deal with soft edges or vignetting. Thirdly, the smaller sensor means you don't need as much resolving power from the lens itself, which in turn means that in most cases, the difference between using a lower quality lens, and a higher quality lens will be small on the Cinema Camera (at 3.3 MP) as compared to something like still photography shooting on a 5D Mk III (at 22.3 MP).
Enter the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L fisheye zoom lens. This lens is very interesting because at 8mm wide, you get a pinhole effect on a full-frame 35mm camera. However, if my calculations are correct, the pinhole effect should completely go away on the Cinema Camera. What's more (and unique to this lens), at 8mm wide, this lens is a circular fisheye, and zoomed to 15mm it transitions to a diagonal fisheye (no vignetting on a full-frame 35mm sensor camera with much less distortion).
What does all this mean? Well, this lens kind of acts like a variable crop factor lens for the Cinema Camera, in that, at 8mm wide, the crop factor lessens from around 2.5X to maybe around 1.2-ish. That means the lens' 8mm width is actually somewhere in the ballpark of about a 10mm lens (instead of 20mm) at a 35mm base equivalent. At the lens' 15mm width, you're back to around a 37mm lens with a 2.5X crop factor. So in essence (again, if my calculations are correct), the lens acts more like a 10-37mm zoom at a 35mm base equivalent. This lens could be the hot ticket when the Cinema Camera is finally released, but until I physically test the two together, don't go bustin' out your wallet just yet.
Two focal lengths from my Canon 8-15mm f/4L fisheye zoom lens. The blue line is full-frame 35mm base. The green line depicts an APS-C sized sensor, with a crop factor of 1.6X. The red line depicts the 15.6mm x 8.8mm sensor of the Cinema Camera, with a crop factor of around 2.5X. The yellow line with arrows shows the change in crop factor, which as shown in image "A" fits inside the fisheye pinhole at a reduced crop factor of roughly 1.2X. The bottom two images (with red outlines) show the crop factor by itself. As you can see in the bottom-left image, even with a crop factor for 2.5X, the lens shows a huge amount of width in this room (shot from the doorway of our edit suite), a bit wider than my Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens can go when mounted to my 5D Mk II. If a 10mm lens (at a 35mm base equivalent) isn't enough for the Cinema Camera, I don't know what is. Click image to enlarge.
On the other end of the scale are telephoto lenses, and with the Cinema Camera's (roughly) 2.5X crop factor, your telephoto lenses just got more powerful. If I use my Canon 135mm f/2L telephoto prime lens, it becomes a very fast 338mm f/2 lens (comparatively, shooting the fastest lens on a 5D Mk III at 300mm would require Canon's fastest 300mm f/2.8L prime lens, costing around $8k. Likewise their 400mm f/2.8L II will cost you a paltry $11k). My Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L telephoto zoom lens will now really push out and basically become a 250-1000mm lens. Throw on my Canon 2X extender on the same lens and now we're talking 500-2000mm telephoto power to the reaches of neighboring galaxies!
DSLR have an array of physical buttons on the body for specific functions. For the most part, the Cinema Camera is menu driven (via its 800x480 touch screen), although it does have several physical buttons for specific tasks. This may be a moot point for some, but for others, especially in an ENG-style situation, this may be a problem. However in a studio-style situation, I don't see it as being a big problem. Luckily though, the LANC connector mentioned earlier can solve some of this, so basic camera functions (record start/stop, aperture, focus) can be controlled without having to touch the camera itself.
The Cinema Camera has a few physical buttons alongside the 5-inch touchscreen. Click image to zoom.
I was (and still am) sad to see the Cinema Camera doesn't overcrank beyond 30 FPS. With all that this camera is capable of, it would seem 1080p60 would be possible. But if anything, it would definitely seem like 720p60 should be possible, and yet, it's not there in the menu options. There is the chance (hoping) that at the very least, 720p60 could be implemented with a firmware upgrade in the future. Until then, you'll need another camera for overcranking; even a cheap used Canon T2i will do.
I'm a bit surprised the internal battery on the Cinema Camera isn't removable. I'm not really sure what the design idea was for this. On shoots, I typically use a battery, and then swap it with a fresh one, while the dead batteries charge back up in the charging village. If you plan on shooting more than 90 minutes for a day's shoot (who doesn't?), then you absolutely need to either tether the Cinema Camera to its supplied 12-volt power adapter, or you'll need to tap into the 12-volt connector from an external battery source. Lucky the latter (as mentioned earlier) is very easy to do if you don't have an AC source, or can't be tethered to one. But nonetheless, non-swappable batteries seems like a design flaw to me, especially since the internal battery needs two hours to recharge.
From what I can tell, the Cinema Camera does not shoot still photos at this time. It is after all, a camera built from the ground up as a video camera. However, if you shoot at full 2.5K RAW resolution, you might be able to get away with pulling a frame from it for print use. The resolution equates to about a 3.3 megapixel image. For print, that 3.3 megapixel resolution will give you a 16.21" x 9.1" output at 150 DPI, 12.16" x 6.83" output at 200 DPI, and 8.10" x 4.55" output at 300 DPI. Obviously not anywhere close to the resolution of something like the Canon 5D Mk III, but in a pinch, the resolution is workable. And at the very least, you have a lossless 12-bit RAW image to work with when color correcting.
This is a bit of a moot point, but I read complaints from time to time that the Cinema Camera doesn't have a viewfinder. Quite frankly, if the Cinema Camera did have a viewfinder, it would destroy the functionality of the body design in terms of future mounting/cage options, and would increase the body size even more. DSLR cameras don't have functional viewfinders, unless of course you add a loupe to the body's LCD screen, or add a secondary EVF (Electronic View Finder), which can just as easily be added to the Cinema Camera as well. Okay, so a 5-inch loupe might be quite large and fun to laugh at, but an EFV solves the problem. So again, moot point in my opinion.
Personally, I think I'm going to shoot the hell out of the Cinema Camera. For weeks, I've been on the fence whether or not to buy a 5D Mk III solely for its video features. The 5D Mk III just hasn't excited me to jump up and get one; nothing like the original 5D Mk II was at least. But with the release of the Cinema Camera, I have to say that I honestly don't think I'll be making the 5D Mk III purchase. Granted, I still have a 5D Mk II and a 7D to shoot with if I need that huge sensor. But everything else is really going for the Cinema Camera: 13 stops of dynamic range, 12-bit RAW data, 2.5K resolution, internal/external recording and monitoring, professional audio inputs, and so much more.
Yes, the smaller sensor of the Cinema Camera is the death note for some, but realistically, I think it may be a little bit blind-sided for some to immediately come to that conclusion without deeper thought into the grand scheme of things. If you've worked with ENG cameras with even smaller sensors than this, you know how to adapt, cheat, and in some cases get the same look as big sensor counterparts. Will it have the same light sensitivity as a Canon 5D Mk III? Nope. Will it have razor-thin DOF like a 5D Mk III? Nope. Will it ultimately give you a much higher quality image with regard to resolution, bit-depth, dynamic range, latitude, spatial compression, and temporal compression? I'd bet the farm on it.
As soon as I get my hands on the Cinema Camera, I have a bunch of charts and real-world material I'll be testing it on. Quite frankly, I think I'll be more than surprised and pleased with the results.
Remember that many people buy DSLRs strictly for the camera's "after-thought" video features. The Cinema Camera however is built from the ground up as a 2.5K 12-bit RAW video camera. With features on the Cinema Camera that trump traditional DSLR cameras (and in some cases, cameras costing ten times as much), it would seem safe to say that many would-be DSLR purchases will be lost in favor of the Cinema Camera, especially those DSLRs costing more, even two to five times as much as the Cinema Camera.
So is the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera the DSLR-killer?
In NAB Vegas style, I'd push the full stack on lucky number 7 and say yes. But let's see what happens when the camera is officially released and go from there.
$2995 USD for the Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera available July 2012
Marco Solorio is a multi-award-winning creative media developer. He owns OneRiver Media (www.onerivermedia.com), a production and post-production facility located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Marco has been a longtime Creative Cow leader and contributing editor since 2002. You can also find him online at Twitter, Facebook and through his blog.
Marco Solorio
OneRiver Media
Walnut Creek, CA, USA
April 18, 2012
©2012, Marco Solorio, OneRiver Media, Creative COW


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Water Balloon Stomp
Summer is the perfect time to get outdoors, play games and to get wet. Why not include a little balance and coordination to an afternoon of Gross Motor Play. Water Balloon Stomp is a fabulous way for your Little Pnuts to practice color recognition, build on counting skills, improve strategic thinking all while enjoying outdoor fun. A great water play activity for a play date or for individual play this activity is sure to elicit plenty of giggles.
What You Will Need
- Filled Water Balloons in a variety of colors, filled.
- A bucket filled with water
- A Timer for the variation on play
Get Ready…
Gather up some water balloons. We usually fill up a bucket(s) with water and then drop the water balloons in that to keep them safer longer.
Get Set…
Find a good place for your Little Pnut to "stomp". The beauty of this activity is you can do it just about anywhere outdoors. We did this activity on our deck but the yard, the driveway, or patio work great too. Gently lay out one or more water balloons on the ground.
You may have to demonstrate for your Little Pnut the action you are after but I promise you they will catch on quickly. Our 22 month old did! He had the best time trying to stomp on and break the water balloons with his feet. That alone is a good exercise in concentration and coordination. The older Little Pnuts will be a little more accurate and break the balloons more quickly but it may take the littles a few tries. Mix it up and make a color recognition game out of it for your Little Pnuts by laying out more than one balloon at a time and telling them what color balloon to stomp. Practice counting by challenging them to break a designated number of balloons.
For even older Little Pnuts write numbers on the balloons with a sharpie and see how many balloons they can break (ie. points they can score) in a designated time period. Older Little Pnuts will love the added element of a time challenge. The possibilities are almost endless. Most importantly though, have fun & get wet!
Happy Playing!
Developmental Milestones:
This activities focuses on the following Developmental Milestones for your Little Pnuts:
Gross Motor Skill Development, Focus and Concentration, Strategic Thinking, Balance, Coordination, Color Recognition, Number Recognition, Number Sequencing, Counting Skills, Cooperative Play, Cognitive Development, Group Play and Individual Play.—Jennifer Haas, founder of Plain Vanilla Mom.


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Hard News: The meaning of a Banana
111 Responses
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So if a person of Chinese origin becomes a "banana", then what is the equivalent term for Maori / Pacific Islanders who have undergone the same cultural shift?...
Potato? ("brown on the outside, white on the inside")
What do you call people like myself? White on the outside, but partly brown on the inside. Please, try not to prefix your answer with the word "Rotten..."
What do you call people like myself? White on the outside, but partly brown on the inside. Please, try not to prefix your answer with the word "Rotten..."
Ummm ... one of Dick Hubbard's YCRs?
Yoghurt-Coated Raisin, that is ...
what is the equivalent term for Maori / Pacific Islanders who have undergone the same cultural shift?...
I've heard the term "Bounty Bar" used.
Never let anyone name you - that's colonisation.
Remeber PM Spud (Bolger)?
I'm not sure I'ld be happy identifying with fruit & vege though.
In a study room at Canty Uni there was a brilliantly drawn manga comic super hero on the wall saying. "Fuck all you white monkey".
Sounds like someone was doing it a bit hard, but I've loved that saying ever since.
what is the equivalent term for Maori / Pacific Islanders who have undergone the same cultural shift?
In my day they were called Mallowpuffs.
White on the outside, but partly brown on the inside.
(I mean that with aroha, of course).
Are there terms for white people in the same boat?
What do you call kids born in NZ to white south african parents? Dutch parents? etc...
These kids also slip between two cultures but generally don't labelled.
Their parents might, sure, but do their kids?
I think the term "Banana" is a play on the term "Oreo" referring to the same situation about African-American people in the USA - and this has been around for a long, long time. No doubt everyone here is too young to remember the show Mod Squad but I'm pretty sure I remember Linc saying it to someone who wasn't a plain clothes cop, as the Mod Squad were. And certainly it predates that, probably from someone's standup routine. I know it's a really perjorative term to use in the USA and Michael Steel (the Governer of Maryland) was pelted with Oreos by disgruntled voters, as he's a really right-wing, racist politician for anyone, let alone an African-American. He supports the death penalty, for instance. The Oreo pelters were trying to offend, not amuse.
As for Chinese families who choose not to educate their children in any Chinese heritage - language most obviously, as language is culture - the members of my family who made this decision did not do so lightly. Growing up in Canada - which is a racist country once you scratch the surface - my Aunt Valerie (Cantonese heritage, born in Canada) choose not to let either of my cousins study Cantonese, though it was offered locally and for free.
My Uncle Hugh (Scottish heritage, born in Canada) really wanted Barbara and Carolyn to take the classes, but their Mum thought it would only make them targets for prejudice. She was whitening them up, just as my Metis (half French half Cree) Mum did with us, and as my husband Paul's Maori Mum did with her children. They thought they were sparing us racist treatment. I can remember my Mum saying how lucky I was I could pass for white - and my Dad saying "Don't put racist ideas in the child's head" and her replying "That's all very well from your lily-white perspective, Ian".
My cousins and I have speculated whether we admire fair hair and blue eyes so much because we were indoctrinated with the idea by our white-fixated mothers or if it's an actual genetically driven preference. The writer Sherman Alexie has written brilliantly on this in his essay Why I Hate Tonto. Someone wondered why anyone would try to appear whiter than they were in another discussion, well, this is why.
Before anyone objects to me calling Canada "racist" I would have to say whatever effort Canada has been making, you don't have to look very deep to find racism there. though I had forgotten that, having had to deal with some pretty repellent comments when I first arrived. Canada is much, much more circumspect when it comes to saying things out loud, so to speak. My cousin visited me here, and I was complaining New Zealand was racist (I think I may have said "white kook capital of the world") and she said it seemed to her that Canada and New Zealand were equally racist, it's just that it seemed kosher to be racist and out in New Zealand. On reflection, remembering my Mum's treatment for instance, I had to agree, though coming from a culture where any whiff of racism is much, much worse than any political correctness, it doesn't prepare a person for the the social norms in New Zealand where the reverse is true.
But then if it hadn't been shocking to a Canadian sensibility, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of watching my Dad's shock and horror at some of the the tv ads he saw here, and I have to say there are few things funnier in this world than a really shocked old white guy.
This reminds me of a very memorable family thanksgiving dinner where my sister's extremely opinionated elderly New York Jewish mother in law was a guest, and at a table full of my Japanese, Chinese and Cree relatives - all named Campbell and related through the Scottish side of the family - she loudly opined to my sister "SHIRLEY YOU SHOULDN'T WEAR YELLOW... IT MAKES YOU LOOK SO 0RIENTIAL"
Ah - resurgent nationalism. Creeps the hell outta me.
It's a shame that this "with us or against us" attitude is alienating Chinese international students from the local Chinese, though to be fair, the prejudice goes the other way, too.
And as I understand it, the term is traditionally "coconuts", while "bounty bar" is a more modern, urban variation of that.
the term is traditionally "coconuts"
No, I'm pretty sure that's just a pejorative for islanders in general.
I guess it's different for Brits. I doubt that any more of my friends are British than the national average (about 5% maybe) - I don't even realise someones from the UK sometimes (unless they talk Geordie or something).
With the Skykiwi stuff (is the word "Sky" significant to Chinese?) I think one shouldn't assume that those who rant on websites are representative. I think that most migrants keep what they want out of their old and new nations - and what's wrong with that?
Yeah? I thought it was the whole brown on the outsided, white on the inside.
Or maybe it's a contested term:
I agree with Heather, Keith. I've never heard "coconut" used in the way you suggest.
In your urban dictionary link, meaning 2 is the New Zealand usage, all the others are clearly non-New Zealand, with their references to groups that are not salient minorities in NZ (like Mexicans and Filipinos).
I'm with Stephen & Heather, when I was growing up in Tokoroa you didn't call someone a coconut because they acted like a palangi.
Actually you didn't call someone a coconut full-stop if you wanted to keep all your teeth.
Their parents might, sure, but do their kids?
Yes, because kids are nasty little pack animals who will jump on anything 'funny" (like speaking heavily-accented English or a foreign language with their peers, or a weird name - especially one you can make a grubby pun of) to establish a pecking order. Don't think that's racism though - just petty nastiness most people grow out of, or at least learn to hide under the polite hypocrisy that makes life tolerable.
And, like Keith, I really wish some folks would keep their 'resurgent nationalism' (and their bizarre standards of racial/ethnic authenticity) to themselves. And with all due disrespect, Dyan, if I ever stand for public office anyone who comes for me with Oreos or Bounty Bars will get a smack for wasting perfectly good food as well as their crapulent racism.
No, I'm pretty sure [coconut's] just a pejorative for islanders in general.
like stephen says, use that label at your peril.
I concur, I just wouldn't use it.
My cousins seem to take the "I can use this word cause I am an islander" approach but from my high school experiences I would never use the term coconut. It always seemed slightly worse that FOB on the scale of insults.
That was Jeremy who said that. But I reckon we should avoid calling people names because it's rude and wrong, not because we fear a smack in the teeth...
I would never use the term coconut. It always seemed slightly worse that FOB on the scale of insults.
Yeah, FOB can be used affectionately. I'll never forget that when I went to a rapping competition in South Auckland in 1989 to scout talent for a dance party I was doing, there was an outfit called Run FOB. They weren't much good but the name was brilliant.
But yeah, my recall of "coconut" is definitely as a derogatory term for all PIs.
Don't think that's racism though - just petty nastiness most people grow out of, or at least learn to hide under the polite hypocrisy that makes life tolerable.
Work on that sentence a little and it has the germ of brilliance.
Craig - you seem to misunderstand; I meant that kids born in NZ who are white with immigrant parents don't have labels applied to them.
They have kiwi accents, they are free to practice their parent's cultural practices if they want and they don't get labelled.
By either side...
We don't get labelled because if you strip away the accent/language the differences are incredibly subtle and impossible to detect through casual observation (except when the clogs give it away).
I've been teaching Chinese international students at university for about six years, and have observed as much diversity of opinion about their own identity and culture, as well as that of others', as I've observed in any other group of students (which is to say, a lot). This, of course, is hardly surprising!
In the early days of the international student boom (the early 2000s) when a class of international students could be 99 or even 100% mainland Chinese, my students who held strongly nationalist views were definitely the most forthcoming, but there was just as much reflective thinking and as many differences of opinion more generally, as there were students who proclaimed "my country, right or wrong".
In general, the main point of difference these students identified between themselves and New Zealand-born Chinese (at least to me) was not of language but of culture: specifically, that children of families whose members left China prior to 1949 had a substantively different sense of "China" to the post-'49ers.
Language was a second point of difference, in regard to non-Chinese speaking locals, but southern Chinese students who spoke little or no Mandarin have also expressed to me a sense of feeling disconnected from or marginalised by their peers (ditto non-Han Chinese students).
I'd also note that "Chinese" as we use it in New Zealand is an umbrella term, referring to one or more of nationality, culture, language and ethnicity. A person can have all, some or none of these, and presumably their experiences will be different accordingly. Likewise, we can say "Chinese" and mean all, some, or maybe even none of these things (Chinese burn or Chinese whispers, anyone?) and create confusion thereby, if we think we're talking about the same thing when we're not.
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Most people do exactly the same thing when abroad and outnumbered. They huddle together, and accuse anyone who's integrated of having 'gone bush' or sold out, or lost their identity. And they dress up home like it's more than it was.
Pretty normal really. Kind of sad too - it's not really their business why or how someone would choose to integrate. I think it's mostly motivated by fear, that they feel scared of the society they find themselves in and get bitter on anyone who willingly makes their self-appointed membership group smaller.
I mean why should I get berated for not keeping up with my Irish and Scots background? Learning Gaelic and how to play the bagpipes just aren't high priorities for me, even though it's only been 3 generations.
I'd also note that "Chinese" as we use it in New Zealand is an umbrella term, referring to one or more of nationality, culture, language and ethnicity
Which has changed and is changing with more exposure to Chinese and Asian people and culture.
As far as my mother-in law is concerned, anyone from Mongolia to Indonesia and across to Myanmar is "Chinee". She's old school.
Kiwis of my generation are more likely to be able to distinguish Korean from Chinese, from Malaysian, from Thai, etc. If only by the food.
My kids will be even more globalised, their school has more Korean kids than Maori, my youngest's best mates are boy from Pakistan, one from somewhere middle-eastern (I'm guessing northern middle-east, but I don't know - but we now know more about halal food than we used to - McD's ice-cream bad, but Wendy's is OK), a french kid and I think a kiwi lad as well.
We inherit a lot of baggage from our parents' generation as kids, then as we grow up, we either settle into the same ruts, or we compare that knowledge with what we find in the world, and build ourselves a new set of baggage to pass onto our kids. Hopefully a lighter set of luggage.
When I was at primary school 'Arab' was an abstract concept involving deserts & camels. 'Jew' was a derogatory term for someone who kept wanting a bit of your lunch. 'Chinese' was very exotic, and referred to sweet & sour wontons and chop suey.
Over time I worked out that Arabia hasn't been a country for a long time, but the region has a much longer history of civilisation than anywhere my ancestors have called home. I had several friends who after a while turned out to be Jewish, and bore no resemblance at all to Shylock or whatsisname from Oliver Twist. I met plenty of Chinese students at high school and Uni, both fresh off the plane and first gen (spent a nice few days canoeing down the Wanganui River with one, which his parents didn't quite see the point of when he should have been studying, of course I couldn't see the point of all that studying when he was already dux).
Long story short, kids are dumb, but they can learn.
Actually over here in London FOB seems to be used quite a bit amongst us temporary economic migrants, in reference to ourselves of course.
Re SkyKiwi - Well, find me a large forums community with heaps of teenagers or twenty somethings that doesn't sometimes get filled with vaguely (and sometimes not even vaguely) repugnant racist crap and I will be impressed, then eat my hat.
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|Step 4: How much exercise is enough?
The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that everyone should get a moderate amount of physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. Physical activity is any activity that causes your body to work harder than normal. However, the actual amount of physical activity you need depends on your individual fitness goals, whether you are trying to lose weight, and how fit you currently are.
Here are some more specific guidelines for maintaining heart health and for losing weight.
For heart health
To keep your heart healthy and maintain general fitness, you need to perform cardiovascular exercise (also called aerobic exercise, described more in the next step). This type of exercise gets your heart beating fast over a sustained period of time.
No matter how hard you exercise, your heart has a maximum rate, a limit to how fast it can beat. When you perform aerobic exercise, you want to keep your heart beating at 60 - 80% of its maximum rate -- this is called your target heart zone.
You benefit most when your heart beats in your target zone for at least 30 minutes total per day, for at least 3 days per week. Your target heart zone is high enough to condition your heart, but does not put too much stress on it.
Monitoring your zone
At first, you may only know if you're within your target heart rate by taking your pulse or wearing a heart rate monitor.
Check carotid pulseCheck radial pulse
As you continue, you should become more familiar with your body's signals. Generally, your body will tell you if you are working too hard. Here are some warning signs that you might be overdoing it:
- You feel breathless. (You should be breathing deeply, but you should not have to gasp for air.)
- You cannot comfortably carry on a conversation.
- You feel weak, dizzy, or lightheaded.
Note: if you have pain or pressure in your chest, neck, shoulder, or arm during exercise that lasts more than 10 minutes, you must stop exercising and see a doctor right away. The concern is that this pain may be caused by too much strain on your heart, which could lead to a heart attack.
Start slowly
Not everyone can exercise within their target zone at first. Remember that some physical activity is better than none. If you are starting from a sedentary lifestyle, any amount of activity or exercise that you do is going to help both your heart and your waistline. If you cannot yet reach your target heart rate, or cannot sustain activity for very long, do what you can. As you get more comfortable exercising, you will improve and be able to work harder and longer.
Losing weight
You lose weight when your caloric expenditure (physical activity) is greater than your caloric intake (food and drinks). If your goal is to lose weight, try to get 60 minutes of physical activity equivalent to brisk walking each day. This does NOT necessarily have to be aerobic exercise. The goal is to burn calories, and you can do that countless ways, such as using the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car in the farthest parking space, or mowing the lawn or gardening.
If you are doing an activity that takes more effort, like running, then 45 minutes a day should be sufficient. Or if you are doing something that takes about half the effort of brisk walking, like gardening, you'll have to do it twice as long -- 2 hours.
Having trouble doing your exercise all at once? That's no problem. Spread it out throughout the day in 10 minute chunks of activity. Doing this 3 - 6 times per day can still strengthen your heart and burn calories.
Review Date:
Reviewed By: Jeffrey Heit, MD, Internist with special emphasis on preventive health, fitness and nutrition, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.


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Make sure your child gets all doses of Hib vaccine for best protection against Hib disease. Hib bacteria can cause severe diseases like meningitis (an infection of the fluid and lining around the brain and spinal cord).
How Can I Protect My Child from Hib Disease?
Hib disease can be prevented by Hib vaccine (Hib is short for Haemophilus influenzae type b). All children younger than 5 years of age should be vaccinated with Hib vaccine. Vaccinating infants protects them at a time when they have the highest risk of getting the disease and suffering the most dangerous symptoms.
There are two types of Hib vaccine for infants. With one vaccine, your child gets doses at 2, 4, and 6 months of age; with the other vaccine, your child gets doses at 2 and 4 months of age. All children need one booster shot at 12 through 15 months of age.
Call your child's healthcare provider if you have questions and to make sure your child has received all scheduled doses of Hib vaccine.
Hib Vaccine Works
Before Hib vaccines, there were about 20,000 cases of invasive Hib disease each year in the United States. "Invasive disease" means that germs invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs, like blood. When this happens, disease is usually very severe, requires treatment in a hospital, and sometimes causes death. Today, with ongoing vaccination, there are fewer than 55 cases of invasive Hib disease each year.
Despite the success of Hib vaccine, parents need to remember these bacteria are still out there. Hib bacteria can be spread to infants and children who are not protected by Hib vaccine. If vaccination levels get too low in the United States, Hib disease could make a comeback. Read a story about a family affected by Hib disease (www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hib/unprotected-story.htm).
Risks of Hib Vaccine
Hib vaccines are safe, but side effects can occur. Most side effects are mild or moderate, meaning they do not affect daily activities. They also get better on their own in a few days. Mild problems occur in up to 1 out of 4 children and include redness, warmth, swelling or pain where the shot is given. Fever can occur in up to 1 out of 20 children.
What Is Hib Disease?
Hib bacteria can cause invasive disease, including life-threatening infections such as:
- Meningitis (infection of the fluid and lining around the brain and spinal cord)
- Epiglottitis (swelling in the throat that makes it hard to breathe)
- Pneumonia (infection in the lungs)
Other forms of invasive Hib disease include blood, bone, and joint infections.
How Is Hib Disease Spread?
Hib bacteria spread through contact with mucus or droplets from the nose and throat of an infected person, often by coughing or sneezing. However, Hib bacteria are more commonly spread by people who have the bacteria in their noses and throats but who are not ill (have no symptoms of being sick).


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We kicked off this month with a 10 day trip to Florida, some of which was spent on our first big road trip with both of the boys (Jack had done the trip three times previously!) Honestly - it was a ton of fun for me, but then I am one of those people that loves road trips. We took our time, went to fun stops along the way, and just enjoyed our time together. I am going to put some pictures from our trip in this post...just so we have them here somewhere!
But anyway...on to the things they are doing now...
Jack: You are starting to show a lot of interest in reading. You have always loved being read to, and now you are starting to point to words and signs to ask what they say. This is both very exciting to me - and very intimidating. I am not really sure where to go from here!
|Jumping on the bed at the first hotel after a long day of road-trippin'
|Venice Beach
|The water was cooooold!
|Superbowl Sunday - hence the SF gear my husband is sporting.
Luke:You talk so much! Sure - I am the only one who understands what you are saying, but still! You are talking! You even said "no car" the other day when I tried to strap you in to your car seat.
first haircut this month! Since then we have had trim the back - since you were starting to look a bit like a cast member from the Mighty Ducks.
Another month down...looking forward to spring!


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Travel to Minas Gerais, famous for colonial art, heritage architecture, and milk and coffee production. Book your flights to Minas Gerais, Brazil's southeastern region, with TAP today!
Explore Brazil's second most populous state with TAP and get to know the following cities:
Belo Horizonte (CNF) - reconnect with nature in places like Mangabeiras Park, learn about the local history at Museu Inimá de Paula, and enjoy excellent shopping and dining.
Uberlândia (UDI) - a top destination with modern buildings and peaceful parks, enjoy boating along the wildlife-rich Rio Araguari.


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Engaging the community is nothing new at PPS. It's our founding ethic. Listening to what people have to say about the planning and design of the places where they live is what PPS has always been about.
Now that most people are online, or soon will be, we've got a whole new way of bringing people into the process, and we've embraced the potential of today's 2.0 social media to enhance our existing Placemaking services.
We refer to this as Digital Placemaking. It's the integration of social media into Placemaking practices, which are community-centered, encouraging public participation, collaboration, and transparency. In the last year, we've completed five pilot projects that have demonstrated how integrated, authentic digital engagement can extend and deepen Placemaking.
Some call this Open Source Placemaking, which connects with the values of the Open Government movement. What we're really talking about here is getting out of the current oppositional vicious cycles and creating virtuous cycles… an effective way to reboot the relationship between bottom-up efforts and top-down institutions in place-based work.
Winston Churchill once said, "We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us" and Marshall McLuhan famously said, "We shape our tools and they in turn shape us." At PPS, we like to tweak that a little, saying, "We shape our public spaces; thereafter they shape us."
Today, it's just as insightful to also say, "We shape our media; thereafter they shape us."
Bricks, cement, asphalt, or electronic information in bits and pixels … all of these are media we use to shape our world, and have a responsibility to use well. Likewise buildings, public spaces, video, the web, mobile apps … all of these are environments.
How we make these environments, at all scales, has an impact on how we communicate with each other and on our quality of life. Starting the process by listening to the communities who will use these environments leads to authentic great places.
For our first Digital Placemaking effort, we started by adapting and evolving our time-honored Power of 10 approach, which asks community members to look around themselves and take inventory of the things that make their places great -- and the things that could be better. The Power of 10 proved to be a natural fit for the online space, and the results to date have proved that digital engagement enhances and amplifies authentic Placemaking at the citywide or district-wide scale.
The excitement and attention this exercise generates in these communities is just the beginning. There are many cities ready to embrace this holistic approach of Placemaking, and in our world today the urgency to change only grows louder each day.
Our recent work with UN-HABITAT frames the reality we face today quite clearly. Here's what they have to say in one of their publications:
"There are four mega-trends that are marking our modern society. The first two are omnipresent. They visibly shape our societies and our daily lives -- globalization and information and communication technology. The latter is often referred to as one of the main driving forces of the new economy. Third is climate change and the growing number of disasters wrought by this scourge, and finally, the trend less spoken about but most profound in its impact on the way we live: urbanization and the growth of cities."
We are in an age of sweeping change. Communities engaged in Placemaking benefit from the acceleration that authentic community-centered digital methods can enable.
PPS has been busy putting these ideas into action in the field with several pilot digital Placemaking projects. These include an open-space plan for all of downtown Baltimore; a re-visioning pilot for the National Trust Main Streets program in Tupelo, Miss.; "By the City / For the City" an awareness and education campaign for the Institute for Urban Design in New York City; corridor visioning in Denver; and a downtown-wide master plan project (local video) for San Antonio, Texas. We're about to start our sixth project for Gothenburg, Sweden. Each of these projects gives us an opportunity to review and refine the way we weave digital services into the overall Placemaking effort, and also build on the Ushahidi Open Source platform we use. In upcoming posts we'll talk further about these insights, our methods, and the technology.
In all our digital work, we always remain grounded in a human-centered approach. Some of my personal inspiration comes from Christopher Alexander, author of the seminal book A Pattern Language, who has profoundly influenced the practices in both public spaces and software. Alexander once said this:
"…What one would hope is that pieces of software make each person that encounters that software, more of a person. We're all of us more capable of doing harm to other people by simply treating them or our transactions as something machine-like. That danger is right there at the core of it, and yet this very computer phenomenon also has the capacity to go to a much much richer place, that actually makes a person, man, woman, child, more humane and caring."
This is the kind of authenticity we are striving for in our community-centered digital work.
Why? Placemaking is a sacred multi-faceted approach that capitalizes on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential. Recently we're seeing a pattern in which more cities are looking for game-changing ways to improve their places. These cities are choosing to work with new partnerships and coalitions for a broad process that is more inclusive, transparent, and collaborative. Digital Placemaking can be a critical success factor in these Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper approaches to re-making our public environments.
Authentic democratic participation depends on quality dialogue -- both discussion and debate. And in today's world we talk with each other across all forms of media, increasingly centered around our digital networks. Some traditions are worth leaving behind, and others must be cherished enough to renew again and carry forward. It is with this spirit that Digital Placemaking is being co-created here at PPS and with the communities we work with.
Contact Josh Kent or Daniel Latorre if you're interested in incorporating Digital Placemaking into your community's Placemaking practice.


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Check the address to make sure it is correct
Whirlpool offers a complete line of electric water
heaters, from the exciting energy-efficient electric heat pump
units and the advanced Energy Smart® models to standard models that
deliver years of dependable performance.
Whirlpool offers a large selection of FLAME LOCK® gas
water heater models from our innovative high efficiency designs to
our standard energy-efficient units for natural gas. Models are
available in 6, 9, and 12-year warranties and a variety of gallon
Whirlpool offers a selection of FLAME LOCK® Liquid Propane Gas
water heaters. Models are available with a 6-year warranty and a
variety of gallon capacities.
© 2020 American Water
Heater Privacy
® Registered trademark/TM Trademark of Whirlpool, U.S.A. All other
trademarks are owned by their respective companies.
© 2020 Whirlpool Corporation.
All rights reserved.


text: Special Welcome to BAR Members. Make Sure to Log In. You can use the login at the top right, or by clicking here. This gives you access to many features available that were not available before. You can comment on posts, Create Blog entries, Create Event Gallerys, and add Events to the calender. If you are a Run Chairman, you can add details about your Upcoming run. Only BAR MEMBERS will have access to add comments or elements to the website. Members will be issued an account on acceptance in to the club. Your Username is your FULL NAME, example "Ray Lenz". and a temp password will be assigned.


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Impact assessment opinion: Recruitment Sector Advertising
Evaluation of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills impact assessment for Recruitment Sector Advertising
View the impact assessment under evaluation
The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) gives independent advice to government on the quality of analysis supporting new regulations.
Following scrutiny of an impact assessment (IA) carried out prior to a regulatory proposal, the RPC provides an 'opinion' on the quality of analysis and evidence presented in the IA. This opinion then informs the decisions of ministers as to whether they proceed or not with the proposal.


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Downie 2.4.9 Multilingual | MacOSX | 26.7 Mb
Downie may seem like a simple drag-and-drop app - and it is and isn't at the same time! It is designed to be simple to use - just drag and drop a link onto Downie and it will download the video on that site. It isn't simply another YouTube-downloader: Downie supports at this moment over 160 different sites! The full list may be viewed in Downie's preferences, under the Sites tab.
Key features:
* Supports many sites - currently supports over 160 different sites (including YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) and the number is rapidly growing.
* Postprocessing - need your video in MP4 for iTunes? Or want just the audio track? No problem, Downie can handle this for you automatically!
* Quick support - I respond to emails usually within 24 hours and often add support for requested sites in the next update.
* Fast updates - Downie is updated about once a week with new features, sites supported, etc.
Here's a few tips for using Downie:
* To start, you can drag a link from any browser either on Downie's window, or the icon in the Dock.
* If you have more links, or links within some text, just drop the whole thing onto Downie - it will scan the text for links.
* You can use copy and paste as well - just press Command-O in Downie and you can insert all the links in the world!
Home Page - http://software.charliemonroe.net/downie.php


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2018 Kawasaki Z900
Street Motorcycle for sale by Stubbs Cycles in Houston, Texas 77087
Related Articles
2017 Zero DSR Electric Motorcycle Review
Zero's latest electric dual sport motorcycle makes its case for space in the garage.
2018 Honda Gold Wing: Honda Redesigns Its Iconic Bike From the Ground Up
Honda redesigns its Gold Wing from the ground up for 2018
Motorcycle Overview
In 1973, Kawasaki introduced the Z1 900, a bold in-line four powered bike that would inspire an entire new generation of motorcycle design. Today, the Z1 900 spirit lives on in the all-new 2018 Z900RS. Combining timeless retro styling, high quality components and muscle power of the original Z1 with today's cutting-edge technology and performance, the powerful yet friendly-to-ride Z900RS represents a modern reinvigoration of the icon that started it all.?
Features may include:AUTHENTIC Z STYLING
The all-new Z900RS is the ultimate retro-sport Z that offers modern running gear and classic stylingHIGH-GRADE PAINT & ICONIC
Throwback retro brown and orange paint scheme highlight a teardrop fuel tank and premium finishes that resemble the original Z1STAINLESS STEEL
Double-walled headers, integrated connections and short megaphone silencer, all treated to a buffed finish highlight the retro-sport imageLED LIGHTS
A round LED headlight and oval surface-emitting LED taillight pay homage to the original Z1 with a blend of retro and modern designsMULTI-FUNCTION INSTRUMENTATION
The high-tech multi-function LCD screen nestled between bullet shape analogue dials, featuring classic chrome bezels creates a balance of retro style mixed with modern functionalitySPOKE STYLE CAST WHEELS
A classic look with machining on the spokes and rim plus high-quality paint demonstrates superb craftsmanshipAUTHENTIC RETRO-SPORT Z
Superb balance of power and handlingRIDE EASY
Seat is well cushioned and comfortable for extended highway cruising and enhanced road bump absorptionTUNED EXHAUST NOTE
Tuned to deliver an appealing iconic rumble during engine start and idlingSMOOTH AND POWERFUL
Inline four delivers strong acceleration and silky-smooth performance for cruising at higher rpmsDOUBLE WALL CONSTRUCTION
Inner pipes are slimmer than the outer pipes which contribute to strong low-mid range focused performanceAUTHENTIC RIDING EXPERIENCE
Retro design meets modern technology and performance for superb riding comfort around town and on the highwayCHASSIS
- The modern, fully adjustable, 41 mm, inverted fork tuned to deliver both ride comfort and sporty performance
- The modern horizontal back-link rear suspension offers progressive damping for an ideal balance of sport riding performance and casual riding comfort
- The modern lightweight trellis frame provides the strength to harness the inline 4-cylinder power and the balanced flex to archieve responsive and agile handling
- Spory, upright handlebar position provides ideal leverage for cornering and low-speed maneuvering
- Low seat height for easy reach to the ground and enhanced rider confidence
- Relaxed upright riding position accommodates both comfortable cruising and sporty riding
- Modern ABS is a standard feature on the Z900RS. Its a compact and lightweight Nissin motorcycle ABS unit that helps reduce wheel lock up under certain conditions
- Modern radial-mount calipers and radial-pump front brake master cylinder contribute to a firm, progressive feel and powerful braking performance
Vehicle SpecificationsSee All Specifications
Motorcycle ID200816454
Stock Number012312
SubsubcategorySport Bike
Mileage4,272 miles
Exterior ColorBrown
Custom ColorN/A
Motorcycle Buyer's Tools
Motorcycle Shipping since 1994. The riders choice for quick, safe, and affordable motorcycle transport. Get a Quote
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For the latest and most reliable Classic and Collectible Car prices, values, production numbers and local car clubs, always trust NADAguides.com. Get more info
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HFW59D RF Meter Video
Specialized, Professional level RF Analyzer for Higher RF Frequencies
Wireless technologies such as Radar, Bluetooth, WLAN, WiMAX and cordless telephones operate in the higher frequency ranges of 2.4 GHz – 10 GHz. The HFW59D Plus has been designed to detect and measure the RF emissions generated within this range including the high radar frequency band at 8.5 through 9.5 GHz (Aviation, Naval, Military, Traffic Control Radar). Includes the HV20 pre-amplifier.
Fully compensated up to 10 GHz which includes the frequently used high radar frequency band at 8.5 through 9.5 GHz (Aviation, Naval, Military, Traffic Control Radar)
Technical Data:
Frequency Range of Meter:
2.4 GHz to 10 GHz
Measurement Range 1:
Min: 1 – 1999 µW/m²
Measurement Range 2:
Max: 0.01 – 19.99 mW/m²
Measurement Range 3: (with HV20)
Min: 0.01 – 19.99 µW/m²
Measurement Range 4: (with HV20)
Max: 0.1 – 199.9 µW/m²
Measurement Range 5: (with DG20_G10)
Min: 0.1 – 19.99 mW/m²
Measurement Range 6: (with DG20_G10)
Max: 1 – 1,999 mW/m²
Modules available to extend the scales in increments of 20db
Standard True Logarithmic Periodic Antenna 2.4 GHz – 10 GHz
(Sold Separately or in the HFEW59D RF Meter Kit) Ultra Broadband Omni-Directional Antenna (UBB2410) 2.4 GHz to 10 GHz
Audio Analysis:
Identification of pulsed radiation sources (WLAN, WiFi, air-traffic control radar, etc)
AC (demodulated signal, calibrated) and scalable DC output
Signal Evaluation:
True Peak and average
+ / – 4.5 dB
Linearity Deviation:
+ / – 5 digits
9.6 V NiMH battery pack and power supply included
Approx. 1.25 kg
Material of Case:


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About The Fairbanks Community Food Bank
Founded in 1982, the Fairbanks Community Food Bank collects and redistributes donated food to individuals and agencies. Food donations are received from the local community and about 100 commercial vendors. Food is distributed through many programs including Food Boxes, Bone Builders, and Agency Shopping.
The Fairbanks Community makes a difference in the lives of neighbors by sharing resources. The people of Fairbanks truly live the lessons taught by the Stone Soup Legend –– Fairbanks Style. The vision of the Fairbanks Community Food Bank is:
- To have no one in the Tanana Valley die of starvation
- To have no child in the Tanana Valley go hungry
- To provide food assistance to everyone who meets federal poverty guidelines, if it is requested
This section of the Food Bank site is designed to describe the Food Bank as an organization and includes information on the following topics:
Our Mission
The primary purpose of the Fairbanks Community Food Bank Service, Inc. is to provide food for hungry people and to distribute surplus food that would ordinarily be discarded. All locally collected food is to be distributed without charge.
The Food Bank may provide emergency food to individuals and families in critical need, usually a three or four day supply. In case of disasters of magnitude the Food Bank will offer every assistance possible.
The Food Bank may serve as a clearing house for edible yet unmarketable food and distribute it to organizations.
The Food Bank may assist other organizations in their efforts to teach sharing, volunteerism, recycling, wise storage, good nutrition, balanced diets, simple recipes, as well as the devastating results of hunger.
The Food Bank, upon recommendation of its Board, may establish any other programs which amplify the primary purpose as set out above.
Food Bank History
A brief history of the Food Bank.
Food Bank Board Members
A listing of current board members.
Food Bank Staff
A listing of current staff members and their positions.
Contact Information
Specific contact information, including location, hours of operation, and how to contact Food Bank personnel.


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Top 10 Father's Day Movies
Movie expert Jane Louise Boursaw and contributing writer, Bethany Porter, have chosen their picks for the top ten Father's Day movies of all time.
Whether it's traveling to Wally World, playing catch with a ghost, or singing during a school concert, there are all kinds of dads represented on the silver screen. Read on for our Top 10 Father's Day Movies:
|PowerPoint: Top 10 Father's Day Movies
|Video: Top 10 Father's Day Movies
|Download PowerPoint Presentation
|Watch on Youtube


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'Mr Willy Wonka is the most amazing, the most fantastic, the most extraordinary chocolate maker the world has ever seen!'
"'Mr Willy Wonka is the most amazing, the most fantastic, the most extraordinary chocolate maker the world has ever seen!'" - Grandpa Joe, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka himself appears in two of Roald Dahl's stories: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - which has been adapted into two films, an opera and a stage musical - and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. His chocolate factory also appears briefly in James and the Giant Peach, and his famous Wonka chocolate makes an appearance in The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me.
Willy Wonka is extraordinary. He's a chocolate-making genius who relishes nonsense. He can't abide ugliness in factories. And he likes to make mischief, even if that means talking to the President of the United States whilst pretending to be a man from Mars, as he does in Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.
This is how Roald describes Willy Wonka, the very first time we see him in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory:
"How clever he looked! How quick and sharp and full of life! He kept making quick jerky little movements with his head, cocking it this way and that, and taking everything in with those bright twinkling eyes. He was like a squirrel in the quickness of his movements, like a quick clever old squirrel from the park."
And he's not just a genius with chocolate. Mr Wonka is also a very well-travelled man, having been all the way to Loompa-Land and to the farthest reaches of outer space. He's a thoughtful man, who knows that only a child like Charlie could ever be the right person to take over his Chocolate Factory. And he's a clever man, with a knack of getting the right people to do the right things at the right time.
In short, Mr Willy Wonka is a man who knows a thing or two.
On film, this iconic character has been bought to life by Gene Wilder (in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) and Johnny Depp (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005.)
From Willy Wonkaand the Chocolate Factory, available on Blu-ray™ and DVD.
Willy Wonka outside the Factory Gates.
From the West End musical production of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Image c. Helen Maybanks.
Willy Wonka with his trademark cane and top hat
A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men.
Willy Wonka 1
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that.
Willy Wonka 1
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Tremendous things are in store for you! Many wonderful surprises await you!
Willy Wonka 1
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Whipped cream isn't whipped at all unless it's been whipped with whips.
Willy Wonka 1
Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory


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Tomato conserva is one of those things that perfectly embodies the slow food concept. A welcome change of pace from our usual hectic lives. It's not hard to make, but it takes forever – yielding a slow-cooked flavor that just cannot be reproduced with quicker cooking methods. It's one of those secret weapons in your pantry that gives you incredible depth of flavor and makes you seem like a much better cook than you actually are. I'll take all the help I can get! Use it like tomato paste out of a can to enhance tomato flavor in sauces, soups, dressings…. but trust me, this is sooooo much better. There's something magical about making this in that it always reminds me — and my family — to slow down once in a while. We can use all the help we can get in that department, too.
Tomato conserva also happens to coincide with my bad habit of buying way too many tomatoes at the Farmers' Market (or receiving large grocery bags full of super ripe tomatoes from my father-in-law's garden). My husband and I can't resist the large, cheap crates of "ugly" tomatoes that start showing up at the markets right about now. As mountains of tomatoes start to wilt all at once, we snap into action for some high-volume tomato cookery. Usually at this point, I throw them in a big pot with a quartered onions, a few pats of butter and a little salt, so they simmer into a versatile and simple tomato sauce (alla Marcella Hazan) which I can strain and stow in the freezer for later. But sometimes when I'm feeling my inner Italian Nonna come out, they get transformed into my "special sauce": 2-day tomato conserva. I know the idea of slowly cooking tomatoes over hours and hours is not for everyone — but boy does it taste good!
2-day Tomato Conserva — Here's how you do it:
Expert sources (i.e. Paul Bertoli THE guru of tomatoes) say you will get approximately one-tenth the volume of your original tomatoes.
- Wash, de-stem and rough chop your tomatoes. No need to be pretty or precise about it.
- Cook them on the stove top with a little olive oil and a light sprinkling of salt just until they are tender and start to release their juices (approximately 10 minutes). Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let them steam for 10 more minutes to continue to soften.
- Put them through the food mill to remove the skins and seeds.
- Pour your strained tomatoes into a baking dish (you will get better evaporation with a shallow layer, no more than an inch, so use multiple dishes as needed)
- Put them into a 250 degree oven and let them cook away all-day (~for 6-8 hours). Check them and stir once in a while — but they don't need much babysitting at all.
- I like to go for a thick and concentrated paste, so at this point I usually turn off the oven and leave them overnight, then I turn the oven back on to 200 degrees as I'm making my morning coffee and let them cook away for a few more hours and maybe as much as another 6-8. Since we all need to leave the house once in a while, I've found you can pretty much start/stop this process as you need to. It's very un-fussy. Just don't forget about them entirely. Some people keep going to point that the paste can be molded like soft clay, which is to say that you can't really overdo it.
That's it, you're done… and voila instant Italian Nonna!
Spoon some into a clean jar, top with olive oil, seal well and store in the refrigerator to use over the next month or two. Freeze the rest for later. I use an ice cube tray so that I have portions perfect for adding to sauces. Conserva is to experiment with. You can add it to pasta sauces, stews, risotto and soups or anywhere you want an extra hit of tomato flavor. Tonight, for instance, I made a vinaigrette to dress tomatoes using conserva, olive oil, red wine vinegar and sea salt (tomato squared!) and I'm thinking about trying it with some of my Asian recipes in lieu of ketchup.
Just for fun — I found this video on YouTube which shows the traditional, Sicilian method of making tomato paste, "Stattu", using just the heat of the sun (and a whole lot of tomatoes!). I'm old school, but apparently not that old school. You'll also get a sense of the "clay-like" version of the paste.
Video by Ganicolo


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It's not every day you run into a publication that uses statistics to argue ancient epics were based on fact, judging by their social networks — yet here we are. "Universal Properties of Mythological Networks" is a newly published article in the journal Europhysics Letters, and researchers Pádraig Mac Carron and Ralph Kenna have described and analyzed the way characters interact in famous sagas, and compared them to real human society.
The researchers analyzed the Iliad, Beowulf, and the Irish epic, the Táin Bó Cuailnge — from each story, every character was identified, and their interactions with other characters were marked as friendly or hostile. There were 74 characters identified in Beowulf, 404 in the Táin and 716 in the Iliad, and the distributions and interactions were mapped.
What they found was that the networks of interaction in these stories closely resembles those of real networks of individuals, especially when compared to works of known fiction — they were pitted against Hugo's Les Misérables (N = 77), Shakespeare's Richard III (N = 70), Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring (the first part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, with N = 118) and Rowling's Harry Potter (N = 72). By a significant margin, the epics portrayed a network of people that seemed more similar to fact than fiction, especially as how interconnected all the characters are in the fictional works.
The researchers argue that this is evidence of some degree of historical fact being the basis for the stories. Of the three, the Iliad appears to mirror real social networks the closest, then Beowulf. The Táin was slightly problematic, and had some features that seemed more fantastic, but the authors traced these issues to just six characters of the 716, and that this is most likely due to multiple other characters being combined in oral traditions.
This is an incredibly interesting use of statistical analysis. Generally, when people try and prove the historicity of myth, it's down to archaeological and historical evidence. But this? Using statistical analysis to compare how close to reality the character interactions are? That's pretty freaking cool.


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I took classes, I got some private instruction and I studied technique. I learned to play some songs, note by note but had zero sense of rhythm. No sense of the real music in the sound I was playing. After 20 years of frustration I gave my guitars away. That was 5 years ago.
Today a guitar happened to fall into my hands. It made me think back to how hard I had tried and how I had failed at something I clearly had a passion for.
I would like to start over. But I need to do it differently some how. I don't want to just start playing notes and chords. Somehow I need to start by listening and feeling. Somehow I need to hear the sound, feel the sound. Somehow, I need to unlearn my engineer's mechanical note playing and learn to create a direct connection between the music and my fingers.
I have no idea how to do what I am trying to put into words. I watch my son who has never had a lesson in his life, yet he can listen to a song on the radio and figure out how to play it on the guitar. That astounds me because I could never do it.
I think of I could learn to do that, then I would be closer to where I want to be. But there is something in my brain that can't seem to make this kind of connection.
I would truly appreciate any and all suggestions.


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What will your first box unlock? A game of mystery, intrigue, and puzzles!
Did you know that Pandora's Box is a legend originating from Greek Mythology ? The legend talks about evils that existed inside the box, actually. Evils and consequences that are far reaching.
Solve a series of different puzzles to open all the boxes!
They say curiosity killed the cat. Do you have the courage to find out?????
Inside the Game:
* High Quality Images enjoyed by ALL AGES!
* Test your quick thinking and reflexes!
* 3 difficulty modes!
* Achievements! Rewards! High Scores!
* Casual Mode! & Endless Play!
* Are you good? Move to Expert Mode!
* A Master of Puzzles? Show off your SKILLZ and beat the record!
* Universal Support. iPhone 5 is compatible
* Stuck?! Get Hints!
It's just a box. Or is it ????


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I love clients who really GO FOR IT. Just returned from a visit with a client– her renovation has progressed slowly over the last year. The living room, filled with yummy art, antiques, rugs and textiles, was the last room to be painted… and what a difference it made! We had done the adjacent rooms in saturated hues and the living room was just hanging out there in an anemic pale shade of lemon yellow. This rich butternut squash color, C2Paint 'Delicata' (a champion color btw) did the trick.
The vibrant colors in this rug hold their own and anchor the room (love the pink).
Now, fabulous sculptures and paintings practically pop off the walls. And the rich brown 'walnut' stain on the floors tames the vibrancy of the "orange".
The tiny hallway above was the perfect place to get a dash of red– Benjamin Moore's 'Caliente'. This is an exceptional red– I specify it in the Aura line, with the recommended primer and 2 coats. Only after my client added a light fixture to wash the wall and artwork, did the color come to life.
The 'Kasbah' reference? Well, that would be the from Benjamin Moore 'Affinity Collection'. The small entrance hall got a shot of that burnished purple 'Kasbah'. It balanced the yellow- orange tones of the kitchen cabinetry (in sight lines from the entry).
This kitchen, in place when I arrived on the scene, informed the palette for the house. It was redesigned by Phoenix Home Remodeling company a while ago. It is "heavy" in a good way– lots of warm wood which I balanced with a medium toned gray-green on the walls– 'Jojoba', also from the Affinity Collection. The client has a gorgeous verdant garden, visible from the french doors and windows– the green wall color invites the outdoors in. Stainless steel appliances and these fabulous 'industrial' metal chairs also temper the warmth. Isn't the assymetrical table a surprise? Custom made by the talented Alexandria craftsman, Ian Lowrie.
Another view (above) of 'Jojoba' on the kitchen walls with warm wood trim and a slice of the hall wall color- 'Kasbah' .
The "before" version of the paneled dining room (the original) had loads of white window trim, which, aside from being high-contrast, did nothing to enhance the wood. I switched the white trim out with a warmer mid-toned green — Benjamin Moore 'Aventurine', also from the Affinity Collection. It is actually much warmer — not as minty as shown in the rendering above (still learning Photoshop..sorry), and paired with warm woven-wood blinds, it softens the room considerably.
We rearranged artwork (fab purple tones) which relate to the hall color (visible from the room) and added buffet lamps to add ambient lighting for evenings.
Another lesson in balance– wood tones of cabinetry, furniture and especially floors are integral to a successful color scheme.
Happy colors… happy client…. happy me!
Thanks for stopping by~