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Paul R. Montague, CRA FOPSDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesThe Univesity of Iowa Hospitals and ClinicsIowa City, Iowa
In the second half of the 19th century, elaborate drawings sketched by skilled medical illustrators, artists, and ophthalmologists were required to record the appearance of disorders of the eye. With the advent of photography, a more precise method of documentation became available.
Optical artifact that was not resolved until the late 1960's.
Current developments in computer hardware, electronic cameras, and imaging software have stimulated further evolution toward imaging without film. Digital Imaging is a broad term applied to the recording of images electronically, conversion of those images into a set of numbers, storage of those numbers in a computer, and manipulation with computer programs. Since the images are represented as numeric data, they can be transmitted over phone lines, satellite, or computer networks. All of the photographs on the OPS web pages are in digital form.
This technology provides a wide variety of new and different techniques which have greatly expanded the horizons of ophthalmic photography. The highly sensitive electronic cameras can successfully record the very low infra-red light emissions of Indocyanine Green dye, making this adjunct to fluorescein angiography practical.
Fluorescein and Indocyanine Green images of the same patient.Photographs by Kirby R. Miller
Comparing Film with Digital Images
Imaging with film and digital imaging are vastly different technologies which may appear on the surface to produce similar results. In order to make meaningful comparisons, it is necessary to have some understanding of each.
How does film work?
Black and white photographic film is made up of a thin, light sensitive emulsion coated on a flexible tri-acetate base. The light sensitive substance within the emulsion is made up of one or more of the silver halides:
There are about 86,400,000,000 sliver halide crystals in a 35mm photographic image. When one of these silver halide crystals is struck by a photon of light, a tiny spec of solid silver is formed. More light creates more specs of solid silver, none of which can be seen by the naked eye. When the film is exposed in a camera, dark areas in the scene produce few silver specs, and lighter areas produce more silver specs, creating a latent image on the film.
Once a latent image has been captured on the film, it is placed in a liquid developer which reduces the silver halide to metallic silver. Because the development reaction is strongly catalyzed by the presence of solid silver the areas of the film which were struck by the greatest amount of light are converted to silver first. The development process is halted by a stop bath before unexposed silver halide can be converted to metallic silver, the remaining silver halide is dissolved away with a fixing bath, and a black and white photographic negative remains.
Film emulsions can be made in different thickness' and with different combinations of halides that make them more sensitive or less sensitive to light. The ISO of the film is a rating of that sensitivity. A film with an ISO of 200 is twice as sensitive to light as a film with an ISO of 100. The ISO is often indicated as part of the film name, as in Ektachrome® 64. The sensitivity of a film to light is referred to as the film speed.
The silver in the processed film tends to clump together into small particles called grain. The grain pattern can be seen when photographs are projected or enlarged. Generally speaking, films with finer grain patterns are capable of resolving more detail than films with coarse grain patterns. Granularity usually increases as film speed increases.
A low speed, ISO 32 film produces this fine grained image. The right image is a small portion of the whole negative on the left.
A high speed, ISO 400 film produces a coarser grain with less apparent sharpness in the image.
One measure of a film's ability to record fine detail is it's resolving power. Film is exposed to a test object composed of alternating light and dark lines of equal width. Resolution is expressed as the number of these line pairs that can be distinguished in 1 millimeter of film. In order for the resolution number to be meaningful, the contrast of the original image must also be stated, since resolution decreases as the subject contrast decreases. A typical resolution might be stated as 125 line pairs / mm at 1000:1.
Although imperfect, resolution measured in line pairs per millimeter can be used in comparisons of film with digital images.
Capturing Digital Images
How Does Digital Imaging Work?
Simply defined, digital imaging is the representation of images as a set of numbers. In practice, it encompasses the electronic capture of images, their conversion to numeric data, the storage and retrieval of those data, and the manipulation, view and printing of the images.
Assigning numbers to tonal values in a black and white photograph is a relatively simple concept. Assume that the brightest white is assigned a value of 255, and that the darkest black is assigned a value of 0. The gray tones between white and black are now divided into 255 equal steps.
The numbers are assigned to the average gray tone in a square area of the image. These areas of gray tone are called picture elements, or pixels. To represent an image in very low resolution, a small number of large pixels would be used.
A photograph is divided into six pixels, producing a digital image so low in resolution that the there is no useful information.
Increasing the number of pixels increases the resolution until very fine detail in the image can be identified. In a black and white image, each pixel is represented by one number. Each number occupies a unit of computer storage called a byte. The greater the number of pixels, the greater the amount of computer storage required to store the image. A typical frame of a digital angiogram is captured at 1024 x 1024 pixels, requiring 1,048,576 bytes of storage space. Only one of these black and white images can be stored on a 3 1/2" floppy disk.
The resolution of a digitized image is increased by increasing the number of pixels in the image.
Comparing Images
It should be obvious that images recorded on silver film are constructed very differently from images recorded digitally. Neither lines per millimeter nor modulation transfer functions can be applied easily to digital images, and pixels per millimeter can not be applied to silver images.
Since silver-based imaging has been applied to ophthalmology for many years, it is reasonable to use the fine vessel detail which we obtain through conventional angiography as a de facto "standard" against which digital images can be measured. The question is "How many pixels of resolution must a digital image have in order to offer the same information as a silver image of the same subject?".
The answer to this question is highly subjective. At 512 x 512 pixels, most observers would agree that fine detail in the capillaries defining the avascular zone is lost. But in many cases, sufficient information is captured at this resolution to permit accurate diagnosis and to formulate an effective course of treatment with the noted exception of treatment of parafoveal neovascular membranes.
At 1024 x 1024, all but the finest capillary detail is recorded. This is the resolution employed by most of the companies who make digital imaging equipment for applications in retinal photography.
Resolutions of 2048 x 2048 an beyond are possible, but the size of the data files and the cost of the equipment becomes prohibitive. A black and white image at 1024 pixels requires about one million characters of storage space. At 2048, the same image would require four million characters of space.
Digital Images from Video Cameras
One common means of image capture is through the use of a standard video camera. In the United States, video images are made up of 525 horizontal scan lines as defined by NTSC. A narrow beam is passed across the subject from left to right, constructing one scan line. That process is repeated until all 525 lines have been scanned. The final picture is acutally made up of two sets of interlaced pictures, but discussion of interlacing complicates the model and adds nothing to the basic concept.
As the beam passes along one scan line, it produces voltage which varies with the brightness of the image. The beam produces higher voltage as it passes over bright objects, and lower voltage as it passes over darker ones. This electrical signal is called analog output, which can be used to produce a picture on a conventional television.
A computer component called an Analog to Digital Converter is used to change these voltages into numbers, creating a digital image. If a value of 0 is assigned to the lowest voltage produced representing the darkest area of the image, and a value of 255 is assigned to the highest voltage, then the numbers from 1 to 254 can be assigned to intermediate voltages representing shades of gray from black to white. This is a 256 level gray scale.
For the sake of simplicity, assume that it takes 1 second for the beam to scan one line (The time is actually much less). If the A/D board averaged the voltages produced for the first 1/10th second and assigned a gray value, then the next 1/10th second, continuing to the end of the line, that line would have been divided into ten separate numbers. A sample time of 1/20th second produces 20 values per line. A sample time of 1/100th second produces 100 values per line. The faster the sampling is done, the more horizontal resolution there is in the digitized image. The vertical resolution is fixed by the number of scan lines at 525.
Digital Images from CCD Cameras
A Charge Coupled Device (CCD) works differently from a standard video camera. The CCD consists of a matrix of capacitors which can store an electrical charge sandwiched with a light sensitive photo cell. When an image is focused on this matrix, each square will produce a voltage relating to the average brightness of the light falling on the square. The output is analog, just as it was with the video camera, but the time slicing is not necessary. CCD cameras are often used on digital fundus cameras.
Another kind of CCD device uses only a row of light sensitive devices instead of a 2 dimensional matrix. In order to capture an entire image, the top of the subject is presented to the device and the first row is captured. The device is then moved down slightly, and the second row is captured. Then the third, and forth rows, and so on, until the entire subject has been scanned. This method is considerably slower than the CCD matrix, but the cost of the device is much lower. This type of CCD device is most often used in slide and flat-bed scanners.
Viewing Images
Black and white digital images are images which have been divided into small square picture elements called pixels, each pixel being assigned a numeric value based upon its average gray level.
The most common way of viewing digital images is to display them on a computer monitor. The computer reads the image file. The first part of the file might contain information like the number of pixels in the image, whether it is black and white or color, and the method of image compression used, if any. After the file header is read, the program knows how to interpret the actual image data.
For an uncompressed black and white image, the value for a pixel is read from the image file, and the imaging software instructs the monitor to display a gray square on the screen with it's shade of gray depending upon the numeric value. A value of 0 will produce black, a value of 255 will produce white, and intermediate numbers will produce shades of gray.
Image displayed at 173 x 196 pixels and an enlargement of the lefteye revealing the gray pixels which make up the image.
The resolution that can be achieved is dependent upon the type of monitor, the type of video adapter card in the computer, and the amount of video memory installed. A high resolution Ultra VGA monitor can display up to 1024 x 1280 pixels.
The number of pixels in an image is not the only factor affecting image quality. Due to reduced video memory, some computer video modes restrict the levels of gray that can be displayed. The number of gray levels is referred to as the depth of the image. An image with pleasing and fairly accurate display characteristics at 256 levels of gray may appear uneven at 16 levels of gray. In the extreme case, only two levels are displayed, rendering the image in pure black and white with no levels of gray.
256 level image demonstrates good tonal transitions.
16 level image demonstrates harsher tonal transitions.
2 level image renders the image as pure black and white
256 levels
16 levels
Enhancing Digital Images
In ophthalmology, retinal images are used in making a diagnosis, in determining a course of treatment, and in following changes over time. This scientific application requires standardization in the way images are acquired, processed, and presented to ensure reliability of interpretation.
Enhancement of silver photographic images is a matter of routine. Image contrast can be controlled through the choice of developers and printing papers, tone can be altered, and small parts of an image can be made darker or lighter during the printing process.
Digital imaging provides a much more extensive collection of image manipulation possibilities. Since digital images are nothing more than a set of numbers, corrections can be made based on pixel statistics and enhancements can be standardized so that all images are enhanced in exactly the same way.
Before considering image enhancement, it is important to realize that the original image, obtained before any enhancement is performed, contains the most accurate information available. Alterations to that original image are performed to make characteristics of that image more apparent to human observers. Resolution is never increased through the enhancement process, and care must be taken not to enhance an image to the extent that features are identified which did not exist in the original subject.
With a film image, the original negative always contains more information than a positive image made from the negative. This loss is due to imperfections in the photographic process. With digital imaging, photographs can be changed at will from negative to positive with no loss of information.
There appears to be reduced contrast in the unaltered image. There are no areas which are pure white or pure black. Of the total available range of 256 gray values, only values between 40 and 160 are present. The contrast can be stretched, moving the 160 values up to 255. The result is an image with higher contrast.
Further enhancement is possible by stretching the low value of 40 down to 0. It is possible to apply this technique to the point where near-white areas in the image become white, and near-black areas become black. At this point, image information is being lost.
A more sophisticated enhancement technique can make the image appear sharper. Let's say a white book lying on a black desk is photographed. If rendered perfectly, the edge of the paper would appear as a line of white pixels next to a line of black pixels. If the image were out of focus, examination of the edge would reveal a smooth transition from white to black several pixels wide.
White on black image.
In-focus and out-of-focus enlargements of one edge.
A computer program can be employed that steepens the transition between dark and light areas in the image. The effect is that edge appears to be sharp in the enhanced photograph. Careful examination revels that the sharp delineation in the original has not been exactly reproduced.
Out-of-focus image after sharpening.
These techniques can be applied to fundus photographs. The observer must realize that the enhanced image will not exactly match one which was precisely in focus at the start.
The amount of sharpening can be varied. A program might offer 6 levels of sharpening, level 1 being minimal and level 6 being maximum. One difficulty with sharpening and edge detection programs is that they can be applied to the extent that they identify and display edges which do not exist in the original image.
Manufacturers of digital fundus cameras are keenly aware of the possibility of over-enhancement. The original image is always stored, without enhancement, so it can be recalled at any time. The enhancement tools which are provided with these instruments are chosen to allow manipulation within conservative limits. It is still important that the observer pay close attention to the enhanced image, comparing it with the original, to confirm that the results are reasonable.
Ethics of Altering Images
The use of digital imaging programs to enhance ophthalmic images has been described in Enhancing Digital Images. Manufacturers of ophthalmic imaging equipment limit computer programs to those which will be safely useful in manipulating medical images. However, images collected by diagnostic equipment can be exported and altered by a vast collection of commercially available imaging programs which were designed to give the user maximum flexibility in image alteration. This kind of image processing leads to a number of ethical questions surrounding digital imaging.
Assume that a patient is seen at a baseline visit, appropriate drawings and charting are performed, but retinal photographs are not obtained. On follow-up, a highly unusual change occurs. Retinal photography is performed, but the lack of baseline photographs greatly reduces the chances that the case can be used for teaching or publication. Is it possible to make alterations to the follow-up photographs to illustrate the appearance of the retina at baseline?
The original fluorescein angiogram on the left was modified with a digital darkroom program, removing some of the retinal vascular abnormalities. In concept, this is no different than preparing an illustration of the retinal appearance at baseline. But the two images appear so similar that they might both be considered photographic documentation, even if a proper disclaimer were made.
Digital imaging presents the field of ophthalmic photography with a wide variety of powerful tools that can be applied easily to aid in the diagnostic and treatment process, to standardize documentation, and to prepare teaching and publication materials. The application of these tools requires scrutiny and care to preserve the scientific integrity of the images we produce.
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For new releases go to
As we transition to our new site, you'll still find some Stats NZ information here on this archive site.
Abridged period life tables for the total New Zealand male and female populations provide an indication of the trends in life expectancy between the construction of complete period life tables. Abridged life tables are available in February (provisional) and May (final) of each year.
In contrast, complete period life tables are produced about every five years for the total New Zealand, Māori, and non-Māori male and female populations, by single-year of age. The complete period life tables are the most authoritative source on life expectancy in New Zealand.
Period life tables
New Zealand Cohort Life Tables
Life table definition
Life expectancy definition
Life expectancy at birth definition
Source: Birth and death registrations from Department of Internal Affairs and population estimates from Statistics New Zealand
Frequency: Annual
Geographic coverage: National

subset: commoncrawl


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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plant \Plant\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Planted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Planting}.] [AS. plantian, L. plantare. See {Plant}, noun]
1. To put in the ground and cover, as seed for growth; as, to plant maize.
2. To set in the ground for growth, as a young tree, or a vegetable with roots.
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees. --Deut. xvi. 21.
3. To furnish, or fit out, with plants; as, to plant a garden, an orchard, or a forest.
4. To engender; to generate; to set the germ of.
It engenders choler, planteth anger. --Shak.
5. To furnish with a fixed and organized population; to settle; to establish; as, to plant a colony.
Planting of countries like planting of woods. --Bacon.
6. To introduce and establish the principles or seeds of; as, to plant Christianity among the heathen.
7. To set firmly; to fix; to set and direct, or point; as, to plant cannon against a fort; to plant a standard in any place; to plant one's feet on solid ground; to plant one's fist in another's face.
8. To set up; to install; to instate.
We will plant some other in the throne. --Shak.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plant \Plant\, noun [AS. plante, L. planta.]
1. A vegetable; an organized living being, generally without feeling and voluntary motion, and having, when complete, a root, stem, and leaves, though consisting sometimes only of a single leafy expansion, or a series of cellules, or even a single cellule.
Note: Plants are divided by their structure and methods of reproduction into two series, ph[ae]nogamous or flowering plants, which have true flowers and seeds, and cryptogamous or flowerless plants, which have no flowers, and reproduce by minute one-celled spores. In both series are minute and simple forms and others of great size and complexity. As to their mode of nutrition, plants may be considered as self-supporting and dependent. Self-supporting plants always contain chlorophyll, and subsist on air and moisture and the matter dissolved in moisture, and as a general rule they excrete oxygen, and use the carbonic acid to combine with water and form the material for their tissues. Dependent plants comprise all fungi and many flowering plants of a parasitic or saprophytic nature. As a rule, they have no chlorophyll, and subsist mainly or wholly on matter already organized, thus utilizing carbon compounds already existing, and not excreting oxygen. But there are plants which are partly dependent and partly self-supporting. The movements of climbing plants, of some insectivorous plants, of leaves, stamens, or pistils in certain plants, and the ciliary motion of zoospores, etc., may be considered a kind of voluntary motion.
2. A bush, or young tree; a sapling; hence, a stick or staff. "A plant of stubborn oak." --Dryden.
3. The sole of the foot. [R.] "Knotty legs and plants of clay." --B. Jonson.
4. (Com.) The whole machinery and apparatus employed in carrying on a trade or mechanical business; also, sometimes including real estate, and whatever represents investment of capital in the means of carrying on a business, but not including material worked upon or finished products; as, the plant of a foundry, a mill, or a railroad.
5. A plan; an artifice; a swindle; a trick. [Slang]
It was n't a bad plant, that of mine, on Fikey. --Dickens.
6. (Zool.) (a) An oyster which has been bedded, in distinction from one of natural growth. (b) A young oyster suitable for transplanting. [Local, U.S.]
{Plant bug} (Zool.), any one of numerous hemipterous insects which injure the foliage of plants, as {Lygus lineolaris}, which damages wheat and trees.
{Plant cutter} (Zool.), a South American passerine bird of the genus {Phytotoma}, family {Phytotomid[ae]}. It has a serrated bill with which it cuts off the young shoots and buds of plants, often doing much injury.
{Plant louse} (Zool.), any small hemipterous insect which infests plants, especially those of the families {Aphid[ae]} and {Psyllid[ae]}; an aphid.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Plant \Plant\, verb (used without an object) To perform the act of planting.
I have planted; Apollos watered. --1 Cor. iii. 6.
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
1: buildings for carrying on industrial labor; "they built a large plant to manufacture automobiles" [syn: {plant}, {works}, {industrial plant}]
2: (botany) a living organism lacking the power of locomotion [syn: {plant}, {flora}, {plant life}]
3: an actor situated in the audience whose acting is rehearsed but seems spontaneous to the audience
4: something planted secretly for discovery by another; "the police used a plant to trick the thieves"; "he claimed that the evidence against him was a plant"
1: put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground; "Let's plant flowers in the garden" [syn: {plant}, {set}]
2: fix or set securely or deeply; "He planted a knee in the back of his opponent"; "The dentist implanted a tooth in the gum" [syn: {implant}, {engraft}, {embed}, {imbed}, {plant}]
3: set up or lay the groundwork for; "establish a new department" [syn: {establish}, {found}, {plant}, {constitute}, {institute}]
4: place into a river; "plant fish"
5: place something or someone in a certain position in order to secretly observe or deceive; "Plant a spy in Moscow"; "plant bugs in the dissident's apartment"
6: put firmly in the mind; "Plant a thought in the students' minds" [syn: {plant}, {implant}]
Definitions retrieved from the Open Source DICT Webster's English and WordNet 3.0 dictionaries. Click here for database copyright information.
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Is the Housing Market the Missing Link to a Better Job Market?
Is the Housing Market the Missing Link to a Better Job Market?
"A housing revival is key to any optimism about the broader economy and jobs," Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, writes for The Washington Post.
Zandi notes that in every recovery since World War II a strengthening housing market has powered economic growth.
"Now that housing is finally getting its bearings, it will turn from an economic headwind into a tailwind and become a significant source of jobs," Zandi notes. "There will be more construction jobs, construction-related manufacturing jobs, transportation and distribution jobs, retailing jobs, financial services jobs and a range of service jobs from cable hookups to landscaping. A better housing market is the principal missing link to a better job market."
Zandi notes the "housing renaissance" already taking shape: Housing is at record highs for affordability, due to falling home prices the last few years and record low mortgage rates. Plus, rents are rising, leading more renters to realize that home ownership might make more financial sense than continuing to rent. Also, a growth in household formation is a promising sign the housing market will continue to grow.
"A housing renaissance has begun," Zandi says. "Driving this optimism is one certainty: Owning a home has never been as attractive."


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Employees of the Montana University System who are new or rehired* members of PERS may elect to:
The MUS-RP is a defined contribution plan. This means that, similar to the PERS Defined Contribution Retirement Plan, the MUS-RP does not specify a benefit in retirement. Instead, it specifies how much is contributed to the retirement account. Your retirement account will grow over time depending on:
You invest contributions in selected investment options and assume all investment risk, but you are also entitled to all investment returns. If you elect the MUS-RP, the following amount will transfer from PERS to TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association):
You can choose the MUS-RP by completing the PERS Retirement Plan Choice Election Form and sending it to MPERA, not your campus payroll personnel. An MUS-RP election filed with your campus payroll personnel is not valid. Upon receipt of your MUS-RP election, MPERA will coordinate university system employee elections and transfer the funds with the appropriate personnel within the Montana University System. Please visit the TIAA MUS-RP website to enroll and choose your investment options. Please contact your campus HR with questions.
Remember: as a Montana University System employee, if you elect the MUS-RP you will waive all rights and benefits under PERS.
The Montana Board of Regents administers the MUS-RP under Montana law and has contracted with TIAA as plan provider.
* Rehired members have a new plan choice election only if they have withdrawn their contributions for more than 24 months.


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by Wally Wordsworth
Hi, folks. Following are 10 multiple choice trivia questions on Perth County. Give yourself one point for each correct answer. Deduct one point for each wrong answer. You'll find all the correct answers below. Compare your score with those of family and friends. And check the website regularly for quizzes to come.
1. Where was Howie Morenz born?
(a) Stratford
(b) Milverton
(c) Mitchell
(d) None of the above
2. Who visited Punkeydoodles Corners on Canada Day in 1982?
(a) Brian Mulroney
(b) Pierre Trudeau
(c) Joe Clark
(d) None of the above
3. Where did Timothy Eaton open his first dry goods store?
(a) St. Mary's
(b) Millbank
(c) Listowel
(d) None of the above
4. Frederick Wellington "Cyclone" Taylor was born in:
(a) Shakespeare
(b) Listowel
(c) Nithburg
(d) None of the above
5. Listowel was the hometown of a World War I flying ace. Was he:
(a) Andrew Edward McKeever
(b) Billy Bishop
(c) Snoopy
(d) None of the above
6. Which of these Prime Ministers is buried at St. Mary's?
(a) Sir Robert Borden
(b) Sir Wilfrid Laurier
(c) Sir MacKenzie Bowell
(d) None of the above
7. British-born master mechanic at the locomotive repairs shops in Stratford in the early 1880s was a well-read man named John Davis Barnett. His collection of some 42,000 bound volumes became the foundation for the library at
(a) McGill University
(b) Queen's University
(c) University of Western Ontario
(d) None of the above
8. Laura Secord's brother, Thomas Ingersoll:
(a) Founded the Laura Secord Chocolate Company
(b) Fought for Major General Sir Isaac Brock at Queenston Heights
(c) Built a sawmill and a grist mill at The Little Falls (St. Mary's)
(d) None of the Above
9. Which of these waterways is not in Perth County?
(a) Whirl Creek
(b) Black Creek
(c) Flat Creek
(d) None of the above
10. The Fryfogels and the Seebachs were the first settlers in Perth County. They arrived in:
(a) 1808
(b) 1818
(c) 1828
(d) None of the above
- (c) Howie Morenz was born in Mitchell, September 21, 1902. Nicknamed the Stratford Streak and Mitchell Meteor, he played for the Stratford Midgets and Stratford Indians. He scored nine goals for Stratford in one game during a CNR hockey tournament at Montreal in 1922. He played on Montreal Canadiens teams that won the Stanley Cup three times, was the Habs top goal scorer for seven straight seasons, and was an NHL All Star three times. He played for Montreal, the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers in a career spanning 14 seasons in the NHL.
- (c) Former Prime Minister Joe Clark visited Punkeydoodles Corners on Canada Day in 1982. Commemorative stamps were issued from a post office that opened for one day only. The hamlet of Punkeydoodles Corners straddles three counties (Wilmot, Perth East and East Zorra Tavistock). Local legend has it that guests at a local tavern thought the innkeeper singing "Yankee Doodle" sounded more as though he were singing "Punkey Doodle." The hamlet's name changed briefly to Punkey Brewster Corners in 1986. Residents were annoyed because fewer tourists visited, and the hamlet sign was swiped four times in one year.
- (a) Timothy Eaton opened his first dry goods store at St. Mary's in 1869. He brought retailing to small communities across Canada through the mail order catalogue first issued in 1884. The T. Eaton Company Limited grew to 70,000 employees by World War II.
- (d) None of the above. Frederick Wellington "Cyclone" Taylor (OBE) was born at Tara, Ontario, June 23, 1884, and moved at the age of 6 with his family to Listowel. He was a prolific goal scorer who won several scoring titles and played on two Stanley Cup winners — Ottawa Senators in 1909 and Vancouver Millionaires in 1915. He entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947. Later in life, he became Commissioner of Immigration for British Columbia and the Yukon. He died June 9, 1979.
- (a) Major Andrew Edward McKeever was born at Listowel August 21, 1894. Flying Bristol F.2A (Brisfit) fighters, he was the highest scoring two seater fighter pilot in the Royal Flying Corps or Royal Air Force during World War I. He recorded 31 victories (18 enemy aircraft destroyed, 13 sent down out of control.) He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) following action November 30, 1917, in which he attacked two German two seaters and destroyed four of the seven Albatros aircraft protecting them. When the gun on his plane failed, he feigned being shot down, dove to an altitude of 25 feet and escaped home under cloud cover. He survived the war but injured a leg in a car accident and died at Listowel on Christmas Day, 1919.
- (d) None of the above. Arthur Meighen, Canada's ninth Prime Minister, is buried at St. Mary's. Born on a farm near Anderson, Ontario, June 16, 1874, he was a skilled debater at St. Mary's Collegiate Institute. Arthur Meighen and William Lyon Mackenzie King first met and did not get along well at the University of Toronto. Meighen graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and at the age of 34 was elected Member of Parliament for Portage La Prairie in 1908. He held a number of Cabinet posts under Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden and steered legislation through Parliament that created the Canadian National Railway (CNR). He succeeded Borden in two brief terms as Prime Minister, the second of which lasted only three months when his government was defeated by a single vote in the House of Commons. Meighen lost his seat and the Conservatives were swept from office in the ensuing election, precipitated by what became known as the King-Byng affair. He was later appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister R.B. Bennett. Arthur Meighen died in Toronto, August 5, 1960.
- (c) John Davis Barnett's 42,000 bound volumes went to the University of Western Ontario.
- (c) The Canada Company entered into an arrangement with Laura Secord's brother, Thomas Ingersoll, in 1839, to build a sawmill and a grist mill at "The Little Falls of the Thames," now St. Mary's. The mills were erected from 1841 to 1843. Laura Secord is remembered for warning British forces that American troops were planning a surprise attack at Beaver Dams during the War of 1812. Her husband, James Secord, helped carry General Brock's body from the battlefield at Queenston Heights. He, himself, was seriously injured in that battle. Laura's other brothers, Charles and James, erected a sawmill, grist mill and distillery at Oxford-on-the-Thames, which they later renamed Ingersoll in honour of their father. Thomas Ingersoll brought his family to Upper Canada from Massachusetts in 1795 to take up land granted by Upper Canada Governor Lieutenant Colonel John Graves Simcoe.
- (d) None of the above. All three creeks are located in Perth County.
- (c) Both the Fryfogels and the Seebachs arrived in Perth County in 1828.
How did you do? If you scored:
10 out of 10: You are a Perth County historian. Join the Board of Directors at the Stratford Perth Heritage Foundation right away and put all that knowledge to good use;
8 out of 10: Still quite impressive. Spent some time at Stratford-Perth Archives, did you?
6 or 7: Good, but room for improvement. Didn't know half the answers myself before I put this quiz together — W.W.
4 or 5: Cause for concern. Don't despair, however. It's a learning process.
2 or 3: Just arrived from Moose Jaw, eh?
0 or 1: Tip: For noticeable improvement, do the quiz over again. If it weren't for all the money some people make thinking up and answering such absurd questions, you might say this is a somewhat trivial pursuit. Better luck next time.
Now, ask all your friends — and even some who aren't —to take the quiz, as well!


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Growing up in St. Louis, I was exposed to some unique foods to the region: gooey butter cake, toasted ravioli, provel cheese, and pork steaks. It wasn't until I moved out West that I realized these things were not commonplace everywhere else. Being the BBQ nut that I've quickly become, I've craved the mighty pork steak and while not many folks know about this out West, I am thankful I can find them at my local grocery store. I get the feeling they keep stocking them because I keep buying them up. The pork steak comes from the pork shoulder (Boston butt), so you know it is good. To learn more about this cut of meat, the folks at Grillin Fools made an excellent post about it's history and the many ways it can be prepped. To quote them, they say, "A pork steak can be prepared in a multitude of ways. It can be marinated, rubbed, brined, sauced, or left naked. Once on the grill it can be smoked, indirected or grilled directly. It can be made spicy or sweet or salty or any combination thereof."
I've made them both savory and sweet and since my local store sells them in two packs, I sometimes do one of each. The recipe is quite simple:
-2 pork steaks
-1 Tablespoon olive oil
-2 teaspoons rub/seasoning of your choice
-250 degrees
-your choice of fruit wood
-internal temp: 110 degrees, then reverse sear to 145 degrees
The way that I prep this is by doing a reverse sear. Simply put, you slow cook before you sear. Since this is a BBQ blog, we will be smoking them before they hit the high heat. You can brine the pork steaks beforehand if you wish, although it isn't necessary. When I have done it, I've done a dry brine, meaning that I skip the water and simply use salt and a little rub. I've dry brined these for a couple of hours to let the salts penetrate the meat and bring out more flavor.
Once this portion is done, then start your smoker and get it up to the desired 250 degree range and use your fruit wood of choice. I've done apple, apricot, peach, and cherry. I like them all and each gives a little distinct flavor, so feel free to experiment and find out which one suits you best. If you haven't brined, then use this time to prep the meat. Simply put on the rub/seasoning of your choice and let it rest so it can both penetrate into the meat and bring the meat to a little warmer of a temp so you don't have to smoke as long.
Once that is done, then throw them in the smoker and let them go for at least an hour. You will notice the smoke from the indirect heat starting to cook the meat and make it sweat some.
I usually check the meat after an hour and it seems to get to internal temps in the 110-120 degree range. This is when I remove it and put in on the high heat of the grill to get the sear action going. When I sear, I usually only flip it once. Once the internal temp hits between 140-145 degrees, I remove and let them rest for about 10 minutes. Resting the meat afterward is beneficial because it helps the meat be juicier to the taste.
You may notice in the picture above that the juices start to pool on top of the meat. I make sure to leave it facing that side up so I don't lose that extra flavor. Slicing meat against the grain makes it more tender to the taste, so I recommend cutting it up that way. You just might be surprised at how much flavor is packed into these cuts of meat, especially for the low price compared to most other cuts of steak. Give it a try and let me know how it goes by either commenting on this post or reaching out to me on Instagram at @learningtosmoke or Twitter using the same name. Good luck and enjoy!


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I mean, basically, it's the same monkey body we had when we first traipsed out of the woods and onto the savannahs.
It's built to last about 25 years. After which time it starts going wrong. We've quadrupled our life expectancy, but without upgrading the vehicle. And so we spend three quarters of our life-span in a body that's performing well below its best. How stupid is that?
We accept that an athlete is past it by thirty. How abject!
And it's so fragile. Why settle for skin and bone when you could have titanium?


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How to Run Dryer Venting Through Crawlspace
Dryer venting is needed to carry moisture and warm air from your dryer to the outside. Without proper venting, both moisture and lint can build up in an enclosed space with a dryer, possibly creating a fire hazard. However, running a dryer vent to the outside, for example through a crawlspace, isn't difficult. Ductwork can be purchased in various lengths and fittings at your local hardware store, and fitting is done by means of tape.
Step 1
Measure out the route for the dryer venting through the crawlspace. This will give you an idea of how much venting is needed.
Step 2
Turn off the electrical supply for the dryer by unplugging it from the wall.
Step 3
Find a location on the exterior of your ductwork. Hold the duct up against the wall and trace the outline on it with a pencil or marker. Drill a pilot hole with a power drill and drill bit. Cut out a circular hole with a jigsaw and appropriate cutting blade for the wall material. Sand down the edges with sandpaper.
Step 4
Insert the exterior duct into the hole in the wall. Secure with screws.
Step 5
Drill out any holes in walls or ceilings to access the crawlspace in the same manner as you did through the wall. Use a portion of the ductwork as a template when cutting the hole size. Sand down any rough edges with sandpaper.
Step 6
Loosely fit together the ductwork between your dryer and the exterior duct.
Step 7
Install a dryer booster fan in the crawlspace on long duct runs. The exact length of your duct before a fan must be installed will depend on your local building codes. Wire this fan into the electrical circuit. Install a switch near the dryer so you can control the dryer booster.
Step 8
Connect the ductwork between the dryer and the exterior duct. Fit the duct pieces together. Secure each piece to the next by wrapping the connection with foil duct tape.
Things You Will Need
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Exterior duct
- Ductwork
- Screws
- Power drill with drill bit
- Jigsaw with cutting blade
- Sandpaper
- Duct booster fan
- Switch
- Electrical wire
- Foil tape
- Although flexible ductwork may be easier to work with, it also traps more lint than smooth ductwork and requires more cleaning.


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James Comey, Jr, the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, doesn't know that every gun sold in the United States from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL), whether at a storefront, in a gun show, or "online," can only be transferred after the purchaser fills out an ATF Form 4473 and has their information submitted for an FBI NICS background check.
This is why I get headaches.
Tags: Background ChecksFBINICS
Recent Stories


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The Red Wings were in Washington D.C. tonight to play the red hot Capitals. Osgood was the starter for the Red Wings and the Caps went with Jose Theodore.
The battle between Datsyuk and Ovechkin was highly anticipated. These two Olympic teammates are among the best players in the league and very competitive.
The Red Wings played very well in the first period. They had 15 shots on goal and they didn't allow the Capitals to have ANY until almost 15 minutes into the game. The shot total ended up 15 to 3 in the first period. You can't do much better than that against the Caps. The only problem is they didn't score because Theodore was playing very well, too.
In the second period Cleary took it from the boards to the slot and dished it to Filppula. He shot it and the rebound came back to Cleary with a mostly open net but he couldn't put it in. The second rebound came back towards Cleary as he was falling down and he turned around and swatted at it. It somehow found its way into the net and the Wings had the lead one to nothing. You gotta love the second effort and hard work by Dan Cleary; beautiful job!
Then later in the second period Green passed diagonally all the way across the neutral zone to Gordon. He passed it to Bradley coming through the slot. Bradley shot it and beat Osgood to tie the game.
The Red Wings continued to shut the Capitals down throughout the second period with the exception of the goal. The shots were 31 to 14 in favor of the Wings, and they had completely shut down the Caps power play. After the domination of the first two periods the Capitals were very lucky to be tied.
In the third period the Red Wings had a power play. They didn't score but they continued the pressure after it ended. Filppula passed it to Rafalski two stepped up to the top of the circles and ripped one that burned Theodore and gave the lead back to Detroit with under ten minutes left.
A few minutes later Bertuzzi got tied up with Mike Green and ended up getting called for tripping. On the power play Backstrom brought it into the zone with speed. He made a move around Stuart, shot and beat Osgood. That tied the game again.
Then, less than a minute later Semin wound up and shot one that hit something in front of the net and bounced around. It ended up going off of Steckel and into the net to give the Caps the lead. It was just a crazy play and there was no way Osgood could have stopped it.
The Red Wings were not able to re-tie the game. After a fantastic effort in which they doubled the Capitals shot total 46 to 23 and held Ovechkin to zero shots on goal for the just the third time in his career, the Wings came away with nothing to show for it.
It was a huge disappointment. You can't find too much fault in the way they played the game. There were very few mistakes. They shut the Caps down for the first two periods and just caught some bad breaks in the third. The Capitals have to feel very lucky to have won this game. The Red Wings should feel good about how they played but they have to be really let down by the results. What a bummer!
This 2-3 loss brings us to:
56 points


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Results: The 1983 Australian BMX Championships
by bmxultra.com
This is the fourth installment of the Australian Championships results. The Ashmore track is still in the same location and, although modernised, it resembles the original layout.
(Results are extracted from BMX National newspaper from July 1992.)
Do you recognise any of these names?
Posted in: News


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I wasn't a child who actively looked for heroes. I was enamored enough with my parents and friends that I didn't feel the need to put my hopes and dreams onto a public figure. However, that didn't keep me from putting Jerry West on a very high level.
In reading West's first autobiography from 1969, "Mr. Clutch," I was riveted by his descriptions of life in West Virginia and his total dedication to basketball. As an eleven-year-old enjoying a balmy Southern California life, West's story was a world away from my experience.
However, I related to his work ethic and desire to master a skill as thoroughly as possible. It impressed me and allowed me to further appreciate what he did on the court.
In his new autobiography, "West by West: My Charmed and Tormented Life," the reasons for his obsessive escape into basketball become clear. Reading it over this past weekend, I felt like that boy again reading "Mr. Clutch."
West's openness about his chronic depression and barriers to relational intimacy hit me just as his earlier book did. Though I've not struggled with emotional pain like West frequently experiences, all of us have been affected by loved ones dealing with challenges much like his.
"West by West" just adds to my appreciation of Jerry West. He may be "weird," as his son Ryan describes him, but West is certainly a man of substance and great inspiration – whether he's comfortable with that or not.


text: it does not matter what side of the country we are on. we will always have the best parties. our lovely ladies are always horny and live to play. we always have a really hot mixture of girls to party with. voodoo and jordan were just doing what they do when angelica and her friend wanted to play hard. they both got on their knees and started sucking cock in front of everybody. no one else skipped a beat because that is what being in the vip is all about. angelica and her friend swapped cocks and positions while the rest of the party .... { more }


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This beautiful hummingbird light adds accent touches to your garden in an event or holidays to come. In the evening, its color change LED changes to 7 colors: red, green, blue and more to bring hummingbird alive. Also features solar panel that harnesses the sun's energy, on-board rechargeable battery, super bright LED and stainless steel rod. Runs up to 8 hours after a charge of full sun a day.
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For many users of touch devices such as phones and tablets, mice are a thing of the past. For me, the mouse still has a huge place in my toolkit. It is essential for laptop and desktop computing, and even editing text on a tablet works better with a mouse.
I use a number of tablets and computers on a daily basis, and wireless mice have three drawbacks. They require a spare USB port for the dongle, they require AA or AAA batteries, and they are mostly fairly large.
I spend a lot of time using Laptops, Chromebooks and Tablets. None of these have a lot of spare USB ports, and some have none at all. So Bluetooth is the only option to get full functionality on all devices. If I am doing serious typing on my Nexus 7 Tablet, I connect a Bluetooth keyboard, and at times, having a mouse is handy.
If I am travelling, I will have a Chromebook or an Ultrabook. Long hours working on one of these devices on a table or on my lap is a sure invitation for a stiff neck, and back pain. So I carry a stand that tilts the laptop up to a level where the screen is comfortable. This may require a Bluetooth keyboard, but always makes the trackpad difficult to use, so I always use a mouse if I have the room.
I have been using a Microsoft Sculpt Touch mouse, simply because it was the only Bluetooth mouse I could find here in Tasmania, Australia that was reliable. The Sculpt Touch is a good size, but has a tactile bar that replaces the wheel that drives me absolutely crazy. It is impossible to control on non Windows computers, and just plain bad on Windows. Scrolling becomes an exercise in frustration that has on one occasion literally driven me to throw the mouse across the room (onto a lounge chair, I was frustrated, not stupid) and resort to the touch pad. It also uses 2 AA batteries, and therefore is quite heavy.
I do not like mice that require batteries. When I travel I must take spare batteries, and/or a charger. I like everything I use to charge from a USB port. This makes it possible to travel for an extended period with only one charger. I have a USB powered AA/AAA charger, but it is another device, and unless I carry spares, I have to stop work and wait for my mouse batteries to be charged, or do without the mouse
So I went shopping for ANY mouse that was Bluetooth enabled and has USB charging. I took a few deep breaths before I paid out $90 for a mouse, and kept the receipt in case I could not use it, but I have found THE perfect mouse for me.
The Logitech T630 Ultrathin Touch Mouse
The Logitech T630 Ultrathin Touch Mouse. I confess, if I had seen one, I may have gone for the T631 white mouse, but other than that, this is mouse is ideal for me. It is very small, 59 x 85 x 19mm and weighing only 70 grams. The tiny size had me worried that it might be difficult to control, but it invites you to place two or three fingertips on top and control it that way. There is no wheel, the entire top surface is touch sensitive, and stroking the top surface up and down or sideways provides a scroll effect. The provided software works on Windows & Mac, and adds multi-touch functionality, but since I use Chrome OS, Linux and Android as well as Windows I have kept my use to the basic functions that work on every device.
Scrolling is smooth and effortless, and can be done almost anywhere on the top of the mouse. The Bluetooth setup is a function of the operating system, but the mouse seems to reconnect on wake-up very fast. It has been faultlessly reliable.
An added feature that a number of Logitech keyboards have is the ability to pair to two or more devices, and switch between them with the flick of a switch. The Logitech mouse has a switch on the bottom of the mouse that allows two connections. I would love the ability to connect to three devices, like my Logitech K810 Keyboard, but two is enough for most situations.
To keep the mouse clean and small, the micro-usb charging port is on the bottom, so the mouse cannot be used and charged at the same time. This is not really a problem. One minute of charging will run the mouse for an hour. I have only had the mouse go flat once, I plugged it in for a minute to get it working, continued worked until I wanted a break, and re-charged it the few minutes I was away from the computer. Basically I charge the mouse & keyboard up once a week, and just forget about it after that. I do not bother to switch it off unless I am travelling.
I am far more concerned with function than looks, but it is still a pretty mouse. it is small, works on everything (better if you have the Windows or Mac software, but I am happy without the extras) and has a simply beautiful scroll surface.
Watch out for the Click!
I have seen criticism of the buttons sticking down. The do NOT stick. The buttons are under the chassis of the mouse. There are no buttons on top of the mouse. It is a single, unbroken touch surface. The entire mouse moves down when you click a button. If (like me) your fingers hang over the sides of the mouse, and touch the desktop it is possible that when you click (press down) your fingers, resting on the desktop, will grip the mouse tightly enough to stop it coming back up. This is a user error, based on the very light, small and short travel of the mouse. As you become aware of this, you learn to be a little gentler in handling the mouse, and it then moves perfectly.
I became comfortable with the tiny, light and sensitive nature of the mouse quickly. the button held down issue took a few days. but now, when I have to use a normal mouse it feels monstrously big, and awkward. Having to deal with a shrunken tendon in my right hand makes this mouse even more friendly.
Overall, this is my choice for the best ever portable mouse, and in my case, the best mouse ever.
The quick and simple connection with Chrome and Android devices as well as the usual Windows and OS x devices makes it very versatile. Frankly, the best ever! It is small, light and a little different in use due to the tactile to surface, but once you use the mouse for a few days, you will not want to go backwards to an old, traditional mouse.
I am writing this on an ASUS Chromebox, with a Logitech K810 Keyboard and a Logitech T630 Ultrathin Touch Mouse in Google Docs. Despite the high price, I am trying to convince my wife that a second T630 Ultrathin makes sense for my office, where I use multiple devices on a daily basis.
The jury is still out on that second mouse… But I am hopeful…


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December 27, 2006
Mechanical insects & more
Interesting design/photography bits:
- Graham Owen creates insanely realistic flies for fishing. (I've spent a good part of the Christmas break cat-fishing; wonder what Graham could do in the way of a felt mouse.) He even offers a step-by-step tutorial on creating flies. [Via]
- And if that's not realistic (or weird) enough for you, there's Mike Libby's Insect Lab,"an artist-operated studio that customizes real insects with antique watch parts and electronic components." [Via]
- Speaking of animals+electronics, the Woofer's name works on two levels. I wonder if he's related to this pup.
- Artist Cai Guo-Qiang gets crazy with animals real (dead wolves a go-go; an unfortunate tiger going out like St. Sebasian) and imagined (explosive dragon skeleton) [Via]
- The NYT features some beautiful shots of northern Japan's disappearing world of draft horse racing.
[See also previous bits]
It would be nice to stick to only Adobe related topics in this forum. That seems to be the John Nack forté. Anything other than this makes me wonder what Adobe even has to do with this site. Please get back to what you're good at covering.
[I consider design and photography to be inherently Adobe-related. Not everything is going to resonate with everybody, which is fine. A fair number of people seem to enjoy the occasional tangential bits, while I'm sure others don't. Anyway, a guy has to take a break from writing up "The Secret Lives of Smart Objects" now and then. ;-) –J.]
I like the tangential bits myself.
I for one like seeing the interesting creative things that are going on in the world, and sometimes it give me the fire to keep going on those insanely long days.
[Heh–cool. Yeah, I feel the same, as I spend 12h/day in Entourage, of all places. A little visual spark now and then provides a good reminder of what's possible, and why it's worth bothering to make design tools. –J.]
I no longer know which is real and which is not. Ohh all of them are not….
I agree with Andrew, I enjoy much of the info that's posted here. And the variety is interesting too.
Sometimes its helpful nuts & bolts Photoshop stuff and other times its really interesting bits & pieces of stuff that generally has to do with digital photography or a visual spark of some sort.
John must sleep with his blog on, think he's taken 1 day off from here.
Count me in as one of your numbers fair. Those tangential bits are inspirational, especially when one has a drawing block (pun intended).
Those flies are awe-inspiring. I would simply be afraid to fish with them, substituting my own hand wrought damsels and such while keeping these gems in a display case in my office or even home.
I'd also like to photograph them to add to my collection of small life photographs.
[Great stuff, Bryan! –J.]


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textured two piece bikini in white is an essential for the beach, pool and resort this year.
the bottoms are a little bit cheeky but can be made full brief or very cheeky please just comment when purchasing what style you would like. (model is pictured with a little bit cheeky).
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or in US
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Silo and perhaps a touch of Histo(plasma)
Silos are interesting and often beautiful things, especially the old ones. There was a small one here at the farm when we arrived. Because we didn't intend to produce silage, we viewed the thing as a liability and, in any case, someone else could certainly have put it to better use. We placed the following add in the paper: Concrete slab silo. Free. You disassemble. You haul. Amish from Sugar Valley got in touch and the thing was gone within a week. The silo shown below stands tall at Wayne's; I was there over the weekend. Joanna was spinning and so, as usual, I took a walk. I looked and discovered that the silo was empty. In one direction the concrete bunker on which I stood extended to form the foundation of the silo, and in the other it merged with the foundation of the barn. The floor of the bunker was five feet below ground level and I figured I could get down by climbing iron bars on the outside of the silo which formed supports for the wooden doors you can see in the image. The last few doors were not in place and the opening provided access to the inside. The floor was a foot lower than the lowest level of the bunker, I stepped down. As soon as I entered, everything became quiet. I looked around. There was no question of how I would compose this image, for there was only one obvious way (to me at least) to record the circular interior. I extended my tripod to its full height and turned the camera body straight up to place the central focus point on the roof far above. I'm not a tall person and, even so, I had to contort to get my eye under the camera to check the view. Looking straight up through the finder was like standing on my head – it made me quite dizzy. The light from above attenuated quickly as it traveled into the belly of the silo and it was quite dim where I stood. I would have to take a number of exposures and compile them, a technique I have discussed here before. The image below is a sandwich of thirteen images which ranged in exposure from 20 seconds to 1/30 second. The composite allows properly exposed views of all of the interior, including the brightly lit upper reaches and the very dimly lit bottom. I told my good friend Maurice that I had visited this place over the weekend, and that he should anticipate this image. I recounted that once I entered the confines of the structure my mind became myopically focused on photography. I was only dimly aware that the ground beneath my feet was spongy. Footfalls felt and sounded as if I was walking on a combination of peanut hulls and dry bath sponges. I did not think about the clouds of I-know-not-what that billowed each time I moved my feet. Eventually though, thoughts about the supportive capacity of the substrate became more and more intrusive. Perhaps I was standing on a sort of Crème brûlée made of little bits of corn, mold, and an accumulation of bird droppings. Perhaps I would, in an instant, find myself waist-deep in the unmentionable mix. The dust I was breathing became more and more of a preoccupation. The words Histoplasma, Cryptococcus, Salmonella, and E. coli had been flashing, just that-side of consciousness as to be a bother … then they began to impinge to a degree which I could no longer ignore. I took a few more shots and collapsed my tripod. With my back to the door I put one foot, and then the other, down to the ground gingerly and made for daylight. I backed out of the door, into the bunker, and made my way up and into the fresh air. I hope you enjoy the image below. Joanna observed that the depth of the structure was lost to her such that she saw everything as if it had been collapsed into a series of two-dimensional, and concentric, rings. What do you see? Before signing off, I wonder how many know of the fascinating series of I Spy books. I Spy Tyto … do you?


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Lightism in Popular Photography Magazine
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America's biggest photography magazine; Popular Photography; recently approached me having read two of the Lightism DIY lighting articles online and has now included them in this months issue…YAY!!
Below is the online version of the article which has a bunch of great ideas (including 2 of mine 😉http://www.popphoto.com/DIYLighting
If you enjoyed this and other articles….subscribe below or like Lightism on Facebook to keep up to date.
« Create DIY Northern Lights wherever you are…
What's in Your Bag? »
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Nature's Truth: How to Make Your Bathroom Smell Better
Adding a few drops of essential oil to your toilet paper roll will help your bathroom smell better and leave you feeling refreshed.
Adding a few drops of essential oil to your toilet paper roll will help your bathroom smell better and leave you feeling refreshed.
Add a calming and fresh scent to your clothes with essential oils and a dryer ball!
Use this non-toxic, essential oils yoga mat cleaner to keep germs and sweat at bay.
Is your trash odor starting to have a mind of its own? Try this DIY tip to leave your kitchen smelling fresh!
Air fresheners have been a common staple in many households, but many have toxins that can aggravate asthma, or cause headaches. Watch to find out how you can keep the air in your home smelling clean with essential oils in one easy step!
Try this self-massage technique each morning to balance vata dosha and keep skin moisturized.
Yoga teacher Ashley Turner knows the importance of a daily asana and meditation practice. Turner also knows that living your life fully and freely is an essential practice for an enriching life.
The Business of Yoga is designed to help teachers and studio owners navigate every aspect of their business. Watch the success story of one teacher and find out how you can grow your yoga business.
Rina Jakubowicz shares why she chose a vegan lifestyle and reveals her tips on supplementing to stay healthy.


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After a series of rejections from jobs as a rabbi and/or Jewish educator, I finally received some feedback as to what I might have been doing "wrong". The senior rabbi (who had been present at all three of my interviews for that position) kindly shared insight that I've come to see as an important turning point in my career. He said, "it breaks my heart to say this, but you should try being a little less authentic."
When I share this story, the response most often is disbelief. "Did he really say that? In those exact words?" I can't help but smile. The more I've reflected on this experience, the more I appreciate the candor with which the feedback was shared and also the insight it's given me about the possible cause for much of the discontent in the Jewish professional milieu.
We expect Jewish organizations to be more like homes, more like families, than like workplaces. We expect our bosses to be like loving patriarchs and matriarchs and our colleagues to be like siblings or dear friends. And, as a result, everyone ends up frustrated, disappointed, and disgruntled.
I was showing up at job interviews baring my soul and earnestly opening my heart to those charged with judging my qualification to be an employee. "Maybe you should try being a little less authentic" was an honest and loving response to my request for feedback in this context.
While I might wish for a professional role - especially in the Jewish community - wherein I (and the nuances of my theology, my personal and rabbinic experiences, and idiosyncratic preferences) would be welcomed with open arms, it may be unrealistic to imagine a workplace or job description designed particularly with my soul and my life experience in mind.
Do I wish things were otherwise? Yes. Would I prefer to work for a Jewish organization that treated its employees like family: expanding and contracting in response to the needs of its membership and professional staff? Would an ideal Jewish organization be flexible enough to shift and change as the membership and professional staff entered and left the institution? I think so. But expecting things to be other than they are right now is what has created much of the suffering I've witnessed in Jewish professional life.
If change is necessary (and I believe that it is), how do we go about effecting a meaningful and sustainable shift in the culture of Jewish workplaces? I'd love to see us create a network of people who are concerned about the experiences of employees in the Jewish workplace: clergy people, social workers, administrators, educators, lay-leaders, funders, and all "stake holders". We need to first provide a safe forum for each person to share their stories so that each participant can absorb new perspectives on why and how the organization functions as it does. People should be encouraged to share expectations, disappointments, fears, hopes with their colleagues. Each should be encouraged to answer the question, "what would it take for me to forgive my community?"
And then, there is a foundation for the work of repairing our Jewish workplaces. Right now, our experiences are shrouded in shame and in anger. We need to decide whether Jewish organizations are families or workplaces - and then be honest about whichever choice we make.
Questions for Reflection:
How might the Jewish world look different if its leaders and employees were welcomed for their authenticity?
What does Jewish authenticity look like to you?
How might we incorporate the Jewish values we espouse in our HR Policies in Jewish organizations?
I encourage you to continue thinking about these questions by reading an extraordinary piece by my friend and colleague, Karen Erlichman, http://zeek.forward.com/articles/116638/
An important note: The greatest gift of my career so far has been discovering the community of Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living in the suburbs of Chicago, where I currently serve as a rabbi. Authenticity is everything. I count my blessings every day that I am part of this loving and generous home where my idiosyncrasies are cherished alongside everyone else's. I am grateful to be a part of this living laboratory for "Judaism Beyond Belief" and look forward to the day when my colleagues and friends are afforded a similar privilege as Jewish professionals.email print


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Procunier Multi-Spindle Tappers & Drills
Brennan Machinery offers a selection of multi-spindle tappers & drills for various types of drilling machines. Their products are designed to provide innovative improvements and results to the products that they design.
Procunier 37MJ Round Multiple Spindle Tapper Head
The Procunier 37MJ features a ball bearing construction, hardened gears and solid hex drivers. Standard equipment includes an unbored template, wrenches, cover clamp & a shank to be used as required.
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• Max drivers: 7
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Procunier MD & MJ Round Multiple Spindle Drilling Heads
The Procunier MD & MJ drilling heads feature balling bearing construction, hardened gears & solid hex drivers. They are designed featuring a cover clamp design to hold the head accurately and firmly as well as multiple accessories including changeable arm and cartridge types.
• Gear ratio: 1:1 or 1:2
• 1/2" adjustable depth
• Max drivers: 7
• Produces in work areas of 6 and 8" diameter
• Drills up to 17 holes at once


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- Urban planning+3 more
- 26. Mar
- 502
Visions+21 toolbox – SDS
The toolkit by Strategic Design Scenarios (SDS) is made of a series of tools-exercises, to be adjusted according to the needs of the local authorities. Some tools are designed to co-produce a desirable and reachable vision of a sustainable territory, while others are more intended to collectively examine the process of Agenda 21 and to develop a scenario adapted to the territory. SDS is a sustainability innovation lab specialised in strategic design, scenario building, co-design with users and community centred approaches.


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Today, 175 countries around the world join Enviance in celebrating the 42nd annual Earth Day, a holiday that has helped garner support for pieces of environmental legislation like the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act.
We wanted to take a look back at progress made since Earth Day 2011, and provide our thoughts on the coming year.
We've seen some unexpected shifts in supporters, and opponents, of clean energy: In August the U.S. military, perhaps the most conservative organization in the country, set aggressive goals to become 25 percent renewable by 2025.
On the flipside, we saw environmental groups including the Sierra Club and National Resource Defense Council file a lawsuit to stall a renewable energy project, pitting allies against one another.
What about emissions and carbon reduction?
A report showed that the 10 Northeast states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) reduced carbon emissions in 2011 to their lowest level since 2009, and at a whopping 34 percent less than the RGGI cap.
What's best is that, according to the report, this was achieved "without significant investment in new electric generation." Encouraging news for our friends in the power industry.
Also, just last month the EPA proposed its first carbon emission standards for new power plants, which would replace a number of planned coal plants for cleaner-burning natural gas and renewables.
What will the rest of 2012 bring?
California, the eighth largest economy in the world, will hold its first carbon permit auction on November 14. It has the potential to generate more than $1 billion in 2012 alone and, if successful, could provide the template for national cap and trade legislation.
Speaking of national legislation, what will the impact of our next President be? President Obama has already made significant environmental progress, and if elected a second term, his motivation will shift from re-election to legacy, and environmental progress will increase even further.
That said, if Mitt Romney is elected, we would have a President who acknowledges the need to reduce carbon emissions, but is also extremely pro-business – would he be able to implement national cap and trade legislation?


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One of the outstanding factors of modern living is that everything is fast-paced and we have to keep up with the speed of everyday life or fall behind. In many households, even in those with young children, there is hardly even time to spend in the kitchen to cook for the family, especially on a daily basis. Still, it's no excuse to compromise on the health of one's family, especially the growing children, whose health needs are crucial because their bodies and mind are still developing. Understandably, it's no easy task to see to a young child's nutritional intake. Adults are somehow capable in ensuring that they consume whatever's necessary to keep in good health, where else kids cannot be left to take care of themselves. There are bound to be nutritional gaps as a result of time-constraints on the part of parents too, or even picky eating by the kids themselves. One of the most convenient ways to meet the daily requirements of growing bodies is by supplementing their diets through a glass or two of trusted, high quality milk.
Morinaga, a brand dedicated to help contribute to the health of people worldwide has over 100 years of history to its name. It comes as no surprise that Chil-kid from Morinaga has won the hearts of parents the world over as a nutritious supplementation to their children's diets. Enriched with health-providing DHA + AA; GOS (probiotics), as well as Nucleotide (well-balanced 5 nucleotides), and a myriad of other nutrients, Chil-kid ensures that a growing body gets a good combination of essential vitamins, minerals and fatty acids to develop and thrive.


text: As a part of the tax planning process, at Gauvreau & Associates, our team focuses on utilizing all structures available to ensure our clients minimize their tax exposure. In some instances, this will involve the use of a trust where income can most efficiently be allocated amongst beneficiaries. Should the use of a trust become a good solution for our clients, we will work with their professional team to ensure that the appropriate characteristics are included in the trust to ensure the maximum tax savings.


text: Thirty miles off the Massachusetts coast, the former whaling town of Nantucket has long held a cherished place in maritime lore. Each year Nantucket Community Sailing hosts Nantucket Race Week, where everyone from young local sailors to America's Cup veterans jockey on the water in a celebration of sailing and this great community. Nomad produced what readers and sailors alike have called a stunning book to celebrate this wonderful event and its sailing community.


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The Trib's Secret Project
Re: "Your New Sunday Tribune? A leaked dummy shows long stories on bright paper—with no ads. Would you pay for it?" by Michael Miner, September 2
I think this is a fantastic idea. It's refreshing to see the Tribune trying to play to the STRENGTHS of the print medium, rather than just trying to pad it with an insane amount of AP content and ads. —miketewing
I admire the ambition so far as it goes, but its competition will be what, the New Yorker and the Atlantic? Which are rather less than $260 a year these days.
The thing that this doesn't let go of is the idea that we want a portmanteau publication with a little bit of everything in it. A Life magazine, a Sears catalog. But that's not where the world has gone. Instead of Sears where you can go to one store to get everything, you have the mall where you can go to 100 stores to get everything. The real innovation will come when the newspaper realizes that it's a content creation collective which can take many final forms. Put out a sports publication, put out a politics publication, put out arts and food and lifestyle publications; draw on the same staff, use each to cross-sell the others, but recognize that the reader's mentality is no longer that I wanted every subject pushed through the sausage grinder of the same editorial staff and made to fit the same format in the same way. —Michael Gebert
"Instead of Sears where you can go to one store to get everything, you have the mall where you can go to 100 stores to get everything."
Whoo! I almost thought it was 1980 when I read that. I'm pretty sure that the retail landscape has gone back the other way. And it did so decades ago. You cannot find a little bit of everything in malls anymore. If you go to an average mall you will normally find very few products other than clothes, cosmetics, jewelry, and perhaps some luggage and stationery. In 2010, people normally do go to one store to purchase a little bit of everything. Wal-Mart and Target, of course, are the most popular. —The original IAC
A subscription to most magazines these days is in the $12-15/year range and fewer people than ever are making even that meager investment. And, for God's sake, who pays $6 for a Sunday Times, when you can get the whole for weekend for almost half that price by subscribing?
With Zell and his radio goons preoccupied with their own fates these days, some of the Tower mice are having fun playing with what's left of his money. —gdretzka
As for Chicago Live "bringing the hottest stories . . . in Chicago to the stage" what are we talking about? Tap dancing obits? Musical box scores? Or perhaps bringing in Louis Black for a dramatic reading of the Blago tapes . . . actually, that might work. —DeBartolo
What makes them think that part of making it a better product is having no ads? Newspapers are the medium in which the audience least minds having ads—they're not interruptive like broadcast commercials. In fact they tend to think of them as a service, newspapers being the place to go, for instance, to see who has a good sale on when they're in the market for a car, a mattress, an air conditioner. or what shows are in the theaters. —C
I agree that a thoughtful advertising section, e.g. movie listings in a movie section, would be more than welcome. But I fear that that inevitably leads to the available advertising determining the publication's sections, e.g. real estate and automotive sections. —MrJM
Yes, I speak from some experience as an advertising media buyer. . . . But I've always observed that the most successful magazines let themselves be editorial-driven, attract a loyal and valuable audience, and then go after ads that are really relevant and complement the environment as well as do the fashion ads in Vogue. —C
"The gravitas and handsome design of Five Star reminds me of upscale British Sunday papers like the Times and Guardian."
The Guardian is Mon-Sat. It's the Observer that's essentially the Sunday edition of the Guardian. —redlion
Redefined Teachers
Re: "Define 'Redefinition': Exemplary art teacher Sunny Neater-DuBow was fired without due process because CPS says her job has been redefined. So why is her exact job now posted as an opening?" by Ben Joravsky, September 2
Ben Joravsky, I love you. Thank you for telling these stories and reminding people that teachers are not the enemy and that in fact, our profession is under undue attack and the public is being told to ignore the assault. As a CPS teacher, I am blessed to have a job still after 8 years in the system, but the name of the game is fear. We work 12 hour days often to do our jobs well, but we are paid for 6 hours and then told what we are doing is not enough. Thank you, thank you for telling these stories. Maybe more people will wake up and realize that real education reform does not involve wholesale firings and closing of schools. We need investment, professional development and autonomy. —jenj23
I am a 17 year veteran Art Teacher, rated Superior for the last 14 years, and have applied for and been awarded over $90,000 in grant money during the course of my career with CPS. I too was "laid off" without due process, ("Honorably dismissed due to a reallocation of funds"). Hence, my daughter and I no longer have health benefits as of September 30th, my pension is now at risk as I was only 3 years away from the minimum 20 years needed to retire, and at 58 years of age, I am competing with art teachers younger and less salaried. —Origina
Ben, the reason Sunny's termination letter wasn't signed by a person is because the person who used to sign the letters, Nancy Slavin, was herself terminated. You can't make this stuff up! It would be funny if it weren't so tragic. —CTUCarol
While watching an evening news report on Congress passing a bill to save teaching jobs, I received the "firing" call from my principal. I asked him about the federal money that would be coming to the schools, and my first-year principal told me that he would be happy to look over my resume for any future openings at the school. A week later I was offered my position back and I accepted. Two of my colleagues who are also tenured were not called back. Our school made two new hires to replace these teachers. Just amazing. —Shorty Lee Lowe
Did [Joravsky] bother to speak to the principal about this? The LSC? Doesn't sound like it. That's where these decisions get made, not in Uberland.
If he had, he would have known that, if she looked at the principals program, the teacher had to have known about her impending layoff back in May; that as an "Arts" school the principal and the LSC thought it only right to have some performing arts curriculum and way back in January decided to offer dance, which students quickly filled up during January registration. He would also know that the LSC and principal worked to leverage resources among three of the four small schools at Little Village so that students have a full array of visual and performance art offerings.
While it sounds like he at least tried for an explanation about the vacancy "posting," I think if he asked any reassigned teacher he would know that CPS vacancy reports are not "postings" but notoriously inaccurate and not up-to-date budget reports and that to the extent there are real postings within CPS it's on the e-bulletin. Read the reassigned teachers comments on the 299 blog if you don't believe it.
Look, I hope the teacher finds a job really quickly. I have read and heard about this poor teacher alot over the last few weeks and if she's as good a teacher as she is a media darling, then she'll make someone a wonderful Art teacher. But some perspective and balance please. . . .
Like it or not, about 22 years ago, principals and LSCs became the primary employer of teachers and the people who most directly affect teachers' jobs. But it is in fact both a blessing and a curse for teachers while it has been largely to the good for students and their achievement.
So why does no one ask: Does the teacher bear any responsibility in this? What made her so dispensable from the LSC and principal's perspective? . . .
Teachers keep saying that Central Office needs to stay out of local decisions. I agree. But I guess teachers really mean they want local decision making, except when they don't like the decision. —Contrarian
Ben Joravsky replies:
Contrarian: The point of my story was not to dive into the tangle of one school's politics, as fascinating as that might be, but to expose the implementation of a system-wide policy that circumvents the union contract.
But you raise a good point. Ultimately, local principals have to be held accountable for the way they use the authority Huberman and the board gives them.
When I was fired in August, I was dumbfounded. I received no indication prior to August that my position was in jeopardy of being closed. None.
Teachers want the Board or the local school to make fair and consistent decisions. The recent mass firings were neither. . . .
Our principal, now retired, repeatedly told the entire staff that all cuts in staffing were out of her hands. Since our principal was the Board's representative in the school, I took her at her word. —Shorty Lee Lowe
To the writer who believes it "grossly unfair to blame (Huberman) and central office for decisions a principal and LSC made and that he really cannot control."
Really, Huberman can do nothing? Then why did he feature a big media event as he entered Julian High School on the southside last school year to remove the principal from the building, never to return? Remember, principals are elected by LSCs, right? Please, understand the hierarchy of power. —jvail900
I also lost my position at MAS due to "Redefinition." I am a science teacher and this would have been my eighth year in CPS (my fifth year at MAS). I had the most seniority in the science department and I even got my chemistry endorsement so I could teach all science classes, so I thought my position was safe. . . .
Contrarian called Ms. Neater a "media darling." Let me tell you that she has been the only person who has been brave enough to tell the story about what is really going on at MAS. Unfortunately, all of the changes have occurred too quickly and/or we were all frozen into inaction by fear and now there are only five or six teachers still there from last year (that's almost a 75 percent turnover, friends). Don't tell me that a sustainable school is built from that sort of turnover. There is now only one founding teacher left at the school. —ms. adams
The same thing happened at my school. 16 out of 30 teachers were laid off, most with 10 or more years of experience. Our first year principal has now hired 12 others to replace us. These new hires are first year or nontenured teachers. This is an OUTRAGE!! I have been looking for another teaching job with CPS but there is nothing because 1,200 others are also looking. After all is said and done, the Chicago Teachers Union and ALL CPS teachers better NOT support Daily [sic] and his underhanded cronies in the next election. —Rosie714
There is a sign on a CPS school in my neighborhood that reads, "Welcome Teachers for America." I get really angry every time I see it as I am reminded that CPS has hired hundreds of brand spanking new first year teachers and fired thousands of veteran, tenured teachers. What I find most distressing about all of this is it appears that CPS is getting away with murder. Karen [Lewis] has filed the lawsuit but to date there have been no injunctions, court orders, or intervention to save our jobs and send fired teachers back into the classrooms until due process is given to everyone currently without a job. We're just done. No reassigned pool, heck, we can't even be substitute teachers. . . .
We're looking for jobs that no longer exist and many of us have no idea what we are going to do while we try and change careers and find new jobs. Meanwhile, those at the top aren't losing sleep or offering to reach into their pockets or take pay cuts to help those of us who are now unemployed. —Bmach
At a time when many are losing their jobs or facing pay cuts, Chicago's teachers could have saved Ms. Neater-DuBow's job, and those of many other teachers, by forgoing their pay raise. Teachers talk about how much they care about kids. But when they were asked to make a sacrifice for the kids they refused. —children should come first


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Introducing Message De-Identification with Caristix Workgroup Software
Caristix Workgroup helps interface analysts and engineers to accurately de-identify HL7 data, covering all 18 HIPAA identifiers. Data can then be safely shared for such purposes as porting realistic data to a test system or staging area, providing realistic sample HL7 messsages for interface scoping, and providing data for clinical and financial analytics.
The following features and functionality are included:
- Maps identifiers to fields and segments
- Maintains useful date preserving the patient's overall record
- Traces impacted message components
- Produces a de-ideintification process report
- Prevents re-identification