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But for every new installation that opens, there are countless more that never make it beyond the drawing board, so to speak. Recently, though, one such attraction, inspired by Disney's animated film The Little Mermaid, got a second chance after it was shelved for more than a decade: It finally made its debut, albeit virtually.
"Including this virtual experience on the DVD gives consumers an extended film experience, as well as the opportunity to go on a 'Disney theme park ride that almost was' from the comfort of their own living rooms," says David Jessen, vice president of DVD production at Buena Vista Home Entertainment, the marketing, sales, and distribution company for Walt Disney, Touchstone, and others. For the Imagineers, meanwhile, the virtual ride enables the team to view the fruits of their labor from years before.
"We are documentarians, film archaeologists, and interactive game producers," says Jessen. "On classic animation and live-action films, we dig deep into our studio archives to uncover material and stories long lost or forgotten. For new releases, we partner with the filmmakers to capture their journey to bring their project to the screen. Whether it be a documentary film, a short making-of piece, or a fun interactive game, we look at ourselves as storytellers."
In fact, producing a virtual ride for a DVD is not new for the Home Entertainment group; it has created this type of animation for The Lion King, The Lion King 1½, and Aladdin. However, this was the first time the team had created a virtual ride based on existing archival plans created by Imagineering.
"This project presented an exciting opportunity to work with Imagineers to create something new with historical significance," says Jessen.
Concept Phase
In 1992, after Disneyland Paris (then called Euro Disneyland) opened its gates, Imagineers followed their usual practice of searching for other attractions to expand the venue. At the time, they began developing The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast attractions as parallel projects. In the end, Ariel and Belle were displaced for "Space Mountain" when management determined that the priority was for a thrill ride. (The Little Mermaid-based ride was also planned for the California location; the Florida venue already had a theater presentation based on the property, which fulfilled the needs of that park at the time.)
"Because we are dealing with things that don't exist, we have to get everyone to a point where the client—in this case, Disneyland and Disneyland Paris—could understand them, evaluate them, and see how they worked," explains Baxter. "It wasn't as if anyone had negative thoughts about this project; they all loved it. But in the end, it was determined that the need for thrill was the park's priority, since the venue opened with just one thrill ride, 'Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.' " Soon after, Disney experienced hit after hit with movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, giving the group a number of other evergreen properties to choose from when the time came once again to select a new theatrical attraction for the park. (Lion King- and Tarzan-based shows eventually got the nod.)
Getting the ride to the evaluation stage required various entities within the Disney organization—writers, illustrators, dimensional designers, architects, and area development engineers—to brainstorm the concept over a year-and-a-half period. In addition, the teams were in constant communication with the studio, and in this instance, particularly, with the film's directors, John Musker and Ron Clements.
Story Time
Thus, uniting these two people became the theme that drove the ride concept. "Then we realized we had two astonishingly different realms we could weave people through—the underwater world and the terrestrial world," Baxter recalls. "Part of the fun of the original film was that it jockeyed between the worlds, and we challenged ourselves to do the same when thinking about the ride. Was there a way to have this hanging boat go above and below the surface in an environment that literally transformed from an above-water world to a below-water world? And the fun of crossing back and forth between those realms would be the magic of what we could do in the ride that you can't experience in a film or any other media—that is, take people through that transition."
The ride would begin with Ariel longing to become a part of Eric's world, and this occurs above the water. The next scene occurs under the sea, in Ariel's world, followed by a "dark" scene from the depths of Ursula's lair where her wish is fulfilled, then into a bright, colorful pond for the Kiss the Girl finale—with a few stops in between. Once the team was satisfied with the story line, the crew created a full-size physical mock-up of the Kiss the Girl scene. The mock-up was about 25 feet tall in total, and the first 15 feet of that was "underwater."
"There was a simulated water surface; we showed it to the animators and others, and they were amazed by it," says Baxter.
The group could walk up and down a staircase. They could get above the water and look down upon the rowboat holding Eric and Ariel. By walking down the stairs to the ground level, the group could look up through the water surface with the same perspective of Ursula's plotting eels. "We were so effective in creating that water-level plane that all the visiting animators bent over and tried to touch it, but obviously they couldn't; their hands went through the illusion," says Baxter.
The water line was created in the mock-up using a multitude of illusions that, as Baxter notes, were state of the art in 1991. The effect involved creating theatrical smoke effects that added atmosphere to the room—enough for lasers to trace a plane by sweeping a beam rapidly across the horizon. "We were able to create a plane that got very water-like because you would see the smoke elements being cut by the beam, which produced a swirling pattern as if it were a water surface," he explains.
"The nature of smoke is that it is very placid and swirls, so we had to find ways of introducing air to agitate the air currents," Baxter explains. "To augment that, we took every license we could to add floating leaves, willow branches, and so forth to hit that line and then go flat as they floated on the surface." Thus, lily pads, fish, and other elements were half in and half out of the "water." When the boat's oars hit the surface, optic fibers created ringlets that spilled outward in sync with the agitation, providing a sense of surface disturbance.
"Everywhere you looked there was something that tricked your mind into believing you were underwater," says Baxter.
And it was that mock-up that gave everyone the confidence that this project would be something special and fun to do, Baxter adds. "We showed we could let people pass through a kind of magical border between the two worlds, and create two different emotional themes: above the water, with this romantic scene, and below the water, with these two villains ready to upset the apple cart," he says. As a result, the Imagineers received the green light to continue with the project, developing blueprints and plans, and working them into architecture.
In the CG World
"The animators had to think of [the guest's viewpoint as] a window rather than the edits and dissolves that are the vocabulary of a movie screen," says Baxter. Therefore, the animators cannot use conventional methods to cut from one frame to the next, but rather a single shot has to continue from the minute the ride is dispatched until the end.
In total, a group of approximately 20 people from Buena Vista Home Entertainment spent six months creating the virtual ride, a process that entailed studying the plans for the ride, co-developing the creative with Imagineering, and producing the animation. "We were true to the Imagineers' vision, and expanded on ideas they had thought of over the years in an effort to improve their original design," says Buena Vista Home Entertainment's Jessen.
For the assets in the animated ride, the animators used blueprints, concept drawings, a foam-core model, and archival footage of the full-scale room mock-up from the Kiss the Girl sequence for reference. The Imagineers also took the group through the story points of each scene and provided a script. "The mock-up footage gave us an idea of how we were going to re-create in CG the water surface effect with atmospheric lighting," says Jessen.
First, the CG crew used the original blueprints, which contained details down to how long each car would take to traverse the entire ride track. The artists then translated that information into Adobe's After Effects, and laid out the ride experience in terms of timing. "By doing this, we knew exactly what the person riding the attraction would see and when, and how long they would see it," Jessen notes. Next, the artists brought that data into Autodesk's Maya, where they then extrapolated the information from the blueprints, in effect pulling the foundation and the walls from the blueprints—"much like a CAD designer would craft a house," he adds.
After that framework was complete, the artists placed a virtual camera into the newly built virtual structure and timed it exactly to the output of the After Effects render. "Now we had, in essence, the ability to 'sit' in our virtual car and move around the environment," explains Jessen. "From there, we knew what the camera was truly looking at."
This rendering gave the artists the ability to work closely with the Imagineers, to get their feedback on what they originally conceptualized in their design. Next, they modeled the objects in the rooms using Maya, and textured them by hand using Adobe's Photoshop. In fact, all the models were built from scratch except for the seashell cars, which were crafted based on a maquette. The artists composited the imagery into the scenes using After Effects, and used Maya for the camera motion.
"The difficult part was designing this as if it were a real ride. We could not take any of the liberties that our normal fantasy rides allow," says Jessen. The artists had to take into consideration all the real-world obstacles that the Imagineers would have to face when building an actual ride—for example, gravity, (physical) space issues, building layout, speaker and lighting placement, and trying to tell an entire story in only minutes.
"Those were only some of the many obstacles that we normally take for granted in a virtual world," says Jessen. "And we did work closely with our feature animation partners to access original character model sheets, maquettes, and turnarounds for accuracy."
One of the most difficult aspects of the production, Jessen recalls, was simulating the water without using a 3D water effect. "The original concept called for a stylized simulation of water using practical lighting effects, and we called upon a little Disney magic to re-create what the Imagineers had originally envisioned for their attraction," he says. "In the end, we had to get that surface-water effect just right so that you would feel like you were actually riding on a ride at Disneyland."
"We couldn't have done this CG ride-through back in 1989," says Baxter. "Today, though, we would begin with something like the ride-through to educate ourselves in a number of areas such as how to light a scene for emotional impact."
If produced today, Baxter expects that the attraction would be a more sophisticated dark ride, since the Imagineers undoubtedly would integrate some of the present 3D animation techniques into the attraction, as they have done for the new Finding Nemo-themed attractions, "The Seas with Nemo & Friends" at Epcot and "Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage" opening this coming summer at Disneyland. "Both benefit from animation techniques that weren't available in 1989 when we planned this ride," he adds.
Will The Little Mermaid-based virtual ride ever find its way back to the Imagineers' drawing board for development into a park attraction? While Baxter believes it would be fun to do, he is not holding his breath. "There are so many Disney evergreen properties to choose from, and the list continues to grow," he says. Despite this, there is a positive note: A person can board and re-board the virtual experience without having to wait in a long line.
Karen Moltenbrey is the chief editor for Computer Graphics World.


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This evening, I whiled away an hour leafing through "The Wise Practical Home Furniture Builder: Simple Plans for the Amateur Craftsman," a book from 1952 that is similar to the I Can Do That series of beginner projects (a small set of tools, and pieces that are simple to build).
I don't particularly want to build any of the designs in this book, but they intrigue me – perhaps because they are so very much "of a period," rather than what we typically think of as "period furniture." Every piece in the book looks as if it would be at home on the set of "Mad Men"; I prefer designs that would look at home on the set of "The Tudors."
I wonder if, 60 years from now, anyone will leaf idly through a yellowing, fragile copy of our ICDT book and think, "Wow – these projects are so very clearly 'of a period.'" And maybe, by that time, the 1950s look will be considered "period furniture" instead. And perhaps every home in 2072 will again need a Hat Holder in every closet.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our wilderness is under an unprecedented attack from Trump and anti-conservationists in Congress. Help us fight back.
Throughout 2014, as we commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, we have said the most apt celebration of the landmark law would be for Congress to work with renewed determination to conserve our most special landscapes—including those we have worked for years to protect.
Funding for conservation—which includes national parks, forests and wildlife refuges—makes up barely 1 percent of the federal budget.
A study published last week in Ecological Applications has shown that polar bear populations in the southern Beaufort Sea region have declined by 40 percent.
This Thanksgiving and holiday season there are so many things for wilderness lovers to be thankful for - in addition to the 758 designated wilderness areas covering nearly 110 million acres of American wild lands. Here's a few at the top of our list:
Thanksgiving is an ideal time to express gratitude for the good fortune in our lives as well as to stop and appreciate the incredible legacy of our wild public lands.
The research analysts and policy experts of the BLM Action Center cover the range of issues associated with protecting BLM lands. Alongside our work on specific land use planning processes, we also conduct independent research and analyses to improve public land management.
The Wilderness Society is leading the way. Acknowledging and protecting lands with wilderness characteristics is a key component of multiple use and sustained yield management, and, importantly, keeps the human-nature relationship intertwined with our approach to public lands policy.
Retired generals, veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and U.S.
A recent legal agreement should settle a long battle over whether or not to allow drilling on the highest lands of the plateau.
The Bureau of Land Management in California has taken a great step forward with its decision to protect a special part of the desert by denying an application for a large-scale solar project in the remote Silurian Valley.
Show the Trump administration Americans don't support plans to destroy this epic wildland.


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Style # 224055
Featuring a stretch back panel, exposed zipper, cropped cut and contrast binding, this bebe bustier is a fitted one-piece wonder. Dress up yours with a high waisted peplum skirt for a stunning going-out look.
- 76% polyester, 24% rayon
- Dry clean only
- Imported
- Center back to hem: 6" (15 cm)
- Lined
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Cropped Jacquard Bustier is rated out of 5 by 1.
Rated 5 out of 5 by mim8377 from bustier Luv my purchase. It's exactly how it looks online. Can't wait to wear it.......
Date published: 2014-04-01


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This Week In Island History
Week of August 30
The news of 10 and 15 years ago is from the Jamestown Press. The news of 100 years ago came from the collection of the Newport Historical Society.
100 years ago
From the Newport Journal, Aug. 30, 1912
Two of the wild deer on the north end of the island have been reported as seen by several parties during the past few days.
One of the castings at the ferry bridge gave way Monday, but repairs were made early enough to take care of the heavy automobile travel for tennis.
After the excitement of tennis week, those who like a quiet life will settle down to the usual lovely September weather, known as "Jamestown days," when those who remain for the autumn lead an informal life. The Golf Club is always a popular place during the September days.
75 years ago
From the Newport Daily News, Aug. 26, 1937
At the August meeting of the School Committee held at the Thomas H. Clarke School, Chairman Albert A. Boone, reported that the sidewalks at the Carr and Thomas H. Clarke schools had been completed, that heating and plumbing repairs had been cared for, and that the home economics room cabinet had been completed. Dr. P.J. Lynam was elected school physician for the coming year.
From the Newport Daily News, Aug. 27, 1937
At a special meeting of the Town Council it was voted that junk-dealer licenses be granted to Wolf Horowitz and Samuel Bieler.
50 years ago From the Newport Daily News,
Aug. 27, 1962
Field races led off the events of youth day on Saturday at the Jamestown recreation field. Activities included running, threelegged races, hurdle jumps, and swimming at Mackerel Cove beach. The Renegades from Newport played for dancing on the school parking lot in the evening and an exhibition of modern dance was given.
About 350 attended the annual johnnycake lunch at the Jamestown Historical Society's windmill on North Road on Saturday.
The Jamestown School Committee announced the appointment of seven new teachers. With these appointments, the teachers now under contract number 17. The committee voted to establish a written policy regarding the behavior of students on the school bus and the Jamestown ferry.
25 years ago From the Newport Daily News,
Aug. 25, 1987
The Town Council Monday approved appropriations for resurfacing of seven local roads In other action, the council opposed an application by the R.I. Department of Transportation to dump unusable concrete from the new Jamestown Bridge construction project into Narragansett Bay. From the Newport Daily News,
Aug. 28, 1987
Dutch Harbor Shipyard must remove all its moorings before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will consider an application for a federal permit for those moorings, an Army Corps official said Thursday.
15 years ago
From the Jamestown Press,
Aug. 28, 1997
The Town Council Monday gave a 3-0 thumbs up to a request to turn Fort Wetherill into a movie set for "Rum Runner," a Prohibition era movie that will get underway some time in September.
Town water bills will reflect tank painting. Homeowners on the municipal water system can expect to see an increase in water and sewer charges when they get their water bills next week. Sitting as the board of water and sewer commissioners last Wednesday, the Town Council voted to raise the 5,000-gallon water-use minimum from $39.93 to $40.93, up 2.5 percent, and increase the excess water charge from $3.08 to $3.23 per 1,000 gallons, up 5 percent. The commissioners also raised the sewer rate by 22 cents, from $4.33 to $4.55, another 5 percent increase.
10 years ago
From the Jamestown Press,
Aug. 29, 2002
A knighting ceremony took place last Thursday at the Jamestown library honoring the 100 children who completed the summer reading program.
Thirty-four kayakers took to the water Saturday for the eighth annual Jamestown Island Paddle.


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I always wanted a sister, and maybe that's why it is so heartbreaking for me to see the demise of Kim Richards and Kyle "Splits" Richards relationship on the past and present seasons of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Check that. If I'd had a sister, there is no question we would fight like cats and dogs (I'm feisty!). However, no imaginary sister of mine would have been cool enough in my younger years to carry Disney's Witch Mountain franchise. Furthermore, had I been blessed with two sisters, the lesser known, but very flexible one could never have pulled off starring along side Bette Davis in the freaky Watcher In The Woods. NERAK!
I realize that I often reference this movie when discussing Splits, but it's amazing. I'd tell you to Redbox it, but you probably need to find your local dying Blockbuster to locate it and see Splits in all of her supernatural glory. I feel like knowing the Richards sisters' past makes me more cognizant of their present. A sober Kim is clearly ridding herself of the demons that found her playing the teenage breadwinner, and Kyle is still uber-jealous that her older sister was the breakout child star. I should stop playing arm chair psychiatrist and get on with the post, right? My apologies.
Thankfully, now that the season we're currently watching has wrapped, everything seems to be much better with the Richards sisters. Thank goodness. Their family drama was painful to endure…at best!


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Chicken Noodle Soup with Master's Touch® All Natural Chicken Base
Chicken noodle soup makes people feel good. Feed the soul with real chicken broth, tender egg noodles and diced chicken breast and fresh vegetables.
4 gals Water
3 lbs Organic, Free Range, Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Cooked, Diced
2 lbs Onions, Diced
1 lb Carrots, Diced
1 lb Celery, Diced
1 Tbsp Black Pepper, Ground
1 1/2 lbs All Natural Egg Noodles
- Dissolve Master's Touch® All Natural Reduced Sodium Chicken Base in water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.
- Add all ingredients to stock. Simmer until tender.
- Add noodles and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.


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HONG KONG (AP) — Beijing's top official in Hong Kong has rejected letting the public nominate candidates to run for leader, in the strongest sign yet from China that it won't allowed the former British colony to freely choose its next leader.
Zhang Xiaoming said in an open letter that a provision in the city's mini-constitution requires candidates to be chosen by a "broadly representative nominating committee."
"There is no other option," Zhang said in the letter, written in response to a lawmaker's proposal.
Since China regained control of Hong Kong in 1997, the city's leader — known as the chief executive — has been chosen by an elite panel of mainly pro-Beijing tycoons and business group representatives.
Beijing promised in 2007 to allow Hong Kongers to elect their leader in 2017 and all lawmakers by 20202, but no outline has been given, adding to growing anxiety among residents that they'll be denied full democracy.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is facing growing public pressure to hold consultations on electoral reform.
Hong Kong pro-democracy groups have proposed several ways to make the nomination process more democratic, including allowing candidates to run if at least 2 percent the city's 3.4 million registered voters nominate them.
In July, Zhang told Hong Kong lawmakers the central government is serious about eventually allowing all Hong Kongers to vote for the chief executive. But he reiterated Beijing's insistence it would never let residents nominate their own candidates without central government approval.
Zhang said in his letter that the "correct path forward" for election methods is to follow the provisions of the Basic Law — Hong Kong's mini-constitution — and the National People's Congress Standing Committee — the Chinese legislature's governing body — "rather than detouring from the law."
Under the Basic Law, Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, gets to keep its own political system and Western-style civil liberties such as freedom of speech until 2047.
Zhang's letter was dated Aug. 30 and posted Thursday on the website of the Chinese central government's liaison office.
Zhang's letter (in Chinese): bit.ly/189xDjh
Follow Kelvin Chan at twitter.com/chanman


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An off-site power surge stalled the Dallas Zoo Monorail Safari on Wednesday afternoon, stranding dozens of passengers in mid-air for the third time in as many years.
The passengers were trapped about 12 feet off the ground in the open-air cars for about an hour while zoo officials tried to restart the train and await rescue help from Dallas Fire-Rescue.
Zoo officials handed up water and snacks to the stranded passengers. Once DFR arrived, the 48 passengers and the driver were escorted down the ladder to the ground below.
A power surge caused the slow-moving monorail to unexpectedly stop Wednesday afternoon, Zoo officials confirmed to NBC 5. The cause of the surge is unclear, but zoo officials told NBC 5 that several barns also lost power.
The monorail is expected to be closed through Friday while zoo officials examine the conditions of the track and trains.
The monorail is 24 years old and carries hundreds of thousands of riders each year, according to zoo officials. Long term, the zoo is looking to replace the monorail, but it will need to be privately funded.
This is the third such incident that has stranded passengers on the monorail in as many years.
On Feb. 13, 2013, 93 people were stranded due to a monorail malfunction at the Dallas Zoo.
And in September 2011, 30 people, babies among them, were rescued from a monorail that carries passengers through a 20-minute tour of the Wilds of Africa exhibit.
No injuries were reported.


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Since its debut as a basketball sneaker in 1969, the adidas Superstar has come to represent hip-hop culture and classic street style. This edition of the men's Shoes add a smooth nubuck upper to iconic details like the rubber shell toe and serrated 3-Stripes.
* Smooth nubuck upper
* Classic rubber shell toe
* Breathable mesh lining
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* Imported
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- Men/Women Adidas Originals Superstar II Shoes Running White/Black Blue Print
- $166.80 $90.00
Save: 46% off


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Inside Stories on the Permanent Collection
Bourke-White Photograph Sails into MIA Collection Undetected
Margaret Bourke-White, American, 1904-1971
Vanitie, International Yacht Races, Newport, Rhode Island, 1934
Gelatin silver print
Gift of the Kodak Camera Club, 92.18.3
In 1992, a retired photographer gave the museum three photographs, including one of a yacht with billowing sails that had the inscription "From C. P. Curtis" on the back of its mount. After the picture was accepted by the museum, I removed the mat and plastic wrapping that were not original, hoping to find information on Curtis. To my surprise and delight, I found that the photograph was signed by Margaret Bourke-White, the great photojournalist who provided a different image for the first cover of Life magazine, in 1936. Reproductions elsewhere confirmed that the image was by her, and we changed our records to reflect that fact. Curtis must have been the individual who gave the photograph to our donor, thus it was, indeed, "From C. P. Curtis," but definitely not by Curtis.
This was the first photograph the MIA acquired by Bourke-White, albeit in a rather unorthodox fashion. The five other pictures by her that subsequently entered the permanent collection, did so with us knowing who they were by.
Christian A. Peterson, association curator of photographs


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Dr. Robert Rogers
Medical Director
Dr. Rogers received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his MD degree from McGill University. He completed residency in internal medicine at Albany Medical Center and is board certified by the American College of Physicians. He has lectured on cardiovascular diseases at SUNY Potsdam and has been the physician member of seminars in medical ethics at Clarkson University.
His clinical background is in primary care internal medicine, with specialty interests in cardiology, echocardiography, and medical ethics. He also has more than 20 years of administrative experience in hospital quality and safety as the Medical Director at Canton-Potsdam Hospital. He also Chairs the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and the Instituional Review Board of the Canton-Potsdam Hospital.
Dr. Rogers lives in Potsdam and enjoys competitive running, cycling, and canoe racing.
Dr. Rogers believes that a health care professional must be both a dedicated student and an enthusiastic teacher. A strong foundation in the mechanisms of disease is essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment, but the addition of clear explanation can provide the education and reassurance which lead to better outcomes.


text: Industrial Nanotech, Inc., an emerging global leader in nanoscience energy saving solutions, announced that the company's Nansulate patented thermal insulation and protective coatings are in use by the United States' Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities. Applications for the coatings include steam pipe insulation, duct insulation and heat exchanger insulation. The coatings are a nanotechnology-based liquid form of insulation that offers a cost effective environmentally responsible solution for reducing energy costs said the company. Advantages for insulation and surface protection include low VOC, easy to apply, non-toxic and cannot be torn and cause debris because it is a clear coating that adheres directly to the surface. Nansulate also provides mold resistance, corrosion resistance and ease of installation with a brush, roller or paint sprayer.


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FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- For business minds seeking an opportunity that's as rewarding as it is profitable, an established Connecticut retail toy store is currently on the market and seeking new ownership.
Having been in operation for more that 30 years, the to-be-named-store specializes in the sale of high end toys to Westchester and Fairfield county families. The store is located in an active downtown, and has become a "go-to" retailer in the surrounding area.
Is your curiosity piqued and your inner child awoken?
For more information on the store, contact Chuck Bortnick at 203-770-9226 or email@example.com.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


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Welcome The Guncles, our newest celebrity guest bloggers!
Since this is our first time blogging for Parenting.com, we'll start off with a little introduction. We're Bill Horn and Scout Masterson, also known as The Guncles from Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood (new episodes currently airing Tuesdays at 10PM on Oxygen). During last season of the show, we documented our adoption journey with the season ending showing us announcing our match with a birthmother. The new season opened a few weeks ago with us adopting our daughter, Simone—also making us the first gay family with a child to appear on a reality television show. Yes, in 2011... We were indeed the first. Hard to believe with so many reality shows on TV these days!
Because of the show, we've been blessed with the opportunity to share our story about adoption and also help be a positive example for gay families. Those who watch the show, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook have been able to see that our family is just like theirs. Sometimes we'll meet people who say exactly that, "Oh, your family is a lot like ours!" Yes, it is. Sorry. We don't have circuit parties with boys wearing whistles and glow sticks. We cook, clean and parent... Just like you!
We feel like there are many people out there who don't know what an "open adoption" means. Matter of fact, we get so many messages on Facebook asking about what it means, thinking that the word "open" means that the birthparents can have the child returned to them at any time. This is definitely not the case!
We'd like to share some of our reasons why we chose an open adoption over a closed one or surrogacy. We get asked this question A LOT!! Open adoption appealed to us because we really liked the idea of maintaining communication with the birth mother (which is the meaning of "open" in open adoption). It never occurred to us to try to keep the adoption a secret from our child. After all, it's pretty common knowledge that two men can't naturally give birth to a child (Well, not yet at least!). Nor did we want to someday have a "Surprise! You're adopted!" conversation.
For us, choosing open adoption meant that we'd not only be giving a child a loving family and home, but also that we'd hopefully have the type of relationship with the birthmother that if we needed medical information in the future we could just ask. Luckily, we DO have that kind of relationship with Simone's birthmother. We text with her almost daily (still...and Simone is now 18 months old) and send pictures documenting our life. We like the idea that she can see that her selfless, courageous act of placing her child with us has given Simone a life of true happiness. Seeing a smile on a child's face speaks a thousand words. Because of her, our family dream has come true.
Adoption is just a normal conversation topic in our home. We in no way want to make it seem like it's a taboo subject. It's our "normal." On a shelf behind our dining room table is a picture of us with the birthmother holding a newborn Simone. Now that Simone's getting a little older, she knows that's a picture of her birthmother—the woman who carried her in her belly as a special gift to us. That's how it's explained for now, as she gets older we'll start filling her in with more details as she can understand them. But that picture is never moved, nor hidden as our guests come and go. Simone's birthmother is a member of our extended family and her picture remains among our family photos. We realize how lucky we are to have been blessed with not only an amazing daughter, but also an amazing birthmother. Over the past few years we have met several folks who, after the adoption, had all communication cut off by the birthmother. It's sad, but people deal with situations in their own way. This is one of the many reasons we enjoy sharing our story. We want people to know that these dream situations of having a great relationship with the birthmother do exist!
Backing up a bit... Because this is also a question people ask but we haven't shared yet. Our hospital experience for Simone's birth was quite interesting. It was truly THE happiest and equally THE scariest moment of our lives thus far. Without going into details about the hospital, we'll just say that Simone was born in a Catholic hospital in a rural area. So unfortunately because we were a gay couple, the hospital didn't celebrate the pending arrival of our child with the same enthusiasm they afforded other couples. Just to be clear, we have nothing against the Catholic faith—and we both come from Catholic families. This was our experience and it more than likely would have been handled differently if the birth had taken place in a city like Los Angeles or New York City, but unfortunately this small town had different views than ours.
We learned that a hospital social worker had tried to talk our birthmother out of placing Simone with us about a month before our arrival for the birth. When we arrived at the hospital, we were "kindly" asked by the nursing staff to stay in our room at all times. They said it was because we were famous and that people would recognize us, but we could sense that wasn't the true reason based on the way some of the staff treated us. At one point, a staff member had told us that we weren't even allowed in the cafeteria! That was until we said that if this was the case, we assumed we could call in our meal orders to the nurses' station for them to go down to the cafeteria and deliver to us. We guess they didn't see that coming, so we were then "permitted" to go to the cafeteria to order our food (to go) but asked not to linger in the hallways on our way to and from there. As if the pending birth and adoption wasn't already stressful enough, now we also had to worry about creating drama for picking up a cheeseburger in the cafeteria!
Luckily, our birthmother had the most amazing midwife who looked after us. She hand-selected the nurses (nice ones!) for us and we still keep in touch! If it weren't for this midwife, our experience wouldn't have been a pleasant one for sure. Anxiety was on high alert. We felt secure that all would go well, but in the back of our minds we couldn't help worrying that after the birth maybe our birthmother would change her mind, or that someone on staff at the hospital would try to do so. Although our birthmother never did anything to indicate this (she always referred to us as the "dads") it's just a natural fear in this situation. Because of the amazing midwife, we were both granted access by the anesthesiologist into the operating room at the time of the emergency c-section. We held the birthmother's hand as our little lady was born—an experience and moment we will never forget and will forever cherish. From that moment on, we were finally dads. We gave Simone her first bath, fed her first bottle, and logged in our very first all-nighter caring for our little baby.
Over the next few days, we continued to enjoy every moment with Simone. We were so excited that this moment we had waited almost 2 years for was finally here that we never even sent her to the nursery to be cared for by the nursing staff. We did it all and we loved it! Although we were there without our families, thanks to our trusty Blackberries we talked, texted and emailed pictures all day and night to our families and close friends. If we had to pick the most stressful thing about our entire adoption journey, we'd have to say it was on discharge day waiting for the adoption counselors to arrive back to our room with the signed birthmother relinquishments. The law is that the birthmother couldn't sign anything until she was no longer under the influence of pain medication. Since she had an emergency C-section, she couldn't sign for 4 days. Sitting and waiting in that room for over an hour was truly the scariest moment of our lives. We remember the nervous energy all too well, staring down the hall trying to see anything we could. But, as we knew deep down in our hearts, of course everything was fine. Looking back now at the situation, we know that our anxiety was only natural.
There are so many more things we'd like to share with you about open adoption and our parenting experiences. We'll cover more in future blog posts. Also, if you're thinking of adoption or need a little extra advice about your adoption process, we recently launched "Hold My Hand," an adoption mentoring service whose mission is to guide people in all areas of the adoption process and to help them overcome their obstacles. We don't charge for this service, nor are we social workers or trained professionals. We're just two dads who have been through the adoption process and want to help others through theirs. For more information, please visit www.gunclesonline.com.
You can find us on Twitter: @ScoutMasterson @TheBillHorn and on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheGuncles.
-- The Guncles, Bill & Scout


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SACRAMENTO - Global demand for wine is outstripping supply, U.S. consumers brought more wine than ever last year, and what might be a record 2012 winegrape harvest in California may be just enough to bring the market into balance, a panel of industry experts reported Wednesday.
SACRAMENTO - Global demand for wine is outstripping supply, U.S. consumers brought more wine than ever last year, and what might be a record 2012 winegrape harvest in California may be just enough to bring the market into balance, a panel of industry experts reported Wednesday.
That's good news for farmers and vintners in San Joaquin County, which leads the state in production of many of the most popular grape varieties.
"What I was excited about was this solid growth in the industry." said Stephen Kautz, president of Ironstone Vineyards of Murphys, whose family also operates a winery and vineyards in the Lodi area. "It was a positive statement for our industry."
The uptick follows nearly a decade of a wine and grape oversupply and low fruit prices, which prompted some growers, particularly those in the southern San Joaquin Valley, to pull out vineyards and turn to other crops. The result, as the world's thirst for wine continued to grow but there were no new supplies in California and other areas, was a sharp swing in the market over the past two years.
Glenn Proctor of Ciatti Co., a California-based wine brokerage who addressed the annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium on Wednesday, said short supplies triggered a sharp rise in bulk wine prices last year. But anecdotal reports of a large California crop caused them to ease again.
"It's a balanced market. We think that's a good thing," he said. "We think it's better, because it's in balance and hopefully sustainable."
Another speaker Nat Dibuduo, president of Allied Grape Growers, a cooperative that represents growers in negotiating sales to wineries, said his best guess is that California produced nearly 3.9 million tons of winegrapes last fall. The previous record crop of 2005 topped 3.7 million tons.
"It should be our largest crop in history," he said.
Grape prices have come down, but they seem to be holding at a point where both growers and winemakers can earn a decent profit.
"The underlying factors that create a stable market look to be in our favor, at least for the foreseeable future," Dibuduo said.
Another expert speaking Wednesday, Jon Fredriksen of Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates, said he saw a lot of smiles in the expected crowd of 1,200.
"I do see a lot of happy faces out there, because you growers hit it out of the park last year," he said.
Estimated shipments of wine to U.S. retailers hit 363 million cases (9 liters per case) last year, a new record. Fredrikson noted American wine consumption has doubled since the 1991 airing of the "French Paradox" on "60 Minutes," which suggested wine's healthful benefits help give the French a lower rate of heart disease and triggered a resurgence in wine sales that continues today.
Fredrikson also named his wine market stars, wineries who saw strong sales gains among consumers last year. Among them were DFV Wines, founded in Manteca as Delicato Family Vineyards, where it has a major winery; McManis Family Vineyards in Ripon; and, in its first appearance on the list, LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards in Acampo.
The wine consultant's wineries of the year were E&J Gallo Winery and Constellation Brands, which operates the Woodbridge Mondavi winery, also in Acampo.
Contact reporter Reed Fujii at (209) 546-8253 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Ok my baby isn't gaining...I know its just been a week but it makes me nervous. His clothes also fit a little differently...baggier in the tummy.
I haven't been able to get a decent reading on a feeding; when we did a weigh at the clinic, he was too distracted and didn't feed well...we got about 3/4 oz after an hour and a half without draining the breasts...that's a little less than what I thought I was producing. Its nowhere near enough even if he is getting an oz each hour its about 6-8 oz shy.
Anyways..I just thought I would report back. I know this whole exercise improved my supply from where it was and its made supplemental feeding less frustrating. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner.
I am much more optimistic about the next baby in any event. Thank you everyone!


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Again, imagine the kind of opponent you will be facing…his size/momentum/…
'Contesting the opponent's power' is, sometimes, not a very smart way to fight…because no matter how tough you think you are at the moment, there is a good chance an opponent or multiples_ will be way tougher than you ever hope to be.
Our Hojo undo step off drills are good but they are not practiced enough to understand and program their use under attacks.
I really like the Enshin footwork, because it almost mirrors our moves in Uechi drills and kata… they are done in very simple patterns…easy to assimilate if we work them.
Working them is the key.
This is mostly what I concentrate on in my classes, along with power counters honed by heavy impact training.
Josann talks about 'system jumpers' …and, as we know, movements must be practiced tens of thousand of times before they will surface automatically…a system jumper simply cannot do this.
It also involves time to break out of bad habits.
So there is much to what Josann describes as 'jack of all trades and masters of none'
In a previous such discussion on my forum, our Raffi Derderian wrote the following
Now for the big question.
Where and when will you practice these new footwork methods? You really can't put them in kata. So do they go in the bunkai, Dan Kumite, sparring? It takes a long time to break in and train (and UNtrain) footwork.
How much effort will you put into it? Will you be willing to give up precious kata time in class to do this? Might need to bag Kanshiwa bunkai for a while.
Will you do it on a regular basis? If not, don't bother.
As I have said so many times before, cross training isn't just dabbling in this and that once in a while. The best footwork drills are done against spontaneous punches and kicks. If you really want to keep it honest, clasp your hands behind you back. Really makes you move those feet.


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Free Beer & Hot Wings: Woman Tries to Pull Truck in High Heels, Fails Miserably [Video]
On Monday morning on "The Today Show," a woman attempted to break the world record for pulling the heaviest truck while wearing high heels.
Lia Grimanis, of Toronto-based Up With Women, said that she wanted to show how strong women are by pulling the 15,000-pound truck on live TV.
There are so many uncomfortable things about the effort:
- She fails miserably.
- The awkward commentary and happy chat by Matt Lauer and the other co-hosts.
- The aftermath where everyone just kind of stands around, wondering if she's going to give it another shot.
Check out the awkwardness below!
Source: Free Beer & Hot Wings


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Welcome to DubBox USA
If you're looking for a small camper that will be the envy of all, then look no further!
Tailgating, Camping, Food Carts and more...
Ideal for weeks away for two, or extra space for a family of campers, Dub box has all you need…a spacious dining area that would easily seat four adults, a huge converted double bed, a custom kitchenette with plenty of storage and so much more.
Customization is another reason why Dub box stands out from the crowd. Not only can you choose the colors for the upholstery but also the work tops, cupboards, flooring and blinds. Everything about our campers has been tailor made to enhance your camping experience.
But the fun does not stop here. Dub Box makes a great food cart and or event cart. We offer the same customization and we build to specific county codes. Do you have a secret recipe in mind you want to share with your community? Well, serve it up in a Dub Box!
100% Fiberglass - No VW Campervans have been hurt in the process. -
Whether it's selling coffee, micro-brews, grilled cheese, hot dogs or even fancy french pastries, food carts are cooking up something for everyone.-
Lightweight enough to be towed by many vehicles...compact enough to be stored in a garage.-


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HOT SPRINGS Arkansas Republicans have re-elected each of their five state officers during the annual winter meeting.
State GOP Chairman Doyle Webb of Benton was unopposed and re-elected to a third term as chairman of the party in voting Saturday at the meeting in Hot Springs. The meeting comes weeks after the November election in which the GOP won control of the Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction and Republicans swept all four of the state's congressional seats.
Duane Neal of Bentonville was re-elected first vice chairman and Robin Lundstrum of Springdale was re-elected second vice chairman. John Parke of Little Rock was re-elected party treasurer and Jennifer Parks of El Dorado was re-elected as secretary.
State Republican Party officers may serve up to four consecutive two-year terms.


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Brown & Newirth Diamond 5mm Wedding Band
5mm heavy weight flat top, rounded sides, court band. Total diamond weight 0.15 carats.
XD436 Brown & Newirth Diamond 5mm Wedding Band
5mm heavy weight flat top, rounded sides, court band. Inset is three 0.05 carat princess cut diamonds in rubbed edge settings. Polished finish. Total diamond weight 0.15 carats. The colour of the diamond is minimum G/H with clarity SI1.
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Please contact us with finger size and metal required to obtain a price - phone us on 01325 480777 or use our enquiry form.
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We use Royal Mail Special Delivery, the goods are insured by us until signed for by you.
For more details please phone our sales line 01325 480777 during business hours and we will be pleased to discuss your requirements.
Payment can be made by credit or debit card, or by cheque crossed and made payable to Sharp & Sons (Jewellers) Limited and sent to our shop address here.
Please read our terms and conditions.


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I don't fully understand what you mean by "untill the bird obtain less than 25% of eclipse ratio, Max 20 minutes in Non-eclipse period and 10 minutes in eclipse period are operation limit in One day". Does this mean that the satellite can only run for one pass over Japan each day, even if it has coverage for many passes? Does this also mean that activating the satellite more than once in a single day might cause harm somehow? I dont' want to seem snoopy, I just don't like to see a useful satellite being un-used just because it needs to be woken-up by somebody who knows the "secret" codes ;) '73 Auke VE6PWN ----- Original Message ----- From: "JA0CQP" <firstname.lastname@example.com> To: <firstname.lastname@example.com> Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 6:17 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: FO-29 status > Hi, All, > > Here is a reply from the JARL who is responsible on FO-29 > operation. > > -------------------------------- > Current situation of the FO-29 is as following and regret but > she is NOT in a condition to offer worldwide seivice. > > 1. Blance of Power budget > Although power from the solar cell is just adequate, inner > impedance of the Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries is increasing. > Therefore approximately 10 minutes lator after the bird entered > eclipse, UVC will be activated and pull the trigger on the > transmitter$B!!(Bshut down. > Currently eclipse rate is about 33%. > > $B#2!%(BThe PCU (Power Control Unit) is in trouble and hence > transmitter does not wake automatically up, even the voltage > at the battery terminal became high enough. > >>From above mentioned situation, untill the bird obtain less than > 25% of eclipse ratio, Max 20 minutes in Non-eclipse period and > 10 minutes in eclipse period are operation limit in One day. > > Now a days, bird passes over Tokyo 2-3 times in a day between > 10:30hours to 14:00hours and in between 10-11hours, the bird > flys over the Pacific Ocean which brings very good result on > commanding, just after the command station got AOS. > Then the bird passes Arctic area and serve to Scandinavia > and most of Europe area before the transmitter shut down > by the by UVC. ( Part of East Coast of North America > will also be in service area ) > On the 12hours to 14hours passes, because bird flys over the > Continent, command does not reach to the bird. > Some time, control station can not turn the trasmitter on > by several reasons. > Even the bird waked up by command, service duration will > be much shorter. > > As JARL, will take a care on FO-29 to serve for as many as > possible users in the world, however, please do understand > above reasons. > About 2 years lator (year 2010), FO-29 will has no-eclipse, > then it may be possible to operate for longer duration. > > ----------------------------------------- > > 73s > Toyo Komatsu, > JA0CQP > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via email@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.7/1234 - Release Date: 1/20/2008 > 2:15 PM > _______________________________________________ Sent via firstname.lastname@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
AMSAT Home


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As Tom points out, these $100 laptops-per-child mass produced for every kid on the planet should be the ham-radio target machine for just about everything we do. I can think of no better investment in ham radio, than making sure our stuff can run on these machines. And thereby get kids involved in HAM radio. As they come, they have 802.11g wireless for a self-building network from nothing. Out of the box, they will network, and the ads say, the 802.11 is more powerful than conventional wireless lans. Ham radio can bring some RF expertise to these networks. Because the laptop is supposed to be able to form this peer-to-peer social network throughtout a villiage as is. We can add some longer links... My first thought is a USB PSK-31 device that links that laptop, not just to he next hut in the villiage, but can use 5W radios on PSK-31 to reach the world. I think the target power for the whole laptop is around 1 watt. So it can be recharged on solar power. This thing just jumps out at me as a fundamental building block for ad-hoc emergnecy comms and funn coms and just about everything else we do with ham radio. Then we overlay on top of that, all the neat things we do in ham radio. As tom points, out, AMSATS etc. (And of course APRS) Winlink and all our other EMCOMM toys... Of course until they get to the millions of quantities, they are now costing $200 each, and you have to buy two for a total of $400 to get yours (the other one goes to a kid)... But its a great way to get one... and start developing code... Actually get two (4), so you can play both ends... WB4APR, Bob _______________________________________________ Sent via firstname.lastname@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
AMSAT Home


text: A inspiring music pack of four high quality mystical bell tracks with superb modern synthesis, perfect for tv, film, advertising, documentaries, fashion shows, background music or just for a laidback listening. The pack consists of the following tracks supplied in Wav, fully professionally mastered with apogee converters. Truly sublime timeless pieces. 1. Bells of Yesterday : 2:27 – http://audiojungle.net/item/bells-of-yesterday/5787424 2. Bells of Winter : 2:12 – http://audiojungle.net/item/bells-of-winter/5779811 3. Bells of Thinkers : 2:19 – http://audiojungle.net/item/bells-of-thinkers/4832472 4. Bells of Pro Exotic : 2:27 – http://audiojungle.net/item/bells-pro-exotic/5854606


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partners. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Dental Hygiene
What Are Treatments for Sensitivity in Teeth?
What are treatments for sensitivity in adult teeth?
You can try over-the-counter products for sensitive teeth such as Sensodyne toothpaste or Crest sensitive toothpaste. You can also try ACT fluoride rinse. It may take a week or so for these products to start working.
You can also visit your dentist as there are professional products such as fluoride varnish that can be applied. You should really see your dentist first to find out the cause of the sensitivity. If it is a cavity, these products will not work. If it is root sensitivity caused by the gums receding, these products may work for you.
Michele P Carr, RDH, MA
Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene
Associate Professor of HS Nursing Quality & Research
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University


text: Hello there, I have a Panasonic Lumix G7 and i just bought the Atomos Ninja Flame. Yesterday i made some test shots and they came out very noisy,..see picture Anybody got an idea why this could be? Or send me in the direction where i need to search to solve the problem? The G7 had following settings: ISO 640, aperture 3.5, shutter 50, white balance set manually , Picture style: Natural Contrast: -5 Sharpness: 0 Noise reduction: 0 Saturation -5 Camera was set to 4K uhd .mp4 - 25fps 100mbs The Atomos was set to Prores 422 Is there anybody who was had something like this? I can't really think that so much noise comes from a ISO from 640? Maybe my censor from the camera became to hot (i read online that this can also cause noise) And there is a good change that my camera was to hot cause it was sitting exactly under the main lamp (800watt) which lights the front of the character. Today i am going to make the same shot with a cold camera and see if that was the problem. Meanwhile i hope somebody on the forum can lead me in the right direction to solve the problem. Thanx in front greetz Lenny https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8...mF5TGdtOXR6ZkE


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We at The Hearing Blog have been banging the drum for residual hearing preservation after CI surgery since June, as the post-implant performance is much better, and there is a much lower risk of tinnitus.
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On 11 Jan 2016, In Cochlear Implant, Hybrid (EAS), Residual Hearing Preservation, Roger FM system, Uncategorized, by Dan Schwartz, No comments
We at The Hearing Blog have been banging the drum for residual hearing preservation after CI surgery since June, as the post-implant performance is much better, and there is a much lower risk of tinnitus.
Selecting a Cochlear Implant SurgeonJune 11, 2015, 178 Comments
ReSound & Cochlear Wireless Accessory CompatibilitySeptember 30, 2014, 39 Comments
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Bridges to Kindergarten
In just one short week, I will start my third summer school session. I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of a groundbreaking program that hopefully will grow in the coming years. I will be co-teaching with a kindergarten teacher and the students will have an opportunity to have class in a kindergarten classroom. There are several goals we are hoping to accomplish with this bridge to kindergarten.
Students and their families will become familiar with their child's elementary school. It will provide an opportunity for students and their families to do this without the "first day of school distractions." In addition, students will participate in learning readiness activities that encourage language development and social emotional interaction. Students will also have an opportunity to participate in a Reader's and Writer's Workshop. This model of teaching allows students to work at their own pace, represent what they have learned in their own creations and share their work with peers, teachers and their families. Our half-day program will serve as a shortened version of the all day Kindergarten classes. Students will participate in all daily activities including time allotted for specialties: art, physical education, music and media center. Students will learn how to use materials and what to expect from each of the classrooms. Last, but not least, the hope is that students will be energized and excited to start the school year!
One thing I am looking forward to is the feedback and reflection of this new endeavor. It will be interesting to see what the kindergarten teachers, parents and school administrators observe during the first few weeks of the school year. As I make my reminder calls, I hear the voices of so many five- and six-year olds. They are excited to get back to school and more than ready to cross over the bridge…to kindergarten!


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Register for the Event
- Fees at Member, Non-Member and Affiliate (partners and sponsors) rates can be seen here.
- An "early bird" rate applies up until and including April 30, 2013.
- The affiliate rate applies to partners and sponsors. Ask your organization for your Promotion Code and enter it when you register.Note: Certification does NOT entitle you to membership privileges.
- You will be charged in the currency that you choose when registering.
- Local tax will be added to the fees.
Read the full terms and conditions that apply to our conferences
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All cancellations must be submitted by email and sent to email@example.com. Cancellation by any other means will not be effective. In the event of cancellation more than 7 days prior to the event, an administration fee of 5% will be charged. No refund will be available in the event of cancellation 7 days or less prior to the event.
Attendee substitutions may be made at any time without payment of an administration fee prior to the start of the event.


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Two British hit men sit in a dingy basement. Their only connection to the outside world is via a dumbwaiter, apparently rigged to an upstairs café. They jaw at each other, read trivial newspaper articles aloud and have problems with a faulty toilet. They receive orders for elaborate dishes through the dumbwaiter, but they don't know who the sender is. All the while they await the command for a mysterious kill.
So what's really going on here?
That question is the enigma and driving force behind Harold Pinter's "The Dumb Waiter," the inaugural production at Bébé Café in Old Town. "In a backhanded way," says director Frank Melcori, a 12-year veteran of the Burque theater scene, "it makes this comment of, Why are we even here at all in terms of what we're doing with ourselves?"
The one-act play premiered in 1960. It's a staple of the era's absurdist theater movement, highlighted by the likes of Pinter, Edward Albee and Samuel Beckett. If the scenario of "Dumb Waiter" sounds vaguely familiar, that's probably because it owes quite a bit to Beckett's Waiting for Godot, which also pits two men in a bleak, existential dilemma, shrouded by fears of the unknown. The argument can also be made that Martin McDonagh's In Bruges is not much more than an animated, violent retelling of Pinter's classic. "There's an underlying violence in Pinter," says Melcori. "That kind of invisible violence that's there. The unnamable fear that appears. McDonagh just takes it a step further and physicalizes it."
Starring in the production are Scott Sharot as Gus and Jeff Silverman as Ben. Gus is the more plebeian, concerned chap. Ben takes on airs of superiority, castigating Gus while hiding from him a secret that's at the heart of the their murky premise.
Melcori says he's kept much of the play's underpinnings intact—the Cockney accents, questions of class tension and overall strangeness that Pinter is known for. But his production has less of the awkward silences that mark the works of Beckett and Pinter. "If I were to stage it directly as it was written, it would get a little tedious," Melcori says. "So I'm just playing it a little bit more naturally." But, he adds, "it's still as weird a story as you can get."


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No rave in at Verizon in Manchester, Mayor Gatsas saysBy KATHRYN MARCHOCKI
New Hampshire Union Leader
September 04. 2013 9:28PM
MANCHESTER — Verizon Wireless Arena cancelled this month's rave concert by Barstool Blackout Tour amid city concerns over abuse of the club drug "Molly" that is suspected in the deaths of two New Hampshire university students in Boston and New York in the last eight days.
"They were certainly a concern," Mayor Ted Gatsas said Wednesday of the Barstool Blackout Tour, which describes itself on its web site as the "world's largest blacklight party taking over one college at a time" and promotes its concerts as "an absolutely orgy of sound and light for all your senses."
Gatsas confirmed arena General Manager Tim Bechert notified him Tuesday the Sept. 28 concert is cancelled.
"I thanked him for his efforts," the mayor said. Bechert did not return several calls for comment.
"The Verizon Wireless center does a great job and we have a great partnership with them. I would never try to influence him about his shows, but we certainly did talk," the mayor said.
The mayor said he met with Bechert in the last week and the concert "just came up in general conversation." Gatsas said he discussed concerns over "Molly," a form of the hallucinogenic drug Ecstasy. The drug is believed to be responsible for the deaths of Plymouth State University sophomore Brittany Flannigan, 19, of Derry (see related story, Page A5) at the House of Blues nightclub in Boston on Aug. 28 and University of New Hampshire junior Olivia Rotondo, 20, of North Providence, R.I. at a New York City concert Saturday.
The drug, also known as the "love drug" or "hug drug," is popular among 18- to 25-year-old students and associated with electronic music concerts, or "DJ parties," because it reportedly enhances the effect of the light and music, law enforcement officials said.
Molly, short for molecule, is considered to be pure MDMA, unlike Ecstasy.
Manchester police contacted police in East Stroudsburg, Pa. and Burlington, Vt., where Barstool Blackout Tour recently performed, Lt. Maureen Tessier said. This is routinely done to determine what type of security detail would be needed for the concert, she said.
Tessier said the two agencies reported the Barstool Blackout Tour resulted in a lot of young people who were impaired to the point they couldn't care of themselves, she said.
Manchester police planned to recommend a larger police security detail than normal, but also a greater emergency medical presence at the concert site. East Stroudsburg police said several concert-goers had to be transported to the hospital.
Crime, law and justice Public Safety Health Politics Social issues Manchester Top Section Stories


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Haylor's New Year's Eve Kiss – Animals Respond!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLAIWCG5aF4]
The world hasn't been able to stop talking about Harry Styles and Taylor Swift's New Year's Eve kiss, and even animals are getting in on the conversation! The couple, who began quietly dating some time in November, have been having quite the winter vacay! First they hit the slopes in Utah, then took the Times Sqaure in NYC, where the aforementioned kiss went down, and now they're soaking up the sun in the British Virgin Islands. Well, we have a fishy friend over at Teen, and we thought we'd take the time to get his perspective on the NYE kiss matter. We showed him the video, and his response, was, interesting. Watch the video above! What do you guys think of Haylor? Share your thoughts in the comments!


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Barack Obama announced tonight at a press conference that he is leaving Trinity United Church of Christ. Apparently Rev. Pfleger was the last straw. Obama's explanation was characteristically self-pitying and evasive:
It's clear that now that I am a candidate for president, every time something is said in the church by anyone associated with Trinity, including guest pastors, the remarks will be imputed to me, even if they totally conflict with my long-held views, statements and principles.
Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't choose to attend a church where sermons are constantly preached that not only "totally conflict with my long-held views," but rightly offend many millions of people. The question that is still left hanging, of course, is why they didn't offend Obama until they appeared on YouTube.
The national media have already twice hailed Obama for skillfully handling the Trinity "distraction" and putting it behind him. Obviously the voters saw it differently. Even our mainstream reporters may have a hard time congratulating Obama on his third new position on the issue in, what, 60 days? So press reaction is likely to be muted.
Pundits often talk about whether a candidate has put an issue behind him, but I'm not sure whether this ever really happens. The Rev. Wright fiasco has done permanent damage to Obama. The most he can expect to gain from his disavowal tonight is that the next time some fruitcake gives an offensive sermon at Trinity, he won't have to answer questions about it.
Voters will continue to wonder, however, what Obama was doing there for twenty years, and what his embrace of the theology of hate that was so often on display at Trinity tells us about him.
PAUL adds: Obama left Trinity Church for the same reason he joined it — political opportunism. The theology was always something he could take or leave. Both phenomena, the opportunism and the fact that he could take Rev. Wright's brand of black liberation theology, reflect very poorly on Obama.
To comment on this post go here.


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Archive for the 'RIT' Category
TEDxRochester 2010 – Bridging the Digital Divide
It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech. ~Mark Twain
Help Wanted – Fortune Hunter Math Adventure
Late last week I had the opportunity to check in with RIT to see how student projects were coming along. To my surprise, the Fortune Hunter team has plans to push out a release by the end of the year. But to do that, they recognize that they need to push development beyond the borders of RIT and actively recruit from the FOSS community as a whole.
First, I should say that Fortune Hunter is a dungeon scenario role playing game where players navigate a series of rooms, collect items and battle various creatures by solving math problems.
Though I'd have to say that one of my favorite concepts in the game is the shop. The idea is that if the player wants to barter for special items they must deal with the shopkeeper in a realistic manner. Offer too little money and you'll get snubbed. Offer too much and the shopkeeper will gladly take the money and use it against you later on.
So what does the Fortune Hunter team need? Truthfully they need Artists and Pythonistas who can elevate the code quality. Jon writes –
What would actually be extremely helpful would be some programmers. Currently, the team is lacking any experts in that realm and to be honest, they would probably save us a whole lot of time and help us progress much further to push and get more done.
Jon compiled a short list of needs and promised that there would be more organization to the project to help new contributors and the project reach it's release goal.
If you, or someone you know could help get this release out, please don't hesitate to contact Jon and the team. You can get details in the Fortune Hunter wiki and you can get copies of the game in the GIT repo if you'd like to test the game and Fortune Maker engine.
Gearing up for FSOSS
This morning I received my speakers packet for the Free Software and Open Source Symposium taking place at Seneca College in Toronto in a couple of weeks.
For those of you feeling the vacuum that the Ontario GNU/Linux Fest left, this might be a good alternative for you.
Just be aware that early-bird registration ends October 8 and it's a significant discount. Especially for Students!
As far as the feel of the two conferences…. I won't pretend that OGLF and FSOSS occupied the same niche, because they always catered to a slightly diffrent audiences. OGLF was more of a user conference and FSOSS is geared at academic use and leading edge development.
That's not to say that all the topics covered at Seneca are advanced, or that topics at OGLF didn't meet the needs of hard-core hackers. It's just that the topics are focused on a slightly different area of the spectrum that is Open Source.
In any case, if you're looking for a nice little conference in a great city, I'd highly recommend registering for FSOSS.
Wanted: Design Ninjas
There's another way for university students to participate in Open Source, and this week it comes by way of the Fedora Design bounty.
Máirín Duffy writes in her blog:
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a street-wearable, stylish T-shirt for folks involved with the Fedora Students Contributing project. This T-shirt should be something these folks can wear proudly, and it would be totally cool if it was a design eye-catching enough to elicit questions from passers-by, "Where did you get that T-shirt?" or "What's Fedora?" I'm hoping it will open up the way for a conversation to share what Fedora is and what it's about.
If you'd like to know what's in it for you, or get info on how to participate pop over to Mo's blog post "Fedora Design Bounty: 'Fedora Students Contributing' T-Shirt" for plenty of links to get you started.
Guest Lecture This Morning at RIT
In just a little while I'll be heading over to RIT to give a short talk on FOSS Community Collaborations.
For those who are interested in the slide deck, I've uploaded them to the Fedora Wiki.
As you can see from this picture it has girl-y goodness through out. Why so girl-y for this talk? It has nothing to do with the topic. It's not from a girl point of view, or for any other psychological reason. I just liked it and never use the same background twice. Each presentation is Unique. So watch for the next upload for something new to look at.
List of embedded links are below for ease of clicking. And feel free to leave comments below if you have questions about the presentation.
Visual Collaboration
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Internet_Relay_Chat_commands
- http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/new2irc.html
- http://www.linux.com/archive/feed/61439
On Failure
On general community Etiquette
- http://theopensourceway.org/book/The_Open_Source_Way-How_to_tell_if_a_FLOSS_project_is_doomed_to_FAIL.html
Slide Background image –
"Colorful flowers" by Martine Lemmens
Kicking off the Fall Quarter at RIT
This morning I was able to attend the first session of RIT's Humanitarian FOSS class.
As some of you know, the class has been running since Spring of 2009, but this time around it seemed like a much better start than we've had over the previous quarters the class is run.
While I'd like to point you to the one thing that has me feeling more positive about the course, the truth is, there isn't one thing.
Instead, it's lots of little things that have morphed into what looks like it's going to be a well oiled machine. Of course I know that won't be the case because there will be things to work on no matter how well the class goes.
But still, I walked away feeling really positive and energized about this quarters syllabus and the students in the class. I'm really psyched about the newly regrouped Pythonistas and Rochester OLPC user group being combined to better support the class.
Next Tuesday I'll be giving a short guest lecture on FOSS Community mores. It will cover some basics like using IRC and what we feel is effective communication. I've also been asked to work "How to tell if a FLOSS project is doomed to FAIL" into the slides as well.
I'll post my slides when I get them done, so watch for those on the TOS wiki.
Re: Have you seen this?
On 07/10/2010 09:54 PM, D. S. wrote:
No I hadn't seen it yet, but MS is losing ground to companies like Google and their "Don't be Evil" stance on business. So how does a company become less evil? They start finding projects for the good of the order and shout it from the rooftops every time they do something that's even a little bit generous.
It's actually very cleaver of them from a marketing point of view. They know that they still have market and mind share and while the majority of their clientele isn't looking at FOSS, they're adopting some FOSS like programs to soften up their image.
The biggest thing to consider is the basics of business. Throwing money at a problem isn't usually an effective solution. Yes, MS has lots and lots of money to solve problems with, but FOSS has enough momentum now that no matter what MS does they can't regain the ground they've lost. Their only hope is to slow the exodus now that there is a public awareness of alternatives and that the choices aren't half bad.
My best advice – remember there is choice. When things like this come up, remind people that the HFOSS project has been doing this same thing for a while now. When MS wants to talk Education, bring up OLPC and such. Yes, it's good that they're putting money to good use, but they didn't invent some of these ideas, nor are they the only players on the field.
It no longer has to be about how FOSS is like commercial, but it can be about how commercial has to be like FOSS and behave like human beings to remain relevant in the changing tech environment.
Week 1, Pontiac MI
One harsh reality of On-Disk.com is that while ISOs are fresh, business is booming. But, 3 months after a release, those who wanted the latest and greatest the Linux world has to offer probably have it. Then after about 4 months, those who haven't gotten it will most likely wait a couple of months and get the next release.
This August, however, I will be giving a talk at LinuxCon. Yes, it's going to be a fun time in a great city, but by then it's past the 4 month mark and we won't have lots of extra money to spend on the trip.
A solution to our slow summer months presented itself this year with some casual employment as a corporate trainer with Eagle Productivity Solutions.
While I knew I'd be jetting off to some US City to deliver the training, I didn't expect;
- for my first week on the road that I'd be in Pontiac MI.
- that a very recent Twitter follower would be on the Michigan!/usr/groupboard.
- the MUG meeting would fall on my off night between my two training sessions.
- to talk a few minutes about my role as a community hacker.
I didn't have anything prepared, in fact, I can confidently say I was the only person in the room who opted to pack a lipstick rather than a laptop.
The talk was very casual. A bit about how I got into FOSS, and how someone who avoids the terminal window at all cost could be qualified to give a talk to hard core Unix and Linux users.
But I think I got my point across. That point of course being that the community is key. Using is one thing, but involvement is a whole other ball of wax.
I suppose the most important thing that came out of the talk was a question from a member asking "how do you/I/we get involved?"
My answer was to take these notions that someone should do something – about anything really – and take 10 seconds to seriously consider being that someone. No one would hold their feet to the fire if they opted out of helping, but if they could get into the habit of weighing the pros and cons of involvement, they might find something to become passionate about.
There are a lot of needs and a lot of really good projects out there that do so much more than pump out fresh ISOs. The best part is that at this point it's not just grand ideas. There are functioning groups out there so I did talk a little about TeachingOpenSource.org and the Math4 project class that has spawned FOSS@RIT and the chain of events that those projects lead to.
Most importantly, I tried to show how little ideas and passionate people help bring FOSS out to those who can benefit from open code.
Why was it me?
Before you get the wrong idea, I'm not having a pity party here in my blog. Instead, "Why me?" is sort of the basis for a series of rhetorical questions I've been processing this morning.
This morning I received an email saying that John Resig, creator of JQuery is going to visit RIT this week. I'm excited to meet him and am sure that our FOSS mixer Thursday evening in the Innovations center is going to have a nice mix of people. (Visit the Facebook Event for details)
The other thing the email reminded reminded me of is a trend I've been seeing in little bits and pieces over the past year or so… That RIT has some very talented alumni that have gone on to be leaders in the FOSS Community.
So the question I'm struggling with this morning, is why me? Why didn't the ball get rolling for RIT to Teach Open Source Development techniques until I helped push it? I don't doubt that RIT would have formalized it's FOSS development coursework at some point, but why did the push have to come from me when there could have been so many others leading the charge?
People who not only had more clout in the FOSS community, but connections at RIT.
To clarify, I'm not a student at RIT. I'm not on staff at RIT. The FOSS community isn't waiting with baited breath to hear what I might say next, so, again, why was my participation a key component?
Withdrawing my FPL Application
I should probably trust my gut reactions, they usually don't lead me astray, but this time I decided to suppress my initial reaction and apply for the Fedora Project Leader (FPL) position.
Here's the thing, I've been having reservations for a few days and had sort of hoped that the FOSS talent pool was so deep that my lack of Software Engineering experience and my hit-or-miss involvement in the Fedora Project would filter me out rather quickly.
Then a couple of things happened today. First was an email from Paul Frields, the standing FPL, trying to nail down a time for a Phone interview with someone at Red Hat.
The second was a cattle call IRC ping for a meeting that was taking place face-to-face somewhere else.
So why should that lead me to withdraw? Let me explain…
Knowing my prompt rejection was off the table, I had to get myself in gear and prepare for wowing everyone I met in the interview process. That means running through possible questions and answers… etc.
That process, for me, can be a lot like a psychological test. The first thing that comes to mind as I begin the Q&A practice is very enlightening for me because it's not always the answer I would or should give, but it's usually very accurate as to how I really feel about something.
So while I'm reading and prepping for the call, I got another pointless IRC meeting ping from the guys at Open Video Chat.
So as I'm getting myself polished and sorting through proper answers, I was getting pissy and telling OVC to stop wasting my time… well if my other insights didn't tell me anything this did. And what it said was "this is a bad fit."
You see, FPL is not about what I can do, it's about what I could help the community do and it just doesn't seem like I should be so cranky about a pointless meeting ping.
In this case, the right answer would have been to go over to RIT and
slap the guys around politely explained that they need a lesson on transparency and IRC meetings. Instead, I had the eureka moment I needed to have. I finally could see that I'm ok letting the opportunity slip by. That I'm ok with not being one of the few women leading FOSS projects. I'm also ok not trying to be a rising star.
It's not failure, it's just the right thing to do.


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Ladies Day Tool Event
So gals, if a special guy on your list wants quality tools for Christmas, we have the event for you! Our friends at Montana Tool would like to invite you to their Ladies Day this Saturday, December 8th, from 9 a.m. till Noon. Enjoy a continental breakfast, register for door prizes and get special discounts. Heck, you even have a few days to send your guy in ahead of time to look around and make a wish list. Sound fun? Montana Tool is at 1908 North Avenue West, just off Johnson St., not too far from the mall. DB


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She was tranquilized in Crookston last June and moved to Kittson County management area.
A female moose that frequented Crookston earlier this year before being tranquilized and relocated to a wildlife management area in Kittson County, has died.
For months earlier this year, Crookston Police and local DNR personnel repeatedly tried to chase the moose out of town, but it kept returning. With so many Crookston residents routinely observing the moose in yards and along streets, and some even reportedly feeding it, local law enforcement grew increasingly concerned about the moose becoming a public safety hazard. So, in late June, DNR personnel finally tranquilized the moose in a field on Crookston's southwestern edge, fitted her with a satellite collar, transported her in a trailer and released her in the Caribou Wildlife Management Area in Kittson County.
Ross Hier, area DNR wildlife supervisor in Crookston, said data from the collar indicated the moose had been very active for much of August, but she became much less so in mid-September. Christine Reisz, DNR area wildlife supervisor in Karlstad, located the moose alive and apparently healthy, but reluctant to move. A few days later, transmissions from the collar indicated no movement, and researchers subsequently found her dead.
The cause of death has yet to be determined. Moose have been dying off due to parasites and prey at what many agree is an alarming rate in Minnesota. Various biological samples were taken from the animal on-site and her remains were transported to the University of Minnesota Veterinarian School for further testing.


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March 17. 2013 10:17PM
School day's end is also a beginning at Nashua after school program
By BENJAMIN C. KLEIN
Union Leader Correspondent
Instructor Jonathan Starks shows Rebeca Lins, 10, and Mariana Sierra, 9, the different parts of a silkscreen machine so they can learn how to make their own custom T-shirts. (BENJAMIN C. KLEIN PHOTO)
NASHUA - With more than 800 children spread across five elementary schools and all three middle schools, the federally funded 21st Century After School Program is designed to provide a safe place for children of working parents in impoverished areas.
In order for a school to qualify for the program, roughly a third of the student population must be eligible for free or school lunches. Once a school is eligible, every student is eligible to enroll in the program that, at a maximum, costs $50 a month for a child to attend every day.
Kim Moreno said that because she and her husband work, having an affordable after-school program for 7-year-old Dmitri and 10-year-old Juliana is a huge help.
"My children are here so we can work, but they also like it. The program offers activities that would typically be much more expensive to participate in," she said.
Sue Almeida, director of the 21st Century After School Program, said that the program is funded by a federal grant administered through the state. She added the program is currently up for reapplication for the five-year grant.
"I am not worried about losing our funding," she said. "We are one of the biggest programs in the state and well established."
Superintendent Mark Conrad said that along with the Adult Learning Center, a nonprofit organization that rents space in all 12 elementary schools for a pre-school and after-school program, 21st Century is a necessity for the district.
"Both programs do an excellent job of coordinating with students' teachers to ensure that any subject they need extra help with is emphasized after school," Conrad said, who added no money from the district goes to either program.
Almeida said 21st Century programs have been in the district since 2000 and are currently located in Amherst Street, Dr. Crisp, Fairgrounds, Ledge Street and Mount Pleasant elementary schools and the Elm Street, Fairgrounds and Pennichuck middle schools.
"We have only been in the middle schools for the last four years. Five or six years ago they wouldn't have qualified," she said.
For kids, the after-school program is not something where they get to run around unstructured and unsupervised.
Deb Kudalis, Amherst Street Elementary School 21st Century Program coordinator, said 3 to 4 p.m. is homework time, 4 to 5 p.m. is spent in enrichment class, and 5 to 5:45 p.m. is for downtime as children wait to be picked up. Children are also provided a free snack and given a brief recess.
"A lot of these students have 10 to 11 hour days with school and the program combined, but they love it. There are times when students ask to be picked up early, and when parents show up early the kids don't want to go home and get very upset. I tell parents not to listen to the kids in the morning," Kudalis said.
Rosemarie Dillingham ran into just such a problem with her daughter Kaysi, 6, when she went to pick her up Thursday.
"She just gave me attitude because I came to pick her up early," Dillingham said with a laugh.
Dillingham said she enrolled Kaysi, an only child, into the program so that she gets as much social experience with other children as possible.
"I absolutely think this program is great. I love that I don't have to go somewhere else, and she doesn't have to get on a bus to go to the program. It's right here, and with the school all secure it is even better," she said.
Kudalis said the program offers a wide variety of programs, including athletics, arts and crafts, and academics.
Classes include karate, beading, fun math problems, science classes, silk screening, basketball and more. Almeida said each program at each school is different because "the culture of each school is different."
"A cheerleading class in one program that is very popular might not work in another school," she said.
The long days don't seem to bother the children at all.
Gwen Dockham, 9, and Martha Patino, 8, were goofing around during a beading class, proudly proclaiming that they are BFFs or "best friends forever."
Both said they enjoyed the program, with Gwen saying she would rather be in there than at home after school.
Rebeca Lins, 10, and Mariana Sierra, 9, are learning how to make custom T-shirts in a silkscreen class using equipment donated by the PTO.
Instructor Jonathan Starks reminded the girls that along with learning how to use the machine, they always have to clean up afterwards.
Zianna Ramos, 9, said that it isn't so bad being in the after-school program, despite having to do homework.
"It's really fun here, I don't mind coming here. It's not all about school work. Sometimes it's about having fun," Ramos said.